Chapter 19

They searched Selma's room that night.

"Here, take this extra lamp." Sebastian handed it to James as he lit another and set it on a side table. "I want lots of light for this room."

The bedroom was large, almost as big as Sebastian's. They'd opened the curtains to let in what moonlight they could and had several candles burning, but the shadows and the dated decor gave the room an undeniably ghostly look. The gauzy curtains hanging from the large four-poster bed didn't help, and neither did the cloth doll bound in ropes sitting on the desk.

"What the hell is that?" James asked, not wanting to get closer to the doll. It had no face, just something that looked a lot like blood smeared across its chest.

"That's Nelson." Sebastian grimaced at the doll before turning away to set a lamp on the other side of the room, near the spiral stairs leading to the tower above them. "He ran off, like I said, but Selma must have had his blood. She used the doll to bind him to his brother Sullivan."

James wrinkled his nose. "Why?"

Sebastian made an unsure sound. "Sullivan's journal said it was to prevent Nelson from escaping the consequences of his actions. He got away in time to avoid being trapped like his brother, but Selma linked them via the doll. The journal made it sound like Sullivan could channel his brother and steal his power or force him to feed the curse through the link, leaving Sullivan free to use his magic at full strength. It didn't say the bit about the curse in so many words, but reading between the lines after knowing what was going on made it clear."

"No wonder he never came back." James thought the whole family sounded horrible, except Sebastian and Stephen. And okay, Stephen's father, who James hadn't heard much about, but those first generations seemed nasty.

On that bright note, they began opening drawers. Sebastian took things out of the desk while James dove into the wardrobe.

"Wait." James paused as the rest of what Sebastian had said caught up with him. "The curse makes it harder for you to do magic?"

"Yeah, my ability is weaker than it was before I got trapped. Not that I was ever that strong. Since my life is feeding the veins, I don't have the same amount of magical energy I used to." Sebastian sounded less annoyed than James might have thought. Living in a place without electricity would be easier with full access to your magic, but Sebastian had probably come to terms with the way things were. There was no reason for James to press the point or make a big deal of it.

"Why didn't they install any electricity upstairs?" he asked instead as he checked all the pockets of the vintage trousers he'd found in the wardrobe. The instructions probably weren't in an eighty-year-old pocket, but they were checking every possibility during this search, no matter how unlikely.

Sebastian scanned the sheets of paper he'd pulled from the desk. "The manor was still under construction when Sullivan and Nelson ruined everything. After the curse settled things and saved everyone from disaster, they realized the property was draining energy and stopped installing any kind of power. They tested what had been installed, but drawing from the electrical grid caused a black-out for the whole region."

"Damn." James began putting the trousers away.

Sebastian set a few of the papers aside. "There are several articles about the mysterious outage in the library. Only the Storms know what really happened."

They searched the room methodically, emptying each drawer and shelf one by one, checking each item, and trying not to choke on the dust. By midnight, they were sure the instructions weren't there.

"Anything up here?" James asked, peering up the metal spiraling staircase into the dark.

Sebastian brushed his hair from his face, looking tired. "Just a telescope and a single chair. There's a nice view, but I'd recommend going up during the day. Otherwise, you'll just get a bunch of shades looking in. Bastards are always blocking the telescope, so you can't even look at the stars."

They blew out the candles, extinguished the lamps, and closed up the room. The landing, with its high ceilings and skylights, felt open and welcoming in comparison.

Outside James's room, there was an awkward pause, both of them standing frozen in hesitation. Unsurprisingly, Sebastian found his confidence first. "Want to keep me company tonight?" He waggled his eyebrows ridiculously, causing James to choke on a laugh. You'd never have known how vulnerable he'd seemed that afternoon.

The awkwardness between them disappeared.

"Lead the way." James tried not to smile too hard. Big silly grins weren't exactly sexy.

Sebastian sauntered down the hall to his room, James close behind. Sebastian had already lit his fire, so his room was pleasantly warm. The soft orange glow suited him, bringing out the light and dark ginger tones in his hair. He pulled his shirt over his head in one graceful motion, revealing soft, freckled skin and a bruise on his hip.

James ran a delicate finger along it. "Sorry."

"Don't be. I don't mind aching, remembering you tackling me to the ground." Sebastian lifted the edge of James's sweater, revealing his own fading bruise. "I want to feel you even when you're not touching me."

James's breath caught. Even though Sebastian had seemed affected after what happened in the kitchen, his reaction hadn't necessarily been about James in particular. Did this mean Sebastian spent a lot of time thinking about the two of them touching? Had he been thinking about the incident in the ballroom since it had happened? If he had, maybe Sebastian's attraction to James went deeper than physical desire.

James wanted Sebastian to think about him. Imagine if he filled Sebastian's daydreams the way Sebastian occupied his.

Sebastian took advantage of James's stunned state and pulled his sweater over his head, followed by his shirt. Goosebumps erupted over James's newly exposed skin. Sebastian ran his palms up James's chest, coming to rest on his pecs. "I promise, this time, I won't come the second you touch my dick." He sounded dismissive, almost exasperated with himself, but a deep blush stained his cheeks.

James ran his fingers over the heated flesh. He didn't want Sebastian to be embarrassed. James had loved how excited he'd been, even the way he'd taken James by surprise, filling his mouth before he was ready. Knowing Sebastian responded to him so easily made James feel wanted.

"You can come whenever you want," he promised.

Something like relief loosened the strain around Sebastian's eyes, and he pulled James into a kiss.

They kept it light as Sebastian guided James back toward the bed. When they hit the mattress, Sebastian pushed, and James let himself flop back onto the lush bedspread. Sebastian reached for James's fly and had his jeans off a moment later.

"James Gray, naked in my bed," Sebastian taunted, throwing the jeans aside and looking at James like all his dirty dreams had come true.

James's whole body heated. He had to resist covering his stiffening cock.

Unable to lie there and take Sebastian's appreciative look for long, he sat up, perched on the edge of the mattress, and undid Sebastian's pants. Sebastian pulled them off and turned around, shooting a sultry look over his shoulder, peeking out from behind tousled hair. He hooked his thumbs into the waistband of his boxer briefs and pulled them down slowly, bending over in the process and putting his ass on display.

James forgot to breathe.

When his ass was fully exposed, Sebastian paused, leaving his underwear pulled taut, cupped beneath his perfect ass cheeks. No one had ever presented themselves so shamelessly to James. He fucking loved it and couldn't get enough of how much Sebastian seemed to love it too.

Sebastian looked over his shoulder with his bottom lip between his teeth, his lashes lowered in a lusty haze.

James reached out and squeezed the pert ass in his face, causing Sebastian to let out a satisfied uh. He palmed each of Sebastian's cheeks, spreading them until the tight pucker of his hole was exposed. He could have looked at the view forever, basking in the deep-seated desire coursing through him.

Sebastian braced himself, hands on his thighs. "Fuck me, James," he panted.

"Exactly what I was thinking." James let go of Sebastian's ass and tugged his underwear the rest of the way down, eager to get him fully naked.

Sebastian kicked the boxer briefs away before turning into James's arms. They crashed together in a frantic, messy kiss. Sebastian's cock pressed into James's stomach, leaking on him already. James reached between them to stroke it, running his thumb though the beaded precum.

"Fuck, why does that feel so good?" Sebastian whined.

James squeezed and stroked. "Complaining?"

"Never." Sebastian climbed onto James's lap, straddling him. "But don't push my self-control too far. I don't want to come until you're inside me."

James swore. He didn't think he'd ever get used to the things Sebastian said. Even when they were naked and all over each other, Sebastian's words sent a jolt of shock through him.

He obeyed Sebastian's request, releasing his cock in favor of feeling up the rest of him. Sebastian kissed him like he was drowning and it was the only way to get air. James couldn't get enough of Sebastian's round ass, squeezing and pulling Sebastian tighter against him.

Sebastian's outrageous flirting and bold moves gave James confidence. He didn't hold back or worry if he was making a lust-addled fool of himself. He just did whatever his desire demanded, whatever he thought Sebastian craved.

James ran his fingers up and down Sebastian's crease. When he ran the pad of his finger over Sebastian's hole, Sebastian released a groan into James's mouth. James massaged the sensitive flesh, his cock straining as Sebastian rocked into him, painting his stomach with precum.

"You got condoms?" James managed to ask when his brain could spare a thought.

"Yeah," Sebastian replied, sounding breathy and indignant at once. "It'd have been no good trying to seduce you if I wasn't prepared for it to work."

Sebastian's advances definitely had a calculated element—especially back when James first started coming to Storm House—but James liked knowing the two of them in bed together wasn't a whim. Sebastian wanted this and had planned for it. He wanted to remember James's touch and hadn't held back in going for everything he desired. He'd seduced James, and James had fallen for it because he wanted it all just as much.

James was a goner for the man in his lap. He hadn't ever wanted anyone this bad. The longing was starting to hurt, pulling at his heart and cock until he couldn't function. James hadn't had a lot of sex and had never felt like he was missing out, but sex with Sebastian was another story. It was like uncovering a new layer to life, one he could never unsee or live without now that he'd been given a taste.

Sebastian climbed off James's lap and rummaged in his bedside-table drawer. James thought of all the dildos in there, some of which were in creative shapes James had never imagined. An image of himself fucking a handcuffed Sebastian with one of the toys flashed across his mind. He'd have to file that idea away for later. Right now, he needed to know what it felt like to join their bodies. He wanted every bit of Sebastian to be his.

James crawled up the bed. Sebastian tossed him lube and a condom before sprawling beside him.

Sebastian propped his head up with a hand. "Do me, James. Before I die of need."

James bit back a smile. "We can't have that," he said with full sincerity.

Sebastian threw his head back and cackled. "How are you managing to be serious right now?"

"I'm not." James ran a hand down Sebastian's stomach to the trail of light hair leading away from his belly button. "Or I am. I'm very serious about pleasing you."

"Yeah?" Sebastian's muscles tensed, the single syllable undeniably needy.

James's gaze returned to Sebastian's face. Before he could interpret his expression, Sebastian shifted, flipping over and positioning himself on his hands and knees.

"Then please me."

James smiled as Sebastian turned toward him with a sultry expression. He leaned down to give him a quick kiss, then settled behind him.

Sebastian's gorgeous ass was on full display, in the air and waiting for him. The sight was better than any daydream or fantasy he'd come up with. James caressed Sebastian's thighs, his cheeks, and the dimples in the small of his back before running his hand up and down Sebastian's arched spine.

Sebastian's breathing grew heavy. He let out a small moan as James kissed the dimples above his ass. There was a cluster of freckles on his left ass cheek. James kissed that too.

"Can I taste you?" James asked into the soft skin.

"W-what?" Sebastian stammered.

James pulled back, resting his hands on Sebastian's backside. His face was flaming, and he was glad Sebastian couldn't see it. "Would you like it if I rimmed you?" James almost died as the words left his mouth. He didn't say explicit things like this often but found himself consumed with the desire to put his lips all over Sebastian's body.

"I've never had—I mean—of course I'd like it."

James bent and trailed kisses from those gorgeous dimples down to Sebastian's crease. "I haven't done this before either," he admitted. "Tell me if it's no good."

"Okay," Sebastian said, barely above a whisper.

James parted Sebastian's cheeks and ran his tongue up Sebastian's crack. He felt Sebastian twitch as his tongue made contact with the puckered flesh of his hole. The response gave James a thrill, and he went in with another swipe of his tongue, this time with more confidence. James licked up and down and swirled his tongue around Sebastian's hole, pressing his face between Sebastian's cheeks until his nose protested.

"Yeah. That's good," Sebastian breathed. "Don't stop."

James smiled, nuzzling Sebastian's hole before placing an open-mouthed kiss against it. His whole world was smooth skin and the musky scent of sex. James licked and sucked at Sebastian until he was soft and slick with James's spit.

"So good, oh shit. Fuck me, James," Sebastian whined.

James could have eaten Sebastian's ass until they both came, but he wasn't about to deny such a desperate request. He opened the lube and let it warm on his fingers as he continued lapping at Sebastian's hole. Just a little more. He needed it. His dick ached between his legs. It wouldn't take much to get himself off. One tug from his hand would do it.

But Sebastian wanted to come with James filling him up, and James was going to make that happen. He pressed his tongue past the ring of softened muscle and Sebastian pushed back with a low groan. James lost himself in the way Sebastian moved against his mouth until he feared he'd come untouched before his cock got anywhere near Sebastian.

James made himself stop, giving Sebastian one last lick. He replaced his mouth with his finger and pressed forward, meeting little resistance before Sebastian gave way, allowing James entrance.

"More, James," Sebastian whined.

James let out a satisfied huff. "Getting impatient?"

"Yes, fuck. Don't want to wait any longer." Sebastian pressed back, trying to fuck himself on James's finger. "Need it."

All of Sebastian's pleasure hit James straight in the center of his chest. His cock took notice too, but there was something about pleasing Sebastian, knowing he felt good in James's arms, that made his soul ache.

"I'll give you what you need, Sebastian. Don't worry."

The promise drew another moan out of Sebastian. James finished prepping him without lingering, adding a second finger, then a third. He was just as eager as the man writhing beneath him.

Once Sebastian was ready, he got the condom on and slicked himself with lube. Anticipation pounded through James's veins and his pulse quickened. He lined himself up, pushing gently against Sebastian's hole.

"Please," Sebastian begged.

James loved being the cause of Sebastian's desperation. He wanted to play with Sebastian, see how wild he could drive him. Tease him until he screamed. But not tonight. Right now, he longed to give Sebastian everything, reward his openness, and fuck him exactly how he wanted.

He pushed forward in one steady stroke, not stopping until his hips pressed flush against Sebastian's ass. Sebastian moaned, whimpering when James's cock was fully seated inside him. James panted with effort, dizzy with the feeling of Sebastian's body accepting him. He took a moment to let Sebastian adjust, running a hand up his spine. James closed his eyes with the effort it took to restrain himself. Sebastian holding his cock inside him felt so good he worried he'd come the next time he moved.

Sebastian thrust his hips back. "Please, James."

"Feels good?" James asked as he pulled back, sliding partway out before thrusting steadily back in.

"Yes." Sebastian moved with him, his hands fisting the bedspread. "Harder," he groaned. "Fuck me hard, James. Please." He glanced back over his shoulder and caught James's eye, hitting him with a look so desperate and pleading that James gasped at the sight.

"Anything, Sebastian," he groaned, and Sebastian's eyes fluttered closed, a complete look of pleasure lighting his face. "Anything you need."

James took hold of Sebastian's hips and thrust.

Sebastian groaned as his body was jolted forward. "Yes."

James pulled back and slammed home hard, causing Sebastian to shout in pleasurable surprise, his eyes flying open as he looked over his shoulder once more. James tightened his hold and pounded into Sebastian, his world narrowing to the feeling of Sebastian's tightness squeezing his cock and the sounds falling from Sebastian's lips.

James faltered as he almost came but managed to hold off. Adjusting his angle, he picked up his pace, fucking Sebastian relentlessly into the mattress.

"Oh god, yeah." Sebastian bucked his hips. "Fuck me."

James worked his hips, hitting Sebastian's prostate if the wild sounds Sebastian was making were anything to go by. He reached for Sebastian's cock, his own orgasm threatening. He smeared Sebastian's precum down his shaft and jacked him hard.

Sebastian came with a shout, cum covering James's hand as Sebastian's tight muscles clenched around his cock. James filled the condom, his orgasm drawn out, the most exposing moans falling from his lips. He was left panting, dizzy with release, and collapsed against Sebastian's back.

The two of them lay together, sweaty and breathing hard. James kissed Sebastian's neck. "Did you enjoy that?" he murmured in his ear.

Sebastian huffed. "You know I did."

"Just want to make sure."

Sebastian turned his head to the side so he could look at James. "It was perfect."

James's chest constricted. "Good. I agree." He kissed Sebastian, then pushed himself up. He pulled out carefully and forced himself to walk to the bathroom to toss the condom away.

To his surprise, Sebastian followed.

They cleaned up in silence. James felt adrift in a way he wasn't familiar with. He'd never felt so connected to another person but didn't know what to say or if he should even say anything. Just as he started to worry he was making the afterglow awkward for them both, Sebastian swatted James with a hand towel, snapping it against his ass and surprising a shout out of him. Sebastian smiled deviously.

"You're a nightmare," James grumbled, rubbing his stinging backside.

"Whatever, you fucking love it," Sebastian shot back.

He really did.