Mosaic Moon Page 5

  "Five," Jesse gasped, the whip landing against the small of his back. He bit back a howl as Gideon hit the exact same spot for a second time with unerring accuracy, and the earlier sting blossomed into a sharp pain. His back was already on fire, burning in spots Gideon hadn't even touched yet. "Six. Oh!" A third lash in the same sensitive spot, and now he could feel a slow trickle of hot blood against his skin. "Sev...seven."

  The trembling started around thirteen. There were too many sensations--the strokes of the whip, the increasing streams of his blood, the tightening of his muscles as he struggled to stay in position. When he choked on fifteen, he braced for the next, only to hear Gideon's footsteps round his body.

  Gideon crouched in front of him, reaching beneath his body to grab the chain connecting the nipple clamps to his cock. "Look at me, boy," he ordered as he yanked.

  Jesse gasped, unable to lift his head immediately. The pressure on his nipples and his cock was almost more excruciating than the sting of the whip, and his cock was dripping and slick with pre-come. Gideon yanked on it again, and Jesse looked up, blinking to clear his blurred vision and focus on Gideon's face.

  "I think you're losing interest in our fun here," Gideon said. "Do you want me to stop?"

  "No," Jesse breathed. "No, I...I don't want you to stop."

  Without releasing his hold on the chain, Gideon reached his other hand to Jesse's shoulder, sliding it back over the broken skin. Jess hissed at the fresh sting it evoked, but his eyes were riveted when Gideon drew his fingers back, stained with blood.

  "I suggest you start showing a little more enthusiasm then," he said. He dragged his bloody thumb across Jesse's lower lip before forcing it past his lips. "Because this isn't nearly enough to satisfy me." His fanged grin sent a chilly shiver down Jesse's spine. "I've got a big appetite tonight."

  Jesse traced the pad of Gideon's thumb with the tip of his tongue, then drew it deeper into his mouth, sucking the coppery blood from his rough skin. Gideon's eyes shone with approval, and his grin widened when he pulled his thumb away, only to replace it with his stained forefinger. Jesse wrapped his tongue around his finger, pulling it deeper into his mouth and lavishing it with his tongue until he couldn't taste anything but Gideon's skin. As Gideon began to pull away, Jesse bit down, scraping his teeth along his flesh.

  The pressure on the chain gradually eased, but only long enough for Jesse to catch his breath. Gideon ran his thumb over his back again, gathering even more blood to trace over Jesse's lips. Gideon bent to press his mouth against Jesse's, licking the drying blood from his mouth before allowing his fangs to catch the delicate flesh. Hot blood flowed freely over their joined lips.

  "Nobody ever tastes as good as you do," Gideon murmured against his mouth.

  Jesse moaned in response, the words going directly to his groin, as though Gideon had pulled on the chain again. His moan turned into a whimper as Gideon chased the drops of blood with the tip of his tongue. He tilted his head back, straining to feel more of Gideon's mouth.

  "Someone's greedy." Then Gideon was gone, and Jess could only watch wide-eyed as he stood back and began undoing his belt. "But I'm greedier."

  The ache in his balls deepened as Gideon stepped out of his pants, the thick jut of his cock too tantalizingly far away. Hope pounded in his chest when Gideon advanced again, only to be dashed when he stooped to pick up the whip and walk behind him.

  "What number were we on?" The raw burn of another lash made Jesse arch against the renewed pain, his teeth clenched. "Oh, who cares. Let's just start over."

  Jesse was afraid that if he did open his mouth to talk, he'd lose their bet. He swallowed several times, his throat working around the lump that had settled there. He could see Gideon's shadow stretching in front of him, see his arm was upraised once again. "One," he gasped. "One."

  This time as he wielded the whip, Gideon didn't settle for staying behind Jesse. He began circling his bound body, lashing out from new angles, creating fresh ribbons of radiant heat across Jesse's skin. But the worst was when Gideon stood in front of him, and he wrapped his hand around his cock, stroking it almost lazily as his other made the whip arc in elegant strokes over Jesse's head. Jess gazed, transfixed, oblivious to the awkward angle of his neck in favor of watching Gideon catch a drop of pre-come from the tip and bring it to his fanged mouth.

  Jesse stopped counting, but Gideon didn't seem to notice or care. The tip of the whip touched each shoulder alternately as Gideon stripped his cock. Jesse's breath came in faster jerks, hitching and catching in his throat with each exhale. Moans of pain and desire rose over his head, and more pre-come gathered on the tip of Gideon's cock. Finally, he couldn't subdue the scream building in his chest. It tore from his throat and echoed for long seconds in his ears.

  There was one more flick of Gideon's wrist before the scream died out, but Jesse wasn't cognizant of the new pain. His jaw hung lax as Gideon tossed the whip aside, a feral grin curving his mouth.

  "Looks like I win," he said. "Now it's time to eat."

  He surprised Jesse by coming back in front of him and kneeling down. Grasping the back of Jesse's head, he kept him still while fisting his cock one more time, then guided it to Jesse's mouth. Jess opened without hesitation, but Gideon didn't allow him the luxury of savoring the taste before driving it past his teeth and down his throat, bending forward at the same time to start dragging his tongue across Jesse's bloody back.

  Each swipe of his tongue across Jesse's back created a new shockwave of pain that was almost immediately soothed by the mouth that caused it. Gideon's cock filled his throat, moving heavily against his tongue. Practically immobile, Jesse could almost keep the muscles of his jaw and throat relaxed as Gideon moved his hips in shallow strokes. Jesse whimpered and howled around him, sending vibrations down his shaft, as Gideon's tongue dipped into the cuts on his back, teasing out more blood.

  Gideon finally straightened, his hand returning to hold Jess steady as he pulled out his cock. "Such a good boy," he murmured.

  Jesse slumped when he rose to his feet, unable to protest against whatever onslaught might come next, but the unexpected click of the manacles as Gideon opened them made him twist to see what his lover was doing.

  Strong hands lifted him free, an arm curling around Jesse's waist as Gideon helped him to his feet. His legs were numb, his back slick against Gideon's chest, but Gideon kept him firm, half-carrying him as he crossed to the wall. There, he turned Jesse around, pressing him to the cold surface.

  "I'm going to fuck you," he murmured, hoisting Jesse's legs around his hips. The tip of his blunt cock nudged against Jesse's ass, streaks of blood staining his chest. "But I want you to see me when I do it."

  He thrust into Jesse's hole without further warning, burying his slick cock completely. Jesse tensed around him immediately, his muscles squeezing Gideon's shaft. He gripped Gideon's shoulders, his nails digging into his flesh. He wanted to close his eyes, but Gideon said he wanted Jess to see him, so he kept his gaze locked on Gideon's face. The first thrust pushed him against the wall, and his throbbing back flared to life, almost overwhelming the sensation of Gideon's thick length sliding out and slamming into him again.

  "Should we count off how many times I pound into you?" Gideon spoke without breaking his rhythm, each stroke more merciless than the last. Using the wall for support, he let go of Jesse's hip with one hand and fisted the chain dangling from the nipple clamps. "It might be fun to see how far you can make it before you scream again."

  He was going to fly apart. Jesse was sure of that. He wasn't sure of much else besides that. He wasn't sure if he was speaking, though somebody seemed to be babbling--not far, not far, not going to last. He wasn't sure if he felt pain. He wasn't sure if it was pleasure. His whole body was a throbbing nerve. One coherent thought finally burst through as Gideon tugged on the chain once again, sending red-hot sparks to his groin.

  "Please, Gideon."

  Cool fingertips slid down to Jesse's erection. "My ple
asure," he heard him murmur.

  In the next beat, the cock ring sprang free. In the one after that, Gideon shifted his weight, slamming into Jesse's ass and across his prostate in stroke after bruising stroke. And in the beat after that, Gideon growled and struck, burying his fangs in Jesse's neck.

  Jesse made a strangled sound of relief as the first gush of blood filled Gideon's mouth. His eyes rolled back, a swell of pleasure building at the bottom of his feet and then rushing through his body, heating his already fevered flesh, and the world tilted violently beneath him, but Gideon remained solid against him. As the second swell rushed through him, his cock jerked against Gideon's stomach and covered them both in long strings of sticky fluid.

  Gideon shuddered and drove his fangs in a little deeper as his body stiffened, his come filling Jesse's ass. He continued to thrust, and to drink, and to move even when Jesse felt like he was going to fly apart, even when he thought there was no way he could possibly hold on any longer. Only when his head began to swim and the dots began to dance before his eyes did Gideon withdraw, sliding his bloody mouth up to capture Jesse's.

  Jesse melted against him as the kiss deepened, all the tension draining from his muscles until he was completely lax and pliant. He inhaled deeply, filling his head with the smell of his blood and come and Gideon. He didn't know who broke the long kiss first, but as soon as he caught his breath, he sought out Gideon's lips again.

  Gideon reached between their bodies and rubbed the drying fluid into Jesse's stomach. When Jess broke for air again, he blinked as Gideon lifted his hand to his mouth and licked the traces of come away, a devilish glint in his still-golden eyes.

  "I think I want dessert," he said. He tilted his head toward the door. "How about I take you downstairs and clean you off properly?"

  Jesse could only nod, mutely offering his assent. He was grateful that Gideon didn't try to lower him to the floor--he couldn't stand under his own power, much less walk on his rubbery legs. Gideon's cock slipped from his ass and he backed away from the wall, immediately easing the pain in his back. Jesse sighed, burying his face against Gideon's neck and closing his eyes, his skin already tingling in anticipation of Gideon's mouth.

  Chapter 5

  * * *

  The distant thudding beneath her cheek lulled Emma into letting her eyes drift shut, her hand straying lazily across Ethan's stomach as she curled closer into his warmth. There was no fear of picking up feelings from him; he had spent a lifetime honing his abilities, and Emma only caught a glimpse into his carefully protected shell when he specifically allowed it. She had thought that when they started sleeping together he might change his opinion, let her in a little bit more, but that hadn't happened. Ethan guarded his privacy and forced her to respect others'. She had learned a lot from him in the four months since he'd come to Chicago.

  "Are you hungry?" she asked, not bothering to open her eyes. "Please say no. I really don't want to get up."

  "No," he murmured, running his fingers through her hair. "I'm good for now. Though you wore me out."

  Emma smiled. "I told you, you should've let me be on top."

  "Mmm. Maybe next time."

  The soothing pull of his fingers in her hair helped slow Emma's pulse back down to normal. Her skin was sweaty where it met Ethan's, and though she had the urge to roll onto her back and separate from him in order to cool off, he was a cuddler, always eager to get her back into his arms. It was an interesting change after so many years of avoiding physical contact with people, one that Emma was still trying to adjust to.

  Thinking about touching Ethan led her stray thoughts to her earlier fight with Jess. Jess and his anger about Emma accidentally reading him. Once upon a time, he wouldn't have minded, had seemed to try and encourage Emma to not be afraid of touching him for fear of feeling too much. But something in the past couple months had changed, and she was afraid that maybe he was inadvertently picking up on her crush for him. He had Gideon. He didn't need--or want--her attention, too.

  "I'm glad you were free," she said softly. "I didn't spend nearly as much time at the office as I thought I was going to. Tonight would've been really boring if you hadn't come around."

  "I'm glad you called. Tonight would have been really boring if you hadn't." He paused for a long time before asking, "Did something happen this afternoon? You seemed a bit unhappy earlier."

  It took her a moment to answer. The flood of Jesse's feelings was still raw, including his dislike for Ethan. "I read Jess. He...didn't like it."

  "Was it an accident?"

  "Yes." She chewed on the inside of her cheek. "Mostly."

  "I don't think it's right that he got upset with you." His hand went from her hair to her back, tracing slow circles over her spine. "You're still learning. Accidents are common. That's why you came home early, right? Because you upset him?"

  "That, and he thought I shouldn't be around when he broke some news to Gideon. You know Jess. He gets very possessive about Gideon sometimes."

  "Yes, Jesse seems very devoted to him. Though, honestly, I can't imagine why."

  "Why do we love the people we do?" Emma knew she could clarify for Ethan what exactly it was that Jesse saw in Gideon, but that would mean sharing details that were far more private than the glimpses she'd had into Jess that afternoon. She wouldn't violate that; Gideon had done far too much for her in the past six months.

  Ethan rolled her onto her back and covered her body with his. "Well, I love you because I've never met anybody like you," he murmured before kissing her softly.

  It wasn't the first time he'd said he loved her--that had happened the first time they'd slept together--but every time Ethan uttered the words, something in Emma tightened. Nobody had ever told her that before and meant it. And she knew his feelings were genuine. It seeped from him. She just wished with all her heart that she loved him back.

  Time, she told herself. It would come in time. She'd spent so long alone that she needed time to reacquaint herself with love.

  But then how could she imagine that she loved Jesse and Gideon?

  Because those were just crushes, the little voice told her. They weren't real. Her feelings for Gideon were simple hero worship, and as for Jesse...

  She blocked out the rest of it. She was kissing Ethan. Naked. In her bed. It wasn't the time or place to be harboring thoughts about other men. Especially after the one currently kissing her had just said he loved her.

  He nuzzled her, kissing her lips, her cheek, her neck, her shoulder. "I'm glad we decided to stay in tonight. Can I take you out tomorrow night? I've got tickets to the theater."

  Emma wrapped her arms around his back, burying her face in his neck. "Tomorrow night is good," she murmured. After today's debacle, she seriously doubted she'd be hearing from Jess any time soon anyway. On a whim, she added, "Do you want to make a whole day of it? You spend the night, we'll sleep in, go out for brunch. Maybe go to the market or something in the afternoon."

  Ethan ran his fingers down her ribs. "I think that sounds like a brilliant idea. I was hoping you didn't plan to kick me out tonight." She could hear the smile in his voice. "It's a good thing my boss is so understanding."

  She snorted. "Michelle is just trying to secure her matchmaking cred."

  "It'll be firmly secured, if I have anything to say about it. Now," he said, pushing his hips against hers, "what were you saying earlier about being on top?"

  * * * *

  With his head propped up in his hand, Gideon watched Jesse sleep, the pillowcase fluttering softly from his deep breathing. The blankets were kicked down to the foot of the bed, baring the scarlet ribbons of the whip across Jesse's back, but it was the faint flickering of Jesse's eyes behind his closed lids that fascinated Gideon. Jesse was dreaming. It was probably the one place that would forever be denied Gideon, though he knew if he asked, Jess would share the details. But the emotion of it, that was beyond his reach.

  Emma could get there. Emma had gotten there in the past. She coul
d do it again if her insipid boyfriend wouldn't keep getting in the way.

  He brushed the back of his knuckles across Jesse's stubbled jaw. It bothered him that Jess wouldn't admit how he felt about Emma, but some of his earlier comments made Gideon think that was probably his fault. How many times had he professed his possession of Jesse? He'd even vowed to kill anybody that might threaten their relationship. And meant it. Of course Jess would be leery of admitting something for Emma.

  But Emma was different. And if Emma was what Jesse wanted, Gideon wanted to make sure he got her.

  Leaning down, he skimmed his mouth over the stubble he'd just caressed, letting his tongue drag along the rough texture. When Jesse stirred in his sleep, Gideon continued onward, licking along the outer curve of his ear before resuming the path back again toward Jesse's mouth.

  Jesse parted his lips before opening his eyes, returning his soft kiss sleepily. When Gideon pulled back, the corners of Jesse's mouth lifted. "Is it morning already?"

  "No, not yet," he said softly. "I just couldn't resist."

  "Oh, that's all right then." He reached up and smoothed his thumb over Gideon's brow. "You look like you're thinking about something."

  Gideon pretended to frown. "I'll have you know, I've deliberately stopped using the brood face."

  Jesse lifted his head to kiss him again. "Yeah, but I can still see the wheels turning."

  He waited until Jess had settled back onto the pillow, still half-asleep in spite of his delicate probing. "I think you need to talk to Emma," he said, choosing his words carefully. "At the very least, she needs to know how you feel about her."

  "You're not wasting any time, are you?" Jesse muttered. "What should I tell her? 'Emma, I think you're swell, and also I want to fuck you until you walk with a limp'?"

  "No, because if you do it right, she shouldn't be able to walk at all."

  Jesse stared at him. "No. You're missing the point. I can't say that to her. Neither version."