Heart of the Warrior (8 page)

"I don’t give a fuck what you do or who you do it
to!" Sev pushed against Ari’s shoulder and knocked him backward.

"You sure about that? Because you sure seem suddenly
interested in my dick and where I put it."

"Fuck you, Ari!"

Ari chuffed sarcastically. "Fuck
you,
Sev!"
The two stood a few feet apart, all heavy breathing and torqued aggression,
glaring at one another as if nothing but hatred stood between them.

Finally, Ari's face twisted with rage and the dam burst.
"Damn you!" Ari rushed him and tackled him to the mat. Their bodies
tangled as they scrapped and fought to get the upper hand. Just as Sev thought
he had Ari pinned, Ari scissored his legs around Sev’s waist and sling-shot him
to his back.

Sev growled. He was angry, out of breath, and hurt. Why
hadn't Ari said anything about their time together before now? Had it been that
bad? Was Ari that ashamed of what they'd done?

"Fucker!" Sev tried to wrench free, feeling hurt
and used. "Was our night together nothing to you?!" The words blurted
out of nowhere as he struggled against Ari's hold. "Did you just use me to
satisfy your gay curiosity? Is that it?"

"What?" Arion's face screwed up in stunned
surprise as Sev's words sliced into his heart. Had he used Sev? Had he just
been trying to satisfy his gay curiosity, as Sev accused him of? Was that what
had happened between them? Was that what their erotic interlude in his kitchen
had been about?

He released Sev and jerked back and away.

Sev rolled to his side and stilled as if the life had
abruptly drained out of him. "Fuck you, Ari. Fuck you for playing with my
emotions like that." He paused. "Just leave me alone."

Ari couldn't see Sev's face, but he imagined if he could, he
would find nothing but pain and heartache there. Sev's voice sounded so far
away and wretched. And sad. No, not sad. Miserable. Dejected. In utter despair.

"Sev…?"

"I said fuck off." Sev stood up, keeping his back
turned on Ari, but he could just see Sev's face in the mirror. The male looked
miserable, his head hung. "I'm such an idiot." He was shaking his
head, his voice forlorn. "You just used me. You never had any intention of
being with me."

Severin turned and marched to the locker room in silence.
Discussion over.

Arion could only watch him leave. What the hell had just
happened here? He looked down at the mat, at a smear of moisture – Sev's sweat.
He reached out and dabbed it with his fingertips and lifted it to his nose.

Aaaahhhh. Severin. Pure and strong.

His gaze swept back to the locker room and that dull,
throbbing ache awakened in his chest again. He had hurt Sev. Sev thought he had
simply been using him, but that wasn't the case at all. Arion had wanted what
happened six weeks ago. He had never intended to hurt Sev.

But he had. Sev was most definitely in pain.

Shit.

Arion felt about an inch tall, and he needed to get out of
there.

Rubbing his thumb up and down his sternum, trying to ease
the ache, he gathered himself and stood up. With one last look at the locker
room door, he took a deep breath, blew it out, and hurried for the exit.

After rushing down the deserted hall in a fit of emotional
upheaval, he reached the elevators and smacked the up button then looked back
in the direction of the training center. Sev was in there, likely in as big a
mess as he was. Probably wondering where it had all fallen apart. Wondering why
Ari had used him, even though that hadn't been Ari's intention.

Double shit.

He needed to explain. He needed to apologize. He needed to
somehow let Sev know that none of this was his fault. It was Ari's fault. All
of it.

His thumb continued rubbing rhythmically up and down the
center of his chest as the ache deepened. When the elevator door opened, he
stood there for a second. Then he took a step forward. Then stopped. Then
closed his eyes and leaned forward on one outstretched arm pressed against the
wall.

He couldn't leave Sev.

Turning, he let the elevator door close as he began the
hesitant walk back to the training center.

This was crazy. Ari stopped in the middle of the hall. If he
returned to the gym, he knew how things would end up. He wouldn't be able to
hold himself back from Sev. He wanted him. The scent of his sweat still invaded
his nose, and it was a better high than a snort of cobalt could give him.

No, no. He could hold back. He would be able to control
himself. He owed Sev that much. And he owed him an explanation…and an apology.

With purpose, Ari started walking again, holding his head
high and pushing his shoulders back. The ache in his chest diminished as he
neared the gym and opened the door. After stepping inside, he halted abruptly,
his lungs pumping hard. Was he nervous or just keyed up? Was he afraid someone
would see them and figure out what happened? Or was his sudden, erratic
breathing caused by something else? Desire perhaps? Or his struggle not to give
in to temptation and claim Sev's body as he had six weeks ago.

Fucking hells, maybe he should just bolt and do this shit
later.

A sudden jolt of pain hit his chest.
No. you need to do
it now. You need to take away Sev's pain, you chicken shit. Suck it up, grow
some balls, go in there, and apologize. Set things right.

Nodding to himself, he took a deep breath and stalked the
length of the gym to the locker room, pushed the door open, and proceeded
directly to the bay of lockers reserved for Tristan's team.

As he rounded the corner, he sucked in his breath at the magnificent,
beautiful male who greeted him. Sev was sitting on the bench, his face already
turned toward him, his guarded eyes red and full of tears, his thumb poised
against his sternum as if he had been rubbing it.

Sev slowly stood up. "Why are you here?"

Suddenly, everything Ari had wanted to say escaped him. Like
a fleeing antelope, his words bounded away, leaving him only with his breath,
his body, and the vision of Severin in front of him. And the scent of Sev's
sweat. And the memory of Sev's mouth on his, their bodies perfectly matched and
pressed together. All he could do was stare and remember how incredible Sev had
felt against him and in his arms.

"Ari?"

Without a word, Ari charged forward, grabbed Sev, and thrust
him back against the metal lockers with a loud clank as he came nose-to-nose
with him, his senses spiking to DEFCON 1 as he panted with arousal.

"I didn't want her." His voice growled low in his
throat.

It took a moment for Sev to react, but he didn't fight him
or try to pull away. On the contrary, his body seemed to light up with as much
heat as Ari was feeling.

"What? What do you mean?" Sev blinked in
confusion. Or maybe he was just dazed.

Arion’s grip on Sev's shoulders stayed firm as his gaze
danced over Sev's face. He was hungry for this male. Physically and emotionally
hungry for him. "I didn’t want her." He spoke more softly this time.
More reverently.

Sev licked his lips and it was all Ari could do not to lean
in and quickly snag that alluring tongue with his teeth.

"Who?" Sev said quietly.

Ari could tell Sev knew he was talking about Chloe, but he
seemed wary, as if he couldn't believe he was hearing him right.

"Any of them. I didn't want any of them." Ari
hadn't wanted Chloe or any woman he'd ever dated. In a moment of pure clarity,
he knew that what he wanted was right here in front of him.

Their noses touched as their gazes held and locked on to
each other. Ari could feel the warmth of Sev's breath on his own mouth, and it
made his stomach muscles quiver with excitement, taking him back to his kitchen
and how they had devoured each other that night.

Sev's eyes searched his as he remained pressed against the
lockers. "Who
do
you want, Ari?" He kept his voice soft then
held his breath, as if not daring to hope for the answer he wanted.

"I think you already know." Ari could see the
realization dawning in Sev's blue eyes; the connections being made; the
knowledge that what had happened six weeks ago hadn't been a fluke, an
accident, or just some curious adventure.

Sev's eyes tightened and his breath hitched. "Please
tell me. Who do you want?"

Ari glanced down at Sev's perfect lips then prowled his gaze
back up to his eyes, seeing his future in their blue depths.

"You." Ari closed the last inch between them in an
instant, locking his lips to Sev's.

Air pushed out their noses as they both moaned in what
sounded like relief.

Sev's body instantly uncoiled and softened within Ari's
grasp.

Their lips fused and separated, re-fused, twisted together,
opened and devoured. Their tongues danced against each other, lapping and
licking and drinking in the other’s taste. Sev’s teeth banged against Ari’s,
but neither of them seemed to care as long as the connection between them
remained intact.

"Ari…when? How?" Sev's hands explored down Ari's
stomach as he spoke against his mouth.

"Ssshhh." Ari brushed his lips over Sev's again,
lingering, their tender skin clinging together.

Sev moaned and his eyes closed dreamily as he gently
squirmed, feeling and touching Ari.

Damn, but his hands felt good creeping lower like that. Ari
thought he would hyperventilate as he began panting heavily, drawing his mouth
away from Sev's so he could look down at that big hand inching toward his
erection.

Sev shifted and leaned into Ari, resting his forehead on his
shoulder and wrapping his other arm softly around the small of Ari's back,
holding him, caressing, keeping him close.

Not a word was said as they both watched Sev's hand slide
the rest of the way down and over the mound of hard flesh in Ari's shorts.

"Oh, God." Ari swayed forward, shuddering, growing
weak in the knees. Sev's arm tightened around him and Ari's fingers curled and
gripped the tops of Sev's shoulders like hooks to hold him up.

But still they both watched Sev's palm rub slowly up and
down his hard column. The satin material slipped erotically over his cock,
tantalizing him and burning his soul with heat. Then Sev curled his fingers
around him, holding him through his shorts, applying delicious pressure that
seared his senses and made him shiver with restraint.

He just wanted to take Sev. Here. Now. Just throw him over
the bench and fuck the ever-living rocks off him.

Sev groaned and rubbed him harder. "Is this for
me?" Sev's deep voice and the warmth of his breath against his shoulder
awakened another unnerving shiver down his spine.

He nodded, trying to swallow a gasp that choked through his
throat. Ari closed his eyes, unable to believe how good this felt.
"Y-Yes." He stammered over the words, his voice gravelly with lust.

Something was building inside him. Need. A craving. Desire.
His whole body rose and fell with each breath, and he whimpered as Sev pulled
away the waist of his shorts and dipped his hand down inside.

Fuck! That nearly undid Ari. His legs buckled and his
abdomen spasmed uncontrollably.

Getting a hard grip on Sev's shoulders again, he slammed him
back against the lockers once more and bit down on Sev's bottom lip, purring so
hard it sounded like a growl.

The purr. The sound of an aroused male. And Ari was way
beyond aroused.

Sev pushed him back and spun him around, nearly crawling
inside his body as he shoved him toward the shower room while keeping one arm
secured around his waist and his other hand down the front of Ari's shorts.

"Where…?" Ari nearly fell over from the pleasure
of Sev's hand stroking him.

"Showers. Now." Sev clumsily directed him forward.

They barely avoided tripping over each other in their haste
to get into the farthest stall to the right.

The showers were typical gym showers, with a curtained outer
area for towels, robes, or other clothes, and a second curtained area for the
shower.

Sev yanked open the outer curtain and pushed Ari in before
pulling the curtain shut behind them. In a tangle of arms and fervent kisses,
they started pulling off each other's clothes as Sev reached in and cranked on
the water.

Sev tugged off his shirt as Ari discarded his to the marble
bench behind him. Hands found waistbands and pushed. Feet toed off gym shoes.
Shorts fell down their legs. Two powerful, masculine bodies pressed together
and spun into the shower. Their hands combined to throw the inner curtain
closed with the satisfying sound of metal shower rings swooshing over the bar.

"I’ve had fantasies about this since—" Ari was cut
off by Sev’s mouth clamping down on his in a heated kiss.

"So have I." Sev pushed him back against the cold
tile wall and skimmed his hands over the curves of his back to his ass, sliding
the fingers of his left hand softly between his cheeks.

No man had ever touched him there and Ari’s knees nearly
buckled again from the pleasure of having Sev’s fingers dip into the place he
had only ever dreamed of being explored.

"Sensitive?" Sev chuckled lightly as he pushed
closer and deepened the caress.

"You have—oh!—Oh God, you have no idea."

The earlier tension was gone. The aggression between them
had dissipated, replaced now by something primal that seemed to originate from
somewhere far back in their vampire genetics. It felt almost like instinct, as
if an innate drive propelled them toward one another.

"I never meant to hurt you." Ari skimmed his hands
with fascination over Sev's bare chest. He was massive. Broad and wide of
shoulder and pure muscle. Fucking sexy as hell.

"That's past now." Sev purred and found Ari's
mouth, locking them together.

He tasted perfect. Magnificent. Ari opened for him and
licked the seam of Sev's mouth, urging his lips apart as Sev pressed him more
intently into the cold, tile wall.