“Yeah, you wish,” Nikolai said, tugging Jagger along by the hand as he followed.

As they entered the stable, Ethan noticed a strong, gamey smell coming off the beasts. They were behind large metal wire doors in their big stalls, and Jagger pulled Ethan up to a door on the end. “Hello, Jaxx, I’ve come to show you who’s boss again.” The big creature ignored them completely.

Ethan looked at the creature with trepidation. It was a massive black bat-like beast, with oily looking wings. Its head was lizard-like, and covered with black scales, though feathers covered the rest of its body. The creature rolled its black eyes at them and Ethan took a backward step. “I’m not getting anywhere near that thing, Konnor. You can ride him if you want to, but I don’t want anything to do with him.”

Jagger, who was standing in front of the stall next to him came over closer and spoke quietly in Ethan’s ear. “They’re not as scary as they look, although I admit, I was pretty frightened the first time I rode one of them with Niki.”

Nikolai and Konnor already had the doors of the stalls open and were putting some kind of harness around the vetamis’ necks. Ethan followed slowly as Konnor then led the thing from the stables and out into the open area in the yard. He jumped astride the massive black creature, his legs locked around its neck and held out a hand to Ethan. “Come on, Blondie. Up you go in front.”

Ethan shook his head, knowing he’d probably be disciplined for his defiance, but not caring at that moment. He tried not to flinch as the beast shifted and cast a wild black eye toward him.

“Put your foot on the wing and hold up your arms. Come on!”

Not wanting to get anywhere close to the creature, he shook his head. “No, Konnor. I’m not going near that thing.”

Konnor frowned at him impatiently. “If I have to get off to make you come to me, I will spank your ass, Ethan. Vetamis are difficult to control. Come. Now!”

Ethan clenched his jaw. Reluctantly he stepped forward, put a foot up on the wing, which was resting on the ground, and extended his hand to Konnor. Konnor pulled him up in front of him and settled him between his thighs, putting an arm around his waist. Konnor was gripping the harness around the beast’s neck and seemed to be totally at ease.

“Lean back, Blondie. Hold on with your knees. I’ve got you.”

Ethan gripped the beast with his knees as best he could, uncomfortable sitting between Konnor’s thighs. Even though he was fully clothed, he could feel Konnor’s hot, enormous cock burning through his pants and against his flesh. He was so aware of him all the time, and he was getting an erection as he did every time Konnor got near him. He needed to concentrate on his terror at the moment and try his best to stay alive. He leaned forward to get some distance between him and Konnor but that lasted only until they took to the air.

Konnor laughed as the creature seemed to soar straight up toward the sky with a hideous screeching sound. Ethan fell back in terror against Konnor’s chest, closing his eyes, sure that he and Konnor were in imminent danger of falling to their deaths. Konnor’s strong arm pulled him back against his chest, but Ethan was feeling out of control with fear. The huge bat-like creature flew over the forest that he’d only seen so far from a distance, beyond the desert sand, and he realized the giant tree tops were only inches beneath them. The beast flew with a dipping, up and down motion that madeEthan’s stomach flip over, and he became afraid that he was about to be very sick.

Konnor must have realized how he was struggling, because he whispered urgently in his ear. “Take deep breaths. Don’t look down, baby. That’s right. Keep your eyes up.” Ethan did as he was told, and the nausea eased off some.

Then off to their left, Nikolai’s vetami swooped by, and Nikolai yelled some kind of challenge to Konnor. Instantly, Konnor called out a command to his beast, and it began to put on extra speed. Ethan could only close his eyes and grab a fistful of feathers in his hands, needing to hold onto something for dear life. The next few minutes were like a nightmare to Ethan, filled with terrifying climbs and then even more frightening dives, when his legs came up off Konnor’s thighs, and he thought he would fly out over the beast and hurtle to the ground. Konnor’s arm around him always prevented it from happening, but that didn’t convince Ethan’s stomach, which was clenching and unclenching in terror, filling his throat with bile.

When after what seemed like an interminable time, they came in for a surprisingly soft landing, and Konnor brought the vetami to a sedate kind of trot back to the stables, Ethan made a desperate groan and pushed back on Konnor’s arms. Konnor let him go and Ethan fell off to the ground, vomiting helplessly as soon as his knees hit the ground. Shaking with chills that racked his body, he couldn’t remember a time when he’d been quite so ill before. He heard shouts around him and then soft hands were on his back, rubbing circles there to comfort him. He glanced up to see Jagger beside him, his handsome face frowning with concern.

“Konnor and Niki have gone to put the vetamis away in their stalls, Ethan. They’re too wild to be let loose. Konnor will be here soon, though.”

Ethan nodded, embarrassed that he had caused a scene. He hugged himself around the waist and tried to control his nausea, but every time he closed his eyes he was back in the air, climbing and dipping. The hot bile forced itself from his lips again and splashed on the ground in front of him. He moaned in misery, and then he felt Konnor’s arms around him, pulling his head back on his shoulder.

“Blondie, what am I going to do with you, baby?” He picked him up in his arms and carried him as if he were as small as Jagger, putting him down in the front seat of the Jeep. “Don’t close your eyes, honey. It only makes the dizziness worse.” He yelled something to Nikolai, and then they were driving on the sandy terrain again.

Ethan saw that Konnor’s hands were gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles were white. “I’m sorry I ruined your day, Konnor.”

Konnor glanced over at him and shook his head. “Just be quiet for now, and let me get you home. Jagger and Nikolai are following us.”

Ethan struggled to sit up straighter in the seat. “Oh, but I didn’t clean up much this morning. I was in such a hurry after…” Ethan blushed as he remembered earlier that morning when he’d been bending over bundling up the garbage to be incinerated, and Konnor had come up behind him. Some time later as he lay naked on the floor of the kitchen with Konnor catching his breath beside him, he realized there wouldn’t be enough time left to clean up the house.

“Don’t worry about it. They’re just concerned about you. They’re not coming to check up on your cleaning abilities.”

“Oh.” Ethan bit his lower lip and glanced at Konnor nervously. He seemed almost angry about something, and Ethan was sure it was because his day had been ruined by his stupid sickness. He laid his head back against the seat and was quiet the rest of the ride home.

Once they arrived, Konnor gave him medicine and made him go lie down in the bedroom and wouldn’t hear of him staying in the living area to visit with Nikolai and Jagger. “I might let you get up after a nap, if you’re good, but I want you to rest for now,” he said sternly. “No arguments. I’m leaving the house monitor on, so I can hear you if you need anything. Call me,” he said, pointing a finger at him. “Don’t get up until I say so.”

Ethan nodded obediently, but he felt a little resentful, like he was some kind of child that had to lie down for a nap. His stomach did feel queasy still, and that awful dizziness was there threatening to come back if he thought about the wild vetami ride. Whatever the medicine was that Konnor had given him must have been working on him, though, and a big yawn took him by surprise. Maybe just a little nap. He closed his eyes, and let sleep drift gently over him as he heard Konnor’s soft murmurs coming through the monitors on the wall.

“So how much do you think he’ll go for?” Ethan woke up gr adually, realizing he’d been hearing voices for a while, but had been too sleepy to wake up and listen. Nikolai must have been sitting near the monitoring station because his voice was coming through loud and clear through the speaker on the wall. Ethan smiled as he heard Konnor’s voice answering him. His voice always made him feel safer and not so alone.

“A lot,” came Konnor’s reply . “At least a hundred thousand diamond standards. Maybe more.”

A low whistle greeted his comment. “Damn, that’s a lot of money. When will the auction take place?”

“Just as soon as I can get back to Lycanus 2. Everything’s set up, and he’ll go to the highest bidder at the auction. As beautiful as he is, the bidding will go high.”

Ethan froze in horror. Auction? Highest bidder? Was Konnor talking about him? About selling him at auction? He remembered with a start that his initial training period had only been for three months and that time would soon be up. What was it Konnor had told him that day in the locker rooms at the ranking tournament as they waited for his brother to come back with the paperwork?

“There’s nothing to be so upset about,” Konnor had said to him. “I’ll be taking over your training, and nothing at all will happen for at least a few months. After that, we’ll have to come back here for an auction, but I don’t want you to worry about it. Leave it all to me. I’m taking care of things.”

The hot bile rose in his throat again, and he gagged helplessly. His head was whirling, but he fought down the panic threatening to overwhelm him. He had to control it for a few more seconds at least. Maybe there was some horrible mistake. Konnor was his mate. Wasn’t he? Had it been a trick? Had everything just been a lie? A mean, cruel lie to get him to cooperate and stop fighting his omega status so much? Had Konnor been planning on taking him back to Lycanus 2 all this time to sell him at a slave auction?

Jumping to his feet, he edged closer to the speaker on the wall. The volume was low, and he had to hear what Konnor was saying. “Well, I need the money…” Static that was persistent and grating interrupted his next few words, as Ethan strained to hear. Finally, when he was almost frantic enough to tear the speakers from the wall in frustration, the static cleared. “…he’s not worth any more than that. Not to me, anyway. I can buy others like him at auction, if I ever decide I want one again, and let’s face it, one’s about as good as another.”