“Mother Goddess, sun above. Holy is your light…” That was the extent of what Lumic knew. Being agnostic in a world where the deities themselves spoke with people didn’t quite sit well. Croatens had been abandoned by religion for years.
Better. Have you two become well acquainted? Is he fit for you, Askara?
“Very acquainted, and he is more than fit for me. I fear I may not be fit for him.” Askara bent his head down, baring his horns for the goddess. The way the morning sunlight bounced off the sheen on his horns made Lumic’s heart flutter.
“He’s perfect.” Lumic’s breathy response caught in his throat. “I don’t deserve him. Not after what my ancestor did to your blessed one.”
All is forgiven. Now, you’ll have no problem baring your form for me, omega, will you?
Lumic did as he was told and bore his frost deer antlers. His wings, he let the blanket slide down his back to let them flit free, the papery rasp of them comforting, almost as much as the warm hand that slid down his neck and traced along his wings. Lumic dared not look away from the goddess, no matter how much he wanted to see that look of awe plastered to Askara’s face like he did every time he fondled his screechwasp wings.
You are a strong and opinionated omega. Your heart is hard, but inside, you bear a softness that needs care. Askara will hold your heart, Lumic. And as the moon has claimed your family’s line, the sun will bless your line. Bite your tongue, Prince Lumic. Draw blood for your alpha.
Lumic bit down on his tongue until the coppery taste of his blood filled his mouth. And before he could say another word, there Askara was, his lips budding with a tinge of golden light, shimmering on the surface of his midnight-black blood.
They embraced one another and kissed, and every thalm of Lumic’s heart burned with pleasure, the heightened moment ofbliss and hope cascading through him until the charge of power from Askara’s thalms fueled him more.
Weeks of exhaustion faded away, the sore muscles of his recent flight melting into his flesh like it never was there. A soft whisper of pleasure escaped Lumic’s lips, a breath that he stifled. Their mixed blood tasted lovely together, a taste he’d never experience again, pure power. The lingering aftertaste of thalms, though, would always be with him.
Have whatever ritual the moon demands. Thalms will bind at her insistence. So, I have blessed your union. Your souls had entwined far better than I could have hoped, so I bind your lives to one another. I bind your hearts. And what’s more, I bless your little one with good sleep, contentment, and love. I curse them with your own stubbornness, omega. For as much as I love Askara’s sweetness, I trust him little with a crown. He trusts and loves far too easily. Treasure him, Lumic.
“Thank you, Mother Goddess. I will do as the moon has commanded and erect a font. I shall open the borders to fae wishing to bring the temples here.” Lumic took a deep breath and sank into Askara’s chest with a gentle lean. As energized as he was, a new kind of exhaustion settled over him, one that demanded his closeness to his mate. “What would you have me do for you?”
Convert one of the old temples into a sanctuary in my honor. Let the priests come and allocate a fund to care for omegas that were not as lucky as you. Whose mate never returned, or whose alpha never wanted a child.
“It will be so. I have a feeling that between Askara and my alpha father, they can find great purpose in developing it.” Lumic rested a hand on his belly and imagined the shame of a bastard, the shame of loss, or worse. And were he not a prince? He shuddered to think of what would become of him. Would thehealers deny him care? Would he be able to afford the life or afford the medicine? It sickened him.
“I would find great joy in it.” Askara beamed and drew Lumic’s face up to stare upon him with his bright smile, dusky skin stretching wide. The sun framed his head, making him glow as they kissed one more time.
This pleases me. One more thing…
Her words made Lumic’s lips curl into a wicked grin. “It would be my utmost pleasure, my Mother Goddess.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Askara
As the Mother Goddess turned her face away, he couldn’t contain his lust any further and nearly dragged Lumic back to bed.
He rescinded his wings into his soul before he hit the bed, sprawling out for Askara, the blanket falling away to reveal his delicious bareness. Askara would worship him, he promised. He did.
Askara started from Lumic’s toes, kissing the tops of his feet then strong ankles. Mighty calves flexed beneath his fingers, earning an affectionate squeeze, the muscles nearly melting under his touch as Lumic sank into his bed. Far from the straw Askara was accustomed to, it was poultry down of some variety, swallowing him moment by moment. But it wouldn’t have its chance before Askara got to do his swallowing first.
He kissed along Lumic’s legs, taking in the sparse scarlet hair, the pink of his rosy knees, lightly freckled, as if he spent time in the sun. Askara vowed to kiss every freckle a dozen times, at least, but would leave the rest of the kisses to be claimed at a later date, for up Lumic’s tender thighs lay his plump cock rising to attention over his small, smooth sac.
Despite not having balls like an alpha or beta would, he still possessed some of the glands there and touching them made Lumic gasp and twist in the covers, fisting his quilt. Askara liked watching Lumic struggle with his pleasure on his favorite blanket.
He descended upon Lumic’s groin, mouth open, swallowing his cock with a noise of hunger, relishing the flesh finalizing its hardness with a slow pulse over his tongue. The scent of slick, sweet and buzzing in his sinuses, made Askara’s skin prickleand cock stiffen, leaking against the sheets with such hard desperation that a feather’s touch would have brought him off.
Lumic’s cock, firm and smooth, slid over Askara’s tongue, slackening as the hot head of it rolled around, spreading more omega tangy sweetness. Askara couldn’t contain the moan that erupted from his throat between one bob of his head and the next.
“That’s right. Suck my cock, alpha. Does it feel good? Bowing down before an omega, to be beneath me?” Lumic groaned and rolled his hips.
“It feels amazing. You are so strong and smart.” Askara dove down once more, tongue lapping feverishly as he sought to keep Lumic’s cock buried in his mouth.
In return, Lumic released the sheets and snatched each of Askara’s horns, one in each hand and forced him down, setting a new pace of his own design.
“I’ve missed that mouth and it’s even better outside my begging nights.” Lumic snarled and thrusted his hips once, twice, and on his third hard buck, his cock head pulsed and glorious nectar bathed Askara’s tongue, driving him to greedily swallow.