Healing Fire Read online

  “No? Me either. They brought a female in, but I was not considered viable. I suppose I am lucky that I am a royal, because I have no skills, no use.” Jules said it matter-of-factly, but the words horrified Lem.

  “Stop saying such things.” He grabbed hold of Jules’ hands again, squeezing tight. “You’re special. You just haven’t discovered how yet.”

  “You sound like my Mabon.”

  “You see? I’m not the only one who believes it.” Lem tried not to remember that Jules’ Mabon was gone because he had not been fast enough with the warning.

  “Did you know him? Mabon?”

  “He was older than me. I admired his form and skill when I was first training and he was in the final stages of his.” He had been more than a little in awe of the great guardian at the time.

  “He was a good dragon. A good guardian.” A wistful smile played upon Jules’ lips.

  “I will be a good guardian, I swear it to you.” Even if the thoughts of kissing Jules made him a bad dragon, they would not stop him from being the best guardian Jules could have. Relations between the classes was entirely forbidden, and even the royal family did not allow their own to mate freely, it seemed. There were rules regarding every aspect of a dragon’s life.

  “I believe you.” Jules gazed up at him.

  Lem bowed his head. “And I am honored.”

  “Do you want me to read more of the story to you?”

  “Yes, please, my prince.” He was learning to enjoy the words, the pictures they created and the stories they told, as well as the sound of Jules’ voice. It was a great joy.

  “Come then. We’ll sit. My stomach feels much better now.”

  “So you’ll eat first?” Lem drew Jules back into his bedchamber.

  “Maybe a few bites. We can share.”

  “As you wish.” Pleased, he settled on the bed with Jules and fed his prince.

  Chapter Five

  Jules was going to have to call a physician. There were powders that you mixed with milk to assure that your baser urges did not overtake you. He’d discovered himself with an erection for three mornings in a row now. It was quite ridiculous.

  Lem brought him a tray of fruit and a bowl of gruel sprinkled with sugar. “It’s delicious!” Lem licked his lips. “I hope you’re hungry this morning.”

  Jules nodded, but he really only wanted the bites of sweet, ripe fruit. “You’ll have to share it.”

  Lem nodded. “It would be my pleasure.” Lem sat and looked at him expectantly.

  Jules chose a bite of fruit and told his body to stop being odd.

  “You’re not sitting with me?” Lem asked. It sounded as if he was disappointed.

  “Yes. Yes. My body is offensive right now. I will see the physician later and ask her to help me.”

  Lem tilted his head. “Your body is not offensive to me.”

  “No? I have... a swelling.” He could feel the color in his cheeks.

  “A swelling? Where?” The tray of food was set aside, Lem beginning to examine him.

  “It’s an offensive swelling. You shouldn’t look. There’s a medicine for it.” He did his best not to drop his hands to his crotch as that would only bring attention to his condition.

  Lem’s eyes suddenly widened. “This?” Lem asked, fingertips sliding on his heavy cock.

  Jules nodded, breath catching as the swelling got worse. Oh. Oh, dear. This wouldn’t do.

  “This is not a bad thing, Jules. It’s... a healthy need.” Lem’s fingers wrapped around his swollen flesh. “Have you never come before?”

  “No. No. I took the medicine for eons and then Mabon said there was no need.” He blinked down, staring at the odd sight of the shaft pushing from between his legs.

  Lem began to move his hand along Jules’ hardness, sliding up and down.

  “Lem? Lem, it is not shrinking.” And it should have hurt, but it didn’t. It didn’t hurt at all.

  “No, you have to come first.” Lem continued moving his hand. It felt... it felt good.

  “Come where?” Oh, he didn’t want this to stop. He was being petted. By Lem. And it felt so very good, not like a bad thing at all.

  “That’s what it’s called when you spend.”

  “I’m not allowed. What if they take my books?” What if they took Lem? Jules tried very hard not to panic, but it was becoming difficult not to.

  “They will never know.” Lem didn’t stop, not at all. He just kept pulling, and it got bigger, better.

  “Lem? Lem, my belly...” It felt so tight.

  “Does it feel good, Jules?” Lem’s gaze met his own.

  “I don’t know. I don’t know. Am I sick? I never swelled until you.”

  “You’re not sick. And you make me swell, too.”

  “I do? I’m sorry. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “It doesn’t hurt. Does this hurt?” Lem continued stroking him.

  “No...” No, it felt forbidden, secret. He’d read about the act of mating, but he hadn’t experienced anything like this. He’d been a child when he’d first felt the swelling, and that had been the sign it was time for his medication.

  “Then let me give you this pleasure, Jules.”

  “Pleasure.” He’d assumed it only worked with your own mate and that was why it was stopped if you didn’t have one—to avoid unnecessary acts.

  Lem nodded, smiling at him, looking almost as if he was the one receiving pleasure.

  Jules sighed softly, tongue flicking out to wet his lips. Lem’s tongue echoed his, and the very tip of it flicked across his shaft. Jules’ breath caught, that tiny flash of heat making him sparkle.

  “Jules?” Lem looked up at him, eyes wide.

  “Your tongue.” The pleasure. God, the pleasure. Better even than the hand that stroked him so wonderfully.

  Lem carefully stuck his tongue out again and licked across the top of Jules’ swelling. He whimpered softly, and his legs kicked out restlessly.

  Lem backed off again immediately. “Did I hurt you?”

  “No. No. Please, my heart.” This was not pain, not even close.

  Lem’s nostrils flared, and he made a soft sound. Then he leaned back in to kiss the top of Jules’ shaft, hand squeezing tight around it. A storm built inside Jules, wild and sharp and fierce as Lem stroked and licked him, eyes flashing up to him again and again.

  “Help me.” That was Lem’s lot in life, right? To help him? And surely he needed help with this. It grew bigger and bigger, and he didn’t know what to do.

  “Yes, my prince. Always.” Lem moved his hand faster and wrapped hot lips around the head of Jules’ shaft.

  His eyes rolled to the back of his head, his hips slamming up, as a rush of unbelievable energy flooded him. Lem swallowed around his shaft, then began to suck vigorously.

  Jules’ dragon screamed, calling for freedom. Lem kept sucking, as if trying to pull it from him. He jammed his fist in his mouth, trying to force the noises back. The sensations continued to grow.

  For a bright, terrifying second, Jules wavered between his beast form and his human form. Then the pressure exploded from him, pouring from his penis. Lem swallowed and swallowed around him, drinking down every drop that pushed out of him.

  Burning tears escaped him, the sensations too big to hold in. Lem licked him clean, then shifted, moving up to lick the tears from his cheeks.

  “Please don’t cry, Jules. Please.”

  “I’m sorry. Please don’t tell. Don’t tell on me.” He counted on being invisible to survive. This would get him into so much trouble. Maybe they’d take his books and Lem, the thought of losing either too much to bear.

  “Shh, shh, shh. You are mine to save, mine to protect. I will tell no one. And I will fight anyone who tries to hurt you.”

  “I... my dragon wanted out.” Everyone knew that gift belonged to guardians and shamans alone, and shamans were sent out to commune with the gods in the high mountains. Royals were stronger because they could, but never did, let
out the winged beasts that lived inside them.

  “I would love to fly with you,” Lem told him, eyes shining brightly.

  “Someone would see. I cannot.” He would be in so much trouble. Perhaps it was even treason.

  “I will find a way to make it happen.” Lem rubbed their cheeks together.

  Jules knew the words were false, but the care behind them was not, so he smiled, accepted it. Lem started at him for a long moment, then leaned in suddenly and pressed their lips together.

  Oh. Oh! Jules sobbed, sparkles filling his sight. Lem kissed him again, then again, tongue swiping across his lips. Jules’ lips parted on a gasp. Lem’s tongue dipped in, Lem gasping almost immediately. Was this real, this need?

  Lem blinked at him. “I want to do it again, Jules.”

  “Again.” Yes. Yes, again. Jules wanted it, too.

  Leaning in, Lem brought their lips back together, moving them against his. It was the oddest sensation ever, to have tongue and lips sliding against his.

  Lem pulled away once more, panting hard, his eyes so very wide. They stared at one another, eyes huge.

  “My prince. My prince.” Lem pressed their lips together again, a quick, hard touch this time. “I will not let anyone hurt you. Ever.”

  “I do not want anyone to hurt me, Lem.”

  “No one ever will, I swear to you.” Lem’s words were as fierce as the look on his guardian’s face.

  Jules reached up, touched Lem’s lips. No impossible promises. He knew Lem would do his very best and that was enough.

  Lem kissed his finger, and the touch echoed deep in his soul.

  “My prince,” Lem said again, voice deep and resonating inside Jules.

  “Your prince.” As if he belonged to Lem and not the other way around. How interesting.

  Lem nodded, bending in a deep bow. “And I am yours, Jules. To command as you will.”

  “I have no wish to command you. I want to learn about you.” He wanted to know everything about Lem. He wanted to know his bodyguard as no one else did or ever would.

  “I would share all of myself with you.”

  Jules nodded, eager to know all Lem’s stories, each and every one.

  “I’m just not sure how interesting I am.”

  “You’re not me or Mabon. You’re new. Tell me about your teacher. Is he good? Mabon was trained by Throm. He was a good dragon.”

  “I was trained by the best dragon!”

  “Yes?” The sudden passion excited him. There was a story in Lem’s words.

  “Yes. Master Anselle. He was the very best Master, and he taught me everything.” A shadow passed across Lem’s face.

  “I want to hear all about him, please,” begged Jules.

  “He was like a father to me. Better than my father ever was.”

  “My father’s secretary calls for me often.” Not since the attack, but before then, passing on demands.

  “Does your father not want to spent time with you?” Lem asked.

  Jules snorted happily. “There are princes and princesses with much more interest than me.” Thank all that was holy.

  “Then we have that in common. My father was... not impressed by his son.”

  That was a shame. Lem was spectacular, a masterful guardian.

  “But my Master...” Lem smiled. “He was always very pleased with my progress.”

  “Of course he was. You’re grand.” Everything in him screamed with it. Jules could even admit that Lem was a better bodyguard than Mabon had been. More lovely to look upon as well.

  “It pleases me greatly that you think so.” Lem seemed to grow slightly bigger at his words, more confident.

  “I know so, Lem.”

  “Yes, my prince.” Lem bowed at the waist for him.

  Jules crawled into Lem’s lap, snuggled into the strong muscles. Lem wrapped him close, and he could feel the firmness of Lem’s shaft pressing against him. He made Lem swell, too!

  He chewed on his bottom lip, so curious, desperate to touch.

  Lem brought their faces together and licked his lip. “Don’t hurt yourself, my prince.”

  Jules arched, their bellies rubbing together, his body coming in contact with Lem’s hardness, the soft material of Lem’s pants rubbing on his bare cock.

  “Jules!” Lem cried out, then muffled the sound by pressing their mouths together.

  He was caught between pulling away and pressing closer, but he chose to move closer, his need to know paramount.

  Lem got hold of his tongue and sucked on it, their hips rocking together with the same rhythm, and his own shaft swelled right up again. He hoped he was doing this right, hoped this was the way to touch and feel.

  Lem shifted him, and their cocks rubbed hard against each other, making Lem gasp, letting go of his tongue.

  “Can... Can I see?” Jules asked.

  “My prince? Is there something wrong with your eyes?”

  “No. No, I meant...” No. No, obviously that was wrong. Jules shook his head, pushed into a kiss.

  Lem kissed him for a long time before pulling back. “Jules? What do you need?”

  “I want to see you.”

  “Please.” Lem immediately began to open his pants.

  Jules drew the blanket around them, enough to screen them from any eyes, even though there was no one here but them, but without hiding the sight of the heavy swollen club from his own gaze.

  Lem was huge compared to Jules, the tip of his shaft glistening with liquid.

  “Is it hot?” Jules asked. “Mine felt hot to me.”

  Lem nodded jerkily and grabbed his hand, bringing it to Lem’s hardness.

  “Oh!” Jules’ eyes went wide, and he stroked the soft, silky skin from base to tip.

  “Jules. Jules. Jules.” Lem whispered his name over and over, gaze on his hand and Lem’s cock.

  “Yes.” Oh, his name. No one spoke his name.

  “Please. Don’t stop. Don’t.” Lem begged so softly.

  “I swear. I swear not to.”

  “I want it to go on forever. I want us to live in this moment forever.”

  “Please.” Jules knew, though, that didn’t happen, even in stories.

  Lem met his gaze. “Right now. We are here now. For always inside.”

  “Always. I swear.” His palm began to burn.

  Lem’s eyes were wide, the gaze holding his. Jules’ dragon fought to free itself again, and he forced it back down.

  Lem’s nostrils flared, and his teeth clacked together as he growled softly. “My prince. My Jules.”

  “What is this, Lem? What have we discovered?” He’d never read of this, not in all his stories.

  “It’s so much like sex, but so much better, my prince.” Lem’s voice was thick.

  “Do you think we’ll get in trouble?”

  “I won’t tell anyone, my prince.”

  “I won’t either. I swear.” He kept touching the warm, fine skin.

  “Then we won’t get in trouble.”

  “Yes, Lem.” He was beginning to believe that he could trust this guardian as much as he had trusted Mabon. Perhaps even more.

  “Your hand is like a fire.” Lem’s focus was on his hand wrapped around the thick member.

  “I won’t burn you. I swear.”

  Lem shook his head. “I know you won’t. I didn’t mean on fire like that. You make me hot from the inside out.”

  “That’s how I felt. Like I wanted to be the dragon.”

  “Being a dragon is so good, but you can’t have this when the dragon has you.” Lem wrapped his hand around Jules’, stroking with him.

  “I’m not allowed to be a dragon. Ever.”

  Lem looked horrified. “Why not?”

  “Only the king and the crown prince may change. I’ve never changed. Guardians and shamans can change at will, they say. I asked my father, when I was young, if I could please be a shaman, but he beat me.”

  Lem began growling, muscles puffing up. “He will not beat you agai
n. Ever.”

  Jules knew the great king could do as he wished, when he wished. “Shh. That is treason.”

  “I don’t care. You are mine to protect. From everything. From everyone.”

  “Shh. You must be quiet. There are spies everywhere.”

  “We are alone here, my prince.” Lem nodded at his hand around the thick cock. “Or we wouldn’t be doing this.”

  “No. No, we wouldn’t, and we are.” Jules traced around the thick mushroom head.

  A low groan sounded from Lem, and it sent a shiver down Jules’ back.

  “That is a pleasure sound?” He needed to be sure.

  “Yes. Yes.”

  Oh, excellent. Jules didn’t want to make Lem have bad sounds.

  “Don’t stop,” Lem told him, smiling.

  “No. No, I won’t.” He didn’t want to stop.

  “It feels so good, Jules. Better than anything.”

  Jules leaned in, gaze fastened on the heavy promise that was Lem’s swelling. Moaning for him, Lem began moving, pushing into his touch, shaft coming near to his lips. His tongue flicked out, brushing the tip.

  “Jules!” Lem cried out, hips bucking up, pressing hard against his lips. Hot liquid pushed from Lem’s hardness, spreading across his lips and face.

  “Oh!” How surprising.

  “Sorry! Sorry, my prince.” Lem looked stricken. “It felt so good.”

  Jules licked his lips, the salty flavor tingling on his tongue.

  “I’m sorry,” Lem said again, fingers wiping the mess from his face.

  “No.” Jules licked the liquid from Lem’s fingers.

  “No?” Lem looked confused.

  “Don’t be sorry.” He sucked softly, pulling.

  “No?” Lem repeated, groaning now.

  “Mm-mmm.” Jules shook his head. He didn’t feel sorry.

  Lem’s smile was slow, wide. “Then I am not sorry, either.”

  Jules eyes dropped closed, and he kept sucking.

  Lem groaned for him again. “I didn’t know it could be so good.”

  Had Lem mated before? Touched? Felt? Even if he had, it had not been like this, Lem had said so.

  Lem wrapped his free hand around Jules’ head, cradling it. “You are a wonder.”