The Harem Master (46 page)

The words were spoken levelly, and Demir's face gave nothing away, but only a fool would not mark the sadness that hovered about him like fog. "I am sorry, Harem Master. In all of this, I feel you have suffered more than most, and you were always the one who should have suffered least. Such unwavering faith and perfect devotion should not be rewarded with pain and loss."

"You owe me no apology, Majesty," Demir said. "I—" he broke off as the door opened, and they all turned and watched as Haluk entered.

Haluk went still as he saw them, then smiled faintly and hastened his steps. Sitting next to Ihsan, Haluk kissed him briefly then turned to Demir. "Greetings, Harem Master."

"Lord Haluk," Demir replied, looking at him briefly before dropping his gaze.

A fine tension seemed to fill the room, irritating and abrasive, like sand that refused to be brushed away. Ihsan rose, suddenly unable to sit. "If you say the harem is closed upon my word, then let it be so." He hesitated, the question he ached to ask burning his tongue, the memory of Demir's kiss still on his lips. But it seemed selfish to ask Demir to join his harem when he must be tired of the confines of a life that had treated him so poorly for so long. Biting back the question, Ihsan said, "You're a free man, Lord Demir, and you've more than earned the right to name your reward for your years of service."

Silence stretched on for so long Ihsan thought something was wrong. Before he could ask, however, Demir looked up, eyes sharp and bright with anger. "Respect, Majesty," Demir said, "I do not want a reward. And what I want is not mine to take, only accept, which I cannot do if the question is not asked."

Ihsan let out a burst of shaky but happy laughter. "Lord Demir, I am still confounded you do not want to get as far from this place as you possibly can, but I can only restrain my selfish desires so far." He drew a breath, smiled. "Lord Demir, would you honor me by joining my harem?"

Demir smiled softly, the sweetest expression Ihsan had ever seen on his face—the most unguarded. "Yes, Majesty. The honor would be mine."

"Then stop calling me Majesty," Ihsan burst out. "I cannot bear to hear you say it one more time."

Laughing, Demir rose, as flawlessly graceful as ever. He smiled, and the way it reached his eyes made him breathtaking. "As you wish, Ihsan."

Ignoring the cheers and calls around them, Ihsan surged into Demir's spaced and drew his head down, kissed him with all the want and longing he'd been holding back. Sliding one hand back, he tangled his fingers in Demir's hair and kissed him harder, deeper, tasting dark, spicy wine in his mouth, a hint of cinnamon pastries.

Demir's hands splayed heavy across the back of his shoulders, slid down slowly to rest at his hips, holding him steady as Demir turned the kiss into a slow burn. Ihsan shuddered and lifted his other arm to hold fast as he gladly succumbed to Demir's spell, that slow, devastating way of his that left Ihsan feeling melted.

He was panting when they finally drew apart. "On second thought, I'm not certain I'll manage to get anything done with you permanently among us. You were distracting enough when I couldn't touch."

"Too late," Kitt said cheerfully, coming up behind Ihsan, arms wrapping around his waist before Kitt's wicked mouth began to suck up a mark in precisely the right spot on Ihsan's neck.

Fingers brushed softly along his arms before Haluk and Sabah stepped past him to approach Demir. "Welcome," Sabah said and leaned up to kiss him, soft and lingering. He'd only just drawn back when Haluk turned Demir's head and drew him into another kiss. Ihsan groaned as he watched the three of them trade kisses and touches, Kitt teasing him all the while.

Ihsan let out another groan when Kitt abruptly stopped. "Get back here."

"No," Kitt said and practically climbed Demir before wrapping tightly around him and kissing him hard.

Freeing his arms from where they were still wrapped around Sabah and Haluk, Demir cupped Kitt's ass, Kitt's legs wrapping more firmly around his hips. Drawing back only when they were both left panting, Kitt said, "Took you long enough. I was beginning to think I'd have to sneak into your room and drag you here."

Slowly letting him go, Demir bent to drop a quick kiss on Kitt's swollen lips. "I am fairly certain you know that anything worth having is worth patience. I could not in good faith leave my post until my duties were truly complete."

Kitt grumbled but conceded the point with a nod.

Ihsan snickered. "I think the three of you will have to work harder now you've a proper concubine to set the example."

"So mean," Sabah said with a grin. "I bet we'll instill our bad behavior long before he can instill his good behavior."

They all turned when Demir gave a low, husky chuckle. "I was Harem Master for twelve years, and apprenticed to the post the day I turned ten. I am accustomed to troublemakers far greater than you and have many a trick you striplings have never seen."

"Oh, ho," Kitt said, eyes turning hot with anticipation, his grin challenging. "The old man plays his arrogance at last." He reached out and lightly wrapped his fingers around the chain that stretched down Demir's chest. Tugging Demir in close, he leaned up and nipped at Demir's jaw. "I know a challenge when I hear one, Harem Master."

Haluk chuckled. "Careful there, dragon. You've never seen our harem master unfettered."

"And you have?" Kitt retorted—then froze, fingers dropping in surprise as he stared at Haluk. "You have! Where—and you didn't share with the rest of us? You sly little bodyguard." He grabbed Haluk by the waistband of his pants and hauled him in, leaned up to give him a sharp, biting kiss. "Where have you seen our harem master unfettered?"

A faint flush darkened Haluk's cheeks as he looked at Demir. "I used to protect somebody who often visited the House of the Moon Orchid. She slipped away from me there one night, and I had to search. I, uh, opened the wrong door. I didn't linger or anything…"

Ihsan closed his eyes, biting back the unseemly noises that wanted out at the idea of Demir in a pleasure house, guard down, lost in lust. When he had himself under control, he opened his eyes again—and all his work was immediately undone as he watched Demir and Haluk kiss. Ihsan and Sabah were of average height and build, and Kitt was small and bone thin. Haluk and Demir were both built large and broad. Demir was the taller of the two, but not by much. All that strength and beauty together…

He was never going to survive the changes Demir was already bringing to his harem. "I hope there wasn't anything urgent I'm supposed to be doing because I've already forgotten it."

"No, Majesty," Sabah said, sliding over and twining around him, pressing idle kisses to his chest. "The only matter that requires urgent attention is right here." His hand slid down to palm Ihsan's cock.

Ihsan grunted, hips moving of their own volition, pushing into Sabah's frustratingly light touch, eyes still locked on the other three as Kitt replaced Haluk, both of them mapping and teasing Demir's body. "If only all my duties were so pleasant."

"You'd be too exhausted to carry them out," Sabah said with a soft snort. He pushed Ihsan back and down onto the myriad cushions and pillows of the sitting area, then straddled one of his legs as he leaned over Ihsan to kiss him, slow but hungry, the kind of kiss that always promised Ihsan would wake up sore. He reached up to grip Sabah's ass, encouraging him to ride Ihsan's thigh as the devouring kisses continued.

Tearing away, Ihsan flipped them around, pushed Sabah deep into the cushions, and gripped his cock through the layers of fabric. Sabah writhed and twisted, but Ihsan kept hold of his wrists in one hand while he continued to press and rub his cock, knowing exactly how to get Sabah mewling for him. "Give it up, my pretty little lord." He took Sabah's mouth, swallowed the cry that spilled out as Sabah shuddered and came in his arms.

Ihsan drew back slowly, sucking at Sabah's lips, nibbling on the bottom one a moment before slowly dragging off it. Sabah lay panting, looking tousled and well-used, absolutely beautiful. Ihsan smiled down at him. "Mm, that's a good start to the even—" He broke off as someone pressed up against him and reached around to tease too-knowing fingers over Ihsan's hard, aching cock. Kitt's mouth trailed over his back, turning into nips at random points. "Kitt," Ihsan managed, the name dragged out on a soft groan.

Withdrawing, Kitt turned him around and pushed him to lie down next to Sabah, who promptly rolled to press against his side, mouthing at the mark earlier left by Kitt. Ihsan shuddered, shivered. Kitt discarded his clothes, then tugged away Sabah's—but left Ihsan's, laughing when Ihsan scowled. He slid to settle on Ihsan's opposite side, mirrored Sabah's kisses and touches.

Ihsan couldn't focus, tangled up in their ministrations and the devastating sight of Demir completely naked, his only adornment the gold hoops still in his nipples and belly. The tattoos… Merciful Divine, the tattoos. "Those are amazing. It must have taken ages." The colorful tangle of flowers and vines, the odd bird and butterfly, went all the way down Demir's legs, ending at his ankles, though the tops of his feet were also tattooed with frogs and fish. The tattoos covered his ass and stopped just short of his cock. Ihsan swallowed as he got a good look at said cock. "Is that a
piercing?
"

Even Sabah and Kitt had stopped what they were doing to stare openly. Kitt grinned. "How did I miss that before? I'm surprised only that you haven't inked it as well."

"My duties became too time consuming," Demir replied. "There was never opportunity."

"I believe opportunity can definitely be found in the near future," Ihsan said. "For the moment, I think Haluk can find something else to do with that."

Demir started to reply, but the words were cut off as Haluk drew him into a kiss, then pulled away to slowly work his way down Demir's body, dropping wet kisses as he went. He lingered at Demir's nipples, getting one ring in his mouth and tugging gently, eliciting a soft, sweet noise that Ihsan definitely wanted more of.

Haluk continued his downward journey, slowly sinking to his knees, pausing to lavish attention on the piercing in Demir's stomach before finally dropping his mouth over Demir's cock, mindful of the gold hoop gleaming at the end. Demir swore softly, one hand sliding gently into Haluk's hair, eyes bright and hot as he looked at Ihsan.

Ihsan groaned, cock throbbing, but he could not tear his eyes away if his life depended on it. Sabah pulled away, slid down his body, and finally pulled Ihsan's damned pants out of the way. Looking at him with a smirk, chuckling when Ihsan tore away from Demir long enough to glare, Sabah licked along the length of Ihsan's cock, lapped at the head, his hair soft and teasing where it brushed Ihsan's skin.

Finally, finally, Sabah left off the teasing and took Ihsan deep, tongue and throat working with all the devastating skill he'd acquired since their first encounter in the library years ago. Kitt distracted Ihsan briefly with a mind-melting kiss, pulled away slowly, then crawled over behind Sabah, a bottle of oil in his hand.

Ihsan didn't know where to put his attention: Sabah's mouth wrapped around his cock; Kitt as he worked his fingers into Sabah's body, eliciting lovely noises that did things to Ihsan's cock that left him shuddering; or Haluk and Demir.

Pulling off Demir's cock, Haluk dragged Demir down and kissed him hard, causing them both to moan. Haluk drew back, shifted to resume the sucking he'd abandoned—and went back with a soft, startled cry when Demir pushed him to the floor. Spreading his legs wide, Demir settled between them and bent to take Haluk's cock in his mouth. Haluk's head hit the floor with a dull thunk, his ragged-edged moan filling the air. He buried his hands in Demir's hair, which at some point had come loose of its braid.

Ihsan tried to hold on, last a few minutes more, but the sight of Haluk fucking Demir's mouth while Kitt fucked Sabah, and that hot, clever mouth still working his cock… Too much, it was all too much, and Ihsan did not bother trying to hold back or muffle his scream as he finally came.

It was several minutes before he could move, or even think. Somebody hauled him up to sit. "Drink," Sabah ordered and offered up a dish of pale violet wine. Ihsan obeyed, draining the dish until it was gone, body flushing with heat from the burn of it. He licked his lips, then looked at each of his men. "So I think it's safe to say Demir fits well among us."

"He seemed to fit well in—" Kitt broke off with a grunt as Haluk drove an elbow into his gut. "Well, he did."

"I'm aware," Haluk drawled. "It's my throat still feeling it."

Demir huffed a soft laugh. At some point the four of them had made a half-hearted attempt to dress again, donning their slit skirts but not the pants. It was almost more indecent than if they'd just remained naked. "I am truly impressed that you can remain so quiet during court and banquets."

"Don't be impressed with them. It just makes them more insufferable," Ihsan said and caught Kitt's wrist as he playfully punched Ihsan's arm. He kissed Kitt's knuckles then dragged him over so Kitt lay sprawled with his head resting in Ihsan's lap. "Brat."

Kitt smiled.

"That wasn't a compliment," Sabah said. He started to say more, but a yawn got the better of him. "Didn't you say something about taking a nap?"

Ihsan looked at the table where neat stacks of work waited for him. "I definitely did. Everything else can wait a little longer. If I tried to work right now, I would likely sign the country away by mistake."

Sabah set aside the empty dish he still held and stood, extended a hand. "To bed, then?"

Ihsan shrugged. "Here is fine, unless you object. If I go to bed I may never get out of it."

Chuckling, Sabah lifted a hand in acknowledgement and vanished into the storage closet, returning shortly with a pile of blankets. Kitt rolled out of Ihsan's lap, pulled a pillow he favored close, and lazily draped an arm over Ihsan's waist before almost immediately drifting off. Ihsan leaned in to kiss his temple, then stretched out, eyes already growing heavy.

A warm, heavy weight settled beside him, and he opened his eyes to smile at Demir. "I'm glad you accepted." He reached up to brush his fingers across Demir's face, heart giving a lurch when Demir kissed them.