A Royal Craving (16 page)

“I
could do this job ten times faster, if you would allow me,” Prosper said, as he stood before Spencer, holding his shoulders. He had been watching him fuss with the library books for half an hour and it infuriated him that he could not take over.

“No!” his companion retaliated, heatedly. “I am doing it properly. You may rush, doing tasks that take me hours in a second, but I know what I am doing,” he maintained.

“And I do not?”

“No. You do not. You do not follow the system,” he argued, showing fire and heat that Prosper adored. “You will grab a group of books and place them on the shelves, as they are in the piles,” Spencer said, folding his arms over his chest.

“But you have already organised them into order,” Prosper pleaded with him to give in.

“Ah, see!” Spencer poked a finger into Prosper's shoulder, in triumph. “You have not been listening to me. They are in the correct alphabetical
pile,
but
not
in order
in
that pile. I still have to sort them and you will not do it. I know you will not. I shall come in here looking for an author and find them jumbled up,” he argued, in frustration.

“You are right,” Prosper conceded, with a sigh. “I am sorry. Kiss me and I shall go back to my book.” He smiled at Spencer, who flushed at his request, but dutifully stepped forward.

Arms gently lay over his shoulders, as his companion kissed him sensually. Responding instantly, Prosper made the most of the moment. He smiled, as he noticed a distinct change of atmosphere in the room. Their argument about the books had not been their first, but it had proven a point. He could not be mad at Spencer.

Already past one in the morning, his hunger did not surprise him, but he watched Spencer as his human turned to focus his attention on the books. But his body seemed aware of Prosper's movement, at every moment.

Prosper reached out with his toe and gently nudged the closest pile of books. Taller than some of the others, it had room around it. If he chose to play dirty, he would not get in trouble. But he did not bother. He could knock it over and wait for Spencer to notice the mess he had made or he could take a direct route. And considering he hungered and ached for Spencer, he chose instant satisfaction.

Seductive hands slid over his hips. Spencer pretended not to notice, to make him suffer.

I love his seductive hands on my hips,
Spencer thought as he pretended not to notice,
make his suffer.

Prosper growled, as the thoughts penetrated his brain. Having his burned, scarred hands being thought seductive was beyond his reckoning.

“Did I tell you about Davian?” Spencer asked, before he could let his hands wander. “I saw him, on my way to the bathroom. He was returning to his room, muttering about handing in his notice,” he said, removing three books from the shelf and placing them at the tower of books closest to his feet.

Prosper turned Spencer, to look at him. “And why would he do such a thing?” he wondered, as he pulled the lapel of his shirt, giving it a light tug.

“Perhaps he does not wish to be a servant, now that he is Parry's life mate,” Spencer posited, only to sigh as the top three buttons slipped from the holes, revealing his chest. With two strategic but gentle flicks of the fabric, the buttons flipped open, leaving his entire chest exposed.

Prosper let his hands explore the slight body his companion had been hiding. As he kissed his boy's cheek and earlobe, Spencer's eyelashes fluttered against his cheek.

He loved when Prosper put his hands on him, but he felt playful.

“Prosper.” He said his name in the breathiest voice he could manage, without being in such a state.

Prosper growled low in his throat, in recognition of that thought, and nipped his collarbone.

Spencer sighed, in delight. “How long until we are married?” he asked.

Prosper stopped his teasing and looked at his companion seriously. He wound his arms around a skinny waist.

“I know it would not be proper to marry me before I have been turned, and I cannot be turned if we want to have a family,” Spencer said, touching his hand to Prosper's chest. “I suppose I am wondering how long a delay that may be?” he confessed his true thoughts on the matter, stunning Prosper into silence.

He felt Spencer's longing, his loneliness, a trace of doubt. His words perfectly tallied with the thoughts running through Prosper's head, of the prophetess and her promise that Spencer would have a child of his own blood.

“Little one, I would marry you now, baby or no baby, vampire or human. All you must do is ask it of me,” Prosper promised. As King he could do whatever he wished, even if that included marrying a human.

Spencer appeared surprised, and lifted his hand to brush a finger against his scarred cheek. He laughed when his loose trousers disappeared, to obey Prosper's wishes. “Even in a serious discussion such as this, you cannot keep your hands to yourself.” He burst into a hearty laugh that Prosper cherished.

“Spencer, I vow to marry you before we have been together a year,” Prosper swore. “Whether you are human or vampire, I do not care. I will give you a child, if I have to find a scientist to create a means of allowing it. And I
will
marry you and we
will
be happy,” he promised, following his words with a lingering kiss.

Prosper felt Spencer’s happiness overflow at his promise. Spencer kissed him back and Prosper knew he'd  given in to his desires.

Spencer lay across his lap, smiling happily, as Prosper ran his fingertip over his spine. Neither were clothed and neither cared.

Prosper's only regret was that his companion's cries of pleasure were mingled with discomfort, as the bookshelves dug into his back while they made love. It would be the second and last time he would allow it.

He drifted into oblivion every time he ventured near Spencer. It seemed unavoidable now. He had been completely overcome by the wild passion they shared for one another.

His hunger demanded to be fed, so he must ruin their peaceful moment. “I am hungry, little one. Is it a bother?” Prosper asked.

Spencer appeared cross. “No. How can you ask me that?” he pouted, adorably.

Prosper could not help himself; he kissed him and watched, with hungry eyes, as he moved into a comfortable position.

Prosper put his back against the side of the sofa and his legs on either side of Spencer's naked body. His lover shuffled back and pressed his back into his chest, as he tilted his head to one side.

Then he noticed two broad red lines across his back, where the bookshelves had dug in. There were light bruises from the first time they had let a bookcase support them in their passion. Vexed to discover that he had not noticed them during their bath, Prosper frowned, as he took a deep breath to calm his anger.

He touched Spencer's shoulder.

He realised he had been careless to think they had come away without marking his lover.

Spencer turned to smile at him, his thoughts tumbling into Prosper's mind with his confusion.

Curious as to why his King did not feed, he noticed that look; serious and sad. Not what he expected to see.

“Your back. There are marks from the bookcase,” Prosper explained, apologetically. He hated that he had done that, but Spencer did not look surprised.

“These things happen Prosper, when you feel as we do. Surely when I am a vampire they will not matter?” he asked, with a lightness that shocked him.

He barely knew what to say to that. Spencer knew they were there. He should have known too, if not for being an oblivious dolt; being Royalty had done that. It made him blind to the little instances that should have been easy to notice. Yet, his companion never blamed him for his failings.

“Let me heal them for you?” Prosper asked, desperate to do something that would ease his pain. The bruises were beginning to show and would begin to hurt soon, if they did not already. He did not want that.

Spencer was surprised and insulted at the look Prosper gave him. He looked like a lost puppy, who had been forced to scavenge for food and apologise for it afterwards. Spencer could do nothing else but convince Prosper he was wrong.

Prosper read those thoughts and shook his head, frustrated that he would not being sensible. A lost puppy, indeed.

“Why do you look as though you have done something wrong? If it had hurt, I would have told you. I barely notice them.” His lover reassured him with a gentle, understanding smile and a tender hand on his cheek.

Prosper wanted to fight against the words of love that fluttered into his head. “I was too rough with you. How else could you not notice the pain?” he protested, determined never to touch him again if it proved to be the case.

He had let the blood hunger and their bond take complete control, thinking them bonded and promised to one another, that it would not be a problem. But it was. He had not held back, but he had never thought that Spencer would get hurt.

“Prosper, you are beginning to annoy me.” Spencer scowled. “You did not
give
me anything. Those marks were shared…they are as equally my responsibility as they are yours. Please calm down,” he ordered, with an authority than came naturally.

“I will not hurt you,” Prosper swore.

Humans were hurt enough by their own people and by vampires, in sickening ways, whenever they thought they could get away with it. He would not become another Master taking advantage of a human, no matter the consequences. He would never hurt Spencer and he would not allow anyone else to either.

“And you did not.” Spencer's voice softened instantly.

He could not be happier that Prosper trusted him to be honest about this. If he had known how panicked his King would become, he would have broken the news with care.

Prosper blinked, stunned that this kept happening and waited for it all to make sense.

“Do you believe I would tolerate you giving me bruises?” his companion asked, with a look that said he had been stupid. “I will not be a battered spouse, nor will I let a King, man or vampire bully me. We lost ourselves to our feelings for one another; that is not terrible, nor your doing. I believe I had an equal part in that, did I not?” he asked, with light caresses of his fingertips against his scarred cheek.

Those happy, mischievous green eyes reminded him of the first night they met. He loved that look.

“Of course you did,” Prosper agreed, easily.

“Then stop blaming yourself,” Spencer insisted, kissing his chin, tenderly. “If you hurt me, I will tell you. If I blame you, you can trust I will blame you openly. To your face,” he admitted, freely.

Prosper wondered if he would face the same wrath Sienna had been subjected to, if he dared cross his lovely companion.

“These marks are something I have earned. Through love, devotion and all we share with each other,” Spencer insisted, dreamily. “I earned them by being your life mate and I will wear them with pride. They are a badge of honour, to remind me that no matter what anyone said or thought about me, I am desirable.”

Spencer had spent his whole life being told he was useless and worthless. Some called him names; others whispered behind his back. His own childhood friends soon forgot about their loyalty and friendship, when they married and left him alone. Only Finn had stood by him.

None of the rest mattered now. He had Prosper in his life and did not care about anything else. Being happy, loved and capable of loving someone as he loved Prosper. Having joy, a family and someone who understood him.

It was rare to find someone like his King, but Spencer had. And he did not give a stuffing if Prosper was a vampire, a Prince or a King. He was a man. Real, solid, dependable and sexy.

Prosper's breath caught in his throat, as he blinked away the thoughts his companion shared. Spencer thought he was sexy?

Another kiss landed on his chin, this time accompanied by a gentle scrape of teeth that tantalised him.

“You
are
desired, needed, adored,” Prosper agreed, struggling to make sense of the strength of their bond. It made him insatiable, whenever Spencer got that look in his eyes. “You are my lover, my friend, my future husband,” he said, with a smile, placing a tender kiss onto his deserving lips.

“Now who is reading minds?”

“And you are making me hungry,” Prosper confessed.

“Then bite me already.” Spencer laughed, with a look of feigned exasperation.

Prosper decided to repay him for the teasing thoughts and words that bamboozled him. He caught Spencer's skinny waist, relishing the scream of hearty laughter that escaped his companion, as he used his speed to manoeuvre them.

He caught his human squeezing his eyes shut tight, until Prosper closed the door behind them and dropped Spencer on the bed.

“You are incorrigible,” his human said, with an approving grin.

Prosper flashed a toothy grin and kissed him, before focusing his attention on Spencer's rapidly beating pulse.