Aurora's Consort *ch. 51 added*

Wow. I think my brain has melted on this one. Get out your brain condoms folks. You're gonna need it. Fun!! Once again, lost formatting since FP decided to be evil. *rolls eyes* What's up w/ that lately? lol

Shout-outs to the following lovely reviewers who've made my little week: Nekoii-Desu, Khayman, jddbrz, Tyler, Nodoz, and xXTrissyXx. Thanx guys. You'll never know how much I appreciate it! *hugs*

Responses are here if you're interest. Always glad to hear from you guys! http://pesterme2.livejournal.com/

Big thanx to Madrachadevvi for her help on this one. *huggles* What can I say? M's an awesome Beta!

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Chapter 48 Starting Over

Devin's heart thundered with the fear of rejection as he nervously stepped forward and slipped his arms around Jayden. It was a huge relief when his emotionally wounded mate accepted his touch. While he soaked in Jayden's presence and fought to get control of himself, Devin stood there, torn between crying in frustration and thanking whichever deity watched over them for the second chance he'd been given. It was so obvious that being close to him was unbearably painful for his mate. That's why none of the last few minutes made sense and Devin was still reeling with the shock of it. This wasn't what he'd expected to happen when he'd come to face Jayden. Why had his ex-husband demanded that he come home so suddenly?

'It doesn't matter why,' Devin told himself firmly. 'All that matters is that Jayden hasn't turned his back on me forever.'

Devin was willing to accept whatever his mate was prepared to offer him. If Jayden had demanded that Devin sleep on the couch while he brought home lovers, then Devin would have held his tongue and forced himself to bear it. Even that would have been more than he deserved. Jayden had proved to Devin again and again that he was the larger man, and not only in stature. Now he'd demanded that Devin stay even though Devin had refused to drop the Omega issue. Devin knew that his mate's unexpected move was proof that, somewhere deep down, Jayden still loved him. He'd claimed that his reasons for accepting Devin back into his home and bed were for the sake of Aurora and their son, but Devin couldn't bring himself to believe that. If that were true, then why the sudden urgency?

Still, it had nearly broken his heart all over again when Jayden had proclaimed that they wouldn't be rejoined in the eyes of Aurora. His only hope was that his ex-husband's harsh conditions were simply his pain speaking for him. He didn't expect Jayden to take him into his confidence again anytime soon . . . and it be would foolish for Jayden to do so after what Devin had put him through. Add to that, Devin didn't regret most of the things he'd done up to this point. His regret lay in the way he'd done them. He still couldn't force himself to feel guilt over his supposed crimes against Zachary and, for all intents and purposes, his goals hadn't changed, nor would they.

The fact that they now stood on opposing sides of the same issue would be hard for them to overcome because both of them seemed equally determined to have their way. And despite his recent revelations, Devin didn't completely trust himself to do what was right at every turn. That was especially true in Devin's darker moments, when his rage and anger took over and seemed to sap all the color from the world around him. However, that seemed to happen less and less each day and he could only hope that it would continue to get better. Still, there was no way that he could guarantee that he would be able to fight back his occasional bouts of viciousness. At times it was almost like there was some evil presence lurking inside of him that blinded him to reality and blurred the lines between right and wrong until he couldn't distinguish one from the other.

Much to his surprise, Jayden's strong arms slipped around his smaller form, startling him out of his dark thoughts as Jayden's arms tightened around him almost imperceptivity. Then Devin's mate reached up to pull off his crown before leaning down to rest his cheek against the top of Devin's head. Jayden's heart was racing inside his broad chest as he took a deep breath and let it out slowly, so Devin knew that the large mage wasn't nearly as unaffected by his presence as Jayden would have liked for him to believe. As if to prove Devin's point, Jayden hugged him tighter and Devin felt his mate's erection press against his stomach.

Suddenly he knew what he needed to do and he reluctantly pulled away from Jayden's embrace before reaching down to take his mate's hand. Jayden looked down at him with a question in his stormy eyes, but Devin just met his gaze with a loving one of his own as he stepped toward the door of the dining room and tugged on Jayden's hand for him to follow.

"What are you doing?" Jayden asked, his voice roughened slightly from the emotions he was even now fighting to contain.

Devin ignored his mate's question as he led Jayden through the living area and into the bedroom they'd once shared. Only when Devin neared the massive bed did Jayden hesitate, pausing as if trying to decide whether or not to pull away. Devin stopped as well and turned to Jayden, cursing the blush that spread across his cheeks as he did so. He couldn't believe that he was still capable of such a thing after what he and Ashcroft had done together back at the compound. To feel shyness toward his own mate after that seemed hypocritical.

"You said that we would be lovers if I stayed," Devin whispered softly, forcing himself to maintain eye contact even though he felt like crawling beneath something to hide from his own embarrassment. If Jayden rejected him, Devin knew that he'd be humiliated, but it was worth the risk if he could offer his mate even the smallest comfort.

There was nothing he could do for now to soothe Jayden's emotional pain, but Devin knew that easing his lover's physical needs would at least relieve his suffering on some level. It was the least he could do to thank his mate for the chance he'd been given. Jayden's eyes widened ever-so-slightly as Devin's words sank in. Then he pulled his hand away and looked down at Devin warily.

"Don't think that you can sway me through physical pleasure, Devin. You've offered yourself up to me once in exchange for my cooperation. I didn't accept it then, and I won't accept it now."

Those words hurt, possibly more than anything that had been said between them up until that moment, but Devin fought down the stab of anguish and self-disgust that they invoked within him. The day he'd offered up his body like a desperate whore looking for his next fix in exchange for Jayden's support on changing the Omega laws was one of Devin's lowest moments. He still had trouble believing he'd done that. It didn't help to know that he'd meant it with every ounce of his being at the time or that some small, dark part of him still whispered that it was a real possibility even now. Devin pushed that thought away almost desperately as he looked up at Jayden.

"This has nothing to do with me," Devin murmured with a pleading expression. "I just want to do something to make you happy, so please lie down and let me take care of you."

Jayden stared at him for several awkward moments, as if fighting a battle within himself. Devin had little doubt that Jayden was trying to decide whether or not Devin had an ulterior motive and if so, whether or not it would be worth the risk to accept his ex-Consort's offer. Devin could only hold his breath and wait nervously, his body desperate for Jayden's touch even as he scolded himself for having made the offer in the first place. It was too soon, and Devin should have known that Jayden would take it the wrong way.

Still, he needed to do this for his mate. So, when Jayden's eyes finally strayed down to devour Devin's body hungrily, Devin boldly reached up to unhook the golden clasp that held his training vest in place and then slipped it from his shoulders before letting the delicate fabric float to the floor behind him. Jayden's eyes stumbled to a halt at the distorted mating mark on Devin's chest and an undeniable look of longing and pain crossed his beloved face.

Devin understood that longing all too well, but the mark no longer invoked the same pain in Devin's heart when he looked at it. It hurt Devin to see it on Jayden's face, though, and he had to force himself not to hide the mark from Jayden's scrutiny. To Devin, the growing mark was quickly becoming a sign of hope, an indicator that he was beginning to become something closer to what he used to be. Judging by the anguish that slipped momentarily into Jayden's expression at the sight of it, Devin could tell that his mate didn't feel the same way.

After several agonizing heartbeats, Jayden ripped his gaze from the spot, as if nothing had just passed between them, and turned his attention to the erect, tan nipples on Devin's chest. They'd hardened almost painfully when the cooler air of the room had brushed them and their increased sensitivity made it seem as if they were throbbing. When Jayden's silvery eyes latched on to them with obvious desire, Devin thought for a moment that his knees might give out as he tried to hide the spike of need that raced through his body.

Encouraged by the fact that Jayden hadn't turned and walked away in disgust, Devin reached down to unhook the fasteners at his hip and let his training pants slide down to the floor as well. Then he eased off his sandals and tossed the discarded pants aside before straightening and forcing himself to once again meet Jayden's gaze. What he found there was a mixture of shock, hunger, and pain that took his breath away. For a moment he felt like covering himself with his hands to hide his shameful erection. He'd wanted this to be about Jayden's pleasure, not his own. The fact that his body could react against his will still disgusted him beyond words, just as it had during his time at the Omega compound.

Devin quickly pushed that thought aside and closed the small distance between them to look up at Jayden with what he hoped was a seductive expression. "Just tell me what you need and I'll do it, Jayden. Anything," he murmured softly, hating the flush of arousal that flooded his cheeks when Jayden's eyes once again caressed every inch of his exposed flesh.

After a moment, Jayden blinked several times, like he was waking up from a trance, and his expression softened ever-so-slightly as he met Devin's shy gaze with a hungry one of his own. "You're so beautiful," he whispered as he finally let out a sigh of defeat and reached forward to brush his long fingers through the loose waves of Devin's hair.

Devin blushed at that as well so, to distract Jayden from his embarrassing reaction, he smiled up at him and leaned into the hand working its way through his blonde hair. Jayden smiled wistfully at Devin's response and without a word the large redhead stepped back, keeping an arm outstretched toward him in invitation. Devin took the offered hand without hesitation and allowed himself to be led over to the massive bed nearby before stopping to nervously reach for the button on Jayden's pants. A surprised look crossed Jayden's handsome face, but he quickly hid it as he patiently waited for Devin to work the button through the tiny hole and release the zipper.

Once he had, Devin lost his nerve for a moment and changed his course as he grabbed the hem of Jayden's gold, silk tunic and pushed it up as far as he could reach. Jayden pulled it off the rest of the way and let it drop to the floor beside him. Immediately, Devin's eyes were drawn to the disfigured mating mark on Jayden's otherwise perfect chest and a stab of guilt shot through him to know that his own weaknesses and imperfections had marred his mate in such a way. After making a silent promise to himself that he'd work hard to insure that one day their marks would be returned to their former glory, Devin forced his attention back to his mate's lower half, hastily shoving the pants further down.

No sooner had they slid from Jayden's strong hips then the man's large erection came into view and Devin nearly moaned at the sight. He still had trouble believing that something so big could fit inside him, much less give him such overwhelming pleasure. He wanted to take its satiny length into his mouth and drive Jayden wild with desire, but he held back to see what Jayden needed. This wasn't about what Devin wanted, after all.

Determinedly he pushed the tight pants further down, but once they reached Jayden's muscular thighs they resisted Devin's attempts. He let out a small sigh of frustration and he pushed yet again. This time the pants gave slightly, but not nearly enough to finish the job he'd started. Jayden finally took pity on him and reached down to help, easing them off before stepping out of them and tossing them aside carelessly.

A soft, low sound escaped Devin's lips as his hungry eyes roved their way from his mate's long, bare feet, and greedily made their way up Jayden's tempting, delectable body. His mountain of a mate might have lost weight, but it had done absolutely nothing to diminish the man's sensuality. Or perhaps it was because Devin had longed for Jayden's touch so desperately and had only been with his mate once in two long months that made it seem that way. Whatever the reason, Devin wanted him more in that moment than he'd ever wanted anything in his entire life.

When his eyes finally made their way up to meet Jayden's, the gorgeous redhead licked his lips before closing that final step separating them and suddenly engulfing Devin in his massive arms. Then he leaned down to devour Devin's lips like a half-starved animal. Devin's eyes widened in shock and it took him a few seconds to respond. Jayden had always seemed more comfortable with his sexuality than Devin and Devin had always suspected that Jayden was holding back. Now he knew that he'd been right because he'd never been kissed so roughly by his mate before. It was wonderful and all-consuming and Devin thought for a moment that he might drown under the intensity of it.

With a soft moan, he let his eyes fall shut as he opened his mouth to the tongue demanding entrance. It was all he could do to keep his wits about him long enough to breathe during the brief moments when their lips would part. Jayden's passion overwhelmed him, as did the hot tongue thrusting into his mouth again and again as if trying to devour him whole. Devin's entire body went weak as the heated, unrestrained kiss continued until his knees finally gave out completely and he sank down onto the bed behind him. Jayden followed him, not letting up for a second as he prowled up onto the bed as well, forcefully urging Devin onto his back even as he continued to thrust his tongue into Devin's mouth almost violently.

The feel of their heated skin sliding together was electric, and feeling Jayden's weight pressing against him was now more pleasurable than it had ever been before after having been forced to live without it. Only when his large mate tried to pull away did Devin notice that he'd wrapped his arms around Jayden's neck and was clinging to him with something close to desperation. Jayden didn't seem to mind, though. In fact, he only paused a moment to look down at Devin with longing in his silvery, passion-dazed eyes before going straight for the kill and skipping Devin's neck in favor of his erect nipples.

There was no teasing or drawing out the pleasure. Jayden sucked the beaded peak deep into his mouth and drew on it again and again until Devin thought he might lose his mind. It was almost too much, yet not enough at the same time. When Jayden pulled off with a loud pop, Devin cried out and slipped his hand down between their bodies to give his throbbing erection some much-needed attention.

Before he could reach it, Jayden grabbed Devin's arm at the wrist and forced it up above his head. Then he reached down to capture the other in his grip and give it much the same treatment. Before Devin's bliss-filled mind could process what was happening, his mate had both of his arms pinned in one large hand and was nipping and biting his way toward Devin's other nipple with a heated gleam in his eyes.

Jayden paused only long enough to swipe the tiny, brown bud with his tongue. Then he squeezed it gently between his teeth as he stared up at Devin, watching for his reaction. Devin instinctively thrust his hips upward in a vain attempt to ease the painful ache gathering in his groin, but Jayden draped a powerful thigh over his legs to keep Devin from achieving the stimulation he so desperately needed. "Please," he groaned as he tugged uselessly at the grip Jayden had on his wrists. "More. Please."

With a look of satisfaction, Jayden released Devin's aching nipple from his hot mouth and sat up to straddle Devin's lower hips, settling some of his weight onto Devin's upper thighs while refusing to release the firm hold he hand on Devin's wrists. "Please what?" Jayden demanded in a husky, aroused voice that sent a shiver of need racing down Devin's spine. "Tell me what you want, Devin. I want to hear the words pass through your lips."

When those words sank in, Devin immediately felt guilt begin to replace the overwhelming arousal he'd felt only moments ago. He'd done it again. He'd let himself get carried away to the point that he'd forgotten his reason for offering himself to Jayden in the first place. "I want to satisfy you. Your pleasure is the only thing that matters," Devin replied breathlessly, meeting Jayden's shuttered gaze with a serious one of his own. "I said that I'd do anything. All you have to do is ask and it's yours."

Once again that nagging doubt crossed Jayden's face, and for a moment Devin feared that his mate might have taken his offer out of context and would ask for something more than the physical satisfaction to which Devin had been referring. He nearly sighed in relief when a wicked grin spread across Jayden's red lips and he once again turned his attention to the naked body spread out before him.

After a painfully slow perusal, Jayden released Devin's wrists and licked his lips hungrily before demanding, "Seeing you lost in pleasure is my greatest satisfaction, Devin. Touch yourself for me. I've longed to see your face flushed with desire. I want to hear you cry out my name as you come for me."

Devin looked up at his mate, confusion clearly written on his face. This wasn't what he'd expected to hear but, as embarrassing as he knew it would be, Devin refused to back down. Leaving one hand above his head, he slowly ran the other down the expanse of his chest, brushing lightly at a nipple as he made his way lower to wrap his fingers around his aching length with a hiss. Jayden watched Devin's slow, hesitant movements almost breathlessly, his molten gaze following the path Devin's hand took eagerly before working its way back up Devin's body to his face.

"Show me, my pet," Jayden whispered. "Show me how you touch yourself."

All Devin could do was moan softly as he tightened his grip and began moving the satiny-smooth skin of his cock up and down his rock hard shaft. Jayden hummed his appreciation at the sight while Devin gathered up a trail of pre-come leaking from the tip and used it for lube before picking up the pace. It was more than embarrassing at first and it crossed Devin's mind that his mate was actively trying to humiliate him to see how far Devin was willing to go to please him. Soon, though, all such thoughts disappeared from his mind as Devin's body took over and fire started building up in his groin.

It felt so good, but he wished it were Jayden's hand touching him and as his arousal grew, Devin let his eyelids drift shut as he focused on the quickly rising need to come. "Open your eyes and look at me," Jayden rumbled softly, the command clear in his mate's voice despite the gentle expression Devin found on his handsome face when he complied with a blush. He was quickly reaching the point where he needed to find release, so he reached down with his other hand to rub across the head of his throbbing erection while he held Jayden's molten, silver gaze with his own, feeding his rising desire with the hunger he saw reflected there.

Without looking away, Jayden eased off of Devin's thighs, slipping a knee between Devin's legs to spread them gently before settling between them and lifting them until they lay across Jayden's strong thighs. Then he leaned over Devin's naked form to tease at a hard nipple with his warm, soft lips while he reached down and cupped Devin's sack in his warm palm and began gently rolling the delicate balls inside. Just the feel of Jayden touching him was enough to drive him closer to the edge and without even meaning to Devin tightened his grip on his pounding cock and sped up the pace again.

When Jayden squeezed Devin's balls gently, fire shot through his entire body and he froze in mid-stroke as his come shot between them, splattering their chests and abdomens. Too far gone to feel embarrassed by his mate's rapt attention, Devin groaned in pleasure and called out Jayden's name as his body seized in bliss and his back bowed off the bed with the power of his orgasm.

"Beautiful," Jayden whispered, awe coloring his voice as he finally broke eye contact and moved back down Devin's heaving chest to swipe a wet tongue across the drops of come on his abdomen. Devin's body arched instinctively into the caress and his erection twitched excitedly in his hand. Devin blushed yet again when he realized that, despite his recent orgasm, he was still half-hard and eager for more. Jayden noticed too and smiled up at Devin with amusement shining brightly in his molten, silver eyes.

"You've always been so responsive to my touch," Jayden murmured softly as he dropped several feather-light kisses across the small swell of Devin's lower abdomen. Devin's heart clenched at the sight and he couldn't stop a gentle smile from spreading across his lips. Jayden's smile momentarily widened into that blinding, hundred-watt smile that always set Devin's heart racing. It'd been so long since Devin had seen it. Too damn long.

"That's because it feels so good when you touch me," Devin replied breathlessly as he released his hold on his slowly reawakening length to slide his hand up and around the back of Jayden's neck so he could pull his mate closer. He wanted so badly to taste himself on Jayden's soft, red lips. "When we first met, it scared me half to death to realize the effect you had on me. I'd always believed that . . . Well, it doesn't matter what I believed back then. All that matters is that we belong together. We have from the beginning and I only needed some time apart from you to understand that. I understand now what you said the day I left our suite."

"What did I say?" Jayden asked with a confused frown as he gave in to the pressure of Devin's hand at the back of his neck and prowled up Devin's body to settle above him on his elbows. "We said many things that day, so you'll have to . . ."

"You said that we have a chance to build something new together," Devin cut in with a wavering, uncertain smile and a pleading look in his eyes, "that we can make something stronger than what we had before. I want to try if you'll let me." Jayden sighed and turned his face away from Devin, but Devin refused to let him as he cupped Jayden's handsome face in his hands to urge his mate to look back at him. Once he did, Devin continued softly. "You told me it would never be too late for us, that no matter how I'd changed that we were still mates and we would support one another and work through our problems together."

Jayden's eyes softened at those words, but only for a moment. Before Devin could take a deep breath, something distrustful and cynical began to seep in and Jayden let out a huff. "Yes, I remember those words. I also seem to recall that you accused me of being a fool because of them." With that, Jayden moved off of Devin and sat down just out of his reach before running a frustrated hand through his blood-red hair.

"No," Devin murmured quietly as he crawled the short distance to Jayden and then rose up on his knees to wrap his arms around Jayden's broad chest from behind. When Jayden didn't pull away, Devin pressed his cheek against his mate's neck, just behind his ear. "I was the fool. I've been acting like a crazy person since I came to Aurora, and even more so since my return from the compound. That's behind us now," Devin explained almost desperately as he tightened his hold on his mate. "I've realized that I've been going about things the wrong way. I've allowed myself to become something that I hate and I swear on my life that I'll do better. I'll be a mate that you can be proud of and someone who you'll learn to trust again. All I need from you is the promise that you'll keep an open mind and at least try not to shut me out of your heart. If you can do that, everything else will follow with time."

*~*~*~*

Jayden let out a long, shuddering breath at Devin's words as he reached up to clasp his hand over Devin's smaller ones where they hugged his chest tightly. Hearing the very words he'd used to beg Devin to give them a chance only a month ago pass through Devin's pink lips had been an eye opening experience. He could only sit there, stunned for a moment as he took a good, hard look at himself and his own behavior. All he could think about was, 'When did I lose faith? When did I let myself stray?' The bottom line was, Jayden had made a vow to himself when he brought Devin home to do everything in his power to convince his mate that he was loved and that they could still work things out between them.

So much had happened since then, hurtful and heartbreaking things. Still, none of that changed the fact that Jayden loved Devin with his entire being or that Devin claimed to return his feelings completely. Of course that knowledge didn't erase what had happened between them since Devin's return and did little to ease the pain and betrayal he felt, but Jayden couldn't stop the flutter of hope that rose in his chest at his mate's words. In that moment, Jayden realized that he'd let his own bitterness cloud his judgment. It had been such a shock to find Devin outside his suite earlier, though. And then to hear the words he'd hoped to hear for what felt like so long . . .

Gently, Jayden pulled Devin's arms from around him and turned around to face him. Then he smiled reassuringly in response to the wounded look on Devin's beautiful face before pulling the smaller mage close again and settling his mate sideways in his lap. Devin gave into Jayden's urging immediately and let his cheek fall against Jayden's shoulder with a contented sigh. Jayden hugged him closer as he breathed Devin's scent deeply. This was the Devin he remembered. This was what he'd been longing for since Devin's capture.

To feel Devin gathered in his arms and content was all that Jayden had ever really wanted. Everything else was secondary. Jayden had been watching his mate carefully and was quickly coming to the conclusion that perhaps Devin wasn't as damaged as he'd come to believe. It also hadn't escaped his notice that the violent gleam Jayden had come to expect since before their last encounter in the throne room had just about disappeared. Only in odd moments during their reunion had that ugly darkness reared its head through a calculating expression or a manipulative gleam in Devin's icy-blue eyes. Jayden knew that he could deal with that new part of Devin and held little hope that it would ever disappear entirely.

No one could go through what Devin had and come out completely unscathed. Somewhere along the way, Jayden had allowed himself to lose sight of that. He'd allowed his own suffering to distract him from the motivations driving Devin's actions and had instead focused on the actions themselves. There were so many things he could have done differently had he only put aside his fears and stubbornness long enough to consider what was best for Devin instead of searching desperately for ways to keep his mate close and to protect Devin from himself - from the madness that Jayden had been convinced had stolen his mate from him forever.

Still, coming to some sort of understanding now, after everything that had happened, would be extremely difficult. No, it would be nearly impossible if Jayden refused to meet Devin halfway and do his part. Deep down, beneath his anguish and heartache, Jayden knew that he wanted things to work between them.

Almost as if he'd read Jayden's mind, Devin pulled away slightly to look up at Jayden with a hopeful expression on his sweet face. When he reached up a shaky, cautious hand to lovingly caress Jayden's cheek, Jayden felt the last barrier he'd erected around his shattered heart crumble. "You still love me," Devin whispered urgently, as if stating a fact.

"You know I do," Jayden replied resignedly. "No matter how much I wish I could do otherwise, I can't simply turn off my feelings for you. It doesn't work that way. You should know, Devin; you've already tried." He just didn't have it in him to lie to his mate no matter how loudly his common sense screamed for him to deny it and to keep up the detachment that was his last line of defense.

Devin's eyes lit up at those words, with only a slight twinge of disquiet flashing through his expression at Jayden's gentle accusation. Then he began idly stroking his thumb across Jayden's cheekbone as he murmured, "Just one more chance. That's all I need, Jayden. I promise you that I won't need another one. No one's perfect, and I know we'll have problems from time to time, but I promise to stand beside you and face them together. I'll never run away from you again."

Jayden studied Devin intently for a moment. It still amazed him that his mate seemed to have come so far so quickly. It was almost as if he were the same Devin that Jayden had known before. 'No,' he corrected himself. This Devin wasn't the same. He was harder in some ways, more ruthless and cruel. But, in many ways, he seemed gentler as well. The old Devin could be very affectionate but had often seemed distracted and had allowed the problems surrounding them to interfere with their closeness. Except for rare occasions, the old Devin had always held his loved ones at arm's length, like he was afraid to get too attached or allow them to see too deeply into his heart.

This Devin seemed more open to his gentler emotions, less guarded and willing to reach out his hand and allow someone in. Jayden had no way of knowing if that held true with the rest of their family, but even with the Omega issue still looming over them, it was clear that all of Devin's focus in that moment was on Jayden and the earnest, beseeching expression on his face left no doubts in Jayden's mind that Devin truly meant what he'd said. The question was, could Jayden let go of the past and allow Devin the chance he seemed to want so desperately? Would it be worth it to give in now knowing there was a good chance he would regret it later when his heart had been trampled again and discarded?

'You'll regret it either way,' something deep inside Jayden whispered. 'If you refuse and turn Devin away, you'll always regret missing that chance and you'll always wonder what might have been. If you accept, then at least there's a chance that you'll both be happy some day in the future. Turn your back on Devin's offer now and it might never come again.'

Jayden's heart thundered in his chest at that thought and he took a deep, settling breath as he searched his mate's eyes one last time for some hint, any hint, that Devin was deceiving him or that he was hiding some dark agenda. When he found no proof of those things, Jayden braced himself and took a leap of faith as he leaned into Devin's gentle touch and smiled. "I'll do my best, Devin. It might take time, but I'll try."

The caressing thumb on Jayden's cheek stopped in mid-stroke as Devin stared up at Jayden in disbelief. Then his pale eyes filled up with tears as he let out a gasp and struggled to turn around completely. His movements were raw and jerky as he did so and before Jayden could register what was happening Devin had straddled his hips and was clinging to him, chest-to-chest, with his face buried in the red hair flowing down Jayden's neck. A ragged sob shook his mate's lean body, followed by another, and another. This time, when the urge to comfort his beloved nearly overwhelmed him, Jayden gave in with a shaky sigh and tightened his arms around Devin's shoulders, pulling him even closer, as he ran his hand down the scarred skin of Devin's back.

Devin stiffened slightly at the caress, but didn't try to move away, although the tormented sobs racking his body seemed to intensify. Realizing his mistake, Jayden moved his touch higher, soothingly stroking Devin's silky hair with one hand while he held his mate tightly against his chest with the other. Then he rocked Devin gently, whispering again and again that everything would be okay while he racked his mind for some way to comfort his distraught mate. He'd expected Devin to be happy with his concession and didn't know how to react. Finally he grabbed Devin by the shoulders and eased him back so that he could look deeply into his beloved's eyes.

"Please don't," Jayden pleaded, wiping the tears from Devin's thick lashes before leaning forward to place a gentle kiss on each eyelid. Then he kissed the tip of Devin's perfect nose and worked his way over to give the same treatment to his mate's damp cheeks as he murmured, "We can't continue this way, sweetheart. I love you so much and I've already promised to give us a chance. I don't know what else I can say to . . ."

Suddenly, Devin pulled away from him, placing a finger over Jayden's lips as he let out a shaky laugh and took a shuddering breath. "No, Jayden. It's not like that. I'm sorry. I'm just so . . ." Devin took another shuddering breath and looked up into Jayden's eyes with a crooked little grin, tears once again spilling over and tracing a path down his cheeks. "This is more than I could've hoped for. It's too good to be true. I can't remember the last time I felt this way. So . . ." Once again, Devin paused and swallowed past the lump in his throat before wrapping his arms around Jayden's neck and hugging him tightly. "I'll do my best not to let you down again," he whispered against Jayden's ear.

Unable for the moment to speak past the emotions tightening his throat, Jayden pulled his mate closer, burying his nose in Devin's hair as he allowed himself the luxury of drowning in Devin's presence. His heart was still racing with a mixture of hope, despair, euphoria, and wariness. Devin was right, though. It did all seem too good to be true. Jayden wasn't foolish enough to believe that things would be easy for them, but the fact that Devin was so determined to make their relationship work sent his mind into a frenzy of what-ifs and could-bes.

If Jayden knew nothing else about his mate, he knew that the gorgeous blonde never stopped until he'd accomplished what he set out to do. If Devin was determined to make things work, then Jayden knew that there was still a chance for them if he were willing to set aside his wounded pride and put forth effort of his own. In that second it felt like the weight of the world had been lifted from Jayden's weary shoulders, but then another thought crossed his mind that immediately cast a shadow over the rapidly growing dreamscape playing itself out in his overtaxed brain. As determined as Devin was to mend their broken relationship, he was even more determined to have his way where the Omega cult was concerned. In fact, he'd been determined to the point that Jayden's mate had been unwilling to back down from the idea even at the risk of Jayden's refusing his desperate pleas to reconcile.

Ruthlessly, Jayden pushed the thought aside in favor of focusing on the positive for the first time in what seemed like an eternity. It was past time for him to accept the reality that no relationship was perfect and that even two halves of a whole were bound to disagree on some issues. While it was true that their particular 'issue' was larger than most, Jayden had promised to be more understanding and Devin had promised not to try to use Jayden to further his agenda. For now, it would have to be their 'elephant in the room' as he'd heard the earthlings refer to such situations. They would simply have to avoid the subject completely until they figured out some way to work past it.

As if on cue, Devin eased back to look up into Jayden's eyes, his blond eyebrows drawn together in frustration and a cautious expression slipping into place. "What are we going to do about our disagreement over the Omega laws?" Immediately, Jayden's heart sank in his chest and for half-a-second it crossed his mind that he'd underestimated his mate yet again and that Devin was already trying to sway his judgment. Devin must have read something in his face, because the beautiful blonde immediately shook his head in denial as he reached up to cup Jayden's clenched jaw in his hand. "No, Jayden. Please don't misunderstand. I've already said that I wouldn't pressure you to help me, and I won't. I can't just let it go, though, and I don't want it to come between us anymore. All I'm asking is how we should deal with the fact that we disagree on this and nothing more."

At those words, Jayden let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and relaxed into his mate's touch as he studied Devin's beloved face and tried to think of some feasible solution to their problem. No bright ideas or simple solutions came to him, though. It wasn't something that could be easily overcome, no matter how badly Jayden wished that it could be. He wasn't willing to send his people out to give their lives in a war that might never have happened otherwise and it would take more than a few rumbles of discontent to convince him that their current system needed to change. If it were only him, Jayden would have long ago taken his vengeance against the ones who'd wronged his mate. If he weren't responsible for the lives and well-being of his subjects, Jayden wouldn't have stopped until every last Omega bastard had been erased from both the Earth and Auroran planes. It wasn't only him, though. He had the burden of Aurora to carry and he couldn't give in to his own selfish desires.

After several seconds, Jayden met Devin's searching gaze with an unwavering one of his own. "Would it have any effect on your determination to see this through if I pointed out the fact that, by destroying the Omega, you would only be increasing the likelihood that they will reincarnate into the Aurora population?"

Before the words had finished spilling forth from Jayden's lips, Devin pulled his hand away from Jayden's face and his open expression closed. Jayden's heart sank and he cursed himself for pushing the subject even now. He opened his mouth to speak, intent on telling Devin to forget his comment, but before he could manage it, Devin cut in with a frustrated sigh. "Of course I've thought of that, Jayden. But you also have to consider that, with no Omega cult left for them to reincarnate into, they'll have no choice but to be born in Aurora where they'll be raised by loving Auroran parents and instilled with the Auroran traditions instead of the Omega cult values. Not to mention, with Chris' rare gift, the reincarnated Omegas can be located and their auras purified while they're still in infancy. That was never a viable option before now, but . . ."

"You make a good point," Jayden conceded, reaching forward to lovingly weave his fingers into Devin's golden-blonde hair in a vain attempt to ease some of the tension quickly rising between them, "but have you also considered the possibility that your self-proclaimed little brother might lose that gift once the children are born? Chris told Adam that the twins' presence was what allowed that particular aspect of his gift to manifest. There are no assurances that, once the children are born, Chris will retain that ability. That's the only reason that Adam has allowed Chris to move forward with the cleansing of your own aura before the babies are born. There's also the possibility that, even if Chris retains that gift and cleanses the tainted Omega auras before they outgrow infancy, the cleansed Omega might regress to their former states once they've been trained under the Auroran traditions and take their spiritual journeys. When that happens, they'll see that they were once an enemy of Aurora and died at the hands of the Auroran military during a time of war and turmoil."

For the first time since Devin's rescue, Jayden saw self-doubt seep into his mate's pale gaze as he considered Jayden's words. However, it quickly disappeared and was replaced once again by an infuriating certainty that Jayden was beginning to believe could never be shaken. "You make a good point too, Jayden, and I can't argue the fact that some of the Omega might regress to their former darkness once they know what happened. Still, there's no guarantee that Chris won't keep that particular gift and I strongly feel that the number of Omega who might regress would be a small minority and would pose much less of a threat to the Auroran and Earth populations than the current Omega cult does."

"Even one tainted mage would be too much of a risk," Jayden insisted gently as he pulled Devin closer and wrapped him once again in his arms. Much to his relief, Devin accepted the touch despite their disagreement and readily nuzzled back into Jayden's neck and slipped his arms around Jayden's back. "My birthfather was murdered by a single, rogue mage. He was an Omega cult member who'd reincarnated into the Aurora population and slipped through the cracks of the system."

At the mention of Jayden's birthfather, Devin stiffened and pulled back just enough to look up and see the pain in Jayden's face. "I thought that Aaron died in child birth," he whispered urgently, as if speaking the other mage's name aloud would bring some horrible curse down upon them both.

Jayden sadly shook his head no as he reached a hand up to smooth back a stray strand of hair from Devin's forehead. "I thought so, too, until recently. Only a select few know the true reason for his unfortunate passing. If word were to get out . . ." Suddenly Jayden froze, the words he'd been about to speak falling away as he realized his mistake. If word got out about the cover-up surrounding King-Consort Aaron's death during a time of such instability, then it would be a devastating blow to the royal family. Jayden had just carelessly handed Devin a very powerful weapon to use against him . . .

"I won't say anything," Devin promised with a pained expression before looking down at the velvet comforter spread out around them with a dejected air. The beautiful blonde had obviously seen his lover's distress over unwittingly letting something so important slip and had correctly interpreted the source of Jayden's self-ire. Still, there was little Jayden could say to reassure Devin that wouldn't be a blatant and obvious untruth.

Instead, Jayden caught his ex-Consort's strong chin in his fingers and urged his mate to look back up. "I'm sorry, but trust comes with time. Please tell me that you understand."

Blinking back tears, Devin nodded his agreement, that reassuring glow of hope returning to his face even as the smaller mage pressed a hand to his chest as if to ease some unnamed pain inside it. "You're right, Jayden," Devin replied levelly. "I'd prefer it if you wouldn't tell me things like that in the immediate future. At least until I've worked through some things and know that I won't be tempted to . . . It's just that the war is so important to me. I also believe that it's essential to ensure the safety of Aurora – of our family and loved ones." Again Devin looked away and again Jayden pulled his face back up until their eyes met.

"I'll help you with your healing process in any way I can," Jayden promised as he leaned forward to brush his lips across Devin's furrowed brow. "As to the other, I just can't stand the thought that you might suffer the same fate that my birthfather did - or any of the people under our care for that matter. The only way I could justify increasing the risk that an Omega might reincarnate into our realm, much less justify starting a war, is if the people of Aurora were to convince me, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that such a thing is what they truly feel is necessary and that they are fully aware of and are willing to accept the risks involved."

As soon as those words were out, Devin's eyes lit up and Jayden could see that his ex-Consort's mind was working at breakneck speed. "So, if I could prove to you that they do, does that mean . . . ?"

"Let's not talk about this anymore," Jayden grumbled abruptly, desperate to change the subject and uncomfortable with how quickly Devin was able to turn his words against him. "I know you want me to help you decide the best way to deal with the Omega issue so that it doesn't come between us but, for now, it might be best if we avoided it completely. When we're alone together, we should focus on strengthening our emotional bond and planning for our future. If you need guidance, then it should be from someone outside of our relationship that you trust." Suddenly an idea hit Jayden and he couldn't help but let out a relieved sigh as he looked down at Devin's worried expression with a gentle one of his own.

"As King-Consort, you're allowed to take a personal advisor," Jayden explained. As foolish as it was to encourage Devin in such a way, Jayden couldn't think of any other solution. Devin had been running himself ragged chasing his goals and Jayden was worried about how that was affecting his mate's health and that of their unborn child. In offering Devin this tidbit, Jayden hoped that it would serve a dual purpose. By giving Devin someone who could answer his questions, Jayden would be removing some of the friction between them that would inevitably arise if Devin were to constantly come to Jayden for such things. Most importantly, though, it would make things easier on Devin and hopefully lessen some of the strain his mate was already placing on his overtaxed body.

"I'm allowed to take an advisor?" Devin asked in surprise. "But why didn't someone mention it before now? It would have made things so much . . ." Suddenly Devin stopped and shook his head firmly as he set his jaw with determination. "It doesn't matter. I know now, so . . . But who could I ask? How do I know who to choose?" Devin added, his excitement at the idea growing in leaps and bounds with each passing second.

Trying his best to hide his uneasiness, Jayden replied honestly. "It should be someone wise and learned. This person should also be someone who is well versed in the laws, regulations, and day-to-day social nuances that guide Auroran society. Kiran would have been a good choice had he not been named as your new Master. Not that his position negates him from accepting such a role, but it's preferable if the one you choose is someone you can look to as an equal. Also, his long-term absence from the political sphere and his experiences at the Omega compound might affect his ability to remain impartial to . . ."

"Are you trying to say that I should avoid Kiran as my council because he might be too in line with my beliefs?" Devin asked cautiously, his eyes turning icy as he narrowed them in suspicion. Jayden quickly backed down, not wanting to set Devin off when all he'd really been trying to do was offer Devin some sort of compromise.

"That's not what I'm saying at all," Jayden murmured with a sigh. "I'm only trying to explain that, ideally, your advisor shouldn't be completely in tune with your own beliefs and goals. Adam and I often disagree on the proper way to deal with an issue or to proceed with making a change. That dynamic is part of what makes our King - Advisor relationship work. To pair two individuals with goals and experiences that are too closely matched would undermine the true purpose of having an advisor because, in doing so, you run the risk of creating a self-perpetuating cycle in which you and your advisor would be feeding from and building off of one another. Furthermore, you need someone who is more in tune with the political atmosphere in Aurora since the last war than Kiran currently is. It should also be someone with whom you are comfortable speaking your mind and for whom you hold enough respect to value his or her input. Ultimately, it's a decision that you'll have to make on your own, so choose well."

*~*~*~*

Devin sat there, more than a little bewildered by the turn their conversation had taken. As much as he wanted to settle things between them quickly so that they could move on with their lives, he knew that the Omega issue wasn't something that could easily be smoothed over or ignored. If they weren't careful, it would keep pushing them further and further apart, slowly poisoning their fragile relationship and causing more resentment and bitterness to grow. How they dealt with it could make or break their tenuous new agreement. Devin didn't want that to happen. There was too much at stake to risk it. Still, he hadn't been able to come up with a viable solution either.

The fact that Jayden had offered him this new, and frankly quite helpful, option left him speechless and he immediately began running potential candidates through his mind. He still didn't understand why Jayden would point out that such a valuable tool was at his disposal. It could only make Devin's own goals more easily attainable to have someone who understood the system well and who could advise him how best to proceed. Perhaps his mate had finally accepted that Devin wasn't willing to back down and hoped that by pointing out that Devin could take an advisor he could minimize the political fallout that was sure to come, regardless of which one of them succeeded? Without a doubt it would be a relief to have someone to lean on who'd vowed loyalty to him and who might be able to point out the moments when Devin was unwittingly slipping back into old habits.

Whatever the reason for Jayden's unexpected aide, Devin had already made the decision that his approach to the situation needed to change. The manipulation, playing on the Aurorans' fear, and ruthlessness that he'd been indulging in had to stop. It was far too reminiscent of the way in which Ashcroft and the Omega operated. Successfully reaching his goal in such a way would be an empty victory at best and would only further the emotional toll this was having on himself and his family. There was also the chance that, if the Aurorans caught on to his subversive behavior, he'd be ruined and his vision for a safer Aurora destroyed before it was ever realized. His recent tactics, if they ever came to light, would ensure that. Besides, Jayden's earlier slip had given Devin another idea to build on. Not the comment about Aaron's death, but the one in which Jayden had admitted that the people of Aurora held sway over his actions.

Now Devin only had to figure out how to proceed without causing more damage than he already had. Devin had already begun to correct some of the harm he'd done by dissolving their union. His earlier words in the hallway would go a long way toward repairing Jayden's reputation with his people. By taking the responsibility for their divorce onto himself in front of the guards on duty, Devin had killed two birds with one stone. Word would spread as the days passed. Devin only hoped that it didn't damage what little progress he'd made on the Omega issue so far. Either way, it was worth it. He was also determined to speak to Kiran as soon as possible and try to work out a new strategy for moving forward. Jayden had already made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with the subject and Devin was determined to respect that as much as possible.

He'd meant what he'd said when he'd told Jayden that he didn't expect his support. In all honesty, he didn't think that he needed it. As underhanded as his techniques had been, they had worked beautifully. Devin regretted the way in which he'd behaved, but he wouldn't hesitate to take advantage of the discontent he'd already stirred up within the Assembly and Genesis Council. It would be foolish to come clean with them at this point and would destroy his standing in their eyes. It was the only way. And soon he would have the added guidance of an advisor at his disposal. He simply had to run through the list of candidates already parading through his mind and narrow it down to the one that . . .

Suddenly Devin realized that he'd allowed himself to be drawn back into his obsession with the Omega yet again. Determinedly, Devin pushed those thoughts away and forced his focus back up to where his mate sat watching him with cautious, wary eyes. They were once again that threatening, stormy grey – a clear indication that Jayden was brooding over their recent conversation and perhaps even regretting placing such a valuable tool within Devin's reach. Ignoring the pain in his chest at the thought of that possibility, Devin smiled up at his ex-husband gently.

"Thank you so much for telling me that an advisor is an option. I'm sorry I brought it up, though. You're right. This time is for us and us alone. Until you've learned to trust me again, we need to draw a line. Once we walk through the front door of our suite, we leave the politics and disagreements behind and simply become two mates who love each other and want to rebuild our relationship."

Jayden studied Devin carefully, clearly as befuddled as Devin by everything that had happened since Devin had shown up at his ex-husband's door. After a moment, something lit up in the large mage's eyes and the tension that had been in his face began to drain away. "We can only do our best," Jayden murmured softly as he reached up to brush a thumb across Devin's bottom lip.

"That's all that anyone can do," Devin replied with a hopeful smile. When he saw a nagging moment of doubt cast a shadow over the light in Jayden's eyes, he added, "And I'll do my best to ensure that you never regret giving us this chance," before stretching up to brush their lips together. Much to his relief, the redhead didn't hesitate or pull away. It still seemed like a dream to be able to touch Jayden so freely after so long.

His mate's lips were so warm and soft against his own and Devin could still taste himself there. Whether the slight saltiness came from his tears or his earlier release, Devin didn't know. He only knew that, in that moment, he wished that everything else would just fade away. More than anything, he wished they could start over with a clean slate, that all of their problems would just disappear and that he could do as Jayden wanted and let the Omega issue drop. It was so tempting to do that - to focus his entire being on simply wallowing in his mate's presence and awaiting the birth of their son. Such thoughts were pure fantasy, though. After all, what good would it do for Devin to take the easier path only to have everything they planned to rebuild ripped apart when their enemies swarmed in to destroy it?

But Jayden's arms felt so good around him, and the feel of those full, red lips gently brushing against his own insistently, demanding that Devin open for his mate, sent a spark of hunger racing through Devin's body that threatened to consume him. When Jayden's tongue finally breached his lips and plunged into Devin's willing mouth and his large mate pulled him closer, Devin felt like his heart might explode in his chest with a mixture of happiness, hope, and longing. Dreams of exactly these kinds of moments had haunted him in every leisure moment since his capture. To finally have them realized . . .

Jayden's big hand slipped from Devin's shoulder and skimmed down his side before trailing lower to squeeze the cheek of Devin's bottom demandingly. All thoughts immediately fled from Devin's mind as he reflexively thrust his hips, brushing his quickly reviving erection against the warm skin of Jayden's abdomen. Jayden hummed his appreciation into Devin's mouth and squeezed the cheek in his hand again, urging Devin to thrust against him a second time. Devin moaned softly and eagerly complied, grinding his cock into the hard planes of his mate's stomach and leaving a slick trail of pre-come in his wake.

When Jayden's other hand slid down and grasped his other cheek in encouragement, Devin threw caution to the wind and attacked his mate's lips with a vengeance as he tangled his fingers into Jayden's red hair and began rubbing against him with abandon. For a few moments the kiss became almost violent, their teeth clashing together as their passions continued to rise and Jayden's grip on his bottom becoming almost painful in its intensity. Devin was the first to pull away, panting desperately for air as his head swam and his heart thundered in his chest.

He wanted more. He needed more. He wanted to give Jayden the pleasure he'd offered earlier and wouldn't be content until his mate was inside of him, screaming out his name in the heat of passion as he found his release in Devin's body. Eagerly, Devin looked up at Jayden, every ounce of his desire clearly on display for his mate to see as he pushed firmly on Jayden's broad shoulders, urging his mate to lie back on the bed. A look of hesitation at Devin's unexpected aggressiveness crossed Jayden's shuttered gaze for a split second before he raised an eyebrow and gave in to Devin's demands.

Without a word, Devin turned his attention to the sensual, masculine body spread out before him. He devoured each muscular contour with his eyes while he tried to decide what he wanted first. So much smooth, delectable skin. So many sensitive spots he could use to pull a soft gasp of pleasure from his beloved. He licked his lips again as he admired the strong, powerful lines of Jayden's face and throat and the hollow at the base of his thick neck. Then he devoured the bulging muscles of Jayden's chest, quickly passing over the distorted mating mark above his heart in favor of the hard, reddish-pink nipples begging for his touch.

Finally he let his gaze stray further down to the huge cock standing so proudly between Jayden's legs. One leg was bent at the knee, giving Devin a nice view of his mate's perfectly toned bottom and the soft, wrinkled skin of his sack. His mouth watered at the sight and, with a soft groan of anticipation, he finally moved to straddle Jayden's body with his own, leaning in to swipe a tongue across the hard nipples on Jayden's chest as he lined up their hips and experimentally thrust forward so that their throbbing erections brushed one another.

A soft gasp was Jayden's response as he reached down to weave his long fingers into Devin's hair and urge his attention back to the hard nipple he'd tasted moments ago. Devin quickly sucked the peak into his mouth, swirling his tongue around it before nipping it between his teeth and then drawing it deeper into his mouth. Jayden let out a rumbling groan of approval as he began meeting the thrusts of Devin's hips with enthusiasm. Thrilled that his mate was enjoying his feeble attempts at giving him pleasure, Devin dared a look up at his face and found that Jayden was staring down at him with heavily-lidded eyes and his mouth slightly open in bliss.

Devin blushed and released the nipple from his mouth then followed the urging of the hand in his hair toward the other with hot, sucking kisses – leaving a string of love bites in his wake as he savored the salty-sweet taste of Jayden's skin. Once he'd reached his destination, Devin traced his tongue gingerly around the areola of his prize, teasing it for a moment before pulling at the tip with his teeth and sucking it deeply into his hot mouth. He could feel Jayden's heart pounding with excitement just below his lips, and the fact that his mate's powerful hips were picking up speed hadn't escaped his attention. After only a few seconds, Jayden tugged at his hair. When Devin pulled off to look at him with confusion, Jayden gave him a wicked grin and reached over to the night stand to grab the bottle of lube from the drawer.

"But I wanted to taste you," Devin said softly, his disappointment obvious in the almost petulant tone of his voice as he rose up and glanced longingly toward his mate's leaking erection. "I want to give you the pleasure I promised earlier. We don't even have to . . ."

"Turn around and straddle my chest, my pet," Jayden rumbled with a heated light in his molten eyes. "I took my pleasure earlier from your own. Now I want to feel your mouth on my cock while I prepare you to receive me. I won't be satisfied until I've had both your mouth and your ass. If I could have them both at the same time, I would."

Devin's eyes widened dramatically at Jayden's blunt words. His mate had always been outspoken when it came to the physical side of their relationship but . . . Devin's face turned a deeper shade of red even as some small, hidden part of him thrilled at this unrestrained side of his mate. It made what they were doing seem more exciting and he immediately turned his body around and lined himself up so that his mouth was within easy reach of Jayden's thick member.

The fact that he was now spread across Jayden's massive body with his ass in the air and his hole clearly on display wasn't lost on him, and as much as it embarrassed him, Devin did his best to push it aside and focus on giving his mate as much pleasure as possible. Devin leaned forward anxiously and licked his lips to moisten them before taking the hard length in hand and working the loose skin up and down a few times. Then he opened his mouth to let the head slip between his lips when he suddenly remembered the last time he'd done this.

That time he'd been scolded for his lack of technique and finesse. As much as he hated to be reminded of that humiliating moment, Devin wanted to do his best for Jayden, so he paused and turned his head to work his tongue leisurely around the tip of Jayden's cock instead, spreading the pre-come gathered there around the broad head of Jayden's erection before moving lower to tease the swollen glans and suck at the tiny bundle of nerves just underneath. Only then did he work his way back up to the tip and slowly suck the crown into his mouth, careful to keep his teeth out of the way as he eased Jayden's length further inside.

He stopped just below the glans and then tightened the suction in his mouth as he bobbed up and down, using his tongue to massage and tease until drops of pre-come were oozing out onto his tongue. He was so caught up in the taste and feel of his mate in his mouth that Devin barely batted an eye when he felt his cheeks pulled apart and a slick finger work its way almost roughly into his entrance. With a hum of appreciation, Devin dropped down onto his elbow and switched hands so that he could reach down and massage Jayden's heavy balls as he worked his lips further down Jayden's shaft. When the tip bumped the back of his throat, Devin flattened out his tongue and angled his neck to pull Jayden in deeper.

Before he could even attempt to ease the crown of Jayden's cock into his relaxed throat, Jayden's hand was in Devin's hair, gently urging Devin to release him. The second Devin complied, Jayden quickly rolled them over with a speed that was shocking. Then, before Devin could absorb what had just happened, Jayden was stalking up his body until they were face-to-face, a look of disbelief and something close to horror on his handsome face as he straddled Devin's thighs and once again pinned Devin's hands above his head. Devin couldn't stop himself from cringing away from the angry betrayal shining in Jayden's stormy gaze and instinctively buried his face into his own arm in a defensive gesture.

When Jayden touched his cheek, Devin flinched, but Jayden simply eased his hand beneath Devin's chin and gently urged him to look up. When he did, he found that the anger had completely disappeared from Jayden's expression and compassion and gentleness had once again taken its place. "I'm sorry, love," Jayden whispered softly. "You know I'd never hit you. I was just a little surprised and . . ." Jayden let his words trial off, but it was obvious by the pain in his eyes what he'd been thinking. Devin had been a little naïve not to have considered that Jayden might not appreciate his newfound skills, especially since they'd been acquired elsewhere. "I overreacted and I really am sorry," Jayden added with a sigh when the red flush of embarrassment on Devin's cheeks deepened.

Then Devin's giant mate moved as if to pull away and Devin reached out for him, grabbing Jayden by the shoulder to stop his retreat. "It's okay, Jayden. This is just another one of those things we'll have to work through." Despite Devin's beseeching tone, Jayden still seemed hesitant, self-disgust clearly written on his face as he looked deeply into Devin's eyes like he was searching for the answer to some unasked question. "Please don't stop. Don't you want me now?" Devin asked in a shaky, lost voice as he fought against the accursed tears once again burning his eyes.

"How could I not?" Jayden rumbled simply before finally giving in to the hand tugging on his arm and leaning forward to capture Devin's swollen lips again in a breathtaking kiss. Then, as if the past few seconds had never happened, Jayden was everywhere, stroking his hands over Devin's chest and stomach, nipping and licking at the sensitive skin of his neck. Devin's relief was almost palpable and he eagerly returned his mate's touches, tracing the strong ridge that ran down Jayden's back with his fingers while his other hand massaged his shoulder, encouraging Jayden to continue toward his heaving chest.

By the time Jayden took Devin's hard nipple into his hot mouth, Devin was so excited that he cried out as he bowed off the bed in a desperate attempt to push the sensitive nub deeper. His cock was leaking a river of pre-come and his balls were aching with the need to come. He knew that it had to be so much worse for Jayden, who had yet to find any sort of physical release. As much as he enjoyed his mate's touch and wished that they could go on this way forever, Devin also wanted to hear Jayden's voice cry out in satisfaction as his lover buried himself deep inside of Devin's body.

His large mate had already made it clear that that's what he wanted, so Devin didn't hesitate to spread his legs in invitation before easing them around Jayden's muscular thighs and drawing his lover's lower body closer until Jayden's dripping erection brushed along the crack of his ass and rubbed momentarily against his hole. Jayden released the aching nipple in his mouth with a groan of pleasure before raising his face to look up at Devin through a curtain of blood-red hair with hunger in his silvery-grey eyes. Then he moved his hips so that his hard length brushed Devin's hole again.

Devin let out a soft gasp, his opening clenching with excitement as he met his mate's heated gaze and breathlessly murmured, "Make love to me, Jayden. Make me yours again." Those words seemed to trigger something feral in Jayden and Devin's heart sped up at the possessive look that crossed the other mage's face. Jayden made some type of gesture and the tube of lube they'd lost earlier shot into his hand. Devin's eyes widened in shock at the sight. For a split-second, he'd seen some sort of energy gathered around the tube before the tiny, red cloud had dissipated into the air around them.

Before he could ask about it, though, Jayden's lips were once again passionately devouring his own and two slick fingers were trailing their way down the skin of Devin's inner thigh on their way to his tight opening. Once there, they traced around his pucker, sending sparks of need shooting through his body. Devin angled his hips to take them in, almost desperate to feel something of his mate inside him again. After a moment's more teasing, Jayden gave Devin what he wanted as he pushed them inside and began stretching the tight outer ring of muscle protecting his entrance. Devin gasped his pleasure into Jayden's mouth and thrust his hips to pull the probing fingers deeper still.

There was a slight burn as his muscles gave way and, in the back of his mind, Devin knew this was going to hurt. He hadn't been touched since Jayden had taken him over a month before. Still, his body didn't seem to mind in the least and he was more than willing to deal with a little discomfort to give this to Jayden. He also knew that once Jayden was inside him the pain would become fiery bliss. Devin craved that feeling more than he craved his next meal and only Jayden could give it to him. As if in answer to that thought, Jayden's broad finger brushed against Devin's prostate and sent fire racing through his groin. It was so intense that Devin was finally forced to rip his lips away from Jayden's as a cry escaped his throat.

"Oh, God! More!" Devin panted as he shamelessly picked up the pace of his downward thrusts, groaning in near ecstasy when Jayden slipped another digit into his ass. Then Jayden started scissoring them gently, further widening Devin's hole to take his large cock. Devin was quickly reaching his limit as he writhed beneath his mate so, when Jayden slipped a fourth finger in, he groaned in frustration before pulling his mate back down to feast on his neck. Jayden let out a hiss of pleasure when Devin tightened his legs around him, forcing Jayden's hips forward so that his cock brushed the inside of Devin's thigh. Just those sensations alone were enough to nearly make Devin come and he knew he wouldn't last much longer.

"It's enough," Devin demanded as he thrust his throbbing erection against Jayden's hard stomach and nipped his way up Jayden's neck to suck an earlobe into his mouth. "I need to feel you inside me now."

"It might hurt you if we rush things," Jayden replied in a strained voice, looking down at Devin earnestly as if begging him to understand.

Devin nodded that he did as he untangled his legs from around Jayden and pressed a hand against his mate's broad chest. "Then let me ride you," Devin murmured urgently. He was too far gone to feel shy. They both needed this now and if Jayden continued then Devin knew he'd never last long enough for his mate to get inside of him.

It must have been obvious because Jayden immediately withdrew his probing fingers and gave into the pressure of Devin's hand, rolling them over until Devin was once again sitting astride his huge body. Then Jayden pulled Devin in for a deep, passionate kiss before releasing him again to search out the bottle of lube and hand it to him. "Go slowly, love," he ordered breathlessly as he let his eyes trail hungrily down Devin's body and rest on the small swell of his stomach before working their way back up again.

Devin nodded again impatiently as he poured a generous amount of lube into his palm and reached back to slather it onto Jayden's thick cock. Jayden bucked up into his hand with a soft grunt before sitting up and scooting back to lean against the headboard. Then his large hands were engulfing Devin's hips and easing him into position. Devin didn't waste a second placing a steadying hand on Jayden's strong shoulder and reaching back to grasp Jayden's erection at the base to line it up with his hole. A ragged gasp escaped his lips when the head brushed his pucker and he hurriedly leaned back to take Jayden inside his anxious body.

For just a moment, Devin thought it wouldn't go in as the tight outer ring of his entrance resisted his mate's invasion. Impatiently, he bore down harder and suddenly the head popped through. The burn was enough to make him pause again as he closed his eyes tightly against it and fought back a grunt of pain. Jayden's hands tightened on his hips, holding him in place as if to remind Devin to take his time. Then one of them strayed up to Devin's lean chest to twist gently at his swollen nipples. Devin leaned into the touch as sparks of arousal shot through his body and his leaking cock jumped with excitement.

Fighting back the urge rush things along, Devin forced his eyes open again to look into his lover's face as he let out a shaky breath and tried his best to relax before easing himself down further on the hard length inside him. It still stung, although not nearly as much as before, but the look of ecstasy on Jayden's face was more than enough to make up for the slight discomfort. Devin knew that it would only last for a moment anyway and was impatient to feel the overwhelming pleasure he knew was coming. Only when he was fully seated did he pause to catch his breath and lean forward to run his tongue around Jayden's kiss-swollen lips while he gave his body time to adjust.

Jayden's restraining grip on his hip immediately became a massaging touch as the fingers tormenting Devin's nipple disappeared to slide around to his back and pull him in closer. After a teasing nip at Devin's bottom lip, Jayden swooped in to devour him again while Devin's ass clenched excitedly around the steely erection inside him. Again they lost themselves as the kiss became more intense and almost violent. This time, though, it was Jayden who pulled away first, drawing in a deep, ragged breath as his muscles bunched and jerked with the effort not to move. Hungrily, he moved down Devin's neck, biting and sucking and sending Devin's already-racing heart into a frenzy as his head swam and his fingers dug into Jayden's shoulders in a vain attempt to find purchase.

Finally, Jayden's control slipped and he thrust up into Devin's body ever-so-slightly before catching himself and groaning in blissful frustration. Much to Devin's surprise, he'd already adjusted to Jayden's size and the slight ache that remained was nothing compared to exquisite feel of Jayden's heavy cock sliding against the sensitive nerve endings that lined his channel. Devin immediately let out a gasp of need and pushed back against his mate in a silent demand for more.

That was all it took before both of them lost the battle against restraint. Totally lost in the feel of his mate and the drive toward completion, Devin's arms tightened around Jayden's neck in a death grip while one of his hands slid up to tangle itself brutally in his mate's blood-red hair. Then he began to ride Jayden mercilessly. Jayden met Devin thrust for thrust as he once again engulfed both of Devin's hips with his big hands, using them for leverage as he thrust up into Devin without hesitation.

After only a few thrusts, Jayden brushed against Devin's prostate and sent a dagger of white hot fire shooting through his over-sensitized body. "Oh shit," Devin whispered anxiously as he leaned back just enough to change the angle of Jayden's penetration. "Again, Jayden. Harder."

Another thrust and another was his mate's reply to Devin's demand, and then the head of Jayden's cock found its mark and slammed into the special place inside him. Stars lit up behind Devin's eyes as a loud cry of rapture escaped his parted lips. Jayden grunted loudly at the way Devin's channel clenched and spasmed around his thick member but didn't pause as he continued to drive Devin closer and closer to losing his mind altogether with each controlled movement of his powerful hips.

Whether the exquisite torture went on for an hour or a few minutes, Devin couldn't have said. His passion-dazed mind lost track of everything around them and all he could do was hang onto his mate's strong shoulders as he cried out again and again. The heat building inside him was almost unbearable and the feel of his swollen, hard length bouncing over and over against the tense, shifting ridges of Jayden's stomach was quickly driving him over the edge. Not sure how much more he could take, Devin let one of his hands slip down his sweat slicked abdomen to wrap around his throbbing shaft and started tugging on it roughly while he slammed back onto Jayden's cock like a man possessed.

A groan of appreciation escaped Jayden's lips at the sight as he panted, "That's right, Devin. Come for me, pet. Come for your lover." Then those hot, red lips were latched onto Devin's sore, swollen nipple again and he was screaming Jayden's name as he froze atop his mate in pure bliss and shot his offering onto Jayden's chest and stomach.

His orgasm was so intense that Devin thought he might pass out the way Chris claimed to have done so many times. All he could do for a moment was sag into Jayden's strong embrace, burying his face in Jayden's straining, damp neck and gasping for breath while he moaned softly at the wonderful feeling of his mate plowing into his spasming channel over and over. Within seconds a loud gasp escaped the redhead as Jayden neared his own peak and his hands tightened almost painfully on Devin's hips as his head fell back against the headboard, something close to a growl escaping his throat.

Devin's spent cock twitched in response to the feral sound and he rose up once again and tightened the muscles of his hole as he slammed back against Jayden eagerly. It had exactly the effect Devin was hoping for because no sooner was Jayden buried completely again, his mate cried out and released his milky, white come into Devin's sated body. A shiver ran down Devin's spine at the feel of his beloved's heat coating his insides and then he went completely limp again as they both fought desperately to catch their breath and slow their racing hearts. Jayden's heart was pounding so hard inside his chest that Devin could feel it like it was his own and they were both drenched in sweat and covered in Devin's sticky offering.

Once they'd both gotten back a little control, Devin felt his mate's big hand reach up to stroke lovingly through his hair. A contented grin spread across Devin's lips as he sat up slightly to look up into Jayden's swirling, silver eyes with a dazed expression on his face.

"I love you, Devin," his big man rumbled with a sappy, satisfied grin of his own.

"I love you too, Jayden," was Devin's simple reply as he leaned forward to softly brush their lips together. Then he let out a blissful little sigh as he settled back against his lover's body and breathed in his mate's intoxicating scent. Jayden's arms slipped around him again and pulled Devin a little tighter against his massive form and Devin allowed it as he snuggled in, perfectly content for the first time in what seemed like an eternity.

Within minutes, though, reality was already trying to intrude and no matter how hard Devin fought to ignore the many doubts and problems already stirring in his brain he just couldn't block them all out. Then it hit him and he couldn't stop the tension that filled his body as he sat up in Jayden's embrace and looked down at him with concern written all over his face. "What time is it?" Devin asked urgently as he looked around for the clock that used to sit on their nightstand.

Jayden frowned up at him in confusion but didn't hesitate to reach over and pull out the drawer to remove the clock inside, hissing slightly when the move caused his softening erection to slip from Devin's body. Devin moaned softly at the loss but still eagerly accepted the clock when Jayden reached it to him. "Sorry," Jayden murmured with a self-deprecating grin. "I hid it because I kept staring at it during the night when I couldn't sleep. It was quite . . . distracting at times."

Devin tried his best to ignore the stab of guilt he felt at that comment as he gave Jayden an understanding nod. He was no stranger to long, sleepless nights himself and had hid his own clock in much the same way back in his suite at his father's home. When Devin looked down at the clock in his hand all such thoughts fled from his mind and he nearly dropped it onto the bed in shock. "Holy shit! It's 10:30?" Devin exclaimed as he looked up at Jayden in near panic. "The party started three hours ago!"

With a sigh, Jayden gently took the clock from Devin's shaking hands and placed it back in the drawer before closing it and pulling Devin back down against his chest as he scooted down so that they were lying flat on the mattress below. Then he started running his fingers through Devin's hair again in a soothing gesture.

"Rest, sweetheart. Your father, Chris, Sarah, and Kiran can handle the introductions for tonight. You can hold them here in the future if you'd like. It must be difficult for Adam to host them with his limited staff and it will be much easier on you if you don't have to travel back and forth to do the planning. I can't force you, but you said yourself that Master Alan thinks that you're spreading yourself too thin."

Devin nodded his headed against Jayden's chest but didn't comment. It really wasn't up to him, after all. Adam had already moved back to his home nearby and Devin wasn't sure how his father would feel about dragging his extremely pregnant mate to the castle around dinnertime every other night to parade him in front of the nervous Assembly members. Having the introductions in the castle would mean that Devin would have to have them earlier so that they wouldn't interfere with Chris' rest. Just thinking about the issues that he might soon have to deal with made Devin feel extremely tired and his exhaustion from earlier was quickly catching up with him.

Still, he couldn't make his thoughts settle down. Worries about how his father, Chris, and Sarah would react to the news kept racing around in his mind. It hadn't been that long since he'd convinced them all to move and now he was abandoning them without warning to return to the very man they'd helped him to escape. 'It doesn't matter,' he told himself as he burrowed even deeper into his mate's chest. This was all that mattered for now. Taking steps to fix what he'd broken and ensuring that their child would have a family.

Sarah would understand and probably be thrilled, even if it meant that she'd moved to Adam's home for nothing. Chris would just shrug it off and roll his eyes at Devin. The tiny mage might even accuse Devin of being some kind of drama queen, but Devin knew he'd be alright with it even though Jayden annoyed Chris at times.

Adam was the one he was most worried about, though. Devin's father had been the one dragged into the middle of their problems before and was the one who'd most likely disapprove of their rash and poorly thought out reunion. It was true that Adam had wanted them to work out their differences so that things would easier on the Auroran people and those stuck in the middle, but Devin was pretty sure that his and Jayden's decision on how to do that wasn't quite what his father had had in mind; at least not for now.

With a sigh, Devin forced the thoughts aside as he turned his attention to the half-reformed mating mark on Jayden's chest. Then his eyes widened slightly in surprise and a sentimental smile spread across his lips as he reached over to trace the newly emerging edges of the phoenix's shimmering, pearly beak. Without even looking, he knew that his own mark would be the same. A large, comforting hand reached down to cover his and Devin's eyes were irresistibly drawn up to Jayden's. When they finally locked gazes, Devin thought that he might drown in the warmth he found there. In that moment he understood that everything would work out eventually. Devin just knew somewhere deep down inside of him that that was true.

*~*~*~*

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