The Copper Horse #2 Pride (36 page)

He came to, his face
on his forearms, still on the mattress, but with fewer people
around him. The silence was so deep in a room that had so recently
been noisy that it made his ears ring. Two persons were still
petting him, one scratching him behind the ear, while the other
massaged his ass, but the one person he needed to see now wasn’t
there. He would recognize the touch of Erik’s long fingers
anywhere.

He raised his head,
feeling warm and heavy, but he didn’t want to just fall asleep so
far away from his master, who looked at him from his throne with a
proud smile. One raised hand was enough to put Reuben into motion,
and he started a slow crawl down the wooden aisle, lit so bright in
contrast to the tables and seats around it. It was a path to his
master’s boots.

He reached them with a
few tiny whimpers and kissed the hard leather all over, hoping he’d
pleased Erik even if he had lost. All his muscles ached for was
sleep.

Erik exhaled and
tsked, calling for Reuben to raise his head. When he did, the smile
his master gave him was so brilliant, so full of passion and
devotion Reuben felt his eyes sting. “Darling, you were so brave
fighting that big bad dragon. I’m so proud of you, my ruby...” He
was holding Reuben’s tail.

Reuben inhaled deeply
and licked his master’s hand through the bit before turning around
with his ass up high.

“Ah, good pony. You
gave a great show,” Erik said as the phallus slid in without any
hindrance, and the tail brushed over the back of Reuben’s thighs.
Erik patted Reuben’s buttock.

Fucking Drago had been
great, but at the end of the night, he loved that familiar feeling
of Erik’s hands and the hairs of the tail on his legs. He turned
around to kiss his master’s thigh and went to the side of the
throne on his hands and knees.

“Tired?” Erik guessed
as Reuben pressed the huge pillow into a more comfortable shape.
His front hooves were perfect for the purpose.

He looked up at his
master and nodded before flopping down to the pillow with his face
turned toward the stage. Erik announced another battle to begin,
but Reuben was beyond caring as he clung to the pillow as his skin
suddenly lost warmth. Before he forced himself to ask for
something, a warm blanket landed over him like thick mist, soon
followed by a familiar hand in his hair.

Now that he had
everything he needed, Reuben dozed off.

“I could pay a
thousand pounds for him and add a maid.”

Reuben heard the
words, but hardly understood what was going on around him. His
cheek was on the pillow, and Erik’s fingers kept brushing his mane.
He loved waking up to the smell of Erik’s leather. If only he could
do so more frequently. That rich, thick smell tugged on his cock
and baited him to lean closer to the warmth of Erik’s thighs and
start their day with some cocksucking. He wondered if it would be
enough for Erik to come if he sucked on those heavy balls through
the costume.

Erik’s laugh was like
a caress trailing down Reuben’s back. “I would not part from him
for less than a thousand and a half. And you know I don’t care for
maids.”

Those words grabbed
Reuben’s attention, and he opened his eyes instantly. Erik would
sell him? But he gave him a ruby, a tattoo. Erik said he’d keep him
forever.

“Well, he does seem to
have a well-trained hole. What else can he do?” asked the gentleman
in the blue morning coat who had praised Reuben throughout the
party.

Erik’s fingers traced
the outline of Reuben’s ear. “He can pull carts, work a treadmill,
and he can be ridden. I trained him well.”

“I like to watch. I
could get other men use that hole of his on a regular basis.” The
man took a deep breath, and Reuben scrambled to his knees,
desperate for Erik’s attention. This wasn’t what
he
wanted.

“I like doing that
occasionally.” Erik smiled at Reuben and pulled on his reins. “And
he enjoys it, too.”

“I’ll raise it to
twelve hundred pounds and a man servant. How about that?” The man
gave Reuben a curious look.

Reuben’s breath
hitched, and he nuzzled Erik’s knee with little whimpers. Was he
not good enough? Was this because he’d lost the battle with the
dragon?

Erik snorted. “What is
it? You’ll get paint all over my legs, silly,” he said, but there
was no malice to his touch. If anything, it was tender and
soothing. Was this the calm before the storm?

Reuben shook his head
violently, spreading glitter all over. He moaned through the bit,
trying to convey how much he didn’t want to be sold. What a good
horse he would be, were he allowed to stay!

“What?” Erik brushed
the back of his hand down the side of Reuben’s face, setting the
skin aflame, even through the thick layer of paint.

Reuben let out a
snort, looked to the stranger in accusation, and shook his head
again. His heart was pounding in his chest like mad. Not now. Not
now that they had begun to understand each other so well.

“Really? You want to
try out my friend’s cock?” asked Erik, petting Reuben’s nape.

Blue Morning Coat
sighed with the smile frozen on his face.

Why did Erik not
understand? Not being able to speak was so distressing sometimes.
Reuben could hardly breathe fast enough through his nose. He
whinnied and shook his head once more. In a final attempt to show
how much he didn’t want to be sold, he began crawling away from
Erik.

His master’s face
remained unchanged as he sipped some wine from a crystal glass. “I
am appalled. Is this how badly you want to leave me?”

Reuben scratched the
carpet with his hoof and nudged Erik’s calf with the heavy unicorn
horn. It was Erik who wanted to sell him in the first place.

“Maybe eleven hundred
is a better price. He is quite unruly,” said Blue Morning Coat with
a pout.

Erik’s odd-colored
eyes stared straight into Reuben’s as he held the reins. There was
a silent strength in them, something people who didn’t know Erik
the way Reuben did wouldn’t notice. It wasn’t cruelty. Erik was a
survivor, a strong man for these tough times.

“No. He’s a good
beast. Dedicated and loving, like the dog that stayed by its
master’s grave and died of hunger.”

Reuben nodded with a
sniff and moved back closer, trying to convey his distress with
only his eyes. If Erik died before him, he would bring flowers to
his grave every day. The mere thought brought tears to his
eyes.

“No? You don’t want to
leave?” asked Erik, slowly spreading his thighs. His eyes wandered
to Blue Morning Coat with something akin to an apology. “Ah. I’m
afraid he wouldn’t love you the way he loves me. It would be a bad
investment, don’t you think?”

Reuben caught quick
breaths as he crawled to safety between Erik’s thighs and rubbed
his master’s groin with his lips, eager to show what a good pony he
was.

The stranger groaned.
“Tease.”

Erik chuckled and
pulled Reuben up and into his arms. “Guilty.”

Reuben exhaled. So it
was a trick? A game? Erik wouldn’t sell him? Reuben struggled up
and rubbed his cheek against Erik’s, only remembering about the
white makeup when he saw the smudge on his master’s skin.

“You are an evil man,
Erik Dal,” Blue Morning Coat muttered, but all Reuben cared for was
Erik. He couldn’t stand the thought of being abandoned like a sick
donkey he once saw in the docks. The beast had been already dead,
and dogs were feeding on its flesh, ripping it apart bite by
bite.

“Only to those who can
stand it,” Erik answered, hugging Reuben tighter. He smelled of
birch water, and Reuben couldn’t get enough of that scent.

Reuben didn’t hug him
back, only because he didn’t want to cover Erik in paint. It was
Erik’s birthday after all, and the last thing Reuben wanted was to
embarrass his master. But Erik didn’t let go. He gently pet Reuben
all over, brushing his hands over skin that was thirsty for his
touch like a field during drought.

When Erik leaned in
and nuzzled Reuben’s ear, it was as if thousands of ants crawled
all over Reuben’s body. “Are you tired, my stallion?”

He nodded, careful not
to hit Erik with the horn. The nap he’d had was nice, but all the
hustle and bustle of the party had him worn out as well.

The welcoming arms
supported him in every possible way, sheltering him from all the
people who could possibly hurt him.

“We could celebrate in
private.”

Reuben whinnied to
show his enthusiasm as Erik helped him up. His master was so small
in comparison to him. Especially when Reuben was in hooves, yet
Erik always seemed strong and firm despite his size, as if he could
take all the responsibility in the world.

Erik didn’t even look
at his guests, who were still celebrating with expensive foods and
wine. From the corner of his eye, Reuben could clearly see some of
them fucking, but all he wanted to think about was his kind
master.

Erik pulled on the
reins and led Reuben toward the door where Hans was waiting for
them, motionless and firm as a marble statue. He wasn’t needed.
Reuben would never hurt Erik, but he understood that in their
positions, full trust from Erik could never be achieved. He tried
not to think about it, and instead focused on Erik’s ass in
leather.

In comparison to the
garden, the corridors inside were quiet and dark. The carpet muted
the clomping of Reuben’s hooves, and he was surprised when they
went to the stairs, ignoring the way to the stable where Erik
usually fucked him. What could this mean? Did Erik just want to go
to sleep? Regardless, Reuben’s skin was burning when they reached
the second floor under the scrutiny of dozens of equine eyes
staring at them from the walls.

Even though Reuben had
come some time ago, his master’s closeness and the tail in his ass
were awakening Reuben’s senses again. He playfully nudged Erik’s
back with his front hoof.

Erik gave him a wide
grin, and the bright glint in his eyes was so sincere, so
unguarded, that Reuben almost stumbled forward in his hooves. “What
is it, darling? Ready to make foals?”

Reuben’s eyes widened,
but he slowly nodded. Erik had assured him that it was definitely
impossible for him to ever bear foals, but right now Reuben would
have Erik’s babies. He’d love to take Erik’s seed inside and be
closer to his master than ever before. Not to mention he would get
to eat for two.

Erik turned on his
heel and pulled Reuben’s head down. Their lips met over the bit,
and Reuben was overwhelmed by the tenderness of his master’s lips.
They were so perfect, gentle and caring, like Erik himself. He
would follow him into the slaughterhouse if needed.

But Erik only led him
to his lavish bedroom, to the beautiful bed and golden statues.
Reuben wasn’t sure what to make of it. He’d only been to Erik’s
bedroom a few times, and they had never properly had sex here.
Sweat beaded through the makeup, and Reuben was afraid he’d make
Erik’s beautiful bedding dirty if he lay down on it. Would they do
it on the floor, or would Erik let him bathe beforehand?

Hans closed the door
behind them, and the hinges creaked so loudly, it felt as if they
had just crossed a barrier that offered no return. Reuben’s skin
broke out in goose bumps when the giant of a man stayed in the
room, resting his back against the door. He’d always felt
uncomfortable about Hans watching and tried to forget his presence.
Fortunately, with Erik it was easy to forget the whole world, not
to mention a puny person like Hans.

Erik stared at Reuben,
stepping back as if he were pondering the details of a sculpture.
His ink-stained fingers moved to the knot of the shawl he had been
wearing all evening. Would he undress? Reuben would love to see him
naked. Erik was always so handsome and clean. The scars on his face
only gave him more character, just like the small moles over his
pale skin here and there.

Reuben smiled behind
the bit and whinnied in appreciation.

Erik’s hands stopped
for only a second before the shawl fell to the floor. “Do you like
what you see?” he asked, his gaze intense as he slid off the
leather jacket.

Reuben did. Erik was a
sight to behold, and one Reuben never got bored of looking at. His
cock was interested already, and considering tonight’s events,
there was no use for Reuben to try and hide it.  

Topless, Erik toed off
his boot, but his eyes never left Reuben’s. There was a flush to
his cheeks and pale chest as he circled Reuben, losing the other
boot, and then fumbling with the belt. It was almost like a mating
dance of some exotic bird species. Reuben straightened and pulled
his front hooves up to his chest to look like an even more imposing
unicorn. With his chin up high, he lost sight of Erik, only aware
of the steps his master was taking. The sound of leather sliding
off skin was music. He did love his master’s leathers, but nothing
could possibly be better than touching his smooth naked skin. The
steps softened as Erik approached Reuben barefoot, eventually
stopping so close behind him that Reuben could feel the heat
radiating from him.

“You’ve grown so
much,” whispered Erik. His touch was a shock to Reuben’s system,
skin on skin, Erik hugging his hips and pressing his face between
Reuben’s shoulder blades. Reuben couldn’t help the smile that
bloomed on his face as he murmured his happiness to Erik. He had
been always quite big, but in Erik’s hands he had truly become a
stallion. Firm, muscular, with broad shoulders and thick thighs.
Erik traced his hands up and down Reuben’s back, caressing it
gently, but then came a slight snap, and Reuben realized his master
was unbuckling his harness. Did he not want Reuben to be a unicorn
anymore?

It wasn’t like Reuben
had much else on anyway, but having everything taken off felt
strangely baring. Wasn’t a groom supposed to do this? Reuben’s
heart skipped a beat when the harness clattered to the floor. Its
pressure was replaced by a series of kisses, which Erik ghosted
over Reuben’s naked skin.