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The two of them were a mess—both as bloody as he had been.
Jayden found it a bit strange to see Liam so out of sorts.
“I was,” Liam confirmed. “But as I’m sure you’ve figured out, I retired when Stephan needed me.”
Sitting next to Liam, he narrowed his gaze on Dante. “Mr. Kozen, to be honest, right now I want to kill you.”
For some reason, the man smiled and said, “No doubt.”
“However, Stephan told me not to, so, for now, I won’t. But I would suggest we get on with this before I change my mind.”
“Yes, well, your anger is to be expected. I apologize for revealing what I did. Unfortunately, I do need to finish reading your mind.”
Of course he did. Jayden snorted. At least it should go quickly—
there wasn’t much left for him to see.
He grabbed Dante’s hand. The man jolted in surprise but quickly calmed, his eyes glazing over as he slid into Jayden’s mind.
Monitoring Dante’s progress, he pulled away before the man could see his moments in Stephan’s bedroom.
Dante’s green eyes cleared. “That body in the forest is going to be a pain to find. Though, I believe there was a little more left for me to see.”
“It’s nothing you need to know.”
“Are you sure?”
Jayden growled. “Positive.”
There was no way in hell he was going to let Dante see Stephan in his frilly pink panties. That was for his eyes only. The man’s moans
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were his, the smell of his arousal, his declaration of love. Jayden would share none of it.
Dante’s gaze on him was probing, but the look soon fled as the man relaxed. “I believe you.”
“So what happens now?”
“Now, I contact the king and a few others to tell them what I’ve learned. Believe it or not, I see no problem with you joining my group.
Skills like yours are very useful in my line of work. The job of executioner would fit you quite well. The final decision, however, will be the king’s. I believe King Adrian will want to meet with you both.”
Somehow, Jayden didn’t think the king would appreciate his work.
Then there was Stephan…the societal implications of being found out would be devastating. Plenty of idiots out there were still prejudiced against Lydus blood elves.
“I don’t want Stephan involved. If what he is, is found out, his businesses will be ruined. Stephan would lose everything, not to mention his life would probably be in danger. Then there’s the fact that he hid a murderer for ten years.”
“I assure you, Stephan will not be punished. As for the registry, that’s another matter entirely. But I’m sure King Adrian will figure something out.”
“If you say so,” Jayden muttered dryly.
* * * *
A little while later
Dante absently watched the scenery go by out the car window.
Everything he had learned kept turning over in his head. The information he’d received was beyond his imagination. Dante felt positively giddy with excitement.
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God, they had found him—after ten years of searching, they had finally found him. The public could never find out what he had done.
Despite who Jayden’s “victims” were, to this day, there were still some relatives screaming about conspiracies.
If Jayden became his executioner, and he would if Dante had anything to say about it, his activities should probably be kept secret, even from Dante’s people. Though, considering his signature methods of torture, Jayden would be found out quickly.
He could possibly tell the older members, as they already knew more of the intimate details about the cases. Dante snorted—not that the younger members wouldn’t find out anyway. His people gossiped as much as the old women in the First Realm…or was that old men?
Once secluded in his study, Dante pulled out his cell phone and called the king. Adrian answered after a few rings.
“To what do I owe the pleasure of this call, Dante?”
Dante’s mouth curved into a smile at Adrian’s less-than-thrilled tone. The king just didn’t appreciate his flair for suspense—a shame, really.
“I just had a rather interesting meeting.”
Adrian let out a heavy sigh. “About what?”
“Some old cases.”
“I swear to all that is holy, Dante, if you don’t get to the point, I’m going to track you down and shov—”
Adrian’s voice cut out and a deeper one spoke. “I apologize, Dante. Adrian is a bit…grumpy tonight.”
Dante laughed. “Don’t worry, King Xavier. I’m not offended.”
“I would suggest, however, getting to the point. My man hasn’t been sleeping well lately.”
“Oh, I see. Well then, I’ll be quick about it.”
Dante heard Adrian snarkily say, “Doubtful,” in the background.
He couldn’t help but grin—the man was as feisty as always.
“Thank you. Here’s Adrian.”
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“You know those kidnappings that stopped five years ago?” Dante asked in excitement.
Adrian grunted. “Yes.”
“I found him!”
He could hear covers rustling over the line. “You found him?”
“Yes, I met him in person. He let me into his mind. The man is simply extraordinary. We were right about him being young, by the way. However, he is more powerful than we even imagined.”
“And why did he let you read him?”
“He wants to join my group.”
“I see…well, it appears we should meet. I imagine it’s a conversation better held in person.”
“Yes! There’s so much to tell!” Dante shouted passionately.
“About Stephan Everwood, and believe it or not, Liam Valence. Not to mention Grant Everwood. We also missed quite a few bodies. Oh, and there was a betrayal in my group. Then there’s the young man in the middle of it all. Jayden is his name, by the way. God, wait till you see him. His eyes th—”
“Dante!” Adrian snapped. “Calm down. You can explain everything when we meet.”
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Chapter Fifteen
Jayden scanned Stephan’s sleeping form—he looked so peaceful and innocent. Though…the dried blood on his face ruined it a bit.
Jayden gently wiped away the smudges with a wet washcloth.
Stephan’s eyes fluttered open. “Jade,” he rasped.
Pulling the cloth away, he murmured, “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
The man cleared his throat and rubbed his eyes. “It’s okay.
How…how did it go?”
“I don’t know.” Jayden sat down on the edge of the bed. “Okay, I guess. We have a meeting with King Adrian and King Xavier in a few days. According to Dante, if it goes well, I’ll be his new executioner.”
“The kings?” Stephan fidgeted. “I’m sure it’ll be fine. I mean, Dante did say King Adrian already knew about you. Well, what you’ve done, that is. I’m not sure if that’s true of King Xavier.
Though, Adrian is who we have to impress, as technically Xavier is only a consort.”
Jayden tilted his head in confusion. “Consort? Why do so many call him ‘king’ then?”
“It’s a show of respect. His position would have been equal to Adrian’s if he had been a vampire. Or at the very least come from a vampire’s line. From what I heard, for a while, it caused a rather big rift between King Adrian and the council.”
“I see…” Wanting to change the subject, he asked, “Would you like to take a bath?”
Stephan wrinkled his nose. “I think I would. The dried blood is a bit itchy…sorry for hurting you earlier.”
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“Don’t worry about it. Why don’t you bathe while I change the bedd
ing?” Jayden paused. “Where is your bedding? I’ve never seen this before now.” He waved at the bed. “I believe I would have noticed so much pink.”
“It’s…it’s in the closet in my sitting room.”
“I see,” Jayden said, chuckling.
As he headed toward the door, Stephan called out to him. “Wait!
I…”
Pausing, Jayden turned back. “Is something wrong?”
“Could you…” Stephan bit his lip. “Could you…umm…”
He raised his eyebrow in question. “Yes?”
“Take a bath with me!” The man quickly looked down in embarrassment.
The request left Jayden speechless. He opened his mouth, only to snap it shut.
“Never mind,” Stephan said, his voice squeaking. He threw back the covers and fled toward the bathroom.
Jayden grabbed the man’s arm and pulled Stephan against him.
Looking down, he pushed some stray strands of Stephan’s hair back.
His hand lingered over the top of one of Stephan’s flushed ears. The pointed tip twitched under his fingers, and the man shuddered.
Sensitive—Jayden grinned at the discovery and filed it away for later.
“Stephan, that’s a request I would never be able to say no to.”
Stephan peered shyly up at him through his lashes. “Really?”
“Really.” Jayden gave the man a quick kiss and released him.
“Why don’t you go start the bath, and I’ll join you once I’ve changed the bed.”
* * * *
Stephan shifted nervously from one foot to the other. Oh God, what had he done? Had he lost his damn mind?
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He couldn’t do this. What the hell had he been thinking? Stephan couldn’t even handle Jayden touching his…touching his dick through his clothes.
How the hell could he be fully nude around him? It had only been a few days since Stephan freaked out because of a fucking hug, even if he had allowed Jayden to kiss him after…not to mention a few other things.
Stephan pulled on his hair—ugh, what was wrong with him?
No, he could do this! He’d just need bubbles, lots and lots of bubbles to hide under. Stephan was sure he’d be fine as long as Jayden couldn’t actually see him.
Jumping into action, he turned the knob to start the water flowing.
It shot out of the five spouts in the sides of his sunken tub. Once steam began to rise, Stephan covered the drain, allowing the tub to fill.
He rummaged through the cabinets that held all his bathing products, grabbed an unopened bottle of bubbles, and dumped some under each spout until the bottle was empty. That done, he stripped and stepped in. As the bubbles formed, Stephan gathered them around him like a protective shield.
The tub was full by the time a still fully clothed Jayden walked in—thank the heavens for fast-filling bathtubs.
As the man took in the bathroom, his eyes widened. Looking around, Stephan realized it was a bit much.
* * * *
Holy shit, Stephan’s bathroom looked like a frickin’ spa, the walls painted a marbled gray, the floors wooden. A large, sunken white marble tub was situated flush against the left wall. It had to be at least ten by twelve feet, and probably three or four feet deep. A stool and a small wooden box with a handle sat by the edge of the tub, there were bottles and a variety of little things scattered inside.
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In the corner, a bit away from the tub, stood a large glass shower.
On the right, wood cabinets were built into the wall. Directly in front of him was a massive window that touched the floor, and behind him white marble sinks and counters lined the wall.
Jayden’s gaze shifted back to the tub. Stephan was sitting back, head leaning against the wall. Steam wafted up, and there were bubbles foamed up to his neck. Even though covered, the man’s face was flushed.
“It’s a bit much, huh?”
“Maybe.” Jayden chuckled.
The realization that Stephan was completely nude under all those bubbles had him gulping. Jayden’s hands were a bit unsteady as he removed his shirt and pants. He’d been about to take off his boxer briefs but thought better of it.
Stephan was staring at him intently, breathing faster than normal, and there was a slight hint of fear under the sweet-smelling bubbles. It told him his decision to leave his boxers on had been right.
As if approaching a frightened animal, Jayden slowly walked over to the tub. Lowering himself in, he realized there was a raised area around the bathtub’s walls. Sitting down adjacent to Stephan, Jayden kept his hands to himself.
“You’re…you’re not going to take them off?”
“Maybe later.” Jayden crooked his finger. “Come here.”
Trembling, Stephan waded over. When close enough, Jayden pulled him onto his lap face-forward and wrapped his arms around Stephan. As he leaned down to bury his face in Stephan’s neck, he glided his hands up the man’s arms to lightly grip his shoulders.
Massaging the delicate flesh for just a moment, Jayden pushed aside tangled hair to place soft kisses on Stephan’s bare shoulders.
* * * *
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Don’t freak out, don’t freak out—he’s not hurting you. Shuddering slightly at the soft press of Jayden’s lips, Stephan forced himself to relax back.
Oh God, he could feel Jayden’s hard-on against his butt. To be honest, the man was hard everywhere. Stephan looked like a weakling compared to him. Maybe…he did need to eat more. Ugh, he’d probably just get fat.
Though, Stephan had never met a fat immortal. Wait, no, he had never met an overweight full-blooded immortal. He’d met a few whose human DNA dominated, that had more weight than was healthy.
“Can I wash your hair?” Jayden’s deep voice rumbled against his shoulder.
Biting his lip, Stephan nodded.
“Stephan, is there a showerhead?”
He reached to the right, slid back a panel, and pulled out the showerhead connected to the tub.
“Ah.”
His voice squeaked as he told Jayden, “You push the button to start the water flow.”
Stephan blinked in confusion when Jayden moved him off his lap.
Looking back, he watched the man grab the stool sitting beside the tub and put it underwater in front of him.
“Sit,” Jayden instructed. “As much as I love having your nude body against me, it would make washing your hair impossible.”
Blushing, Stephan said nothing and sat on the stool.
Water cascaded over his head. Jayden was gentle as he massaged shampoo into Stephan’s scalp and through his long strands. But every time the man’s hands brushed against his bare skin, Stephan’s body tingled and a soft moan left his lips.
It wasn’t sexual, but still, his prick hardened, and he found it increasingly difficult to stay still. Stephan was entirely grateful that the bubbles hid him away.
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“Beautiful, though I wonder if it can even be brushed when dry,”
Jayden murmured as he finished washing Stephan’s hair.
He giggled nervously. “Not really.”
After grabbing a hair tie from the wooden box by the tub, Jayden gathered and pulled his thick curls up into a bun. “Done,” Jayden announced with a peck on top of his head. “Now to wash the rest of you,” he purred.
* * * *
“That is, if you’ll let me.”
Jayden was just going to go for it. He wanted Stephan to feel pleasure, and he wanted the little man to feel comfortable with his needs—to not fear them.
At a small nod, Jayden wasted no time. He picked Stephan up and set him on the edge of the tub. Squawking, Stephan tried to cover his erection.
“You’re beautiful. Please don’t hide from me.”
Trembling hands slowly slid away. He licked his lips
. The view in front of him had his dick throbbing. Jayden found his gaze following water droplets and bubble suds as they traveled down the man’s smooth skin. Stephan’s legs were slim, his waist trim, and his stomach perfectly flat.
Besides what was on his head, the only hair on the man’s body was a neatly trimmed patch of curls at the base of his five-inch cock.
Stephan’s prick twitched ever so slightly as pre-cum dripped from its tip. The view was mouthwatering.
He grabbed a bathing poof and lathered it up with a bodywash that smelled of lilies. Running the sponge up and down Stephan’s neck, Jayden used swirling motions to spread the sweet-scented foam over the man’s collarbone. Lower down, he gently brushed against Stephan’s erect pink buds.
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The little man’s eyes dilated and his lips parted as the textured poof rasped against his nipples—small tremors ran through him.
Stephan’s breathing grew heavy, and the scent of his lust thickened.
The man looked so beautiful in his arousal, but Jayden would have to watch him closely. He didn’t want to draw out Stephan’s fear again.
As Jayden washed Stephan, he soon found out how very sensitive the man’s body was. Stephan shifted and whimpered, his breath hitching each time Jayden found a spot.
Not wishing to scare him, Jayden was quick as he slid between the man’s rounded cheeks. Continuing on, he covered every delectable inch of him with suds until all that was left was Stephan’s swollen prick and tight sack.
Sweat dripped down Jayden’s face as he looked at the last bit left untouched—he felt almost light-headed. The heat from the water and that his arousal left him dizzy. The only clear thought in his mind was that he wished to possess the man in front of him—Jayden wanted to make Stephan his.
After dropping the poof, hand completely soaped up, Jayden wrapped it around Stephan’s cock. The man jerked in shock at his touch.