The Fifth Beast (ManxMan Chinese/Celtic Fantasy Story)

Chapter 29

The new slave met his master on his knees, touching his forehead to the floor, as was customary in the south. So he saw only the Yuizhen's boots, which stopped in front of him. However, he also saw the slight unsteadiness of the Yuizhen's walk and felt the smell of wine emanating from him. The Yuizhen had been drinking at the tavern with Fergus, celebrating his purchase, or maybe he even went someplace else, instead of rushing home, where his purchase waited!

Niall was surprised with the fact that he felt offended by it. And the once-over the new master was giving him, almost burning through the back of his head with his eyes, also felt offensive. Shouldn't a drunken barbarian throw his handsome slave on the bed and take him immediately? Or even right on the floor?

The toe of the Yuizhen's boot pushed his elbow slightly.

"Stop these formalities," Fao said in Gaelic. "I don't want to be greeted by crawling on the floor."

Niall rose to his knees and bowed his head respectfully. He responded also in Gaelic, "What does my lord want? Just give the order, and everything will be done."

He glanced up at Fao and saw that he was looking at him thoughtfully, resting his chin on his fingers and holding the elbow with the other hand. The barbarian muttered something in Mengyu, Niall made out only, "A slave... won't be able to..."

Then he jerked his head, added such a familiar "shidda yarat!" and ordered in Gaelic, "Undress me."

Niall bowed and stood up, moving fluidly, gracefully. He tried to remember how Sencha undressed him. Yeah, like that, undo the buttons at the front, then go behind the master's back and embrace him a little, lowering the jacket from his shoulders. Ugh, the demons of Angaine, Niall forgot the belt! He hurriedly fumbled for the clasps of the belt, but they didn't open. Fao's fingers went over his fingers and unfastened the clasps.

"I beg your pardon, my lord," Niall breathed, as if by accident, into Faolan's neck.

The barbarian trembled a little, and that felt nice. He let out a quiet laugh.

"What is the point of having slaves and servants if I undress much faster by myself?"

Niall placed the belt on the table by the bed, barely able to keep himself from stroking lovingly the silver braid, and returned to Fao. Instead of stepping behind his back again and carefully removing the jacket without touching his body, he stood face to face with him. He slid his palms over the barbarian's chest, moved them under the lapels of the jacket.

"My lord, sometimes it's more pleasant to undress slowly than quickly," he said with a slight smile and looked directly into the barbarian's eyes.

Under the jacket there was only a thin shirt with a collar on two loops. Even here, at the Three Chiefs' headquarters, Faolan Three Swords dressed simply, without extravagance. Of course, he had changed his dusty leather pants for loose silk ones that did not restrict movements. And his jacket was embroidered with silver cord along the cuffs and collar, and his shirt was made of smooth snow-white silk and looked elegant even without any embroidery. But he wore very little jewelry, only a jasper necklace and a silver bracelet inlayed with turquoise. He probably didn't want to distract attention from his main decoration — the belt made of Sidhe hair!

With his palms, Niall felt the warmth of Fao's body, heated by wine. The latter lazily moved his shoulders, releasing them from the jacket, and it fell to the floor. Niall's hands remained on the barbarian's broad shoulders — it would have been so easy to grab them and press his mouth to Fao's in a hot and domineering kiss... Niall noticed in time that Fao was not looking into his eyes, but a little lower, and stepped back. His height was masked by magic, but if Fao himself decided to kiss him and missed, he might suspect something was wrong.