Thirty-Nine

Nino loves the train in Japan. Especially when he misses rush hour on his way back home and it’s easy for him to get a window seat. Something about it—the quiet atmosphere, only disturbed by the muffled, smooth sound of the wheels against the train tracks, and the peaceful monotony of watching traditional houses interspersed with green rice fields, cement buildings, bright convenience stores and pedestrians and bikers zipping by like short clips from a movie reel—it gives him a sense of calm. A sense of wonder.

His phone rings. He looks around before discreetly answering the call and bringing the phone to his ear. “Thank God, she’s alive.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Cellina snarks. “Don’t be a brat.”

“Are they holding you captive in Greece somewhere? Why don’t you ever answer your phone, Lina?”

“Because I’m busy,” she says. “The museum has some exciting projects going on and I have a lot of responsibility. Everything is alright, isn’t it? Are you and Haruka okay?”

“Yeah,” Nino whispers. “We’re great—I just miss talking to you.”

Ever since Nino became bonded a month earlier, Cellina is even harder to get ahold of. He would never say it, but it suddenly feels as if his best friend is a fed-up nanny. She’s finally off duty and she’s washed her hands of him.

“Sorry,” she says. “I’ll try to do better, but I have shit to do. Why are you whispering?”

“I’m on the train. They don’t like people talking on phones on the train here—or eating. But it’s after rush hour and the car isn’t very full.”

“Got it—so you’re happy?” she asks.

“Yes. Very.” Maybe this is the happiest Nino has ever been in his long life. He never anticipated this—that within a matter of months, his life would be wholly and wonderfully changed forever.

He is bonded. With another purebred vampire. It’s unbelievable.

“Good,” Cellina says. “How’s Haruka? Is he adjusting?”

“He’s much better. I can tell he still grapples with the shock of it though. He’s been reaching out to Historians in other countries… his network of dusty vampire-professor nerds.”

Cellina laughs at this. Nino smiles as he continues. “He wants some kind of empirical data or logical reasoning for why we bonded so quickly and easily. I tell him it’s because we’re meant to be. He calls me a romantic and sticks his handsome little nose back in a book.”

“Cute,” Cellina says. “It’s that ancient blood of his—combined with the fact that you both genuinely trust each other. It’s a beautiful thing. How’s the aristocracy treating you?”

“I had a big meeting with the ranked vampires in Osaka and Kyoto last week. It went well, and I feel good about the role I’m creating for myself. Everyone is really receptive except for a couple of vamps here and there. I’m going to oversee the major cities in Kansai and Haru is going to take Chūgoku and split it with another purebred in Hiroshima.”

“Oh, is that the same purebred that oversaw his realm while he was away? The ‘substitute’ you mentioned?”

“Yeah.” Nino laughs. “He’s not popular. So tell me about the museum. G keeps asking me how you’re doing. He’s been pretty grumpy since you moved to Athens.”

There’s silence on the other end and Nino bites back a grin. “Lina?”

“You wonder why I don’t answer your calls?”

It’s dusk when Nino finally walks into the quiet master bedroom. The light of the newly replaced lamp is soft in the impending darkness. Instinctively, he glances through the open patio doors. The bamboo fence is vibrant and green against the luscious pink of cherry blossom trees. They delicately shed their petals in the stillness, reminding him of snowfall. Haruka is there, slowly sinking his long, naked body down and into the water.

Immediately deciding to join him, Nino walks over to his mate’s side of the bed to get the tube of liquid from the nightstand drawer. He rounds the corner of the mattress and is met with a small hoard—stacks of books, shuffled papers and an empty wine glass are set against the hardwood floor. Nino shakes his head as he steps over his husband’s miniature nest.

“He has a library and an office. Why does there need to be books and papers in our bedroom, too?”

He breathes a laugh, knowing Asao will fuss at him and say the same thing when he finds the mess. Bottle in hand, Nino swiftly moves toward the master bathroom to quickly shower.

The sun has dipped below the horizon when he’s finished and walks outside. The sky is an incredible blueish-purple with clusters of puffy, lingering clouds. They slowly drift, as if playing hide-and-seek with the silvery twinkle of stars above.

Haruka is sitting on the underwater ledge lining the inside of the spring. When Nino approaches, he stands, then dips underneath the water’s surface. Nino moves further into the spring, only stopping when his mate emerges just in front of him. Haruka smooths his hair back. He opens his haunting burgundy eyes. “Hello, my love.”

He steps into Nino, wrapping his arms around his naked waist and tilting his head to place a firm kiss against his mouth. Nino returns the affection before lifting his head. “Asao is going to fuss at you for leaving your research stuff in the bedroom.”

“He will get over it.” Haruka smiles, leaning in to catch his mouth once more. After a moment of indulgence, he pulls back. “How was the first meeting?”

“It was good,” Nino mumbles, busy kissing Haruka’s face. He moves near his ear, then down the line of his neck to his shoulder. His skin is so soft and damp from soaking in the warm water. He wants to tell him about his day, but the combination of Haruka’s muffled scent, the bath and the clean, spring night air is doing a number on Nino’s mental capacities. His voice is husky as it passes through his lips. “Can I tell you about it later?”

Haruka laughs, affectionate and deep from his throat. Nino loves that sound. Maybe it is his favorite sound. Haruka kisses him, then grasps Nino’s free hand beneath the water to drag him toward the edge of the hot spring.

Once there, Haruka lifts himself to sit atop the underwater bench, simultaneously pulling Nino between his spread thighs. He wraps his long legs around Nino’s waist in the water, bringing their bodies tightly together. Nino leans forward to place the bottle of lube at the edge of the spring, friskily taking Haruka’s mouth as he does so. With his hands free, he reaches down and grips Haruka’s ass. He lifts him into his body, the weight of him like nothing from the buoyancy of the water.

They cling to each other, their bodies slick and their mouths moving and teasing underneath the celestial sky. Just as Nino is building up his courage, Haruka lifts his head from the kiss and lazily looks into his eyes. “My love, if you desire me, you can have me. You do not need to hesitate like this.”

“Well… I… I thought we weren’t supposed to be intentionally reading each other’s thoughts until we practiced more?”

Haruka smirks, unwrapping his legs from around Nino’s waist to stand on his own. “Intentionally reading your thoughts is superfluous. You are an open book.” Haruka turns his back to him and Nino shrugs in agreement. Fair point.

His mate places one knee against the bench, partially lifting his body from the water to quickly grab the bottle and hand it to Nino. Mesmerized by the sight of his long, creamy back and firm cheeks slick in the moonlight, Nino’s eyes glow to life as he steps into him. He presses his chest into his spine and tilts his head to kiss Haruka along the curve of his shoulder. Multi-tasking, Nino makes quick work of lathering his fingers as he indulges in the taste of his skin.

When he’s finished, he tosses the bottle back to the edge of the spring, then lays one palm flat against his husband’s tight stomach. At Nino’s touch, Haruka subtly arches his lower back, making it easier for Nino to reach down and softly caress his fingers against his tight, damp flesh. Haruka’s breathing shortens as Nino teases him and kisses behind his ear, nuzzling his face into his hair. Nino finally presses his fingers into him and Haruka groans, lying into Nino’s chest.

As Nino strokes and stretches him, Haruka rests his head back against his shoulder, his eyes closed. He grasps Nino’s free hand at his belly, then slowly guides him down until their fingers are wrapped tightly around Haruka’s shaft. With both hands busy, Nino whispers against his husband’s ear, “Tell me when you’re ready.”

Haruka lifts his head, then bends forward slightly to rest his palms against the edge of the hot spring. He breathes out and Nino can feel him relaxing his body. His warm flesh giving and flexing around his fingers. His beautiful back is glistening and dotted with droplets from the hot, rolling steam of the spring. Soon, Haruka’s deep voice is husky in the quiet night air. “I’m ready.”

Nino removes his fingers, then slowly replaces them with his shaft, gradually pressing deeper into his tight, slick warmth. His mate is breathing, steadily yielding to him and taking him in. Nino exhales as he moves his hips forward, not wanting this to end prematurely.

He gently rocks against Haruka, driving himself in and out of his body in a steady rhythm. The heated water surrounding them ripples and swirls with his movement. As Haruka pushes back, his breathing is controlled—perfectly calm—and his eyes are closed.

Actually, he’s a little too calm. Too polite.

Nino pauses in his movement, then brings his hand back up to grasp Haruka’s damp belly. He encircles his navel with his thumb as he whispers, “Tesoro… we would have more fun if you stopped restraining yourself like this. Why won’t you let your aura rest?”

“I am deeply enjoying you.” Haruka turns his head, smiling seductively. “But when you have done something systematically for seventy years, it is not an easy habit to break.”

“I can help you…” Nino breathes, his eyes glowing even brighter.

Nino firmly holds his mate’s abdomen, willing his own essence within Haruka to grow and expand—to unravel, rest and be free from the strict hold he’s imposed upon it. Haruka gasps sharply, his eyes burning the color of fiery sunset and his spine tensing. He grips his fingers around Nino’s at his stomach and firmly bucks backward, the water splashing from his movement. His deep voice is hoarse. “Harder.”

Nino obeys, driving his hips into him. Haruka bends forward again, bracing himself as he pushes back into Nino’s body to match his carnal movement. The mist in the air is like a veil around them, making smooth lines of condensation trickle down the center of Nino’s spine as he thrusts into his mate, over and over. The sound of their bodies clashing in the water combined with Haruka’s grunts of pleasure has Nino teetering on the edge—the pressure of release bubbling hot and low in his groin.

Need and lust are overtaking his mind, but he wants Haruka with him. For them to reach the height of ecstasy together.