Elemental Hope Read online

  “Because you sit there, shining like the sun, and you never fail to take my breath away.”

  Dominic’s breath hitched.

  “You’re also a cheeky brat in need of a good spanking.” Evrain grabbed a fistful of Dominic’s hair then tugged his head back. He leaned close, the scent of his breath a familiar mixture of peppermint and coffee. “You’re too gorgeous to resist.”

  Dominic parted his lips, expecting a kiss, but Evrain pulled away. He wagged his finger.

  “Oh no, you have to earn it.” He took a seat then poured himself a mug of coffee. A plate of sliced fruit sat in the middle of the table. He took a sliver of apple. Dominic watched, entranced, as Evrain bit into the fruit. The juice wetted his lips, making them gleam.

  “What do you want me to do?” Even as he asked the question, a thrill of expectation rippled the length of Dominic’s spine.

  “Stand up.” Evrain pointed to a spot on the grass in front of him.

  Dominic sank his teeth into his bottom lip but complied. He stood in position, hands loosely clasped behind his back.

  “Take your shirt off.” Evrain’s eyes glinted green and gold. “Slowly.”

  Fingers trembling, Dominic unfastened the rest of his buttons. He shrugged the fabric from his shoulders and let it fall to the ground.

  “Hands behind your back again.” Evrain bent forward and plucked a couple of daisies. He got to his feet. “It’s hard to improve on perfection, but I think I have a way.” He flicked one of Dominic’s exposed nipples. The sharp sting made Dominic gasp. He took an involuntary step back.

  “Keep still. Your body is mine, to do with as I please, and it pleases me to make you squirm.”

  Dominic locked his knees. He should object to Evrain’s arrogant claim but he only spoke the truth. He stood still and tried not to flinch as Evrain subjected his nipples to more abuse. They stood hard and proud, the delicious ache connected directly to his cock. Evrain laid one of the flowers he’d picked against Dominic’s chest. He closed his eyes and muttered a few words under his breath, and his fingers twitched. The daisy’s slender stem wound around Dominic’s nub in a tight spiral, squeezing the already tender flesh. The flower rested in place, firmly secured. Then Evrain repeated the process with the other nipple. The bindings were just as effective as any clamp. Dominic took shallow breaths, dealing with the erotic pain as best he could.

  Evrain smirked as he resumed his seat.

  “You are far too pleased with yourself.” Dominic resisted the urge to tear at the constricting stems.

  “Quiet, sweetheart. There are plenty of things out here I could gag you with. Now—trousers off.”

  “When are you going to start calling them pants?” Dominic unfastened the stud at his waistband then lowered his zipper.

  “Pants are underwear, something I suspect you aren’t wearing.” Evrain’s grin was feral.

  He was right. Again. Dominic sighed but pushed his jeans down to his ankles then kicked them off his bare feet. The movement jolted his chest, giving him a painful reminder of his bound nipples. His cock jerked. Evrain licked his lips.

  “I would never condone what Symeon did to you, love, but I have to admit to liking the fur-free look.”

  Dominic’s cheeks heated. His hairless groin was a permanent reminder of his treatment at Symeon Malus’ hands. Apart from the burnished copper waves on his head, eyebrows and eyelashes, the rest of his body was entirely hair free. Not having to shave was poor compensation.

  “Of course, I would prefer to shave you myself. That would be fun.” Evrain drummed his fingers on one thigh. “Would you be still for me, sweetheart, if I had a blade that close to your balls?”

  Dominic shivered. The thought of Evrain baring him that way was highly erotic. As was standing naked in the open air in front of his fully clothed boyfriend. “Isn’t Gregory coming this morning? I don’t really want him to find me like this, Evrain.”

  “We have plenty of time for what I have in mind.” Evrain lowered his fly, letting his cock poke through the opening. “Come here.”

  Dominic took a few paces forward to straddle Evrain’s thighs. Evrain took a firm hold of Dominic’s dick and gave it a few tugs. “Keep your hands behind your back.” He reached down the side of his chair to pluck a long piece of grass. A few whispered words and Dominic discovered that a single blade could become an effective cock ring when magically bound around the base of his balls. Plant sap also provided a ready source of lubricant, something that Dominic was grateful for as Evrain tugged him forward.

  “This stuff tingles,” Evrain said, slathering his shaft in viscous liquid.

  “I appreciate your sacrifice.”

  “Sarcasm is unbecoming in one so young. I want you impaled on my cock. Now.”

  Evrain dug his fingers into Dominic’s ass, compelling him downward. Dominic didn’t resist. Without preparation, penetration burned a little but it had only been a few hours since they’d last made love and he was still quite slick. He grunted as his ass met Evrain’s thighs. He felt so full and the pressure on his prostate was unbearable. He had to move. He attempted to rise but Evrain held him in place for a few torturous seconds. He pulled his head down for a bruising kiss, which left Dominic gasping.

  “Now, you can fuck yourself on me.”

  Without the use of his hands for balance, the rise and fall motion Dominic managed was uncoordinated and jerky. Evrain let him struggle, staring into his eyes, then took control.

  “Hold on to my shoulders.”

  Dominic obeyed eagerly. He was desperate to come and only the makeshift cock ring was preventing his orgasm. The frustration was torment.

  “Please, Evrain…”

  Evrain grunted and thrust hard into his channel.

  “Please!” As the wet heat of Evrain’s release filled Dominic’s passage, Evrain snapped the grass ring around Dominic’s balls with a word, allowing him to come. At last. His orgasm surged through him, his cum splattering Evrain’s shirt. His vision blurred and only Evrain’s hold kept him from losing his balance. He panted hard, sweat cooling on his skin. Evrain brushed a few strands of hair away from his face.

  “Take a breath, sweetheart.”

  The stems around his nipples fell away. The flood of sudden pain made him scream and come again, his body jerking. Exhausted, he slumped against Evrain. “You son of a bitch,” he muttered.

  “You still love me.” Evrain sucked on his neck.

  “You’re marking me.” Dominic didn’t object.

  “Because you’re mine. You need a collar of love bites.”

  “You don’t have time for that. I should dress. Gregory will be here any minute.”

  Evrain groaned. “Don’t remind me. What possessed me to agree to his training regime? The man’s a sadist.”

  “Takes one to know one.” Dominic stood, legs shaking. He grabbed his clothes. “Here, wear my shirt. I’ll take yours inside. I’m going to take another shower.” He threw his shirt to Evrain, who stripped off his own soiled garment. Dominic allowed himself a moment to admire the smooth planes of Evrain’s body. Considering he never ventured near a gym, Dominic was convinced his lover used spellcraft to stay in shape.

  Reluctantly, he went inside to shower and change. His ass twinged, making him smile. Evrain sure knew how to start the day with a bang. Wearing fresh jeans and a soft T-shirt, Dominic wandered back outside to collect the remains of their breakfast. Evrain was lounging in his seat, nibbling pieces of fruit.

  “You gave me an appetite, love.” He stood and Dominic walked into his arms.

  Anyone with the ability to see would have witnessed the aura of power around Evrain sparking furiously. Dominic knew it was happening. It didn’t take magical ability to notice the sudden gusts in the wind or the lashing of the branches in nearby trees. He was subjected to a kiss that was all about domination. He put up no resistance. Evrain was a force of nature and not to be denied. Dominic leaned into Evrain’s strong hold.

  “I love
you, Evrain.”

  “I love you too.” Evrain’s deep voice vibrated with passion. “I don’t deserve you.”

  “Don’t be an idiot.”

  Evrain kissed him again, long and slow, slipping one hand down to cup his ass. “Mmm. More punishment for you later.”

  “If you have the energy once Gregory is done with you.” Dominic rested his head on Evrain’s shoulder and smiled at the silver-haired man approaching the gate.

  “Evrain! Put that poor boy down and get your incompetent butt over here! We have work to do.”

  Dominic shook with laughter.

  “Shit.” Evrain turned into his godfather’s intimidating glare. Gregory was standing by the garden gate, tapping his long fingers impatiently against the rough wood. His expression softened when he met Dominic’s eyes. Dominic imagined his tousled, damp hair and kiss-bruised lips told their own story.

  “Good morning, Dominic.”

  “Hello, Gregory. You’re early.” Dominic grinned. He liked Evrain’s godfather and his partner Coryn a lot. They were always kind to him and treated him like an equal despite Gregory being another powerful warlock. As Gregory’s life partner, Coryn was one of the few men alive who could understand Dominic’s position and what he went through every time Evrain used him to channel his power. Evrain, however, they handled with less sensitivity. Gregory had extracted Evrain’s promise that he would accept training from him and he took that promise very seriously. He imposed the harshest discipline and Evrain was expected to accept his word as law. Love was at the root of it, Dominic knew. Training Evrain to use his prodigious talent could be the difference between life and death for both of them. Dominic could tell Evrain hated it, but he submitted anyway, keeping his dominant nature at bay.

  “It is fortunate that I wasn’t here any sooner, I can see.” Gregory scowled in Evrain’s direction. “What are you waiting for, boy? We have a long day ahead of us. I hope you haven’t exerted too much energy already.”

  Evrain squared his shoulders with a sigh, straightened his clothing then walked toward his godfather. Dominic gave a low chuckle and received a scowl in return along with a muttered, “I’ll deal with you later.”

  Dominic turned to the garden. He strolled to the shed that housed most of his hand tools. He unlatched the door and let it swing open. The scent of earth and wood enveloped him. He breathed deeply, the familiarity of it comforting. A small spider dropped from its web on a line of almost invisible silk to dangle in front of his face.

  “Well, hi there.” Dominic ducked under the spider. His favorite spade was propped against the wall. He rubbed his hand along the smooth grain of the wooden handle—it was warm to the touch. He’d always found he preferred tools made from more traditional materials. They were heavier but felt better in his hands. He picked up the spade then left the cool dark of the shed and returned to the sunshine. At the back of the property was a large plot he planned to dig over ready for late summer planting. Monotonous, heavy work would help him when Evrain began to channel, which he was doing more and more in his sessions with Gregory. He picked a spot to start, stamped the spade into the earth and waited for the pain to begin. It didn’t remove his ability to work but the sensation was nowhere near as enjoyable as the erotic pain Evrain inflicted. For that, Dominic had a much higher threshold. His nipples twinged at the thought, making him smile.

  Evrain followed Gregory to the other side of the cottage where a small copse of trees stood alongside a field of rough grass. A stream bubbled at its far end, water bouncing across stones polished to a diamond shine. In the center of the field two huge, granite boulders sat brooding—the lone remnants of an ancient medicine wheel, as Gregory called it. ‘Stone circle’ was the term Evrain recognized.

  “Your grandmother and many generations of your family have lived here for good reason, Evrain,” Gregory said. “The confluence of ley lines beneath the stones provides a valuable source of restorative power.”

  “I know. My grandmother spoke of it repeatedly. She used to come and sit out here a lot.” Evrain trailed his fingers across one of the stones. “You haven’t brought me out here before.”

  “Things are changing, Evrain. It’s a good place to train you. It should help your focus considerably and we need to move things along.” His forehead creased into a frown. “Now, I want to see your warm-up exercises. I do hope you’ve been practicing.” Gregory sat on the ground with his back against a boulder. He crossed his ankles, looking for all the world like he was on a relaxing day out. All he needed was a Thermos flask and picnic basket to complete the picture.

  Evrain rolled his eyes but held back the sarcastic retort that rose too freely to his lips. He calmed his thoughts then started to manipulate his fingers, twisting them into shape after shape. Glistening droplets of water formed in the air. They hovered in place while tiny flames appeared alongside them. Wisps of wind formed miniature tornadoes, dancing and spinning. Evrain braced himself, legs set apart. He changed his movements a fraction and a dozen small stones rose from the ground to join the display. It took intense concentration to manipulate all four elements at the same time. Beads of perspiration broke out on his forehead as his fingers flickered faster and faster. He couldn’t stop to wipe the moisture away. Unless he channeled, this was the physical equivalent of running a marathon with a bag full of rocks strapped to his back.

  Gregory gave a heavy sigh and got to his feet. He walked around Evrain in a slow circle, then his long fingers flickered into action and tiny sparks began to hit Evrain’s exposed skin, his face, neck and hands. Yelping, he lost concentration and stumbled. The flames extinguished, pebbles dropped to the ground and an uncontrolled gust of wind blew the water droplets into his face.

  “Fuck it!” He batted at his skin where the sparks had hit him, rubbing away the small hurts. Impatiently, he wiped water and sweat from his face and glowered at Gregory.

  “Adjust your attitude, boy. Look at me with respect.”

  Evrain kicked at the ground. He didn’t appreciate being called a boy but knew that to Gregory he was just that. He cast his eyes down. “I apologize.”

  Gregory grunted his acceptance of the apology. “You are too easily distracted. You lack discipline. If you cannot master even these simple tasks, how do you expect to control your full strength? You have too much power to be careless, Evrain.” He squeezed Evrain’s shoulder lightly. “Why didn’t you channel?”

  “Because I don’t want to hurt Dominic unless I really have to.”

  “I’m afraid you do have to. Just as I hurt Coryn—though he barely feels me after all these years.”

  “The sensation fades?” Evrain was genuinely curious.

  “It did for Coryn and I’m sure it will for Dominic. Does he suffer greatly?”

  “He says not.” Evrain scuffed his foot into the grass. “I don’t believe him.”

  “Well, you should. Dominic’s not the kind to lie just to salve your delicate feelings. He understands his role and has accepted it. He knows you love him.”

  “I feel like I’m using him.”

  “You are. I’m not going to pretty it up for you, Evrain. But you need him and he has the strength to be there for you. You have to trust him just as he trusts you.”

  Evrain knew it was true. He nodded.

  “Good. Now take your shirt off. I’m an old man and I need a bigger target.”

  “Charming.” Evrain stripped off Dominic’s shirt, immediately mourning the loss of his scent. Ferns rose around his ankles. They twisted around his calves, holding him in place.

  “To help you balance.” Gregory gestured at the fronds, which tightened further. “Begin your exercises again.”

  This time there was no delay before Gregory began to fire sparks at Evrain’s body. Everywhere they touched, his pale skin was marked with a small red welt. Soon his shoulders, back and chest were dotted with the marks. He kept his expression cold, ignored the pain and juggled the elements skillfully. He channeled his power and his p
erformance showed a marked improvement. It was still ten minutes before Gregory relented.

  “Okay, that’s enough. Better. Not perfect but better. I want you to practice every day.”

  Evrain let out his breath with a shudder. The salt of his sweat was making every weal sting. Fatigue permeated each cell of his body.

  “You need to be able to do that as easily as you breathe, Evrain.” Gregory had his hands on his hips, his expression stern. “I’ve told you before how fit you need to be to wield the power. Do you ever listen to me?”

  Evrain stood in silence as Gregory continued to berate him. He had the sense to realize it was worth putting up with the abuse. Gregory was an excellent teacher and his help was worth every scolding. The ferns around Evrain’s ankles unwound but he stayed where he was. He met Gregory’s eyes and flinched. “I do listen, I promise. I’ll do better.”

  “I don’t enjoy being so hard on you, Evrain, but it is necessary.”

  “I know.” Evrain had a strange urge to comfort his godfather. “I understand, even if I’m not very good at showing it. We’re men. We’re not supposed to get this touchy feely.”

  “So true.” Gregory moved to position himself behind one of the standing stones. “So let’s get on, shall we? I want you to draw water from the ground then draw it through the granite.” He touched the top of the stone, which stood around four feet high. “I want to see a pool of liquid in this indentation.”

  Evrain stared at him in disbelief. It was the most difficult thing Gregory had ever asked him to do. Evrain could turn a burbling stream into a raging torrent, change a smoldering fire into an inferno, bend the earth to his will, but all those things took raw power rather than control. This meant manipulating earth and water together at a molecular level. It would need all his strength and discipline. He didn’t really believe he could do it, but he had to try.

  Evrain closed his eyes and channeled, searching for the strength that came from his emotional connection to Dominic. It was hard to explain how it affected him. He could sense the beat of Dominic’s heart and every pulse sent a charge of energy through him. His senses all seemed sharper, his mind clearer. He could feel the power within him and the connection strengthened his ability to exert his will over something wild and unpredictable. He let his senses explore, moving earth and rock aside to allow a tiny tributary of the stream at the end of the field to form. He created the narrowest of passages for it, sending it underground. He nudged aside earthworms and redirected a confused velvet-black mole. The water seeped its way in increments across the field. Time stood still as Evrain moved each root and burrowing insect. He imposed his will on earth, air and water. After a while, he dropped to his knees and concentrated on the particles of the rock in front of him, separating each tiny crystal in his mind, creating a channel for liquid to pass through. He coaxed the liquid bead by bead until finally, moisture appeared on the top of the huge boulder, formed a small pool then trickled silver back to the earth as it overflowed.