Claimed Beauty (The Cubi Book 2) Read online

  “Hello!” someone bellowed from the hallway.

  It sounded like Caledon. He knew where Seldon was so he didn’t bother responding.

  Caledon leaned against the doorframe. “Oh, good, everyone’s home. Cub’s hungry. Not for you, Seldon, I took care of that.”

  “Splat!” Daniel shouted from the hallway, and Caledon disappeared from the doorway.

  “Seldon, your cub needs a spanking!” Caledon came in with a grinning Daniel in his arms while Marcadon, Talidon, and Rosadin got to their feet to greet Caledon. The splat comment stuck in Seldon’s mind, though.

  “What did he do? I’m not going to spank him now, it’ll have to wait.”

  Daniel laughed. “Oh, shit. Sorry. Hi, I’m Daniel.” Daniel shook the hands of Seldon’s sons who introduced themselves. Rosadin got a hug, which made Seldon smile. His sons and daughter respectfully greeted their Lord in his house, making Seldon feel proud of all he had around him.

  “Actually, Sire Seldon, your cub did you proud today,” Caledon said and let go of Daniel who stopped laughing immediately. They found their way into Seldon’s limited line of sight from his prone position. His children sat on the floor along with Lord Caledon. Daniel scooted closer to the bed so he sat right next to Seldon, reaching up to run his fingers through his hair.

  “Are you better?”

  “Slowly.”

  “I’ll be full ‘til tomorrow at least. Lord Caledon is mean.” The amusement that danced in Daniel’s beautiful eyes didn’t convince Seldon about the statement.

  “Cub, you’re the one who told me to learn self-control. A double overdose is fair game when poking a Lord.”

  Seldon sputtered laughter, but the pain crushed the fun of it, and he coughed his way through the fit in an attempt to stop himself. “I’ve got to hear that story sometime.”

  “Oh, you’ll get it,” Daniel promised. “Maybe along with the story of the smut aisle.”

  “Laugh it up, cub!” Caledon growled, still grinning.

  “Smut aisle?” Rosadin asked, pouring coffee for Caledon. Daniel made the same splat sound Caledon had made when referring to Seldon losing a dose.

  “No! Caledon? You lost a dose to Daniel?”

  “What?” Marcadon burst.

  “You lost two when classifying him,” Caledon pointed out. “One a double if I remember correctly.”

  “Not in the fucking library!” Seldon argued.

  “You guys don’t have to sound like I’m not worth it, just saying.” Daniel held up his hands and made a prissy expression. Caledon laughed loudly, while Seldon kicked the mattress and fisted the blanket to stifle his own. God, the boy must have had a fun day coming home in a mood like this.

  “That’s it, Daniel, I’m never doing your makeup again.”

  “Yes, you are, Rosa,” Caledon said, chuckling, “because this was fun.”

  Seldon glanced at his boys. Marcadon, who also fed of men, had his dark red eyes glued to Daniel.

  “On a serious note, though,” Caledon continued. “The cub’s got teeth. In the library, some red-eye got snooty with him when feeling him up, and Daniel told him he was off limits. He said something derogatory about you, well within the limits of your sentence had it been to your face, but Daniel didn’t feel it right when you weren’t there, so he put him in his place. He honored you, Seldon.”

  Warmth spread in Seldon for the umpteenth time. Everything from the little things like just planting a chaste kiss on his forehead or, like when Daniel had come home, and ran his fingers through Seldon’s hair. The boy had taken care of him all night and gotten angry at their house being dishonored. But this? For Caledon to say it like that, Daniel had done something extraordinary.

  “Thank you, Daniel,” Seldon said, recognizing the tenderness in his own voice. Daniel turned and stroked Seldon’s arm.

  “The meeting with the Grand Lord went well, too,” Caledon continued, settling back with a cup of coffee. He looked upbeat considering he’d had a hungry Changeling with him all day. “He passed a test of respect when Ildon made a remark similar to that of the red-eye and Daniel didn’t flinch. Anyway. The boy has been dosed six times today and sent my secretary sliding off her chair, so he should be good for tomorrow around noon.”

  “I’ll help if called for,” Marcadon said.

  “Unless you want to look like your dad, you keep your hands off him. No one but Seldon and myself touches this cub,” Caledon growled, getting all of Seldon’s attention. That, he had not expected, and he wasn’t sure he managed to hide his expression of surprise. Maybe the prone position hid his face enough? He hoped it did.

  “Yes, My Lord,” Marcadon answered.

  “See you guys tomorrow before noon. Call if I miscalculated.” Caledon got up. A collective farewell resounded in the bedroom, and Caledon left them. Seldon listened for the front door to close, but he couldn’t so he counted the time before interrupting the conversation.

  “Daniel, what the hell did you and Caledon do?”

  “We…went hot and heavy enough in the library for the librarian to scowl at Caledon.”

  Holy shit. “And after that?”

  “We went to Grand Lord Ildon’s place. That’s a fucking palace if ever I’ve seen one. Then we went to Caledon’s office for me to write that essay and read two books, but he double dosed me on the desk and let his secretary watch while he just held me down and teased me about self-control.”

  “Jesus.” Seldon would actually have loved to witness that.

  “She called in for a breeder. Things got interesting on the other desk, but I really didn’t care because I was dosed heavily. I don’t remember half of—” A jaw-splitting yawn interrupted Daniel.

  “Take a shower, cub and come to bed.”

  “Yes, mas…Seldon…do you need anything?”

  “Just you under the covers next to me.”

  “Okay.”

  Rosadin smiled at Daniel and squeezed his hand as he passed her to go to the bathroom. He closed the door behind him which was probably a good thing with Marcadon staring after him.

  “Jeez, Dad,” his oldest whispered.

  “He’s beautiful, isn’t he?”

  “Yeah! And Lord Caledon wants your claimed beauty.”

  “Grand House’s orders. He’s mine for the next four hundred thirty-six years. Not even the Grand House can change that now.” And Seldon fucking loved the fact of that point.

  “He’s rolling with the change pretty well if he was dosed the day before last,” Talidon mused.

  “Yeah, he is. I looked up some youth psychology theories when I first got him because he was such a prick. The only one that made sense, and still does with all his changes, is that he was fighting because something was missing in his life. Something vital. Something that now makes him feel whole.”

  “And being turned into an Incubus helped?” Marcadon asked.

  “Think it’s his need to be appreciated for his beauty. He likes being in the center of focus,” Rosadin said reflectively, and Seldon agreed having had the same thoughts. “That’s why he likes wearing makeup.”

  “Yeah, and his parents were homophobic, he says,” Seldon added.

  “Ah, and we all know what that kind of hate can cause in a young mind,” Talidon said, nodding thoughtfully.

  “Still getting to know him, but he’s evolving far quicker than I can follow,” Seldon said, holding his cup out.

  It was barely seven in the evening and his boy was trashed from the doses. That he had managed to make Caledon lose a dose, fuck in an aisle in the library, and gotten a double purple overdose blew his mind. And Caledon refused anyone else to touch him. Had Seldon not been ordered by the Grand House to secure the boy, Caledon would no doubt have claimed the boy as his own. It still filled his heart with joy that Daniel was with him, and, as he has stated the day he got him, he loved the surprise.

  But that Caledon was so infatuated with Daniel caused a stir of feelings in Seldon. The boy was his. Could he deny
Caledon access to him? Did he even want to? This possessiveness was new to him and knowing the boy had defended him caused a plethora of feelings he hadn’t felt in many years. Well, he had, but differently. He had it with his kids. His baby girl in particular. The need to protect. And Marcadon. The pride.

  “Dad?”

  “Hmm?” Seldon snapped to at the sound of his daughter’s voice.

  “Where are you at?” She smiled, looking curious.

  “Daniel. For Lord Caledon to come and say the boy did me proud. Just how many teeth did he show?”

  “I’m gonna come by more often because this is different. This is new, Dad,” Talidon said.

  “And I’m gonna stay away because the cub turns me on big-time,” Marcadon said and adjusted himself.

  “Please, don’t do that,” Seldon said. He already felt he saw too little of his oldest son.

  “Think of Daniel like your little brother. He has the status of one,” Rosadin said.

  “My dick doesn’t care, it thinks he’s fair game!” Marcadon said, rubbing his face. “And if I’m gonna stay here another three hours, I’m gonna be in pain, I need to feed.”

  Seldon grabbed his phone and ran the schedule of his regulars, hoping one hadn’t booked his night since they’d been told not to schedule Seldon anymore. Alex was still free, so Seldon called him.

  “Seldon?”

  “Yeah, hi, Alex. I know you can’t see me for a year, but…are you free? My oldest son needs to feed badly, and he’s here.”

  “I don’t have any planned now. How are you? Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine, Alex. Would you mind? At your place? Just…come and get him here because he doesn’t know where you are.”

  “Sure…”

  “I talked to Lord Caledon like I said I would. He’s looking into it. He’s not pleased by learning you’re being abused, either.”

  “Thank you, Sire. I’ll…fifteen minutes, and I’ll be there.”

  “Thanks, Alex.” They hung up, and Seldon put the phone down. “My steady breeder, Alex, is coming by for you in fifteen minutes. He likes it hard, not rough.”

  “Perfect,” Marcadon said, smiling.

  Seldon found a dose vial in the bedside drawer and released one for Alex since Marcadon’s doses wouldn’t be strong enough. “Go with him to his place and come back after.”

  Marcadon took the vial. “Thanks, Dad.”

  Daniel came out from the bathroom, naked and without makeup. He crawled into bed and shuffled under the covers. “Oh, God,” he groaned.

  “Need some ointment?” Seldon asked, grinning.

  “Used it, and if you weren’t hurt, I’d kick your ass.”

  “Cub’s got teeth,” Marcadon said, grinning.

  “You mean you’d fuck my ass and not kick it,” Seldon corrected Daniel.

  “That, too, but I’m too tired and full. God, now I know how you must feel.”

  “And I haven’t fed since this morning.”

  “Oh, I’ll feed you tomorrow.” Daniel already sounded drunk on sleep, and Seldon snickered.

  “He a top?” Marcadon asked.

  “A verse.”

  “I’ve heard of one of those,” Talidon said.

  “I looked for one, didn’t find anything. Figured it could be fun,” Marcadon said.

  “They’re rare,” Seldon contributed, not really knowing more than that. He’d met one in Europe a few years before he moved to America, but that was two hundred years ago. The Cubi had been claimed by a purple-eyed as soon as he had been empowered.

  “They’re stronger, right?” Rosadin asked.

  “Yeah. Guess it’s because they can get energy from more sources than the rest of us.”

  “No, because we feed equally,” Marcadon said.

  “Then what is it?” Rosadin asked.

  “Dunno.” Talidon shrugged. “Maybe they’re just noticed more because they can feed differently.”

  “Wonder if it’s like the blossoming Changelings? More Cubi protein in their blood,” Daniel mumbled, and Seldon smiled. So, the cub had learned a lot today. The others shrugged and nodded. It was a plausible theory.

  “Oh, did I tell you I got moved up in maintenance? I fixed an engineering problem that had vexed them for a month. Boom, fixed!” Talidon said.

  “Great!” Marcadon said and patted his little brother’s shoulder.

  “Awesome!” Rosadin chirped and hugged her brother.

  “What did you fix?” Seldon asked, enjoying the everyday insight into his children’s lives.

  “I figured out the problems of the ventilation system in the transport wagons. The circuit boards were located in the common area as in right above the bar where they smoke. Nicotine plastered the plates. Changed it and moved it.”

  “Good thought, son,” Seldon said. “Marcadon?”

  “There’s talk of reassigning me.”

  “Yeah, where to?”

  Marcadon hesitated. “To you.”

  Seldon didn’t know what to say. “Better do Daddy proud then, because I’d hate to dish this shit out to you, but you know I will.”

  “Oh, I know, Dad, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. But we had trouble with the housing, and I stepped in. Sire Kadon was impressed, and even though I’ll be moving down from House Three to Four, he said, and I quote, your organization skills are less than those of your father, and you’d advance faster under his skilled guidance.”

  And Seldon felt proud again. “Haven’t heard of it yet.”

  “It was yesterday.”

  “I’d love to work with you, son.”

  “The breeders being housed still talk about you. They say you’re strict but fair. You keep the red-eyes in check.”

  “Wonder what I’ll do when my eyes change,” Rosadin said.

  “I don’t know, baby girl. We all start somewhere,” Seldon said.

  Daniel grunted and put his hand on Seldon’s arm, squeezing it a second before letting go, and his breathing returned to that of someone in a deep sleep. Seldon smiled, feeling rich.

  The doorbell rang.

  “That would be Alex. Go feed, Marcadon.”

  His oldest got up, smiling, and left the bedroom. Left were Rosadin and Talidon, settling into the pillows and covers they pulled from Daniel’s bed. All the mundane chitchat of a normal family continued until Marcadon came back, looking satiated and happy. A few comments about the quality of the feeding fell, and they chatted until eleven with the steady breathing of Daniel as their background noise. If it took a whipping to get his kids together, Seldon might just have to get himself in trouble again. This was lovely.

  Before leaving, Marcadon pulled Seldon back to lie comfortably on the bed. He hoped Marcadon would be transferred to him. The boy was a rough stone, sure, but he had potential. More than the trainer who had ended up poisoned.

  Seldon fell asleep with a smile on his face and an itchy back.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Seldon woke up to a bright room and no sounds but a heavy breathing behind him. Turning his head, he found Daniel curled up next to him. Waking up with a breeder next to him after a night of feeding was one thing. But Daniel was…different. Not just because he was a Changeling but because he wasn’t afraid of physical contact when not dosed. What the boy had done to make Caledon praise him for honoring Seldon still vexed him. What exactly had his boy said?

  Hunger stirred. He hadn’t fed enough which was actually kind of a joke with his sentence. But Caledon had taken the dose and even though Seldon had fed on the boy’s pleasure, he hadn’t fed enough to orgasm and thus be satiated.

  Daniel popped his head up, opening his eyes, but he clearly wasn’t focusing on anything. Then he snuggled back in and grunted. Seldon couldn’t help but laugh, which stirred the boy and had him look up again.

  “Morning,” Daniel grunted and smiled.

  “Morning, cub.”

  “How are you?”

  Seldon tightened his back and nope, he wasn’t ready. Well
, if he really wanted, he could go sit backward on a chair in the kitchen, and feeling like he’d get bedsores if staying in this position for much longer, he actually thought he ought to try. Daniel placed a hand on his cheek, studying his face.

  “You’re hungry,” the boy declared.

  “Yeah.”

  “But I’d hurt you too much for you to be able to cum.”

  Seldon smiled. “You could feed me cum.”

  “Don’t think I’m a good enough shot in this position.”

  Seldon chuckled. “Go make us some coffee while I try to get up. I have an idea.”

  “You need help?”

  “No, just time.”

  Daniel scooted off the bed and went to the bathroom to, by the sound of it, brush his teeth. In the meantime, Seldon scooted himself to the foot end of the bed, keeping his back as immobile as possible so he could land on his knees and get up. He had gotten to his knees by the time Daniel reemerged from the bathroom. He didn’t say a word and continued naked through the door, and Seldon gathered strength to push himself up. He hadn’t even seen how extensive the damage was, but he could definitely feel it. He wanted to heal as fast as possible so he could feed Daniel, and that meant he had to lie still.

  And he had to pee. The tea the night before hadn’t helped, so he started with relieving himself. A handheld mirror gave him a chance to look over his shoulder, and the purple-eye had managed to cut him open from neck to beltline and every inch of his width. Damn, he was skilled. It wasn’t just the same areas he had gone over but as wide and high and low as possible, distributing the damage for maximum pain and discomfort during healing. And he had opened the skin on the majority of the lashes, telling Seldon he had gone easy on Jonah. Well, another fifty awaited the red-eye in less than a week. He’d barely be healed enough for the wounds to have scabbed over, while Seldon would probably just have to bite back discomfort from his own back’s new skin still protesting at being stretched. At least that’s how he remembered it.

  Seldon turned and put the mirror down, feeling like he needed a wash up and a thorough tooth brushing.

  By the time he made it to the kitchen, Daniel was frying eggs, wearing an apron and nothing else. Seldon remained naked. As soon as Seldon stepped into the kitchen, Daniel left his endeavor and came to the table to pour him a cup of coffee.