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“And you still allow it to bind you? Even now you are not part of that army?”

They’re both speaking in whispers. Damon says, “It’s more complex than that. A man like me, there would be consequences if I were caught.”

“Really, for a man who saved the Emperor’s life. Who took back Pluma-Ferris? Who took Pellex and all of Jur-Mattan.”

“Such a man has many enemies. Many people would delight in such an easy way to be rid of me.”

“You mean Atticul.”

“More than just Atticul. If I did such a thing and was caught. A sin of the body. My uncle Markus, Selim’s older brother. He was sly. That was why he was exiled. He was the Emperor and he was exiled for his sin. You don’t understand. We cannot do this, Lyr, please.” Damon’s voice drops even lower, “You would ruin me.”

“Ruin you?” Lyr whispers. He moves a little closer. His body brushes against Damon’s. He feels the runes on his chest growing warm. He wonders if Damon can feel it too.

“This is Attar,” Damon says, his voice a whisper and a growl. “This is the centre of the empire. The seat of Zai.” But as he speaks, Damon puts his hand on Lyr’s cheek. His thumb brushes the corner of Lyr’s mouth.

Damon is shaking.

“We could leave Attar. Leave Azuria. Run away from here.”

“No.” Damon pauses. His thumb is moving gently. “And go where?”

“Anywhere. Your island?”

Damon nods. He slides his thumb into Lyr’s mouth. Lyr closes his eyes and makes a soft whining noise as he sucks it.

“Please know it is not that I do not want to. If I kissed you now, Lyr, it would make everything worse.” He pulls back his thumb, out of Lyr’s mouth, but keeps his hand on Lyr’s face.

“Would it? You have kissed me before. I think of it often”

“Lyr, I have defeated many. I have never lost a battle. But I cannot fight you. I cannot fight this. I should but I… Oh, Zai, forgive me.” Damon moves closer and presses his lips to Lyr’s.

Slow. Soft. A gentle kiss that lies about the passion burning behind it.

Lyr lets out a broken moan as Damon’s lips brush his, warm. He wants to open his mouth, wide and greedy for more, but he lets Damon set the pace, lets Damon open his mouth slowly, a sweet and tiny fraction at a time, letting the tip of his tongue slip between Lyr’s lips, then a little more, and a little more.

Damon’s hands slide over the back of Lyr’s head, holding him still while Damon takes his mouth as sweetly as he wishes.

Sweetly, until…, until he doesn’t.

With a sudden growl, Damon surges forward, plastering his mouth to Lyr’s and pressing his tongue deep, kissing Lyr with a sudden and almost violent intensity. He has his hands on Lyr’s shoulders. Lyr’s back is pressed to the fence and Damon’s entire body is hard against Lyr’s as Damon takes his mouth, bearing down, bending Lyr backwards over the fence.

Lyr melts. He can feel Damon’s fully roused cock pressing into his thigh like a bar of iron.

“Damon,” Lyr gasps when Damon finally frees his mouth.

Damon is kissing Lyr’s neck, savagely, almost biting him. It hurts and Lyr wants more. He wants Damon to hurt him, leave marks on him. Own him. He’s Damon’s property.

“Zai,” Damon moans against the skin of Lyr’s neck. “I cannot resist you, I cannot.”

“Then don’t,” Lyr whispers. “Don’t. Fuck me. Take me here, under the trees. I’m yours. I’m your slave. Meant for your bed.”

Damon growls as his mouth comes back to Lyr’s. He kisses him deeply again, then says, “I want it. I want you to scream for me and spend hard with my cock inside you. I want to feel it.”

“Yes,” Lyr whispers, “Yes, please. Damon, Master, I want you inside me. I want you.”

“I want to lick your hole first,” Damon pants. “Spread you on the ground and lick you open until you’re begging me to put my cock in you.”

“Master,” Lyr gasps, only slightly aware he’s said the Magaar word. Akai.