Free Sovereign's Gladiator by Jez Morrow Page A

powerful.
    Xan’s fingertips caressed the backs of Devon’s fingers and glided back up his arm and across his shoulder.
    Xan’s hand slid up Devon’s neck under his jaw to hold his head as he might hold a goblet. Devon murmured, “How dare you!”
    Xan spoke, so close behind him Devon felt his breath move his hair, “You radiate desire.”
    Do I?
    Xan’s hand moved down again, smoothing soft fire across Devon’s shoulder, down the length of his arm, raising all the short hairs on his body. Devon was afraid of him. Afraid of himself.
    Xan stepped in closer. Their clothes brushed. Devon felt Xan’s body heat the full length of his back.
    Xan moved Devon’s hair off the back of his neck with a light brush of his hand that left Devon breathless.
    The first soft press of lips on his nape was electric. Xan’s lips grazed across the back of Devon’s neck, sending him flying into soaring wonder.
    Then Xan’s hard, scar-flecked arms encircled Devon’s waist from behind and drew him flush against his hard body. The gladiator’s sex pressed against Devon’s ass.
    Xan loosed the cross pin that clasped Devon’s belt. The belt ends fell free. The belt stayed up now only by the pressure between their bodies.
    “You could die for this,” Devon whispered.
    “I could,” said Xan.
    Xan stepped back away from him. Devon felt his absence like a wound. His belt fell at his feet.
    Then Devon’s tunic was dragging upward. He lifted his arms to let Xan pull the silky blue garment up over his head. As the fabric swept clear, Devon plucked off his gold circlet and tossed it aside. He would not be taken again with his crown on.
    Before Devon could turn to face the barbarian, both of Xan’s palms slid down Devon’s sides, stopping to bracket his hips and hold him in place. Xan stepped forward, closing the space between him. His clothed erection pressed at Devon’s bare ass. Xan’s breath moved the hair over Devon’s ear. Devon looked down, saw Xan’s murderous hands holding his hips, Xan’s fingers framing his erection. Devon’s cock stood up, fully stiff, waiting, begging for Xan’s touch.
    Xan’s fingertips toyed at the edges of Devon’s pubic hair.
    Devon’s eyelids felt heavy, weighted with desire. He frowned in mixed elation and deepest dread.
    This was irresponsible, irrational.
    I don’t care.
    The firelight itself froze in anticipation.
    Devon did not give up control easily. Like something breaking, he yielded.
    The lord of the lower realm ruled here. But it was not just his cock demanding. In his heart of hearts as well, Devon needed this.
    This barbaric land had a hypnotic power of its own.
    This was reckless. It was dangerous. None of that changed the reality of this moment. This was going to happen.
    Devon turned to face Xan with a solemn frown. His sex brushed Xan’s palm in turning. Devon’s eyelids fluttered on the tremor that coursed through his body.
    Devon’s eyes nearly shut. He could not bear to close them entirely, but could not bear to meet the gladiator’s gaze full on. He thought he might burn away, body and soul.
    Devon lifted his hand to Xan’s mouth, and touched his fingertips to his lips. His lips were remarkably soft. Xan took Devon’s forefinger into his mouth, surrounding it with wet, sexual warmth. Xan’s teeth closed on one of Devon’s rings, tugged it loose, and slid it off Devon’s finger with a slow drag of his lips. Xan let the ring fall into his palm. He went down on the finger again, tugged the other ring loose and slid it off, let it drop. He moved on to the next finger.
    Devon wore a lot of rings.
    Xan laid Devon back on the bed—gently this time. Then he stepped back and stripped out of his clothes. Devon stared. Burning.
    A sense of danger seared like a firebrand in Devon’s midriff.
    Xan crawled over him and stroked Devon’s body with his tongue.
    Devon’s chest heaved with his deep breaths. He gazed up at the patch in the ceiling. Xan licked the inside of