Page 106 of Take No Prisoners
"I have nothing to hide from you," Efren said.
Niall's throat bobbed as he swallowed, and his gaze brightened with unshed tears.
Efren wanted to comfort him, to promise again he would never leave, not if he could help it.
Then, Niall eased two oiled fingers inside him. Efren took over, ordering Niall to continue pleasuring him the way he liked.
"More like that."
He was surprised at the feedback from Niall's core. Niall wanted his orders. Craved them, even. "There. More." And he loved praise, so Efren praised him. "Aye. Gods, yes. You're so perfect."
He was going to come from Niall's fingers alone if Niall kept massaging his prostate. Instead of begging, he gave another order. "Now. Need you now."
Niall removed his fingers and made a show of wiping the oil still clinging to them onto his erection.
"Hurry," Efren ordered, still resisting the need coursing through his body. Niall needed him to stay in command.
Finally, Niall's cock was slick with oil and pushing against Efren's entrance. He rolled his hips and lifted his knees, giving Niall easier access to him. They both moaned as Niall's cock head slid inside. The stretch was almost too much, but Efren needed more. He wanted to feel Niall's body the way he heard his thoughts and felt his desire through the piece of his core. He wanted to feel all of it. He relaxed his body and opened his mind and soul to Niall completely. The rush of sensations was almost overwhelming, but he embraced them.
Niall sank into him to the hilt, and they both let out a shuddering breath. "Gods, you are amazing," Efren whispered.
Niall's cock twitched inside him, and he groaned. "You're going to make me come too soon. I want this to be good for you."
Efren kissed his sweaty forehead. "Everything you do is good for me, from the moment I first saw you on that sinking ship."
Niall pushed himself up onto his elbows and slid his thighs beneath Efren's, angling his body to hit his sweet spot and giving them both more room to move. Efren moved against Niall, slapping their flesh together with each thrust. The connection between them grew with each breath. Efren had never felt this close to anyone. Before, that thought would have terrified him. Now, it filled him with relief. He would never lose Niall because Niall would always be with him. If something separated them again, Efren would find his way back to Niall and bring him home, wherever Niall wanted home to be.
"Home."The shared thought reverberated through every part of Efren's being, and he came hard, snapping his hips up to be as close to Niall as he could. His vision went dark around the edges. Pure elation cascaded through his body, mind, and core. Through their connection, he sensed Niall's pleasure. The sensation filled him with satisfaction as Niall shouted his name and tipped over the edge of his own orgasm.
Niall collapsed on top of him, and Efren felt Niall's cock pulsing inside him. Efren was a sweaty, sticky mess, but neither of them minded as their mouths collided. The added connection extended Efren's pleasure until he collapsed boneless and sated to the pillows.
"You are my home," Niall whispered in his ear. "On the ship, here in this house, it doesn't matter. Wherever you are is where I belong."
Efren sought Niall's lips again as a warm trickle of tears ran down his face, gathering in his beard before dampening his pillow.
Niall brushed at his tears with the backs of his hands, and then he kissed the rest away. "I love you, Efren."
"I love you." Efren didn't trust himself to say more, not when the truth rang clear between them, thanks to their core link. Efren had never dreamed such a connection was possible, but now that the link existed, he would treasure it for the rest of his days.
∞∞∞
Niall
Until they were all stuffed into the cavern the council used for a courtroom, Niall hadn't known so many people lived on the two islands. It was standing room only behind Vadim's chair. Efren and Niall stood directly behind him, with Klaus to Efren's right. The two children Niall had rescued from Vadim's ship stood to Niall's left with Petri.
Martiz stood to lead the proceedings, but Niall's grandmother interrupted with a hand on the healer's shoulder. "There's a traitor amongst us, one who would use today's verdicts against us."
"How dare you," Martiz hissed.
"It's me," she said. "We got lucky yesterday. We were close enough to rescue Niall and Klaus without Coryn sensing us. It won't happen again if I’m with you."
She sighed, and her shoulders slumped. For the first time, Niall had to agree that she looked old. She had deep circles under her eyes, and her mouth pinched when she frowned. "Last night, I sensed a residual connection from the trap. I could feel her in my head, trying to find a way inside. I beg the council to strip my powers now, before she finds a way to eavesdrop."
Niall had never heard anyone speak of stripping a weaver's power before. "Is that even possible?" he asked Efren.
"Niall." She waved him forward and put both of her hands in his. "This object Coryn seeks on Stony Eel Island has the same properties as a small statue here in our sanctuary. The statue can be used by a spectral weaver to strip another of their power. You are the only one besides me with the power to use it."
Vadim stood so quickly his chair scraped the floor. "There has to be another way."
