Chapter 22 (Fire – Paulina Rubio)

The banquet was well underway, and the pharaoh had hardly eaten anything. That was not surprising, however, because neither had his high priest or any of the Egyptian court. For the rest of them, however, that came from being in too close proximity to the disgustingly gluttonous ambassadors. Atemu barely noticed them, however. He could see some of the dancers around the hall already, acting partly as servants, bringing wine to his guests, but also partly as entertainers, smiling and agreeing with whatever inane comment his guests made. He turned and saw Seto standing to one side of the hall, looking as impatient as Atemu felt. Seto caught the pharaoh's eye and shook his head slightly.

Atemu turned back and smiled ruefully. Of course there was a certain order in which these things must be done. As pharaoh, he could call his Gem forward at any moment, but it would not do to appear overeager. Tonight's main entertainment would begin when Heqet gave the signal, not before.

The banquet dragged on as the sun set. The lines of light and shadow slowly finished their march across the hall, and the torches were lit. The chattering died down and the food was taken away. Atemu caught the knowing smile the servant-dancer gave him as she took the trays away, but couldn't be bothered to care.

'It can't be long now,' he thought.

Somewhere in the corner a gong sounded, and the last of the chatter died away. The serving girls, now free of their burdens, moved seamlessly into position as more dancers poured into the hall.

Atemu scanned the mass of spinning, swaying bodies, searching for Yugi. The dancers moved forward and twisted back flirtatiously, pleasing his guests, but Atemu was only interested in one dancer. One small dancer who appeared as if by magic between the drifting veils as the music took on a deeper, steady beat.

The air rushed from his lungs as Atemu sat paralyzed. His Gem glittered in the dim light, moving like a whirlwind of fire. There were no veils draped from his arms and shoulders, but as the other dancers moved around him Atemu wondered how they did not catch light and burn. Certainly his blood seemed to be burning, even from this distance. A distance which now was much too great.

Atemu gripped his chair for dear life, fighting with all his will to stay seated. Snatching his Gem away from this infernal banquet for the much more enjoyable pursuit of slowly stripping that gold away until both of them caught fire wasn't an option at this point. As his heart beat faster Atemu focused on his dancer, his eyes dilated, somewhere between pleading and demanding.

In the middle of the twisting flame two gems of amethyst sparkled, and Yugi began moving closer. He darted back and forth as if blown by the wind, as if uncertain. But there was no uncertainty in those eyes, or that smile. On either side of him the girls fanned out, moving similarly in front of the guests, distracting them from this dance's real purpose.

The beat sped up, and Atemu's heartbeat mimicked it as Yugi finally reached him. Crimson eyes met amethyst as Yugi swayed forward in one final step. In an instant, Yugi had straddled the pharaoh's lap and taken his lips in a deep kiss. Time stretched out, long and thin, as Atemu tasted his treasure properly for the first time. Shining liquid gold, cool like water poured over crimson fire, and Atemu decided that he really didn't need to breathe after all.

An eternity later Yugi pulled away and Atemu felt a horrible wrench of guilt. It was just a dance, had he taken advantage? But as the music settled back into a steady beat and all of the dancers backed away, Atemu saw the other dancers for the first time. They closed formation around his Gem, allowing him to disappear the same way he came. Each one of them was smiling a little too widely to be really seductive, and as they left Rehema turned one last time and winked. The wonderful peace created by the music and his Gem's presence was broken by the murmured catcalls of the guests. But Atemu knew what that wink really meant. He was also pretty sure he know who would be waiting in his chambers at the end of the night.

It was late. The last unruly ambassador had finally been ushered out of the hall, which was rapidly dismantled and cleaned after them. Their caravan would leave before daylight tomorrow. Seto was finally relaxing in his rooms, a glass of wine in hand and, surprisingly, Captain Joseph by his side. The two had found themselves working together to organize the clean-up after the banquet and had simply drifted together. Seto, who usually preferred solitude, found that he didn't want to leave the other's company. It seemed that Joseph felt the same. He had reclined on a couch before the fire, lulled by the wine and the darkness. Seto set down his glass.

"I believe you had something to tell me about delegating?"

Joseph looked up. "Yes, I mean," he shifted a little, "it's just that you try to be everywhere at once. You just need to find out which places are important for you to be and focus on those."

"Focus on … important … places." Seto slowly looked over his captain, down, then up again, letting his eyes rest on "important places" just to watch Joseph squirm.

"Some things," Joseph gulped, "You may find some things just aren't worth your attention." He looked away.

Seto's eyes snapped up at that, locking onto Joseph's like silver chains. Then he stood up.

"Joseph," he held out a hand to help the captain up, "I think you and I might have very different ideas about what is important."

Joseph was captivated. "Do you really want to do this?"

Seto smiled. "I'd like nothing more."

Joseph took the priest's hand and was pulled to his feet, a cobra rising at its charmer's command. Seto wasted no time.

The kiss lasted until Joseph felt lightheaded and wound his arms around Seto for support. When it did stop the priest immediately moved down his neck, licking and biting until Joseph pulled him back, taking his lips again.

Joseph always knew how single-minded the priest could be, but he never thought that intensity could be so focused on him. Determined not to be the only one trying to hold back moans, he started tugging at Seto's tunic and armbands. Fortunately they had already shed most of their finery after the banquet.

Seto smirked into the kiss before parting just long enough to let Joseph pull the tunic over his head. Finally, some of that initiative he knew the captain possessed! He leaned forward to nibble at Joseph's neck again, loving the moan that he finally drew in response.

Joseph heard it as well, with some shock. He was not going to be the only one making embarrassing noises, damnit! With one goal in mind he pushed forward, succeeding in pinning a startled priest against the wall. Shirtless. The cobra struck.

Seto was slightly jarred by the impact, but the real shock came when Joseph started attacking his chest with his fingers, tongue, and, oh Ra was that his teeth? The priest gave a choked squeaking sound at the thought, only to be rewarded with a definite bite to his nipple.

Joseph smiled and bit harder as he worked his way downward. He wondered what it would take to get a real scream. But as he grabbed at Seto's kilt, the last thing the priest wore, a hand in his hair pulled him back to his feet.

Seto's eyes looked positively wicked as his mouth crashed against Joseph's. 'Finally! I knew there was spirit under all that shyness. Let's see what you can do, my captain,' he thought.

Slowly, Seto started walking Joseph backwards, stripping off the captain's kilt as they went, until they reached the bed. Although nowhere near as opulent as the pharaoh's, there was more than enough room for the two of them.

Joseph felt the world tilt and found himself on is back with the priest on top of him. Instinctively he hooked his legs behind Seto's and used their momentum to roll them again before planting one knee between the priest's legs. Only then did he open his eyes. Seto looked up at him, eyes dilated with amazement and arousal and lips parted as he gasped for breath.

"Soldier, remember?" Joseph grinned, reaching down to remove the last of Seto's clothes. "Unless, of course, you have a problem with that?"

Joseph took hold of the priest's erection, stroking slowly while he waited for an answer. Although he would never move forward without Seto's permission, he did want the priest to make the right decision. The captain leaned forward to again take one of Seto's nipples between his teeth. 'Please say yes, come on, you won't regret it,' he thought.

Seto's mind was reeling. He had tried to charm a snake and gotten a dragon. A dragon that seemed intent on devouring him, one way or another. The question was, could he allow himself to be devoured? He looked into Joseph's crackling blue eyes and saw an intensity to mirror his own.

"Don't," he said.

Blue eyes dimmed and that wicked tongue left his body.

"Don't stop."

Joseph's lips parted in a wide grin and Seto's heart beat faster at the hunger in those eyes before his own lips became otherwise occupied. Joseph's hands slithered down his torso to grip his legs, pulling them apart.

Seto didn't resist, but the heat between them made his stomach clench in anticipation. He braced one leg on the bed and rolled his hips, trying to ease the fire he was feeling.

Joseph pulled back from the kiss, needing to breathe. His priest was practically writhing under him. He took Seto's cock in hand, but grew frustrated when he couldn't match the unpredictable jerking of the priest's hips. Joseph gripped tighter and used his other hand to pin him down and stop the movement. Seto threw his head back and keened.

"Please…," he panted, "Oh please…."

"Please what?" Joseph teased, leaving his hold on Seto's erection to ghost his hand further downwards.

Seto took a deep, shuddering breath and turned his head to the side, reaching under the mattress for something, which he handed to Joseph.

Joseph released the priest's hips and took it. In the dim candlelight the vial looked empty. He pulled the cork out with his teeth and let the clear fluid run over his fingers. Seto moaned and pulled his arm over his eyes. Joseph's eyes, normally so clear and calm, were reflecting the firelight as he stared at the liquid glistening on his fingers.

'I knew he had spirit in him, but by all that is unholy,' Seto thought.

At first Joseph's fingers were teasing, rubbing up and down over the priest's entrance, barely pressing. When one finger did slip in it was so smooth and gentle that Seto could almost believe it was an accident. But another one quickly followed and soon Seto found himself rocking into their motion.

Joseph gave one last reassuring smile before leaning in for a kiss. Then he bent his fingers into a "come hither" inside Seto's body and swallowed the scream that resulted.

Seto's head swam as he pushed the captain away. "Now, please Joseph."

"Are you sure?" Joseph asked.

Seto had never been surer of anything in his entire life. He locked eyes with Joseph. "I want you, my dragon."

Joseph removed his fingers and rubbed the remaining oil on his cock before pushing into the priest. Seto braced himself and met him halfway, rising up to impale himself.

Refusing to let his captain pause for even an instant, Seto set the pace from there. Joseph gazed down in awe as the priest came undone and came alive under him, rearing up and giving as good as he got. He couldn't seem to draw a full breath (when had breathing become so difficult?), and maybe it was the lack of air, but Joseph thought he saw the shadows around the bed curl in towards Seto. Looking out from the shadows, the priest seemed like a demon incarnate. Or a djinn, sent to grant his greatest wish.

'He's mine. Ra help me but he's mine,' Joseph thought, before his whole body tensed in orgasm and the darkness swept over him as well.

He must have only blacked out for a moment. When Joseph came to, he was still sprawled on top of Seto, who seemed to be getting his breath back as well. He blinked a few times, but it didn't help. The darkness seemed to be lingering.

"We knocked the candle over," Seto said, in an almost laughing tone.

Joseph rolled his shoulders and pushed himself sideways to lie next to the priest. "Leave it," he said.

"Of course."

There was no question of leaving. Seto pulled the sheet over them both and within minutes they were asleep.