Page 111 of The King's Menagerie

"Yes, my king," Berkant replied, and went easily as Nadir tugged him along to the massive bed across the room.

He wasn't surprised at all when he was pushed down on the bed and straddled by an eager Nadir, who spread his hands across Berkant's chest in a way that was, for once, arousing rather than repulsive. Like he was being appreciated instead of crassly enjoyed.

"You are magnificent," Nadir said in a breathy voice. He rubbed his cock along Berkant's bare chest, leaving wet trails. He pulled away before Berkant could do some touching of his own and stripped them both of their clothes.

Shafiq joined them as they resettled, hands skimming over Berkant's body the same way Nadir's had before. "Truly you are lovely, my Jackal. I cannot believe I am so fortunate."

Berkant laughed and dragged him down into a kiss before breathlessly saying, "I was the criminal always one unpaid job from living on the streets, my king. I should be doing hard labor in a quarry right now. We all know I'm the lucky one."

"Shush," Shafiq chided softly, and kissed him again before trailing that hot mouth along his jaw to nip at his ear and then kiss behind it, a move that sent hot tingles rushing through Berkant in a way he hadn't expected, grabbing onto Shafiq as he moaned and all but melted into the bed.

Nadir chuckled. "Found a weak spot."

"Indeed," Shafiq murmured, and touched him again before withdrawing with a pleased smile, his eyes as hot as burning coals. "Can I fuck you, Jackal?"

"You'd better," Berkant managed, then kissed him long and wet and filthy before turning his attention to Nadir once more. "Bet you look pretty all tied up and at our mercy."

Nadir's cheeks flushed. "I wouldn't know. Just the two of us, we don't get a lot of free time, honestly."

"Well, I hope I can ease some of the burdens until we grow in numbers." He grabbed Nadir about the waist and switched their position with a move that left Nadir gasping and clinging.

Nadir laughed. "That was fun. I like being manhandled by the Jackal." He reached up to rest a hand against his cheek. "Though you must know we see you as far more than that."

"If I thought otherwise I wouldn't be here, and I like being Shafiq's Jackal, where people can look all they want but will never be able to grope or fondle me ever again, make me crass offers and try to threaten me with their father's name if I refuse."

Shafiq scowled. "I don't even have to think about who that might be." He withdrew, finally discarding his own clothes, baring a body that was flawless in every way, from unmarred skin to muscles defined by exercises he must do every morning or evening or both. On his hip, where precious few would ever see it, was a tattoo of his late wife's name surrounded by orchids Berkant couldn't name and jasmine.

Berkant reached out to touch it, stroking it gently with his thumb. "I considered something like this, but I had no money left by the time the funeral was done, and what I did have I quickly drank."

"We'll attend it," Shafiq said, and kissed him again before moving behind him, kissing down the length of his spine, cock heavy and hot against Berkant's skin. Shafiq pulled away again as he reached the base of his spine, and Berkant took the opportunity to shift further down so he could get his mouth on Nadir's cock. He teased first, kissing and licking, dragging his teeth ever so lightly along the length to make Nadir gasp and writhe, sink hands into his hair and hold it tight.

As warm, slick fingers breached his hole, Berkant finally took Nadir into his mouth properly. It had been a very long time since he'd lain with men, the last one a month or so before he'd met Parvaneh. After he'd met her, she was all he'd ever wanted.

So having a cock in his mouth again after so long was strange, but in the best of ways. He took Nadir deep, sucking hard, tongue laving whatever parts of his cock it could reach, though he had to stop briefly, pulling away gasping, as Shafiq worked a third finger into him.

"When were you last treated properly, my Jackal?"

Berkant actually managed a laugh. "Years ago, before Parvaneh got with child. She would fuck me sometimes, with the wedding gift I bought her."

"What a lovely sight that would have been," Shafiq murmured as he withdrew his fingers and replaced them with his cock, gripping Berkant’s hips tightly as he pushed in slowly.

Berkant gasped, head braced against Nadir's warm body, reassuring fingers in his hair, nails scraping in an absolutely delightful, mercifully distracting way, even if it only slightly mitigated the feeling of being stuffed full after being empty for so long.

By the time Shafiq was fully inside him, hot and huge, he was panting and overheated. He finally gathered himself enough to get back to work sucking Nadir's cock, though it was a stop-and-start effort as Shafiq went from careful, experimental thrusts to fucking him like a man possessed.

Thankfully, Nadir did not seem to suffer from the inattentive sucking, spilling down his throat just moments before Shafiq spilled inside him. He was weak and trembling as they pulled out and arranged him on the bed, Nadir peppering him with kisses as Shafiq wrapped a large hand around him and stroked Berkant to his finish.

"Next time I will get my mouth on you," Shafiq murmured as he took some more kisses of his own as Nadir left and came almost immediately back with warm water and rags to clean them up. Then the lights were put out, leaving them in only moonlight as Shafiq settled on his right and Nadir on his left, and for the first time in a very long time, Berkant went to sleep feeling only happiness.

The Meerkat

Ender arrived barely ahead of a sandstorm and took shelter in the first building he saw that was still open, which proved to be a wine café. "My pardon, good sir."

"No bother, no bother," the man replied. "Help me finish with these shutters. Divine, this was the last thing I needed today."

Laughing in sympathy and agreement, Ender helped him get all the shutters closed up tight and barred the door.

Just in time, as everything started to bang and clatter, sand descending on them worse than any rain shower. Not that he'd ever seen a rain shower, not since he was a child. He'd heard they were more common here, by the coast, and was eager to learn if that was true.

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