Page 81 of Ever Dark Academy: Vol. 1

Ryder was abruptly pulling away, holding him at arm’s length, and breathing heavily.

“What’s wrong?” Grayson demanded.

But Ryder shook his head as if to clear it and said, “Rules. Rules first.”

“Okay.”

Grayson’s tongue tingled. But he didn’t mention that. He didn’t mention how that tingling spread either to the very tips of his fingers and toes and the top of his head. The urge to dive back in and demand more of that taste was almost overwhelming. But he shoved it down. He didn’t force people. If they didn’t want to be touched, he didn’t touch them. If they wanted to stop, he stopped. Consent usually was the only power that others had over him. So he obeyed it.

“I find you…” Ryder licked his lips. “I’m very attracted to you.”

Grayson grinned. “I am to you as well. Good thing, huh?”

“Yes… and no.” Ryder scrubbed a hand over his beard. “I asked if you would let me feed from you, but perhaps I shouldn’t. That might not be wise.”

Grayson studied the Vampire’s face. Part of him wanted to howl that he wasn’t afraid of Ryder, that he wanted to know the feeling of fangs at his throat, but, again, consent was important. Feeling in control was important for people. He had to give Ryder that.

He stepped closer. Ryder froze again. Grayson moved slowly enough that Ryder could use normal human speed to pull away as he cupped Ryder’s cheek. When the Vampire turned his head into his palm once more and kissed it, letting his eyes slide shut, Grayson knew it was okay.

“You’re afraid of losing control with me,” Grayson guessed, even as he felt somewhat ridiculous saying that.

Ryder nodded, eyes still closed, mouth moving languidly against Grayson’s skin. His cock ached from the erotic touch.

Why would he inspire such emotion in Ryder? The Vampire was old. Surely, he’d had sex with loads of humans. But maybe he didn’t care if he drained them dry or not. And if that was the case then this was a bigger deal than Grayson had even considered. But, then again, he couldn’t imagine Ryder killing people without cause. That wasn’t in his nature. So there was something about Grayson, in particular, that made him feel this way.

“Okay, so what if I suck you off and then top you?” Grayson asked. “Will that help if I’m the one in control of what we do?”

Ryder’s eyes opened to slits. “You want to top me?”

“Oh, hell, yes,” Grayson said with an unapologetic grin. “All this strength you’ve got? So big. So bad. And to see you mewling like a kitten when I’m inside of you? God, I’m going to cum just thinking about it.”

Ryder’s chuckles tickled his skin. “You are a revelation.”

“I try. But it’s hard to surprise a guy that’s nearly half a millennia old.”

Another chuckle. “One would think it would be, but you’re full of surprises. I agree to your terms.”

“Good, because I really don’t think I can hold out much longer,” Grayson told him. “But we need lube and condoms--”

“Lubricant is in the bathroom. Second drawer from the left.” Ryder sniffed the air as he said this.

“You can smell the lubricant?” Grayson’s eyebrows lifted.

“Yes.” A flash of an impish smile.

“And the condoms? You can’t get diseased and--”

“Neither can you from me. Our cum doesn’t not contain enough of what changes humans to harm either,” Ryder said.

“Bareback. Wow. I’ve never… never done that.” Grayson blinked even as his cock pressed against the zipper.

“Do you not want to?”

“Oh, no, no, I do. I most certainly do. Just so many things haven’t been an option until now. With you.” Grayson swallowed. “Let me get that lube and you make yourself comfortable.”

Grayson was quickly turning and hurrying to the bathroom. He really thought he might cum if he kept looking at Ryder, feeling Ryder’s breath and lips against his skin, and talking about fucking bareback.

The bathroom was bigger than he remembered. There was what he would call mood lighting with strips of low, blue light that ran underneath the cabinets and around the outside of the mirror. It gave him more than enough light to find the lubricant in the drawer where Ryder had said it would be.

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