Origin (Scales 'n' Spells 1)

He was fairly certain all the blood in his body had flooded south to his throbbing cock pressed against the front of his slacks, demanding to have a turn with Cameron’s magical hands and that wonderfully slick oil.

To have those long, nimble fingers wrap around him and—

No! No thinking about that.

Clenching his teeth, Alric fisted his right hand at his side, inwardly praying Cameron didn’t notice the fine trembling of his muscles as he struggled to get control of himself.

Of course, that wasn’t possible.

Cameron chuckled softly, his warm breath brushing against Alric’s bare neck. Goosebumps broke out across his flesh, and Alric sucked in a breath through his teeth.

“Relax,” Cameron murmured. “The point of the massage is to help you relax. Make you feel good.”

“Would you be able to relax if someone was doing this to you?” Alric asked, his voice little more than a harsh growl.

Cameron hummed as if he was giving it some thought. He bent, dipping his fingers into the oil again. Moving behind Alric, he cradled his neck on either side, gently massaging muscles there before sweeping down across his chest. Alric’s nipples hardened to painful points, and there was no stopping the quick breath he sharply sucked in. This wasn’t his fault. He couldn’t stop how his body reacted to each amazing caress. He could only control what he did about it. And right now, he was going to sit there and take it because it made Cameron happy.

Alright, fine, he might be enjoying it too. A little.

“Just anyone massaging me?” Cameron asked.

Rage scorched through Alric’s body, and he glared at the wall in front of him at the thought of anyone putting their hands on Cameron. No one should touch him. Just Alric. Only Alric. Scheiße, and that was his dragon flaring up with possessiveness. Alric shoved it back down mentally.

“Whoa! You just got really warm,” Cameron gasped, his hands leaving Alric for a moment. “Are you okay?”

Alric nearly groaned at himself. “Yes. Of course. Hot flash,” he muttered and then rolled his eyes at himself. A fucking hot flash? Wonderful. That was really sexy. Now he was a menopausal woman.

Cameron’s hands tentatively returned to his shoulders, resuming their slow course over Alric’s bare skin. “I’m guessing that’s a dragon thing. Hot flashes. I bet you would be amazing to snuggle with at night, all warm and toasty. My feet would never be cold with you.”

Images of a naked Cameron stretched out beside him, wrapped in his arms, their bodies pressed flush from toes to lips, crowded into his brain, and his cock throbbed a happy yes. Alric closed his eyes and clamped his mouth shut when his tongue fought to offer his bed up to Cameron any time he wanted.

This was wrong. Cameron could belong to another dragon, and he was sitting here basking in the man’s slippery touch over his body. He was imagining kissing him, sinking deep into him until Cameron screamed his name over and over again.

But it wasn’t enough to simply fuck him and claim him.

Alric wanted Cameron to claim him as well. He wanted Cameron to trust him, believe in him, place his life into Alric’s hands and know that Alric would always keep him safe. He wanted Cameron to fight for Alric.

Beautiful, sweet, funny Cameron couldn’t possibly be his. Alric was too dark, too weak. He didn’t deserve someone as perfect as Cameron. The mage likely belonged to Gunter—they both had brilliantly sharp minds. Or maybe he was Ravi’s mate—they both had a playful, free sense of humor.

There were at least a dozen other dragons who would be a better match for Cameron and here Alric sat, greedy and selfish, loving every pass of his wonderful hands over his skin. He was stealing from another member of his clan. A lump of self-loathing formed in his throat. This behavior started the war, and he would not be like Kaiser.

Closing his eyes, Alric parted his lips to finally ask Cameron to stop, but the mage pressed his cheek to the side of Alric’s head, his lips brushing against the shell of his ear. “Shhh…relax. Remember, this is for me. You promised to give me my fantasy.”

Alric managed a small nod as Cameron’s wicked hands slid down his chest and across his flat stomach, dancing so damn close to the waistband of his slacks. Just another inch or so and Cameron’s fingers—

“But you asked me a question,” Cameron started again, dragging his hands up Alric’s chest. His index fingers lingered on Alric’s nipples, circling them slowly a few times before moving back up to his shoulders. Alric couldn’t remember what they’d been talking about at all. “Relaxing if just anyone was massaging me? No, I don’t think I could.”

Right. Alric’s destructive thoughts had spiraled out of control when he’d thought about someone else placing their hands on Cameron.