Page 94 of Mage of the Dragon Prince
“It is Father’s belief that as fate brought you here, it is necessary to consult with Satsuma about what will happen to you,” Kitaro explained. “There is no negotiation on the matter. We are to go to Satsuma’s.”
The news left Auslin distraught. “But what if she tells me I must return to my time? I don’t want to!”
“Then we will deal with it then.” Kitaro looked as torn up about it as Auslin felt. “We can only hope that she advises you are to stay here.”
“But that’s…”
When Auslin didn’t finish his sentence, Kitaro continued. “It was not all bad news, though. Father confirmed that should Satsuma decide your place is here, you are to remain with us. In fact, he even said he hopes that will be the outcome.”
It was a relief to hear, but the alternative possibility was too upsetting to Auslin. “But I don’t want to leave at all!”
Kitaro caressed Auslin’s cheek. “Nor do I want you to. If it were up to me, we would not make the journey at all, but I cannot change my father’s mind on this.And as much as it pains me to admit, he is right. We must go.”
Tears gathered in Auslin’s eyes. He covered Kitaro’s hand with his own, then nuzzled against it. “I can’t leave you.”
“I know.” Kitaro consoled him. “We can only trust fate brought you here so we can be together.”
Auslin threw his arms around Kitaro’s neck to hug him tightly. The thought of going back to a world where he didn’t know if Kitaro still existed made him feel sick to his stomach. He could only whisper Kitaro’s name in distress as tears fell from his eyes.
Kitaro soothed Auslin’s upset by holding him tight and stroking his back. Auslin cried harder when he thought about having to return to a world where Kio would have yelled at him for being so emotional.
When Auslin’s cries had subsided into sniffles, Kitaro pulled back slightly. He brushed the tear streaks away with heartbreaking tenderness. “I give you my word we will make this work, Vanra. I will not lose you so easily.”
Auslin nodded with a sniffle. He tried to trust in the fact that he was brought to be with Kitaro for a reason. “Well, at least traveling with you will be fun. It’s been weird being in one place for so long. I’m used to life on the road.”
Kitaro kissed Auslin’s forehead. “I am quite certain we will find some fun along the way.”
“How long do we have?” Auslin asked. He used his powers to clear his stuffed-up sinuses.
“Father expects us to leave within the next month.”
“That’s too soon,” Auslin mournfully said. “Then again, I don’t think I’ll ever be ready for it.”
“Nor I.”
They consoled one another through their shared intimacy, drawing strength from the deep connection that had already formed between them. Auslin threw himself into pleasuring Kitaro because the thought of returning to a world where he might never have the chance to do it again made it too hard to breathe.
Desperation guided their actions. They were emotionally raw as their hands roamed all over in search of comfort and a climax. If they could get through things together, they told themselves that maybe then everything would be okay.
Chapter 46
Kitaro
The castle had been a flurry of excitement during the preparation for the celebration banquet. Despite Vanra and Kitaro’s struggles to come to terms with the possibility of the mage returning to his own time, the mood in the castle was a festive one.
Because of their impending journey to visit Satsuma, Kitaro continued training Vanra. They had just finished their lesson and were walking to their room when they were intercepted by a wolf shifter named Nasume Venrik.
He was almost as tall as Kitaro. His jet-black hair was pulled into a complicated braid. He wore a flashy gold shirt that set off his amber-yellow eyes. It paired well with the air of superiority he carried himself with. With his high cheekbones and fine features, Nasume was undeniably handsome, butthere was an ugly side to him that Kitaro could never unsee.
The wolf shifter lit up into a broad smile. “There you are, Kitaro! I have been looking all over for you.”
“Prince Nasume,” Kitaro greeted him in a terse voice. His body tensed, ready for a fight. They had once been friends, but Nasume’s obsessive romantic interest in Kitaro had driven a wedge between them since he didn’t reciprocate. The wolf prince’s pushiness would only cause more problems now that Kitaro was with Vanra.
He strutted up to Kitaro, then draped himself over the dragon shifter. “Must you act so cold? I have missed you so much since we last saw each other. Did you miss me?”
It took every ounce of self-control not to shove Nasume into the nearest wall. Kitaro’s manners forced him to stiffly say, “I trust you have been well.”
“I am even better now that you are here,” Nasume murmured as he pressed even closer to Kitaro. “Now, if only you were as happy to see me as I am to see you, then I would be satisfied.”
