5

It was his room now, but the door had been closed when he dragged his small valise up the corridor of wet, resettling students, and he felt like an intruder.

Plus, it was Xem. He鈥檇 probably appreciate Asher showing the courtesy, especially considering what had happened last time Asher had been up this end of the hallway.

Compromising by giving a quick rap on the wood and then pushing the door open without waiting for an answer, Asher stopped short after taking a single step into the room. His breath left him in a quick, startled huff, as though he鈥檇 been hit.

Where his bed should have been鈥攖he bed he鈥檇 spent the trimester fighting for, had earned from Pippah with his literal blood鈥攖here was only empty space, a dusty floor, and a slightly scuffed wall.

Asher felt like falling to his knees and crying. Which was stupid , and Xem wouldn鈥檛 hesitate to verbally lacerate him for it, but鈥?

鈥淚t occurred to me that there were too many beds in here, Asher.鈥?

His name, spoken so softly and with a tenderness Asher had rarely spied through Xem鈥檚 prickliness, didn鈥檛 do anything to help his breathless state.

He turned slowly on his heel. His bed had been pushed up against Xem鈥檚 over on the other side of the room, turning the two narrow cots into a more spacious sleeping space. The dark-haired mage himself was tucked up under the covers, the shape of his long legs beneath the blankets showing that he was shamelessly sprawled across both beds.

鈥淵ou should see your face.鈥?Xem chuckled and rolled onto his back, stretching insolently. 鈥淚鈥檓 almost tempted to let you continue to believe I鈥檓 trying to screw you over, for I鈥檇 love to end that argument with you rendered helpless by my magic again. But no, Asher, I鈥檓 not stealing your bed. I鈥檓 offering to share it.鈥?

He shuffled sideways to free up a couple of inches of space, and lifted the corner of the blanket invitingly.

Asher鈥檚 mouth went dry.

Barely remembering to close the door, he dropped everything he was holding and moved towards the bed with an eagerness that had him tripping over his own feet. His mumbling apologies earned him wry amusement from the watching mage.

Yet when Asher began to slide beneath the covers, Xem scowled and dropped his hand, blocking his way. Asher faltered.

鈥淚 said you could come in,鈥?Xem said in that silkily dangerous voice of his, violet eyes flashing. 鈥淚 said nothing about your clothes.鈥?

Oh.

Oh.

Asher stripped out of his uniform, sending boots, suspenders, and breeches flying. He flushed when he caught Xem staring at his body with open appreciation, and climbed hastily into the bed. Searching hands slid under the blankets to grasp his hips and yank him close, and at the slide of bare skin against his own, he realised Xem was also unclothed.

The other mage rolled on top of him with an elegant twist of his hips and Asher groaned when their bare cocks brushed against each other, heavy and leaking. Xem was all at once light and weighty, warm and cool, over-intense and not enough, and it was overwhelming in its sheer perfection .

Pouncing on Asher, Xem devoured his mouth. The kiss was brutally possessive, delivered the same way that he cast: ruthless, uncompromising, and with enviable skill. His tongue searched Asher鈥檚 mouth as though he owned it鈥攁nd he did, there was no question鈥攁nd cinnamon spice flooded Asher鈥檚 tongue with floaty, desperate need.

When Xem finally drew back for air, his eyes were wild and his lips abused and red. It was the most unkempt Asher had ever seen him.

鈥淔uck, how I鈥檝e wanted this,鈥?Xem breathed from above him, tightening his hold on his arms.

Asher smiled hazily, his mind pleasantly emptied.

鈥淢e too. You know we could have had it the day I arrived.鈥?

鈥淣o we could not,鈥?Xem said coldly, and Asher blinked at the abrupt change of tone. 鈥淏ecause I do not dance to the whims of fate.鈥?Fingers reverently traced Asher鈥檚 jaw before coming to rest over his lips. 鈥淲hy should anyone but us control our own destinies?鈥?

So that was why he hadn鈥檛 believed they were soulmates鈥攐r he had, but he鈥檇 refused to let it bind him to Asher other than by his own decision. Stubborn prick.

As if he could tell what he was thinking, Xem smirked and slid his fingers into Asher鈥檚 mouth, pressing down on his tongue and driving them to the back of his throat. Asher gagged. Xem held him down with his weight and waited patiently, evidently enjoying his suffering.

鈥淵ou are in this bed only through your own hard work, Asher,鈥?he said conversationally, as if he wasn鈥檛 making Asher more turned on than he鈥檇 ever been in his life. 鈥淏ecause you wanted something and made it happen, and fought like the damn Devil today to win, even against me. Because I corrected Allarie鈥檚 fuckup when I could have said nothing.鈥?Arousal danced in his violet eyes as he watched Asher choke on his fingers. His cock twitched against his thigh, hard and needy. 鈥淵ou are my soulmate, Asher Larsen, not because fate said so. But because I said so.鈥?

Xem withdrew his fingers and granted Asher the air he鈥檇 been struggling for, but which he now only wanted for the way it let him taste Xem鈥檚 heady aura once more.

鈥淣ow,鈥?Xem purred, rocking back to sit up on his heels and expose Asher鈥檚 shivering body to his hungry gaze. 鈥淪hall we consummate our soulmate bond?鈥?

There was only one way of doing that, and consummate was the right word for it.

Thankfully, as soulmates, they didn鈥檛 have to worry about protection.

And Asher thought he was prepared for anything the wickedly demanding mage might want. But when Xem eased his weight away and rolled onto his elbows and knees in one smooth move, Asher stared in stunned silence at the flawless arse peeking up at him.

Without turning around, Xem stretched out one elegant leg and kicked Asher on the shin.

鈥淥w.鈥?

鈥淚 know you鈥檝e got it in you, recruit,鈥?Xem taunted, his voice muffled from the way his face was pressed into the mattress. 鈥淵ou always demonstrate so much... enthusiasm in class.鈥?He shifted impatiently on all fours. 鈥淪how me the same.鈥?

Those last words were delivered as an order, icy dominance dripping from each syllable. If anyone could be so unquestionably in charge while face down with their arse in the air, it was Xem fucking Whitlock.

Asher moved to his knees, fingers reaching out to lightly trace the enticing lines of Xem鈥檚 body. The mage shivered beneath his touch, equally delicate and vicious. When Asher reached the pale globes of his arse and withdrew his hands, Xem jabbed a careless thumb to the right.

鈥淭he oil is in the drawer...fuck, Asher!鈥?

Asher grinned, working his finger deeper inside him as Xem twitched and yelped in surprise. The oily liquid he鈥檇 silently cast from water and earth gushed over his hand, slicking up Xem鈥檚 entrance and dripping down to the bedsheets beneath.

鈥淒on鈥檛 make a mess,鈥?Xem growled, obviously noticing the same thing. 鈥淭here鈥檚 now only one bed, and I refuse to sleep on soiled sheets-鈥?

The complaint was gratifyingly cut off when Asher added a second finger, making the mage howl.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e courting danger again, Asher Larsen!鈥?

Oh, Asher planned on doing a lot more than courting him.

He scissored his fingers to patiently work Xem open and then gave careful attention to that place inside him that he himself loved being touched. It made Xem鈥檚 head whip around, a crazed look in his exotic eyes and his hair mussed from where he鈥檇 been writhing against the bed. He鈥檇 never looked so dishevelled, even after a duel, and Asher adored it.

鈥淔uck me,鈥?he demanded, still so fierce.

Asher obeyed. Quickly slicking up his cock, he lined it up with the mage鈥檚 glistening hole and thrust his hips forward. Xem鈥檚 body welcomed him with ease, drawing his cock into its hot, silky heat.

They both exhaled as one.

The scent of cinnamon was thick in the air, mixing with their sweat and shared desire as Xem began to move. Asher attempted to hold him still鈥攈e was the one topping, damn it鈥攂ut it was like trying to keep waves from lapping at the sand. Slippery and determined, Xem continued to rock backwards onto Asher with a series of satisfied grunts, and it was all Asher could do to hold on so he wouldn鈥檛 fall backwards off the bed.

Sensation crested. Xem was clenched tight around his cock, greedily taking more of him with each roll of his hips, and Asher was lost amid a sea of desire and delight.

鈥淣ow,鈥?Xem murmured in a voice thick with pleasure. He grabbed Asher鈥檚 right hand and brought it beneath him with a slight tilt of his head that dared Asher to object.

He didn鈥檛.

He curled his fingers around the heavy cock that danced between Xem鈥檚 legs, revelling in the warmth of it against his skin, and began to stroke it in time with the man鈥檚 aggressive movements. Feeling daring, Asher let his thumb explore the shape of the head. He grinned into Xem鈥檚 hair when he ran it over the sensitive slit and the mage bucked beneath him with a cry.

And when their shared climax overtook them a few moments later, bliss cascading down Asher鈥檚 spine and warmth blossoming over his hand, the soulmate bond solidified between them with a resounding thwack that felt like a physical blow to the chest. Exhilarating yet soothing, it stole all thoughts but the feel of Xem鈥檚 body wrapped around his throbbing cock, and how he shuddered and shivered in Asher鈥檚 arms.

As mages, the pair of them already had access to earth and water, fire and air. But with their consummated connection the fifth element had snapped into place, denied to all but those who were lucky enough to find their bonded mate.

Soul.

Now Asher could feel the other mage as part of himself, sense the beat of his heart and the hitch in his breath. If one died then they would both die, but that was no burden at all, for how could Asher live without this clever, impossible man?

鈥淴em!鈥?he cried into his mage鈥檚 shoulder, acutely aware of Xem calling out his name in turn, and then they were twisting, grabbing, kissing, crying, laughing, and no longer caring about the mess they鈥檇 made of their shared bed.

Xem sighed long and loud against Asher鈥檚 mouth.

鈥淔ucking magic,鈥?he murmured happily. 鈥淭ake me again.鈥