Kraken My Heart Page 8

  Then Grell did something that Ted couldn’t explain: His tongue began to wrap around his shaft, spiraling down and squeezing as he sucked.

  “F-fuck!” Ted wheezed, his hands fisting into the sheets. Nothing had ever been this intense, and he was lost in the lovely warmth and pulsating pressure of Grell’s wicked tongue wrapped so intimately around him.

  Grell somehow managed to look smug, glancing up at Ted as if to gauge his pleasure. He kept his tongue going, twisting and untwisting down Ted’s cock as he bobbed his head, stuffing his own throat as far as he could go.

  Which, apparently, was all the fucking way.

  Ted’s hips jerked up despite his best efforts, and he moaned in a mixture of pleasure and pain. He gasped when Grell pushed him down to pin his body against the bed, and that made all of this even hotter. His balls were already tightening up, and he was doomed. Oh, he was so freakin’ doomed.

  Grell never slowed, apparently determined to make Ted absolutely lose his mind. He squeezed Ted’s sides, his powerful hands sliding down his hips and thighs as he gave him the best blowjob of his entire life.

  “Grell!” Ted cried out in warning, shaking and twitching as the king’s hot mouth dragged him over the edge. He couldn’t stop, coming hard and groaning as his back arched right off the bed. The bliss blinded the discomfort, and he pulsed repeatedly down Grell’s tight throat.

  Growling possessively, Grell grabbed Ted’s ass and held him suspended off the bed, swallowing back all that he had to offer and sucking more passionately, as if he could milk out more if he just tried hard enough.

  “Hunghh… oh… oh God!” Ted sounded hysterical to his own ears, his toes curling up as Grell kept taking and taking. He was waiting for the agony of overstimulation to steal his joy, but it never came. He was totally enslaved by Grell’s wicked tongue, and his climax seemed never ending.

  He breathed in—still coming.

  He breathed out—still coming.

  Ted could feel tears in his eyes, and he clawed at the bed, not sure whether to cry or scream or both. He heard Grell growl, and the intense explosion of sensation finally faded. It was a steady drop, like a feather floating down on a light breeze, and left him totally exhausted.

  Grell returned his hips to the bed and finally pulled off with one last lick, giving Ted full view of his especially dexterous tongue.

  “Holy… fuck…,” Ted managed to wheeze, his bones sinking into the mattress as Grell climbed back up to claim a kiss. Ted’s lips were tingling as they kissed, and he was buzzing from the fantastic orgasm.

  “Consider your world rocked,” Grell taunted with a gorgeously smug smile, pecking Ted’s nose. “Mmm. You tasted even better than I thought you would, Theodore.”

  “Awesome,” was all Ted could manage.

  “Just wait until you have my cocks,” Grell purred.

  “Cocks?” Ted echoed.

  Grell had certainly misspoken.

  There was no way….

  Grell was grinning very proudly.

  “Oh fuck.”

  Ted didn’t know if he would survive, but fuck if it wouldn’t be fun to try. “Do you wanna…?” He gestured vaguely. “You know? Get yours?”

  “Mmm, I don’t think you could handle me in your current state.” Grell chuckled as he rolled off beside Ted. “I really don’t mind, darling. I enjoyed myself thoroughly.”

  “Yeah?” Ted grinned.

  “Absolutely,” Grell promised. He looked every bit the cat who had gotten the cream. “Feeling good, love?”

  “Uh-huh.” Ted carefully shuffled onto his side with minimal discomfort, his face still hot from the thrill of climax. “You were not kidding, huh? Because damn, Your Royal Highness.”

  “Oh, it was nothing,” Grell said, clearly very pleased. He snapped his fingers and summoned a glass of liquor to his hand. “Anytime.”

  “It’s been a while for me,” Ted confessed. He didn’t know if the Asra were big into pillow talk, but he was uncertain as to where this left them.

  Maybe it was nothing.

  Maybe it was something….

  “It’s also been a long time for me,” Grell said, snapping his fingers to summon a second glass for Ted. “Despite my dashing charisma, it’s not often I find myself desired by others… not unless they want something for themselves.”

  “You mean because you’re king,” Ted supplied, cringing as he tried to sit up to take a sip.

  “Precisely.” Grell wiggled his nose and a long, looped straw appeared so Ted could drink without moving.

  “Thanks.”

  “Why has it been so long, hmm?” Grell eyed Ted curiously. “You’re a gorgeous specimen. You don’t smell particularly bad. You’re even tolerable to talk to.”

  “Mmm, just keep pouring on the compliments.”

  “I’m serious!” Grell protested.

  “Look, I’ve had some dates, you know!” Ted frowned, slurping at his drink through the swirly straw. “I had a really bad breakup last year, and since then, it’s just been hard to get serious with anyone.”

  “What happened? Did they break your precious heart? Carry on a torrid love affair?”

  “No, he proposed.” Ted grimaced.

  “Wait,” Grell scoffed. “Your relationship ended because your partner offered you marriage?”

  “I wasn’t ready,” Ted explained hastily. “We’d only been dating for a year—”

  “A year? Isn’t that a pretty significant chunk of lifespan for humans? Don’t you only live for half a century or so?”

  “Hey, we can live for, like, I dunno, eighty years!” Ted was flustered, trying to explain himself. “Look, it was very significant. I really loved him, but I wasn’t ready for all of that. I got scared. And when I told him no, well, he dumped me.”

  “Ouch.”

  Ted sucked hard on the straw, gulping back the booze and groaning. “Look, I’ve had plenty of time to beat myself up over it. Pretty sure that was my one shot at a happily ever after, and I fucked it up.”

  “What makes you say that?” Grell frowned.

  “I can’t meet anybody new,” Ted replied sadly. “And on the actual freak occasion I do meet someone, trying to make time for a date around my schedule is almost impossible. Guys get tired of waiting around, and they just move on.

  “I can’t stop thinking, what if I had just said yes? I wouldn’t be alone right now. I wouldn’t be so fucking miserable, watching everybody else around me hanging out with their happy families and shit. I mean, my job would still suck ass, but at least I’d be going home to someone.”

  “Well,” Grell said thoughtfully, “I’m rather thankful you didn’t get married.”

  “Ugh. Why?”

  “If you had accepted the proposal, you wouldn’t very likely have the roommate that you do now,” Grell replied. “You wouldn’t have been around to annoy my son, and he wouldn’t have sent you through the portal. In essence, we wouldn’t have ever met.”

  “Shit.” A blush crept up Ted’s neck. “Yeah, I guess not.” He took another sip of his drink. “What about you?”

  “What?” Grell blinked.

  “I work all the fuckin’ time, and the smell of formaldehyde isn’t a big turn-on for most people. That’s why I’m still single. So what about you?”

  “I also work all the time and because no one could ever compare to my mate, I suppose,” Grell said with a bittersweet smile. “After he died, I was… angry. For all my power, I couldn’t save him.”

  Even though it hurt, Ted moved his arm to take Grell’s hand.

  Grell laced their fingers together as he went on, “It was a plague that took him. Hundreds of our people were sick and dying, and his stubborn ass insisted on going to help.” He laughed bitterly. “Caught it himself, that dumb bastard.”

  “I’m sorry,” Ted said, wishing the words didn’t sound so hollow.

  “He was my light.” Grell smiled sadly. “The whole kingdom was a little less bright after he died.” He drained
his glass. “Our son didn’t take it particularly well either.”

  “So,” Ted said carefully, “he wasn’t always such a brat?”

  “Ha!” Grell actually laughed. “No, he definitely was. But it got worse after Vael died.”

  “That was his name?”

  “Mmhmm.” Grell’s thumb brushed over Ted’s knuckles. “Vael Crem. We were together for six hundred and fifty-six years.”

  “Holy fuck,” Ted murmured, eyeing Grell curiously. “Six hundred… how old are you?”

  “A lady never discusses her age.” Grell batted his eyes.

  “You Asra really live for a while, huh?”

  “Indeed,” Grell said. “And as long as I’ve lived, I’ve never met anyone else like Vael….” He smirked. “Well, until I met you, of course.”

  “Me?” Ted was flattered. “I really remind you of your husband?”

  “Yes,” Grell said. “You’re both hopelessly stubborn bastards.”

  “Sweet talker.”

  “And you make me laugh,” Grell said more sincerely, leaning in to kiss Ted. “It’s been a very long time since I’ve laughed like this. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt… well, anything like this. Thank you for that.”

  “Yeah,” Ted murmured, his chest flooded with a new warmth as he gazed over at Grell. “No problem.”

  Grell was smiling at him so sweetly, and Ted melted as he came back in for another kiss. He shifted his body, aching to be closer, and winced when he felt another stab of pain.

  “Fuck!”

  “Mmm, perhaps we should exercise a bit of patience with regards to more exciting carnal activities.” Grell backed off with a departing kiss.

  “Yeah, probably,” Ted mumbled. There was a tug at his leg, and he glanced up to see the familiar shadow of the little boy out of the corner of his eye. “Mm, hey, little guy.”

  “Your friend?” Grell asked politely, sitting up and refilling his drink so he could take a healthy gulp.

  “Yeah,” Ted said, glancing around the room to figure out where the boy had gone. “He’s acting like he wants me to follow him.” There was another hard tug. “Yeah, definitely.”

  “To where exactly? Back to the library?”

  “Maybe.” Ted tried to concentrate. “There’s something… fuck, I can’t remember. He was trying to tell me something. If he’s trying to get me to go again, there’s gotta be something there.”

  “Does he often show you where to find things?”

  “No,” Ted replied, hissing in pain as he tried to move. “Ow, fuck. No, he doesn’t, but it’s just this feeling I have. Like it’s really important.”

  “Well,” Grell tutted, “whatever it is, it can wait until you’re feeling better.”

  “Oh, come on!”

  “Nope.” Grell shook his head. “You’re staying right here until I deem you well enough to continue investigating.”

  “I’m fine!” Ted argued.

  “Really?” Grell grinned, smacking Ted’s shoulder. “Go on, then! Go follow your little ghost friend. Let’s see how far you get.”

  Determined and agitated, Ted summoned all of his strength. He would show that damn king what he was made of. He ignored the aches and the pain in his leg, grunting with massive effort as he forced his body to function. He was sitting up, yes, almost there—

  He rolled flat onto his face and couldn’t get back up.

  “So, how’d that work out for you?” Grell cooed with syrupy sweetness.

  “Fuck off,” Ted mumbled into the sheets.

  Grell helped roll him back over and tucked the blankets around him, fussing, “You’re staying here until that nasty venom wears off.”

  “Yes, dear,” Ted griped, smiling as Grell brought him up on his chest to cuddle. “Fine. I’ll be good.” He glanced out in the room. “Sorry, little guy. Gotta wait.”

  Although Ted couldn’t be sure, he thought he heard a small, frustrated sigh.

  “Hey, what was all that stuff you said before?” Ted asked.

  “I say a lot of stuff.” Grell ran his fingers through Ted’s hair. “You’ll have to be a bit more specific, darling.”

  “About me and the kid,” Ted clarified.

  “Ah, that.”

  “Yes, that!” Ted made a face. “Come on, Mr. Soul Expert. If a soul can’t be bound to a living person, explain how it happened to me.”

  “The simplest explanation would be that you’re not alive,” Grell replied with a wry smile.

  “Sorry. Last time I checked, very much with the living.”

  “And you don’t recall any accidents?” Grell’s hand moved over Ted’s chest. “Stubbed your toe and fell off a cliff? Took a shower during a lightning storm? Pumped some gas while on your cell phone? Nothing at all?”

  “No,” Ted insisted, frowning as he watched Grell’s hand pause over his heart. “What is it? I got a heartbeat, don’t I?”

  “Of course.”

  “Then why do you keep asking about accidents and shit?” Ted laughed nervously. “You’re really starting to freak me out.”

  “Short of Great Azaethoth himself, I only know of two ways for souls to bind with the living,” Grell said solemnly. “One involves a Silenced vessel, which you are not. The other, well, the living bit is quite optional.”

  “Okay?” Ted’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean by ‘optional’?”

  “Death,” Grell replied without hesitation.

  Ted started to laugh, waiting for Grell to give in and tell him it was a joke. It didn’t happen. He scoffed at Grell’s flat expression, arguing passionately, “But I’m not dead!”

  “Not right now,” Grell pointed out. “At least, I’m pretty sure.” He booped Ted’s nose and watched him flinch. “No, right. Sorry, just checking. You’re alive.”

  “I think I would remember if I freakin’ died!” Ted snapped.

  “Maybe you would,” Grell said, gently taking Ted’s hand and laying it over his own on Ted’s chest. “But then again, maybe you wouldn’t….”

  Ted felt a rush of heat and a faint pulse. As the sensation grew, he realized it was his own. It thumped a little faster than what was probably normal, and he blamed Grell’s touch and the strange conversation for its rapid pitter-patter.

  “Listen,” Grell implored, his golden eyes shining as he held Ted’s hand firmly in place.

  Ted tried, closing his eyes to focus on the rhythm.

  Faster and faster it went, and then….

  Another beat.

  It was a second heartbeat thumping alongside his own. It was faint, weak, but definitely a unique rhythm.

  “I don’t understand,” Ted whispered, his fingers tightening around Grell’s. “What does this fuckin’ mean…?”

  “Something that I can’t explain,” Grell said quietly. “Some miraculous incident, certainly mired in tragedy, brought you and your little friend together. You died with him. Both of you died. At the same time. All right?”

  “And… but… but… I’m… I’m still alive,” Ted said, his stomach turning anxiously. “That’s not possible! I’m not fuckin’ dead!”

  “I know,” Grell soothed, “and that’s because someone—or something—brought you back.”

  “What?”

  “So,” Grell said with a click of his tongue. “Now that we got all that weirdness out of the way— Is that gonna be a yes for dinner?”

  Chapter 7.

  “I THINK I’m gonna throw up,” Ted whispered in horror.

  “I’ll hold your hair,” Grell said with a friendly smile.

  “You’re being serious,” Ted said, searching Grell’s face for any sign that this was a terrible prank and finding none. “You really think I died and someone resurrected me?”

  “I know they did,” Grell said, nodding down to where their joined hands still rested on Ted’s chest. “I’ve been around for a long time, love. I remember what real necromancy costs.”

  “Which is what?”

  “Sacrifice,” Grell
replied. “Life for life.”

  Ted jerked his hand away, nauseated as he tried to sort out the full ramifications of what Grell was telling him. “Someone… died for me?”

  “Only a tiny bit,” Grell said, petting Ted’s hair. “Someone gave part of their life for you.”

  “Isn’t that what people do with ghouls?”

  “No,” Grell said. “A ghoul is a bookmark in a story that’s already ended.”

  “And me?”

  “Your story got a sequel.”

  “Fuck,” Ted whispered shakily. “That’s some heavy shit.”

  “Your parents into magic by chance? Perhaps any of your friends dabble in ancient forbidden spells?” Grell asked. “Any of your little ghost buddies decide to tell you the secrets of necromancy, eh?”

  “No.” Ted shook his head and loudly slurped on the swirly straw. “My life is so fucking boring. I work, I work some more, I come home, I work. Call my parents sometimes. Lots of gross and depressing shit in between. That’s it.”

  “Really?”

  “Up until coming here and shacking up with a hot king, yeah, not a whole lot going on,” Ted said with a shy grin, trying to be braver than he felt.

  “Mmm, so I take it you’re going to accept my dinner invitation?” Grell preened. “Seeing as how your social calendar is so open and all.”

  “Yeah,” Ted replied, biting his lower lip. “I mean, if you think you can spare the time while you’re working so diligently on my murder case. Forty-six hours to go, right?”

  Grell gasped dramatically. “I will have you know that I’ve been working very hard! So hard that I’ve already sent out a warrant for Visseract’s arrest.”

  “No shit?” Ted frowned. “Wait, when the hell did you do that?”

  “After the ghostie told us, before the spectacular fellatio.” Grell smirked. “I sent the equivalent of a mental text message. Lovely little talent I learned from an Absola who needed help with a property dispute. We were having such a lovely time, and I didn’t want to ruin the mood, darling.”

  “How very considerate of you.”

  “Mmhm. I told Vizier Ghulk to get on it at once, but Visseract must know we’re onto him. The guilty little fiend is apparently off hiding somewhere,” Grell said. “The rest of his clan conveniently doesn’t know where he is either. Don’t worry. We’ll find him.”