Dragon Scales (10 page)

Amantea smothered his face with his hands. He should've knocked. He shouldn't have
squeaked
. Now what did he do? He'd embarrassed himself thoroughly there, and his only thought was that he should leave before Isaia realized who the strange flit on his doorstep was—the door opened.

"Amantea," Isaia said, and Amantea dropped his hands. Isaia had put on one of his wraps, a black one that stood out in stark contrast against his red scales. He was also smiling, likely at Amantea's expense. "Good afternoon."

"Hi," Amantea said.
Hi
. This had been a horrible idea. He wanted the ground to swallow him whole, but it didn't seem to be obliging. "Um. Sorry. I should've knocked. I didn't think you'd be here."

Isaia stepped back, holding open the door for Amantea. "Where did you think I'd be?"

"Your home," Amantea said, slipping inside. He had to walk close to Isaia to do so, and was able to tell that Isaia smelled like sun-warm grass, a fact that did nothing to calm his nerves. "Your real home. Where your hoard is and your family. Um." Amantea bit his lip, stopping inside. Why had he come inside? He didn't have a good reason for being here, and Isaia would ask—

"So why are you here, then?" Isaia asked. He shut the door, a smile still curving his lips. He didn't look mad or like he found Amantea amusing. He simply looked happy, and Amantea hadn't expected that.

"Um," Amantea said, looking down. He sighed, running a hand through the mess of his hair. He hadn't even tried to make himself look presentable. He was wearing a simple smock shirt and trousers that had only one pocket, and that one barely fit Isaia's scale. His hair was a mess and he probably looked a fright, given he'd spent most of his last week inside his nest.

"Well?" Isaia asked. He leaned against the door, and Amantea shrugged. How did anyone do this? He'd had a few liaisons with other faeries (none that had produced grandchildren, to his mother's everlasting regret), but the other faeries had always instigated, so Amantea had been sure of their affections.

He didn't think Isaia felt that strongly for him, and he didn't know how else to explain why he was there. Perhaps it was better to simply say it and leave; then he could let go of the stupid daydreams in his head and focus on returning to his normal life. Looking up at Isaia through his hair, Amantea said quietly, "I missed you."

"Yeah?" Isaia asked, his smile widening. "Did you now?"

"I just said that I did," Amantea said, crossing his arms defensively. So Isaia was going to make fun of him, then. "I'm sorry for bothering you. I'll just—"

"What did you miss?" Isaia asked, taking a huge step forward. It put him barely a few inches in front of Amantea, and Amantea swallowed, suddenly unsure what was going on. "The way I dragged you around?"

"No," Amantea said, scowling. He shoved Isaia's chest. "You don't need to make fun of me." He tried to move around Isaia, but Isaia was quicker, throwing an arm around Amantea's waist and pulling him flush against Isaia's warm body.

"I missed you," Isaia said, using his other hand to brush Amantea's hair away from his face. "I missed you yelling at me and not backing down from me. Not many do that. Even Naldo was a little afraid of me."

Amantea snorted, his heartbeat kicking up without his permission. His face felt too hot, and he didn't know what to say. "You don't think I'm a silly flit?"

"Sometimes," Isaia said, grunting when Amantea drove a knee into his thigh. "But we're all silly flits sometimes."

"Hmph," Amantea muttered, not sure he should let Isaia get away with calling him a silly flit that easily.

"But you're also smart and good at seeing the things I miss," Isaia said. "I didn't even register that Naldo was sick."

"He was coughing," Amantea said, disbelieving. "Even when he had us in that trap."

"Right," Isaia said, a smile cutting across his face. He traced a fingertip down the side of Amantea's face, making him want to squirm. "Did I mention that I missed you?"

"Maybe," Amantea said, giving into the urge to reach out and touch Isaia. He ran his fingers over the scales on Isaia's shoulders, marveling at how soft each little ridge was. Isaia pressed closer, and the wrap around his hips did nothing to disguise how interested he was in Amantea.

Isaia didn't say anything more, dipping his head to brush a soft kiss against Amantea's lips. Amantea shivered, the soft touch sending a rush of adrenaline through him. He wanted Isaia, and Isaia wanted him. The thought was heady, and Amantea tried to tug Isaia closer, deepen the kiss, but Isaia pulled away with a chuckle.

He even went so far as to pull away from Amantea completely, leaving him cold and bereft and alone. Amantea pouted, wondering what the problem was. Isaia quirked his fingers at Amantea, leading the way over to the kitchen area. Amantea followed, poring over their interaction. Why had Isaia stopped?

"Do you know much about dragons?" Isaia asked. He pulled two wooden cups from a cabinet, setting them down on the counter next to a jug that certainly hadn't been there the last time Amantea had been in Isaia's house. He poured two cups and passed one to Amantea.

"No," Amantea said, sipping at his cup of wine. It was sweet, based off the riethberry, which was possibly one of Amantea's favorite berries ever. He bit his lip, looking at Isaia worriedly. Was there something about Isaia being a dragon that would make this not work? "Why?"

"Dragons..." Isaia frowned, looking down at his cup. He swallowed a large portion of it, as though he needed the fortitude, and then continued. "We don't mate for life, but we also aren't very good at... flings."

Amantea bristled, then made himself stop. He didn't need to get angry at the implication. Faeries
were
well known for being flighty and from jumping from lover to lover. "I don't like flings. I... I've had a few," Amantea said and started when Isaia growled.

"Sorry," Isaia muttered.

"Right," Amantea said, scowling at Isaia. "I don't like them. They're... they don't feel right." He shrugged. He'd never been able to explain it well. He'd tried, several times, but faeries didn't care for commitments or that sort of thing, and his mother had never gotten it.

"Good," Isaia said. "So you know that if we decide to continue this, it would be a serious affair."

"Yes," Amantea said. He sipped at the wine. "Um, yes, I want to continue." His eyes dropped to Isaia's wrap, and he jerked them back up because that had not been subtle... but he was allowed to be not subtle now, right?

Isaia smirked at him, and Amantea rolled his eyes, hiding his embarrassment behind another sip of wine. "And your nest won't mind?"

"I don't care what my nest thinks," Amantea said. He scowled. If any of them tried to take issue with it, he'd make a new nest, somewhere near Isaia. He could do that anyway. He hesitated. "Would your family care?"

Isaia snorted. "With Teria as my sister? No."

"Oh, right," Amantea said softly. He'd forgotten that. He drank the rest of his wine and set the cup on the counter next to Isaia's. He wasn't far from Isaia, and he looked at him questioningly, not sure if he should try to resume what they'd started by the door or if Isaia had more objections.

Isaia answered that question by stepping in close again and kissing Amantea. He kissed softly, sweetly, like Amantea was a treat that he wanted to savor for as long as he could. Amantea melted against him, taking the chance to smooth his hands along the trails of Isaia's scales again, up along his arms and over his shoulders.

"How far do you want to take this?" Isaia asked, one hand settling at the small of Amantea's back.

In answer, Amantea tugged at the knot on Isaia's wrap, pulling it free and letting the wrap fall to the floor. He raised his eyebrows in challenge, and Isaia grinned, a hungry, lustful look on his face that went straight to Amantea's cock. Isaia kissed him again, no longer slow and sweet, and Amantea grunted, startled into nearly falling over. Isaia's hand on his back steadied him, pulled him closer, and heat spiraled through Amantea's body.

He wanted Isaia. He wanted all of him, wanted to touch and taste every scale, feel the weight of Isaia's cock in his mouth, wanted to—

Isaia broke away, glancing around the room and scowling. Amantea frowned, his fingers digging into Isaia's shoulders. "What?"

"I don't have a bed here." Isaia sounded so put out about it that Amantea couldn't help but laugh. He stifled his giggles when Isaia turned his glare on him. "What do you suggest, then, hmm?" His hand slid down Amantea's back, his fingers brushing against the skin just under the hem of Amantea's shirt.

Amantea hummed thoughtfully. Nothing inside looked like it would be very comfortable. The floor was more stone, and the little furniture was stiff and unyielding. "Outside?"

"Faeries," Isaia muttered. He kissed Amantea again before Amantea could reply, his hand sliding up Amantea's spine and making him shiver. Then he let Amantea go, no longer touching or kissing him, and Amantea did not find that to be acceptable. "Fine, outside. Go find a spot."

"What are you—?"

"You'll see," Isaia said, then hesitated. He grabbed the hem of Amantea's shirt, tugging it up. Amantea obligingly slipped out of it, and Isaia frowned at his pants, letting the shirt fall to the floor. "Is that?"

"What?" Amantea looked down, spotting the dragon scale sticking out of his pocket slightly. "Um, yes."

"Outside," Isaia said, the word a growl that sent a shiver of anticipation down Amantea's spine. Isaia turned and marched toward a trunk, and Amantea slipped out of his pants, not wanting to lose them—or more importantly, the scale—outside in the grass. Then he left, heading out the back door. Outside was more long grass, and Amantea scouted out a spot that seemed to have no rocks or anthills, enjoying the feel of the sun on his shoulders.

He turned as Isaia approached, carrying a blanket and a tub that looked like the one he'd stored his healing cream in. Isaia didn't seem to be paying any attention to the spot Amantea had picked, his attention solely on Amantea. He stared at Amantea, dragging his eyes from Amantea's chest down, focusing on Amantea's cock.

Amantea smiled, a little shyly, knowing he was smaller and nowhere near as muscled as Isaia. Isaia knew that, though, and if the look on his face was any indication, he approved of that. Isaia dropped the blanket and tub on the ground at Amantea's face and leaned down to kiss him, burying his hands in Amantea's hair and then rubbing his thumbs over the points of Amantea's ears.

Shivering, Amantea stood up on his tiptoes, the warmth of the sun and the warmth of Isaia's body surrounding him.

"You're lovely," Isaia growled softly, his voice deeper than usual. Amantea struggled to voice some similar sentiment, but Isaia was lavishing attention on his neck, and that had always been a weak spot for Amantea. He tilted his head, gasping as Isaia bit down gently, then scraped his teeth down Amantea's neck.

Amantea dug his fingers into Isaia's shoulders, shifting closer. Isaia growled softly, his hands skating down Amantea's sides, landing on his hips. He squeezed, and Amantea tried to squirm closer, desperate for some friction, but Isaia held him firmly in place.

"Patience," Isaia said. He let go of Amantea with one last nip to his jaw, then spread out the blanket on the ground. He frowned at it for a moment before sitting down on it, sprawling backwards like he was simply out to do some naked sunbathing.

Amantea stared, entranced by the sight of the sun lighting up every one of Isaia's scales, the way his cock jutted up proudly—arrogantly, much like him—and the pleased, cat-got-the-cream smirk on his lips.

"Join me," Isaia said, that little growl to his voice never leaving. Amantea did as he was ordered, promptly climbing on top of Isaia and settling on his stomach, earning an, "Oof."

"Want me somewhere else?" Amantea asked. He slid his palms up Isaia's fine chest, toying with the scales around Isaia's nipples.

"Never," Isaia said, more growl than words. He gripped Amantea's hips, sliding him back, and Amantea gasped when Isaia's cock brushed his bare ass. "I want you here forever."

"Might be difficult to manage, but we could try," Amantea said, his voice only slightly strangled. He leaned down, catching Isaia's mouth in a kiss, gasping into Isaia's mouth when Isaia's hands slid around to cup his ass. He could still feel the warm weight of Isaia's cock against him, and his own cock leaked onto Isaia's stomach, smearing the scales and making them glisten.

"Can I," Isaia panted out, his fingers sliding between Amantea's ass cheeks.

"
Yes
," Amantea said, shifting back and accidentally making Isaia's fingers slip away. Isaia grinned and kissed him, and Amantea was distracted enough he didn't see it coming when Isaia wrapped his arms around Amantea and twisted to flip them over.

"Oof," Amantea said, wrinkling his nose at Isaia. The ground was uneven beneath his back, but he was more interested in the way Isaia was kissing him again. One of Isaia's hands slid slowly, tantalizingly, down Amantea's front, teasing at the patch of hair above his cock before finally sliding around Amantea's cock. Isaia's hand was warm, firm, perfect, and Amantea stuttered out a half-hearted encouragement, the words incomprehensible as they fell from his lips. Isaia smirked and let go of Amantea's cock.

"I hate you," Amantea said passionately, starting to sit up. He'd show Isaia. See how he liked it when he had a half-sucked cock and Amantea didn't finish—Isaia held up the tub he'd brought outside, derailing Amantea's thoughts of revenge. "What's that?"

"Something to ease the way," Isaia said, smirk still firmly in place. He leaned in, teasing a hand up Amantea's thigh, toward his cock, and Amantea shivered.

"Do something with it, then," Amantea said, anticipation making his heart race. He wanted Isaia's cock. He'd taste it later, but now that Isaia had presented the option, he wanted Isaia inside him.

"On your knees, then," Isaia said, that heady growl in his voice again. Amantea moved, maybe a little overeager, but he wasn't going to be the one slowing them down. He
wanted
Isaia—the sooner, the better. He ended up on his elbows and knees, resting his head on his forearms, goosebumps raising as he waited for Isaia to do something. Isaia obliged, caressing Amantea's left knee. "A little wider, 'tea."