Jamil swallowed greedily, Rohan’s pleasure washing over his body and heightening his own. It took just a few strokes of his own cock and he was coming with a wanton moan, still sucking on Rohan’s softening cock, unwilling to let go.
At last, Rohan winced and pulled out before collapsing beside Jamil and immediately pulling him into his arms. Jamil went, boneless and spent, pressing his face to the hollow of Rohan’s throat, his body singing with pleasure. He only had the presence of mind to kick off his pants.
They lay like that for a long time, luxuriating in the feeling of contentment, wanting to savor the sensation, their minds wrapped tightly around each other.
“I think you broke me,” Rohan said at last.
Jamil made an unintelligible sound that could have meant anything.
Correctly interpreting it as a request for clarification, Rohan said, “I was one hundred percent straight.”
Jamil snickered.
Rohan tugged at his hair playfully. “Yeah, laugh it up. This is really ridiculous. I’m long past the age of having a sexuality crisis.”
Jamil nuzzled his chest, brushing his lips against Rohan’s nipple. “Sexuality crisis is probably the least important reason why we shouldn’t have done it.”
Rohan sighed. “I know, love.”
Jamil smiled into Rohan’s chest and immediately told himself to get a grip. The endearment meant nothing.
“I wish it meant nothing,” Rohan said.
Jamil froze.
Slowly, he lifted his gaze and looked into Rohan’s eyes. They were soft with affection but troubled.
Rohan smiled ruefully. “I’m just saying that I’m not really the type to… I’m pretty sure I never used endearments until I met you.” His expression became pinched. “I’m pretty fucking attached. You can’t have possibly missed that. Our minds are connected.”
Jamil wet his lips, his heart beating so fast he felt almost dizzy. “Your shields are much better than mine.” When Rohan smirked in that infuriating I-told-you-so way, Jamil rolled his eyes with a small smile. “All right, you were right: mine really need work.”
Rohan’s thumb stroked Jamil’s telepathic point, eliciting a pleasant shiver. “Yours are perfectly good against the low-level telepaths all bonded Calluvians are supposed to be.”
Jamil studied him. “But not against the mind adepts of the High Hronthar,” he stated. “Do you have proof that they are not who they seem to be?”
Rohan’s expression went blank. He stared intently at Jamil, silent and thoughtful. At last, he sighed. “I’m not supposed to be talking with you about this.”
Jamil nudged him through their bond and raised his eyebrows, expectant and haughty. “Tell me.”
Chuckling, Rohan leaned in and kissed him on the nose. “Jamil, it’s really dangerous. For you.”
Jamil gave him an unimpressed look. He really didn’t appreciate being treated like someone weak and inept. “I already know enough to endanger me if a higher-level telepath decides to search my mind.”
Rohan didn’t look happy. “Exactly. You’re too vulnerable right now. Let me remove your bond to the prince-consort. It’s weakening your telepathy. Without it, your shields will be stronger.”
Jamil frowned. Rationally, he knew Rohan was right. He knew enough about the childhood bond’s true purpose to know that it affected one’s telepathic abilities. But he still wasn’t sure he wanted to lose the one thing that he still had of his husband and childhood best friend.
He met Rohan’s gaze and found him looking at him intently. Jamil examined Rohan’s emotions bleeding through their connection despite Rohan’s mental shields. There was genuine concern mixed with protectiveness, but they were entirely overshadowed by the almost unhealthy possessiveness Rohan couldn’t quite hide from him.
Rohan grimaced and said, “Ignore it. That’s not why I’m suggesting this.” He sighed. “Look, I’m not pressuring you. It’s your choice. But if you want me to tell you more, you’ll have to be able to protect your mind better.”
Jamil bit the inside of his cheek.
“All right,” he said at last. “Will it hurt?”
The tension in Rohan’s body disappeared. “It shouldn’t. The remnants of your old bond have been weakened gradually by your bond to me. Natural bonds are always stronger than artificial ones like the one between you and the prince-consort. It shouldn’t take much to completely remove it.” Rohan’s lips twitched. “There might be side effects like heightened senses and physical needs, but I doubt they will be overwhelming, considering how eroded your old bond to the prince-consort already is.”
Jamil nodded, noting with some amusement that, for all of Rohan’s claims that his possessiveness didn’t affect him, he never called Mehmer Jamil’s husband anymore. It was always the “prince-consort.”
“All right,” Jamil said, deciding not to call Rohan on it. “Let’s do it, then.”
“Now?”
“I want to find out what’s going on. If it’s the only way, there’s no point in waiting.” Jamil cocked his head to the side. “Have you actually broken a childhood bond before?”
“Sort of,” Rohan said, grinning.
Jamil glared at him, but couldn’t bring himself to be mad looking at that disarming smile. “Seriously? So I’m going to be a lab rat for you?”