“It’s okay.”

“Are you sure?” Darius whispered, caressing Bale gently. He had to keep touching him. Bale was his grounding force. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe this is—”

“Darius, I’m not done. I want to see you come on me. Just needed a moment.” Bale kissed him once on the forehead and then again on the lips. He rearranged Darius on him until Darius was mostly astride. His knees fell off, widening the spread of his legs around Bale’s hips. It left Darius vulnerable but gave him the power to tease Bale.

Bale gripped his ass as he adjusted Darius until their cocks rubbed each other, enrapturing them. Darius gritted his teeth at the sudden rush. Bale kissed and bit Darius’s neck, pushing Darius to go higher than before.

“You’re beautiful and perfect,” Bale panted in Darius’s ear as they continued to tease one another. The tips of his fingers grazed the sensitive spot between Darius’s balls and ass. The fluttering touch made him gasp and writhe harder, seeking more for his desperate cock. “Stars, this is the best. Thank you for taking me.”

Grumpy and needy, Darius ground himself on Bale’s pelvis. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he soaked himself in Bale’s devout adoration. Sparks flicked off his fingers as power began to grow within him. Never before had he been so open to magic during sex. Before, he always made sure he was locked down and unable to do anything, for fearhewould notice or that Darius would hurt Bale.

But now? Now, he tickled Bale with bites of energy against his balls. Bale shot his eyes open, and pleasure darkened the fiery colour of his irises. Grinning evilly, Bale guided Darius to grip his own cock and manipulated Darius to tease himself.

The rush of fulfilment was intense to the point where Darius almost came from the avalanche of eroticism. Bale kept him upright while gazing at him with deep intensity. Darius couldn’t break the contact while Bale slowly moved his hand up and down their cocks, sliding his thumb along the slick heads. Darius nearly died as arousal continuously lit him up. He opened the gates of magic and poured more of himself into the moment, allowing the electricity to dance along their shafts while an icy touch pushed past the tight muscle into the overheated channel, seeking out the mysterious nugget of joy.

Bale reared up into a sitting position and kissed Darius hard while stroking their cocks rapidly. The lightning zing of arousal danced along Darius’s spine, mingling with the magic.

It was too much, and he screamed loudly into air as his climax rushed over him in a wave of black lightning. His cum jetted high, landing on his face. Bale roared as he orgasmed. He pressed Darius down hard on his lap, making it feel as though Bale was deep inside him. Darius held tight to Bale as the lightning strike of happiness went through him. He had no strength left as he closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, everything had changed, and Bale was resting beside him, his head propped on his arm. “What?”

“You passed out.” Bale kissed the tip of his nose lightly. His gaze was soft and curious as he asked. “What did you do?”

Dark fear blinded Darius again, and Bale immediately shook his head as he pulled Darius close.

“No! Nothing bad. I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to say it like that. Shh, sweetheart. It was so good. All good,” Bale whispered in his ear, kissing a spot behind it.

“Are you sure? Are you absolutely sure?” Darius asked, still anxious. He’d been playing with magic near the end, but he wasn’t sure exactly what he was doing, and what if he'd damaged Bale permanently? What if he killed his babies?

“Yes, my sweet darling. It was amazing, and I don’t think I've ever come that hard before,” Bale assured him with a tender kiss. Darius studied him hard, knowing Bale’s tells when he lied. But there was only truth in those ember-red eyes. “You can do that to me anytime.”

“Dammit, Bale. Don’t you ever scare me like that again.” Darius knuckled Bale’s side and watched as Bale squirmed away at the light punishment.

“I’m sorry. I won’t tease you like that.” Bale cradled him in his arms. “Honestly though, how do you feel?”

“I—I don’t know.”

ChapterThirty-Two

Bale heard the nerves in Darius’s voice and deduced that Darius was beyond thinking about anything. When they'd made love and enhanced their pleasure magically, it was an experiment. Darius had never wielded magic unless his life or his friends’ lives were in danger. To use it during this vulnerable act was a big and terrifying step. Darius needed grounding, and Bale had to be the one to protect him.

Bale cuddled Darius close, determined to shelter Darius from every demon, including the ones hiding in Darius’s mind.

“It was heavenly and perfect. That bit at the end was what sent us flying to the stars.” Bale untangled the silky black strands of Darius’s hair.

“Goddammit Bale. I had no control. I could have—”

“But you didn’t. Remember that. You did not do anything wrong.” Bale quickly reassured the increasingly irate Darius.

“It felt good,” Darius mumbled against Bale’s neck. Bale smiled as he peered into the night sky through the window. It was clear and bright, shining light into their nest.

“It was more than good.”

“I don’t think it was what we planned though.” Darius’s continued need to look for the negative grated on Bale. He had to fix this and fast, so Darius would stop dwelling.

“Does it matter? I loved being touched by you. By all of you. You gave me the heavens. I flew among the stars with you in my arms. I can’t imagine my life being any more perfect than it is right now.”

“I don’t see how. I mean, that bastard—”