Brick had to dip with a plummet and roll suddenly to avoid a strike, and Jagger’s wet fingers could hardly hold on. But he trusted Brick, knew that if he fell from his seat, Brick would be underneath him, saving him before he hit the ground. Well, he hoped…

  They landed on the tower roof and Jagger slid free. Brick didn’t immediately change to his other-form, so Jagger touched him, gently, as if reminding him, then had to step away when Brick shifted. Jagger hung back a little, stripping and watching Brick, who hadn’t clothed himself, standing on the battlements, his arms out and braced on the stone, his head tilted up to watch the display in the heavens.

  It was worth watching, with the night lit up by the lightning spreading out in all directions. It illuminated the strong lines of Brick’s body, his wide shoulders and broad chest and taut ass. The air seemed to pulse, the wind knocking into them from the left, rocking them, then striking from the right, buffeting a little harder.

  “Like it?” Jagger had to ask.

  Brick didn’t reply in words, but his slow nod and the awe on his face when he turned it to Jagger answered for him. Jagger came to stand beside him, high above the palace, high above the kingdom to watch the flickering rays of light that seemed poised to set the sky ablaze. Jagger put his hand on top of Brick’s where it rested on the crenellated stone and felt the hum in his skin too. They both took deep breaths, filling their lungs with the storm’s essence.

  The lightning thinned, shooting multicolored trails into the sky like fireworks, and Jagger couldn’t wait a heartbeat longer. He eased behind Brick, pressing close and nipping his neck and winding both arms around his sides to caress Brick’s bare chest…including one hard nipple and one nipple ring.

  “I’d better have the other done,” Brick said, his voice unsteady as Jagger fondled him. He tipped his head farther to the side, exposing more skin for Jagger to bite.

  “And there,” Brick whispered when Jagger’s hand traveled south, smoothing down his stomach to his hard cock.

  “You don’t need to,” Jagger assured him. “I love it as it is.” To prove it, he eased around, getting between Brick and the balustrade, and dropped to his knees on the stone floor. “Don’t mind me. You enjoy the show.”

  Brick hissed when Jagger grasped the base of his erect cock and closed his lips closed around it. Jagger probed the slit with his tongue, lapping up the first of the salty pre-cum. He kept his eyes on his bonded, watching Brick’s golden eyes turn other colors, reflecting the hues streaking across the sky, and how his beautiful lips fell open as he gasped.

  “Make sure you don’t miss anything, prince,” Jagger ordered him. He brought up his other hand to cup and lightly squeeze Brick’s balls, wondering if Brick realized he’d widened his stance, to encourage Jagger or if his body had done it for him. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime event.”

  “Depends on how long…your lifetime is,” Brick managed.

  Chuckling, Jagger opened his mouth wide and deep-throated Brick, taking him down to the root in one swallow, to suck hard on the still-hardening cock he loved so much. He wanted to do this for him, give him this, to make him feel as good as Brick did him.

  Jagger squeezed Brick’s balls, teasing the sensitive skin behind them with the tips of two fingers, seeing how quick he could make the wyvern moan and start rocking his hips…and maybe part-shifting his cock, because Jagger was more than curious to feel those wyvern ridges banding it again. But if not, this was more than perfect.

  “That’s it, prince,” Jagger pulled free to say. “Let yourself go.”

  Brick did. The noises falling from him became groans and his hands relaxed their grip on the battlement to spear into Jagger’s hair. He slid his dick through Jagger’s lips, thrusting into his mouth to press against the back of his throat. Jagger relaxed his muscles there and loosened his grip on the base of Brick’s cock to slide his hand around the cool, rain-misted skin of Brick’s side and grip one firm, flexing butt cheek.

  “Jagger!” Brick stilled and the tightening of his hands in Jagger’s hair stopped him giving Brick head. He reluctantly let that delicious cock pop free of his mouth. Yellow-gold eyes glinted down at him. “Stand up and turn around. I need to fuck you,” he added, with an impatient stomp of one bare foot when Jagger wasn’t quick enough.

  My own fault, Jagger supposed. “I’m just too good at—” Being spun around and bent over the stone wall cut the rest of his smart-assed words off. “Lube. Pocket,” he got out, craning his neck at Brick. When he faced front again, the unexpected loud cracks and vivid bursts of colors overhead almost had him falling over the side of the tower.

  Brick was soon there once more, a warm, solid presence behind him, stroking a large, strong hand over his cock. He used a foot to make the spread of Jagger’s legs wide enough to stand between and got a palm to the small of Jagger’s back to angle his body just right to fuck him. Brick’s hands were cool when they parted the cheeks of Jagger’s ass, and the fingers that swiped up his crack were wet.

  “Can’t wait,” Brick told him, warning him that there wouldn’t be much preparation.

  Jagger didn’t need it, craving Brick deep in him more than he did any foreplay. He gripped the stone posts at the edge of the tower and rubbed his ass into Brick’s crotch, his mouth opening on a sigh to feel the blunt push of Brick’s cock at his hole.

  “Push back. Take me deep,” Brick whispered, and the almost shy tone to his request had Jagger’s heart melting even as he obeyed, spreading his legs farther and taking Brick’s cock into him.

  He wanted them to go slow, to savor their joining, but the storm wouldn’t allow it. It was reaching its crescendo, the spill of colors that were crackling across the sky and the distant rumbles of thunder making Brick rock his hips hard into Jagger.

  He didn’t forget his bonded’s needs, of course. He reached forward to wrap a hand around Jagger’s cock, and the instant overwhelming pleasure he pulled from Jagger made him grip the stone in front of him hard. Brick’s cock pushing over that gland deep inside Jagger sent lightning into him, sizzling into his balls. He shouted out to the night when his release shot from the tip of his cock and over Brick’s hand.

  Behind him, Brick cursed and his hands firming to an iron-hard grip on Jagger’s hips had him clamping down on Brick’s shaft inside him and trying to stay in position as Brick slammed into him, fast and swift before he yelled as loudly as Jagger had done and his cum filled Jagger.

  The entire sky lit up in a flare of pure brilliant white, and there was silence. No sounds from the heavens, or from the masses who must have been below. There was only the galloping of his and Brick’s hearts and their broken panting. A second later, the sky gleamed its normal color, although the stars were brighter.

  “It’s over,” Jagger murmured at last, when he could speak. He straightened up with a crick of his back.

  “No.” Brick slid free and spun him around. “Is it hells—it’s only just the start!” He gave a small laugh. “And I thought you were supposed to be the clever one.”

  “Nah.” Jagger teased Brick’s spent cock, wondering how soon he could get him hard again. “I’m the dashing one.”

  “Jagger, Jagger, sword and swagger.” Brick looked delighted when Jagger reacted to him repeating the rhyme. “I heard someone say it earlier, at the fair.” He looked as though he were about to say something else but laughed instead, almost choking on it.

  “What?” Jagger asked.

  “The fair. All this…” Brick swept an arm out. “Just for the wedding, right? So I’m wondering what you do around here for anniversaries.”

  “Oh.” Jagger nodded. “Stick around and you’ll find out.”

  “Just you try and get rid of me,” Brick replied.

  “Nah. Think I’ll keep you around. Seeing as we’re bonded,” Jagger teased. “And besides, I haven’t discovered all of your wyvern ways, yet.”

  “Well, with a bit of elven magic…” Brick came to stand beside him and, arms around each other’s waists, Jagger’s head in the crook of Brick’s neck, they watched the moon rise fat and gleaming in the sky, blessing them and their union.

  Want to see more from this author? Here’s a taster for you to enjoy!

  Intrinsic Values: Artifacts

  Bailey Bradford

  Excerpt

  The Help Wanted sign in the window stopped Aldric in his tracks. He’d been walking along San Antonio’s Pearl District, somewhat lost in his thoughts and worries, so why he noticed the sign, he couldn’t have said.

  Maybe because it stood out in the day of internet-everything. All the job boards that he’d scanned and the applications for employment that he’d sent in had been online. That was just how it was done nowadays…except not at the business he’d stopped in front of.

  Aldric stared at the sign for a solid minute while trying to calculate his chances of being hired if he went in and applied before going home and changing. Not that he had any fancier clothes. Jeans, T-shirts and one button-up were all that was in his wardrobe.

  What are the chances someone else will apply and get hired by the time I go home, shower, shave, change and come back?

  Whatever the odds were, his empty stomach didn’t want to risk them. Blinking away his musings, Aldric pushed his glasses farther up his nose, then caught himself screwing up his face to re-settle them exactly where they’d been. He attempted to smooth down his hair—being thick, it tended to tousle, even though it wasn’t long—and reached for the door handle, which was when he saw the name of the place that was hiring.

  Intrinsic Value Antique Shop. At least shop wasn’t spelled all funky. It was a silly pet peeve he had, people adding extra letters onto words to make spellings like shoppe rather than shop. An antique store might have a better reason than most businesses or services to use an old spelling of the word, and he had no reason to be judgmental of anything—something he needed to keep in mind.

  Even though he knew nothing about antiques, Aldric opened the door and stepped inside to the tinkling of chimes. He glanced down at the door handle inside and saw strings of silver and copper bells dangling from it.

  “Good afternoon. May I help you?”

  Aldric pivoted so quickly that he almost tripped over his own feet—nothing unusual for him. Heat rushed to his face, and he gulped as he spotted the older man standing with one hand on an ancient-looking cash register. “Er, yes, I, um, I—” Aldric took a deep breath and exhaled to the count of ten. If he didn’t get himself calmed down, he’d stumble over his words as well as his feet, as he tended to do when he was flustered.

  “My name is Elliot Douglas. I’m the owner of Intrinsic Value. Please call me Elliot.” Elliot came around the counter and stopped in front of Aldric.

  “Aldric Beamer.” Aldric offered his right hand to shake. “Nice to meet you, Elliot.” His mouth was dry, and a tickle started up in his throat.

  “Nice to meet you, too.” Elliot pumped his hand one more time, then let go. “Are you here about the job? I noticed you standing outside and thought you might be considering it.”

  Aldric covered his mouth and turned his head before he coughed. He lowered his hand and faced Elliot again. “Sorry, the mountain cedar is kicking my allergies into high gear. Yes, sir, I’m here about the job. Surprised me to see an actual sign in the window. Everything’s done online, it seems. I’ve been told to go home and apply online so often, I’ve quit thinking about actual signs.”

  “Ah yes, the internet is an amazing tool for many things, but I prefer to meet people in person first, rather than online.” Elliot smiled, and Aldric realized the older, taller man, with his tawny-brown eyes and thick mane of slightly long, wavy light-brown hair that was just starting to silver, was quite handsome.

  “Why don’t you come back this way and tell me what makes you think you’ll be a good fit at Intrinsic Value?” Elliot gestured in the direction of the cash register. “I was cleaning off my baby and would like to finish as we talk.”

  “Yes, sir.” Aldric coughed again and wanted to melt into the floorboards.

  “Would you like some cold water or hot tea?” Elliot offered. “I have both available.”

  Aldric wasn’t sure about hot tea. He’d only ever had Texas tea—cold, with lots of sugar and ice in it. But maybe tea was a thing with Elliot. “Er, tea, please?”

  Elliot glanced back at him. “You sound uncertain. Have you tried hot tea before?”

  Lying wasn’t something Aldric did if he could help it. “I haven’t, but I thought a warm drink might help with my scratchy throat.”

  “That it might. I have a few different kinds, but how about you try the chamomile? It’s good for all sorts of ailments.” Elliot stopped by an elegant-legged wooden table that had a silver tea kettle and several mismatched cups and saucers sitting on it.

  A white ceramic dish held glass jars of tea and cubes of sugar, and a clear container was filled with what appeared to be honey. Delicate silver spoons were laid out as well. Aldric tucked his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. Everything on that table looked delicate, not only the spoons, and he was afraid to touch anything.

  Which had to mean he shouldn’t apply for the job.

  “Aldric?” Elliot arched one thick eyebrow. “Is chamomile okay?”

  Realizing he’d more than likely made sure he wouldn’t get hired, because Elliot had to think he was on the dense side, Aldric shook his head. “It’s okay, thank you. I’ll just—” He started to take a step back.

  “Just what?” Elliot asked, scooping tea from a jar before he put it into a little oval-shaped strainer. “Are you not interested in the job after all?”

  Aldric bit his bottom lip and pondered whether he should stay or not. For one thing, he’d already made some kind of impression, good or bad. For another, Elliot hadn’t run him off. That has to mean I still have a chance, right? Until I tell him I know nothing about what this shop sells. Damn it.

  “I’m interested, but I don’t have any experience with antiques,” Aldric rushed out, watching Elliot pour hot water over the strainer holding the tea. Elliot had put a lid on it so the tea leaves didn’t flow out.

  Aldric took a step closer, unable to resist getting a better look at what Elliot was doing. He took off his round-framed glasses, polished them and shoved them back on.

  “The tea needs to steep for a few minutes,” Elliot explained. “The infuser keeps most of the bits of tea leaves from escaping, but you still might have a few pieces in your cup. Those will usually settle at the bottom.”

  “That’s the infuser?” Aldric asked when Elliot nudged the strainer holding the tea.

  Elliot smiled at him. “Yes, it is. Do you like honey?”

  “I—” Aldric’s stomach picked that moment to let out a rumbling growl. He dropped his gaze and pressed a fist to his belly. “Sorry. Skipped breakfast.”

  “Well, that won’t do. It’s almost time for dinner. I’ll order us something to eat, then you and I will sit down for a proper interview—if you’re interested in the job?” Elliot picked up the jar of honey.

  “Oh, I…I am, I just thought I’d blown any chance I had at it.” Aldric ducked his head and stared at the worn toes of his tennis shoes. “I don’t have any experience for it. I’ve only worked at fast-food places. I don’t know anything about antiques. I didn’t even know what that thing—the infuser—was.” His ignorance was embarrassing, and he hated that he didn’t know more.

  “So,” Elliot drawled, one corner of his mouth curving up. “No experience at all? That would mean I’d have a clean slate in you, if I were to hire you. Wouldn’t have to rid you of bad habits and misinformation.”

  Aldric was almost too afraid to believe he might have a chance of keeping his shitty apartment and not going hungry for much longer, after all. “Are you serious?”

  “Utterly. Here, let me fix your tea, then I’ll order something from the restaurant across the street. It has a little of everything. I have a menu for it behind the counter. This won’t take a moment…” Elliot took the infuser out, then added honey to the tea.

  “Thank you.” Aldric should have refused the offer of a meal, but the truth was, he was too hungry to let pride cost him sustenance. He took the warm cup of tea from Elliot and inhaled the fragrant steam rising from it. “Oh! This smells good.”

  Elliot smiled at him, a delighted expression, if Aldric wasn’t reading him wrong. “I hope you’ll like the way it tastes as well. Let me grab that menu, then you can peruse it with me.”

  “Okay, thanks.” Aldric took a sip of the tea. It was hotter on his tongue than he’d expected, and he winced as he swallowed. He was glad Elliot hadn’t seen him do that. The next sip he took was slower. The taste was as pleasant as the smell of the tea, the honey sweet but not overpowering.

  “Here we go. I haven’t had anything bad from here yet, but then again, I always order the same thing. I’m a creature of habit in many ways.” Elliot’s smile had turned rueful.

  “What do you get?” Aldric asked before taking another drink. He could get addicted to hot tea.

  “Nothing adventurous, just the grilled salmon with steamed vegetables and mashed sweet potatoes.” Elliot handed him the menu. “I think the burgers should be good, though. Whenever I’m in the restaurant and see and smell them, they remind me very much of the ones my brother used to love.”

  “Younger or older brother?” Aldric flipped the paper menu open to scan the selections.

  Elliot froze for a second, as though something were wrong. Before Aldric could ask him if he was okay, Elliot drew in a breath, then touched his temples, where he had a few strands of gray. “Younger. Chris is thirty-two, Natty is thirty-four and I’m the old man at forty-something. Do you have any siblings?”

  Aldric decided he’d get the bacon burger and sweet potato fries. He’d never had the latter before. “I have two, like you. Twins. They’re almost twenty years older than me.”