Embrace the Light (Godstone Saga 5)

“I wouldn’t know. You’ve never fucked me on the floor. I can’t do a fair comparison.”

Eno snorted and threaded his fingers through Rayne’s sweaty hair. “When we’re home, I’ll fuck you on the floor in the middle of your office. That way every time you look up from your desk, your eyes will go directly to the spot where you shouted my name and lost your mind.”

Rayne laughed and turned his head so he could sink his teeth into Eno’s nipple, earning a sharp yelp. “Evil bastard.”

“Ow!” Eno cried. He squeezed Rayne a little tighter and Rayne released him, pressing a kiss to the abused bit of flesh.

Sighing happily to himself, Rayne closed his eyes and relaxed against his lover, letting himself sink into this moment for a few seconds longer. He needed to find clothes and gather up those papers before he drifted off to sleep, but he wasn’t ready to move yet.

“Did you know Davi is already a citizen of Erya?” Eno inquired, seemingly out of the blue. Of course, Rayne suspected that Davi wasn’t far from Eno’s thoughts right now.

He smiled to himself. “Actually, I did. I asked Vitor last night what paperwork needed to be completed for Davi in the event that he had to make a quick escape from Ilon. Everything has been taken care of.”

Eno snorted. “I should have known. Always two steps ahead.”

“Not even close, but I like that you believe it about my abilities.”

“I’m struggling to wrap my head around the fact that I have a brother and it’s Davi. We’ve talked for hours, but he’s still a stranger to me. I want to immediately send him to Stormbreak, get him out of this mess with Vitor and Ilon, but…I know how I’d feel if some ass butted into my life and started telling me what to do.”

Rayne shifted so that he was leaning up on one elbow to look into Eno’s worried eyes. “I imagine he’s very much like you. He doesn’t want anyone protecting him. Plus, he’s invested in helping find the missing Erya children. You have to respect what he wants to do with his life.”

“I know. I do.” Eno paused, his eyes drifting to where Rayne’s hand was resting on the middle of his chest. He worried his bottom lip with his teeth before he finally admitted, “He asked me to stay here. To help him here. After we got the thing with the Goddess of the Hunt settled.”

Rayne stiffened and he knew Eno felt it, despite his attempts to hide his reaction to this news. Their bodies were plastered together. There was no way Eno missed it. But how could he not react? Eno leaving as Caelan’s bodyguard. Would they ever see each other again?

Did Rayne even have a right to ask him to stay?

Davi was his brother. It was natural for Eno to want to remain with his family.

“Hey,” Eno said gently. He cupped the side of Rayne’s face, tilting his head so they were staring into each other’s eyes. “I’m going to tell him no. Even if it is for only a year or two, I can’t do it. I can’t leave Caelan, and I definitely can’t leave you.”

“But he’s your brother.”

“And you’re the other half of my soul.”

Closing his eyes, Rayne leaned into his touch. “As long as I know you’re coming back, I think I can tolerate a year or two without you.” Rayne quickly opened his eyes and narrowed them. “But no more than that.”

“No. I’m not doing it. We just talked about him doing what he’s passionate about, and I’ve got to do the same. My duty, my purpose, is to protect the king. And my absolute pleasure is being with you. He said he’s coming home to Stormbreak when he’s done. We’ll have our time together then.”

Rayne laid his head on Eno’s chest and released a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “It’s whatever you need. I’ll always be there for you.”

“I know, Rayne. Thank you.”

They settled into a comfortable silence. Rayne lay with his eyes closed, enjoying the feel of Eno’s fingers in his hair. His breathing was slow and even under his ear, lulling Rayne’s mind into wandering. Eno’s talk about his brother had Rayne’s thoughts drifting to his younger sister, Zephyr.

There were twelve years between them in age, and it was hard for them to be particularly close in a lot of ways. When she was growing up, Rayne was usually away at school. Even during the summers when he should have been home, he was typically away at some internship or other scholarship program. At the time, it had been about building his experience as well as getting away from their parents.

The problem was that it meant that he rarely saw her.

It was only after he’d finished school and started working for the crown that he’d heard from her more. She was entering high school and had frequently texted him to complain about their parents. In the past couple of years, there had been more questions about good schools and what she should do to pursue her dreams of making a living with her paintings.

As time passed, their conversations grew more random and more personal.

But in the past several months, he’d rarely heard from her. When he was out of Erya, communication with home had been spotty or nonexistent. Zephyr also tried to refrain from contacting him when she knew that he was away for his protection.

He missed her, and far more than he’d expected.

He missed her silly, strange, and off-the-wall comments. He missed her sending him pictures of whatever she was working on. He missed her smile.