At His Throat, a Promise (8 page)

“Then why did you go white as a ghost when I did it?” Ellis didn"t answer.

“I won"t hurt you—”

“Sir, please, it won"t hurt me. Don"t—” Ellis froze and drew his shoulders in.
Please, please, please…

“Don"t what, Ellis?” And his voice was so soft that Ellis actually finished his thought.

“Don"t treat me like I"ll break. I"m here for your pleasure, and if you want that, then I do as well. I"m so grateful to you—”

“I appreciate the sentiment,” William said dryly, “but I"m not stupid. I can see you"re scared.”

Ellis breathed heavily through his mouth. His eyes were wet and he held them wide open to keep the tears inside, but it was no good—one dropped onto his sheath.

William leaned forward and grabbed him hard, pulling him against his chest and holding him like he had Harte. Tentatively, 60

AT HIS THROAT, A PROMISE

Ellis put his arms around the master"s neck, shivering with fear of reprimand.

“Do you think you disappoint me?”

Ellis nodded. “I"m sorry.”

“You know,” William said irritably. “You don"t have to be perfect.”

Feeling so far from perfect it was laughable, Ellis only nodded against William"s chest.

“If I tell you that Harte actually likes being choked and what I did was—to him—less harsh than ordering him to shut up, what would you say?”

What a strange question. “I"d say, „All right, Sir."” William kissed his cheek softly, then his neck, then his throat where he bit gently, pulling the flesh away and letting it go. Ellis bared his throat, wanting more of the sensation. He didn"t understand why William was trying to justify his actions, especially when Ellis was so far from comprehension. William could do whatever he wanted; he was well within his rights.

“I can"t wait to see you fuck Harte… ” William whispered against his neck. His hands tightened over Ellis"s arms. “Your cock spearing him while your pretty ass gets filled by Alastair. I only wish it were my cock inside you.”

“Sir?”

“Yes, Ellis.”

“If you wish it… I don"t understand why you wouldn"t do it.” William huffed and said, “I don"t understand, myself. I just think it will be better this way. Especially now, with you so afraid.”

“I"m not—”

But William silenced him with a kiss, and Ellis lost himself in 61

AT HIS THROAT, A PROMISE

it. If William said Harte didn"t mind the choking, it had to be true.

Ellis would just have to make sure that he didn"t do anything bad enough to deserve the same treatment, though he didn"t see himself saying or doing the things Harte did. The boy didn"t seem to realise he was a
slave
.

But Ellis wouldn"t forget.

* * *

“Stand, you two,” William said, and Harte jumped up, Ellis following with more reservation.

“Welcome, Master Alex,” Harte said eagerly, but everyone could tell it was just a formality before Harte jumped at Alastair, a stocky, muscular slave with red hair and light blue eyes. He easily caught Harte and laughed, lifting him off his feet before setting him down.

“Ellis, this is Alex. He"s a very good friend of mine. Alex, this is our slave Ellis. He"s with us until we find him a good master.” Ellis noticed that Alastair"s eyes narrowed at this, but Master Alex just gave a warm smile and touched Ellis"s chin, tracing his skin. “Beautiful,” he said again. He was tall and thick, like a larger version of his slave, with sandy blond hair and dark, warm eyes.

“And this is Alastair. Alastair, Ellis.” The other slave nodded shortly with none of the enthusiasm with which he"d greeted Harte. Ellis nodded in return, already understanding that Alastair didn"t like him. This was the attitude he was more familiar with between slaves.

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“Have you watched them together yet?” Master Alex asked as they made their way to the parlour.

Ellis had only seen this room in passing. It was slightly more formal than the sitting room, with a huge fireplace and white fur rugs that looked enticingly warm.

“Not yet, but I look forward to it.”

Ellis felt something touch his hand, and he started when he saw Alastair and Harte were already kneeling. He hastily fell to his knees, keeping his eyes down and hoping William hadn"t noticed his dalliance.

The rug felt soft beneath his knees, and he longed to sink his hands into it, but he didn"t. The masters were sitting on a couch and talking quietly. He could feel Harte practically vibrating with tension beside him. Though Harte was a
good
slave—that was to say, he genuinely enjoyed his position—he hadn"t been very well trained, Ellis thought.

“Harte, wouldn"t you like to give Alastair a proper greeting?” Master Alex asked softly.

Harte turned and brought the larger slave"s face down for a deep kiss. Ellis frowned—Sir hadn"t said anything! Harte was obeying the directive of a master not his own when William was in the room.

But a hidden glance to William showed that he heartily approved of the proceedings; he caught Ellis"s gaze and nodded.

Ellis thought he understood. It was okay to obey Master Alex right now.

“Ellis, take off your tunic,” William said, his voice already going low.

Ellis quickly disrobed and settled back into position. He could feel the masters" eyes on him, but it didn"t embarrass him as he 63

AT HIS THROAT, A PROMISE

thought it should have. In fact, it made him feel good. Like he was being enjoyed.

The sounds Harte was making reminded him of their times together, and Ellis felt heat pool in his abdomen. He might get to fuck Harte right now. And Alastair might fuck him—though he wasn"t much looking forward to that.

“Undress him, Harte.”

Harte did one better—he took both their sheaths off, running his hands over Alastair"s muscular form.

“I was thinking Alastair would have Ellis, and Ellis would take Harte,” William said.

“That sounds perfect,” said Master Alex in a thick voice. “Did you hear that, you three?”

All three acknowledged that they had. Ellis was waiting on another directive, but then Harte pulled away from Alastair and whispered to him, “They won"t guide us through the whole thing.

It"s up to us. We have our instructions. Come here.” Ellis moved forward on his knees, stiffening when Harte placed a soft kiss against his lips. Though he remembered what the master had said about the new rules, Ellis threw a panicked look to William, who gave a soft smile and nodded. Ellis sighed, relieved.

Harte kissed him again, and it was strangely different than William. William"s kisses were forceful and experienced, and he was obviously used to guiding. Harte"s kisses were more tentative, as if he expected Ellis to lead. Between the two of them, it was a very soft, slow kiss because neither seemed to want to take control.

Then Alastair gave a small sound of annoyance and pulled Harte away, kissing him hard just as he"d seen William do.

Aroused and angry at having Harte taken from him, Ellis bit his lip and remained still. Having the masters watch made him feel 64

AT HIS THROAT, A PROMISE

funny inside, but at the same time, he didn"t like being on display like this, not when Alastair made him feel defensive.

“Alastair, play nice,” Master Alex chided.

Alastair let Harte go and reached for Ellis, and with trepidation, Ellis let him kiss him. This slave kissed more like the master, but he didn"t seem to care if Ellis enjoyed the kiss at all, which he didn"t.

Instead of asking Harte and Ellis to position themselves, Alastair physically moved them until Harte was on his back, legs spread wide, and Ellis was between them with Alastair behind him.

Harte looked beautiful, face flushed, slender cock high and hard. Ellis touched it and Harte moaned, twitching his hips up into the grip.

Ellis almost cried out when Alastair thrust a dry finger into his hole, and Harte frowned. “Lubrication,” he hissed, narrowing his eyes. Ellis couldn"t see if Alastair looked chagrined, but a moment later a slick and gentler finger eased its way inside him, thrusting shallowly.

Mimicking the treatment with Harte, Ellis fingered him much as he had that morning. He knew Harte liked a rougher treatment, but he took it slow in the hopes the Alastair would do the same. He didn"t. Too quickly, three fingers were inside Ellis, and he still didn"t feel ready.

But Harte was writhing sensually below him on the white fur rug, looking decadent and seductive with his kohl-rimmed eyes.

Ellis lubed his cock and pushed Harte"s legs up so he could slip within. He"d never done this, though he"d had it done to him countless times. He just hoped Harte enjoyed him, and more than that, he hoped that William did.

“Please,” Harte whimpered, and an echoing groan resounded 65

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from the couch.

Ellis guided his cock to Harte"s pink hole and pressed forward, the fingers in his own body stilling for the moment. Harte arched his back as Ellis slid inexorably within, and Ellis remembered what Harte had said:
So hot you think you’ll die
. It was just that.

But he barely had a moment to enjoy it before Alastair was slamming into him brutally. He did cry out this time; it had been some time since he"d been used, his body wasn"t used to the treatment.

But Alastair wasn"t reprimanded, and as he began to thrust, Ellis adapted, the pleasure around his cock making it easier. And then Alastair—probably by accident—stroked against his prostate, and Ellis gasped, his vision sparking.

Leaning over Harte, Ellis kissed him. Now that he was able to do so, he couldn"t help but note how sweet and perfectly the boy kissed. He was so submissive; his lips were pliant and met every caress of Ellis"s, but he didn"t make any real effort on his own.

Ellis didn"t mind; kissing Harte was lovely even without the force and demand that was William"s style.

The masters were making quiet observational comments like
So
sweet
or
Perfect together
, and knowing that William was watching… and maybe getting hard… made taking Alastair"s cock worthwhile and then some.

Ellis became so wrapped up in his thoughts of what William was doing that Harte"s orgasm took him by surprise. Harte, vocal as ever, shouted and arched impossibly, come hitting his own belly and Ellis"s. The clenching around his cock brought Ellis off as well, and he muffled his noises in Harte"s neck as he thrust into him, filling him.

After only a moment"s respite, Alastair pulled Ellis up by the 66

AT HIS THROAT, A PROMISE

hips and began pounding into him almost brutally, and Ellis could do nothing but take it, clenching occasionally to try to hurry him up.

Finally Alastair finished with a grunt, pushing Ellis down onto Harte the second he finished. Harte groaned at the added weight, but Ellis kissed him silent. Even with Alastair having been involved, it was a perfect first time.

“Alastair, attend me,” Master Alex said in a raspy voice.

Alastair grinned wickedly and crawled over to where his master sat with his cock on display.

William had his cock out as well, and Ellis stared at it. It was much bigger than his last master"s, bigger than Alastair"s. Long and thick with a pink head and pre-come that he"d love to taste…

Ellis surprised himself. He"d never really thought about actually
enjoying
someone"s cock in his mouth.

No matter, for William called for Harte to tend to him. Ellis thought that Harte"s seductive crawl was much sexier than Alastair"s. Ellis, ass sore and limbs limp, got to his knees and bowed his head, trying not to think about the two slaves enjoying their masters while cooling come dripped down his leg.

* * *

Ellis tried to gauge what the master wanted him to say. “I do not mind being taken roughly,” he equivocated.

“And by Alastair?”

Ellis cursed William"s ability to see through everything he said 67

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and did. “I did not really enjoy that, Sir. May I explain?” William stretched out beside him on the bed, over the covers.

“Please do.”

“I don"t think he likes me very much, and so I felt like he was punishing me.”

“Why don"t you think he likes you?”

Ellis shook his head. In his experience, slaves just didn"t like each other. They fought for favour with the master and for rank among one another. It was nothing new; expected, even.

“Would it make you feel better if you knew Alex was punishing him for his treatment of you?” Ellis almost burst out his true reaction:
No, because now he will
have all the more reason to resent me, and he will turn Harte, and
then you, against me.
Instead, he simply said, “I do not relish the punishment of any slave, but if it pleases his master, I am glad for that.”

“I see,” William said, but he looked intently at Ellis as though he knew very well the thoughts that ran through his mind.

Silence stretched as William seemed to be trying to outwait the truth, but Ellis was determined not to say anything bad against the other slave. It wasn"t his place.

“Well, Harte won"t be visiting with you tonight,” William said a few moments later. “He will be joining Alex, Alastair, and myself. You may sleep in tomorrow as we"re sure to have a late night.”

William didn"t so much as kiss Ellis on the forehead, making him realise just how spoilt he"d become in such a short amount of time. The sound of the door closing coincided with Ellis"s halting inhalation. He didn"t
like
Alastair; so why did he want to be exactly where he was, where Harte was…

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He"d done something wrong, that much was clear. But how to fix it?