William studied the prince's face, waiting for a reaction.
His proposal was bold, but reading the passage had ignited something inside him. It had made him feel alive and awakened his desire to let go and enjoy himself.
Maybe losing a little control with him wouldn't lead to disaster.
"Are you sure?" the prince murmured.
"Yes. Trust me."
"Stop me whenever you want."
"I will."
The prince drew a deep breath. "What do you want me to do?"
"Undress, then undress me."
"All the way?"
William nodded. It was the right moment—he could feel it. Maybe he wouldn't be able to go all the way, but he wanted to feel the warmth of his skin against his own. To feel desired.
The prince caressed his cheek and brushed his lips with his thumb. "Will, can I kiss you?"
Instead of answering, William pressed his mouth to the prince's, forced it open, and stroked his tongue with his own. The prince welcomed him, devouring pieces of his breath with an intensity that overwhelmed him and made him feel alive.
They parted, then the prince took off his shirt and kissed him again with the same hunger as before. William wrapped his arms around his neck, climbed onto his legs, and surrendered to that passion.
The prince's lips slid along his neck, leaving a trail of scorching kisses on his skin. His fingers moved to the buttons, opening them one by one, revealing fragments of pale skin.
He slipped the shirt off him, and William lay back on the bed.
"Take off your trousers. I want to see you."
The prince unfastened his belt and finished undressing. His erection stood tall between his legs, and a spasm of pleasure tightened William's belly.
"Undress me."
The prince fumbled with the buckle, then pulled off the belt and removed William's trousers.
A shiver ran over William's skin, and his sex, half-hard, gave a small twitch. The prince's eyes burned into his skin, making him feel even more desired.
"Will…" The hoarse voice drew a smile from the mage.
"Touch me and kiss me. Don't skip a single inch of skin, but don't…" He hesitated. "Not between my legs."
"I would never dare." The prince leaned toward him, his breath brushing his lips. "And you're far too beautiful not to kiss every fragment of your body."
"Then do it."
The prince caught a lock of his hair between his fingers and kissed his cheek, his chin, then moved down along his neck.
William drew a deep breath and closed his eyes. He surrendered to the warmth of his lips and the damp trails they left on his skin, to the faint tickle and the intense pleasure that contact stirred inside him.
The prince's fingers caressed the back of his hand, then traced up his arm along the veins. A shiver shook the mage's body.
"Your Highness…"
"Are you all right?"
"More than all right." William caressed his back. "Please, continue."
The prince's lips descended to his collarbone; his fingers brushed his shoulder, his neck, his earlobe—slowly, as if he wanted to savor him.
"You're beautiful," he murmured. "And so erotic."
The mage squeezed one of his buttocks. "Any other compliments?"
"Intelligent?"
"And then?"
"Don't be greedy, Court Mage."
They kissed again, this time slowly, lingering over every touch and every sigh. The prince circled one nipple with his fingers, stroked it gently, and shivers of pleasure coursed through William's body.
The prince's lips moved down to his chest. He sucked the other nipple, and the mage drew a sharp breath.
"Everything all right, Will?"
"Yes," he moaned. "Please, continue."
The prince's tongue played with the nipple; his warm lips drew more moans of pleasure and deep sighs from William. The heat in his belly grew, his sex hardened and throbbed between his legs.
The prince moved lower still, tracing a trail of kisses along his chest and abdomen. He caressed every rib, every hollow of muscle, skirted his groin, and went lower, along his thigh and his knee.
He had respected his boundaries. He was making him feel protected despite being naked and vulnerable.
William clenched the sheet between his fingers, his breath hot and rapid, burning in his chest. Desire twisted his insides and made him tremble. When Alex's lips brushed the inside of his thigh, a higher moan slipped from him.
The prince moved back up slowly, and stopped at his neck. He kissed his throat, then looked him in the eyes.
"How are you?"
"I'm fine." William's voice sounded hoarse to his own ears. "More than fine, Your Highness."
"I'll take that as a compliment." He kissed the mole beneath his eye. "What do you want to do now?"
"I'd like to return the favor."
"You want to touch me?"
"Yes, but… Well, down there."
The prince raised an eyebrow. "You're really bold tonight, Will."
"Don't you want to?"
"Of course I do. I'm just surprised. And very happy, too." He kissed his cheek. "How do you want me?"
"Lie down."
The prince lay on his back, and William sat astride his lap.
"Please, don't touch me."
"I won't."
William stroked the prince's sex with the tips of his fingers and felt him shiver under his touch. "Do you like it?"
"You have no idea," the prince murmured, digging his fingers into the pillow.
William wrapped both their sexes in his hand and began to stimulate them. He moved slowly, matching the rhythm to the prince's sighs and the beat of his own heart, guiding them in a slow dance toward the peak.
"Will… I'm almost there."
"Me too."
"I don't want to… hurt you." The look he gave him was filled with pleasure and fear. "Please, don't fall apart. Please…"
William rested his free hand on the prince's chest. "Your Highness…"
"Call me by my name."
"I can't. You are my prince."
"Just this once, when we're alone, I want to be… your equal."
William pressed his lips together and moved his hand with more urgency. A moan vibrated in the prince's throat, and warm semen poured over the mage's hands. Shortly after, William came as well, with a long sigh.
The prince's chest rose and fell rapidly. William let himself sink against him and closed his eyes.
"Hold me, Your Highness."
The prince wrapped his arms around him and stroked the nape of his neck, as if he wanted to keep him there. Or support him, in case he shattered there, in his arms.
"Are you all right?"
"I'm fine, Your Highness."
"Thank goodness." The prince kissed his temple. "It was beautiful."
William managed a small smile. "You're not just saying that to please me, right?"
"No. I really mean it." He took William's hand, still smeared with semen, and licked his fingers and palm. "Do you want to taste?"
"It must taste awful."
"Definitely," the prince laughed, then he kissed the back of his hand and intertwined their fingers. "How do you feel?"
"Good." William smiled. "It was nice and intense. And… I don't feel disgusted. Just a bit of discomfort, but it's tolerable."
"Don't push yourself, though."
"I'm not, don't worry." He cuddled against his chest. "Maybe you're right when you say I'm healing. That I'll have relapses, but they won't stop me."
The prince stroked his back and kissed his forehead. "I knew it. You're much stronger than you think."
"Next time I could tie you up."
"Oh, I'd love that. You could do anything you want to me."
"For example?"
"Are you sure you want to know?"
William frowned and shot him a glare. "No. They'll be naughty things anyway."
The prince laughed and covered them both with the blankets. "Do you want to get dressed, or shall we sleep like this?"
"This is fine." William wiggled his fingers and extinguished the candles. Darkness wrapped them in a comforting embrace. "Thank you for everything, Your Highness."
He closed his eyes and let himself be lulled by the gentle beat of the prince's heart, until he fell asleep.
----------------
The following morning, Alex woke at dawn with a pleasant sense of fulfillment.
He rubbed his hair and lowered his gaze to the graceful, still-sleeping profile of the mage, and a surge of joy tightened his chest. He would have liked to stay with him a little longer, but he couldn't risk arousing suspicion.
He had to return to his chambers before the palace woke.
"I see you went at it pretty hard."
Alex stiffened. Caedos's voice hissed with sarcasm, just as he remembered.
"Um… good morning."
The spirit was perched on the windowsill, watching him with an expression of disapproval.
"I should have expected it. Even so, you humans can be truly disgusting at times."
"You spirits don't… do it?"
"Pah, no! We don't even fall in love. Those are things for mortal, frail little creatures." He fluttered over to him and curled up on his lap, then glanced briefly toward William. "But he's happy, so I suppose it's fine."
"I didn't force him."
"Oh, I know. You're a good prince."
Alex ran his fingers through his hair. "Can I ask you a question?"
Caedos snorted. "If you really must…"
"Our Pact… I know it doesn't work like my father's. That Will and I are far more closely bound than we should be."
"I know. He feels your emotions, but only when they're particularly intense. Like when you mate."
"I'm not an animal."
"You want to know if it's normal, don't you?"
Alex nodded. "And whether it's a problem."
Caedos hissed softly, his eyes fixed on the space between the prince and the mage.
"It isn't normal, but I don't know why it happened. Will didn't make a mistake—I'd bet all my scales on it. He never makes mistakes, not with magic. Not with something he's prepared for so long."
"But is it dangerous?"
"As long as you don't go around mating again, no, it isn't."
Alex clenched his jaw, irritated. "I told you, I'm not an animal."
"But you should be careful about what you feel. Very strong anger could distract him, and if it happens while you're fighting…"
"So it can be dangerous."
"Yes. But I know someone who might be able to answer your questions."
"Really? Who?"
"A spirit older than me." Caedos lifted his gaze to the ceiling. "The problem is, he lives very far from here and doesn't like being disturbed."
"Distance isn't an issue. For William, I'd travel to the ends of the world."
"The ends of the world, huh… That's a fairly accurate way to put it." The amphiptere shook his sinuous neck and fluttered back to the windowsill. "I'll try to intercede on your behalf. But it will take some time."
"Thank you."
The spirit shook his wings and flew out the window.
It wasn't exactly the help Alex had hoped for, but it was still better than nothing.
He slipped out from under the blankets, scribbled a message on a sheet of paper, and set it on the bedside table. He dressed in silence, then bent down and kissed William on the temple.
"See you later," he murmured.
He reached the door and rested his hand on the handle.
"Sneaking away, Your Highness?"
William's hoarse voice made him startle. Alex turned; the mage was awake, watching him sternly.
"Unfortunately, I have to. If they don't find me in bed, they'll think I slept somewhere in the city."
"It's usually lovers who flee from princes' beds."
"By now you must have realized I'm a strange prince."
William smiled. "Next time, though, wake me."
"You were too adorable—I felt like I'd be doing you a disservice."
"The disservice is leaving without a word."
"You're right." Alex went back to him and kissed him on the lips. "See you later, my lovely raven."
"Try not to be late. The advisors won't appreciate it."
The prince lingered a few more moments, then left him reluctantly.
He cast a quick glance over his shoulder and, after making sure he was alone, hurried back.
He avoided the guards dozing in the corridors and the servants who had begun their daily chores, and reached his chambers.
He was about to lower the handle when a hand settled on his shoulder.
"Alexander von Heitz." His elder sister Franziska's voice rang out, sharp as steel. "Care to tell me where you've been?"
Alex drew a breath and turned, offering a jovial smile. "Good morning, dear sister."
Franziska had her brow furrowed and her arms crossed over her chest. She was wearing a nightgown, her blonde hair loose over her shoulders—a sign she must have only just woken up.
"Spare me your flattery. I want to know where you were tonight."
"In my room."
"You're terrible at lying." His sister's lips curved into a cutting smile. "So, brother, are you going to tell me the truth, or do I have to interrogate you?"