Page 95 of Blinding Light

“It’s different, I don’t know. My eyes used to burn so much more at the jester. Especially when we were sent to the attic for punishment. As if they wanted to leak boiling water. It was awful.”

“What’s it like growing up with punishments?” Moargan asked.

“Horrible.” The visions were way too clear in his memory.Cyprian turned around, watching Moargan light a red cinder cigarette. “What’s it like to grow up hearing other people’s heartbeats?”

Moargan shrugged and took a drag. After he slowly released the smoke, he said, “Maybe it was weird when I was a child, but I don’t remember. For the rest, it has just always been there.”

Cyprian picked up a framed photo of a younger Moargan and Helianth, glaring into the camera. “And what about your brother? Can you hear his heartbeat too?”

“Hmm,” Moargan exhaled, leaving a smoky circle in its wake. “Yeah. Everybody’s, even my father’s. If they’re close enough.”

“And what about…” Cyprian put the photo back and turned his entire body, facing Moargan. He gestured shyly to his mouth, making Moargan smile.

“My teeth?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s an entirely different story. Come.” He patted the sheets between his spread thighs. “And let me tell you. I won’t bite, I promise.”

25

“You said you wouldn’t bite,” Cyprian pouted. He was laying snug between Moargan’s thighs, side pressed into his firm chest.

“I’m not.” But Moargan kept a possessive hand wrapped around his lover’s neck, reveling in the way Cyprian swallowed against his fingers.

“But your teeth?—”

“Are scraping your skin, beautiful. Not hurting.”Claiming.

Cyprian’s hand shot up to his own throat, but Moargan shooed him away with his teeth, snagging a finger with his mouth on a low growl.

“That tickles,” Cyprian giggled, yanking his finger back. “Stop it!”

But Moargan chased his hand again until he finally had one of those fingers back between his teeth.

“Your gems—they change colour.” Cyprian pointed toward Moargan’s jewels. “I saw it before. With Theo, and with this prisoner. And sometimes when we make love.” He smiled bashfully and lifted his hand to touch Moargan’s ear, gingerly tracing his fingertips over the line of silver jewelry. “Just likenow. They shine the colour of your eyes. So pretty. Are they proof of your status? Or are they linked to any of your enhancements?”

Moargan released Cyprian’s finger. “Because I’m a show-off, lover. And they’re proof of my connection to the throne.” His mouth brushed over Cyprian’s jaw down to the delicate skin on his throat.

Cyprian let out a content sigh. “That feels good. It’s been sensitive ever since you first touched it.”

That…Moargan liked that. He lapped over the patch of pale flesh and looked down, capturing Cyprian’s stare. Hisaeonlooked a bit dazed, but content.

“Does your brother have the same enhancements?”

Moargan hummed against Cyprian’s warm, trembling flesh, loving the way Cyprian’s heart beat fast. Was he aroused? Afraid? He needn’t be. Though Moargan would gladly keep him in that state of mind, just for the way his heart thumped wildly in Moargan’s own chest. “We’re family, lover. We are very similar. Same enhancements and, same physical appearance. Same love for beautiful jewelry, for sweet and sexy men.”

Cyprian tensed at those final words and Moargan grinned against his neck.

“That doesn’t surprise you, does it?”

“No.” Cyprian shook his head, his locks brushing past Moargan’s skin. There was something sad about the way he just accepted that. As if Moargan would ever be intimate with anyone else, now that he was bonded to Cyprian.

“For me, there’s only you, Cyprian,” he said, just to be sure. His lover smiled, and couldn’t hide his relief. “And for you?”

“Only you,” he said hastily. Then he smiled too. Cute.

“That makes me happy.”

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