He’s got a third finger in me now. My groin is getting tight again, so I reach my fingers up to hold his chin. I don’t want to climax like this a second time. “Inside me now, please.”

Thirty-One

Junichi

Jae is looking up at me from the pillow, his chestnut eyes lazy with sexual gratification. My sweet prince—warm creamy skin and dark golden, messy waves.

Now that I know for certain what he is, it’s obvious. How the hell did I miss it or even question it? He’s stunning. Perplexing. The pull I feel toward him is unquestionable, buzzing inside me like a low hum. It’s always made me nervous, so I’ve tried to ignore it. I’ve pushed it away along with the words Haruka spoke—that Jae’s awakening is in part because of me. Our compatibility is so strong that his nature intrinsically responds to me.

I remove my fingers from the warm cavern of his body and sit up straight. Grabbing his hand, I pull him upright and toward me. He’s confused but smiling. He trusts me.

“What’s all this?” he asks.

I sit up straight, folding my legs in the middle of the bed. His hand is still in mine, so I urge him toward me. “Come closer,” I say, smiling up at him as he lifts to his knees. I bring his hand over my shoulder like we’re dancing, urging him into my lap. He gets it now and climbs onto my folded legs. I hold his waist while he places his hands on my shoulders to steady himself.

Soon, he’s facing me with his legs gaped open as he sits in the hollow of my lap. The condom is beside me, so I pick it up and hand it to him. While he opens it and slowly unrolls it onto me, I’m lazily tracing my fingertips outside his thighs, up his hips and waist, then around to the small of his back.

Could I do this with him forever? Have him in my house, being warm, witty and delightful? Running my shop by day, then coming home to him at night… pleasing him and laughing with him. Dancing and eating with him.

I’ve never had the desire to bond. Even when I was expected to do it with Ren, I didn’t want it. Being bonded with my father slowly killed my mom’s spirit. I hated watching it year after year, knowing I couldn’t do anything about it other than promise myself to never be in a situation like hers—permanently beholden to someone cold who outranked me.

I still wouldn’t say that I want to bond, but… when Jae fully awakens and he’s a first-gen like me, maybe… maybe I can imagine it. We’ll be equals then—well matched and innately drawn to each other. Even if he’s second- or third-gen when he awakens, if my nature responds this strongly to him, I should accept it, shouldn’t I? I’ll be rid of Ren and his fucking purebred blood. It’ll be hard, but… maybe I should trust in this?

Jae is making sexy little moaning noises as he slowly settles himself onto my cock. I don’t force or manipulate him in any way. I just kiss him underneath and along his jawline as I caress his lower back with my fingertips, waiting until he’s made himself comfortable. When he’s all the way down, he wraps his legs around me, sighing and finding my mouth to kiss me back. He feels so tight and hot around my shaft—the weight of him is marvelous. Not too heavy, not too light. Perfect. He’s relaxed and already gently rocking his hips into me as he kisses me. He’s so fucking sexy and brazen. He does these things and chills go up my spine.

I slide my hands down to his hips, urging his movement against me now. We’re still kissing, but it’s getting wild with Jae’s rocking. Messy. Jae breaks the kiss and inhales like he can’t breathe, lifting his face toward the ceiling with his eyes clenched shut.

“Christ, Jun… you feel so good.”

With his eyes still closed, he removes his hands from around my shoulders and leans back on his palms, using the bed as leverage to rock himself harder into me. He’s swearing and out of breath, like he’s desperately chasing the release he needs from me.

I’m mesmerized by him. The feel of his body wrapped around me, the delicious scent of him and his shameless desire. I take one hand from his hip and firmly wrap it around his shaft between us to help him in his pursuit. I grip him hard, pulling and tugging, and a moment later he cries out, spilling over for me. He arches his neck and back, stunning and angelic in the golden sunlight pouring in through the glass wall.

Without even thinking, I grab his torso and pull him toward me while his neck is exposed. I lift my chin so that I’m just above his collarbone and I bite down hard. I hear Jae gasp, then feel his hands at my shoulders, swiftly wrapping around to embrace me.

His blood is flowing into my mouth, divine as I pull and swallow. He tastes just like he smells—sweet, warm and everything good. Anything satisfying I’ve ever known. Something freshly baked or a rainy day indoors. A winter night by the fire. Everything cozy and wholesome feels like its concentrated in Jae’s blood and I don’t understand why. How is he so unbelievably satisfying to me when he hasn’t even fully awakened yet?

The sublime pleasure of his blood and the heat of his tight body push me over the edge. I climax while I’m still feeding from him, like electricity is running up my spine and through me, straight to my brain. Jae has one hand clasped at the back of my neck, the other in my hair with his fingers gently massaging my scalp and his arms resting on my shoulders. He’s encouraging what I’m doing. Willingly giving of himself.

When I pull up from his neck and lick him clean, I notice he’s trembling. Worried, I look up to check his face. “Are you alright?” I ask.

He’s calm as he smiles. “I’m perfect.”

“Why are you shaking like this?” I look him over, caressing my hands up his spine to embrace him tight, wanting to ease his tremors.

He wraps his arms tighter around my shoulders. “I don’t know… This happened the first time you fed from me too. I feel gooey and melty inside. It makes me shake, but it passes. I’m alright.”

I blink, lifting my head from the warm hug to face him. “Why didn’t you tell me that the first time?”

He leans into me, brushing his nose against mine with his eyes closed. “You were a bit miffed with me at the time, remember? Having thought I was lying to you about being a vampire.”

I smile, meeting his affection. “You were.”

He lifts his head from me, his face serious. “Was not. Jun—”

I kiss him and wrap my arms even tighter around his waist. When I sense the tension in him relax, I pull up. “I’m joking, Jae. If you feel something strange happening with your body, please tell me. I’m sorry I wasn’t in the right state of mind that first time.”

“Don’t worry,” he says, nuzzling his nose against me again. God, he really loves this. “Are we… bonded now?”

I laugh. “No. If we were, you would know. I hear it’s an unmistakable feeling—like an anchor being dropped in your gut and at the base of your spine.”

“I sincerely doubt it’s as painful and horrific as you describe.”

I shrug. “It’s just what I’ve heard—and sometimes there are flashes of light and color.” I pinch his ass so he jumps slightly in surprise. “If you’ll release me, maybe we can shower, have some spicy tofu soup and then make our way back here?”

Having fed from Jae is like a palate cleanser. The residual, emotional muck that Ren dumped into me is gone, but I still feel tired. I didn’t have a lot of appointments today. The ones I had, I’ll cancel. I know Jae usually researches and works on the surrogacy program in the mornings, but…

He grins, occasionally wincing as he slowly lifts himself from my shaft. “Lazing about all morning in bed? With you? Yes, please… So sex is back on the table for us?”

Distracted, I carefully take hold of the used condom. “Obviously.” When I have it in my fingers, I scoot toward the end of the bed.

“No—I mean… This isn’t a one-time thing? Like you just wanted a refresher course.”

I’m standing to walk toward the bathroom, but pause and look at him. “I think… if you’re open with me about how you’re feeling, maybe we’re okay? Since you’re not fully awakened… we don’t need to be so strict.” And deep down—deep, deep down—I tell myself that if it happens… it happens.

Jae falls back, smiling as he stretches his arms up over his head and writhes against the comforter, happy and naked. “I promise to tell you everything—open communication. No secrets… Are you sleeping with anyone else? Currently?”

I’m in the bathroom, but I still hear him. “No.” I poke my head through the frame. “Are you?”

Jae spins himself and flips so that he’s lying on his stomach and facing me. His feet are in the air behind him and he’s resting on his elbows. “Nope. I don’t want to.”

I smirk at his matter-of-fact response. He’s watching me like he wants to say something else. When he doesn’t, I ask, “Are you showering with me?” He nods and scoots to the edge of the bed. As he walks toward me, I’m already thinking about how I’m going to make him come a third time before we finish this shower situation.

I would say that every time Jae cooks, it’s like eating at a restaurant. But it’s not. It’s better. As if each dish is especially made with his unique style—flavorful, filling and light. He’s not heavy-handed with seasonings, so it’s always just right.

We’re showered, well fed and in my bed again. Clothed this time—comfortable in sweats and long-sleeved shirts. I’m lying on my back against the pillows with my hands cradling my head. Jae is sitting upright beside me with his legs folded. Our only points of physical contact are his left thigh resting against mine and his left hand snaked underneath my shirt. He has his palm on my stomach, gently caressing his fingers against my flesh—in and around my belly button. He switches back and forth between playing my abdomen like a piano and rubbing me like I’m a very good boy.

“What happened to you?” he asks, his expression serious but sincere. “What was wrong last night?”

I suspect he’s been wanting to ask this question since before we took a shower but kept hesitating. Jae is good about reading the room and finding the right moment to say something—our first dinner date excluded.

I inhale deep then blow it out. “Ren acted like a shithead yesterday when I went to feed from him.”

“How so?”

“Well, let’s see… He physically assaulted me and exerted his rank over me by suppressing me with his aura, dumped his twisted emotions into me when he fed then sent me on my way without letting me feed.”