Bound and Bitten (The Year of Suns Book 2) Read online

  “I liked them.”

  Vane smiled. “I’m very glad. It worried me you might think it was a trick.”

  “A trick?” Arion laughed again.

  Nodding, Vane said, “My parents just happening to show up? I was so relieved when you came down to dinner.” He’d grown to love the sound of Arion’s laughter, which had grown more frequent the last couple of days.

  Arion looked up at the sky, which had faded to a pinkish purple as the twin suns set and two of the three moons began to rise. “When I heard, I was worried you might tell them who I really am.” He glanced over at Vane and lowered his voice. “It does mean a lot to me that you’ve kept my secret, even from them. I probably couldn’t have kept such a thing from my mother. Ever.”

  “It was hard, but losing you would be harder.”

  Arion went still at that comment. “You’re that attached already?”

  “I was this attached the moment I looked up into your eyes and felt your hands on me.”

  “I was sweaty and dirty and bleeding. And you’d just been viciously beaten. I was trying to see if you’d been hurt.”

  “I remember it somewhat differently.”

  Arion licked his lips. “Do you?”

  Vane had to fight the urge to lean over and kiss him right then. They still hadn’t had a proper kiss, and Vane ached to brush his lips over Arion’s. “Yes. I was certain I was going to die. I fought hard as I thought of my family’s grief, but there were too many of them. Then someone saved me. I was only coming to terms with that when the scent of your blood hit me. I’d found my mate, and so much earlier than many vampires. I looked up to see the most perfect man I ever could’ve imagined, in all his naked glory, kneeling at my side with concern on his face. You were the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.”

  Arion stared at him. His breathing had shallowed, and something in his expression changed. “Vane, I…” He paused and licked his lips again.

  Vane clasped Arion’s cheek and ran his thumb over Arion’s lips. “Let me kiss you. Please.”

  Arion’s expression softened a bit more as he gave an almost imperceptible nod.

  Vane took Arion’s face in both hands and drew him close. He couldn’t help sighing when their lips touched. Arion’s lips felt soft and strong at the same time, and Vane ran his tongue along the seam. Arion opened to him with little hesitation, though he remained passive at first. Vane deepened the kiss briefly and then drew back to look into Arion’s eyes. He believed he saw desire there, and he caressed his mate’s face before kissing him again with more hunger.

  Vane let his hands rest on Arion’s shoulders, and Arion reached up to grasp Vane’s bicep. Arion tilted his head and became more responsive, a little moan coming from him as Vane tightened his grip on his shoulders. Vane kissed Arion’s neck when they broke for air, and he could hear Arion’s heart pounding. He licked the pulse point and trailed kisses along Arion’s skin.

  Arion stiffened, and Vane whispered, “I won’t bite you without your permission. Not ever.”

  Arion’s heart still pounded, and his breathing was unsteady as he looked at Vane. “You can … if you want to.”

  “You’re sure?” Vane asked, caressing his face and hair and simply reveling in being allowed to touch his mate.

  Arion nodded, a whimper coming from his lips. Vane kissed him again before pressing his lips to his neck. He glanced down and saw that Arion was hard, and he sighed before sinking his fangs into Arion’s neck. Arion cried out, but he clung to Vane and rubbed his back. Vane only took a little, hoping that he would be getting more than one taste tonight. He healed the bite marks and then continued to kiss Arion’s neck as he dared to run his hand up Arion’s thigh and touch his cock.

  Arion’s long, thick cock almost seemed to pulse in time to his heartbeat. Vane palmed the hard length and said, “Let me suck you. I want to taste your cum.”

  Arion trembled and sighed, but then he tried to pull away. “No. Stop.” He took hold of Vane and pushed him away. “I’m not ready for that yet. I might never be.”

  “Might never be? After the way you just kissed me?” He looked at Arion’s bulging cock. “And you’re hard as a rock.”

  “That’s just a physical response.” He waved his hand in a circle beside his head. “I’m not ready up here.”

  “What can I do?” Vane asked.

  “I need time.”

  “Your response wasn’t faked. You enjoyed the kiss.”

  Arion grunted in frustration and stood up, walking a few feet away. “Yeah, I did. And I gave you permission.” He looked back at Vane, his expression darkening in a way Vane didn’t understand. “But responding to your kiss isn’t permission to fuck me.”

  Stung by the harsh tone of Arion’s voice, Vane said, “I didn’t say anything about fucking you. I offered to suck your cock and relieve your need. Need that I caused.”

  “And I said no. Just accept that!” Arion turned away again.

  “I stopped when you asked me to. Why are you getting so angry?”

  “Because this was a mistake. Liking you and admiring you aren’t enough. I don’t want to be fucked by a man.”

  “Can’t you give me more than that? What makes the idea so repulsive?”

  “It’s not repulsive,” Arion said, sounding somewhat calmer yet still defensive.

  Vane realized what might be wrong, and he hazarded a guess. “Are you scared, Arion? Is that why you’re pushing me away?”

  “Of course I’m not scared!” Arion said, the vehemence of his response contradicting his words.

  “Then turn around and say that. There’s no reason to be afraid of something just because it’s new.”

  “Just go away. I want to be alone for a while.”

  “Arion, please let me—”

  “Just go!”

  Vane flinched at both the volume and the aggression in Arion’s voice. “All right.” He rose and came around so that they faced each other. “But I only wanted to give you pleasure. I’d never take anything you didn’t offer freely.” He let his gaze lower to Arion’s cock, which was still hard and straining at his breeches. “And if you change your mind, you need only come to my room.”

  Arion narrowed his eyes. “I can take care of this just fine without you. Stop trying to sound so noble and selfless. You’ve wanted to fuck me since you first set eyes on me. You said so yourself.”

  Vane couldn’t take any more. He felt so exposed now, though sharing his thoughts with Arion had felt good earlier. “Whatever I did, I’m sorry. Just please don’t leave without telling me.”

  “Would you leave me alone already? Gods, what is your problem?”

  “All right. I’m going.” Vane stumbled through the maze, getting turned around a couple of times. He replayed the entire scene in his head repeatedly. Arion was scared. He could deny it all he wanted, but he was. His anger and defensiveness only made that seem even more obvious.

  Vane found his steward and said he wanted to be informed right away if Arion made any move to leave. The older man nodded knowingly and bowed before walking away. Vane wasn’t sure his steward had guessed that Arion was his mate, but the man had seen enough to know Arion was here for reasons that went beyond Vane’s gratitude.

  As Vane shut himself away in his room, he wished his parents hadn’t left. He’d feel like a fool telling his father what had been going on, and then he’d have to listen to a lecture about taking charge and handling his affairs properly. But his mother would be sympathetic whether he chose to scream or throw things or simply curl up in his bed and cry. He glanced out the window at the darkened garden and prayed to all the gods that everything would be set right in the morning.

  ****

  Arion rolled over at dawn and sighed heavily. He’d hardly slept at all. After returning to the castle about half an hour after Vane had left him, he’d actually stood outside the door to his own room for nearly five minutes, occasionally looking up at Vane’s door. Though part of him had wished
to see the door open, to see Vane beckoning him closer, Arion hadn’t been able to make himself go down there and knock. He’d lashed out and hurt Vane because of his own insecurities and fears. His few previous sexual encounters hadn’t been anything to brag about. The girl he’d lost his virginity with had actually rolled him over and climbed on top of him because he kept slipping out of her. His other two lovers had also been far more experienced than he was, but he didn’t think he could actually say those words to anyone. He didn’t think he’d been a bad lover, but he knew he hadn’t been that good either.

  As Arion got dressed, he thought of how he’d snapped at Vane and thrown his words back in his face. Vane had shared something incredibly personal, and Arion had used it against him. His hands shook a bit as he combed through his hair. It pained him to think of how much he’d hurt the vampire’s feelings. Vane wanted him so much, though Arion couldn’t fathom why, and he’d pushed Vane away out of fear and frustration. He still didn’t think he was ready to sleep with Vane, but they had to talk about this. He truly had come to admire and like the vampire, and scared as he still was, he didn’t want to leave. Vane had shown amazing patience with him, and Arion’s chest ached as he left his room.

  Arion walked down the hall, determined to do whatever he had to in order to get Vane to accept his apology. What made him feel worse was the voice in his head saying he wouldn’t have to do one damned thing to get the vampire to forgive him. He might not even have to say the words, but he was going to. Arion knocked and took a deep breath.

  The door opened, and a maid emerged. “Oh, good morning. Lord Vane’s in his study, sir. Just down there. Take a right, and it’s the blue door with gold trim.”

  “Thank you,” Arion said before turning away and heading for the study. As he approached the door, he heard hurried, frantic talking. The study door stood open, and he could hear a girl crying. Wondering what could be happening, Arion walked in and stopped just past the threshold.

  Vane knelt beside a girl who sat slumped in a chair. She had a bruise on her face, and her lip had been cut. Her disheveled hair fell over her tear-streaked face, and she clutched at a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Several men and women stood behind her, including two guards. Everyone looked grave and concerned. She seemed to be trying to tell Vane something, though her words came out broken and mixed with sobs.

  Arion looked to the man closest to him. “Is everything all right?” he asked in a very low voice, trying not to draw attention to his arrival.

  The man whispered, “She was attacked in the garden last night. Violated and beaten.”

  Arion looked down, anger filling him. He looked to the guards, wondering how he might help in the search, when the girl screamed. Everyone jumped and looked to her as she pointed directly at Arion.

  “T-that’s him, my l-lord! In the maze. I remem … remember … I …” She covered her face with one hand and clung to Vane, who looked dumbstruck as he looked up at Arion and then gazed down at the floor.

  The guards stood at attention and looked to Vane. Everyone stared at Arion, and some inched away, though one man moved around to block the door. He looked a bit sheepish when Arion looked straight at him, yet he didn’t move aside. The three women looked back and forth between Arion and the girl, two of them looking rather stern but one seeming uncertain. Arion turned to Vane for help. If he ran, they’d assume he was guilty. He swallowed, his stomach churning as he remembered their fight.

  And how Vane had left him alone in the hedge maze, angry and sporting an erection.

  “My lord,” one guard said, stepping forward, “I know he saved your life, but I saw him in the garden last night.” He looked at Arion, his eyes hard. “And he might’ve been in with the bandits all along. He certainly seems in no hurry to leave.”

  The other guard stayed where he was, glancing at the man who’d spoken briefly before looking back to Vane and awaiting instructions.

  Arion opened his mouth to defend himself, but he didn’t know what to say. Just when he’d gathered the courage to speak, Vane cut him off before he could make a sound.

  Without even looking up, Vane said, “Take him to a holding cell. I’ll question him later.” He addressed the girl and said, “You’re safe now, Jana. It’s going to be all right.”

  “Vane, I know how it looks, but—”

  “Don’t presume to address him so familiarly!” The guard who’d spoken against him grabbed him and began pushing him out the door.

  Say something! Let me finish. Say I’m your mate! Do something. He struggled, his gaze still on Vane.

  Just before Arion was dragged from the room, Vane looked up again. Arion opened his mouth, ready to declare his innocence and say he was Vane’s fated mate to get everyone’s attention, but the look in Vane’s eyes silenced him. He saw remorse and anger—and accusation. Arion stopped fighting and let himself be taken away. Despair filled his heart as he thought of how quickly Vane’s adoration and devotion had evaporated.

  The guards put him in a cell in the dungeon. Arion stood just inside the cell as the iron bars clanged shut behind him. “You know, if you give your friends up, he might go easier on you,” one guard said.

  “My friends?” Arion asked, turning to look at the guard.

  “Yeah. The other bandits.”

  “I wasn’t with them.”

  Both guards eyed him with disdain. The other one said, “Then why have you been here for six days?” He crossed his arms and shook his head, seeming to have come around to his companion’s way of thinking. “You’re taking advantage of his lordship’s kind heart. And he doesn’t deserve that.”

  “Yeah. The gods have special punishments for people who do evil when they’ve been offered hospitality,” the first guard said.

  “I’m innocent. Do you often lock people up without letting them defend themselves?” Arion said.

  “There was an eye witness. Why would she react that way if it wasn’t you?” the first guard said.

  “Maybe he only looked like me. It was dark. Lots of men are my size and have dark hair,” Arion said before turning away.

  “We follow Lord Vane’s orders. If he’d told us to leave you there, we would’ve obeyed,” the second guard said.

  Arion moved to the cot in the corner and sat down. “How soon do you think he’ll come to get my side of the story?” Why hadn’t Vane questioned him before locking him up? Why hadn’t any of them asked more questions?

  Both guards shrugged, and the first one said, “Up to him, isn’t it? He’s the lord of the land.”

  Arion laughed, starting to feel a bit panicked. “And I’m simply left to his mercy.”

  Someone called down, and the first guard left. The one who remained looked at him. “If you’re innocent, don’t worry. No need to get hysterical.”

  “Hysterical?” Arion laughed again. “I’m not getting hysterical. I’m getting fucked. No one here knows me. Who will speak for me? Who will defend me?”

  “There are advocates. Lord Vane may bring the trial master down with him. If you have no family or friends to speak for you, no one to send for, there are men who volunteer.”

  “Your lord knows me better than anyone else here. If he couldn’t speak up for me, why should anyone else? No one in that room did anything but stare at me.”

  “Like I said, I just do as I’m told. Maybe once everyone’s calmed down, he’ll rethink what he did.” He examined Arion a minute. “You saved him, after all. That has to count for something. Your character and all.”

  “Your friend thinks it was a trick. And you were backing him up just moments ago.”

  “Just asking questions. It’s not impossible.”

  “No, but it’s not true.”

  “Look, I’m sorry, but I can’t do anything about you being here.”

  “How much is something like this investigated? I won’t plead guilty to something I didn’t do.”

  “Most trials are just based on testimony. May not ask for a plea from
you. I’ve only been to one trial. It all depends.”

  “On the whims of the vampires.” Arion felt ready to cry, but he closed his eyes and tried to hold it together. He didn’t want to appear weak, and his tears might be misconstrued. The guard couldn’t understand his situation. He’d likely be called a liar by the guard if he said he was Vane’s mate now. He opened his eyes, wondering if Vane would even admit it. He remembered the look on Vane’s face, and he let his head fall into his hands.

  Vane had all the power. Arion had no alibi, and after the way they’d parted, he had reason to believe he no longer had Vane’s love. It had evaporated just as he’d realized what a gift it might be, just when he’d begun to want it. He sat and waited, but hours passed.

  Vane didn’t come.

  Chapter Three

  Twenty Years Ago

  3135, The Year of Blood

  Vane sat on the floor of his bedroom with his head in his hands. He’d never been afraid of having a conversation before, not even when he expected the worst tongue lashing from his father, but terror filled him as he thought about going to question Arion. He didn’t want to believe that Arion was guilty, that he had so skillfully deceived Vane as to his character, but Jana had seemed so certain. Her fear had been very real the moment she’d laid eyes on Arion. Or had she been in shock? Vane’s nerves were frayed. He’d been debating every aspect of the situation in his head all night long. But no matter how he felt or what he thought, he had to get up and go to Arion.

  Arion, the man Vane barely knew, the man he’d trusted completely simply because of his blood—though he hadn’t told anyone yet, he couldn’t stop remembering their fight and how angry Arion had been. The lycan had also been very aroused and frustrated. Vane’s chest tightened as his heart said it couldn’t be true. Arion couldn’t be one of the bandits. He’d fought so hard to save Vane from them. But in the chaos, did Vane really know exactly what had happened? Did he really know what had motivated Arion’s actions even if he wasn’t in league with the other men? Vane’s head told him that he couldn’t ignore the evidence Jana had given or the other things that seemed to prove Arion’s guilt. The idea of his mate raping and brutalizing that girl tore at him as he sat there, knowing he had to act but unable to make himself rise.