For a moment, my whole consciousness was roaring wind and white light and blue magic, and then I found myself existent again, standing with Draeden in a dimly-lit room. I felt very hot.
After a moment, I realized that it wasn't the travel with Draeden that had been hot, but rather the climate of the place we were now in. It was incredibly warm—like the warmest of midsummer days in Rell, only the air was thicker and wetter. I felt the desire to take off my shirt, but fought it and looked around.
We were in a bedroom, lavishly decorated in golds and deep reds. It was all strange, and exotic, including the two naked men on the bed.
I gasped and looked away, horribly embarrassed, but neither of them seemed too upset by our appearance. They both sat up from where they had been lying together, apparently in the midst of removing each other's clothing, and looked at Draeden.
"Hello, Draeden," greeted one of them cheerily. "What have you brought us?"
They spoke a different language than me, a strange, clipped and accented one, but I found I could still understand them. It was Draeden's doing, I realized; he was using magic to make it so I could understand what was said.
"Marcus, be polite," said Draeden, smiling. "This is Li and Saraman." They nodded at the mention of their names, and I forced myself to look at them, ignoring my embarrassment. Li was the larger of the two, a muscular man with a strong, masculine face and a wide smile. Saraman was smaller, thin, almost feminine, and he smiled at me also. They were both almost painfully beautiful. Their brown skin gleamed with oil, and they slid their hands easily over each other as they looked at me, dark eyes bright and curious.
"Li and Saraman are old protégés of mine," explained Draeden. "The story goes that Saraman was in love with Li, and of course, I personally think that Li was in love with Saraman also, although he didn't realize it."
Li nodded. "It's likely."
"Anyway, Saraman is shy," continued Draeden, still smiling. "He never would have had the courage to seduce Li if I hadn't appeared and helped him out."
"And we are eternally grateful to you, Draeden," said Saraman. "But, as you can see, we happened to be in the middle of something when you arrived. What was it you wanted?"
"Actually, it was something that Marcus wanted," explained Draeden.
"Ah!" I cried. "Um, never mind Draeden, I changed my mind!" I tugged at his arm. "We can go now."
"Another protégé?" laughed Saraman, getting up and walking over to me. "Hey," he said, "it's alright. We don't bite."
"Not unless you want us to," added Li, and Saraman shushed him.
"Come, play with us," he said, and pulled me onto the bed. "We don't mind." He leaned over me and began to unbutton my shirt. I started to protest, but stopped when I felt his hands on my skin, pulling my shirt open and sliding it off of me. Then he leaned down and slid his tongue along my abdomen.
I gasped and felt that warm, familiar heat slide downward and the resultant tightening between my legs.
"He likes it," Saraman informed Li, and Li crawled over and slid a hand around my waist, pulling me to him and pressing his lips to my neck, his tongue making little circles over my skin. I moaned.
"Ha." Saraman smiled and touched his mouth to me once again, sliding his lips and tongue down over my stomach, my hips, and lower. Then, as he began to struggle with the waistband of my pants, I heard Draeden's voice.
"Marcus," he reminded me. "Remember what I said about letting them see you. Are you ready for that?"
I did remember, and I wasn't sure I was ready, so I pushed them both off of me, although not harshly. I wasn't sure I wanted them to stop either.
They both looked at me curiously. "You don't want?" asked Saraman, his dark eyes flickering over my body hungrily.
"No, I do … " I began, running my fingers quickly through my hair. "But … I would like to watch." I couldn't believe what I was saying. "May I?"
They smiled at me. "Of course," said Li, and he reached for Saraman, pulling him into a tight embrace. They were kissing with more passion and intent than I had known was possible. I was unable to look away as Li slid a hand downward and began to touch Saraman, sliding a hand up and down his length, watching as Saraman threw his head back and moaned.
The sound of the moan brought me back to my head, and I realized that I could feel what they were feeling. My powers somehow gave me access to everything that they were experiencing—and not only access, but also control.
Slowly, I crawled forward, inching myself closer to them. I spread my hands out in front of me, tentatively testing their movements with my mind, feeling them ride out the waves of passion they felt, touching each other, feeling the other move. I felt inside them, felt the pleasure centres, felt exactly what they lusted after.
"Li," I said, my voice hoarse, and he looked at me, his eyes dark and full of desire. "He wants you to put your mouth on him."
Li turned to look at Saraman, who smiled and leaned backward. Li's eyes narrowed, and then he threw himself down upon Saraman, sliding his tongue and lips over him, causing Saraman to shake and cry out as Li enveloped him hungrily.
I stared, paralyzed by what I was seeing. My whole body was pulsing, aching with desire, even as I felt every one of Saraman's sensations sweep through me. I forced it down, allowing myself to focus only on them. Was this it? Was this how men made love?
But I knew there was more. Li wanted it, and Saraman did, too, like a deep, empty ache inside of him. I moved closer still, holding my hands tense over their bodies, still testing, awakening the desires deep inside them, forcing their blood to flow even faster.
"Now," I whispered to Li, when I was sure Saraman was ready. "Take him."
Li did. Moving quickly and savagely, he slid up Saraman and pushed inside of him, the oil from their bodies making his entrance easy and sudden. Saraman cried out, but I swept away any pain he felt, replacing it with pleasure. They were moving now, a soft, pulsing rhythm that swept through both of them, and I knew that they were nearing a climax.
Not yet
, I thought, somehow instinctively knowing that it would be better if they waited, and held my hands out again, attaching my mind to the rhythm of their pleasure and slowing it, making it stronger and more intense. They both gasped, and Saraman moaned, whispering Li's name.
I reached further inside them, further than I ever thought I would have dared, touching places I had never even known existed, making them more sensitive, making the pleasure even more than they had thought they could stand.
They were both crying out now, grasping at each other and moving faster again. I didn't stop them; instead, I forced them together, creating sweeping waves of pleasure every time the deep insatiable places inside of them met.
"Yes," I encouraged Saraman as he moaned, his nails raking slowly down Li's back. "Take him with you."
Li gasped when Saraman reached down and pulled him deeper inside of him. He grasped at Saraman's waist and pulled him closer, and their lips met in a deep, passionate kiss as they climaxed together.
I drew the climax out for as long as I could, feeling the waves of ecstasy shoot through them, erasing all thought and reason, until finally, the waves subsided, and I collapsed onto the bed, amazed and a little frightened of what I had just done.
Li and Saraman collapsed, too, and then they looked over at me, smiling blearily.
"Well," said Saraman, after a few moments. "Thank you. That was … very nice."
"He is not appreciative enough," laughed Li. "It was amazing. Please do come again." He continued to laugh while Saraman took hold of him and pulled him into another passionate kiss.
I smiled, still gasping a little for air. Then I felt Draeden's presence next to me.
"Time to go," he informed me. "I can't keep you here for much longer."
"Right." I took Draeden's hand, and when I came to, I was lying back on my bed in the Parlour, exhausted and alone.
I awoke to sunlight streaming
through the ratty curtains onto my face. I lay there for a little while, thinking about everything—Li and Saraman, Draeden, Hale, myself … For a long time, I thought about what had happened, how I had had no idea the extent of my powers … what I could really do. And then I got an idea. Somehow, I knew it would work and I wanted badly to try it.
I made my way out of bed and dressed in the first clothes that I could find, and then went to Titiana's office. She opened the door and glared down at me.
"Good," she remarked after a little while. "I needed to talk to you."
My heart skipped a beat, but I forced myself to remain calm as she ushered me into her office. Once there, she manoeuvred herself back into her chair and looked up at me. "Marcus," she said. "I'm not a bad person."
"I know that, ma'am," I said quietly, and she waved her hand, signalling for me to be quiet.
"I've tried to help you out," she continued. "I've given you a place to stay and honest work for your food. But you are not … " She grunted, as if this was painful for her. " … satisfactory. I don't mind you being a little air-headed, but if you begin to put the satisfaction of customers in jeopardy … "
"I know," I said again. "I understand that you can't afford to keep on someone who doesn't pull their weight, and I'll leave, but … "
"But?" She looked unconvinced.
I took a deep breath. "I have a proposition for you."
"Ah." She leaned back in her chair and observed me through slitted eyes. "Explain. I already employ a male prostitute, as you know."
"Yes," I said. "This is … something different. I can't really explain it, but my proposition is that you write to Mrs Edwards and inform her that I request her presence for … a free sample, shall we say. If she enjoys it, we can ask her to inform her friends and … negotiate a price for next time. If not, then … " I sighed. "I shall leave that night."
Titiana was still looking at me sharply with her small, beady eyes. "Agreed," she said finally. "I shall write to Mrs Edwards and request her presence for tomorrow morning. You may leave." She gestured at the door, and I left quickly.
A letter arrived from Mrs. Edwards
that night, confirming her presence the next morning. I was so nervous, I didn't eat all night, although Hale kept trying to offer me food.
"Eat!" he said, on a break between customers. "Look, my new gentleman said he likes portly men and he gave me cinnamon rolls! I don't like cinnamon! Eat, or I shall give them to Muse."
"Do," I said, waving him away. "I'm too sick to eat."
He frowned at me. "Mrs Edwards is not that bad at all. I quite enjoyed her company. Besides, wasn't it your idea?"
"Yes," I muttered. "But what if I can't do it?"
"Make love to her the old-fashioned way?" he suggested. "If I can do it, you can."
"You
like
women!" I protested.
"I do
not
!" he cried, seeming rather offended. "I loathe them! I'm just a good actress."
This assertion was enough to keep me distracted for the rest of the night. I even accepted some gruel from Emie without realizing it. So that was why he had told me he understood how I felt when we first met. If he truly liked men, the way I did, perhaps he would like it if I …
I coughed and sputtered gruel everywhere. Best not to think about that kind of thing, not if I wanted to get food down like a proper gentleman.
Strangely, I was quite a bit calmer
the next morning. I awoke early and spent a ridiculous amount of time dressing, making sure my pants were smooth, my boots were polished, and my shirt (a neatly cut, but still elegant white silk blouse) was tucked evenly in. As I smoothed my hair back and examined myself in the mirror, I realized that something was wrong. Sighing, I slid my hand down the front of my shirt, loosening the buttons as I did so, so that it fell open to reveal my tanned, muscular torso. Then, satisfied with my reflection, I went downstairs to wait for Elanora.
The girls flirted with me, of course, but I found that flirting back seemed to ease my nerves somewhat. I amused myself for a while, chasing them around and grabbing at their skirts, in response to their incessant attempts to grope me inappropriately. As a result, when Elanora did arrive, I was slightly out of breath and significantly less polished than I had been when I had first gotten dressed. Ah well, it couldn't be helped.
"Good morning," I said. "Please come upstairs."
"Of course," she agreed, looking a little shy.
When we reached my room, I felt it necessary to apologize for my conduct the last time we had met.
She brushed it off. "Oh, don't trouble yourself. I had no idea that you didn't actually work here. And that young man handled me very well." Her eyes drifted off for a moment, and then snapped back to me. "Although, you know, Marcus, I felt a little bad for doing that to Henri." She sighed. "I still do."
I nodded and showed her to the bed. "Don't worry," I said, as I helped her sit down. "What we're going to do won't compromise your faithfulness to your husband one bit."
"Ah?" Her eyes slid helplessly down the front of my shirt, as women's eyes always seemed to do. "And what will that be?"
"You'll see." I sat carefully in the chair opposite her. "Did I tell you I know a little bit of magic?"
"No," she said. "Is that right?"
I nodded again. "Just relax, please. Don't try to shut me out."
She didn't, and when I reached my hands out to hover over her torso, sliding my mind slowly into her body, she didn't protest. I took a few minutes to explore; after all, I had never touched a woman before, physically or magically. All I knew about them was what I had read in books and had had explained to me by my governess. Despite that, I was soon quite comfortable with her.
I started out very slowly, just gently moving my mind over those sensitive parts of her, until I heard her gasp and felt a warm, liquid feeling spread from her centre. I pressed a little harder, then, building up that pulsing rhythm which I knew was essential, and was able to watch as she gasped again, and then moaned a little, sliding her hands up the length of her body to rest over her breasts.