ã€ŠSanctuary [Demon / Mage Romance]ã€‹


 Mission Accomplished And...Babysitting Duty?

    ¡°You knuckle dragging swamp cunt, stop throwing fireballs at me!¡±

    I didn¡¯t plan on doing anything fancy with my hair anytime soon, but I¡¯d like it to still be on my head. Thank you very much.

    Another spell hurtled my way in response, only a quick dodge on my part stopping it from cleaving straight through my chest. White hot pain sizzled up my arm, spiking my irritation through the roof.

    This is why I detest Exitium mages; always quick to throw fire at me.

    Though, I suppose jealousy could play a role as well. Why should they get to throw destruction magic around as if it¡¯s candy? Most of the ones I ran into had more power than sense as well. Because that absolutely made for a good combination, the ability to light people on fire and a complete lack of hesitation in using it.

    Which wouldn¡¯t be such a horrible thing if they weren¡¯t flinging their spells at me most of the time.

    ¡°Ignis Fulmine!¡± The shout snapped me to the present with rude abruptness, just in time to dodge the lance of fire heading my way. Really, so far all he¡¯d used was fire. Did he know anything else? Turning the boiling irritation in my veins on him, I sneered.

    ¡°Is this all you can do, throw the occasional spit of fire? Pathetic. You can cast one of the most lethal magic types and you choose to focus only on these amateur spells.¡±

    If I¡¯d been born lucky enough to have Exitium magic I would have branched out, learning everything I could get my hands on. My Auxilio magic came in handy on occasion, but it left me at a disadvantage in closed-quarters fights like this.

    A blade of acid nicked my chin, pain just starting to seep in before I waved a hand over the injury and growled. ¡°Restituere.¡± As fast as the wound came, it faded, only the scent of burnt skin remaining. See? Times like this it was useful, just not any other time.

    Tensing for the next wave of attacks, I gripped my knives and prepared to jump on the first opening he gave.

    My adversary stood half a foot taller than me, long brown hair pulled back with a tie, and magic danced at his finger tips. When he caught sight of my cleansing spell though, he paused, tipping his head like a dog would.

    Then, realization dawned and he threw his head back to laugh. If you could call that a laugh, at least. To be honest it sounded more like a clich¨¦ super villain. When he didn¡¯t stop after a minute, I rolled my eyes internally. What was it with Exitium mages and being bat-shit insane? Tired of waiting for him to make a move, I snarked.

    ¡°What exactly is so funny? Or do you find hurling student level spells at me hilarious?¡± Considering that¡¯s what most mages¨CExitium or otherwise¨Cdid when first meeting me, I guess it wasn¡¯t totally out of the question. Of the mages I¡¯d met over my years¨Cwhen not in a public setting¨Conly three percent reacted well to my presence.

    Vladimir being the notable exception, as he usually was. Then again, the half orc necromancer had no room to throw stones, not with the virulent hatred our community had for him. Outcasts gotta stick together, right?

    My adversary grinned maniacally, pulling my focus back to him and away from my ¡®not a friend, but definitely not a stranger¡¯. I really need to ask him one of these days just what we were, because booty call didn¡¯t quite fit but friends didn¡¯t either¡­

    ¡°I didn¡¯t understand why you weren¡¯t using attack magic, but now I see. You¡¯re her. The Inutilis Mage. It must be my lucky day. When I bring your head to the council, I¡¯ll be rich as a king.¡±

    Now that caught my attention. Had those old farts finally decided to open their coin purses and pay to have me dealt with? Wouldn¡¯t be surprising, though it would make life a bit more difficult for awhile. And more interesting. Shaking that to the side, I examined our surroundings, tuning out his babble.

    The building we were in was practically designed to be a pain for me. All thin corridors and no room to dodge. Not to mention, if I wasn¡¯t careful then the backlash of this idiot¡¯s spells would hit the next room over. Usually that wouldn¡¯t be a problem¨Clet the fool burn the place down for all I cared¨Cbut I¡¯d heard cries coming from that direction.

    The kids I was here to save.

    Considering he¡¯d kidnapped them, it wasn¡¯t a stretch to think he wouldn¡¯t care if his reckless use of magic hurt them. Which meant it fell to me as the responsible and sane one to ensure their safety. Joy.

    My knives vibrated with magic, the electric energy pulsing just under my skin as I mocked. ¡°And why would they do that? They don¡¯t like me, they¡¯ve made that abundantly clear, but they¡¯re also a bunch of greedy old crones. I can¡¯t see them pulling money out of their pockets to have me dealt with.¡±

    Not now at least. Back when my magic showed itself and nearly outed the entire mage race to prosaic people, then I could see it. If I hadn¡¯t been protected by underage magic laws I probably wouldn¡¯t still be alive, just for that reason. But for them to wait this long? To my knowledge, I hadn¡¯t done anything particularly irritating to them lately. Aside from existing, but that went without saying.

    ¡°Oh, the council wouldn¡¯t do that, you¡¯re right. They¡¯re money-grubbing bastards to the last, but are you so na?ve as to think no one in our community would pay handsomely for your head? Families of people who died in your stunt as a teen come to mind and there are plenty of those.¡±

    That ¡®stunt¡¯ hadn¡¯t been intentional and led to me being chased from my home, hunted by everyone I knew and cared for. One would think I¡¯d paid that penance by now.

    But logic didn¡¯t matter to people like this. Nothing I said would penetrate the delusion that he was a golden knight, doing the world a service by offing me. To say I detested his type was an understatement on par with ¡®hell is merely a sauna for the damned to relax in¡¯.

    When I caught the crazed glint to his eyes though, I knew the fight wouldn¡¯t continue much longer. Arrogant idiots like him were the easiest to kill, even with that pesky Exitium magic of his. I can already see the look on his face when he realizes the ¡®Inutilis Mage¡¯ bested him in combat. Satisfaction welled at the image, before I brushed it to the side.

    For the sake of being somewhat morally decent, I wouldn¡¯t dwell on that or how nice the thought was. Instead, I turned my focus back to him and smiled as if we were discussing the weather, my tone betraying the levity with condescending disgust dripping from every word.

    ¡°It¡¯s always Exitium mages. I never wind up brawling it out with Auxilio or Divinus, no. That¡¯d be too easy. I swear if it weren¡¯t for Vladimir I would happily see all of you dead. Luckily for you and the rest of your magic type, he¡¯s great in bed and an even greater guy out of it.¡±

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    Not that bigoted fools like this would know how good of a man Vladimir was. He, like many others in the magical community, couldn¡¯t see past the half orc blood running through Vlad¡¯s veins. That same prejudice would be his end.

    Easing back, I waited for my moment to strike while prodding. ¡°It still doesn¡¯t redeem the rest of you lot, but at least there¡¯s hope for better out of some of you. Though, aside from him, you all make the same mistake when fighting me¡­so maybe there isn¡¯t any hope.¡±

    My adversary¡¯s smile dropped into a hard line, the edges twitching up as arrogance and rage wafted off him. ¡°And what mistake is that?¡±

    His smile grated my nerves, but I soothed myself with the knowledge that soon it¡¯d be gone. After all, the dead didn¡¯t make facial expressions, irritating ones or otherwise.

    Eyeing his posture, I poked again. Just a little more now. ¡°You all underestimate me.¡± Like I expected, he threw his head back and laughed, giving me the opening I needed. Blurring into action, I whispered, ¡°Festina.¡±

    Magic sprang to my command, coating me in a thin, invisible cloak as I became near weightless. Not giving him a chance to react, I used my newly increased speed and lunged. His hands rose to cast another spell, only to freeze as I slid in close, burying both blades into his chest. Momentum sent us sprawling, my knees landing hard in his chest as we slammed into the ground. Glaring down at him in triumph, I snarled.

    ¡°You uppity, arrogant idiots seem to be under the impression I¡¯ve survived this long by some kind of luck, but let me inform you of the truth, one that you all refuse to consider. I¡¯ve survived through my own skills, the same ones that let me and my so-called ¡®useless magic¡¯ bury two blades in your chest before you could cast anything aside from a few measly fire spells.¡±

    Well, Ignis Fulmine wasn¡¯t a minor feat, but if it was the highest one he knew then he was far from being master level. Vladimir could cast a plethora of them, but that was to be expected from a triple master such as him.

    Twisting my knives a bit, blood bubbled up between his lips as the expression I¡¯d relished earlier came. Realization, then regret. If he¡¯d taken me seriously as any self-respecting mage would have then he might have won. But that arrogance worked in my favor, so I wouldn¡¯t sneer at it.

    Not wanting to hear whatever pleas he might give, I yanked the knives a final time. A sickening squelch sounded as they sank into his chest cavity, the light leaving his eyes as he went limp. Pulling the blades out, I ignored the disgusting slide of blood and other things between my fingers, wiping them off on his shirt.

    Why couldn¡¯t my enemies die without me resorting to my blades? I was getting tired of picking all the nooks and crannies on them clean after every fight.

    Discarding the familiar complaint, I spared a glance toward the room I¡¯d heard cries coming from. Seraphina hadn¡¯t offered any details on what was going on, only telling me to be here as soon as possible. Considering the spell happy idiot I¡¯d just killed it wouldn¡¯t surprise me if choosing to take the journey slow would have cost one of the children their lives.

    Trailing a long look over the blood still dripping from my hands, I considered my options. Should I walk into the room full of children as I was, blood and other things oozing off me, potentially scarring them for life?

    One glance down to the body at my feet made the decision for me. Nope.

    Hefting the dead weight¨Cha, dead weight¨Cover my shoulder, I breezed to the window and promptly dumped him out of it. Since I was actively trying not to scar the kids for life¨Cmore than they probably already were¨Cgetting rid of the body that could pass for a morgue¡¯s failed dissection was a good first step. Another look at the blood coating my hands told me what my next one would be.

    Walking to the bathroom, I ran water over my hands until the liquid became clear. Whistling to myself, I dried off on my pants and headed for the other room.

    ¡°Anyone here?¡± I called and immediately four cries answered, confirming my assumption that there was more than one child here. I hadn¡¯t had a chance to investigate before my adversary tried to use me for fiery target practice.

    Stepping into the room, my blood ran cold at the picture waiting for me. Four children, all blonde, stared with wide, fearful eyes as they cowered in the corner. A rope tied them to the bed¨Cthe only piece of furniture in the room¨Cand the similarity to how one would treat cattle sparked a frothing rage I struggled to suppress.

    No scaring the kids more than they already are.

    My resting bitch face was legendary even when I wasn¡¯t in a bad mood. Adding in how stabby I felt at the moment¡­I could probably make an adult piss themselves in fear if I tried. Forcing a deep breath, I prayed I managed an at least somewhat comforting smile as I soothed.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to save you, the bad man outside is gone and I¡¯ll be bringing you all home now.¡±

    Of the four of them, the older three children relaxed, but the youngest flinched back, the girl¡¯s eyes shiny with tears as she sniffed. ¡°How do we know you¡¯re not with him?¡±

    Smart of her, being suspicious of a so-called rescuer. Under other circumstances I¡¯d appreciate that in another person, but right now it was working against me. Racking my brain for anything that could put them at ease, I went over the information Seraphina had given¨Cnot much, damn her¨Conly for an idea to hit.

    Kneeling to be at their level, I spoke. ¡°Your grandparents hired me to find you. You¡¯re Tina, right?¡±

    For all that¡¯s holy in the universe, let me have remembered this one name correctly.

    Seraphina only mentioned it once while shoving the tracking potion into my hands, and I was bad with names even with repetition.

    ¡°The kid¡¯s name is Tina and the details aren¡¯t important. What is important is that there are children that need saving and you need to hurry or there will be dire consequences. Think you can do that, Buttercup?¡±

    The lack of any real information was frustrating, but I guess I should be used to it by now. Seraphina followed the stereotype for seers being picky with what information they chose to part with. She¡¯d always been that way and I doubted it would change anytime soon.

    Thankfully the girl perked up, inching out of the corner as hope lit her eyes. ¡°That¡¯s me. My gramma sent you?¡±

    Well, sort of. Technically her grandmother sent Seraphina, but I was better suited to jobs like this and we both knew it. Better to not confuse the kid though. Nodding, I stood, grimacing at the cracks ringing through my knees.

    Ugh, some days I felt every single one of my three hundred years.

    Forcing aching muscles to move, I cut the kids loose before waving them out the door. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here, shall we?¡±

    Four sets of eyes stared at me, then the room burst into a flurry of movement. Tiny bodies latched onto my waist, hands grabbing as they tried to talk over each other, dozens of questions raining down as I froze.

    Panic surged, the hands tugging on me too similar to past beatings, before I shoved it down. Raising my hands, I said. ¡°All questions can wait until we¡¯re somewhere safe and please, don¡¯t touch me. Hold hands with each other if you want, but I need to be able to react at a moment¡¯s notice and I can¡¯t do that with you clinging to me.¡±

    And if they kept it up I¡¯d probably drop straight into a flashback, something none of us could afford right now.

    Thankfully the kids backed down, releasing their respective grips. My relief was short lived though, because hardly a second later Tina took hold of my pants. A trail of children lined up behind me and I just knew Seraphina would die laughing if she saw this.

    Well, as much as she could see anything¡­

    Chuckling at the pun that definitely would have gotten me slapped had Seraphina been here, I let the amusement drain away into resignation. One hand was better than eight, I¡¯d just have to deal with the discomfort.

    ¡°Fine, just¡­try to stay nearby.¡± With that, we set out. Every step I took was mimicked by the children behind me, the hair on my neck standing to attention at their closeness. Biting back the urge to snarl at them to give me some space, I forced my nerves under control and moved for the exit.

    Today had started with an urgent call from Sera and had so far contained: nearly getting blown up by an Exitium mage, getting my knives filthy again, and now I¡¯d acquired four human ducklings that¡¯d imprinted on me.

    And it wasn¡¯t over yet. With how things were going it was only a matter of time before Big Foot or the Easter Bunny made an appearance too. As soon as the thought came, I binned it. With my luck they would show up, if for no other reason than to hump my leg. Better to not tempt the Lord above when I was already in a precarious position.

    Looking over my shoulder at the children, I braced for the trip ahead, only for one of the boys¡¯ voices to freeze me in place, dread dragging claws down my spine.

    ¡°I have to pee¡­¡±

    Oh, by the seven hells.

 New Partners and Powers

    Leaning back against the house, I eyed the three children sitting near me, waiting for the fourth to finish with his bathroom break so we could be off. What¡¯d started as one child needing the restroom turned into all four of them having to go. Every second we lingered put me more on edge, but these kids had suffered enough.

    I could at least let them have this mercy.

    Considering the pungent scent rolling off of them, I doubted their captor had allowed the dignity of using the restroom before. Another flash of vicious satisfaction curled through me. That spineless coward deserved every bit of pain I¡¯d given him and more for what he¡¯d made these kids suffer through.

    Shaking aside the wrath boiling low in my veins, I focused on the present and the new problem I had to consider. I¡¯d saved the children, as Seraphina wanted, but now what? I didn¡¯t know the first thing about kids and these ones desperately needed to go home.

    And for that matter, how was I supposed to return Tina to her grandparents when I didn¡¯t have their number or address?

    Was I supposed to hunt them down and drop the kids off before being on my merry way or did Seraphina have more errands for me to run?

    Irritation with the lack of information leaked into the thought, before I shook it back with a sigh. No use getting snappy with Sera, better to just call her. With any luck she¡¯d actually keep her phone near her and charged since she sent me on this little quest.

    Tugging my phone out, I dialed, listening through the rings before finally Sera picked up.

    ¡°Julian, how is everything going on your job?¡±

    As if she didn¡¯t already know. But if she wanted to hear it¡­ ¡°Well, no one¡¯s died yet, aside from those who were supposed to. I guess I have that going for me.¡± I snarked, Sera¡¯s bark of laughter coming through clearly.

    ¡°Those are your standards?¡±

    Dropping into the familiar banter, I responded. ¡°You¡¯ve known me how many years now, but you¡¯re still surprised? Either way, that isn¡¯t why I called. We have a problem.¡± One that I hoped she could solve easily, because I was just about done for the day.

    Her answer was immediate and dripping with sarcasm. ¡°No, you have a problem. I have an idiot who keeps getting into them.¡±

    Pulling the phone back to glare at it as if Sera could feel my glower through the machine, I huffed. ¡°Okay, rude. You¡¯re the one who sent me into this so it could be argued this one is your fault.¡± Though there¡¯d been plenty of times I¡¯d found trouble all on my own, this wasn¡¯t one of them.

    Sera sighed. ¡°Fine, what¡¯s the problem this time?¡±

    Glancing to the kids who¡¯d imprinted on me, I whispered. ¡°I came to where you said to go, almost got my ass burnt off by a testy Exitium mage, found some kind of child trafficking ring, and now I have four crotch goblins that¡¯ve imprinted on me like ducklings who won¡¯t leave my side.¡± I paused, letting that sink in before getting to the core of the issue.

    ¡°On top of that? I have no idea where to bring them.¡±

    An amused snort came at the ¡®crotch goblins¡¯ comment, before Sera hummed. ¡°That¡¯s the problem? That you have to babysit until you find their parents?¡±

    In other circumstances I¡¯d be just as amused as she was, but as Tina latched onto my legs again¨Cdamn it all child, I¡¯d already told you not to do that!¨CI couldn¡¯t seem to find my sense of humor.

    ¡°Ducklings, Sera. I don¡¯t like people in my space and they¡¯re clinging to me. It¡¯s your fault I¡¯m here so stop laughing and help me, you bitch.¡±

    Some of her amusement faded, though it lingered in her tone. ¡°Language, ducklings remember? Now, as for the kids, someone should be by soon to help with that. Don¡¯t bother hiding your magic from him either, he isn¡¯t like most people. It won¡¯t be a problem. In some ways, him knowing what you are will actually make things easier.¡±

    Okay, just what in the seven hells did she mean by that? Before I had a chance to ask, Sera hung up. Staring down at the phone, I breathed slowly through my nose and grumbled. ¡°This is why people don¡¯t like you, not even a goodbye before hanging up to leave me in suspense. Mystifying bitch.¡±

    My phone vibrated with a text, the crystal clear image of Sera¡¯s middle finger dragging a tired laugh from me. Whatever vision she¡¯d had, it must have shown me saying that¡­or she just knew me well enough to see it coming without her power.

    Both were viable options.

    When the last boy finally left the house, I shoved off the wall and nodded. ¡°Great, now let¡¯s get out of here.¡± I led them toward the trees around the house, but no sooner did my foot hit the edge of the property, the harsh squeal of tires cut through the air.

    The kids cowered around me, hands once again gripping my clothes as Tina whimpered. ¡°She¡¯s back!¡±

    Okay, so not my mysterious partner then. Cripes, had there been more than one kidnapper?

    I didn¡¯t have time for this. Shuffling the kids into the bushes, I pressed them down and spoke. ¡°Hide here while I handle this.¡±

    If one of the guards was a mage then the likelihood of both of them having magic was high. And for that matter, why had whoever kidnapped the kids hired magical guards? Not many prosaics knew about our community and I¡¯d already scanned the kids for magic. Not a trace lingered. It was a lot of effort for ¡®regular¡¯ kids when prosaic guards would suffice.

    Shaking the thought to the side, I focused on the now.

    First and foremost, I needed to get ready. My next opponent might be smarter than the last. Gathering my magic until it pulsed beneath my skin, I whispered. ¡°Celare.¡±

    Like a blanket, it settled over me, blurring my form until even I couldn¡¯t see myself. Just as the last of my fingers faded, a car came skidding to a stop not four yards away from me. Out from it jumped a fuming brunette, her hair cut to her shoulders with the painfully outdated robes almost all highborn families insisted on wearing.

    It made them stick out like a sore thumb, not to mention making them easier to kill. The risk these people would go through for aesthetic of all things blew me away¡­

    The woman bolted into the house, only to come out less than a minute later to shriek. ¡°I know you¡¯re out there! My barrier is broken and it wouldn¡¯t have disappeared without outside influence!¡±

    Barrier? I hadn¡¯t noticed any barriers¡­ Sure when I first walked up to the house there¡¯d been a bit of tension in the air-.

    Understanding hit and with it disbelief washed over me. That spider web like pressure had been a barrier? Dear Lord, how weak was this mage? To create such a pathetic spell either she didn¡¯t major in Spectrum magic or she truly was just that weak. For the sake of caution I¡¯d assume the former.

    Before I could move to dispatch the woman from behind, she spun toward the road she¡¯d come in from. ¡°You. You must be the one who dispelled it!¡±

    Swinging around to look where she was pointing, I froze. A blond man who had not been there when I looked last came into clarity. Either he had the ability to cast Festina on himself¨Cwhich would make him an Auxilio mage like me¨Cor he wasn¡¯t human.

    It wasn¡¯t uncommon for half breeds or even full on creatures to take human form. Though I¡¯d always assumed the rumors of dragons and the like were a myth. Considering my own oddities and the things I¡¯d seen, maybe that was na?ve of me.

    Forcing my attention back to the present, I took in the newcomer. Short gold hair was combed back and swept to the side in an almost wave that framed a pair of honey eyes, sharp with alertness. His frame was lean without being twiggy, just a hair of muscle definition showing under the beige sweater and slacks he wore.

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    When added to the five o clock shadow and his hard jaw line, he made for quite the heartthrob many women would drool over. Myself included.

    Carnal interest heated my veins, something about him making me ache to lean in and rub myself against him like a cat in heat. The almost magnetic pull dazed me, until the air around him snapped me out of it. Pressure saturated the clearing, not magic but something, and whatever it was? It came from him.

    Either the Spectrum mage didn¡¯t feel that or didn¡¯t care, because she spun to face him and snarled. ¡°What are you, deaf or dumb? I asked if you were the one who dispelled my illusion!¡±

    Jesus, was this woman serious? You didn¡¯t question an enemy like that. Not if you wanted to live to see your hundredth year, at least. The spoiled brat of a woman was making me ashamed of my race. Ignoring that, I circled behind her until I could watch both of them easily. He obviously wasn¡¯t with her, but then, who was he?

    Perhaps, my new partner?

    I could hope. My attraction to him aside, if he wasn¡¯t a mage then he wouldn¡¯t have reason to detest me on sight. That¡¯d do wonders for our working relationship.

    The air crackled with power, the hair on my neck standing to attention as the man¡¯s face twisted into a scowl, his eyes darkening to a whiskey shade as he growled. ¡°I am neither and should you slander me again it will be the last thing you do.¡±

    Power rolled off him, his voice firm with command and deep enough to drown in. The haze from before brushed against me, my eyes fluttering shut for the briefest second before I snapped them open. Okay, he definitely wasn¡¯t human.

    As if to back that up, the Spectrum mage swayed, her face flushing pinker by the minute as shivers ran down her form. The power coming off him circled her like a predator, thankfully not twitching toward me.

    The blond didn¡¯t bat an eye, presumably used to the woman¡¯s reaction. ¡°Also, you did not ask me anything. You accused me¨Cfalsely, might I add¨Cof breaking your barrier. There was no question to answer.¡±

    Then those eyes landed on me and everything around us stopped. The birds, crickets and even the frightened whispers from the children. All quiet. My heart tripped before nearly beating out of my chest, those intense eyes sending tingling awareness through my veins with every second they watched me.

    Wait¡­how was he able to see me?

    Maybe it was a coincidence. Shifting a few feet to the side, I balked when his gaze followed. Then, as if to further prove that he could in fact see me, he pointed and said. ¡°Perhaps she is the one you are searching for?¡±

    The pressure around the Spectrum mage dropped and she swung around to face me. Damn it, whoever he was he¡¯d thrown me under the bus. Tensing for a fight, I went to lunge, only for the Spectrum mage to look right through me.

    I¡¯d known she was weak but not that weak. Even the man could see me!

    Despite the disbelief flooding my veins, she turned back to the blond and snapped. ¡°Don¡¯t try to distract me. No one¡¯s here but you and I. Now what did you do to me before?¡±

    Intense eyes dug into me, ignoring the Spectrum mage as he raised a brow in my direction. What, did he expect me to out myself to prove him right?

    I bit back a snort. Yeah, that ain¡¯t happening, sorry honey. I¡¯d put up the spell to hide, not to be seen and I wasn¡¯t about to change that for him.

    He didn¡¯t have a chance to say anything, the Spectrum mage lunging at his back with a shout. ¡°Don¡¯t turn away from me so casually!¡±

    Seriously?! Did he not know to face all your enemies? Now I had to save his ass. Frustration sent magic vibrating through my veins as I slung it out, my voice cutting through the clearing just as the Spectrum mage spelled a curse.

    ¡°Clypeus!¡±

    A see through barrier slammed into place between the blond and the spell, protecting him as what looked to be an acid lance bounced harmlessly off my shield. Before I could jump in and finish the mage, the power from before flooded the clearing.

    Again the brunette swayed, her flush coming back as she clutched her head and groaned. Tremors wracked her as she dropped to her knees. ¡°What are you doing to me?!¡± The frightened cry broke off on a moan, her hips gyrating against open air.

    Okay, what in the seven blazing hells was going on here?

    As if in response, the power circled me, sliding over my skin like a physical caress as a hard pulse started between my thighs. Biting back a moan of my own, I swept my magic out in a wave to dispel it. Thankfully, after a minute of highly uncomfortable arousal, it eased back.

    Okay, so maybe he was some kind of lust demon. I hadn¡¯t thought demons were a thing either, but at this point I couldn¡¯t discount anything. Besides, hadn¡¯t I thought about Big Foot coming out to hump my leg earlier? Maybe this was the universe¡¯s way of laughing at me. Instead of him humping my leg, my gut clenched as if I¡¯d be humping his.

    Forcing down the urge to climb him like a tree, I sent another wave of power out, the stroking fading back, to my relief. It took a good bit of magic to dispel, but I could. That¡¯s a good thing. It would have been beyond embarrassing if I¡¯d panted after my potential new partner.

    Focusing on the blond, I waited for his answer to the second rate mage¡¯s question. He didn¡¯t disappoint.

    Turning his attention back to her, he spoke. ¡°I take it this is your first encounter with an incubus old enough to defend himself? You guard children of my blood so you must know of our existence. Though I doubt you ever fought one such as myself. Cowards rarely choose an opponent who can fight on their level.¡±

    Despite the slander, the woman didn¡¯t get off the ground. Instead she continued writhing, shuddering under his power. While it was fascinating, my mind wandered to what he¡¯d said.

    An incubus. So he actually was a sex demon? At least that explained my urge to climb him. While I enjoyed a nice looking guy and I definitely appreciated a fine ass¨Cproven by my interest in Vladimir and our occasional nights together¨CI¡¯d never had such an instant and complete attraction to someone before.

    If he was one of the lust demons of legend, it made sense. My hormones were still very much alive and kicking, despite how rarely I sated them, so of course I¡¯d react this way. Backtracking over what he said, I swung around to face the children.

    Incubi. These children were all of the same creature bloodline? For all of them to be kidnapped and held together¨Cnot to mention guarded by a mage¨Cthat couldn¡¯t be a coincidence. But right now wasn¡¯t the time to think on it. Looking at the blond still standing over the shivering heap of woman, I finally let my illusion drop.

    ¡°While I enjoy watching you put her in her place, there are kids that need seeing to. I¡¯m assuming by your actions that you¡¯re here for the same reason I am. To free them.¡±

    He turned, not stopping his assault on the woman as he stared with eerie focus. ¡°That is accurate, though I wonder who you are and how you came to know of these children¡¯s location.¡±

    Right back at ya pal.

    Glancing to the kids hiding behind me, I huffed. ¡°We can discuss that and everything else later. The children are our first priority and they don¡¯t need to witness this on top of everything else they¡¯ve already seen.¡±

    For a minute nothing changed. His eyes never left mine as his power surge, coating the clearing. The stroking along my nerves made me twitch, before I snapped. ¡°Could you not? That doesn¡¯t affect me as strongly as it does her, but it¡¯s not comfortable either and while you¡¯re a very attractive man, I don¡¯t make a habit of fucking random strangers. Especially under the influence of an unknown magic.¡±

    Though, I could probably be convinced if it were him doing the influencing. I¡¯d always been a sucker for a hard jawline and his stubble definitely did something for me.

    His power faded away as he nodded. ¡°You are the first person, male or female, who has been able to withstand my power.¡±

    Great, so I was a freak even by a demon¡¯s standards. Because that¡¯s what I needed in my life. ¡°Do I get a medal with that title?¡±

    His lips twitched in amusement, before he looked behind me to where the children hid. I tensed, preparing for a fight I hoped wasn¡¯t happening. For all intents and purposes, he seemed to be on my side and I didn¡¯t have enough allies to be casually killing them off. But if he made a move for those kids¡­all bets were off.

    After a long minute, he finally turned back to me, noting my tension with a small smile. ¡°Neither you nor they have anything to fear from me. You said you were here to save them? Then we have nothing to quarrel over.¡±

    Turning to the kids¡¯ hiding place, he continued. ¡°For now, we should focus on taking them to safety, as you stated. After the parents come to collect them, only then will we question one another on what happened here today.¡±

    More than fair and to be honest, I preferred it that way. Discussing magic out in the open like this was a one way ticket to a lecture from the council. If at all possible, I¡¯d prefer to avoid seeing their upturned noses anytime soon.

    Nodding, I eyed the brunette on the ground. ¡°You want me to handle her or will you?¡± I twirled my knife to punctuate that. In answer he stepped to the side, the open invitation unsaid as I moved forward. Finishing the woman, I looked up and paused.

    The blond had moved to block the children¡¯s view of what I was doing, raising him up a notch in my book.  Shelving that for later consideration, I stood. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s one loose end down, onto the next one. Time to get the kids to safety.¡±

    I moved back to their hiding place, waving for them to come out. ¡°Alright ducklings, follow him instead of me. We¡¯re heading out shortly so we can get you back to your parents-.¡±

    Tina latched to my leg again, her tear streaked face wetting my thigh as I flinched. Apparently she¡¯d already forgotten my earlier request for space. Patting her back awkwardly, I tried to think of something comforting to say.

    Why was it that the world saw fit to throw damsels in distress¨Cminiature ones, but still¨Cmy way? I was horrible with human interaction and now there was a most likely traumatized child wrapped around my leg. What on Earth was I supposed to do with that?

    Was it too much to ask that the Lord didn¡¯t throw these odd situations my way? Why not give me a good old ambush? I¡¯m great at handling those! Before I could try to come up with something to say¨Cprobably something along the painfully awkward lines of ¡®there, there¡¯¨Cthe incubus¡¯s power lurched out again.

    This time my magic shielded me without a thought, instinct making me jump back with Tina clasped in my arms. Relief swept through me at not having to attempt to comfort the kid, my body moving to protect the gaggle of children behind me as I dropped into the familiar stance.

    I loved it when the Lord gave me exactly what I asked for.

    After the initial power flash, the blond jumped forward, seeming to remember my immunity to his power as he reached out. Before he could make contact with Tina, my knife pressed to his throat, the girl¡¯s sniffles sounding from behind me.

    Whether he was my new partner or not, he¡¯d better have a fantastic reason for this or I¡¯d be removing his head from his shoulders.

 Questions And Answers

    ¡°The hell do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± I growled. Just because I was glad to not be in the position of ¡®unwilling comforter¡¯ didn¡¯t mean I¡¯d excuse that lunge.

    Instead of immediately answering, or appearing nervous about the knife against his jugular as any sane person would be, the blond stared in utter befuddlement.

    ¡°You¡­are not aroused?¡±

    Disgust blazed a trail through me as the kids all shrank back, their cries adding to the fury building in my chest. Sneering with all the hate I possessed, I pressed the blade closer in warning. ¡°What part of this situation would make me be?¡±

    I¡¯d thought he was an ally, but I¡¯d proven to have a poor judge of character before¡­ The last thing I expected was his calm reply.

    ¡°Nothing about this should be arousing, but the child attached to you and the others are incubi and succubi, though young ones.¡± Solemn gold eyes leveled on me. ¡°And as such, they cannot control their fledgling powers. I take it you are also unaffected by them?¡±

    Apparently. ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything out of the ordinary aside from the adrenaline spike you gave me. Why would them being kids make a difference? If your power doesn¡¯t work on me, why would theirs?¡±

    He grimaced. ¡°Children of my blood are untapped wells of power and, until they learn to control it, that power is without restraint. Thus it leaks out to draw those around them. While you appear to be immune, I refuse to take chances when it comes to them.¡±

    Alright, I could get behind that, though I now had more questions than answers.

    ¡°If you¡¯re some kind of sex demon and they are too, then why aren¡¯t I affected?¡± Not to say I minded that, but the logistics were confusing. The power he¡¯d whammied me with before, I¡¯d had to focus to dispel, but I felt nothing coming from the kids.

    Thank God.

    He gave a blithe shrug. ¡°You are currently surrounded by four children and me, yet you are calm with a firm grasp on your consciousness. This proves that something about you prevents our power from penetrating, at least not without effort. As for why you are not affected? I do not know. By all rights, you should be, but here you are.¡±

    Interest lit his eyes. ¡°Earlier I saw you put a shield in place to protect me, I take it that was some sort of magic?¡±

    Okay, so he was unaware of the magical world, not surprising since most mages were hermits or snobs who thought ¡®prosaics¡¯ were beneath them. But that meant I¡¯d have a lot of explaining to do once we got some privacy. Great.

    Shrugging off the resignation, I nodded. ¡°My magic shielded me or so I assume. The other mage was weak, so hers didn¡¯t stand a chance.¡± I didn¡¯t have a better explanation anyway and we didn¡¯t have time to talk about this right now. The kids needed to get out of here and standing around in the open was driving my instincts haywire.

    I¡¯d already been attacked twice, no need to make it three times.

    ¡°Alright, you were only jumping at me because you thought I was going to hit some kind of lust craze, right?¡± I asked, knife still poised at his throat.

    He nodded, ignoring the blade even as it dug in further. ¡°Yes, though I see now I was wrong to worry. Do you feel even slightly dazed?¡±

    Digging deep, I tried to pinpoint anything odd, but after a minute I shook my head. ¡°No, not at all, but we can discuss that and what you are later. We have four kids that need to go home and that¡¯s more important than either of our curiosity.¡±

    Slowly, I lowered the blade while leveling a glare on him that promised pain if he tried anything. His lips twitched, the previous glint of approval showing, before he took several steps back. Giving a slight bow of his head, he gestured for me to lead. ¡°My apologies for startling you. Now then, shall we be off?¡±

    In place of a verbal answer, I started nudging the children forward. Keeping him in the corner of my vision, I followed at the rear while my mind wandered to his words.

    An incubus¡­just what kind of powers did he have?

    ***

    Staring up at the towering house in wonder, my previous assumption that he was more than he seemed cemented further.

    It wasn¡¯t quite what I¡¯d call a castle, but it was close enough to count. One thing was for sure, the massive three story building was just like its owner. Mysterious.

    Towering walls made of brick greeted us as we entered, my eyes flicking over the potential strengths and weaknesses of the place on habit. While it and its base were brick, there were too many windows for it to be considered well fortified. Thick walls were useless if thin windows covered just as much space.

    On top of that; palpable energy rolled off it, making my hair stand on end. It was similar to the one that¡¯d come from the blond earlier, but different in a way I couldn¡¯t put my finger on. It all but pulsed off the sprawling estate and despite my instincts screaming that something was off, the urge to inch closer tugged at me.

    Curiosity that¡¯d stayed with me over the centuries burned to know what the new magic was, even as logic said it was dangerous to run in blind. Forcing the urge to start asking hundreds of questions down, I pivoted to face the blond with a raised brow.

    ¡°You said we should bring the children back to your house because it would be easier to have all the parents contacted that way.¡±

    He turned, having not once made a move toward the children after his previous worry soaked lunge, and nodded. ¡°Yes, and I stand by this, why?¡±

    Snorting, I gestured around us at the fortress-like building. ¡°This is not a house, this is a mansion.¡±

    A shrug. ¡°It is home, does the term I give it matter?¡±

    Eyeing everything around us warily, I glanced back at the kids huddled behind me, before heaving a sigh. The air the place gave off wasn¡¯t dangerous necessarily, but not knowing what waited for us was putting me on edge.

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Though, I suppose if the guy had Seraphina¡¯s support I could at least give him the benefit of the doubt.

    ¡°I guess not. I hope you know I have plenty of questions for you once we get the children sorted.¡±

    At that, he swept an amused glance my way, mouth twitching again as he led the way. ¡°What a coincidence, I was about to say the same.¡±

    The lighthearted expression disappeared then. ¡°But you are correct, they are the top priority so both our curiosities will have to wait. I will answer all your questions then.¡±

    With that, silence came again, allowing me to take in the massive hallways he led us down. Tile floors and fancy carpets lined the ground, stone walls and the occasional suit of armor decorating the hall as we breezed down it.

    The kids were following him in a line now¨Cthank God, I¡¯d been ready to snap if they started clinging to me again¨Cand as we went deeper into the building, I pulled magic into my fingers. If things got nasty, a barrier might be needed and it was better to be prepared for the worst case scenario.

    Just because he supposedly had Sera¡¯s approval didn¡¯t mean I¡¯d be stupid about this. Seers weren¡¯t gods and their visions were often misunderstood. With children¡¯s lives at stake, I couldn¡¯t afford to be too trusting.

    After the first few corridors I lost track of the way back, my memory once again working against me as the seemingly endless hallways came together into a maze. Just as I started considering asking if he¡¯d gotten lost in his own home, the blond pulled to a stop outside of what appeared to be a sitting room.

    Moving to let us pass, he waved. ¡°If you would stay here with the young ones, I will make arrangements for their parents to be located and contacted. The kidnappers must have been taking them from nearby as the building was not heavily fortified or heavily guarded. It should require little effort to find their caregivers.¡±

    I nodded, coaxing the kids inside before turning my attention to him. ¡°I have a friend who knows Tina¡¯s grandparents. I assume you want them to pick her up?¡±

    A nod. ¡°That would be the easiest route. You may sit in on the explanation I give the grandparents if you wish. As I told you earlier, all of these children are succubi or incubi. Their caregivers need to be warned of the difficulties that will come from this and what they should be wary of.¡±

    And while he did that, I¡¯d be learning everything I wanted to know. He said I¡¯d get my answers and from personal experience dealing with Sera, I knew that pressing for more was infinitely more likely to result in me getting no answers at all.

    So I pulled out my phone and made the call. The blond left with a bow of his head, movements graceful as he eased out the door. Immediately the kids grouped around me, Tina in particular clinging to my pants again.

    There was no winning with this kid, I swear.

    Why was it the universe at large decided I needed a gaggle of children around me? I wasn¡¯t the motherly type and even if I liked kids I didn¡¯t know how to interact with them.

    The phone picked up, pulling me back to the present as Sera spoke. At least she remembered to keep her phone nearby this time¡­

    ¡°Julian?¡±

    I hummed. ¡°Yup. I went with who I¡¯m hoping is my new partner and I need the contact number for Tina¡¯s grandparents.¡±

    Sera answered. ¡°If the man you¡¯re referring to is tall, blond and has the ability to drop people into lust driven fits, then yes he¡¯s your partner. I¡¯ll give you the number now, I¡¯m assuming you have a pen because we both know your memory sucks.¡±

    Pulling one off the nearby table, I scribbled the number on my palm as she rattled it off. Once done, I spoke. ¡°Thanks Sera. I¡¯ll call you later once I know more about this since I¡¯m assuming you won¡¯t tell me anything?¡±

    A knowing chuckle came from the line and I sighed.

    ¡°Figured. Alright, I need to call the grandparents, talk to you later.¡± With that I hung up, dialing the other number and listening as a voice filled with hope and dread answered.

    ¡°Yes, this is the Birchwood household. How may I help you?¡±

    Sending a smile down to Tina, I gave who I assumed was her grandmother the happy news. ¡°Your granddaughter has been found safely, she¡¯s here with me and if you could come pick her up that¡¯d be much appreciated. I¡¯m a friend of Seraphina¡¯s.¡±

    Tina beamed, all but vibrating in place as tears of relief made twin trails down her cheeks. I wiped them away absentmindedly as Mrs. Birchwood called out an order for someone to get the car ready, before she spoke to me again. ¡°We¡¯ll be right there dearie and thank you. I don¡¯t have words to tell you how much this means to us and I will forever be grateful Seraphina intervened.¡±

    I grunted, uncomfortable with the praise, as my mind wandered to Sera. She¡¯d told me this mission had to be done by me and no one else, but why? As of yet there¡¯d been nothing that Sera herself couldn¡¯t have handled, though the Exitium mage probably would have given her a bit of trouble.

    Sparing a glance down at the four kids now happily chatting amongst themselves, suspicion niggled at the back of my mind. Four kids, all from the same creature inheritance, kidnapped by people who¡¯d known to hire two magical guards.

    Someone had taken these kids knowing their heritage, but that only spawned more questions. And for that matter, I¡¯d had Seraphina point me here, but how did the blond know where to find the kids?

    And how did the person who¡¯d tracked them down know?

    Sneaking a glance where the blond disappeared, I bit my lip and wondered. Why was he saving them to begin with? Most people wouldn¡¯t put their own life on the line to save a child that wasn¡¯t their own. So what was his angle?

    The questions circled one another, multiplying until my head was ready to burst from them all. When I was no closer to answering them after a minute, I let it go. I¡¯d have time to consider it later and with any luck, some of them would be answered soon.

    Rattling off the address to Mrs. Birchwood, I listened as the woman promised to be here soon, then hung up. Settling the phone back in my pocket, I crouched to Tina¡¯s level and soothed. ¡°Your grandmother is on her way.¡±

    The girl¡¯s eyes lit up like stars before she whipped around to chatter with the others, exuberance all but pouring off her as I stood again. At least these four were safe now. Though, knowing what they were, I wasn¡¯t so sure this was just a trafficking ring hunting for more victims¡­

    The blond walked through the door again, an easy smile on his lips. ¡°We have begun the search for their parents. It should be settled by the end of the day. I assume Tina¡¯s grandparents are also on their way?¡±

    At my nod, he continued. ¡°Excellent, when they get here we may start going through the things you wish to discuss.¡±

    Considering the questions breeding like rabbits on Viagra, I was more than ready to have some answers. That must have shown through because he chuckled.

    ¡°You are inquisitive. Good. It is refreshing to be around one who questions the goings-on for no reason other than the pursuit of knowledge. I am much the same, which is why I will of course be asking you questions of my own when we finish with my explanation.¡±

    Hearing the not at all subtle message underneath the words, I nodded. ¡°I¡¯m no stranger to information exchanges, though you¡¯re the first person who¡¯s been polite during it. Generally, when someone faces the knowledge that there¡¯s an entire world they don¡¯t know, they react aggressively. Your level-headedness is different. Good different, but still different.¡±

    If someone didn¡¯t already know of magic then the usual response to having it shoved in their face was violence, as I¡¯d seen firsthand too many times. While he was mystifying, he hadn¡¯t once given me so much as a bad feeling despite seeming to just realize an entire species of people he hadn¡¯t known existed lived alongside his own.

    In short, he was fascinating, and in my three hundred and forty some odd years I¡¯d seldom found truly interesting people. Seraphina was one of them and I hadn¡¯t hesitated in befriending her for that reason. Then there was Vladimir, who was an entirely new tax bracket of fascinating, though for a different reason¡­

    Shaking all thoughts of the man¡¯s ass and other things away, I eyed the blond, noting amusedly that I still didn¡¯t have his name. Today had been hellacious so I guess it wasn¡¯t that surprising. I¡¯d have to fix that soon though. If we were going to work together, I couldn¡¯t keep calling him ¡®the blond¡¯.

    Before I could ask what it was, a knock sounded and a man dressed in formal pants and a crisp white shirt came in with a bow. ¡°The Birchwoods are here, sir.¡±

    The blond¨Cdamn it, there it was again¨Cnodded, gesturing to the door for me to follow. ¡°Now then, shall we ladies?¡±

    Tina and I exchanged a glance, before I nodded. Following the muscled back without question, I kept an eye on Tina as we made our way back through the sprawling mansion.

    It was finally time to get some answers.

 Meet The Grandmother

    ¡°Tina¡­is a succubus?¡±

    The elderly woman now sitting with her granddaughter perched on her knee was paper white and had been since the blond started his explanation. Not that I could blame her, any sane person would have difficulty swallowing this information.

    If I hadn¡¯t been immersed in magic and at least halfway insane thanks to the bizarre shit that came from it, I¡¯d be just as confused. However, I wasn¡¯t surprised, thus I was free to focus past the oddness of the situation onto the more important aspects.

    ¡°You say that your people don¡¯t have to go into dreams to feed, but if that¡¯s the case then how do you stay alive?¡± I asked, head spinning from it all. How much of the myths were wrong in regards to incubi?

    He went to answer, only for Mrs. Birchwood to swivel her head in my direction, wide desperate eyes locked to me. ¡°You can¡¯t believe what this man is saying?! He has to be lying, my Tina can¡¯t be some kind of demon.¡±

    Well, the kid sure didn¡¯t look like something hell itself spat out, though I¡¯d been told children without their naps could quickly take on the title of hell spawn. Shrugging, I answered.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, I¡¯ve seen too many odd things in my life to completely discount anything. Besides, when I saved your granddaughter he used powers that would back up his claim.¡± Though what all he could do, I still wasn¡¯t sure. I¡¯d be asking that later, make no mistake.

    Mrs. Birchwood didn¡¯t drop her look of fear and I heaved a sigh internally. How were we going to prove that this was real? I doubt the blond using his power would end well. If anything that¡¯d terrify her more, but the only other option was for me to cast a spell and I really didn¡¯t want to do that.

    I still have the magical council on my ass from the last time a prosaic saw me using magic. Didn¡¯t matter that it¡¯d happened over forty years ago, old bastards held a grudge like no one¡¯s business¡­

    If it got to their ears that I¡¯d revealed the existence of magic there¡¯d be even more trouble brewing. Not that I was really afraid of that, hell I¡¯d been in the shit with them since the day my magic presented itself, but their constant meddling was supremely irritating.

    If at all possible I¡¯d prefer to avoid the entire situation and as long as my magic didn¡¯t come to light then that¡¯d be easy-.

    ¡°Mrs. Birchwood, the lady to whom you are speaking has the ability to cast magic at will. While I cannot showcase my powers to prove my claims, surely if you could believe witches are real, an incubus would not be out of the realm of possibility.¡±

    Son of a diseased whore he had not just done that!

    Swinging around to level a poisonous glare on him, I seethed internally.

    I hadn¡¯t given him permission to out me! Would he have liked it if I walked around announcing his heritage? No, because it was rude, not to mention dangerous.

    Temper rising to boil in my veins, I snarled through gritted teeth. ¡°If you could refrain from announcing my ¡®well-kept secret¡¯ from now on without my permission, that would be great.¡±

    He blinked, taken aback, before a small frown tugged across his lips. ¡°Apologies, I did not think. I will be sure to do better in the future, though in this particular situation it would be easier if you were to show her your magic. Mine would be considerably more problematic, as you felt earlier.¡±

    Yeah having a little old lady creaming herself and humping his leg would make this fifty two flavors of awkward, though Mrs. Birchwood probably wouldn¡¯t have too bad of a time¡­

    While I was still miffed about him outing me, I let it go. I could be irritated with him later, he had a point that my magic was better suited for this. With that in mind, I turned my focus back to the woman who looked ready to hyperventilate.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    Before she¡¯d seemed almost at ease with my presence¨Ca rarity to be sure¨Cbut now she eyed me with open fear. I mourned the sight as familiar prejudice began forming. It wasn¡¯t surprising though. People feared what they didn¡¯t understand and few people understood magic, even if they were born to my world. Heck I¡¯d lived with magic almost my entire life and sometimes I still couldn¡¯t quite grasp it.

    Getting it over with, I held up a hand. ¡°I¡¯m a mage, though probably not the type that comes to mind when you think of the term. If I show you a spell, will you believe what he¡¯s saying? At least that it¡¯s possible.¡±

    She pursued her lips, then nodded. ¡°Alright, but only because you saved Tina. What kind of spell will you be casting?¡±

    A green tint colored her face, announcing the unease below the surface even as a jaded amusement slid through me. She had no reason to worry, I couldn¡¯t cast an attack spell if my life depended on it. But she had no way of knowing that, so I held out my hand palm up and whispered. ¡°Celare.¡±

    Just like before, magic crawled out to wrap around me, though this time it stayed focused on my hand. From the tips of my fingers down to my wrist, the skin became see through and the girls gasped.

    Tina reached out, gripping my fingers and making a noise of surprise when she felt them. ¡°They¡¯re still there!¡±

    I nodded, the innocent curiosity helping to ease the tension of the room. ¡°Yup, it just makes them invisible.¡±

    The blond hummed, watching the display with open fascination. ¡°So this is what you did back in the clearing?¡± I nodded and he continued. ¡°Fascinating.¡±

    His eyes bore into me, the honey gaze bearing the weight of the world even as it sparked with interest. The intense focus made my stomach flip as awareness crawled up my spine. Shoving the odd reaction to the side, I shrugged.

    ¡°It¡¯s a basic spell. If you ever meet a Spectrum mage, they can show you what a real illusion looks like. This just meets the needs I have.¡± And is within the range of my abilities. Never an easy barrier to work around for me.

    Putting the usual irritation with my magic type to the side, I let the spell fall as Mrs. Birchwood nodded shakily. ¡°That¡­most definitely proves this is possible. Though I''m still having difficulty believing it.¡±

    More than fair, considering her entire world was being flipped on its head. While the realization that sex demons were a thing was a bit shocking to me, it wasn¡¯t world altering. Patting the woman¡¯s shoulder, I offered what little comfort I could.

    ¡°That¡¯s normal. You¡¯ll have time to really get used to it though. For now, I have questions of my own, one of which I still need answered.¡±

    Though it wasn¡¯t the blond¡¯s fault we¡¯d gotten distracted. Mrs. Birchwood needed to be calmed and now that it was out of the way, we could get back to the answers I wanted.

    He visibly thought back to what the question was, before nodding. ¡°Quite right, you asked how we feed? The answer is simple, just as the myths say. We feed on lust.¡±

    Like a shot, Mrs. Birchwood was out of her chair, backing away with Tina clasped to her chest while eyeing both of us warily. Her tone dripped with fury as she spat like a hellcat. ¡°You will not be touching my Tina in such a way.¡±

    I tensed, waiting to see how this would turn out. Something told me the blond hadn¡¯t meant it like that and if his look of disgust was any indication, my feeling was right.

    He raised a hand, dipping his head in apology as he continued. ¡°No, I will not and neither will anyone else while she is here. No child should ever feel the revulsion of having someone force themselves upon them.¡±

    Relaxing now that I knew things wouldn¡¯t be taking a disgusting turn, I watched as Mrs. Birchwood sat back down, some of her ire fading as I asked.

    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s a relief, but then how do you feed off lust without having anything to do with the act itself? And how do children feed?¡±

    The blond turned to me, a serious expression settling over his face. ¡°Children do not feed, not until they reach puberty. Then they can pull energy from either direct or indirect feeding. The direct route is from contact and usually ends in sex, but the indirect route is one I invented myself for those who are uncomfortable with such things.¡±

    Okay, now we were getting somewhere. Sitting up straighter, I prodded. ¡°Indirect? I assume that means no touching required. How would that work though?¡±

    He smiled, though the edges were a bit stiff. ¡°Should you wish it, I will show you the indirect method after we see to Mrs. Birchwood. It is the only method I feed with. Seeing it for yourself should answer at least a few of your questions.¡±

    I nodded and he returned his attention to the older woman. ¡°You have no reason to fear. Tina will not need to feed for many years, but you will need to be careful of her aura. It will attract unsavory types who seek to harm her. Or worse.¡±

    Leaning back against the wall, I watched as he explained in detail what kind of things Tina would be dealing with growing up. His voice rumbled into a deep, rolling background noise as I considered the new information.

    So they had more than one way to feed and neither of them required going into dreams, interesting. At some point, I¡¯d need to ask him about what kind of abilities he had, but for now we needed to focus on Tina and getting her settled. After that¡­the real fun started.

 Julian The Teddy Bear And Indirect Feeding

    The explanation took the better part of an hour and by the time it was finished, Mrs. Birchwood looked ready to faint from information overload. To her credit though she hadn¡¯t once let go of Tina. Despite her entire world being flipped upside down, protectiveness still shown through her eyes.

    It was admirable.

    When the blond finally finished and had his staff lead Mrs. Birchwood to a temporary room, I moved off the wall. Time to get the rest of the questions answered.

    Before I could move for the door though, the elderly woman breezed over to me. Nothing in her frame hinted at aggression, but I tensed, ready for anything.

    Or so I thought.

    When wrinkled arms wound around my waist, dragging me into a tight hug, it was all I could do not to flinch back. What was it with people and hugging me today? Did I look like a teddy bear? Maybe someone slapped a ¡®hug me¡¯ sign on my back when I wasn¡¯t looking¡­

    I wouldn¡¯t put it past Sera.

    The hug continued for a minute longer, my skin all but itching with the urge to run away. From the corner of my eye, I noted the blond¡¯s grimace of sympathy, his hand raising as if to intervene. Before he could step in, Mrs. Birchwood pulled back and spoke.

    ¡°Thank you for saving Tina. Words can¡¯t describe what she means to me.¡±

    I didn¡¯t need words; I could see the love burning in her eyes. The pure emotion spoke everything that needed saying. Nodding, I stepped back. ¡°It was my pleasure. I hope you both stay safe.¡±

    The duo left, Tina pausing to get in one last hug. I didn¡¯t bother fighting it, grumbling under my breath about space as she skipped back to her grandmother¡¯s side. Once they were out of sight, I let myself revel in the positive reactions they¡¯d had.

    Most prosaics were hostile at best when learning of the magical world and yet she¡¯d remained mostly calm and even hugged me afterward. To be fair I could have done without the hug, but it was better than a blade to the back.

    Maybe regular people were becoming more accepting.

    Shaking the surprising revelation to the side, I focused on the blond again. I really needed to get his name so I could stop calling him that.

    A low rumble pulled me back to the present as he spoke, one of his brows raised. ¡°Speak, you have wished to ask something since we met and I know the discussion with Mrs. Birchwood did not answer it. You need not fear my anger, I shall never be wrathful over a mere question.¡±

    Apparently he¡¯d caught my curiosity. Before I could ask his name though, a far more important question came. ¡°How did you find the kids? I had a seer all but throw me into the right place, but how did you know about that operation?¡±

    He smiled, gesturing to the door. ¡°My people can sense those like us and after my many years walking the Earth I have amassed a wide collection of employees, friends, and contacts of my blood. When we sense one of our own is coming of age, we ensure someone is there to guide them through the process. They also offer a safe haven should it be necessary. Most parents do not take well to their children being supposed ¡®demons¡¯, thus the situation can turn pear-shaped at a moment¡¯s notice.¡±

    So someone probably tailed the kids when they realized they were maturing and then reported back when they were kidnapped. It was admirable of him to ensure the kids were protected, especially since he had no relation to them.

    The more I learned about him, the more I liked him.

    ¡°Good idea on your part, kids shouldn¡¯t have to suffer through the darkest parts of humanity and people fear what they don¡¯t understand. It¡¯s kind of you to offer a safe haven.¡± If I¡¯d had one of those growing up things might be different now.

    The depressing thought petered out as he led me through the door, the low rumble of his voice a far more pleasant thing to focus on. ¡°I am merely doing as anyone should, nothing more and nothing less. Now then, let us be off. We can discuss this further in the car and I promised to show you what indirect feeding is.¡±

    A black sedan waited for us outside and immediately I had to bite back an eye roll. It¡¯s a good thing I knew he wasn¡¯t a bad guy. Between the castle-like house, the sketchy black cars, and the overall air of mystery he had, I would have assumed he was the ultimate comic book villain.

    But not once had my instincts sounded off and on top of that, he had Sera¡¯s approval. That was all I needed.

    Refocusing on the questions I still had, I prodded. ¡°So someone kidnapped four kids who all have your bloodline? That can¡¯t be a coincidence.¡±

    His smile dropped into a frown, the air of the car turning grim. ¡°I came to the same conclusion. And for it to be people with magic guarding them? It adds suspicion to the fact there was more going on today than just a random kidnapping that accidentally targeted succubi and incubi children.¡±

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    He paused, leaning back on the black leather seats as he stroked a hand across his stubbled jaw. ¡°Your magic makes you immune to my power; perhaps that is the same of all strong ones of your kind. It is possible the mastermind knew this information and thus hired them specifically for that reason. Why else would they hire guards with magical capabilities?¡±

    Most people didn¡¯t know magic existed, so he very well might be right. Why bother paying a magical guard unless you knew that talent was needed? The answer? You don¡¯t.

    So whoever we¡¯re up against is smart, has connections to sex demons and the magical world, and on top of that? They had some kind of endgame for this. Which meant it was up to me and my new partner here to figure out just what that endgame was.

    Speaking of my partner...

    ¡°Since we¡¯re going to be getting more acquainted, it¡¯s probably a good idea to get each other¡¯s names.¡± I said, straightening a bit in my seat.

    He blinked, only just realizing that we hadn¡¯t done that, before nodding. ¡°Apologies, today has been full of oddities and I forgot my manners. My name is Dimitrius Valentine, and yours?¡±

    So fancy, it made my name sound even more boring than normal in comparison. ¡°Julian, no last name, I¡¯m afraid.¡±

    His brow ticked up. ¡°That is an odd name for a woman, though I dare say it fits you.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t the first to comment on my name, though he was the only one to do so without mocking it. My estimation of him rose another inch as I shrugged. ¡°I was born in England when the name was popular for boys and my mother happened to want a boy. She wound up with me and decided if she couldn¡¯t have a son, she¡¯d name her daughter as if she had.¡±

    Which had caused utter hell when I was younger, but I shoved the old memories to the side. There were more important things to consider than the mocking of the town. Such as an intriguing incubus who was some kind of superhero to children of his kind.

    Oh, and the potential villain targeting children of his bloodline. That was another thing to think on, though a far less enjoyable one.

    My eyes flicked over Dimitrius¡¯s frame, taking him in with quiet appreciation. Generally people were more irritation than they were worth. Their lack of intelligence and prejudices made me avoid them as a whole, but something about him was different.

    He called to me, beckoning me closer, and I was powerless against that pull.

    I only realized I¡¯d leaned forward when he spoke again, snapping me back in my seat as my heart tripped.

    ¡°I have an informant who told me something odd has been happening as of late. The children have been disappearing without a trace. At first, we assumed there were fewer being born, but no. There has been a boom in births, but once they reach a certain age, they disappear. This is the closest we have come to finding the person behind it.¡±

    Shaking off my odd reaction to him, I thought back on the mages I¡¯d killed with a grimace. Now I almost wished I hadn¡¯t done that. Almost.

    Maybe we could search the house the kids had been held in for more information. The woman seemed stupid enough to leave such things lying around. When I voiced that thought, Dimitrius nodded.

    ¡°After I feed, we will do that. There is no time to waste. We cannot afford whoever is behind this learning we are onto them.¡± He hesitated, then continued with a tick of his brow. ¡°I assume you are my ally in this fight?¡±

    Flashes of the kids¡¯ terrified faces came back, branding my eyelids anytime I blinked. Steely determination washed through me like a wave and I nodded, sealing my place in whatever mess laid on the horizon. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s like you said, no kid should ever have to deal with this. If I can help save them, then I¡¯m in. Besides, you might run into more mages. If your power doesn¡¯t work on them then you¡¯ll be at a disadvantage.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t bet his life on his opponents being weak, after all. That was an easy way to get dead.

    Again, he nodded. ¡°And I have the resources to hunt the ones behind this down. Between the two of us, we will find the mind behind it all and put a stop to them. You are more than welcome to stay at my home while the search is underway and I will pay you as I would any other investigator.¡±

    Well, that was nice of him, but unnecessary. ¡°Thanks, but no need. I appreciate the thought but I¡¯m not doing this for money.¡±

    His brow twitched, curiosity lighting his eyes as he leaned forward. ¡°Then what are you doing it for?¡± The same pull from earlier came and I struggled to resist, shrugging instead.

    ¡°I assume the same reason you are. Morals. While I can¡¯t claim to have a strict moral compass¨Cto be honest it¡¯s more like a game show wheel¨Cthis is one of the things I don¡¯t stand for. Kids should be allowed to just be kids without the fear of violation or kidnapping. Do I need more reason to hunt down the scum behind this?¡±

    Approval warmed his eyes before stretching down into the curl of his lips. ¡°No you do not. It is¡­relieving to have one such as you around. Should you wish to become acquainted more, I could see us becoming close confidants.¡±

    Someone really should tell him that talking like that made him stick out like a sore thumb. Heck I¡¯m over three hundred years old and even I sounded more natural than he did¡­

    It would make teasing him easier.

    Impish delight made my lips twitch as I poked lightly. ¡°Friends, in this millennia we use the term friends.¡±

    He blinked, a flash of surprise there and gone before his expression shifted into an amused smile. ¡°Friends then. But first, we have business to attend to.¡±

    The car pulled to a stop, his movements graceful as he exited before offering a hand to me. I took it, writing off the tingles working their way up my arm as part of his power. Shooting a glance at the brothel in front of us, dubious curiosity tugged along my skin.

    Well, I guess this was as good a place as any for a being of lust to feed.

    Turning to Dimitrius, I froze at the pained grimace now stretching his lips. The air around him charged almost like it had in the clearing, the invisible power reaching toward the brothel as he gestured toward the steps.

    ¡°Let us finish this. The sooner you understand what feeding is for us, the sooner we can commence with finding the ones behind this.¡±

    The hair on my neck and arms stood to attention at the reluctance all but oozing off him now. He¡¯d said he preferred feeding this way, so why did he look as if he were facing a firing squad? If this was his version of food, then shouldn¡¯t he be happy to eat?

    Hell, I could eat my weight in pork and beef if the dish was tasty. But maybe it was different for him¡­

    Eyeing the tense line of his shoulders, I followed a step behind as the nagging feeling that I was missing something dragged its nails up my back. No use dwelling on it, I¡¯d just have to be ready in case shit hit the fan.

    Sending magic to my hand, the familiar rush of power comforting, I braced. Better to be safe than sorry.

 Close Calls And Im Sorry, Im Your WHAT?

    The noise hit me first.

    Long, drawn out cries of customers enjoying themselves assaulted me from nearly every angle and, not for the first time, I cursed my hearing. It was naturally heightened thanks to my centuries spent on the run and always on alert. In situations like this, it worked against me.

    I was no blushing virgin, but some of the acts taking place here¨Cin plain sight!¨Cwere downright depraved¡­and I was mentally taking notes to hopefully recreate some of them with Vladimir the next time we met for one of our sessions.

    The couple nearest us included a brunette woman who spared a glance over both of us in turn, hesitating slightly over Dimitrius¡¯s form, before returning to the man she¡¯d previously focused on.

    Keeping my eyes locked forward, I ignored the noise as we moved through the people engaged in intimate activities¨Cor in modern slang, fucking like rabbits¨Ctoward the desk at the front.

    A woman sat behind it, expression bored despite the screams all around that nearly made me jump out of my skin. To be fair, she couldn''t hear what I did and, she was probably so desensitized to things like this that Dimitrius could bend me over that desk and she wouldn¡¯t bat an eye.

    And wasn¡¯t that a glorious mental image?

    Warmth crawled further up my cheeks at the thought and I groaned internally. If this kept up I¡¯d need to schedule a day with Vlad soon, it¡¯d been a few months since our last tryst so I guess we were due anyway. Though if I kept working with the being of sex incarnate I¡¯d need to start popping over to Russia for weekly visits to my ¡®not a stranger but not officially a friend¡¯.

    Dimitrius stepped forward with a nod, pulling me away from delicious thoughts of a tanned ass that I could never quite get out of my mind. ¡°I am here for my usual.¡± His voice was deep, all traces of reluctance gone and the secretary nodded, pointing back down a hallway behind her.

    As we moved down it, his words caught my attention.

    Usual? One would think indirect feeding was the weaker food source, so why would he prefer this to actual feeding? Yet another thing to ask him, alongside the reason behind his reluctance when we first entered.

    Maybe he was in a long distance relationship and when his partner wasn¡¯t available this was how he handled it? It was admirable, if that was the case. Loyalty and devotion were two of the traits I valued most in a person and if my guess was true, Dimitrius had them in spades.

    My thoughts came to a jagged halt when he led me into a side room. The second we crossed the threshold, the sounds hit me. Skin slapping skin and passionate cries. A couple laid on a bed in the middle of the room, eyes only for each other as they kept up their fucking despite us walking in.

    Instinctively, I moved to give them privacy, only for Dimitrius¡¯s hand on my arm to freeze me in place. Moving around me, he stopped a few feet away from the couple. His expression never shifted from the neutral one despite the two bodies languidly fucking not four feet away from him.

    My curiosity disappeared when his power unfurled, flowing through the room until it crackled in the air like lightning. I didn¡¯t shield completely in time, the power stroking along my nerve endings entirely too pleasantly.

    Forcing myself to stay in the present and away from certain thoughts involving Dimitrius and I with far less clothes, I watched as the couple¡¯s pace increased to a fever pitch. Their previous slow slide hastened until they were writhing, tearing at one another as if they¡¯d die if they slowed.

    Then, I saw it.

    Like wisps of smoke, Dimitrius¡¯s power became visible, the dancing gas-like substance swirling around the two as they got louder and more fervent. Slowly the wisps began to glow, energy transferring from the couple and pulling back to Dimitrius as he breathed them in.

    Staying rooted to my spot, I watched in awe as the wisps slid through his nose, his eyes opening to lock with mine. Where before they¡¯d been a honey shade, now they glowed an ethereal gold. He didn¡¯t drop his gaze as he took a handful more breaths, each one coming with another hit of smoke.

    After a minute of silent staring, his power eased from the room, the glow fading from his eyes until the normal honey tone remained.

    The woman¡¯s cry jerked me back to the present, quickly followed by her partner¡¯s groan. As they slowed into a contented cuddle pile, Dimitrius stepped back to my side. Not a hair was out of place despite the act we¡¯d just seen¨Cor participated in, to a certain point, in his case¨Cwhile I, on the other hand, was fighting the insistent clenching between my thighs.

    I¡¯d seen people having sex of course, but I¡¯d never actually stayed through another couple¡¯s intercourse on purpose before. Eyeing the two, I waited for their reaction.

    Had anyone so blatantly stayed to watch me in such an act, I would have ripped their head from their shoulders. Apparently my sentiments weren¡¯t shared, because the woman leveled a satisfied smile my way with a lazy wave.

    ¡°Thanks for stopping in; hope you two enjoyed the show.¡±

    Well¡­okay then. Before I could ask just what the hell happened here, Dimitrius gestured toward the exit. Once we were out of the room, he explained. ¡°Just as I told you before, I have the power to pull sexual energy from the air. Indirect feeding. I must be close to do so, thus this room was made for me and others like me who prefer to refrain from touch while getting the energy we need.¡±

    My head spun from all the information¨Cand the shards of leftover lust still floating through me¨Cbefore I shook it off. Okay, so that¡¯d been an informative and insanely uncomfortable demonstration. Giving a nod, I spoke.

    ¡°Well, I definitely have never seen anything like that before. Fascinating to watch.¡± Wouldn¡¯t surprise me if some of the arousal he¡¯d pulled in had been mine either. I hadn¡¯t been this worked up in years. Forcing the lust back, I focused on dulling the pulse between my legs.

    After a few slow breaths and some mental counting it was hardly noticeable. It hadn¡¯t always been so easy to control, but now I was well versed in that particular need not getting dealt with.

    Dimitrius¡¯s lips twitched upward, though the tension from before lingered around him. When it didn¡¯t abate after a minute, I prodded.

    ¡°If you prefer doing it this way then why do you look like you just sucked on a lemon?¡± Remembering my earlier guess, I tacked on. ¡°Is it because you¡¯re dating someone and this makes you uncomfortable?¡±

    His mouth twisted into a frown as he tilted his head. ¡°I am not courting anyone at present and your terminology confuses me. What does a lemon have to do with my facial expression?¡±

    Okay, so either he¡¯d never eaten a lemon before or he¡¯d never heard the phrase. And his reluctance to feed had nothing to do with moral problems. I¡¯d ask more on that later, but for now I needed to explain.

    ¡°It¡¯s slang. You looked like you¡¯d tasted something sour or otherwise unpleasant.¡± I¡¯d have to keep in mind that certain similes or sayings went over his head.

    Understanding dawned, his face shifting back to its neutral mask as he nodded. ¡°That would be a fairly accurate description of how taking energy this way tastes to me.¡± He held up a hand before I could ask more. ¡°I will answer all other questions once we are in the car. There are too many ears here.¡±

    My neck tingled in the next heartbeat. At least two people were listening in and I swung around to glare fire at the staff hesitating around the corner from us.

    Both girls yelped, scuttling back to their duties. At least I could still send people running with a glare. After what happened earlier with the ducklings I worried I¡¯d lost my touch. Turning back to the now amused Dimitrius, I nodded. ¡°Car it is.¡±

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    When we were on our way out the front entrance however, every hair on my neck stood to attention. A choked noise sounded from behind me, instinct slamming into gear as I spun to face the potential threat.

    My hands lingered near my knives, now hidden in my infinity bag. When I took in the sight waiting for me though, I paused. The brunette from earlier was now wrapped around Dimitrius, her hands tangled into his hair as she shoved their lips together. Like a cat in heat, she writhed against him, a muffled moan sounding through the air.

    Like molten lava, protectiveness that was wholly out of place bubbled to the surface, my magic coiling dangerously as if preparing to lunge. I shoved it down before it could actually do anything, but the fact it reacted at all was...odd.

    What in the hell was wrong with me lately? He¡¯d probably needed a second round to be full, nothing big. Being like this was not only irritating, but unwelcome as well.

    Confusion went out the window when I caught his eyes. The brunette covered most of his front, but that wasn¡¯t what made rage burn hot through my veins.

    No, it was the disgust and violation all but oozing off his eyes; the silent plea for help unmistakable. Understanding dropped a bucket of ice down my back and without a thought, I jumped into the mix.

    Wrapping fingers into the woman¡¯s hair, I threw her back to her partner, relishing in the yowl she let out. Satisfaction seeped through me, something primal following on its tail before I shoved all of the confusing mess down to analyze later.

    The brunette spun to face me, a sneer on her lips as she eyed Dimitrius, muscles ready to lunge again. Seeing that, I planted myself between them, all the eyes of the room swinging to us as she spat. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡±

    A quick glance back to Dimitrius confirmed his disgust, shards of relief now floating in his eyes as he nodded his thanks. He hadn¡¯t wanted that and I didn¡¯t need to know anything else. As long as I was here, no one would assault him.

    Settling my glare back on the brunette, satisfaction welled again when she flinched back, her confidence faltering under my scowl. Lately my ¡®glare of death¡¯¨Cas Vladimir so affectionately called it¨Cwas getting a work out. If this was a common response to Dimitrius then soon I¡¯d have to start wearing it as my default expression to scare off would-be rapists.

    Time to upgrade my resting bitch face.

    But now wasn¡¯t the time to be thinking about this, I had a woman to back off. Curling my lips into a sneer, I spat. ¡°You should be asking yourself that question. You have a partner right there. This man was in no way, shape or form inviting that attention. I refuse to allow someone to be assaulted in front of me. Now go back to your business, before I permanently ensure you don¡¯t do it again.¡±

    She paled, nodding quickly before scurrying back to her mystified partner. Once she was gone, I turned back to Dimitrius with a scowl. ¡°Car?¡± Because I had even more questions now, though how he¡¯d stiffened in disgust and terror told me all I needed to know.

    It all fell into place. His dislike of feeding through touch, his reluctance when we first got here¡­ He¡¯d been sexually assaulted.

    He nodded, face still set in a hard mask as he led the way out. I stayed right behind him, glaring at anyone who so much as moved our way. He¡¯d said that incubi and succubi had auras that caused lust freak-outs in people, but why hadn¡¯t the woman reacted that way when we¡¯d first come in?

    And how in the hell had he stayed safe from getting taken advantage of while feeding before now?

    Questions piled on top of each other as I settled across from him in the car. I waited until we were on our way before speaking again.

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing that was someone under the influence of your aura?¡±

    His mouth pressed into a line as he nodded, the ill expression not leaving. ¡°Yes, while usually I have it under control, I did not tamp it back down properly after feeding. That was why she assaulted me.¡±

    And why she hadn¡¯t been affected when we first walked in. One question down, plenty more to go.

    Eyeing him, I considered whether it was a good idea to ask about his history. We didn¡¯t know one another that well yet and if I was right then this was bound to be an intensely personal discussion. I didn¡¯t have a chance to change the subject before he spoke, taking the option out of my hands.

    He scowled, a hard glint flashing behind his gaze as he straightened. ¡°Speak your question.¡± His chin lifted in stubborn determination, all but daring me not to ask now that he¡¯d made a thing of it.

    Well, no backing out now.

    ¡°Do you prefer to take energy from the air because you¡¯ve been raped?¡± His eyes darkened, serving as my answer even as his nod was the final nail in the coffin.

    Honey orbs deepened to a whiskey shade as old memories drifted just under the surface. ¡°Yes, when I was young I had the same aura that all of those children we saved do. My mother attempted to save me from those it called, but she could only do so much.¡±

    His mouth eased, determination chasing away the darkness. ¡°No child will live what I did, not if there is something I can do to stop it.¡±

    Him devoting his life to this cause made sense now. He¡¯d lived what those children would go through if we failed and nothing created a stronger empathy for someone¡¯s suffering than living it yourself. I hated rapists of all kinds, but child ones deserve a special place in hell, in my merciful and humble opinion.

    He continued, face softening at the edges. ¡°And thank you. While I am physically capable of pulling off unwanted suitors, unprompted touch is¡­difficult to handle. If you had not been there I would have most likely suffered her touch for a good while before managing to remove myself from the situation."

    At that, disbelief washed through me. ¡°If people will just throw themselves at you whenever you feed and you can¡¯t push them off, how do you keep yourself safe?¡±

    A blithe shrug. ¡°By having a bodyguard.¡±

    Glancing around the car that only contained us and the driver, I prodded. ¡°And where are they?¡±

    His eyes bore into me, understanding sparking as he spoke. ¡°In this case, it was you. The arrangement for that room is only two people are allowed in aside from the couple performing intercourse. One succubus or incubus and one guard in case things get out of hand.¡±

    My jaw was touching the floor, I was sure of it. ¡°But you didn¡¯t tell me I was your guard! I would¡¯ve been on alert if you had.¡± And the woman wouldn¡¯t have managed to get as close as she had, because I wouldn¡¯t have allowed it. Hell if he¡¯d been wrong and his power had affected me then I would¡¯ve done far worse to him!

    He offered a small smile, the sight further baffling me. ¡°Usually it is not a problem for me. I am old enough to cloak my aura. It was my own slip that caused the previous issue, nothing else. Besides, from how viciously you came to the children¡¯s defenses earlier I knew you would handle anything that came up.¡±

    He¡¯d known that could happen and brought me along knowing I¡¯d guard him should the worst happen. The trust was dizzying, even as I fumed. ¡°Are you insane? What if I hadn¡¯t been able to intervene in time!?¡± Or if I¡¯d been less of a moral person. I would¡¯ve been guilty beyond belief if he¡¯d been violated while with me.

    Not to mention if I¡¯d been a twisted fuck then he would have been in quite the pickle. Joke though I may about my revolving wheel of a moral compass, I would have torn myself apart if I¡¯d done anything to him.

    His eyes warmed even as he titled his head curiously. ¡°You worry for me?¡±

    Staring gobsmacked, I nodded while trying to pull us back on course. ¡°Of course I do, that could have had a completely different ending back there. Why aren¡¯t you worried?¡±

    His hand stroked his chin as he considered me. ¡°Because I knew you would not allow-.¡±

    All but growling now, I cut him off. ¡°But you don¡¯t know me. I could have joined in and then you¡¯d be fucked¡­literally.¡±

    Now his features settled into stony certainty. ¡°I have an excellent sense for people. There¡¯s nothing to fear from you. From the second I laid eyes on you, I knew that.¡±

    Okay so, bright side I didn¡¯t give off those kind of vibes¡­But damn he should really be more careful. Ignoring the warm wiggly feeling in my chest at the trust he already had in me¨Cmore than anyone other than Vladimir or Seraphina had ever shown¨CI huffed with a shake of my head.

    ¡°Thanks, I guess.¡± Looking for a topic that didn¡¯t poke my squirming emotions with a stick, I settled on. ¡°If your power makes people go lust crazy, why were you trying to throw it over me and the other witch earlier? She collapsed, but that was because she was weak. Wouldn¡¯t someone being lustful but present enough to act on it be kind of counterproductive?¡±

    Unless he wanted an orgy, but knowing what I did of his past, I knew better than to announce that.

    His face settled into a neutral mask again. ¡°Yes, if the power I used in the clearing was the energy you witnessed, but it is not. It is difficult to explain, but I will do my best.¡± Straightening, he continued.

    ¡°Think of it this way, the aura which causes people to go ¡®lust crazy¡¯ is involuntary and children cannot control it. The power you felt in the clearing is an entirely different ability that is entirely under my control.¡±

    Seeing my chance to ask one of my other questions, I chipped in. ¡°So what powers does your race have exactly?¡±

    ¡°The most common of them are shape shifting, mental or physical manipulation, and dream manipulation. Though there have been others sprinkled through my race¡¯s history.¡±

    So in essence, they were able to combine some of the most powerful magic types. Wonderful. If the council knew they¡¯d shit bricks on the spot¡­or go on a crusade to kill every incubus and succubus out of fear.

    Not to self, never tell the council about Dimitrius¡¯s abilities.

    Putting the harrowing thought to the side, I prodded. ¡°When you say mental manipulation-?¡±

    He nodded, ¡°It is exactly as it sounds. We can cast illusions or in some cases take temporary control over a person. That is what I was attempting to do earlier, but I had too little energy. I tend to prefer subduing my enemies without bloodshed, but in your case you were immune. As you saw, the other witch was not. Though I underestimated how weak she was, leading to her intense reaction.¡±

    And now I¡¯m beyond grateful for my magic shielding me. I¡¯d been under a control spell before and if his power was anything like that I never wanted to feel it. Shaking aside the nerves the thought came with, I questioned.

    ¡°Do you have other abilities too?¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°To a certain extent. Mental manipulation is my focus but I can use the others, though with far less expertise. Shifting is my least practiced and dream weaving is moderately difficult for me.¡±

    With that, he turned the questions around on me, interest and curiosity sparking behind his eyes. ¡°Now that you know what I am, as well as what I am capable of, I believe it is your turn.¡±

    Joy.

 In The Pursuit Of Knowledge

    I could already hear the lecture the council would give me for discussing this, but I pushed on despite it.

    ¡°I¡¯m bad at the whole ¡®explaining¡¯ thing, but I¡¯ll do my best. Try to hold all the questions until I get the basics out of the way, alright?¡±

    At his nod, I thought back to the structure of the different types of magic. There was probably no better place to start than there.

    ¡°Magic isn¡¯t just a one size fits all. There are different areas of expertise¨Ceight of them¨Cand people can only use spells from their area. For instance, I can only use Auxilio¨Cbetter known as Support¨Cmagic.¡± I paused, making sure he still followed.

    Intent eyes never strayed and when he nodded, I continued. ¡°The other seven are as follows: Mutante, Leporem, Spectrum, Mortuus, Divinus, Salutor and Exitium. Each of them have unique spells but for the sake of ease, I¡¯m only going over mine for now. I¡¯ll get you a book later if you want in-depth knowledge on the rest.¡±

    Thinking back to when I learned all this myself, I added on. ¡°People are born able to cast certain ones of the eight magics, but if you don¡¯t have the capability you¡¯ll never manage it. I can cast Auxilio and nothing else, which is rare. Usually, mages can cast at least two if not three types.¡± I grimaced. ¡°I drew the short stick on abilities.¡±

    Before I could think on what else to say, he cut in, eyes wide with curiosity. ¡°What kind of spells fall under your Auxilio magic?¡±

    Oh look, a question I knew how to answer. While I¡¯d asked him to hold them to the end, I guess there wasn¡¯t any harm in answering this one. ¡°Exactly what the name says, support. I can strengthen someone, muffle movement, make a rudimentary illusion, create barriers, and things like that. There are others but those are the most commonly used ones.¡±

    The thirst for knowledge burned behind his eyes as he leaned forward, elbows on his knees and fingers linked over his mouth. ¡°Do you also have the ability to neutralize magic?¡±

    Now that was a tricky one to answer¡­

    Holding up my fingerless gloves, I made a so-so gesture. ¡°Yes, but without these, I couldn¡¯t. A Leporem mage¨Can enchanter, in common tongue¨Ccan craft things with spells embedded in them. In my glove¡¯s case, they have the spell Tollo, or negate. I channel magic into the glove and it casts the spell, no need for spoken words and as an added bonus, magical items allow you to cast spells outside of your capabilities. If it weren¡¯t for these, I wouldn¡¯t be able to use that spell because I¡¯m not a Leporem mage.¡±

    Noting the intentness to his eyes, I bit back a smile. Something told me he¡¯d be writing all this down if he had the paper and pen. Shaking the amusing thought to the side, I finished the explanation. ¡°So depending on the caster¡¯s type, their abilities vary. Do you have any questions?¡±

    The last bit was redundant since his eyes all but glowed with them and sure enough, he jumped right in.

    ¡°I do indeed. Mrs. Birchwood stated that a dear friend of yours caused you to become involved in this. But you were unaware of incubi and succubi before now. Was your friend able to see them and knew your skills would be needed? If so, we may need their help in this fight as my informants can only move so quickly. If your friend has the power to track those people they could be invaluable.¡±

    He had to go and ask about Seraphina¡­

    Rubbing a hand over my face, I answered to the best of my ability while praying she wouldn¡¯t maim me for this later.

    ¡°My friend is a seer, a Divinus mage. She can see the future, though not always how she¡¯d prefer to. Her control over her visions isn¡¯t precise and when she sees something she thinks will concern me, she says so. A few days ago she told me that Mrs. Birchwood¡¯s case would be special but she couldn¡¯t say why. My best guess is that she saw the children and that they weren¡¯t human. There¡¯s someone out there hunting down succubi and incubi kids, she was correct in assuming I¡¯d want to be right in the thick of it.¡±

    At that, his face lit up. ¡°So she can locate the children?¡±

    And here¡¯s where the explanation got fun. ¡°Yes and no. She can¡¯t control the vision or choose when to see them. Important things come to her as they please and she decides what to do with the information after she has it.¡±

    Which was a never ending source of frustration for her just like my inability to cast anything but one field of magic was for me.

    Dimitrius deflated. ¡°Unfortunate, but not surprising. Fate seldom gives us things so easily.¡±

    Don¡¯t I know it.

    Steering the conversation back to the point, I assured. ¡°If she gets any more information she¡¯ll update us. Until then we¡¯ll have to keep doing things the old-fashioned way.¡±

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Sitting back to take it all in, he mused. ¡°I am no stranger to this. My people will search tirelessly and once we return home we may begin the search for our next target.¡±

    Blood thirst swept through me at that. Oh, I¡¯d definitely be joining in on that mission. No one touched kids around me without losing life or limb. The car pulled to a stop, jerking me from my very colorful imagining of what I¡¯d do to those people when we got our hands on them.

    The building the children had been brought to sat outside and Dimitrius got out, offering his hand. ¡°Let us hope that we may find something useful here.¡±

    Taking it, I hummed in agreement, already sweeping a glance across the clearing. ¡°Hopefully, while I¡¯m glad those two guards are dead, it probably would have made things easier if I¡¯d at least kept the witch alive.¡±

    He shook his head, hair catching the light. ¡°There is no use in self reprimands. What has been done cannot be undone, so now we must work with what we have.¡±

    Yeah, but that didn''t mean I had to like it.

    Putting the thought out of mind, I moved toward the house, only for my phone to blare, shattering the tense silence. I glanced at it, noting Seraphina¡¯s number with surprise. She hardly ever called¡­

    Pressing it to my ear, I questioned. ¡°Sera?¡±

    The voice came through, its urgency spiking my instincts into gear as she shouted. ¡°Around the house, move it! She¡¯s getting away!¡±

    Not bothering to ask questions, I bolted around the property, Dimitrius right on my heels. The second we rounded the corner, I saw a flash of black hair, a woman, and if her hurried retreat was anything to go by she¡¯d been involved in this mess as well.

    ¡°Thank Sera, call you later!¡± Shoving my phone into a pocket, I swung my hand in a wide arch and barked. ¡°Clypeus!¡±

    Just like before, the invisible shield sprang to life. This time it appeared inches in front of the witch. She slammed head first into it with a sickening crunch. Satisfaction and triumph flowed through me as I pounced, pinning her to the ground with her hands behind her back.

    ¡°Now who are you, another lackey in this mess?¡± I asked, voice a lethal purr.

    She went limp under me, quiet sniffles coming as she wailed. ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about, I was just walking in the woods when you attacked me!¡±

    Dimitrius hesitated, but before he could fall for her act, I scoffed. ¡°Out for a walk? Then why were you already running by the time we came around the house? You had no reason to run from us and more than that,¡± I bent to whisper in her ear, taking vindictive glee out of the shiver that trailed up her spine, ¡°you weren¡¯t surprised by the magic that just landed you on your ass. Nice try, but I¡¯m smart enough to not believe your little charade.¡±

    All the previous uncertainty left Dimitrius¡¯s expression as he moved closer. ¡°Good job, if you would stand so my staff could apprehend the woman?¡±

    I shot him an amused look, though kept my snarky remarks to myself. He wasn¡¯t used to magic yet, I reminded myself. I couldn¡¯t hold him accountable for minor slip-ups like this.

    ¡°You have any anti-magic restraints on you? Because after the last two magical guards, I doubt this one is a prosaic.¡± My glove was firmly planted on her arms, the skin to cloth contact neutralizing any magic she might have pulled. I wasn¡¯t about to remove my hand to test that either.

    Understanding dawned as Dimitrius grimaced. ¡°No, I do not. I take it that you do?¡±

    Freeing one of my hands, I dug through the infinity bag at my waist, the spelled rope brushing my fingers as I pulled it out with a noise of triumph. It had Tollo enchanted into it too, though a milder form. It wouldn¡¯t work for extended periods of time, but it would suffice for now.

    Standing up, I hauled the woman to her feet as I moved for the car. ¡°I¡¯ll find a better restraint later. Lucky day for us that she was here, that¡¯ll make information gathering considerably easier. If she gives us any problems I can always make a truth potion, though the ingredients are a pain to get and it takes time to brew.¡±

    At that, his eyes fastened to me. ¡°Yes, you spoke of such concoctions. You should begin preparing this truth potion as I doubt she will so easily give us the information we require. Make a list of ingredients you will need and I will have them sent for.¡±

    A snort came before I could stop it, the noise echoed disdainfully by the woman in my grasp. Without a thought, I slammed her head first into the car door, smiling at the crunch her nose gave, before shoving her inside without pausing. Turning to Dimitrius casually, ignoring the mage¡¯s moaning, I shook my head.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s not gonna work. Some of the ingredients you can get the regular way, but some have to be gotten from magic shops. I¡¯ll handle that.¡±

    Though it would cost a good bit, especially that Frenwere. The herb was labeled rare for a reason, though if I could save enough to grow extra from a cutting I¡¯d be saving myself money in the long run. Not to mention having the herbs to make truth potion on hand was never a bad thing, especially if this mission of ours lasted a long time.

    The more people we needed information from, the more potion we¡¯d need. Putting that to the side, I looked up, only to pause at the childlike glow to Dimitrius¡¯s eyes. Amusement strafed through me as understanding dawned.

    He enjoyed learning new things and I¡¯d just introduced him to an entire unknown world to explore. It didn¡¯t take a genius to know why he was staring like that.

    Biting back a smile, I offered. ¡°You could come with me when I leave for that, if you¡¯d like?¡±

    He was nodding before I finished the question, enthusiasm visibly held back as he all but beamed. The excitement oozed off as he spoke. ¡°Only if it will cause no issues.¡±

    Oh it¡¯d cause a few if people realized he wasn¡¯t magical by the normal standards, but we¡¯d burn that bridge when we got to it.

    ¡°No, as long as you don¡¯t announce your species we¡¯ll be fine. Magical folk generally aren¡¯t comfortable with other types of magic and I doubt they¡¯ll be accepting of you. If one discovers what you are, do not tell them they¡¯re immune to you. That¡¯s the only advantage you¡¯ll have over us. They won¡¯t know what you¡¯re capable of so they¡¯ll be wary. Use that.¡±

    Under my breath, I tacked on. ¡°Honestly just don¡¯t tell them anything about your people, alright? The last thing we need is the magical world at large trying to start the Crusades 2.0.¡±

    He nodded, to my relief. If I was being smart I wouldn¡¯t bring him at all, but seeing how excited he was to learn¡­it made me want to show him more, everything I possibly could. Just to see that smile grow.

    People were so rarely happy to see my magic and I¡¯d enjoy this while it lasted. Besides, he seemed level-headed for the most part. As long as he didn¡¯t wander off he¡¯d be fine in a magical marketplace.

    ¡­Right?

 Shopping Misadventures And The Useless Mage

    I¡¯d never been more wrong in my life.

    Knowing what little I did about Dimitrius, I¡¯d assumed that he would contain his excitement surrounding the new things he¡¯d be learning. The man was the image of a refined and put-together gentleman, so surely he wouldn¡¯t act like a kid in a candy store set loose with a hundred dollars.

    Yeah¡­I vastly underestimated his exuberance for trying new things.

    Generally, this wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing, seeing him all but zipping around the market asking questions a mile a minute was almost cute, but I already had a bad reputation with my fellow mages. If they learned I¡¯d brought a prosaic here, even though he wasn¡¯t technically human, they¡¯d bring it right to the council in an attempt to land me in trouble.

    Which, to be fair, wouldn¡¯t do anything. After all the years of them trying and failing to get me into trouble, I¡¯d figured out how to dodge most of them. The worst they could do was give me an irritating fee, but if I could avoid the entire clash, I would. They already hated me as it was, no need to add fuel to the fire.

    Watching the blond gawk at everything in the market, occasionally zipping off to get a closer look, I sighed. I should stop him, before he attracts even more attention, but he just seemed so¡­happy. Something told me he hadn¡¯t been this relaxed in a long time and I didn¡¯t want to ruin that for him.

    This was probably the first time in forever that he¡¯s had so many potentially immune people around him. It allowed for a bit of leeway that I doubted he¡¯d had in years. Despite that and the guilt simmering low, I gently gripped his arm to steer him away from the shadier shops he was inching toward.

    Once we were back on track to the herb shop, I chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re enjoying yourself, but we should be a bit more conspicuous.¡± And not wander into the magical version of a fence shop.

    He paused, realizing how energetic he¡¯d been, before visibly composing himself with a grimace. It may have been my imagination but I could have sworn there¡¯d been a flash of pink to his cheeks¡­

    ¡°My apologies, I let myself become carried away.¡± He rumbled, eyes contrite.

    I mourned the loss of his excitement the second it faded. Under other circumstances I wouldn¡¯t mind it, but this wasn¡¯t the place for it. ¡°It¡¯s fine. If you have any questions I¡¯ll happily answer them and let me know if you see something you want to get. Regular money does nothing here and if you try to buy something with it they¡¯ll know instantly that something isn¡¯t right.¡±

    His mouth tugged down in a frown. ¡°I could not ask that of you-.¡±

    I cut him off. ¡°Yes you can, because I said you can. I¡¯ll tell you if something is out of my budget. If you see something you¡¯re curious about then I don¡¯t see a reason not to get it for you.¡±

    Confusion knit his brow. ¡°Why would you do such a thing?¡±

    Scratching the back of my head, I shrugged. ¡°Why not? I get the feeling you haven¡¯t been this excited in a long time and there¡¯s nothing wrong with being happy about something new. Besides, it¡¯s easier for me to show you how things work through objects. I¡¯ll need to get a few books while I¡¯m here, now that I think about it¡­¡±

    I trailed off, mind wandering to just how much I had to teach him. Maybe I should start with smaller lessons, get the basics out of the way and then come back to the bigger things?

    ¡°Well, well, well if it isn¡¯t the Inutilis Mage. I¡¯m surprised you managed to hook your nails into such a fine specimen. Does he know who you are yet?¡±

    The nasally tone swept a familiar wave of hot anger through me, every muscle tensing to stone as she approached. I didn¡¯t need to turn to see who that was and her input was definitely not welcome.

    I needed to change the subject before she talked anymore. Dimitrius was friendly with me now, but he might not be once he learned about that.

    Forcing a polite smile¨Cor my equivalent that probably looked more like an animal baring its teeth¨CI took a deep breath and faced the bleach blonde behind me. Her eyes raked up and down Dimitrius, tongue sliding out as she visually devoured him.

    Dimitrius grimaced, tensing at the attention as he tried to stealthily inch behind me, using me as a barrier between him and Veronica. Smart man. Despite the painfully obvious discomfort all but wafting off him, Veronica didn¡¯t let up.

    Even when he hid partially behind me she eye humped him, ignoring his clear cues to stop. When he started shifting in place, I stepped in Veronica¡¯s line of sight, my teeth grinding with repressed irritation. ¡°He¡¯s fully aware of my Auxilio magic and we¡¯re not together like that-.¡±

    Not that I¡¯d mind it if we were, but the fact remained that nothing was there and she needed to step off before I made her. Before I could chastise the wanton hussy over her blatant eye fucking, Veronica tried to shove past me to get to Dimitrius.

    ¡°Oh? I thought he was too good for you. Move aside then, so we adults can talk.¡± Her voice dripped with poisonous honey, launching my hackles sky high as I set my stance and refused to budge. I didn¡¯t want to cause a scene, but the only way Veronica would be getting to Dimitrius was over my dead body.

    Protectiveness flared hot in my veins, the urge to rip her apart blitzing to the surface as I struggled to hold it in line. I¡¯d never reacted like this about anyone before and the longer I spent around him, the worse it became. Soon I¡¯d have to put aside time to analyze it, especially if it made me more prone to trying to detach people¡¯s retinas for looking at him¡­

    Veronica shifted her gaze to me, open lust souring to distaste as she sneered. ¡°You¡¯re acting awfully possessive of someone you¡¯re not attached to.¡±

    I didn¡¯t rise to the bait. Meeting her eyes levelly, I shrugged, showing none of the frothing rage threatening to engulf me. ¡°He¡¯s my friend and he doesn¡¯t seem to want your attention. If I¡¯m wrong, I¡¯ll move.¡±

    Glancing back to Dimitrius, his eyes widening in the ¡®deer in headlights¡¯ look, I tipped my head in question. When Veronica looked at him expectantly, he spoke, tone firm though discomforted.

    ¡°I do not, in fact, wish for your attention. If you would be so kind as to let us be on our way? We need a potion ingredient and it is dire that we retrieve it post haste.¡±

    I groaned internally and Veronica¡¯s eyes sparked with interest at the tidbit he¡¯d dropped.

    ¡°An ingredient? What could you possibly be up to now, Inutilis Mage?¡± She asked, a sharp smirk cutting across her lips.

    Biting my tongue at the familiar insult, I glared. ¡°None of your business, now move aside so we can get through.¡±

    The eyes of the market were on us, disapproval burning into the back of my head as grumbles rose. None of those eyes were on Veronica, despite her being the one to start this, and the familiar bias sent a hot wave of indignation through me.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Some things never changed.

    Ignoring the urge to snap at the people to look elsewhere, I listened as Veronica purred, flicking another glance over Dimitrius.

    ¡°You¡¯re free to move around me.¡±

    Yeah and the second Dimitrius was in grabbing distance she¡¯d cop a feel. Not a chance I¡¯d allow that. Shifting my stance just a tad, I nodded toward the shop to the side of us with a cauldron sign¨Can outdated symbol but perfect for old farts that refused to get with the times¨Cand spoke over my shoulder.

    ¡°You go first, I¡¯ll be right behind you.¡±

    Dimitrius eyed Veronica with open uncertainty, worry edging in as he considered the people glaring at my back. He almost argued, his mouth opening to do so, but I gave a nearly imperceptible shake of the head.

    We were attracting too much attention and needed to get out now. I¡¯d be fine, but he might not be if we stayed much longer.

    He must have caught that because he scowled, nodding with palpable reluctance before turning toward the shop. When he did, Veronica made to flash forward just as I¡¯d thought she would.

    Closing a hand around her wrist, I whispered, ¡°Viribus.¡± Magic snapped to my command, all but lunging out of me to coat my arm.  The spell sank through, strengthening my muscles as I clenched her hand threateningly. Her bones creaked in warning, her smile dropping as I yanked her to hover an inch from my face.

    ¡°I¡¯ve had it up to here with you. I won¡¯t retaliate to your childish taunts, but I will stop you from molesting my friends. Now turn around while your arm is still at the correct angle, because if you try that again I¡¯m breaking this in the opposite direction it¡¯s supposed to go. Then any other bone I can get my hands on is going to follow.¡±

    I shot a shark-like smile to the people still watching us, some tense and ready to intervene. ¡°How many do you think I can break before someone drags me off? My bets on six, but I want your honest thoughts.¡± To punctuate the threat, I tightened my grip, listening to her fingers grind.

    She shivered, tan skin paling a shade as she tried and failed to jerk away. When that didn¡¯t work, she nodded with a hiss. ¡°Fine! Just let me go.¡±

    I did, stepping back with a fake smile as my magic coiled back into my core. ¡°Have a great day Veronica!¡± With that, I spun around and breezed into the shop. Dimitrius hovered near the window, hands lingering near his sleeve where I knew he kept a dagger. Good to know I would¡¯ve had backup, had things gotten ugly.

    Forcing my irritation down, I pasted on a smile and gestured to the counter. ¡°Let¡¯s get that herb, shall we?¡± Before someone calls the guards on me for some imagined slight.

    I only made it two steps before he stopped me, concern and gratitude warming his eyes. ¡°Thank you, I was uncomfortable with her advances and appreciate you handling the situation.¡±

    Uneasy with the praise, I shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s not something to be grateful for, anytime you¡¯re with me I¡¯m not about to let someone touch you.¡± Realizing how bad that sounded, I tacked on. ¡°Obviously unless you want them to, but that goes without saying.¡±

    The word vomit was just on the edge of my tongue, all the ways I¡¯d like to touch him hovering on my next breath, before I swallowed it down. Not the time, place or person for that, Julian¡­

    ¡°What does Inutilis mean?¡± Dimitrius asked, yanking me to the present with pitiless force. Wariness lingered like shards in his eyes, the clear hesitation and willingness to back off if I ask him to prodding me to answer despite the bitter memories surrounding the name.

    ¡°Useless. It means useless. Just a barb at my magic type, I¡¯ve gotten used to it over the years.¡± I answered, hiding my hate of the name behind the typical stiff lipped mask.

    When did they even start calling me that? It seemed like I¡¯d had it thrown my way as long as I could remember.

    It was fitting though. My magic had been useless when dozens of innocents were hung for witchcraft, it¡¯d been useless when the townspeople chased me for something I couldn¡¯t control. And it¡¯d been useless when mother turned her back on me, those hat filled eyes never far from memory.

    Cold, grasping pain twisted its fingers through my chest, freezing all it touched, but before I could change the subject, warmth curled around my hand.

    Pausing mid step, I looked down at the hand now covering mine, scarred and calloused fingers carefully stroking, sending waves of that addicting warmth outward. It hummed, all but singing through my skin until the last of the ice melted away.

    Looking up into Dimitrius¡¯s eyes, I swallowed at the anger burning behind them. Anger for me.

    His lips curled into a snarl of distaste, honey gaze flashing with lethal intent as he spat. ¡°They are all fools. You are far from useless and if they lack the intelligence to see that, then the fault is theirs.¡±

    The anger faded into something else I didn¡¯t have a name for, his eyes softening as he squeezed my fingers. ¡°You are extraordinary, let no one tell you otherwise.¡±

    A squirmy, fluttering rooted in my chest and I swallowed around it, not sure what it was or what to do with it. When it didn¡¯t fade after a minute, I shelved the subject to think on later and focused.

    ¡°Thanks, now come on. We¡¯re here for a reason. Let¡¯s get the herb and your books and get out, before we arouse anymore suspicion.¡± So saying, I tugged our joined hands toward the counter where the employee eyed me warily.

    Hopefully, Veronica would be the only bump in the road and we could be on our merry way soon.

    ¡°You¡¯re out until when?¡±

    I stared in disbelief as the shop keep repeated himself. ¡°Next year, I¡¯m afraid. Someone just came in and bought out my entire stock. Frenwere is rare, as you know.¡±

    Then the old man¡¯s smile turned sharp as he needled. ¡°Just ask one of your many ¡®friends¡¯ to loan you some.¡±

    I would, but that would require having friends and that asshole knew I had none. Biting back the urge to tell him where to shove it, I nodded, mumbling a reluctant thanks. Turning back to Dimitrius, I scrubbed a hand over my neck and sighed.

    Whether we were in the human world or the magical one, items on backorder were a pain in my ass. Moving back to Dimitrius, the man having stayed close to me while eyeing everyone warily, I spoke. ¡°We¡¯re going to have to get the information the old-fashioned way. The herb is out and I doubt I¡¯ll be able to track down another store that carries it.¡±

    He shrugged, offering an arm without hesitation. ¡°Then that is what we shall do. While this would have hastened things, you know as well as I that things rarely work so smoothly in life.¡±

    I snorted, accepting his arm. Didn¡¯t I ever know that. Shaking the thought to the side, I led him out, only to eye our linked arms curiously a minute later.

    ¡°I thought you hated touch? You shouldn¡¯t force yourself to do stuff like this if so. I¡¯m not about to huff at you for ignoring social protocols.¡±

    Hell, I ignored five of them an hour. Any less and my day just wasn¡¯t complete.

    He shot a glance at our arms, before shaking his head. ¡°I do not mind casual touch.¡± Darkness crept over his features and he looked away. "Besides, I had to tolerate much worse for feeding before I developed the contactless method. After decades of that, innocent contact does not bother me."

    Then he shrugged, the cloud around him evaporating in a blink. "You are immune to my powers, thus, there is no reason to actively avoid your touch." He squeezed my hand and hummed, eyes a million miles away. "At times, I miss innocent contact such as this. It is...refreshing to have it again, without fear of what a momentary slip on my part could cause."

    I hadn''t considered it that way, but it would be lonely. Hell, I¡¯d felt that ache more often than I cared to think of.

    "Well, if you ever want more of this," I tugged at his arm, "then feel free to ask."

    A smile, slow and warm, stretched his lips. "I will most likely take you up on that, though I should warn you to avoid certain areas."

    When he flicked his hand down to his groin, I choked. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t touch you like that!¡±

    ¡­Okay, wait, that wasn¡¯t quite right.

    ¡°Not without your permission.¡± Alright, there we go, that¡¯s more accurate. Heck even with his permission, I¡¯d probably insist on some kind of safe word too, just to be on the side of caution.

    Warmth curled through his eyes, there and gone in a blink. ¡°I know and appreciate that. Should I be uncomfortable with something, I trust you to react accordingly. Now, let us head back. We have a witch to question.¡±

    Not arguing, I led us toward the entrance of the market where the bookshop sat. Everything else had been a bust, but if nothing else I could find some books for Dimitrius. And who knows, maybe Sera would have some Frenwere. I doubted it, since the seer didn¡¯t need truth potion often, but it didn¡¯t hurt to ask.

    Stopping by the shop, I nudged him inside. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s pick out some books for you so the trip is at least partially successful.¡±

    Just like earlier, his eyes lit up, the rest of his face keeping its impassive mask. It was cute, how excited he was. And when I showed him all the different areas of magic there were to study I thought for sure he would faint from exuberance.

    There were too many subjects to go over right now and something tells me if we hadn¡¯t been on a time crunch he would have happily camped right here and read every book he could get his hands on. Unfortunately for both of us, the clock was ticking so a few books would have to tide him over for now.

    While it was fun watching him all but vibrate in place, we have a directive and I wouldn¡¯t let myself forget it. Something fishy was going on and once we got back to the house I¡¯d put in a call to Sera. The odds of her having another vision so soon were abysmal, but it didn¡¯t hurt to check.

    Maybe, with some luck, we¡¯d be able to get to the bottom of this quickly.

 Hard To Get And Hard To Get Rid OF

    But then again, when has life ever let me do anything easily?

    Once we got back, I¡¯d made the call to Sera only to learn she was back to being her usual unreachable self. It wasn¡¯t cause for alarm since she barely ever charged her phone. Not surprisingly, considering the thing offered her little.

    Hell, I''d talked to her more in the past week than I had the rest of the year, so I supposed she was due to be a social hermit again. But that was the only way of contacting her I had, which left me in the waiting game. I could stop by her place, but I hated doing that unannounced. If she didn¡¯t respond by next month I¡¯d go, but not before then.

    Besides, I had my hands full as it was. The mage we¡¯d captured refused to divulge anything, much to our frustration. For now all we could do was what we already were. It dragged on me, doing nothing, but I forced the impatience back with years of practice, my nails drumming on the books I¡¯d bought for Dimitrius.

    We¡¯d set up a ritual, of sorts. After he finished his work we¡¯d discuss any questions he¡¯d thought of while making his way through the books. It was refreshing, seeing his eyes light up with curiosity every time he discovered a new thing. Hopefully he stayed that fascinated the further we went.

    I¡¯d only gotten him a book on potions, the explanations of the different magics, a how-to guide for basic item enchantments, and a book full of creatures to start. Considering his interest in the last one in particular, I might need to plan a road trip to a few of this state¡¯s magical creature habitats. Nevada was home to several breeds of Alatum, if I remembered correctly. I¡¯d have to double check that, but the miniature flying steeds were sure to intrigue Dimitrius.

    The door to his study opened, pulling me from my plotting. Only instead of Dimitrius, a different incubus came into sight. Dirty blond hair fell to his shoulders, the typical cleanly pressed shirt and slacks announcing him as staff. I¡¯d noticed the man around the house, but hadn¡¯t talked to him much. Something about him put me on edge.

    Which was weird, because nothing about him physically should make me uneasy. For one, I was immune to his power, and for two he lacked the dark edge to his eyes that I¡¯d gotten good at watching for over the years. The only real thing that explained my dislike was the arrogance that all but floated off him. If it weren¡¯t for that I might¡¯ve even been attracted.

    When he paused a few feet in front of me, eyes raking a provocative path down my front, a sinking feeling hit that I was about to discover just why I didn¡¯t like him. Lust sparked hot in brown eyes, eerily similar to how Veronica stared at Dimitrius in the market, and he didn¡¯t even make an attempt to hide his stare.

    I wasn¡¯t a stranger to these looks outside of the magical community thanks to my well toned body, but I¡¯d expected better from Dimitrius¡¯s staff.

    When he didn¡¯t stop after a few minutes, I cleared my throat, hoping he¡¯d get the message and leave. Instead, he smiled, the arrogance all but oozing off him again as his head bobbed, deciding on something.

    ¡°You will service me now.¡± He said, voice steady and confident.

    My brows hit my hairline.

    This was new. So far all of the staff had been polite, but apparently that was changing now. Before I could let loose with a scathing rebuttal, he did the last thing I expected. He dropped his pants, staring at me expectantly as they pooled around his ankles.

    Eyeing him with amusement, I noted his size dispassionately. To a certain extent he was decent, not a bad length and an average girth, but he wouldn¡¯t be setting any records. I doubted his arrogance was well founded either. More than likely the people who fell under his aura gave him a false sense of accomplishment, feeding his ego to unearned heights.

    Well, he was about to get a nasty surprise, because I wasn¡¯t normal by any stretch of the word. Instead of giving him the reaction he wanted, I laughed. ¡°And why would I do anything for you? While I don¡¯t generally sleep around, I can assure you that when I do, my standards are far above what you have to offer.¡±

    And I didn¡¯t just mean his size either. That arrogance was a turn off. Even without it though, Vladimir dwarfed him¨Cas most with orc blood would¨Cand so did most of my past lovers, for that matter. When I added in Vlad¡¯s naturally chivalrous attitude and respect for me as an equal, it was no empty boast to say he was leagues above this pathetic excuse for a man.

    The fact he reduced me to a shaking, boneless heap on the regular certainly didn''t hurt his prospects.

    Before I could say just that and enjoy every second of crushing this idiot¡¯s ego, an aura similar to Dimitrius¡¯s snapped out. This one didn¡¯t make me calm and woozy though.

    No, this aura made my skin crawl even as it bounced harmless off me. Understanding dawned and rage flash fried my previous amusement. That miserable thunder twat tried to thrall me!

    Magic rushed to the surface, spiraling with the urge to lash out at him even as I shoved it down. When I didn¡¯t drop into a drooling husk, his lips curled down into a confused frown, unaware of the danger headed his way.

    ¡°Because I said so. Why aren¡¯t you quaking in arousal?¡±

    Was that what most women did when faced with a moderately sized length? Good God, I hoped not. Surely they had better standards than this slime¡­Then again, with that aura of his they might not have done so willingly.

    The thought spawned another wave of sparking rage, boiling low under my skin as I straightened. I¡¯d be bringing this up to Dimitrius later, but for now it was time to take his ego down a peg, or two, or twelve.

    ¡°Because I¡¯ve seen better, buttercup. You¡¯re not half as impressive as you¡¯d like to think. Why, I¡¯d be surprised if the women you take to bed get any satisfaction by the end of the night without resorting to their own fingers.¡±

    A hard smile twisted my lips, staying firmly in place even as he snarled, muscles bunching as if to advance. ¡°Why you uppity crone, I¡¯ll show you your place-!¡±

    Dropping a hand to the knife on my hip, I prepared to plant him on his ass. Only to pause when power flooded the room, my body reacting before I had a chance to shield against it.

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    Warmth rocketed through me, blood rushing to my cheeks as the thrumming double heartbeat started between my thighs. I clenched, the woeful emptiness stoking the ache in my groin as the person behind my newly aroused condition made his entrance.

    Dimitrius was a thunder cloud, the almost physical aura rolling off him catching my attention better than anything the other pathetic man could have done. Raising a hand on instinct, I fanned myself as hormones lit and raged a riot in me. When honey eyes turned to me, I forced my hand to stop and wave as if there wasn¡¯t a man with his trousers around his ankles less than a yard from me.

    Dimitrius swept a quick glance over me, checking for himself that I was alright, before turning to the staff member with cold fury. The honey gaze shifted to whiskey as fire danced in their depths, a sneer curling his lips as he hissed.

    ¡°Her place is right where she is, at my side. You seem to have forgotten yours, however.¡±

    Giving a disdainful glance down the staff¡¯s front, Dimitrius glared pointedly at the naked length still bobbing merrily in the wind. ¡°You will contain yourself or be permanently removed from my property. The lady has turned you away, now leave or I will enforce her wishes.¡±

    Going back to silently fanning myself, I cheered internally at his rapid defense. Could I hand this idiot his ass if I wanted to? Sure and if Dimitrius hadn¡¯t stepped in I would have taken great satisfaction out of beating him into the ground, but on the other hand¡­

    I had so few people who cared enough to come to my defense. It couldn¡¯t hurt to let him play the knight just this once, right?

    Leaning my chin on my hand, I watched, enjoying the view as the staff member jerked his pants back around his hips, mouth curling down in a scowl. ¡°She was just playing hard to get.¡± He grumbled.

    One of Dimitrius¡¯s brows went up at that. So did mine, but I stayed silent, curious how my favorite blond would handle this.

    Dimitrius turned to me, brow still raised in question. ¡°Did you, at any point, wish to copulate with this man?¡±

    One of these days I¡¯d really have to work with him on using contractions¡­But now wasn¡¯t the time. I shook my head, answering honestly. ¡°Nope, and that¡¯ll never change. I don¡¯t do arrogance and it¡¯s practically rolling off him.¡± And he didn¡¯t even have a right to be arrogant. Any type of reputation he had as a lover came from his aura, not from any skill on his part.

    All in all, I¡¯d never been more turned off in my life.

    That must have come across and the snub to the idiot¡¯s ego proved to be the straw that broke the metaphorical camel¡¯s back. With Dimitrius turned to face me, the coward lunged, his weak aura coming back to try and wrap around me.

    Shrugging it off again, I jerked up, magic lunging to my command as I prepared to slap a barrier in place. ¡°Dimitrius!¡±

    Before I could say the spell, Dimitrius snapped around, hand clasping tight around the staff member¡¯s throat as his power once again flooded the room. It snuffed out the other¡¯s pathetic attempts to take over my mind, wrapping a protective shield around me in the same instant.

    Dimitrius¡¯s mouth pulled into a scowl, his eyes glowing gold as he dragged the staff member clear off the ground until they were nose to nose. Power sparked through the air, rubbing against my nerve endings like heated silk as I swallowed around the lump in my throat.

    Part of me was astounded that the laid back man I¡¯d gotten to know could shift into the terrifying one before me. The other part¡­well it was more aroused than I knew what to do with. Fuck, did his aura affect me after all?

    Sitting back, I took stock of my reactions, comparing them to the brunette that¡¯d assaulted Dimitrius in the brothel. No, this wasn¡¯t his power making me all but pant after him. Some of it might have been, but the majority wasn¡¯t. Which left one option.

    It was just him.

    Stealing a quick glance over his form, hand locked tight around the staff member¡¯s throat as he rose to my defense, I slid a long look over his back. Tight muscles bunched, filling out his dress shirt and leading down to where I could just see a sliver of pale skin where his pants met his shirt.

    The base of his spine was bared, the dimples there calling to me like a siren. Following it lower to the tight buttocks, my fingers itched to touch before I sucked in a breath and snapped my attention back upward, all but slamming my hand against my thigh to hold it in place.

    This wasn¡¯t his aura¡¯s doing. I was attracted to him, and even if he hadn¡¯t been an incubus I still would have been. Just as I appreciated Vladimir and his well muscled frame, lust stroked its fingers between my legs at the drool worthy sight Dimitrius made.

    I should have seen this coming. I¡¯d always had a thing for those who could stand for themselves. Strong enough to do what needed to be done, but not push it too far. Dimitrius straddled that line with ease and, on top of that, he showed more care than I¡¯d experienced in decades.

    Kind, intelligent, and protective. All things I looked for in any partner I took to bed. All traits he had in spades.

    Dimitrius threw the staff member back, eyes flashing with a wordless threat as he continued, unaware of the lust he was all but pouring through my veins. ¡°You will be escorted out of my home, no longer welcome on any of my properties, and should you ever come near her or me again, it will be the last thing you ever do.¡±

    Another throb of power took my breath away, sending another desperate clench between my thighs as he bristled in my defense. Oh yeah, I was going to have to be careful with this. The last thing we needed was me carrying a torch for him while kids were going missing.

    Taking several deep breaths, I closed my eyes and focused on non-arousing things before the lust all but pouring off me could become obvious to the incubi in the room.

    Dead bodies of innocent women hung from the trees, ropes tied around their necks as the villagers cheered, disregarding the horror of the acts they were doing.

    It was all my fault. They¡¯d be alive if it weren¡¯t for me.

    The images brought their usual flood of guilt. I hadn¡¯t put the hangman¡¯s noose around their throats, but the hunt never would have started if it weren¡¯t for my mistake¡­

    Ice poured over my arousal, dousing it with ease as guilt brought me back to the present. There was no use sulking over what was. It¡¯d happened and no amount of guilt brought back the women killed in that hysteria. I could only do my best to never cause something like that again.

    Turning my focus back to Dimitrius as the staff member was dragged out, I forced all thoughts of back then away. Once it was only us in the room again, Dimitrius faced me, his power folding back down until it hid beneath his skin again.

    Concern over-shadowed his rage as he moved to me. ¡°Are you alright? You have my most sincere apologies that my staff would act in such a way.¡± The genuine worry in his tone made warmth bloom in my chest, an odd flutter starting up right on its heels. Grabbing the hand he subconsciously raised toward me, I nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine and it¡¯s not your fault. You handled it quickly and now I¡¯ll never have to deal with him again. And on that note, wow that was an impressive display.¡± Understatement of the century¡­

    His concern faded and he shrugged. ¡°It is the least I could do. While you stay under my roof you will never suffer such advances. Not unless you wish them, of course.¡± He added the last bit hastily, not wanting to offend.

    He shouldn¡¯t have worried about that. Even if I was the easily offended sort, I was still too stunned by his immediate protectiveness to react. When was the last time someone defended me like that?

    Aside from Sera, had anyone ever bothered?

    After a minute of thought, the sobering realization hit. No, thanks to my pariah status, Sera was the only one who¡¯d stood in my corner. Vlad didn¡¯t count, since we were equal parts outcasts.

    It was nice, knowing that Dimitrius had my back should the need arise. Though, I wonder how he¡¯d react if I told him the only advance I would find welcome was his? Before the tempting thought could take root, I shook it to the side. Not the time.

    ¡°Noted and I appreciate you stepping in. While I hope we don¡¯t run into too many situations like this, I believe you¡¯re the first person I can remember who defended me so staunchly.¡±

    I put the back of my hand daintily against my head, leaning into his side with a breathy sigh. ¡°My hero.¡±

    He didn¡¯t push me off, surprise flashing across his face before a stormy scowl curled his lips. ¡°Then you surround yourself with honorless fools. Just because you are capable of protecting yourself does not mean I will stand by and allow someone to attempt such a foul deed. While you have not met anyone who holds themselves to those standards, you will quickly find that I am not like them.¡±

    No, he definitely wasn¡¯t. Most couldn¡¯t spike my hormones like that without even trying, but now wasn¡¯t the time or place to blurt that. Instead, I dropped my hand and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m already seeing that. To a certain extent, it¡¯s obvious, but the more I get to know you, the more different you are and I guarantee that¡¯s a compliment.¡±

    I¡¯d have to be careful from now on. He didn¡¯t know it, but he¡¯d just landed himself firmly on my list of ¡®people I would happily sleep with, damn the consequences¡¯, and that wasn¡¯t good for our working relationship. He¡¯d proven himself to be capable, caring, dependable, and protective. All qualities I was attracted to and he had every last one of them.

    It was no wonder I¡¯d taken an interest so quickly. He was everything I¡¯d always wanted in a lover¡­and everything I couldn¡¯t have.

    Before the infatuation could take root, I slapped cold reality down on top of it. He had a history with rape, the odds of him wanting any kind of relationship beyond friendship were extremely low. Better to get that through my head now.

    Changing the subject, I lifted one of the books and waved it. ¡°You wanted to learn how to make potions, right? It¡¯s the only thing you¡¯ll be able to do without any magic of your own.¡±

    The last of the tension left the air as he sat near me, our sides brushing in an entirely too distracting way as his expression shifted to rapt curiosity. Handing over the book, I leaned back, taking the moment to enjoy this.

    It wasn¡¯t often life was calm enough for me to have things like this and Dimitrius was proving to be a good friend. Maybe after we found who was behind this, we¡¯d stay in touch. I didn¡¯t have many friends and I¡¯d hate to not talk to him anymore.

    Shaking the melancholy to the side, I focused. It¡¯d be awhile before we even found a lead to go off of, no reason to be a downer. Besides, maybe he¡¯d want to keep in contact. I wouldn¡¯t know until the time came, no use in wondering about it now.

    Besides, by the end of this mess he might¡¯ve had enough of my special brand of insanity and run screaming.

    Honestly, it was a small miracle Seraphina hadn¡¯t already done that¡­

 Impatience And Wow You Looked Adorable As A Child

    Chapter Ten

    ¡°It¡¯s been four months and there¡¯s still nothing?¡±

    Impatience colored my tone despite my best attempts to stifle it. While I didn¡¯t mind the extra time I got to spend with Dimitrius, every day that passed was another that who knows how many children were taken. I hated doing nothing.

    I¡¯d gotten a hold of Seraphina a week after my initial call, but as expected she didn¡¯t have any Frenwere. Which left us with the witch as our only source of information and despite the many things we¡¯d done to pry information out of her, the woman held strong.

    If it weren¡¯t holding us back now I¡¯d have been impressed with her fortitude. A venomous voice chipped in from the back of my mind. Apparently she makes up in loyalty what she failed in power.

    As it stood though, it was an unfortunate obstacle and Dimitrius¡¯s people hadn¡¯t found any other leads for us to follow. Which left us where we were now, waiting for something to break loose.

    Dimitrius eyed me with open amusement though it was tinted with aggravation that mirrored my own. ¡°There is no use in becoming agitated, we must be patient. We will have news soon and then we can see what there is to find.¡±

    Biting back the urge to growl that this was the most patient I¡¯d been in centuries, I rubbed a hand over my face and teased. ¡°I¡¯m nearly four hundred years old babe, this is as patient as I¡¯ll ever be.¡±

    His brow ticked up to that. ¡°Four hundred? I assumed you were younger due to your speech.¡±

    Amusement twitched my lips up as I shook my head. ¡°I realized early on that talking like you¡¯re from centuries ago attracts more suspicion than it¡¯s worth. Sometimes I slip back into how I used to talk, but for the most part, I¡¯ve adapted to modern slang well.¡±

    In that regard, we were opposites since he refused to even use contractions. He hummed, acknowledging my point, before I prodded. ¡°And since we¡¯re on the topic of age, how old are you? By how you talk I¡¯d assume at least eight hundred, but I don¡¯t want to insult you.¡±

    He smiled, a small and amused thing, his head tipping in a half shrug. ¡°No offense taken. In this case, your guess of eight hundred would be considered a compliment, considering I am well over fourteen hundred years old.¡±

    I choked, I¡¯ll admit. I¡¯d known he was old, but shit I hadn¡¯t thought he was that old! Composing myself the best I could, I recovered with a joke. ¡°Well, you look good for your age!¡±

    His lips twitched again, amusement warming his eyes before he pulled us back to the original topic. ¡°Thank you, but as for your patience, you will just have to, as they say, ¡®deal with it¡¯. The statement you cannot teach an old dog new tricks is false, as I am still learning many things and I am nearly quadruple your age.¡±

    Bobbing my head to acknowledge the point, I sighed. ¡°I know, but it burns to think of what those kids could be going through right now. I wish we could just skip to the part where you save the day, possibly while carrying a child out of a building while I stand to the side and¡­I don¡¯t know. Swoon?¡±

    He chuckled, shaking his head as he leveled a dubious smile my way. ¡°You have quite an active imagination, but there is a problem with your scenario.¡± He paused, letting me sit in suspense for a minute before he continued. ¡°You, my dear, do not swoon.¡±

    Oh I¡¯d come close a few times around him. Not that he¡¯d know that. I¡¯d done my best to make it so he stayed in the dark about my new infatuation with him and so far I seemed to be succeeding. Impressive since we¡¯d spent nearly all day with each other over the past four months.

    Despite that, I couldn¡¯t help but tease. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know. With the right motivation, I think I could for you.¡±

    Something palpable pulsed between us, thickening in the air. Surprise sharpened his gaze, curiosity nudging to the surface as silence stretched. When he didn¡¯t respond with a snappy comeback, instead boring that soulful gaze into me, I changed the subject back to the original topic.

    ¡°But back to the point, if it takes much longer we¡¯d be better off turning ourselves into children and getting captured-.¡± I stopped, the brilliance of the thought hitting all at once. I hadn¡¯t actually meant it, but now that the idea was there, it was too tempting not to contemplate.

    Before I could consider how to go about doing that, Dimitrius shook his head. ¡°They will not take you. Whoever is behind this only wants those of my blood.¡±

    Damn, hadn¡¯t considered that. Surely there was a way around it though¡­

    After a minute, it hit. ¡°Then throw your aura over both of us. Sitting around doing nothing will drive me insane and at least this way we can say we tried.¡±

    He paused, head tilting in consideration, before he grimaced. ¡°There is no guarantee you will be immune to that.¡±

    Unease dripped from his tone and honestly, I couldn¡¯t blame him. We didn¡¯t know each other that well and if our positions were reversed, I wouldn¡¯t have been totally comfy with it either. Despite that, impatience bubbled hot in my chest.

    This was the closest we¡¯d come to a plan in what felt like centuries, we couldn¡¯t just not try it!

    Biting my lip, I swept a long glance over Dimitrius and offered. ¡°We could test it? Throw a small bit of your aura over me and see what happens. If you want, you could even have one of your guards come in to restrain me.¡±

    The thought of restraints¨Cthe non sexy kind¨Cmade my hair stand on end, but if that¡¯s what it took to make him okay with this¡­

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    Thankfully he shook his head after a minute of thought. His face settled into a mask of determination, the flash of uncertainty there and gone before I could comment on it. ¡°As you say then, though guards will not be necessary. Are you ready?¡±

    Starting at my shoulders, I loosened every muscle moving down until the last of my tension eased out. Once done, I nodded. ¡°Ready.¡±

    At first nothing changed. No swell of power or odd warmth came, but just as I went to confirm that it had no effect on me, it started.

    The lightest strokes slid down my spine, tingles moving out in waves from the skin until my entire back buzzed pleasantly. Slowly, it wrapped around the rest of me, completely encasing me until it was as if I were swimming in a heated pool.

    Fog clouded my mind, thoughts coming slower with every beat of my heart until it was all I could do to not fall asleep on my feet. Soaking it in, I dimly heard Dimitrius¡¯s noise of surprise, but all my focus stayed on this feeling.

    *** Dimitrius ***

    Lavender eyes slid shut, hiding Julian¡¯s hazy gaze from view as I took in the picture of complete relaxation with wonder.

    Never before in my many years had I seen anyone react like this to my power. Julian was not falling into a lust haze, I had seen enough people in such a state to know the signs. She showed none of them, but she was obviously affected.

    Just not in a way I had ever seen before.

    After a few minutes, I coiled my power back, watching intently as Julian blinked tired eyes open again. She shook off the effects, coming back to herself with relative quickness.

    This woman became more and more fascinating the longer I knew her¡­

    *** Julian ***

    Like molasses easing off my mind, the warm haze slipped away until I could think again. Taking a deep breath, I shook the last of the cobwebs away. Well, that was definitely something.

    ¡°No lust craze.¡± I said, watching Dimitrius¡¯s nod. A hint of something I couldn¡¯t name hovered on the edge of his expression, but before I could analyze it, it was gone.

    ¡°So it appears. I agree to your plan, though there is a flaw. What will we use to change ourselves into children? My metamorphic capabilities are only minor changes, certainly nothing like what we need, so I will require aid as well.¡±

    Thankfully I had an easy answer to that. ¡°A potion. I¡¯m an Auxilio mage, not a Mutante one, after all. I should even have the ingredients for that on me.¡± I trailed off, reaching into my infinity bag. Pressing into the various things I put in there for safekeeping, I made a noise of frustration.

    ¡°Where¡¯d I put the stupid thing?¡± I grumbled, shoving my entire shoulder into it, smiling in triumph when the familiar plants grazed my fingers. Pulling it out, I nodded. ¡°Ah-ha! Knew you were in there.¡±

    Turning to Dimitrius, I offered it. ¡°With this, we can finally move forward.¡±

    His eyes trailed to my bag curiously. ¡°Just how deep is that?¡±

    In answer, I opened the top and offered it to him. ¡°Stick your arm in and see for yourself.¡±

    With no hesitation, he did. A befuddled expression twisted his face as he pressed his arm all the way to his shoulder and it didn¡¯t reach the bottom. Once he pulled it back out, I spoke.

    ¡°It¡¯s called an infinity bag. As you can probably guess by the name, the amount of space can be infinite. Basically, there¡¯s a pocket dimension in here for me to use as storage. I paid someone to enchant it for me so I wouldn¡¯t have to take trips to my house so often.¡±

    And it¡¯d saved me hundreds of such trips, more than making it worth the money I¡¯d given him.

    Dimitrius nodded, curiosity plain even as he focused back on the task at hand. ¡°Excellent, once you have the potion prepared we will begin. Though, if I may aid you?¡±

    Hope sparked in his eyes, the hunger for more knowledge making me smile even as I shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t mind if you stay and watch, but this isn¡¯t a beginner¡¯s potion. Maybe later I¡¯ll see if I can find some of the basic ones for you to try.¡±

    His features brightened, following me as I moved into my room. Setting down the bag, I dug through it until I found my tools, the cauldron¨Coutdated, but these things were impossible to break, making them perfect for my needs¨Cand the enchanted spoons that went with it. Putting it on the desk, I pulled out the rest of the ingredients I needed.

    Thankfully it was a simple potion so no rare things were needed. If we¡¯d been shifting into other people then it would have been harder. I¡¯d be happy with the blessing I was given. In less than fifteen minutes the potion was ready, the putrid scent coming off it announcing that.

    Dimitrius wrinkled his nose, eyeing the swirling green liquid warily as if it would bite him. ¡°Are you absolutely certain that is safe?¡±

    Ladling some into a glass, I nodded, but before I could take a drink to prove it his hand covered mine, the back of his knuckles brushing my lips.

    Concern painted his features, distracting me from the skin all but humming with power under my mouth. ¡°Then let me try it first. Should something be wrong I have supernatural healing to fall back on. You do not.¡±

    He didn¡¯t even know what all he was drinking, but at the thought of it hurting me he tried to make himself into a shield. In this case it wasn¡¯t necessary, I¡¯d brewed this potion plenty of times, but the sentiment was there.

    Forcing back the fluttery feelings his care and the brief skin to skin contact brought, I nodded, handing over the ladle without complaint. ¡°Alright, but you have to imagine what you¡¯ll be turning into. Get a clear picture in your head and then drink. The potion will do the rest.¡±

    He nodded, closing his eyes for a moment before taking the potion and downing it in one go. Immediately he gagged, eyes flying open as he coughed. One of his hands drifted to his stomach and he groaned. ¡°Maker above, is it supposed to taste like excrements and poignant regrets?¡±

    I snorted. ¡°Yup, that means it worked. Why exactly do you know what those taste like though?¡±

    He shot me a mild glare, but instead of commenting on my sass, he questioned. ¡°Why have I not changed?¡±

    I waved aside his concern. ¡°Calm down, you should start any-.¡± Before I even finished the sentence, he began to shrink. He bent double with a grunt, clutching his stomach as he braced through it.

    Hardly thirty seconds went by before the transformation was done and when he straightened, I fought back a coo.

    The clothes that¡¯d previously fit perfectly swamped him. I was horrible at estimating age, but if I had to guess he¡¯d be around five years old. His facial hair was gone, replaced with chubby cheeks and curly golden hair. His eyes also seemed wider and I couldn¡¯t help but crouch to his level and tease.

    ¡°You were cute as a kid, are you sure you want to change back after we¡¯re done?¡±

    Immediately he leveled a glare on me that would have been menacing, if his cheeks didn¡¯t puff out in indignation. ¡°This is no joking matter. Drink so we may be on our way.¡±

    The higher pitch voice nearly sent me into hysterics, but I swallowed back the decidedly witchy cackle and nodded. I¡¯d definitely be remembering this anytime I needed a laugh though.

    Refocusing on the task at hand, I ladled my glassful and downed it while doing my best to not taste a drop. In seconds, the familiar wrenching of atoms came, pain ripping through every inch of my body as it rearranged to fit my whim.

    Closing my eyes through the disorienting process, I braced while pulling a clear picture of what I wanted to be into my mind. The next time I opened my eyes, I was level with Dimitrius and my clothes swamped me comically.

    Giving him a grin, I crowed with a fist pump, the sleeves on my shirt falling over my hand. ¡°Success! Now we just need to get some clothes that fit and find the park Tina was kidnapped from.¡±

    Dimitrius nodded, moving for the door while dragging his too big pants with him. His shirt stretched nearly to the floor, covering everything as he called for one of the staff to bring appropriate clothes. They did, though not before a bewildered glance our way.

    Their faces would have been hysterical, under other circumstances. Shaking it to the side for now, I focused on the present as excitement flared through me. We were finally headed in the right direction!

 Finally, Some Action And Just Where Are Your Eyes Going, Dimitrius?

    Chapter Eleven

    ¡°Sitting around, waiting to get kidnapped.  This is a new one, even for me. Seraphina will give me the lecture of the century when she learns I¡¯m openly inviting trouble¡­Let¡¯s not tell her about this.¡±

    Dimitrius sent an amused but chiding glance my way. ¡°Hush, if we wish for this to work we must act like children.¡± That being said, he kicked his legs cutely as we swung back and forth on our swings. Not commenting further, I sent my magic out, pretending to be fascinated by a butterfly moving past.

    The plan was finally in action, now we just had to wait for the enemy to fall into it. Dimitrius¡¯s aura wrapped around me, the warmth acting like a non-physical hug as we pretended to chatter about our favorite animals.

    I¡¯d never been more grateful for my immunity to his powers. If I didn¡¯t have it then I¡¯d be too far into a lust craze to enjoy how serene this was. After the past few months of constantly being around him, and acting as his guard whenever he chose to feed, his aura had little to no effect on me anymore.

    Though my infatuation caused its own share of arousal flare-ups. I¡¯d managed to keep that under wraps as well, barely at times, but still. All that mattered was that Dimitrius wasn¡¯t aware of my crush.

    Before I could sink into treacherous thoughts, a pulse through my magic snapped me back to the present. Someone dangerous had just entered the park.

    One advantage to being an Auxilio mage? I could stretch my magic out, sensing the intentions of those around me, and whoever just stepped foot near us was out for trouble.

    Good, so were we.

    It only took a minute before the one I sensed approached us. For all intents and purposes, he looked like the average man. Boring brown hair matched his eyes with jeans and a t-shirt hanging loosely off his frame. But when he didn¡¯t drop into a drooling lust haze, I knew he was anything but average. Either he¡¯d been around lust demons enough to not be fazed, he was a mage, or he was an incubus.

    Most importantly, he was smiling at us with a hideous twist to his lips that made my hair stand on end. Without a doubt, we¡¯d just found our enemy. Or, at least a peon of them.

    Stopping my swing, I clutched to Dimitrius as if scared as the man cooed. ¡°Where are your parents, little ones?¡±

    The downright gleeful tone made me want to growl, before I pushed it back. Acting, I reminded myself. We were putting on a show here and biting the creep would definitely break character.

    Dimitrius huffed, cutting off my internal battle. ¡°Gone and we¡¯re not supposed to talk to strangers.¡±

    Under other circumstances I would applaud his use of a contraction¨Cthe first and likely last time I¡¯d ever hear it¨Cbefore the stranger gave us what was supposed to be a comforting look. ¡°Oh, but you two appear lost. Why don¡¯t you come with me? I¡¯ll bring you back to your parents, they must be worried about you.¡±

    Ugh, if he could be any more obvious I¡¯d puke, but that would also break character, right along with biting, so instead I nodded eagerly. ¡°Could you, mister?¡±

    He nodded, gesturing for us to follow him to the van on the edge of the property. Sharing a glance with Dimitrius, I prepared myself. It was go time.

    When he slammed the door behind us I didn¡¯t have to fake my jolt of surprise. I hated sudden, loud noises and as an ominous air clogged the interior of the van, I wailed. ¡°Wait, how do you know where we live?¡±

    His only response was a chuckle before the van took off. Now we just had to sell it, lest he grow a brain cell and figure out what we were doing. Sniffing, I curled into Dimitrius and cried. ¡°Where are you taking us?¡±

    Dimitrius blinked, surprised by my acting as he raised a hand as if to comfort me, before our ¡®captor¡¯ spoke with glee. ¡°To somewhere with more children like you. You¡¯ll all play together, just sit tight and behave or I¡¯ll be forced to punish you.¡±

    Giving a whimper of agreement, I reached for my infinity bag stuffed under my shirt. The counter potions were ready, when we got to wherever we were going, we could drink them and finally see who all was behind this mess.

    Or so I hoped.

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    Thankfully it didn¡¯t take long before we pulled to a stop. The brunette opened the door for us, nudging us along into a massive house. Dimitrius¡¯s castle was bigger, but from our new¨Cconsiderably shorter¨Cvantage point, the two story house was huge.

    The man didn¡¯t waste any time either, all but throwing us into the basement where half a dozen children waited, eyes full of despair. Taking in their condition, disgust and anger churned hotly in my stomach. Some if not all of them sported abrasions that, if the putrid smell was any indication, were infected.

    On top of that, each of the kids were in scraps of clothing, the filth clinging to them and the torn cloth painting a picture I didn¡¯t want to imagine.

    Apparently these guards either weren¡¯t immune to the kids¡¯ auras or just didn¡¯t care, because they were covered in a very familiar substance. Seeing it on kids made an unearthly rage howl in my chest, shaking the bars of the cage I held it in.

    Glancing around, I counted how many were here before deciding. Every single person who had a hand in this would be dead. I would get Frenwere from somewhere, get all the necessary information, and then I¡¯d ensure none survived. After what they¡¯d done, it was the least I could do for these kids. Aside from getting them home safely.

    Dimitrius¡¯s grip on my hand tightened, pulling me away from bloodthirsty thoughts. Glancing over, I caught his glare, the reminder of why we were here cementing me back to the present. Right, the counter potion.

    Digging them out, I offered him one before chugging my own. A flash of pain, then my limbs stretched out, back to their natural state as bones cracked loudly through the room. Standing to my normal height, the kids around us gasping, I quickly moved to shush them.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, we¡¯re here to get you out of this place and to arrest the bad men. Can you all be good and not tell them we¡¯re here?¡± I asked, waiting for each of their nods. The desolation eased back, hope taking its place for possibly the first time since they¡¯d been taken captive.

    Good.

    Taking my clothes out of the bag, I got dressed while Dimitrius shifted back. The fabric hugged my frame like a second skin as I absentmindedly patted down the pockets, ensuring nothing fell out into my infinity bag.

    It was only when I finished checking that it registered. Someone was watching me. The gaze all but burned into the back of my head, making ignoring it impossible even if I¡¯d wanted to. Covertly glancing around, I tensed, expecting an enemy lingering around the corner. The truth was far more surprising and welcome.

    Mid sweep of the room, I met scalding honey eyes. Dimitrius mirrored me, eyes wide and throat bobbing as he was caught in the act. He¡¯d watched me dress and if the molten lava burning in those orbs was any indication, he¡¯d liked what he¡¯d seen.

    I almost¨Calmost¨Ccommented on that. The teasing flirtation was on the tip of my tongue to the point I could already see the flush working across his cheeks in my mind¡¯s eyes, but I bit it back. We came here for a reason, I could tease him for eye humping me later.

    Though that didn¡¯t mean I had to completely behave myself.

    Locking eyes with him, I smoothed down my shirt, making sure to tug it tight across my chest. His eyes flicked down, following the movement, before shooting back to my face. He flushed, the ruby smattering over his cheeks every ounce as lovely as I¡¯d imagined it to be, before looking away.

    Too late, I¡¯d seen that and there was no way I wouldn¡¯t be teasing him for it later. I wasn¡¯t stupid, I knew how people¨Cmen and women alike¨Cstared at me. But having it be Dimitrius doing the looking? For it to be his eyes lighting up as if he wanted nothing more than to strip me and memorize every inch of my flesh?

    A thrill shot down my spine, settling as a dull buzz in my gut.

    He could stare anytime he wanted, I certainly wouldn¡¯t complain.

    Giving him a wink when I caught his gaze again, I said nothing and handed over his clothes. He hesitated, eyeing the offered hand warily before taking the bundle. I kept my eyes resolutely locked on his, the urge to trail down the visual feast on display nearly too much to resist. If it weren¡¯t for the nerves all but pouring off Dimitrius¨Cand his history¨CI¡¯d let myself indulge. But there was the issue of it, his past.

    He¡¯d caught more than a fair glimpse of me, but I didn¡¯t mind him seeing. Even an idiot would know he wasn¡¯t comfortable with the reversal. If I ever got to stare at him in all his naked splendor, it would be with his full permission beforehand. I wouldn¡¯t let anything else be an option.

    I caught his look of surprise before I turned, offering him privacy to change, but I didn¡¯t comment on it. Neither did he.

    Tense silence crackled between us as the shuffle of clothes came, before his hand landed on my shoulder. Taking that as my signal, I turned.

    Gratitude glowed in his eyes, alongside the sheepishness from before, but before he could say anything about the exchange, as he looked ready to, I glanced at the door and cut him off.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way of knowing how many guards there are so we¡¯ll have to take this one room at a time. Before we do that though.¡± Turning to the kids, I smiled. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going to cast some magic, there¡¯s going to be a barrier here and none of you can pass through it. It will protect you from the bad people, but don¡¯t leave it.¡±

    When each of them gave their agreement, I closed my eyes and focused. Like bubbling water in a hot spring, my power shuddered to the surface. Opening my eyes, I visualized what I wanted and whispered. ¡°Clypeus.¡±

    A brilliant blue light glimmered into existence, the barrier surrounding the kids as they watched in amazement. Once done, I turned to Dimitrius and nodded to the door.

    ¡°Shall we, darling?¡± I asked.

    His jaw jumped, a flash of something heating his eyes, before it disappeared. Stiffening to granite, his expression turning grim, he nodded. ¡°Yes, and remember. Leave them alive.¡±

    Snorting, I led the way while muttering. ¡°Are you talking to me or yourself?¡± To my surprise, he responded to the mostly rhetorical question.

    ¡°Both.¡±

    My lips twitched in amusement, before all traces of humor dropped. It was time to finally start what we¡¯d planned weeks ago. These kids would be the first of hopefully many we¡¯d save. We just had to take out a few guards to get them to safety. Piece of cake.

 Clever Ploys, Satans Personal Sauna, And...Hugs?

    Chapter Twelve

    As it turned out, it was not a piece of cake and considering how convoluted my life was, I should have known better to ever assume anything would be easy.

    Most of the guards weren¡¯t magical, thankfully, but the one mage here was far superior to the last one we¡¯d faced. To add another degree of difficulty I really didn¡¯t need right now, most of the human guards were desensitized to incubus power, thus Dimitrius¡¯s power didn¡¯t have its full effect.

    Spinning out of the way of yet another cutting spell, the blade of magic slicing painfully though my arm, I snarled. ¡°This is why I despise Exitium mages!¡±

    My opponent laughed, enjoying every dodge and weave I gave as he slung spell after spell my way. Dark eyes danced with mirth I¡¯d seen dozens of times as he pulled back for another volley.

    Dimitrius, for his part, had his hands full with the rest of the guards. The knives he always kept on his person flashing in a blur as he cut a swathe through the humans. They were falling pathetically easily to him, so with any luck he¡¯d be available to help me with this ass soon.

    Another too-close spell cut through my calf, blood hitting the air as I dodged his next attack. A smirk curled his lips as he taunted. ¡°Why don¡¯t you fight back then? Or is that worthless magic all you can do?¡±

    Familiar frustration burned hot, wrath joining it to churn dangerously in my chest. The urge to let loose¨Cshow him what I could really do¨Cwas tempting, but I forced it back. Attacking recklessly would get me dead and Dimitrius right behind me. Unacceptable.

    I would think, like Seraphina always tried to beat into my head, and finish this the smart way.

    As it stood, I was wearing down and he knew that. If the fight continued much longer he¡¯d win from the blood loss slowly leaching at my strength. Which meant I needed to end this now.

    My heel slid on the blood slicked floor, nearly sending me to the ground before I caught myself, the Exitium mage slamming another cutting spell past my head in the moment of distraction. I dodged, but before I had time to jump back, I noticed it.

    The smallest break in his defenses. Every time he cast, he paused to gather his magic. I could use that.

    Waiting for his next attack, I let it graze me, gritting my teeth through the fiery pain as I dropped. Hard floor bruised my side, but I didn¡¯t focus on that. No, all my attention was on the mage now sauntering up to me with an arrogant smirk.

    With each step he took, Dimitrius¡¯s struggles nearby grew until he shouted. ¡°Julian!¡± His voice rang with worry as he tried and failed to dice his way through the remaining guards to get to my side. The calm and cool mask shattered, desperation sharpening his movements as he fought.

    It was sweet, how hard he was trying to reach me, but in this case it wasn¡¯t necessary.

    Ignoring the fluttery feeling in my gut over his worry, I met my opponent¡¯s eyes, his black fringe of hair nearly covering narrowed blue orbs as he smirked down at me.

    ¡°You should have attacked while you had the chance instead of constantly staying on the defensive. You might have lived to see tomorrow if you had.¡±

    Stopping above me, he raised a hand as magic sparked through the air. His whispered incantation was lost to the buzzing in my ears, but when a fireball formed in his hand, I braced. Just like before, he dropped his guard, and when he went to bring the fire down I swung to grab his ankle.

    Snapping my other arm out, I barked. ¡°Exsilium!¡±

    Like the crack of a whip, the air tensed as magic poured off me, saturating the air around us. His eyes widened, but before he could say or do anything, a colossal crack opened behind him. He swung to face it, terror growing, but before he had a chance to escape I dragged myself up and slammed a fist into his jaw.

    Satisfaction flared as he staggered back into my spell, falling through it before the rift snapped shut like a monster¡¯s maw. Dead silence rang out as I turned to the rest of the guards, a feral grin stretching my lips. ¡°Who else feels like taking a trip to Satan¡¯s personal sauna today?¡±

    Those that weren¡¯t already on the floor from Dimitrius¡¯s assault slowly lowered to their knees, faces paling in sync. Smart of them.

    ¡°Good move on your part.¡± I said, hand trailing down to take stock of my injuries. Before I could examine the particularly nasty cut on my side, arms wrapped around me. Now pressed flat to a firm chest, I resisted the instinctual urge to lash out and breathed. Dimitrius¡¯s scent¨Cbooks and tea¨Chit my nose, relaxing me instantly as he gripped me tight enough to bruise.

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    Not fighting the sudden hug, my chin resting on his shoulder, I listened as he choked near my ear. ¡°Do not ever terrify me like that again.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t like I¡¯d done it on purpose, though the relief all but gushing off him like a geyser made my heart spin and flip. No one, aside from Seraphina, ever cared if I lived or died. To a certain extent I knew he liked me, saw me as a friend if nothing else, but this?

    His arms tightened, as if afraid I¡¯d melt away if he let go, and the firm hold was soothing in a way I had no words for. Through the fluttering in my chest, safety sank like an anchor, spreading warmth out in waves as I fought the urge to melt into him.

    Rubbing small circles on his back, I glared at the still conscious guards over his shoulder¨Call but daring them to strike¨Cwhile soothing. ¡°I¡¯ll try not to, but sometimes I have to let enemies think they won. It¡¯s the easiest strategy.¡±

    He pulled away with obvious reluctance, hands lingering on my back as he grimaced. ¡°Be that as it may, I will continue to dislike that particular method. I thought you were soon to be gone from this world¡­¡± Distress coiled behind his eyes, tightening the line of his jaw as I squeezed his hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine and after we get back you can see that for yourself. The only injuries I have are minor and will heal in no time. For now, we have other things to deal with.¡± Besides, my crush was thriving under his attention and I needed to put space between us before it got worse.

    Thankfully he separated without complaint, stepping back to eye where the Exitium mage had stood. ¡°You are right, though later you must tell me how that works.¡±

    I nodded, ignoring the drain steadily pulling on my magic as I turned to the rest of the guards. ¡°Alright boys, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. I can knock you out and we¡¯ll bring you in to be questioned, or I can throw you in with your buddy to be Cerberus¡¯s chew toy and let you out later¡­maybe. If I¡¯m feeling merciful. Pick one.¡±

    Not surprisingly, they chose the first option.

    Exsilium didn¡¯t actually go anywhere that scary¨Cit definitely didn¡¯t lead to hell¨Cbut it sure looked like it did and that¡¯s all that mattered. It was easier to corral terrified guards than ones who thought they had a chance.

    Once I finished knocking out the last of them, with Dimitrius¡¯s help, I sighed. ¡°One thing down, another dozen to go.¡± Eyeing the building around us with disgust, flashes of the condition the kids were in coming back to me, I sneered.

    ¡°Tell me I can burn this place to the ground after we get everything we need from it.¡±

    I didn¡¯t have any fire magic¨Cor attack magic in general¨Cbut getting my hands on dynamite wouldn¡¯t be too difficult. Hell, I¡¯d even come back to burn it all down if he agreed. Until this place was nothing more than sludge and rubble, I wouldn¡¯t be satisfied.

    Dimitrius shot me a confused glance, eyes drifting over the durable walls dubiously. ¡°Seeing as this is a stone building, I doubt fire would do any good.¡±

    A hard smile twisted my lips. ¡°Yeah, but trying would make me feel so much better.¡±

    His brow rose to that, but he nodded without further argument. ¡°Let us get the children to safety and retrieve all the important information, then we will return so you may do as you wish.¡±

    Awesome. Turning back to the guards, I pulled some rope from my bag and started tying them up. ¡°I have this if you want to search the area. I think these were the last of the guards, so you shouldn¡¯t meet anyone else.¡±

    He paused, glancing hesitantly down my bloodied frame, before shaking his head. ¡°I do not wish to leave you as you are without someone to watch your back. Any additional checks can wait until you finish.¡±

    I appreciated the protectiveness, but in this case it wasn¡¯t needed. I was fine and the sooner we checked over everything, the quicker those kids got out of here.

    Keeping my tone gentle, I stopped fiddling with the guards long enough to prod him toward the door. ¡°Dimitrius, I¡¯m fine. Those kids shouldn¡¯t have to stay here a minute longer than necessary and it won¡¯t take you long. I¡¯ll be right here, I promise.¡±

    A war waged across his face, an argument building under the surface, but just as he looked ready to launch it, I cut in.

    ¡°Dimitrius¡­¡±

    He deflated. ¡°I will do a quick sweep of the area before releasing the children. Should you require aid, do not hesitate to shout.¡±

    I hummed, watching him disappear around the corner. Once he was out of sight, I focused on tying up the rest of the guards as my mind wandered. I hadn¡¯t expected Dimitrius to react so strongly to my ¡®near death¡¯ experience. Even now tingles swept through me where his skin brushed mine, the tight hold a comfort I wasn¡¯t used to.

    Through the warm flutters still twitching in my chest, hope flickered to life. I¡¯d written anything off between us thanks to his history, but maybe I was wrong? He¡¯d certainly gotten an eyeful earlier and for him to react so strongly now¡­

    Before the treacherous hope could get away with me, I doused it with cold reality. We were friends, of course he¡¯d be afraid of losing me and earlier didn¡¯t mean anything. Heck if our positions had been switched with him being that close to death I would have been worried too!

    A tiny voice chimed in at the back of my mind. But I also have a raging crush on the man. He seemed awfully worried, enough to pull me into a hug and hesitate to release me despite the circumstances.

    Okay yes that was a bit off for a friend, but that didn¡¯t mean he¡¯d want anything else with me. Letting myself hope for more would only end in pain.

    Repeating that like a mantra, I forced my thoughts to a different topic. Namely, the base we¡¯d just taken down.

    There were probably more of them, but knowing this one was out of commission sent satisfaction through me. We still had plenty more to do, but at least this was a step in the right direction.

    I doubt the mastermind behind all this was here, though. Dimitrius said the kids were going missing from everywhere, not just in this area. To have the kind of connections to travel around the globe without an issue tells me we¡¯re up against someone smart, powerful and well connected. Not a great combination for us.

    Why is it I never got to fight the easy ones whose plans backfired hilariously because of some obvious problem they overlooked? At least then I¡¯d have some amusement as I beat them into the ground.

    Shaking that to the side, I focused. With any luck one of these goons would have more information on this mess. I¡¯d even settle for where another base was, as long as we managed to save some kids while we were at it.

    Anything was better than waiting around doing nothing.

 Home And Cuddles, Dont Get Too Used To It Julian...

    Chapter Thirteen

    Every step burned as I trudged through the house, its echoing interior still not something I was used to despite the months I¡¯d spent here.

    My everything ached, but at least today was a success.

    We¡¯d found documents on the kids who were taken and they¡¯d definitely sped up the process of finding their families. Though after we went back through some of the older papers, I noticed something. Whoever was behind this never grabbed a kid that wasn¡¯t an incubus or succubus. Not one mess up despite what looked like years worth of papers there.

    They had a way of knowing which kids had the bloodline and if we could just figure out how they did it, we could use it to our advantage. Rubbing a hand through my hair, I let the thought go with a sigh.

    Thinking about it did nothing. We needed more information before we could form any kind of hypothesis. With any luck one of the guards would have info. The cynical part of me doubted it though. Life rarely handed me things so easily. Unless I¡¯d sweat and bled for it, it wasn¡¯t meant to be mine.

    Shaking that off, I forced stiff and aching legs to hold my weight. Dimitrius stood not far from me, making arrangements for the kids to all go home. An air of exhaustion lingered around him as well, but he held himself straight, not an ounce of weakness showing.

    It was impressive and right now I envied it.

    Sparing a glance to where the kids huddled in the corner, haunted eyes that¡¯d seen far too much lingering over each of us in turn, I bit back a sigh. They¡¯d need therapy and a good support system, but at least they were free.

    That was the best we could do and every step forward from where they were was one in the right direction.

    Today had been a success, no matter how much it didn¡¯t feel like it.

    Footsteps approached, snapping me back to the present as Dimitrius¡¯s face lost its neutral mask. The weight of centuries settled over him like a shroud, lips tugging down into a tired frown that mirrored mine. Once he stopped at my side, he offered. ¡°While the children will need further aid, you must remember that we saved them. My people will be sure they have the care they need and their parents will be informed of the things to be wary of as they grow. You cannot let scenes such as this cripple you.¡±

    A weary snort huffed from my lungs. ¡°Are you trying to tell me that or yourself?¡± Because from where I stood we both looked equally beaten down.

    His lips twitched into a parody of a smile. ¡°Both, I suppose.¡±

    Silence rang between us, before I broke it, muscles screaming with every minute I stayed standing. ¡°Welp, today has been a shitshow of epic proportions. I¡¯m going to get pissed on some good alcohol and find someone to cuddle against until today feels like a demented nightmare. Care to join me?¡±

    One of his brows rose, intrigue chasing away the exhaustion. ¡°I do happen to have top-shelf brandy aging in the basement.¡±

    Gesturing for him to lead on, I ignored the steady pulse of pain rolling through me. ¡°That¡¯ll work, though I guess your lack of comment on the other bit means I¡¯ll have to find someone else for cuddles? Shame.¡±

    While my tone was teasing, he had no idea how real that ache was. The idea of curling against him and falling asleep was entirely too appealing. So, it was probably better he didn¡¯t agree, for the sake of my emotions if nothing else.

    I was just tired enough to ignore the logical part of me that said I should avoid touching him, lest my infatuation become worse.

    Before I could change the subject he took me by surprise, eyes hesitant though curious.

    ¡°That entirely depends on what you identify a ¡®cuddle¡¯ as.¡±

    And now we¡¯re talking about cuddling as if it were a scientific field. Not how I¡¯d seen today going, but whatever. Ignoring logic screaming for me to shut up, I answered. ¡°My head in your lap, preferably with your fingers combing through my hair until one of us falls asleep.¡±

    He probably wouldn¡¯t want that, what with the whole ¡®no touchy¡¯ thing and the horrific things we¡¯d just seen, but the image was nice to ponder all the same. Before I could head to my room for a solid sixteen hours of sleep, he spoke again, sending me to a skidding halt.

    ¡°That sounds acceptable, shall we retire to the study then?¡±

    I nodded numbly, following as I fought past my surprise. So much for him not wanting to do this, he¡¯d agreed near instantly and to say my resistance was pathetic when it came to him was an understatement.

    I should call this off before we get started, say I changed my mind and go back to sleep off the sickening heaviness in my chest, but I did none of that. Instead, I stayed quiet, following without a word as he led the way.

    I¡¯d probably regret this later, but honestly? Fuck it. Everything ached, I¡¯m tired in a way no amount of sleep will cure, and after seeing the grotesque scenes earlier I burned for touch from someone not trying to kill me. If Dimitrius wanted the same then I was all in.

    We stopped outside his study not two minutes later, his hand hesitating on the knob for a split second. I almost offered to call this off, but before I could get a word in he¡¯d opened the door and breezed to the couch.

    Taking his seat, he got comfortable before looking at me expectantly.

    The ache for touch grew at the offer, but before it could suffocate everything else, I forced myself to ask. ¡°Are you sure? I know you don¡¯t prefer touch.¡± No matter how nice it¡¯d be to curl into his lap and sleep, I couldn¡¯t let myself if this was outside of his comfort zone.

    He tipped his head in acknowledgement even as he patted his thigh. ¡°Generally you are correct, but as I stated before you are an exception. This is not beyond my comfort zone and should that change I will inform you at once.¡±

    Welp, didn¡¯t have to tell me twice.

    Easing myself down onto the couch, my head settling in his lap, I bit back a sigh of bliss. Pulsing pain eased back into a dull throb, careful fingers twining through my hair as I fought the urge to drift off. The exhaustion from before came racing back, dragging my lids down as sleep threatened to one shot KO me.

    One of the downsides to solitary life? I never got minutes like this. Having the chance to relax against someone, soaking in the most innocent touches¡­it was a pipe dream after the years of being hunted by magical and prosaic people alike.

    I wouldn¡¯t get it often now either, so I¡¯ll have to soak it up as much as possible. Leaning into his hand, a quiet noise of approval dragged from my throat as he dug deep into my scalp and massaged. Straddling the line of sleep¨Chis hand in my hair never stopping its stroking¨CI nearly slipped off.

    The clock¡¯s chime dragged me back just as darkness edged my vision. I needed to move or I would fall asleep on him. Cracking an eye open, I glanced at Dimitrius¡¯s contemplative expression. I should go to my room, but yet again I voiced the exact opposite. ¡°Do you want to switch?¡±

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    His hand paused, confusion clear before understanding chased its tail. A slow smile curled his lips before he offered a hand up. ¡°If you would not mind?¡±

    Oh honey if only you knew just how much I don¡¯t¡­

    Making tired muscles work, I hauled myself out of my new happy place. Once I was sitting up¨Cmuch to the loud complaints of my body¨CI gestured to my lap with a flourish. He didn¡¯t hesitate, head situating itself as my fingers curled into his hair.

    I¡¯d wondered before how it felt. Would it be soft and fluffy like it looked? Or maybe it¡¯d be dryer? As silky strands coiled my fingers, stroking along battered nerve endings, I resisted the urge to melt into the couch as the truth hit.

    It was divine and without a doubt, I could get spoiled off of this. The infatuation that never seemed to leave pulsed sharply, expanding out to grasp anything it could grab a hold of until it throbbed like a second heartbeat.

    Again logic screamed for me to separate, but I slapped it down. We weren¡¯t doing anything intimate. Lots of friends did things like this and I wasn¡¯t deluding myself into thinking it was more than it was.

    Even without his history in the mix, I doubted I could be anything more if I tried. Years¨Ccenturies¨Cspent on the run with no one for company made me socially inept, missing important cues that others caught with ease.

    Most of the magical community hated me, and when you combine those with my naturally sparkling personality it was no wonder carnal relationships were the only ones I bothered with. Nothing else would last and I wouldn¡¯t hurt myself by thinking otherwise.

    ¡°Are you alright? You seem distraught.¡± Dimitrius said, yanking me from thoughts of my non-existent love life. Pasting on a smile, I shrugged, giving a half assed answer.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, just thinking about what we saw earlier.¡± And the raging emotional hard on I have for you, but we¡¯re not getting into that.

    Realizing I¡¯d paused in combing his hair, I went to continue, only for his hand to reach up, fingers lacing with mine as a frown tugged his lips. ¡°You have a kind heart, Julian. While it is harmful to you now, never be rid of it. We may not have spared those children from everything, but what we achieved was better than nothing.¡±

    Warm gooey affection slid through my veins like heated molasses, my heart twisting with the urge to bend down and sneak a kiss. Shaking it off with extreme difficulty¨Cgood God this man couldn¡¯t keep saying things like that while expecting me not to react¨CI resumed the stroking.

    ¡°Thanks, and for the record you¡¯re kind too.¡±

    Silence came after that, time sliding by in a blur as I reveled in the easy intimacy of the moment. After who knows how long though, a soft snore came from my lap. Glancing down to see Dimitrius¡¯s features relaxed in the grip of sleep, I bit back a smile, that pulsing affection branching out further.

    We¡¯d only known each other a handful of months and he already trusted me enough to fall asleep near me. It was heady, that trust. Had anyone¨Caside from Seraphina¨Cdone that? Had that level of faith in me?

    After a brief minute of thought, I came to the sobering realization that no, no one had. Aside from the nights I slept beside Vladimir, this was the only time. It was odd, good odd, but still. The fact I had an undying crush on the man only made it more special, though I¡¯d die before I¡¯d admit that.

    Settling further into the couch, I got comfortable¨Cas much as I could given the deadweight now pinning my legs¨Cand relaxed. I¡¯d deal with bandaging all my injuries tomorrow. I wasn¡¯t actively bleeding out and this was nice. Unless absolutely necessary I wouldn¡¯t be stopping it early.

    Letting my hand rest in his hair, I let the darkness of sleep reach up to grab me. It¡¯d been¡­too long since I¡¯d slept with someone, though in this case things were far more innocent than I was used to. Maybe, if I were really lucky, he¡¯d want to do this again.

    Shaking the hope to the side, I huffed. The odds of that were extremely low, as in I¡¯m not calculating it because that¡¯ll be depressing low. Better to just be happy in the moment and expect nothing afterward. It¡¯d hurt less that way.

    Sunlight burned the backs of my eyes the next morning, pulling me into consciousness with pitiless force. Sharp pain poked at my neck from the odd angle I¡¯d slept at and that pang quickly echoed through the rest of me. Right, injuries. I¡¯d forgotten about those.

    Dragging crusty lids open, I paused, taking in the peacefully dozing incubus in my lap. The deep lines smoothed from his face, leaving only clear skin and peaceful features as he slept on. Eyes that bore the weight of centuries stayed shut, removing some of the alertness I¡¯d gotten used to from him as soft puffs of breath hit my thighs.

    He¡¯d rolled over at some point, nose brushing my stomach, and the pose did absolutely everything for the affection still twining tightly around my heart. I allowed myself to bask in that warmth for another few seconds, before I shoved it down with ruthless efficiency.

    I had no room in my life for a relationship, especially not one with Dimitrius. Anything with him would be all consuming and the last thing I needed was to be broken down again. My mother¡¯s rejection nearly shattered me and I wasn¡¯t up for round two with Dimitrius.

    Like a ghost from the past, her voice came to me. Never give anyone your heart. They will drop it, every time.

    Ironic from her, since hardly three years later she¡¯d all but ground my heart into the dirt. Shaking the sobering thoughts to the side, I focused back on Dimitrius, his eyelids bunching as he started coming around.

    Taking my hand from his hair, I waited.

    His jaw flexed, quickly followed by his nose scrunching up into a pout of confusion as he realized he wasn¡¯t in his bed. One honey eye opened, taking in our positions with a lazy flick. Slowly, I saw the memories come to him, before his other eye opened and he rolled to lay on my legs again.

    ¡°Good morning, though I feel I should apologize for falling asleep on you in such a way.¡±

    I shrugged, rolling my shoulders and wincing when it pulled on one of the injuries from yesterday. ¡°If I¡¯d minded I would have woken you. On that note, how¡¯d you sleep?¡±

    He settled further into my lap, a flush of pleasure curling through me at the action, as he hummed. ¡°I slept well, surprisingly. I doubt you could say the same.¡± Guilt twinged his tone, but before he could sink into it I poked his jaw and teased.

    ¡°We really need to work on your habit of taking the world on your shoulders. I¡¯m fine, if I minded sleeping like this then I would have booted you off before heading to bed. I actually didn¡¯t sleep too badly, considering what angle my neck was at.¡±

    Not a single nightmare despite the things we¡¯d seen yesterday, a feat, considering how often I had them on average. If a crick in my neck was the price to pay for a night of peaceful rest then I¡¯d happily pay it every day.

    As Dimitrius hefted himself out of my lap though, I knew the nightmares would be visiting again tonight. He¡¯d been the reason I¡¯d slept so well, without a doubt, but I wasn¡¯t getting this again and now that I knew how soothing it was, how safe I felt with him, I would ache for it endlessly.

    I should have left last night before I¡¯d gotten a taste for the forbidden fruit, because now I wanted everything that Dimitrius hadn¡¯t offered.

    Forcing a smile, I stretched. ¡°Well, we have prisoners to question and I have to let that mage out of the alternate dimension I shoved him into. With any luck, one of them will have useful information and we can finally start getting somewhere in this mess.¡±

    Rising from the couch, needing space from the object of my frustrating affections, I hardly made it four steps before a tight grip on my wrist stopped me. Looking back, I locked eyes with Dimitrius as his brow furrowed.

    ¡°Julian, should you ever wish to ¡®cuddle¡¯ again, feel free to seek my company. This will not be the only disturbing thing we witness on our mission and¡­¡± He trailed off, before his features settled into a determined mask. ¡°I enjoyed last night. Should you wish to do so again, I would be more than willing.¡±

    Well, there went my whole martyr speech about not getting that again. Anticipation warmed my blood as I nodded, the greedy want for more not abating as I spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely be doing that. Next time it¡¯s my turn to fall asleep on you though.¡±

    His eyes softened with a warmth I wasn¡¯t ready to analyze. The grip eased around my wrist as he stood, towering over me like always. ¡°More than fair. Now then, if you would release your captive in the basement I will begin to question them. Feel free to shower and freshen yourself as I do.¡±

    Good, I needed time to get my head on straight and a shower was perfect for that. I nodded, but before I could put some much needed distance between us, he held up a hand. A stern frown curled his lips as he eyed my side. ¡°After you shower I will assist you in wrapping your wounds as you do not heal at the same rate I do. No arguments.¡±

    I clicked my mouth shut from where I¡¯d been about to do just that. It¡¯d take some getting used to, having someone who cared about me, but I wouldn¡¯t complain. Gesturing for him to lead on, I blinked in surprise when¨Cinstead of walking in front of me¨Che offered an arm. Something about his expression, an almost hopeful glint to his eyes, set a fire in my chest as I accepted.

    It wasn¡¯t anything to get excited over, I reminded myself. He¡¯s offered his arm plenty of times before¡­

    But not after you slept with him.

    The tiny voice pitched in again, always when I least wanted it to. Still, it had a point and as we walked to the basement the truth sank deep to my core. I was falling for him, fast. The only thing that¡¯d stop it now would be to completely separate myself from him, but even without the mission hanging over our heads, I couldn¡¯t do that.

    Dimitrius wouldn¡¯t understand the reason for my sudden distance and I couldn¡¯t explain it to him. Knowing the man how I did, he¡¯d probably blame himself despite not knowing what was wrong and I couldn¡¯t allow that.

    No, I¡¯d just have to outlast the crush until it dried up. It would go dead eventually, it couldn¡¯t stick around forever, after all.

 Tending Injuries, Mother Hen Dimitrius, Old Scars And Sanctuaries

    Chapter Fourteen

    This is a bad idea.

    The thought ricocheted, echoing back to me as I settled on the couch in Dimitrius''s study, my wet hair pulled up into a tie. Soft leather gave under my weight, all but swallowing me in the fabric as I heaved a sigh.

    If I were smart, I¡¯d refuse. Demand to deal with my own injuries or even wrap them now before Dimitrius had a chance to finish with the captive. I couldn¡¯t let this infatuation get worse, it was already too big as it was.

    Despite that, I didn¡¯t move. Muscles groaned, protesting even the thought of getting up and when his footsteps sounded, coming closer with every second, I gave up the pitiful resistance I¡¯d been building.

    I¡¯d always been weak to things I wanted, whether it be a chocolately dessert I knew I shouldn¡¯t have or a book that was well out of my budget. Apparently Dimitrius fell into that category too.

    Brilliant, just what I needed.

    The man himself strode in, sweeping a look around the room before smiling at me. ¡°Good, I half thought I would be tracking you down after all.¡±

    Oh honey you have no idea how close I came to running for the hills¡­

    Not saying that, I smiled. ¡°Not like there¡¯s anywhere to run, besides I¡¯m not done seeing this through with you. Until that¡¯s over, you¡¯re not getting rid of me.¡±

    He hummed, eyes trailing to the baggy shirt I wore. ¡°Noted, now what is the worst of your wounds?¡±

    I could try to argue with him that I healed quicker than a human, but was it really worth it? Dropping any thoughts of fighting him, I turned and fell on my uninjured side, bearing the other one for easy access.

    Facing the couch now, I spoke. ¡°The one on my side is the worst, all the others are superficial and already mostly healed.¡± The soft shuffle of footsteps came, then hands brushed my shirt up. Vulnerability rolled through me like a wave when he froze, fingers lingering over the dozens of scars littering my back.

    Biting back the urge to drag my shirt back down and run, I stared resolutely at the leather cushions and grunted. ¡°I can do it myself if you¡¯re not up to touching me. I know the scars are pretty gnarly to someone who isn¡¯t used to them. I¡¯ve done this without help hundreds of times.¡±

    A wicked burn covered a chunk of my hip, not to mention the dozens of abrasions where the whip landed and knives dug in. All remnants of Salem¡¯s hate forever printed in my skin. I wouldn¡¯t blame him if he didn¡¯t want to touch it, I didn¡¯t and they were on my body.

    He let out a noise of argument, soft but loud in the eerie quiet. ¡°That is a horrifying thought, but it matters none. You are not alone anymore; should you be injured, I will offer aid. But Julian¡­who did this to you?¡± Under those words welled rage, similar to the one I¡¯d heard him level at the kid¡¯s kidnappers but different somehow.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    Swallowing around the painful lump in my throat, I answered honestly, memories of decades long passed beating against my skin.

    ¡°I¡¯m not exactly the most well liked, Dimitrius. If it isn¡¯t other mages out for my blood, it¡¯s humans.¡±

    His hands trailed over the open cut, a cool rag sending stings of pain along my side that I grit my teeth through. It¡¯d fade, it always did. Breathing evenly as if my side wasn¡¯t on fire, I continued, using memories to distract from the present.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been hunted as long as I can remember. My time here with you is probably the most I¡¯ve ever stayed in one place since I was¡­fifteen?¡±

    Roughly. Trying to remember just how old I¡¯d been when that mess started was near impossible. Not that I wanted to remember, some things were better left forgotten to time.

    A noise of anger rolled from behind me, Dimitrius¡¯s words throbbing with promise. ¡°That ends now. If you wish to travel, that is your decision, but as I live and breathe, my home is yours. As others of my blood consider this their sanctuary, so too shall it be yours.¡±

    Sanctuary. The word felt so foreign. Had I ever been safe somewhere?

    I didn¡¯t even have to think on it to know the answer. No, I hadn¡¯t. Every new town was another risk, another threat, and another potential trap waiting around every corner. The magical community came together to make my life hell in any way they could, and that included slapping a price on my head.

    Staying in one place was a death sentence, until now.

    A hard knot swelled in my throat and I coughed, trying to clear it and the emotion lingering just on the edge of my tongue. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t offer that if I were you, you¡¯ll never be rid of me.¡± Humor, it was the safest defense mechanism I had right now.

    Unfortunately, Dimitrius was having none of it.

    He finished wrapping bandages around my cut, then tucked his palms on either side of waist and rolled me over. Once we faced each other, he knelt, hand stroking my cheek as something warm lingered in his face.

    ¡°Then allow me to offer it again. You are welcome here and that will never change.¡±

    His other hand drifted to mine, squeezing lightly as if to add weight to the words. The intent stare bore into me, ripping words away until all I could do was stare and try to take in what he¡¯d offered.

    A home, a place to be without worry of a knife landing in my back.

    A sanctuary.

    Emotions welled hot and painful, swelling out until I could hardly breathe through them, but I couldn¡¯t look away. As if he¡¯d caught me under a thrall, my focus remained on him in a deadlock and after a minute of soaking in the quiet, I nodded.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    There was so much more I wanted to say, but if I opened my mouth I¡¯d probably do something embarrassing like confess while blubbering my pathetic feelings to him.

    Yeah, better to say less in this case.

    When he moved to stand though, I gripped him tighter, wrangling out two words that couldn¡¯t be left to the wayside.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    For everything he was offering, that was the least I could do.

    His lips twitched, hand squeezing mine again. ¡°This is nothing to thank me for, Julian. Everyone deserves to be safe, especially you.¡±

    I almost asked what he meant by that, but logic stopped me. Dimitrius was nice, he always had been since the day I¡¯d met him. Of course he¡¯d want to give me a safe haven. I shouldn¡¯t look further into it than that.

    Minutes ticked by, the quiet tap of the clock hands nearby the only noise, before finally I pulled away. I didn¡¯t want to, but staying here¨Ceven if the only thing we did was hold hands and stare at one another¨Cwas dangerous.

    I couldn¡¯t do this; not while knowing rejection waited at the other end.

    Sitting up carefully as to not aggravate my side, I coughed. ¡°Thanks for that too. I should probably get something to eat, if you don¡¯t need me for anything?¡±

    He shook his head, standing and offering a hand. ¡°No, that is all. If that changes I will find you.¡±

    I grunted, moving for the door with quick strides. Thankfully he didn¡¯t call out and when I hit the hallway, I sucked in deep, calming breaths.

    Getting this crush under control was going to be hell, but there was no other option. I¡¯d never had a sanctuary before and I wasn¡¯t about to throw it away for something that would never happen.

 Nightmares, Revelations And...Cuddles

    Julian

    Smoke scratched my throat, filling my lungs on every inhale. Each step I took jostled my arm, the burn sending flashes of pain up my shoulder as I raced away from my pursuers.

    My heart threatened to beat out of my chest as terror muted everything around me to the rushing of blood in my ears. Through it all, my mother¡¯s voice echoed back.

    Demon who wears my child¡¯s skin, begone! If you were truly her you never would have cast the devil¡¯s magic!

    But I hadn¡¯t meant to! I¡¯d been saving her, saving all of us!

    Nothing I said convinced her though. She thought I was devil spawn and my hesitation in fleeing had come at a cost. Mother¡¯s screams gained unwanted attention and in hardly any time, the town had surrounded me.

    After their failed hanging in the square they had proof of what I was¨Cdear Lord, what even am I?!¨Cand now with mother¡¯s shouts their baying for blood rang back through my ears.

    I wasn¡¯t safe here anymore.

    Racing through the trees, braches whipping my cheeks to leave painful welts, I swallowed the sobs building my throat. I couldn¡¯t make noise, if I did they¡¯d find me and it would all be over. I¡¯d survived the first hanging somehow, but who knows what they¡¯d try next.

    Despite my thoughts, quiet hiccups bubbled from my throat, hot tears blurring my vision as my ankle caught a thick tree root, sending me sprawling on my injured arm. Agony flared hot, tearing a cry from my lungs before I could stop it. My hand raised to muffle the sound, but too late.

    The barking of dogs came, fire¡¯s red light casting an eery shade around me as the villagers stormed through the bushes, unholy wrath in their eyes. At the end, the mayor strode, my mother right behind him as he sneered from above me.

    ¡°Your days on this earth are done demon, prepare to be sent back to the hell from which ye came.¡±

    It wouldn¡¯t do any good, but I still protested. ¡°I¡¯m not a demon! I don¡¯t know how I made the men go away but I¡¯m not one of Satan¡¯s spawn!¡± Looking to my mother, I pleaded, a desperate broken part of me begging her to listen. ¡°You have to believe me.¡±

    Pain lit her face, indecision coming on its tails, and for one blissful second I thought she might step in. Only for my hopes to brutally burn to cinders when she shook her head, hate filling her gaze once more as she spat.

    ¡°I must believe nothing you say, demon. Now go to hell and stop your attempts to sway me using the voice of my child.¡±

    Rejection buried its blade in my chest, the sight of her back turning, walking away as the villagers inched forward with blood hungry eyes branding into my memory. Grasping hands ripped at my clothes, shredding as dozens of voices jeered over their overpowering the ¡®demon¡¯.

    Just as one of them dragged me against their frame, the mayor stepping forward with a curved blade and a wicked glint to his eyes, a voice cut through the clearing, all but throbbing with promise of the grave.

    ¡°Stop!¡±

    All activity froze, every head swinging in the direction of the voice as a blond man marched over, the light of righteous anger burning in golden eyes as he ripped the man still clutching me away. Throwing him to the how I child would a toy, he sneered at the rest, back facing me. ¡°Touch her again and you will find out exactly what is worse than death.¡±

    The villagers eyed him warily, none of them making a move despite the bloodlust still lingering in their eyes. The stare off went on for what felt like eons before the mayor finally scoffed.

    ¡°He will leave the demon¡¯s side eventually and when he does, we will deal with it then.¡±

    Slowly they left until only my mother remained. She said nothing, eyes burning into me with hate. After a long moment, she turned and left too, not sparing a glance back. Silence rang out before the sobs finally broke free, twisting something inside me into a gnarled knot.

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    She was gone. Despite the years spent together with only each other, she¡¯d left as if I meant nothing to her. As I were a stranger.

    Tears poured twin rivers down my cheeks, but I didn¡¯t care. The only person here was the man who¡¯d saved me and what did it matter if he saw me cry?

    Through watery eyes, I watched the hard line of his shoulders ease, his form turning to face me. I shrunk back instinctively, unsure of his intentions. He¡¯d saved me, yes, but why? Did he have plans for me to?

    He hesitated, taking me in before very slowly, he began stripping his shirt.

    Fear and disgust curled through me as I scrambled back, my injured arm pulsing angrily with every move. When my back hit a tree, I choked out through my raw throat. ¡°Please, don¡¯t-!¡±

    He froze, my vision clearing just enough to see understanding and disgust curl through his features, a grimace tugging his lips as he raised his hands, the shirt clutched in one of them.

    ¡°I would not harm you or anyone else in such a way. I am merely offering you some covering. This will be the only thing I remove.¡±

    Then, he threw his shirt to me, not budging an inch afterward.

    The cloth landed inches away and I took it, keeping him in the corner of my vision as I hastily tugged the soft material over my head. Once I was properly covered, I scrubbed my good hand over my cheeks. ¡°Thank you¡­¡±

    A sad smile curled his lips. ¡°This is nothing to thank me for, even had we not been friends I would never have left anyone to face that.¡±

    Wait, friends? We knew one another?

    Narrowing my eyes, I tried to pinpoint where we¡¯d met. Now that he mentioned it he did seem familiar and on top of that, being near him made me feel¡­safe. As if nothing could hurt me with him here.

    After my mother¡¯s rejection and the villager¡¯s hate, I never thought to feel safe again.

    His scent wafted up from his shirt, soothing me for reasons I couldn¡¯t name as I used the sleeve to scrub my eyes. ¡°You look familiar¨Cno, you feel familiar¨Cbut I don¡¯t know you. Why don¡¯t I know you?!¡± The more I tried to reach for the memories just on the edge of my mind, the more my head ached. After a minute it was all but splitting from it.

    Just as it felt ready to leak out of my ear, hands cradled my face and gold eyes met mine again. ¡°Calm yourself, Julian. My name is Dimitrius ValenTina and I am your friend. Think, how did we meet?¡±

    At first nothing came and more tears escaped as I tried to follow his order. Would he be angry if I couldn¡¯t figure it out? Maybe he¡¯d even call the villagers back.

    Before the fear could arch through me again, a distant voice whispered through me. You need not fear my anger, I shall never be wrathful over a mere question.

    That was better than mother. She¡¯d detested my constant questions for as long as I could remembered¡­

    Staring long and hard at him, I focused. Nearly doubling over when the memories hit all at once. The call from Seraphina, being sent to retrieve the kids, and then¡­Dimitrius. It all came rushing back and I jerked upright, mind trying to keep up with everything as I questioned.

    ¡°Dimitrius, what are you doing here? And for that matter, where is here? Because I know this place but you weren¡¯t with me last time.¡±

    He offered a hand, eyes soft with understanding and something else I couldn¡¯t name. ¡°You are in a nightmare. I saw you were trapped in the throes of one. I meant to soothe you with my power, settle you into a peaceful sleep, but somehow I wound up in here with you.¡±

    At that, my stomach dropped. ¡°How much did you see?¡±

    Had he seen the hanging? The riots of villagers with pitchforks?

    My mother¡¯s rejection?

    He shook his head, pulling me away from dizzying thoughts. ¡°Nothing. I came just as they were surrounding you.¡±

    Oh thank God. Deflating in relief, I let a shuddering breath go.

    He hadn¡¯t seen the worst of it. Must be happy with the small things life threw my way. Clearing my still sore throat, I nodded.

    ¡°Thank you for helping, but can we wake up now? I¡¯d prefer not to be here.¡± That was the understatement of the century¡­

    Without hesitation, he nodded, his hands coming to rest on my temples as everything around us melted away. The dizzying blur of colors turned my stomach and I closed my eyes to hide from it. The next time I opened them, the dark outline of my room came into clarity with Dimitrius hovering over me, worry pinching his expression.

    Knowing a conversation was on the horizon, I tried to cut it off. ¡°Can we not talk about what you just saw? I feel like grade-A crap and talking about that isn¡¯t going to make me feel better.¡±

    Thankfully, he let it drop without complaint, his hand drifting to hold mine as he offered. ¡°If you would like, we can go to the study? Nightmares make sleep difficult, as I know from personal experience, and we still have a plethora of topics to discuss.¡±

    I jumped on the offer, even the thought of trying to go back to sleep making me edgy. ¡°Definitely. Just¡­let me put myself back together.¡±

    He nodded, hefting himself off the bed, though¨Cto my surprise¨Chis hand stayed clasped around mine. I almost asked him to remove it, but safety eased out from the contact in waves and right now I burned for more of that. Taking slow breaths until the shards of panic fled, I eased off the bed before gesturing for him to lead on.

    In no time, I found myself lying down with my head in his lap, the soothing caress of his fingers through my hair working magic as my lids fought to remain open. Wasn¡¯t I telling myself to not let this happen anymore?

    His fingers dug deeper, massaging lightly, and after a second of thought, I let the worry go. I was only napping on him and after the hell that was my nightmare I deserved some peace.

    If the price of that peace was my crush growing ever bigger? Well, I¡¯d deal with the repercussions of that later.

 Pining, Attacks And Confessions. Oh My.

    One week. It¡¯d been one week since the first time we fell asleep together and without a doubt, it was a mistake. When he¡¯d mentioned potentially repeating our nap I figured it would happen maybe once a month, if I was lucky, but hardly a night later he found me wandering the halls after a nightmare.

    Instead of shooing me to bed, he¡¯d taken me to his study where I found my head back in his lap, hand in my hair as he read from whatever book he was plowing through. It¡¯d taken a whopping fifteen minutes before I was out like a light, his voice working like a natural sedative.

    Waking up to his dozing face, fingers still curled in my hair, only fed the blasted ache in my chest that seemed to be growing by the day. After that, I¡¯d told myself I couldn¡¯t allow the naps to continue¡­and then proceeded to seek him out every night since.

    Now that I¡¯d tasted the peace he offered, I couldn¡¯t resist. He was too close, too available, and my resistance crumbled with pathetic ease.

    The logical part of me that¡¯d survived through the centuries frothed with rage. I had to stop doing this, before it was too late, but no matter how much I tried, I couldn¡¯t pull away from him. Like an asteroid stuck in the Sun¡¯s gravitational pull, I orbited him despite the potentially devastating collision waiting in the future.

    Past experience screamed that nothing good would come of this, even if he was open to something more than friendship. Eventually he would get tired of my snark, or my impatience or any of the dozens of other things that¡¯d chased people off in the past. He¡¯d leave, like everyone else had before him, and I¡¯d be left to pick up the pieces.

    Through the doubts and fear, a fragile whisper of hope nudged through.

    But what if?

    Dimitrius proved on every occasion that he was different. Kind, patient, caring, protective¡­all things that were never angled toward me, at least not for long. And yet, we¡¯d been friends for going on five months now and everything was still fine.

    There¡¯d been no explosive fights over some comment I let slip on accident, no sneers over my occasional lack of manners, and no attempts to change me into someone more acceptable by society¡¯s standards.

    Dimitrius, for all intents and purposes, seemed to accept me as I was and the thought was equal parts terrifying and enticing. If he could accept me for the hot mess I was, then could he eventually want more?

    The jaded part of me immediately moved to discard the thought, before hope pitched in again. He enjoyed my touch, at least for innocent things. He worried relentlessly when I was injured, carded his fingers through my hair because he wanted to, and stayed resolutely at my side even at my most prickly.

    No one had ever done those things before and if he could, then maybe there was potential for more.

    Hope fanned higher as I considered it, all the ramifications that may or may not come with courting Dimitrius.

    Sex was off the table¨Cfucking duh¨Cand honestly? That didn¡¯t bother me. I¡¯d gone decades without anything but my hand and if it meant I could have more with Dimitrius, it was well worth some absTinance.

    Even if all we did was cuddle while he read to me¨Chell I¡¯d read to him too if he wanted, though my voice always came out stilted¨Cit was everything I¡¯d never let myself want. The ache surged, reaching grasping tentacles outward as I bit back a groan.

    I shouldn¡¯t have thought about this, now I wanted it even more.

    Pushing all of it to the side, I buried my head in my hands. Soon I wouldn¡¯t be able to hide this. As it stood I was almost constantly reminding myself that he was off-limits. If I got anymore obvious with my mooning over him he¡¯d noticed and even the thought of his rejection was enough to shrivel my stomach to a husk.

    He wouldn¡¯t be cruel with it¨Cthat wasn¡¯t Dimitrius¡¯s way¨Cbut I¡¯d suffered enough rejections, thank you very much. If possible I¡¯d avoid adding his to the list.

    Eyeing the door to my room warily, I sighed. No use in thinking about this now, there were more important things to worry about.

    BOOM.

    Jerking upright, I barely had time to register the thunderous crash before the walls shuddered. Adrenaline blasted through me, sending me hurtling off the bed and into the hallway as blood pumped loud in my ears.

    Staff members ran for the front of the house where a gaping hole sat that had not been there five minutes ago. One of them shouted over their shoulder, the air crackling with tension. ¡°We¡¯re under attack!¡±

    You don¡¯t say?

    And here I thought the big ass hole in the house was the work of a new interior designer.

    Forcing back the bitchy thought, I bounded out the hole, hands on my knives as I moved for our attackers. Swiping my hand in a familiar motion, I whispered, ¡°Celare.¡± Magic slid over me like a cloak, my fingers blurring as I ran to the front. Whoever these people were, they were mages and I couldn¡¯t afford to underestimate them. I¡¯d use the five brain cells I was in possession of and play this smart.

    The closer I got, the cleared my enemies became. A handful of them stood in a line, marching toward the house. One raised their hand, magic pulsing hot through the air as a fireball formed in their palm.

    It was always the Exitium mages¡­

    Even from hear I caught the staff¡¯s scrambling, desperately trying to subdue the oncoming mages with powers that didn¡¯t work. Damn it, that meant they were all at least my level.

    Shaking off the building unease, I made for their line. There was no time to waste. I couldn¡¯t let them get another shot like that off. Yanking my knives clear of their sheaths, I lunged onto the Exitium mage, not giving him a chance to do more than suck in a surprised breath.

    With a twist of my hand, his eyes lost focus, blood bubbling from his lips as he fell with a dull thud. I spun to face the next, only for a familiar blur of gold to slam into it. Standing in dumbstruck wonder, I watched Dimitrius cut through the mages in a bloody ballet of grace and knives.

    I¡¯d always assumed when stripped of his manners, Dimitrius would be a terrifying opponent. To a certain extent I¡¯d seen it for myself, but this was something else entirely.

    Even without his powers, he was formidable. The knives in his hands flashed around him, dealing the killing blow to two more mages before they could finish their incantations. The remaining two turned all their focus on him, but before I could jump on their exposed backs, one backed away as magic sparked heavier in the air.

    I only needed to see the hand gestures he was making for icy dread to drop my stomach to my shoes. I knew that spell and if he succeeded in casting it, Dimitrius was finished. Even an incubus needed blood in their veins to fight and that spell would rip it clean out.

    The other mage kept toe to toe with Dimitrius, the blond visibly struggling against the magically enhanced opponent as I forced my attention to the first mage. Dimitrius could handle himself, I needed to focus on keeping his blood in his body.

    Lunging on the mage, his eyes wide with shock as my knives bit into his back, I sighed in relief when the magic around us dissipated. Good, we wouldn¡¯t have to deal with a half formed spell either.

    ¡°Gah!¡± Dimitrius¡¯s hoarse cry slammed me around, all thoughts of the mage now dead at my feet fleeing when I laid eyes on him. He was losing ground, fast. Blood trickled from a cut on his forehead, leaking down into his eye, and I didn¡¯t have a chance to jump in before the last mage standing reeled his arm back.

    Pulsing green acid coiled around his fingers, a lance of it forming and in my next blink, he shoved it straight through Dimitrius¡¯s chest.

    Everything stopped. The chirping of birds, the dying gurgle of the mages nearby, even my blood rushing in my ears. Nothing existed as I watched Dimitrius fall, body slumping to the ground as the final mage smirked in victory.

    Black hair hung to his shoulders, framing an angular and scarred face that would have been handsome, if not for the ugly smile twisting his lips.

    Ebony eyes to match his hair lifted to me, and then everything snapped back into motion.

    Unholy rage screamed through my veins, magic boiling over until it erupted out from me like a geyser as the mage raised his hand to fling a spell my way, unwitting of the hell he¡¯d just signed on for.

    Sounds came rushing back, his taunts adding to the cotton stuffing my mind. ¡°Pathetic prosaic should have stayed at home with his staff. You look like more of a challenge.¡±

    Clenching my hands hard enough for sharp pinpricks of pain to slide along my palms, I snuck a glance at Dimitrius¡¯s prone form as horror added to the mix of swirling emotions.

    Dirt and blood covered his front, the green magic lingering as the acid ate outward, ripping the hole wider as quiet moans came from him. I needed to get to him now, and if this flea infested ingrate thought he was enough to stop me then he was in for a rude awakening.

    Before he could react, I clamped my gloved have over his and cast, ¡°Tollo!¡± The fabric glowed, magic surging forward to coat him. The arrogant smirk fell as he tried to jerk away, but my grip held fast.

    The glove only worked for short amounts of time, but I had something else in plan for him. Digging my free hand through my infinity bag, I ripped out one of the gems I kept just for this purpose. Tracing fingers across the sharp edges, I formed the spell and channeled power in the emerald. ¡°Corrumpebant!¡±

    Energy burst into the gem, my fury making it tremble against my palm as its surface swirled with the spell cast into it. Not giving him a chance to dodge or run, I shoved the gem into his chest.

    Fingernails clawed at my hand as he scrabbled uselessly, trying to stop the spell before it could attach, but I held tight until I felt the spell snap into place. Pulling my hand back, I watched as the emerald glowed, bathing me in green light as it sucked his power out, feeding the spell and neutralizing him all at once.

    He staggered back, still trying to claw at the gem as pained screamed echoed in the clearing. I paid him no mind, ignoring the wave of satisfaction at his pain to all but throat him toward one of the staff members.

    ¡°Take him and do not remove that gem!¡±

    The spell would hold him until the gem was removed, which meant I could focus on Dimitrius.

    Dropping at his side, I stroked his cheek, my other hand hovering over his chest nervously. The acid ate through muscle, the putrid scent making bile churn in my gut as I called my magic to the surface again. I couldn¡¯t heal him, but I could at least neutralize the acid.

    Lingering over the worst of the damage, I choked. ¡°Restituere.¡± Like water over a rock, my magic slid out, the bubbles of acid slowly disappearing until only the grotesque wound stayed in sight. It stretched nearly across his chest, the red of muscle and white of bone pulling a gag from me even as I called.

    ¡°Someone prepare a medical bed!¡±

    The staff jumped to obey, two of them coming to help me carry him inside. Every second it took us to settle him on the bed was one too many. Hands pulled me away, giving the house doctor room to work as I struggled to breathe through the maelstrom ripping through my soul.

    I couldn¡¯t do anything!

    I couldn¡¯t see threats like this coming like Seraphina, I couldn¡¯t incinerate the enemy like Vladimir, hell I couldn¡¯t even heal like him despite my magic being labeled support. The only thing I could do was sit and watch as the staff desperately tried to save Dimitrius.

    Sliding down the wall nearby, the truth hit. I¡¯d been called useless since the day my magic performed its grand debut, but never had I truly felt it. Until today.

    Self hate battled with despair, spiraling ever higher as the staff backed away a minute later. Tears misted their eyes, mourning already taking up residence as I shuddered.

    ¡°No.¡±

    The broken word cracked through the silence, revealing every ounce of the agony tearing through my chest. Logic said the damage was too great even for Dimitrius to heal, but bitter denial blazed forward, refusing to believe it.

    This couldn¡¯t be the end. Now when we were only just starting to figure out who was behind this mess.

    Not when I¡¯d only just started coming around to my feelings for him.

    Pity colored the staffs¡¯ eyes as one of them¨CScott¨Cstepped forward with a shake of his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we can¡¯t heal this.¡± His normally tanned skin was paper white, eyes hollow with all the agony tearing through me.

    I couldn¡¯t accept it though.

    Remembering back to Dimitrius¡¯s explanation of how incubi worked, I latched onto one part in particular. ¡°What about his natural healing? He said you all have enhanced features and that was one of them.¡±

    Scott shook his head, the rest of the staff leaving to give us privacy. ¡°We have to feed to heal and even if he was conscious, he wouldn¡¯t.¡±

    Fear of losing Dimitrius sharpened my tone. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t he?!¡±

    He sighed, eyeing the blond slowly dying on the bed before looking away, the sight of his friend in such a state too much for him. ¡°Because in all the centuries I¡¯ve known him, he hasn¡¯t fed from touch once. He refuses to and for a wound this serve nothing else will do.¡±

    The truth hit like a truck. He¡¯d made another way to feed because he hated touch, mine excluded. Defeat ripped the strength from me, my legs turning to jelly as I leaned on the bed. Scott patted my shoulder, eyes heavy with tears.

    ¡°We¡¯ll leave you to say goodbye, but there¡¯s nothing any of us can do.¡±

    With that, he left. Tears blurred my vision, turning Dimitrius into a blob of gold and red, as I stared down at the most important man in my life. Uselessness festered in my chest, twisting a blade as I snarled. ¡°All this magic and nothing useful to you. I can¡¯t even dull the pain of your passing. I truly am worthless.¡±

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Shutting my eyes against the sight now burned into the backs of my eyes, I fought the devastation threatening to shake me part.

    Only for everything to freeze when a hand cupped my cheek, tenderly wiping some of the tears away. Snapping my eyes open again, I caught the pained honey orbs I¡¯d never thought to see again. Relief slammed through me, ripping apart everything in its wake as I gripped his hand, pressing it closer with a shudder.

    ¡°Dimitrius!¡±

    He was awake and with that, a desperate hope clawed through the shards of pain. I could save him. All he¡¯d have to do was feed and he¡¯d heal. Hope wasn¡¯t lost.

    His lips pulled into a pained twist, fingers continuing their stroking as he soothed. ¡°Julian, you should not say such things-.¡± A wracking cough rattled his frame, eyes shutting in agony as he braced through it. Blood dripped from the corner of his lips, the sight sending jitters of soul wrenching terror through me as I cut him off.

    ¡°Stop. Save your energy. You can berate my self-hatred later, but now you need to heal!¡±

    It took a tense minute for his breathing to even out, before he opened his eyes again. Pity colored them, the sight adding fuel to the fire of determination blazing in my chest.

    ¡°No, there will be no later so I must say this now.¡±

    Denial screeched like a whistle in my ears as I refused to accept it. ¡°No, you told me before that you can heal. All you have to do is feed, right?¡±

    His mouth hardened into a line even as he nodded. ¡°Yes, but I cannot.¡±

    Damn it all, the solution was right there, I couldn¡¯t let him die now knowing that! Bring our joined hands to my chest, I pushed while squeezing his fingers as if the pressure would somehow convince him to see it my way.

    ¡°You can because I¡¯m here and I can¡¯t just let you die knowing there was something I could do to save you.¡± He grimaced, mouth twitching as if to argue and I cut him off with a glare. ¡°No, don¡¯t you dare die on me when the solution to saving you is right here. I don¡¯t have enough precious people to be throwing them away. If you¡¯re worried about my consent, you have it. Take what you need from a kiss, you can do that right?¡±

    Heavy silence passed, only the sound of his rattling breaths filling it before he nodded, though the grimness never left his face. ¡°Yes, but you will be thrown into a lust craze and in my current state I cannot stop you. Even your immunity may not hold against it.¡±

    Like a bucket of ice water, understanding hit. He was afraid I¡¯d molest him and¨Clooking at it from his point of view¨CI couldn¡¯t blame him for that. This was potentially the first time he¡¯d been truly defenseless since his rape as a child, and I was asking him to feed.

    But just because I understood his fear didn¡¯t mean I could let this go. I was immune and even if direct contact removed that immunity, I¡¯d find the willpower to stop. I couldn¡¯t hurt him, not like that, and I really couldn¡¯t do nothing while he died.

    Trying one last time, I brushed the newest tears away and pleaded. ¡°Please Dimitrius, you know me. I would never push past where you¡¯re comfortable and I will stop things from going further. Just please don¡¯t leave me.¡±

    Raw emotions pulsed with every syllable, all but gushing with my fear, but I didn¡¯t care. If his knowing about my feelings helped save his life, convinced him to do this, then I¡¯d spill every last pathetic ounce of them. Anything to make sure he saw the light of another morning.

    The next minute passed in agonizing slowness, Dimitrius¡¯s eyes boring into me as if looking for something. He must have found it because he nodded, finally giving me the permission I needed to save him. Squeezing the hand clamped in mine, I reveled in the relief battering me from all sides.

    He wasn¡¯t going to die today, I wouldn¡¯t allow it.

    Inching closer to lean over him on the bed, our mouths hovered an inch apart as I waited, meeting his eyes one last time. Unease swam in honey orbs, but he didn¡¯t struggle or take his permission back. Taking that as his final agreement, I closed the distance.

    At first, nothing changed. His lips were dry against mine, the salt of my tears flavoring the kiss, but the charge of his power didn¡¯t come. If the circumstances were different, I¡¯d even enjoy it, but I wasn¡¯t doing this to sate my crush.

    Before I could pull back to ask if this was normal, the air changed.

    It started as dull warmth, an ember growing in my stomach and with each beat of my heart it stretched outward, encasing everything in my chest in hot molasses. Slowly it inched outward through my veins, reaching up until the haze wrapped my mind.

    Every beat of my heart sounded like thunder, the sound magnified until nothing else penetrated. Another pulse of power came, nudging the heat the rest of the way through me until it settled at my groin.

    Every inch of skin pulsed with warmth, my thoughts slowing until everything narrowed to just him and me. Through the fog, something tugged at my magic. It was familiar, but not, and when it stroked along my skin, I let it do as it pleased.

    Power that was solely Dimitrius wound deep until it brushed against my core, sliding along my soul as if it¡¯d been there from the start. Every shield I¡¯d ever built came crashing down as he eased past them, the steady clench between my thighs picking up rhythm as he sank.

    This was night and day compared to our first meeting in the clearing. Instead of trying to fight off his power, my magic welcomed it in, soaking in the bliss he brought as all thoughts of worry and fear faded away.

    Sinking into him until where I started and he began blurred, I reveled waves of fascination I could faintly feel from him. Good God, I could feel him as if we shared a mind, body and soul. His essence brushed against me, curious and undeniably him, and with it I let myself slide just a bit more into the moment.

    Snaking my tongue out to trace his lips, I bit back a moan when he opened, pulling me inside to suck deeply on my lower lip. The double heartbeat between my thighs clenched, hips rocking into the bed for more friction as the power now intertwined with my magic eased into him.

    It drained like sand from an hourglass, but before I could get lost in the feeding haze, a shard of ice tore through the tentative bond between us. Where his curiosity brushed before, fear brushed icy fingers along my spine.

    Not my fear, his.

    Forcing the haze away enough to take stock of why he was afraid, I nearly spat a curse against his lips. At some point during the kiss my hand wandered to rest on Dimitrius¡¯s chest, thumb stroking without my¨Cand more importantly his¨Cconsent. It hadn¡¯t started moving downward yet, but if the blade of fear hadn¡¯t snapped me back to the present I very well might have.

    Ruthlessly shaking the daze away, I focused. We weren¡¯t doing this because he liked me or even for stress relief, I was healing him. Nothing more and nothing less. That traitorous infatuation threatened to branch out again, a flash of his surprise coming as he felt it.

    Fuck, I hadn¡¯t considered this when I¡¯d offered to heal him. To be fair I didn¡¯t know he¡¯d be able to feel me like this. I doubted it would change my decision, but knowing he could feel my pathetic crush would have been nice ahead of time.

    Forcing aside the frustration, I steeled myself. It didn¡¯t matter, as long as he was alive I¡¯d face his rejection like the grown woman I was. Forcing my hand off his chest, I shoved it into the sheets below him and braced.

    His fear faded back, curiosity taking its place as he reached carefully through the bond, tracing along all my broken edges. It should have made me happy, feeling him like this, but it only confirmed what I already knew.

    He didn¡¯t desire me, just like I¡¯d assumed, and that confirmation burned. The lance of pain blitzed through the bond before I could stop it, his emotions freezing mid brush as it hit him. I didn¡¯t have time to try to hide¨Cthough where exactly I could hide from him when we were like this, was a mystery¨Cbefore he brushed the hurt.

    Concern and confusion bloomed as he stroked over my hurt, trying to trace it back to the cause. After a second of exploration, he managed it, his essence winding around my fear of rejection and pulling. Air ripped from my lungs as it snapped to the surface, covering both of us as it writhed to life.

    And underneath that was my infatuation, the stupid thing trying to reach out for him through the fear choking us both. He ignored the fear, focusing entirely on the ache now flowing freely between us as it seeped out through the weak restraints I¡¯d kept it behind.

    When he stroked along that too, shame sank through me. He knew everything now. My fear, my crush, and the pathetic hope I¡¯d cared that we could be more. The urge to pull back, to lick my wounds in solitude, was immediately doused.

    He needed my energy to heal and I wasn¡¯t about to take it from him for wounded pride. With that firmly in mind, I braced for his rejection and waited. Only, it didn¡¯t come.

    After the initial surprise of having my feelings all but shoved against his own, he eased through me again, twining around the burning hope as one would curl hair around their fingers. The affection burned hotter at his attention, expanding outward as I fought the humiliation washing over me in waves.

    If you could reject me and get it over with, that would be great. The thought slid through and I only realized he heard it when he stiffened under me. Shit, apparently it wasn¡¯t just emotions we were sharing right now.

    Before I could pull back emotionally, his hands trailed up to tangle in my hair, dragging me closer as his tongue wound around mine and sucked. Another pulse of lust curled in my groin, but I didn¡¯t focus on that.

    Instead of the rejection I braced for, something new slid against the bond, something warm and pulsing and everything I¡¯d ever wanted. It seeped into every crack in my heart, filling it in a way I¡¯d only dreamed of as Dimitrius¡¯s affection rose to match mine.

    Disbelief and awe sparked as his comfort, his care, swept over me, soothing the fear still faintly lingering on the edges. He stroked along old and new pains alike, wiping them away until the last of my defenses fell.

    His lips pulled away, but the bond stayed intact, our emotions melding until there was no me or him, just us. Every flash and tug of warmth was met with another until my head swam from it all. Feeling him like this¨Cwith the knowledge I wouldn¡¯t have that with anyone else¨Cwas my new drug of choice.

    I¡¯d barely known him a handful of months and he already had me wrapped tightly around his finger. What kind of damage could he do if set his mind to it? Would it get worse the longer we were together?

    Doubts chilled the bond, sickly snakes choking my previous happiness as an old memory floated to the surface against my will.

    Never give anyone your heart. They will drop it, every time.

    My mother hadn¡¯t been wrong yet. My past attempts for a connection like this had all ended in miserable, painful failure. Who¡¯s to say Dimitrius would be any different? Knowing him he wouldn¡¯t even do it on purpose, but it would hurt all the same.

    Dimitrius himself hovered on the edges of my thoughts, undoubtedly picking up on all of them, before he started to pull back. I wanted to chase after him, keep us in this suspended moment of peace where I belonged somewhere, but I forced that down. I¡¯d face what came next like the grown woman I was, not the cowering child I felt like.

    The last of the bond disappeared and I opened my eyes, disoriented from the near out of body experience that¡¯d been. Dimitrius¡¯s eyes all but glowed¨Cnot from feeding, but with the emotions lingering just under the surface. Risking a glance down at his chest, I shuddered at the healed skin.

    Good, I didn¡¯t have to worry about him dying on me today.

    As quickly as the thought came, another hit, dousing my relief and replacing it with sick fear. He knew everything now. Nothing had been hidden from him and as I dragged my eyes up to his, I swallowed around the knot in my throat.

    Moment of truth time.

    Squaring my shoulders, I waited for his reaction. When we¡¯d been twined it hadn¡¯t felt like he was repulsed by my infatuation, but who knows. Maybe that was my own hope twisting things. However he reacted now was the truth and I was ready for it. Or as ready as I could be.

    Dimitrius set me back, inching up to sit until we were eye level. One of his hands brushed my arm, trailing up to cup my cheek as I leaned in on instinct. He caught that, his lips twitching up as he hummed quietly, afraid to speak louder and break the moment.

    ¡°You care for me.¡±

    His tone rang with disbelief, as if he couldn¡¯t quite believe it himself. I¡¯d find it amusing if I weren¡¯t pants shittingly terrified of what came next. Because yes, yes I did and there was nothing I could say to dispute that. We¡¯d been on person and nothing had been hidden from him. So instead of lying in an attempt to save my pride, I nodded.

    ¡°Yeah¡­what you gonna do about it?¡± I put on the false bravery I¡¯d worn dozens of times, but this time it fell flat, twinges of my fear coming through as he tipped his head. Searching eyes took me in, something soft in them stroking along my nerves, before he smiled.

    Calloused hands tightened on my cheeks, stroking softly as he leaned in. When hardly an inch of space remained, his breath touching my lips, he spoke. ¡°This.¡±

    Then he closed the distance and this time, no energy shift followed. Without the cloud covering my mind, I felt every brush of lips, every puff of breath, and when one of his hands trailed down to stroke my back, I melted.

    His tongue traced the seam of my lips, snaking inside as the hand in my hair tightened, shifting us just enough for your mouths to slide together. Nerves bled into surprise, then elation as he pulled me closer, sucking on my tongue as if he¡¯d die if he stopped.

    When the pulsing between my thighs picked up to a fever pitch and my lungs burned from lack of oxygen, I pulled back. He chased me, teeth nipping my lower lip, but before he could start another round, I gasped out.

    ¡°I take it I¡¯m not getting rejected today?¡±

    As much as I¡¯d love to continue this¨Cand I really would¨Cthe doubts would nag at me until we got this hashed out. I wanted to enjoy kissing him without that poisonous little voice hissing at the back of my mind.

    Thankfully, Dimitrius didn¡¯t seem to mind. Leaning back to give me space, he shook his head, a smile edging along his lips as whiskey eyes softened. ¡°No, not today and not any other. It would appear we have much to discuss, but this is as good a place as any to start.¡±

    Gentle pressure from the hand still loosely wrapped in my hair nudged me forward, his lips brushing my head tenderly before he froze there, words brushing my hair. ¡°You have no need to fear my rejection, because I care for in the same way. These feelings will not fade with time and should you be willing, I am open to seeing where this leads us.¡±

    The hope that¡¯d steadily grew with every word finally broke free of its chains to drown my doubts. This was happening, despite all the reasons I could think of that said why it wouldn¡¯t work, this was happening.

    Excitement blitzed like lighting through me, dancing along my nerve endings as I swallowed. This was happening, which meant we had a lot of things to discuss. Boundaries, expectations, my history-.

    The last thought swept a wave of ice over my happiness. Dear Lord, I had to tell him about my history. Dimitrius hadn¡¯t seemed like the sort to hold an accident against me, but I hadn¡¯t expected my mother to turn on me either.

    Before the fear could sink barbed nails into my chest, I shook it to the side. There was no getting around telling him this. If I did, he¡¯d learn later down the road and it would hurt more if he did break things off. Better to get all the nasTinass out of the way now and figure it out from there.

    Taking a deep breath, I gathered my nerves and spoke. ¡°You have no idea how much I want this, but there are things you need to know before we get serious. Things that tie into why my community hates me.¡±

    If whatever this was between us was going to last then he needed to know everything, and that included that parts I least wanted to talk about.

    Dimitrius nodded, but before I could drop into the worst of my history, he shifted off the bed, offering a hand. ¡°Make no mistake, I wish to hear this, but not where others can eavesdrop. Let us more this discussion to my chambers, there we can be comfortable. Once you finish telling me what you must, then I will do the same. You are not the only one with things that need to be heard.¡±

    I had a hunch what he¡¯d be saying, but I didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, I took his hand and followed him out of the room. The second we stepped foot in the hallway, the eyes of the staff swung to us, wide and disbelieving.

    Scott snapped out of his stupor first, bounding forward with a beaming grin. ¡°You did it!¡± Then, he gripped me in a hug that made my bones crack. Distantly I heard a low rumble of warning, before he let me go, shooting an apologetic glance to Dimitrius as he did.

    ¡°Sorry, but we thought you were dead.¡± His eyes drifted to the now healed skin on Dimitrius¡¯s chest before continuing shakily. ¡°Good God, we thought you were dead. The only reason you aren¡¯t is because of her.¡±

    Dimitrius¡¯s face softened, a hand coming up to clasp Scott¡¯s shoulder with a small smile. ¡°Yes, she is exceptional, but there are matters to attend to. Does the final mage still live?¡±

    For now. The dark thought came and left, my previous rage inching back as I waited to hear where he was going with this.

    Scott nodded, eyes darkening as they drifted to where the man in question was struggling against another staff member¡¯s hold. ¡°We¡¯ve held him. After what he did to you, we weren¡¯t about to let him get away.¡± His tone perfectly mirrored the bloodlust boiling in me, a flash of approval sliding down my spine before I focused again.

    Dimitrius nodded, pride clear in his eyes. ¡°Good, I remember little, but I assume the gem bound to his chest is suppressing his power?¡±

    And that was my cue. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s one of the highest level spells I have and it requires gemstones to use, so I generally don¡¯t bother with it. Basically, it turns the gem into a magic eating parasite. The only way to break it is to remove the gem from his person. If it stays on, it¡¯ll continue draining his magic until there¡¯s nothing left. Our magic is twined with our life force, so that¡¯d kill him.¡±

    And a vicious part of me wanted that for what he¡¯d nearly taken from me.

    The man blanched, his sudden paleness not going over my head as I leveled a poisonous glare his way. He should count himself lucky I hadn¡¯t had time to use some of the more painful enchanted items on him. Now though, I might just need to spend a few hours mixing poisons to feed him¡­for information questioning purposes, of course.

    ¡°Yeah, you prick, you¡¯re never getting your magic back. Be happy you¡¯ve gotten to keep your life, so far.¡±

    His face twisted, the mask of fear disappearing into anger. ¡°I was only completely a job, that shouldn¡¯t come at the cost of my magic or my life!¡±

    I barked a cold, dry laugh. ¡°You nearly took one of the most important people to me thanks to your job. You can die mad about losing you magic. But if you really want it back then here¡¯s what¡¯s going to happen.¡±

    Turning partially to face the staff, I gestured to them. ¡°These nice people are going to take you downstairs and ask you questions. You¡¯ll answer all of them and if you lie¨Cand I will know¨CI¡¯ll let that gem eat you from the inside out until nothing but a withered husk remains.¡±

    He swallowed, fear leaking back into his face as he cleared his throat. ¡°And, if I answer honestly?¡±

    I sighed, wanting more than anything to just kill him. But we wouldn¡¯t get information that way and children¡¯s lives were more important than my blood lust. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take that gem off before it kills you. That is your deal, take it or leave it.¡±

    His mouth twisted into a grimace and the smallest flicker of hope lit that he¡¯d just tell me to kill him. I¡¯d have his head on a pike out front Vlad the Impaler style for what he did. Unfortunately¨Cor fortunately, depending on who you asked¨Che shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll answer any question they give me truthfully.¡±

    Grumbling at the lost opportunity to have a new lawn ornament, I nodded. ¡°Of course you will, be a good boy and I won¡¯t decide to kill you for the fun of it.¡± Facing Dimitrius again, lest my willpower falter and I decide to kill the wretch anyway, I prodded.

    ¡°Now then, we have something else to discuss, right?¡±

    He nodded, an amused smile curling his lips as he gestured for Scott to bring the mage downstairs. Once they were out of sight, he offered his arm. ¡°That we do. It is best if we get started post haste as well so we can commence dealing with him.¡±

    Despite the dark tone dripping from the words, a flutter started in my stomach as he led us both toward the one room I hadn¡¯t seen yet.

    His.

 New Relationships And Setting Boundaries

    The room was huge, the sheer size of it dazing me as I took it in. A four posted bed sat against the far wall, its kind mattress only taking up a small amount of the room. The other walls were lined with bookshelves, colorful and dark spines reading titles of nearly every genre.

    Curiosity itched up my neck, the urge to explore just which books he liked so much as to have them in his room nearly overwhelming. Dimitrius squeezed my hand, stopping me from drifting to the shelves as his lips quirked up in amusement.

    ¡°Later, I will happily show you my personal library, but we have things to discuss.¡±

    Right, no drooling over his private library, at least not yet. If all went well, I¡¯d be spending more time in here with him and I could explore then.

    Turning to face him, I pulled in the breath to shove through this topic as quick and painlessly as I could, only for him to hold up a hand.

    ¡°Am I correct in assuming this conversation is uncomfortable for you?¡±

    That was an impressive understatement. Was I uncomfortable discussing the witch hunts I¡¯d accidentally started and the betrayals that followed? Yeah, definitely. Biting back the bitchy comment on the tip of my tongue, I nodded.

    He nudged off his shoes, stripping his blood stained shirt with a grimace, before moving to sit with his back against the wall on the bed. Raising an arm in invitation, he nodded. ¡°Will this suffice?¡± He barely finished the question before I was on the bed next to him, happily taking my new spot. The nonverbal response pulled a chuckle from him as we settled down for the talk ahead.

    Once we were as ready as we¡¯d get, I started.¡±I don¡¯t talk about this often so it¡¯ll probably come out clunky, but I¡¯ll try to make it as easy to understand as possible.¡±

    He stayed quiet, hand locking around mine as I considered where to start. The beginning was usually a safe bet, but maybe in this case starting at the worst of it and working out would be better. Steeling myself, I spat out the one thing I¡¯d kept from him and prayed it wouldn¡¯t change things between us.

    ¡°Before things get serious there¡¯s something you need to know. The first time my magic showed itself was not ideal. I lived in Salem and I¡­¡±I trailed off, memories of innocent women hanging and bloodthirsty cries echoing from the past. Before I could completely fade into it, I finished the rest. ¡°I started the legendary witch trials.¡±

    From the corner of my eye, I caught his face slackening from shock, but I didn¡¯t let myself stop. If I did, I¡¯d never finish. ¡°Not on purpose, but it was me all the same. My friends, mother and I were out for a walk when we were attacked by thugs. They killed one of my friends, violated another, and the fear of them doing the same to us made my magic awaken.¡±

    Grimacing at the fate¡¯s twisted sense of humor, I continued. ¡°Only I didn¡¯t cast a mid or low level spell how most children do. I went for broke and managed a banishment. Remember, the rift I opened on that guard during our first hunt?¡±

    He nodded, saying nothing as I resolutely avoided his eyes. ¡°That one. My mother and the other girls saw what I could do and from there, things went downhill. My ¡®friends¡¯ spread rumors, started faking fits while claiming I¡¯d taken control of them.¡±

    Old betrayal raked nails down my back as I remembered it. I¡¯d saved them and that was my repayment, being an outcast for the rest of my life from both the magical and prosaic communities.

    I almost wish I hadn¡¯t bothered.

    Shaking the sober thought to the side, I swallowed. ¡°When they faked the fits, my mother believed them, all but threw me under the bus out of fear for what I could do.¡± Bitterness bubbled up to that and I snorted. ¡°She hated what she didn¡¯t understand and suddenly, that was me. Our relationship wasn¡¯t great before that, but after?¡±

    I sighed. ¡°She offered me up to the town to be put to the rope. There were others too, innocent women who were just at the wrong place at the wrong time. The day they tried to hang us, I survived. Maybe I¡¯m naturally sturdier or maybe I cast a barrier around my throat. The details don¡¯t matter. What does is that now the town had proof that I wasn¡¯t human.¡±

    Memories of that day burned to the forefront. Walking up those wooden steps, tears blurring my vision as the town ignored my pleas, that I wasn¡¯t a witch or devil spawn. I¡¯d thought I would die then. But when the rope dropped me and I survived¡­that opened an entirely new field of questions to ask.

    A hand closed around mine, anchoring me to the present as I finally looked up to meet Dimitrius¡¯s eyes. Fiery anger glowed behind gold orbs, but it wasn¡¯t directed at me. His lips pinched into a tight line as protectiveness all but oozed off him in waves.

    Some of my nerves around telling him eased and I finished. ¡°After that the fun really started. They tried all sorts of things to kill me, but nothing worked. I managed to get away after a week of being held captive in the city hall¡¯s basement. Without thinking, I went home to my mother, thinking she¡¯d shield me from the town¡¯s hate.¡±

    An ugly laughed rumbled through me. ¡°I was fucking na?ve and it cost me dearly. She screeched that I was a demon in her child¡¯s skin and nothing I said would change her mind. Her howling caught the attention of the town. The nightmare you intervened on? That¡¯s what that was. I was only sixteen at the time and in the space of a day, my entire life was gone. The town hunted me for years, even after the witch trials finished, and it didn¡¯t take long for news to reach the magical community.¡±

    Where I¡¯d been quickly branded a traitor despite my repeated insistence that I hadn¡¯t done it on purpose. ¡°I¡¯m sure you noticed I wasn¡¯t anyone¡¯s favorite person that day we were in the market. That¡¯s why. I¡¯d been protected by our minor laws, stopping the council from executing me, but there were no laws to stop them from spreading the rumor far and wide.¡±

    I shrugged, as if it didn¡¯t still burn. ¡°They made my life hell in the only way they could, by branding me an outcast. At least lately I haven¡¯t been getting spat at in the streets, so that¡¯s an improvement.¡±

    Finished with the worst of it now, I faced Dimitrius and continued. ¡°It¡¯s important you now this because eventually one of the idiots we fight is going to try to use it and I¡¯d prefer you hear it from me.¡±

    That, and if he reacted badly to it I could leave now with most of my emotions intact. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst, as the saying went.

    The stormy expression stayed on his face as he shook his head in disgust. ¡°I have read of the event you speak of and I always thought it was odd the town hunted so vigorously. They were spineless cowards and your mother should never have left you to face them alone.¡±

    His arm tightened around me, pulling closer into his side as if to physically shield me from the past. Warmth eased through me, chasing away the cold fear as my head thumped soundlessly onto his shoulder. ¡°I survived and that¡¯s all that matters.¡±

    To that, he nodded. ¡°True and you will not face such things alone again. You have me now and should you face a threat, I will be there at your side.¡±

    Safety came again, wrapping around me like a weighted blanket as I cuddled closer. ¡°I¡¯m glad, though hopefully we won¡¯t have anymore incidents like that. I wont have the protection of being underage this time.¡±

    Before I could relax, assuming the worst of my history discussed, his brow furrowed and he spoke. ¡°Back when I fed from you, I heard what I assumed was a memory.¡±

    I didn¡¯t have to think hard on which one it was. Never give someone your heart. Dear God it sounded so cheesy now that I thought about it. Reluctantly, I nodded him on.

    After a beat of uncertainty, he added. ¡°I also felt your fears and wish to discuss them.¡±

    Yup, this discussion was not going to be fun. I should have known I wasn¡¯t getting out of it though, my issues were bound to come into play at some point so maybe it was a good thing he brought it up.

    Leaning into his side for comfort, I gave into the inevitable. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get this over with.¡±

    With my permission, he continued, voice low and soothing. ¡°You feared my rejection, but beyond that you worried for what I would do with your wellbeing should we become further attached. I wish to assure you that I would never harm you, willingly or otherwise.¡±

    And I believed him, but sometimes people hurt one another when they didn¡¯t mean to. Giving a tired smile, I considered how to explain something I didn¡¯t fully understand myself.

    ¡°Consciously, I believe you, but there¡¯s always a nagging voice at the back of my mind telling me otherwise. I didn¡¯t expect my friends or mother to turn on me how they did. Anytime I trust someone with my life, it ends badly.¡± And I might take that out on him sometimes. I¡¯d try to keep it from affecting us, but trauma was an insistent bitch and it demanded to be felt.

    The arm around my shoulders shifted, sliding down around my waist and¨Cbefore I could do more than blink¨CDimitrius hefted me up. The feeling of weightlessness lasted less than a minute, and then I found myself perched in his lap, long legs on either side of me.

    Once I settled from the momentary surprise, his hands cupped my cheeks, eyes burning with pent up intensity as he stroked his thumbs against my jaw. ¡°You have past trauma from those who should have stood by your side; that is understandable. Should have difficulty trusting that I am different, I shall prove it through actions. I planned to do that already, so it is no hardship on my part.¡±

    The easy way he swiped aside my concern¨Cas if it really wasn¡¯t that big of a thing¨Cswept a wave of surprise through me. I bit my lip, adding on just to be sure he understood what potentially waited for him. ¡°I might doubt you, even if you¡¯ve done nothing to deserve it.¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°Then so be it. I will be here to offer comfort until such a time you no longer doubt me. You are safe with me, physically and emotionally. We have time for me to prove that.¡±

    When a minute went by and the unrelenting determination didn¡¯t waver from his eyes, hope burned to life. Safe. How long had it been since I was safe with anyone? Actually, second thought, I¡¯m not thinking about that. The moment was nice and that train of thought would only bring it down.

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    Instead, I focused on a far more positive topic, namely the relationship that looked to be forming already.

    Offering a hesitant smile, I nodded. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll still try to beat it back but it¡¯s nice to know you understand.¡±

    His smile dropped, something dark and sharp ending into his eyes as his hands dropped to cradle mine. ¡°I understand trauma and the many complications it brings to life. You have previous experience with betrayal, I have similar with sexual activities. We will both have things to overcome in a relationship, but I refuse to let my past stop me from pursuing what I desire.¡±

    Here he paused, forehead leaning against mine as tender warmth shone through. ¡°And I desire you. Things will be difficult and you will have to be patient with me, but I have full confidence that¨Cwith effort and time¨Cwe can be something awe inspiring together.¡±

    I figured he¡¯d have some trauma leftover so that wasn¡¯t a surprise. His confidence bolstered my own, fanning the flame of hope higher as I nodded. ¡°Sounds fine by me. Just let me know where the boundaries are and I¡¯ll stay inside them until you say otherwise.¡±

    Some of his tension eased, firm arms coming around me until we were pressed side to chest as his lips brushed my head. ¡°Good, because that is non-negotiable. Before we begin discussing boundaries, I believe there are some things I should tell you.¡±

    Getting comfortable against him, I waited in silence. He hadn¡¯t flinched back from my past so the least I could do was give him the same courtesy.

    He stayed quiet for a long minute, choosing his words carefully, before he started. ¡°Much like you, my powers woke when I was young. Unlike you, my mother tried to defend me from those who sought to prey on me. You already know of the aura that naturally comes from me, but I purposefully neglected to mention the full impact it had on my upbringing.¡±

    Old pain twinged his features as he paused, stuck in memories of a time long passed. I couldn¡¯t change what¡¯d happened, but I could offer comfort in the now. Taking his hand, I curled our fingers together before giving it a squeeze. He blinked back to the present, offering a tired smile.

    ¡°You already know of my violation, but I gave you no details. To a certain extent I will never speak of it willingly, but this you deserve to know.¡±

    Okay, no. If he didn¡¯t want to say something he didn¡¯t have to. We¡¯re cutting that bullshit off right now. Sucking in a breath to argue, his finger pressed to my lips, amusement flashing through his eyes as he shook his head. ¡°No. You deserve to know the man you wish to court. There will be no surprises further down the road to tears us apart. It all comes out now.¡±

    Damn it, that look was serious. Reluctantly, I nodded, and he continued, hand dropping to rest over our joined ones. ¡°I do not remember my age when my aura first presented itself and the following years are a blur. My mother shielded me from the weak willed around us to the best of her abilities, but one day a governing figure came to our village. Just like the others before him, he fell under my aura¡¯s spell.¡±

    His lips twitched down, loss opening honey eyes into bottomless pools of pain. ¡°He tried to force himself on my person, but my mother stopped him, attracting enough attention in the process that it ruined him.¡± Now a sad smile curled his lips, though the blade of pain didn¡¯t abate.

    ¡°His last act before he was removed from office was to have my mother executed. By the time the neighboring towns were aware of the situation, it was too late. My mother was gone and with no other family to come to my rescue, I was left in her murderer¡¯s custody.¡±

    Fuck I could see where this was going. Tightening my grip on his hand, I resisted the urge to butt in. Silent, I would be silent until he finished. Even if I had to bite my tongue until it bled. After he finished, then I could froth and foam at the mouth, but not now.

    Thankfully, Dimitrius continued quickly. ¡°After years of violating me, my aura no longer affected him. With his mind clear, he planned. Since my mother cost him his position of power, he used me to build it back again. I spent several decades in captivity, only seeing people when he threw them in my room while I was bound and defenseless. This continued until I began to train my abilities in secret. When the man came next, I used my mental manipulation and made him take his own life.¡±

    Horror and blood thirsty satisfaction curled through me as he spoke. The images painting behind my lids nearly sending me off the deep end of red zone rage.

    That prick had better be ecstatic he was dead, because I would have personally ripped his soul from his body for what he¡¯d done to Dimitrius. His passing was far too peaceful and painless for my liking, but I could appreciate that Dimitrius had finally gotten his revenge.

    Blinking back the wrath threatening to shake me apart, I took in the dread on Dimitrius¡¯s face with surprise. After all the time we¡¯d spent together¨Cand the many times I¡¯d told him what I¡¯d like to do to those child kidnappers¨Che thought I would judge him for killing his repeated rapist.

    I bit back a scoff. Yeah, that wasn¡¯t happening.

    ¡°Good, he got off easy considering what he should have suffered, but at least he died.¡±

    Dimitrius blinked, the slight widening of his eyes the only sign of surprise, before he nodded. ¡°That is true and afterward I spent the next dozen years tracking down those who took pleasure from me. With each one of them I killed, I received their properties by right of combat. When I finally finished the last of them though, I was hollow.¡±

    Disgust crept into his tone as he looked away. ¡°Despite my disdain for touch, I had to feed. It would be centuries before I found my alternative way of staying alive and during those years I dreaded nothing more than allowing those I fed from to have me. The day I discovered I could pull lust from the air was quite possible the first time I released my hatred for what I am. Since then I have refused to feed from any type of contact.¡±

    Until today. The last bit hung in the air, unsaid but heavy between us as the enormity hit me like a brick. Earlier I¡¯d only been worried about saving him, but knowing why he¡¯d avoided feeding like that soured my stomach.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± The words slipped without my permission and he raised a brow, meeting my eyes as confusion strafed his.

    ¡°You had no hand in my violation, therefore your apology isn¡¯t-.¡±

    I cut him off, going back over the earlier feeding from a new perspective. He¡¯d seemed into it, but maybe that¡¯d been my lust misinterpreting things.

    ¡°I meant for earlier. I was terrified of losing you so I pushed where you weren¡¯t comfortable. I can¡¯t apologize for it either, because if it happened again I¡¯d do the same thing.¡± Guilt was worth him being here with me.

    His surprise faded, eyes softening as I looked away. Before the guilt could eat me alive, his hand stroked me cheek. ¡°Yes, I was deeply uncomfortable with the situation.¡±

    Another snap of guilt wormed through me and I moved to get out of his lap, only for his arm to tightened, yanking me tight to his chest as he continued.

    ¡°But my discomfort did not come from you or your actions.¡±

    Confusion rose up, replacing the guilt as I waited for him to explain further. He did, after a minute of stroking his thumb along my cheek.

    ¡°Just as you will have difficulties with trusting me not to harm you, I will have my own hurtles to cross with being vulnerable in such a way. Earlier I was uncomfortable, not because you were making an advance on me, but because I was unable to defend myself in the worst case scenario. You proved you can hold to your senses through even my feeding on you. That will go a long way in soothing any fear I have in the future.¡±

    Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. It was a motto I lived by and thinking about him, laying on that bed, unable to do anything but hope for the best because he couldn¡¯t physically move, made understanding slide into place. I would have been terrified too.

    Some of the guilt stayed though and I muttered. ¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for how injured you were, I wouldn¡¯t have pressured you. If you ever don¡¯t want to do something in the future, please say so. The last thing I want is to be another regret to add to your life.¡±

    He chuckled. ¡°You will never be something I regret, though I promise to alert you if we ever edge into uncomfortable waters. Though now that we have discussed my history, I believe it is time to go over things we are¨Cor are not¨Ccomfortable with.¡±

    With that, he straightened, pulling me back enough for him to gesture down his frame. ¡°I will not lie and say this will be easy. I have areas that touch is unwelcome, even from you. It will not always be this way, but for now, this is how it must stay.¡±

    Then he tapped his chest, trailing down to just above his belly button. ¡°I do not mind touch here or anywhere above this line.¡± He paused, lowering his hand until it rested over his groin. ¡°But here and below are¨Cto use a modern term¨Coff limits. When they become not so, I will inform you. It would be wise to simply avoid my entire groin area until we are ready to bring our relationship further.¡±

    His hand curled around mine again. ¡°Most any other touch, I do not see a problem with. If I discover any problem areas, I will inform you post haste.¡±

    Noting his limits, I set them in stone, before nodding. ¡°More than fair and I¡¯ll stay in those boundaries. For my part, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anywhere I don¡¯t like being touched. Don¡¯t grip hard enough to bruise and don¡¯t bite.¡±

    An impish smile curled my lips as I teased. ¡°It¡¯s not necessarily an ¡®off limits¡¯ thing though. A nip here or that gets me going like no one¡¯s business, but we¡¯re not ready for that. If you bite me I¡¯m taking that as your go ahead for me to drag you to the nearest flat surface to have my wicked way with you.¡±

    His lips twitched up, but he said nothing, letting me finish.

    ¡°Other than that? No boundaries, touch me as much as you like. After my years on the run, I¡¯m bound to enjoy anything that doesn¡¯t hurt, as you¡¯ve seen over the past few months.¡±

    Heck, I all but melted into him whenever he played with my hair. It¡¯d be kind of hard to miss.

    His arms relaxed around me, the worst of the conversation done, though his brows furrowed less than a minute later. A question flared to life as he looked me over, but he didn¡¯t ask it. When a minute passed and the curiosity stayed without him voicing it, I prodded.

    ¡°What¡¯s stewing in that brain of yours? I won¡¯t get mad for you asking something. If I don¡¯t want to answer, I¡¯ll say so.¡±

    A battle waged behind his eyes, before finally he questioned. ¡°You seem to have a firm grasp on what you enjoy in the bedroom. When we come to that point most of it all of it will be alien to me. I suppose what I wish to ask if what level of experience you have in this care. If this is too personal, you are more than welcome to not answer.¡±

    Considering we were discussing about a relationship, this wasn¡¯t what I¡¯d call too personal, though the answer probably wasn¡¯t what he was expecting. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve only had maybe twelve partners over my three hundred years. Most of them were human and are now dead, but two of them still live. I don¡¯t talk to them on any kind of regular basis though.¡±

    Well, okay I talked to Vladimir whenever I needed help blowing shit up, but I wouldn¡¯t exactly call us best buddies.

    One of his brows rose to that. ¡°Twelve? I find that surprising. You are beautiful, strong and intelligent. Is there a reason for the small amount of partners you have had?¡±

    Oof, there was no way of saying this that didn¡¯t come across as pathetic. ¡°There is. You already know how much the magical community despises me. Those that don¡¯t hate me for the witch trials turn up their nose at my magic type. That¡¯s why most of my previous lovers were human. There was a problem with that though.¡±

    I winced, remembering the various mishaps my magic caused. ¡°When I¡¯m completely lost in the moment, my magic expands out. When I finish, it explodes outward. This can cause a wide variety of oddities and humans generally notice when lights burst or the bed shakes. The only way to stop from outing myself was to either sleep with someone who knew about magic or not get lost in it. I had to choose the second option for obvious reasons, but it got to the point that restraining myself ruined the act. I stopped bothering with it, instead choosing solitude for my relief, and my one magic partner whom I visited occasionally.¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°So yes, twelve partners is low for someone my age, but there¡¯s logic behind it.¡±

    And now I was entering a relationship with Dimitrius. We were nowhere near ready for sex, but when that day eventually came, I wouldn¡¯t have to hold back. I could experience it to the fullest without fear of what my magic was doing.

    I couldn¡¯t wait for that day.

    Dimitrius scowled, growling protectively. ¡°Your entire community is made of fools, but I have no complaints. Their ignorance is to my fortune as you are mine, as I am yours.¡±

    Being referred to as his sent my stomach into a series of spins, flipping around like a fish on land as I reveled in it. ¡°Yours, huh? I like the sound of that.¡±

    Belonging had been something I¡¯d chased for centuries and now it sank into my bones, seeping through like hot water until I all but melted against his chest. Sex could wait until he was ready, as long as I got to soak this in, I didn¡¯t care.

    His head dipped, lips hovering over mine before closing the distance. The kiss was slow, searching, and when my arms wound around his neck, he dragged me further into him. No tongues explored this time, the innocent pressure stroking along my nerves like a satin glove.

    Through the quiet intimacy and feather light pecks, one thought rang clearly.

    If this was what I had to look forward to, sex being off the table would be a walk in the park.

    I could handle my own arousal until he was comfortable joining me, but this? The affection all but flowing off him to wrap me into a blanket of safety and warmth? I couldn¡¯t replicate that. Even if we ad to wait years, it would be worth it.

    Dimitrius was worth it.

    Besides, there were plenty of other things we could do that weren¡¯t sex and as he dragged me into him, bare chest pressing my breasts flat as he deepened the kiss, something told me it wouldn¡¯t be long before he wanted to explore.

    After three centuries of sleeping alone, the possibility of sharing a bed with him¨Cwith nothing else but sleeping promised¨Cwas divine. The physical aspect would come when he was ready. For now, I would revel in this and everything else he was willing to give me.

 Feeding, Possessiveness, And Rescue Missions

    I stretched high, joints popping loudly as I yawned. Between Dimitrius and my new relationship, our questioning the captive, and verifying the information the prick gave we hardly had a minute to just breathe.

    On the bright side, that mage gave us two possible locations to check out. On the downside, we still didn¡¯t have any truth potion to be sure he wasn¡¯t lying out his ass. Unfortunately that meant recon from Dimitrius¡¯s people was needed before we could safely go in. More time wasted that kids had to suffer, God I hated the waiting period.

    One of the locations had been cleared as legit just this morning and hopefully by the time we finished taking it out the second one would be too. If I had to wait another week before going after those monsters I¡¯d go crazy.

    In the bad column of things happening, our captive had no clue who exactly hired him or why. Because of course he didn¡¯t. Why would you bother asking questions when you take a shady job from a shadow master to kidnap and guard children?

    Disgust with my own people rose before I batted it to the side. It shouldn¡¯t surprise me, having magic didn¡¯t suddenly make you a good person. Greed was still the heart of all evil, both in the prosaic and magical communities.

    Sneaking a glance in the mirror, I eyed my new attire critically for a distraction. When Dimitrius and I agreed to go after this base together he¡¯d taken one look at my old leather and flatly refused to agree until I¡¯d agreed to a wardrobe upgrade.

    At first I¡¯d argued, after all it worked fine up til now, but he¡¯d easily shut the conversation down by reminding me of the injuries I¡¯d gotten on our last hit. They were healed now, but the concern in his eyes had melted me to the bone.

    It was weird, having someone who cared about me enough to do what they could to ensure my brains stayed inside my skull. Was this what it was like to have someone who worried about you?

    I like it.

    Trailing my fingers over the cool, skin-tight leather, I wondered at it. Durable enough to offer protection, baggy enough to hide my infinity bag that contained all weapons aside from the knives strapped to my hips, and it even had pockets for the vials of poisons and potions I¡¯d made just for situations like this.

    I may not be able to cast offensive magic, but I was far from helpless and feeling the soul deep terror of seeing Dimitrius nearly fall was enough to kick my ass into gear. Any poison or healing poultice I may need was safely strapped against my chest, let someone try to hurt him again. If someone so much as breathed near him wrong I¡¯d slaughter it.

    There would be no repeats.

    Testing the sheath for my knives one last time, I nodded in satisfaction, only to nearly jump when arms settled around my waist from behind. Thankfully I recognized the hands before I lashed out, looking over my shoulder at Dimitrius.

    ¡°Like what you see back there?¡±

    A flicker of desire lit his eyes as he nodded, hands drifting to rest on mine over my stomach, using the hold to tug me tighter to him. ¡°Most definitely, but that is not why I am here. You told me earlier you wished to speak to be in private before we left?¡±

    I did and with everything going on, I was glad he¡¯d remembered because I certainly hadn¡¯t. Turning to face him, I trailed a hand over his cheek, reveling in the light scratchiness of his stubble as I took him in. He wore a matching leather set to mine, the dark color offsetting his gold hair and eyes beautifully as it clung to him like a second skin.

    Shaking aside the instant flash of lust, I asked. ¡°Have you fed recently?¡±

    He was strong using the indirect feeding method despite it being the lesser food source, but ever since the day he¡¯d pulled from me I¡¯d felt the difference. Where before his power lingered under the surface, now it pulsed off in waves anytime he didn¡¯t keep it in check.

    Seeing how much stronger he was like this, I could only hope he¡¯d choose to feed from me more often. We were going up against some mean players in this game¨Cas proven by the attack on his house before¨Cand the more power he had, the better I¡¯d feel.

    He grimaced, shifting slightly in place. ¡°Not since I fed from you.¡±

    Reluctance oozed from his tone and I understood it, though there was an easy way around that disgust. ¡°You could just feed from me again, you know?¡± My hand on his cheek stroked idly, offering comfort as I continued. ¡°I don¡¯t mind and knowing that you¡¯ll be stronger¨Cand heal faster¨Csets me at ease.¡±

    Some of the tension to his shoulders faded as he sighed. ¡°I briefly considered requesting that, but what if draining you so often has negative effects on your health? I do not wish to tax you in such a way.¡±

    I appreciate the worry, though if memory served tired was definitely not what I¡¯d be after he fed. If anything I¡¯d be energized¨Cso horny I couldn¡¯t see straight, but energized all the same¨Cand with the battle ahead I¡¯d have an easy outlet for that.

    Lowering his head for a chaste kiss, barely a brush of lips, I reassured while hovering not a centimeter off. ¡°I¡¯m perfectly fine, I promise you. We can even test how much you can take from me after we finish today. That way we know my limitations, sound good?¡±

    He lowered his head in answer, hands settling on my waist to pull me closer as his lips caressed mine. My arms slid around his neck on instinct as I melted against him, reveling in the steady pressure. Then, his tongue flicked out to slip between my lips and the power that was unequally him filled the air around us.

    The bond snapped back into place, his contentment sliding against my consciousness as my hands stayed firmly planted in his hair. The locks were soft and lush, wrapping my fingers as I sank into the kiss and the heady warmth wrapping around us.

    His power stroked southward, sliding to rub between my thighs as I shuddered, my moan swallowed in the next second as he breathed in my arousal. It took every ounce of willpower I had not to rub against him like a cat in heat as the pulsing picked up with every flick and suck of his tongue.

    Through the overwhelming, mind blowing heat threatening to send me hurtling over the edge of climax with nothing but his kiss and power, the bond pulsed with his happiness, his safety. I echoed it with my lethargic joy, doing my best to not send the arousal down the line lest he think I was pressuring him.

    One of his hands drifted down to my behind, squeezing as I sucked in a breath and bucked involuntarily. He did it again, the energy transfer stopping even as his fingers kneaded the skin of my right cheek. Pulling away from his mouth with a gasp, my cheek thumped into shoulder as I muttered.

    ¡°Ease up on the ass grab, I¡¯m struggling not to rut against you like a dog as it is.¡± My voice came out strained, the undertone of lust clear as his hand paused. A long beat of silence came before he stroked the flesh, not squeezing again.

    His mouth brushed my ear as he breathed huskily. ¡°When we return, if you are still amorous, I would not be adverse to such a thing. While I make no promises for how far I will go, I¡­¡± He paused, choosing his words carefully. ¡°I wish to feel you in this way, with no leather to blockade me.¡±

    Woo-boy, suddenly later sounded a good bit too damn far away.

    ¡°Can¡¯t wait.¡± I choked out, forcing down my hormones that all but screamed to turn later into now. We had kids to save, my hormones could wait. As the insistent arousal eased back, the last dregs of the bond lingered and I soaked it in.

    Even without the shot of pure adrenaline his feeding gave me, this bond would be enough to make me encourage him to feed more often.

    Though, if he did have to feed from someone else I might get a tad possessive now that I knew what it felt like. The thought of someone other than me feeling him like this, having this quiet closeness?

    Nope, I did not like that.

    I didn¡¯t censor the flash of possessiveness quick enough, but Dimitrius only sent amusement back through the bond. Not an ounce of irritation or nerves came either, instead pleasure arched between us. He liked feeling my possessiveness, which was good because apparently with him I was going to be far more so than any of my casual lovers.

    It made sense, I supposed. All the ones before him hadn¡¯t been mine. There for some quick sexual tension relief, and gone the next day. Dimitrius was different, which meant I¡¯d have a host of things to learn while we were together.

    I couldn¡¯t wait, though if that possessiveness got any bigger I¡¯d need to handle it. Some was fine, but too much wasn¡¯t healthy¡­

    By the time he pulled away completely the pulse between my legs was all but gone, leaving me clear headed as I grinned up at him. ¡°I think I got a buzz from that.¡±

    No doubt about it, I was border lining high with no desire to come down. Dimitrius Valentine, my drug of choice. Somehow I doubt those ¡®say no to drugs¡¯ campaigns ever thought to warn kids that sometimes the most addicting drugs came with a heartbeat.

    The bond faded back as amusement flashed through his eyes. ¡°I am glad, though you seem to find the bond while feeding more enjoyable than the after-effects.¡±

    I shrugged, lacing our arms as Dimitrius led us to the car waiting for us. No use in denying that since he¡¯d felt for himself just how much I enjoyed it and besides, I didn¡¯t want to deny it.

    ¡°I do, arousal is easy to come by and good fun, but feeling you like that? That¡¯s something I¡¯ve only experienced with you and¨Cif I have my way¨CI¡¯ll never have it with anyone else. Depending on how much energy you need regularly I must just volunteer myself as tribute to be the one you feed off of all the time.¡±

    I shrugged, hoping the heat crawling up my cheeks wasn¡¯t visible as I continued. ¡°I don¡¯t like the thought of anyone else getting to have that with you¨Cas you felt earlier¨Cespecially since you wouldn¡¯t like it.¡±

    Dimitrius nodded, bringing my hand up to his lips and brushing a kiss against my knuckles. ¡°Should it not be taxing to you, I will happily agree to this plan. Other than the two times I have indulged in you, feeding has not been an enjoyable sensation.¡± He paused, tucking me closer into his side as we settled in the car. ¡°You are the only person I have ever found pleasure in the act with.¡±

    Flutters burst through my like hoards of butterflies before I swallowed them down. He¡¯d better watch saying things like that, I¡¯d be a melted puddle at his feet in no time otherwise. Leaning my head on his shoulder, I hummed.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad it¡¯s better with me. Once we get back we can test how much you can pull comfortably. If the only downside is the mildly uncomfortable arousal then I¡¯m more than happy to pay that price.¡±

    Especially if it meant he¡¯d be running at top strength. Images from before, his acid coated chest and the hole I could almost see through, slashed across my mind and I didn¡¯t stop the shudder in time. Never again.

    His healing was already vastly improved from feeding a week ago and I¡¯d just given him another dose. Even if I didn¡¯t love the bond from feeding, I¡¯d happily offer myself daily if it meant he stayed strong and healthy.

    ¡°Julian¡­¡±

    His soothing tone jerked me back to the present and I winced. I¡¯d done well to mask my fear over the past few weeks, but Dimitrius was old enough to know what signs to look for. ¡°Sorry.¡± I muttered, looking away.

    He shook his head, raising his hand to gently guide my face back to his where he placed a tender kiss to my forehead. ¡°No apologies are needed, my darling. Had our positions been reversed, I would be just as unsettled. It was foolish of me to underestimate the mages. I should have waited until you were at my side and I paid for my mistake. I will not make it twice, and now I am well fed to a degree I have not been in centuries. I will be fine, and so will you.¡±

    I believed him and after a quick kiss to his cheek, I let some of the bubbling worry go. The car pulled up a street over from our destination, signaling the end of our little moment and I pulled away with reluctance.

    Later, I reminded myself.

    Glancing out the window at the deserted street, I took in the building we¡¯d be storming. It was run down with metal walls and high, broken windows near the roof. A rusted sign nearby announced it as an old winery, long closed down, and with a critical glance over it, I grimaced.

    That was a lot of room to cover and the odds of there being more guards was high. We¡¯d have to be careful. Thankfully, this place wasn¡¯t far from Dimitrius¡¯s house. In comparison to the place I¡¯d saved Tina from¨Cwhich had been hours away¨Cthis was fifteen minutes.

    With any luck we could finish what we came here to do and head back with plenty of time to explore just how far he wanted to go. I hadn¡¯t expected him to already want to explore, but maybe I should have. He wasn¡¯t the sort to hesitate once he knew what he wanted and I was more than happy to leave the gas, wheel and brakes of this car in his hands.

    If he just wanted to test how far he could go, that was fine. I could always finish myself afterward if he wasn¡¯t comfortable. Long as I got a cuddle out of it and maybe some more hair petting with him reading I¡¯d call it a good trade.

    Dimitrius¡¯s hand on my shoulder pulled me from those thoughts, his lips twisted into scowl as he too took in the building. ¡°It is good I fed before we came, with some luck the guards will be human and I can control their minds.¡±

    I hummed, following as he slunk closer. ¡°And if not my celare should be enough to give us an edge.¡± While there was a good chance at least one of the guards was magical¨Cand potentially immune¨Cit would work against any lesser mages or humans around. I¡¯d take any advantage I could.

    Once we were a few years away from the building, I pulled him in for one last kiss, before stepping back and focusing my magic outward. It surged, saturating the air around us until a blanket formed. Settling it over each of us in turn, I whispered. ¡°Celare.¡±

    Dimitrius¡¯s image flickered, only staying mostly solid thanks to it being my magic over him. Once the spell settled in, I nodded for him to lead, my hands drifting to my knives on instinct.

    One of the things he¡¯d insisted on when we¡¯d planned this out was that he would be first to step into the rooms, on the off chance it was trapped. Any arguments I¡¯d had fell flat at his reminder that he could heal from a kiss and I could not.

    I¡¯d agreed, though reluctantly. Now, as he breezed in front of me, I realized the unintended bonus of this. I got to watch his ass as he walked. It really was something, but I shook the hormone drenched thoughts to the side.

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    With him in front of me I could also slap a shield in place in a heartbeat if he needed. See? Not all my reasoning was centered on being able to stare at the fine buttocks uninterrupted. Just¡­most of it.

    A clatter from inside swiveled my attention to the present as we snuck into the open are of the old winery. Three guards meandered around, all human and all bored, as shown by the one who¡¯d fallen out of his chair after most likely falling asleep. Least that explained the noise.

    Dimitrius closed his eyes, arms raising as his power threaded through the air. Even from here I could see the glazed look take over the guards¡¯ faces as they each stood up, moving like puppets on strings as they knelt before slamming their heads into the ground in perfect unison.

    When Dimitrius¡¯s power released them, they slumped unconscious to the ground and I bit back a smile. It would never get old, seeing him flex his power.

    He led the way further into the building, until we came to a stairwell going down into what I assumed was the cellar. With magic at the ready in case of an ambush, we eased down the steps. They creaked ominously, but no one came running.

    The walls we passed had little cubby holes lining them, too big for wine bottles but too small for barrels. Something about them¨Cabout the feeling to the air¨Cmade my skin crawl. The further in we went, the louder my instincts screamed until they all but drowned out everything else.

    Something was wrong here. Every cell down to my last speck of hair said we needed to hurry and get out of here. Before I could nudge Dimitrius on though a sound cut through the silence, sweeping ice down my spine.

    A soul withering scream of a child.

    And then, like a butterfly effect, dozens of terrified cries sounded from the cubbies around us, echoing off the walls of my mind. Not all of the holes were full¨Cthank God¨Cbut as I looked closer, counting the sheer amount of children crammed into the small space, my stomach rolled.

    Too many, there were too many. Dozens of wide, terrified eyes looked through us, the horrors they¡¯d seen and lived clear as an unholy rage scraped its claws down my spine. The ones behind this would pay. I would gut them, put them on spikes for the world to see.

    I would massacre them to the last and make a clear message to any who¡¯d try similar what would happen if I got my hands on them.

    Fighting past the blood lust flooding me, I fisted a hand in Dimitrius¡¯s shirt as his power fluctuated wildly and it was only when I looked around his frame that I knew the reason.

    A small, still body sat curled against the far wall. It was covered in a sheet, but even from here I knew, the child was long cold. Dimitrius¡¯s power pushed out like a geyser and the kids flinched back, feeling it even as they couldn¡¯t see its source.

    He was one second from detonation and right now I couldn¡¯t let him blow. Once we had the guards in a room away from the children, then he could let it all loose on the sacks of shit, but not here. Not when we were surrounded by already terrified kids.

    Stroking over his back, I soothed while fighting back my own rage chomping at the bars of its cage. ¡°We need to keep moving. They¡¯ll be safe, my adored, but only after we deal with their captors. We¡¯ll bring them home, get them washed and find their families after this, but you have to stay with me.¡±

    I dropped a kiss between his shoulder blades, hoping to soothe some of the raging storm in him. His jaw tensed to granite and he nodded, forcing his eyes away from the too still form.

    Before we could move forward again, another scream shook the walls around us. The same one from before.

    In my next heartbeat he was a blur, running down the path with me right on his heels. Magic pulsed to my fingers, the shield ready just in case as we raced into the room the screams had come from.

    Only to freeze at the horrific sight waiting for us.

    No less than half a dozen guards surrounded a boy, the tiny body nearly invisible in the middle of their grasping limbs. Through the buzzing in my ears, the sound of a zipper sounded as one of the guards stepped back with a satisfied smile.

    Only for it to fall when he locked eyes on us. He didn¡¯t have a chance to do more than open his mouth to warn the others before pure power soaked the room. Wrath pulsed off it, sending sparks of pain along my nerves much like hundreds of needles pricking my nerve endings.

    The power skipped over me, instead wrapping tightly around the guards. Most of them froze, eyes wide and mouths open as no noise came from them. The familiar haze of Dimitrius¡¯s power forced their lids down as their will crumpled under it.

    Only one stayed unaffected, the one who could see us, and without hesitation I lunged. My knives tore through his skin in a shower of blood that swept feral triumph through me. Twisting it with vindictive glee, the illusion around Dimitrius and I dropping as my magic fluxed wildly in rage.

    I didn¡¯t care, it looked like most of the guards were here and if any other ones came we¡¯d slaughter them next. Sinking my blade inches away from his heart, I leaned in and hissed. ¡°That will be the last pleasure you feel in this life, make no mistake. I hope it was worth it, because I¡¯m going to turn the rest of your pathetic fucking existence into hell on Earth.¡±

    Blood bubbled up between his lips, eyes wide with fear as I pushed the spelled gem I prepared before coming into his skin. It latched on, neutralizing his magic instantly as he tried and failed to get away from my grip.

    My magic pulsed, the scent of burnt skin coiling through the room as the gem melded with him. His scream echoed like music to my ears and with him neutralized, I was free to focus on more important matters.

    Throwing him with all my might into the wall, I relished in the CRACK of bones, before he slumped bonelessly to the ground. Sheathing my knives, I turned to watch as Dimitrius handled the rest of them. His frame shook with the restraint of not killing them and after a minute of silence, I spoke. ¡°Just kill them.¡±

    He grimaced, the aching urge to do just that clear in his eyes even as he shook his head. ¡°We need information.¡±

    I cut him off. ¡°The idiot with the gem on his chest should be more than enough and we have the three guards at the front. Besides, after seeing what they did, what they were about to do?¡± My eyes flicked to the boy still cowering in the middle of the frozen guards, before I scowled, an icy ball tightening in my gut.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t, I will.¡±

    That was all the encouragement Dimitrius needed.

    Honey eyes darkened to burnt amber before he stretched his arms out, the air crackling with tension as waves of invisible pressure rolled from him. It washed over me, the pin pricks only lasting a second before they reached further, out towards the edges of the property.

    After a few beats of silence, I watched as a line of humans walked in, eyes glazed like their friends. No mages came running so it was safe to assume there were no others, thankfully, and with that I turned my attention to the scene playing out.

    Dimitrius snapped his hand up in a sharp motion and the guards surrounding the boy backed away in sync, all of them marching mechanically to the opposite corner of the room. Once they were out of the way, I got my first good look at the boy on the table.

    And nearly lost my lunch.

    Filthy blond hair was all but hidden under the grime coating him, not a scrap of clothing covered him and a web of scars covered his face. Some fresh, some old, and when terrified gold orbs opened to meet mine, it was like a kick to the gut.

    Dear Lord, was this what Dimitrius went through? Being at the nonexistent mercy of the most deranged and evil types of human that walked the Earth?

    Rage and disgust battled, surging up in my throat before I swallowed them back. That boy didn¡¯t need my pity and neither did Dimitrius. No, what they needed was for me to be calm and steady. Stealing a glance at the shaking form of my partner, I grimaced.

    Suffice to say he wasn¡¯t going to be able to soothe the boy, not when he was holding onto his temper by the skin of his teeth. Which left it to me. Taking a deep breath, I forced the killing rage back and offered what I hoped was a comforting smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, we¡¯re getting you out of here and you¡¯ll never have to see any of these people again.¡±

    Golden eyes filled with tears, all but glowing as the boy processed my words, hope and fear mixing as he sucked in a shaky breath and hiccupped.

    ¡°Please¡­¡± Even his voice was small, barely making it to my ears as he sobbed. ¡°Please, don¡¯t let them touch me again.¡±

    Like a fist gripping my heart, his words squeezed until no air remained in my lungs. I never would have let them get at the kid again, but hearing the desperation¨Cthe terror¨Ccemented it. I would die before anyone hurt him again.

    Settling my face into what I prayed wasn¡¯t a death glare, I nodded. ¡°They won¡¯t. See that man there?¡± I pointed to Dimitrius and the boy swiveled to face him. When he nodded hesitantly, I continued. ¡°He¡¯s got a big house that we¡¯re going to go to. You and all the others will be coming with us and once we get there, we¡¯ll find your family. Then you¡¯re going home. You understand me? You¡¯re safe now.¡±

    It took a minute before slowly, the boy¡¯s body dissolved into sobs, the noise ripping at my heart strings as he gasped out. ¡°I don¡¯t have a home. Mama-.¡± He choked, shaking increasing a notch. ¡°Mama gave me to them.¡±

    Everything stopped. The sound of the guard¡¯s breathing, the sniffles from down the hall, everything faded to the rushing of blood in my ears. Good God, this kid was a mix of Dimitrius and I in the worst of ways.

    Swallowing past the knot in my throat, I took a slow breath and offered, careful to keep my hands at my sides. ¡°Then your home will be with us from now on. His house is a sanctuary for your people, somewhere safe to just live.¡±

    I paused, ducking enough to meet the boy¡¯s eyes. ¡°Do you know what sanctuary means?¡±

    He nodded after a long second, hope climbing to the forefront as he spoke. ¡°It means a safe place, right?¡±

    The fragile light in his eyes tugged a smile across my lips and I nodded. ¡°Yup, that¡¯s exactly right. Once we get you and the others out of here; that will be your home.¡± I gestured to myself and joked lightly. ¡°Trust me, if he can take in someone weird as me, you¡¯ll fit in fine.¡±

    The boy uncurled, flinching lightly as he did. Now that I got a better look at the damage, I doubted he¡¯d be able to walk out of here. Moving closer with slow, clear movements, I removed my outer jacket and offered it.

    ¡°Here, it¡¯s not much but it¡¯s something until we get you back.¡±

    He hesitated, eyeing me warily before taking the offered leather. Wrapping it around himself, he sighed, sinking into it as another wince came. Not for the first time, I wished I could heal¡­

    Forcing aside my usual frustrations with my magic¡¯s limitations, I offered. ¡°I can carry you if you¡¯d allow it?¡±

    The boy bit his lips, again eyeing me warily, until Dimitrius spoke up, sounding calmer than he actually was. ¡°I know why you are afraid and you have right to be, but she is not affected by your touch as others are. She is immune.¡±

    Finally, the boy nodded and lifted small arms up. They shook, all but vibrating from his fear as I gently scooped him up. Once he was safely perched on my hip, leather covering as much as it could, I nodded to Dimitrius.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to start getting the kids free and call the house to send more cars. There are too many of them to fit in one.¡±

    He nodded, the motion sharp and jerky as his eyes stayed locked on the bodies he controlled. Knowing what he was going to do, I turned on heel and left. The boy had already seen enough hell, he didn¡¯t need to see the brutal dispatch of his captors.

    Once we stood next to the others, their whimpers grinding like glass into my heart, I squared my shoulders and looked to the boy. ¡°Can I set you down while I get the others out?¡±

    He nodded, settling further into my leather when I put him down as far from the not moving body as I could.

    Turning to the rest, I sighed when they shrank back, whimpers increasing as I cooed. ¡°I know, I know. Everything is scary right now, but I¡¯m here to get you out. You¡¯re all going home and never seeing this place again.¡±

    Because I was definitely burning this place to the ground. Screw not having Exitium magic, I¡¯ll call Vladimir in from Russia. Once he heard what was happening here he¡¯d have no problem decimating the place for me, hell knowing him he¡¯d enjoy it too.

    Shaking the thoughts to the side, I focused on freeing the kids. Each one I set loose huddled around the boy until only one girl remained. She hid toward the back of the cubby hole and when I reached in to grab her, she flinched.

    I didn¡¯t have time to pull my hand back before tiny teeth sank into my palm, a pulse of pain pulling a hiss from me even as I breathed through the spark of instinctual irritation. Gently easing the girl out, I soothed. ¡°The second I get you out of there I¡¯ll happily not touch you again, but you gotta work with me until then.¡±

    Either she understood or was too scared to fight more because she stayed absolutely still, her teeth still buried in my palm as I eased her out. The second her feet hit the floor she hid with the others and I shook my hand out with a grimace.

    Can¡¯t say I blamed her, I would have done the same thing.

    Doing a final check to ensure all the kids were accounted for, I nodded. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get you all settled in the car. After that I need to get my partner back there and we can go.¡±

    The children nodded, giving me a wide berth as I picked up the boy again and led them out. The second my foot hit level ground again, a body hurtled my way. I barely had time to twist out of the way before one of the human guards Dimitrius had knocked out swung at me.

    Dodging with a kid in my arms was hell, but I managed, taking some of the hits as I tried to put some space between us. When that failed, I snarled, swinging my elbow out to connect with his jaw.

    The crack of bones shattering sounded through the room before the guard stumbled back with me right on his heels. Not giving him a chance to recover, I lashed out, my nails raking along his face until they sank into his eyes.

    Ignoring the gross slide of blood and other things between my fingers, I shoved until he was on the ground, screams echoing through the building. The other two guards were still out of it, thankfully, and I bent to hiss.

    ¡°You had better have useful information or you¡¯ll be the first I kill.¡± Then I cold cocked him, nodding in satisfaction when he slumped to the ground. Taking a slow breath, I looked to the boy now watching me with wide, awe-filled eyes.

    ¡°Did he manage to hit you?¡± I asked, and the boy shook his head, burying his face partially into my shoulder as he did.

    ¡°No¡­¡± He trailed off, worry inching forward. ¡°But he hit you.¡±

    I shrugged, not bothered by that as I gestured for the other kids to come toward the car outside. ¡°Yeah well, that¡¯s a common theme in my life. It¡¯s weird when someone¡¯s not trying to hit me. You get used to it after awhile. Besides it¡¯s more important that he didn¡¯t hit you. Now let¡¯s get you out of here.¡±

    The sun made most of them wince, the boy in my arms huddling further in my arms to hide from it, while the others stared in awe, probably having assumed they wouldn¡¯t see it again. The thought twisted my heart, before I shook the pity to the side.

    Get the kids out; that¡¯s useful to them.

    Repeating that like a mantra, I set the boy into the car before nodding to the rest. ¡°Everyone get loaded in here for now and lock the doors until we come back. Scream if anyone approaches.¡±

    Before I could go back inside, the boy clasped my hand, worry clear as he tugged. ¡°Are you going to be okay with the mean men?¡±

    Oh he was just trying to melt me wasn¡¯t he?

    Forcing the urge to coo back, I nodded. ¡°Yup, worry about yourself for now.¡± A second pair of hands tugged on my shirt before I could turn, this time one of the girl¡¯s locking eyes on me as she pleaded.

    ¡°Please, don¡¯t leave Mary behind.¡±

    There was another kid in there?!

    Kneeling to be at her level, I questioned gently. ¡°Where is Mary? I won¡¯t leave a single one of you in this hell.¡±

    A round of sniffles and sobs came from the gaggle of children before the girl shook her head, eyes filling with tears. ¡°Mary was with us, she¡¯s¡­She¡¯s gone.¡±

    Like a brick, the truth hit. Mary was the child we¡¯d been too late to save.

    Forcing back the urge to cry with them, I nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll go and get her now. She won¡¯t be left in this place either.¡±

    I hadn¡¯t planned on leaving the girl¡¯s body, not for a minute, but I had planned on dealing with it after the kids were safe. They¡¯d already seen so much, I hadn¡¯t wanted to add seeing their friend¡¯s dead body to the mix. I supposed it doesn¡¯t matter though, they¡¯d already need therapy and I could wrap Mary into a cloth.

    Making a note to bring up therapy for the kids to Dimitrius later, I waited for the sound of the locks sliding in place before I marched back into the building. Pulling my phone out as I went, I called Scott, informing him in clipped and short sentence what we needed before hanging up.

    The man was a God send and I¡¯d be telling him that the second we got back, for now though¡­

    I eyed the still body, my stomach churning dangerously before turning in Dimitrius¡¯s direction. I could grab the girl on the way back. His mental state was already on shaky ground and seeing her right now wouldn¡¯t help that. Remembering the quake to his shoulders, unease inched through my veins.

    No, better to not see how he¡¯d react to having the body near him.

    The closer I got to the room, the denser his power became until it nearly suffocated me. Every move took considerably effort, as if I were walking through setting cement, but when his back came into clarity, I pushed onward.

    Taking a second to glance at the destruction around us, blood thirsty glee flashed through me. The guards¡¯ bodies littered the floor in various positions, blood coating the floor in a red sheen as I came closer.

    From the clean injuries, it was clear what happened. Dimitrius had made them take their own lives as he had his own rapist so many years ago. I still thought it was too painless, but I could appreciate the poetic karma to it.

    The only living person in the room aside from Dimitrius was the mage, but when his power circled dangerously, I knew it was time to step in. We really did need him for information, no matter how much I hated to admit it. Dimitrius could kill him after we got anything useful out of him.

    With purposefully loud steps, I walked up behind Dimitrius, wrapping him into an embrace. His heart hammered under my hand, all but trying to break out of his chest as I soothed. ¡°I understand your rage, but they¡¯re dead now. You need to be calm, the children need you¡­and so do I. Breathe, my adored.¡±

    I stayed perfectly still as his power crackled through the air, circling us like a predator eyeing its prey. The hair on my neck stood to attention, before finally the tension to the air dissipated. Minutes passed in silence as I stayed wrapped around him, his hands coming up to grip mine.

    When something wet hit my hand, I loosened my grip and turned him around.

    His face was twisted into a mask of anguish, tears shiny in his eyes as he sucked in slow breaths, desperately trying to hold his composure. It burned deep to see him like this, but I wasn¡¯t about to tell him not to cry.

    If there ever was a situation that earned it, this was it and I wasn¡¯t the type to invalidate someone¡¯s emotions.

    Trailing my hands up to cup his cheeks, I stroked gently, before pulling him to rest against my throat. He shuddered, sinking into me as he thawed from his frozen state. Arms came around me, gripping with bruising force as tremors wracked his frame.

    Not saying a word, I stroked his back and let him get it out. His grip tightened again, using me as an anchor to the present, but I didn¡¯t say anything. It didn¡¯t hurt, not enough for me to consider it a bother, and right now he needed this.

    He needed someone to cling to and I¡¯d happily be that someone until he felt ready to face the world again.

    Time slid by at a crawl, my hands sliding across his back before detouring into his hair. After who knows how many minutes, he pulled away and sucked in a shaky breath, his power locked behind its walls again.

    Honey eyes were rimmed in red as he took my hands, pain clear in every breath and shift as he spoke. ¡°You are right, I am needed now. Once we are home safely, then I may crumble, but not before. Come, my darling. Let us leave this cursed place.¡±

    My arm twined around his waist, squeezing tightly as if to hold all his pieces together as we moved back toward the entrance. Pausing long enough to grab Mary, Dimitrius¡¯s shudder not going over my head, I cradled the girl close and gently nudged him forward.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±

    We had a lot to do¡­

 Recovery And Rest

    Hastily stripping my bloodstained clothes, I dragged on the closest available shirt and pants¨Cignoring the twinge my new bruises gave¨Cand hauled ass back out the door. I¡¯d need a shower later, but the look to Dimitrius¡¯s eyes, as if he were holding on by a thread, was enough to make my decision.

    The shower could wait. Everything that wasn¡¯t absolutely necessary could wait. He needed help so I¡¯d be there. If I were being honest, he needed time to himself to decompress and grieve over what we¡¯d seen, but neither of us could have that yet.

    Just a floor below me were nearly a dozen kids who all needed to be washed, tended to, and their families tracked down. As it was, his staff had their hands full with the last bit, which left Dimitrius and I to handle the first two.

    I didn¡¯t mind. Whatever it took to make the haunted look leave his eyes sooner, I would do it and that was that. Breezing back into the main room where the children sat, huddled together and watching everyone warily, I caught Dimitrius¡¯s eyes again.

    The dark edge from before was still there, lurking under the surface, but having something¨Csomeone¨Cto focus on was helping. It would have to do for now.

    Stopping at his side, I offered what I hoped was a comforting smile. ¡°Ready when you are.¡±

    He nodded stiffly, hand drifting to grip mine in a steel like hold, before pulling away reluctantly. Turning to the children, he swept a long glance over them. ¡°Those of you who are capable of washing themselves and do not wish for help, please step to the side in a line. I will point you to the bathroom to cleanse yourself.¡±

    Immediately, most of the kids scrambled to where he pointed. After the blur of motion settled, only one form stood apart. The boy from before and his eyes were locked on us with equal parts wariness and hope.

    Kneeling to be at his height, my leather still wrapped tightly around his shoulders, I offered. ¡°Do you want me or Dimitrius to help you?¡± With his injuries, it was no shock he couldn¡¯t do it alone¨Cthough for all I knew his age played a role too, how young was too young for children to bathe themselves?

    Shaking aside the thought, I watched him bite his lip, careful consideration passing through his eyes before he gestured to Dimitrius. ¡°Him, please.¡± The words were hardly a whisper, nerves shaking every syllable as I nodded.

    ¡°Alright then.¡± Standing carefully, making sure not to move too sharply as to not startle the kids, I turned to the others and smiled. ¡°You guys ready to get clean? I¡¯ll get you some towels, soap and after that I¡¯m leaving you to it.¡±

    Relief painted across each of their faces in turn before they nodded. Pausing long enough to squeeze Dimitrius¡¯s hand, his face still carrying a green tint that worried me, I guided the group of kids toward the guest bedrooms.

    The showers were more than big enough to fit at least two or three of them at once and pairing the elder kids with younger ones would ensure everyone was adequately cleaned.

    Stopping in front of the line of doors, all guest rooms, I waved to them. ¡°In each of these rooms are bathrooms. Just give me long enough to make sure they have what you all need.¡±

    With that, I did a quick check, making sure the towels and soap were in easy reach before coming out with a nod. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s clear for you all. I¡¯ll find some clothes while you get clean. Want me to leave them outside the doors to the rooms?¡±

    A few kids blinked up at me, wonder clear at being asked what they wanted, and I resisted the urge to hurl at it. They shouldn¡¯t be amazed by such a small thing.

    Forcing the pity back, I continued after they each agreed. ¡°Once everyone is clean I¡¯ll tend your injuries.¡± With that, I turned, giving the kids some desperately needed privacy. Before I could get far into my search for clothes¨Cwhere exactly would Dimitrius¡¯s staff keep kids¡¯ clothing?¨CScott rounded the corner with an armful of the clothing I looked for.

    Seeing me, he smiled a touch grimly. ¡°I figured you would need these. I wasn¡¯t sure how many kids there were so I grabbed our entire stock. There should be roughly thirty pairs of shirts and pants in here, ranging in size as well. If we need more, let me know and I¡¯ll head to the store.¡±

    Gingerly taking the armload, I nodded. ¡°Thank you, I was just about to hunt someone down to ask about this. I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll need more, since most of their families will be picking them up¡­¡± I trailed off, thinking back to the boy.

    His mother gave him up and he didn¡¯t mention a father¡­ Putting aside the fist tightening around my heart at the similarity to my own childhood, I continued. ¡°One of the boys¨Cthe scarred one with Dimitrius¨Che said his mother gave him to those monsters.¡±

    Scott¡¯s face darkened, the same rage that howled in my chest echoing in his eyes as he grimaced. ¡°Not the first time we¡¯ve dealt with that, unfortunately. I¡¯ll do a check to see if his father had a willing or unwilling part in this, but it¡¯s likely the father wasn¡¯t in the picture.¡±

    At that, I raised a brow. ¡°How do you know that already?¡±

    He sighed, running a hand through his hair. ¡°Because one of the parents had to be either a succubus or incubus, and I can¡¯t see the mother being one of us and knowingly giving away her son. Not to say it¡¯s impossible, but generally in this situation the human parent panics.¡±

    Yeah, I knew that better than most. I¡¯d never known my father, but it was painfully obvious I¡¯d gotten my magic from him. Shaking aside the old bitterness, I hummed. ¡°Fair enough, I think it¡¯s likely the kid is going to be a permanent resident here though. When I mentioned him being safe here he didn¡¯t mention anywhere else he¡¯d rather be.¡±

    No, he¡¯d all but broke down, not that I could blame him. If someone had offered me a safe place to hide when I was being hunted I would have done the same.

    Scott sighed. ¡°You¡¯re right, but I¡¯ll do a cursory check just to be sure. A room will be made up for him just in case though.¡±

    The distant sound of water running pulled me back to the task at hand and I shifted the pile of clothes into my other arm. ¡°Alright, thanks for helping out. I¡¯m going to get these set outside the doors and hunt down a first aid kit.¡±

    Scott pointed to the closet to the side. ¡°In there, we keep one in nearly every bathroom too if you run out of supplies.¡± With that, he turned, going back to researching. Once he was out of sight, I separated the stack of clothing into smaller ones and put them outside each door.

    Pulling the first aid kit from the closet, I barely turned before one of the doors creaked open and a hand shot out to grope for the pile. Biting back a smile at the sight, I called. ¡°Two inches to your left.¡±

    The hand froze, a few seconds passing in silence before the hand moved in the wrong direction. This time the snort came and I tried again. ¡°Your other left, bud.¡±

    This time the fingers closed around it and disappeared back inside. In hardly ten minutes the kids stood clothed and clean in front of me, wary¨Cthough slightly less scared¨Ceyes watching my every move. Holding up the first aid kit, I gestured to the nearby room.

    ¡°Alright, who needs seeing to first?¡±

    The kids exchanged looks before a few stepped forward. Thankfully disinfecting and wrapping their injuries didn¡¯t take long. Stepping back from the last kid, I nodded. ¡°Alright, your parents should be on their way.¡±

    Turning serious, I asked. ¡°Do any of you not want to back to them? It¡¯s fine to tell us if they hurt you. This is a safe place.¡±

    A few kids toed the ground, one raising a shaky hand while the rest shook their heads. Taking that in stride, I gestured to the door out to the hallway. ¡°When a nice man named Scott comes back, those of you who don¡¯t want to go back need to tell him. He¡¯ll handle the rest.¡±

    Before I could leave and finally find Dimitrius¨Cthe itchy urge to check on him only getting worse by the minute, a quite voice from behind me called my attention.

    ¡°What if our parents don¡¯t want us, what happens then?¡±

    Facing the little girl who¡¯d spoken, I answered to the best of my ability. ¡°Then you¡¯ll stay here, I assume.¡±

    She relaxed a bit to that, looking around at the walls in wonder. ¡°Really? Wow.¡± Then she paused again. ¡°Will the other man really not mind?¡±

    Considering Dimitrius had told me this was a sanctuary for his people, I sincerely doubted it. Smiling, I shook my head. ¡°Nope, the man from before wants kids like you to be safe and so do I. Long as it¡¯s what you guys want, I¡¯m guessing this will be your home now.¡±

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    Then, before they could start raining questions on me, I turned. ¡°Scott should be by soon, feel free to ask him all your questions. I need to check on Dimitrius and your friend.¡±

    All but running away before they could speak up, I followed long, winding hallways back to Dimitrius¡¯s room. The familiar wood door swept a wave of familiarity and comfort through me as I opened it, walking in with a tired sigh.

    ¡°Hey, all the other kids are clean and tended. How is-?¡± I froze, two sets of gold eyes locking on me as Dimitrius and the boy turned my way. The younger hid behind Dimitrius, bandages covering most of his visible skin and I quickly turned around to give them privacy.

    ¡°Sorry boys, didn¡¯t realize you were still in the middle of that. I¡¯ll just-.¡± I hardly made it three steps back toward the door before the boy called out, voice slightly more confident.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to leave, Dimitrius told me about you.¡±

    Keeping my back to them for now, I asked. ¡°Oh? All bad things, I¡¯m sure.¡± My tone smacked of teasing and a quiet bubble of laughter came.

    ¡°No, he said you¡¯re really nice and that you¡­¡± He trailed off, uncertainty clear before powering through. ¡°He said your Mommy left you too.¡±

    Oof, I didn¡¯t particularly want that bit aired but I could see why it¡¯d come up. Biting back the spark of irritation with Dimitrius, I reluctantly turned with a nod.

    ¡°Yes, she did. Years ago, but still.¡±

    Dimitrius winced, an apology in his eyes that soothed away any lingering aggravation as I gave a tense smile. ¡°You can stop looking terrified, I¡¯m not going to bite. I take it the topic came up and you wanted to reassure him?¡±

    He nodded, though the apology didn¡¯t leave. ¡°He worried I would not accept him due to his mother¡¯s rejection. It seemed an easy comparison to make and before I could think¡­¡±

    He¡¯d already said it. Couldn¡¯t blame him for that, my filter was worse than his.

    Waving, I wiped away the last of the tension in his shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Giving a tired smile to the kid, I nodded. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who¡¯s been abandoned kid and just like me, you¡¯re safe here. Dimitrius isn¡¯t the sort to care if someone else rejected you.¡±

    The boy¡¯s features softened, the scars cutting through his face standing out in contrast as he inched out further. ¡°He said your name is Julian?¡±

    I hummed, waiting to see where he went with this. After a minute, he smiled showing a gap in his teeth. ¡°That¡¯s a cool name. I¡¯m Avery.¡±

    Not a name I heard often, but it fit him. Before I could say anything else, a knock sounded and Scott¡¯s voice came from the other side. ¡°Is Avery ready to join his friends?¡±

    Avery perked up, wiggling down from the bed. Dimitrius had apparently already found him some clothes since he had pants on. His chest was bare aside from the bandages though and he limped unsteadily to the door.

    Pulling it open, he smiled up at Scott. ¡°I am! I¡¯m all clean now too.¡± He puffed up his chest, gold hair now free of grime just starting to puff out from drying. Scott chuckled, stepping back.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s get you out to them then. I¡¯m sure they¡¯re anxious to see you well.¡±

    Avery bounded after him¨Cas much as he could bound while still limping¨Cand I turned my focus to Dimitrius. Some of the green had left his face, but a long soak was definitely needed. We¡¯d made sure the kids were settled, now it was time to focus on us.

    Before I could move for him, small arms wound around my leg and only instinct stopped me from lashing out. Dimitrius shifted forward as if to intervene, Avery¡¯s form now clamped to my thigh¨Cwas he supposed to be that short by his age?¨Cbut I waved him off.

    Gingerly patting the boy¡¯s back, I relaxed when he let go and smiled shyly up at me. ¡°Thank you for rescuing me.¡± Then, without giving me time to assure him that thanks weren¡¯t necessary, he zipped off, Scott following with an amused shake of his head.

    Once the two were gone, I focused my attention on Dimitrius who now sat on the side of the bed, feet touching the floor. Sitting beside him, I put my palm face up between us and asked. ¡°How are you holding up?¡±

    He looked at the hand for a beat, before curling his around it, the calloused palm and warmth soothing some of the ice still clinging to my gut. ¡°As well as I can be. And you?¡±

    I shrugged, tracing small circles to comfort him and myself. ¡°The same.¡± Silence passed for a beat, before my eyes landed on the bathroom. Words weren¡¯t what either of us needed right now, but I knew what could help.

    Standing up, I tugged on our still joined hands. ¡°How does a bath sound? Together or separate, whichever you¡¯re comfortable with.¡± After what we¡¯d seen today it was fair to think his trauma was closer to the surface. If he needed some time to himself or to not be touched, then I¡¯d accept that.

    I hardly finished the sentence before he stepped forward, arms winding tightly around me until not an inch of space sat between us. Hooking my arms around his back, I stroked slowly, a whisper barely loud enough to hit my ear puffing against my head.

    ¡°Please, stay. Alone¡­Alone is the last thing I wish to be right now.¡±

    And with that simple sentence, he guaranteed I wouldn¡¯t be leaving his side for the rest of the night.

    Nodding into his chest, I pulled him toward the bathroom. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get you in the water. If you want, I¡¯ll join you. No funny business, I promise. I can also sit on the edge of the tub to keep you company if it¡¯d be more comfortable.¡±

    His grip tightened on me as he led the way into the polished marble bathroom, gorgeous black and white swirled stone catching my attention briefly before he spoke, yanking it back to him.

    ¡°If you would join me, I would appreciate it. I wish to hold you.¡±

    A pulse of aching warmth settled in my chest and I agreed with a hum, following him to the tub, past the massive shower that could easy fit five people. Later, I¡¯d want to explore that and the many knobs in it, but not wasn¡¯t the time for it.

    Dimitrius set the temperature, water gushing from the taps as his hands drifted down to the leather still gripping his frame. With each layer he shed, another patch of bare skin met my eyes, tan flesh stretching with every movement.

    For once, hormones didn¡¯t spike, the subdued atmosphere holding them in line as I took in the well toned muscles, and the scars covering him. Scars dusted him, everything from small lacerations to large cuts trailing from his feet up to his chest.

    When I got to his hips though, I froze. The skin on his hip was knotted, black and twisted in a way that swept ice down my spine. A burn-no, a brand. A brand in the shape of the letter B.

    Red washed through my vision, snuffing out everything as rage shouldered its way past my shields. Someone had dared to brand him, as if he were nothing more than cattle.

    The culprit was probably long dead and it was very fortunate for them, because I would have it my new life mission to ensure they suffered for every waking moment until hell itself broke through to claim them.

    Taking a slow breath, I swallowed down the killing rage, looking away from the brand before I could say something stupid. He didn¡¯t need my anger, not right now. Somewhat steeled for it this time, I started at his feet and swept a long glance over him.

    Smatterings of scars freckled his back and pelvis, but before I could sink into those I forced my thoughts away. Only pity and wrath would come from that line of thinking and neither was welcome right now.

    The firm, tan globes of his ass pulled my focus to the present, before I mentally slapped myself. For fuck¡¯s sake, lust wasn¡¯t any better than pity right now!

    Comfort, Julian, comfort!

    Keeping that in the forefront of my mind, I stripped. His eyes bore into me, nearly a physical caress as I dropped the last piece of clothing down. Once we were equally bare, I met his eyes¨Cdon¡¯t you dare look down, Julian¨Conly to bite back a hiss at the desire warming his gaze.

    ¡°Ravishing.¡± The word was a growl, rubbing me in places it had no business being right now as I took the hand he offered. Brow beating my hormones back, I squeezed his hand and warned.

    ¡°Right back at you, but this isn¡¯t the time. No sexual stuff today, if you still want it tomorrow, then we can, but right now we¡¯re both too raw. You¡¯re vulnerable and I¡¯m not taking advantage of that.¡±

    I¡¯d already decided that the second I thought of the bath, despite my hormones all but staging a riot. If he still wanted to explore tomorrow then we could, but not today. Anything we might do could be cause for regrets tomorrow and nothing we did should make him regret it afterward.

    He stared deep into my eyes, gold orbs intense as he nodded. ¡°Yes, tomorrow. For now, we rest.¡±

    So saying, he sank into the water, helping me to lean back against him as we soaked. Twining our fingers, I floated leisurely as the tension fell away by inches. We¡¯d have to get out soon and face the world, but for now, this was perfect.

    Snuggling into him, his arm winding around my waist, I sighed. ¡°I wish we could stay here forever.¡±

    His mouth brushed my ear, words nothing but a whisper. ¡°I agree. While that is not possible, perhaps we could include this in our rouTina? Dinner, time in my study, then this.¡±

    Imagining just that, a warm gooey gush of feelings spread through my chest and I nodded. ¡°Sounds divine.¡±

    Unfortunately, all good things must end and after who knows how long, the water began cooling. When it hovered just on the edge of cold, I reluctantly rose, Dimitrius¡¯s hands lightly tugging on my hips in an attempt to prolong it just another minute.

    I almost gave in too, but I hated cold and this was no exception.

    ¡°Come on, if we move to the bed we can sleep. Not as comfortable or warm to do that in the bath. I already agreed to do this again in the future so this won¡¯t be the only time we get this.¡±

    He conceded the point wordlessly, pulling the plug before following behind me. Eyeing the piles of clothing on the floor, I asked. ¡°Do you have a spare shirt I can borrow? I like how yours smell.¡±

    In answer, he moved to his wardrobe and opened it, lips twitching up into a small smile. ¡°Pick anything, I care not.¡±

    The easy affection in his tone stroked along my battered nerves and I offered a tired smile of gratitude. Snagging a lavender sweater¨Cthe color matching my eyes¨CI tugged it on, clamping it closer to relish in the soft Dimitrius scented material.

    One of his hands rose to twirl a lock of my hair around his fingers, light tan skin only a few shades off the blonde of my hair. Letting it drop, he cupped my cheek, his intent clear. Leaning to meet him halfway, I soaked in the chaste brush of his lips against mine, the sorrow and horror of the past few hours draining away until nothing but us remained.

    Today had been hell in a hand basket, there was no getting around that, but at least we¡¯d both made it out alive. Some days we¡¯d have to be content with that.

    Stepping back reluctantly, I poked him. ¡°Pick your clothes so we can get some rest. I¡¯m about to fall asleep on my feet as it is.¡±

    He didn¡¯t argue, pulling a pair of sleep pants out, only to glance down at his bare chest for a long moment. Another beat passed before he shook his head and pointedly shut the wardrobe.

    Tugging on the pants, he faced me and offered tentatively. ¡°I wish to feel as much of your touch as possible and a shirt would hinder that.¡±

    I didn¡¯t need him to explain, I could see the ache for contact burning behind his eyes. Twining our fingers again, I nodded, tugging us back to the bed without a word.

    We¡¯d deal with everything else tomorrow. Right now it was just us and we needed rest. Waiting for him to get comfortable on the bed, I curled into his side, nose buried in his throat as his arms settled around my waist. Once we both settled, I muttered, sleep already rising to claim me.

    ¡°If you want space, let me know.¡±

    His grip tightened and he shook his head. ¡°I doubt that will be a problem, though I will inform you if that changes. Get some rest, my darling. Tomorrow will be every bit as exhausting as today has proven to be.¡±

    I hummed in agreement, letting sleep rise up to claim me as the steady rise and fall of his chest¨Cpaired with the beat of his heart under my ear¨Csent me off into the most peaceful, dreamless night¡¯s sleep I¡¯d had in years.

 Trauma Revisited And Comfort Given

    A sea of darkness greeted me the next time I popped an eye open. Not a surprising thing, after my centuries of nightmares dragging me to consciousness at odd hours, I¡¯d grown somewhat accustomed to it.

    But that was the odd thing, a nightmare hadn¡¯t been what¡¯d woken me.

    I wasn¡¯t soaked in sweat that¡¯d dry into an itchy layer later, my throat didn¡¯t burn from the long screams I usually gave upon waking, and most importantly?

    I raised a hand, noting the lack of shake with a decisive nod. That wasn¡¯t a nightmare, but then what woke me?

    Scanning the room, I found nothing of interest. Everything was painted in shades of ebony, shadows giving the previously extravagant space an eery feel. Maybe I¡¯d had a lesser nightmare and woke from that?

    Settling back into the sheets, I shrugged off the mystery to be considered more tomorrow, when I was running on at least three more hours of sleep. There were still too many things we needed to do for the kids and I couldn¡¯t afford to be cranky with them.

    Blindly reaching for Dimitrius, his natural radiating heat gone¨Cknowing myself, I¡¯d probably rolled away because I¡¯d gotten too warm¨Conly for cold, empty sheets to meet my palm. Awareness slammed through my veins, jolting me upright as I again took in the room.

    Usually him being gone from the bed wasn¡¯t something to worry about, Dimitrius was a man with many responsibilities, after all, but every hair on my body stood to attention as waves of unease burned below my skin. The urge to get up, to find him screamed like a siren as the wrongness increased by the second.

    I needed to find him now.

    Thankfully it didn¡¯t take long, since he sat on the edge of the bed less than a yard from me. His back was bowed, elbows resting on his knees as he bent over the side of the bed.

    Like air from a balloon, tension gushed out in a whoosh. Okay, so I¡¯d greatly overestimated the danger, yay paranoia. Rubbing a hand down my face, I sighed, trying and failing to shake the itching in my veins.

    One of these days I¡¯d see a therapist, a magic one, just to get the mess that was me under control, but it sure as shit wouldn¡¯t be in this decade. Or the next either, probably.

    The more I tried to shove the feeling down, the harder it hit. Hundreds of spiders skittered just under the surface and I resisted the urge to start tearing at my skin on habit. Damn it, I didn¡¯t want to deal with this today. Couldn¡¯t I just roll back over and cuddle with Dimitrius?

    A soft noise¨Cchoked, as if the owner hadn¡¯t meant for it to hit the air¨Ccut through the stifling silence, my attention swinging to it as the last of my previous exhaustion drained away. Freezing until not even my toes twitched, I waited.

    Seconds ticked by and I held my breath, listening. I knew what that sound had been, impossible not to with how often I choked off my own sobs after particularly brutal nightmares. But as of yet Dimitrius hadn¡¯t shown signs of-.

    Another, louder noise came, the pain in it sinking barbs into my heart and tearing. Dimitrius¡¯s shoulders shivered, my eyes adjusting to the dark enough for me to see the shiny trails sliding down his cheeks.

    A blade buried in my chest, twisting with every breath. No doubting it now, Dimitrius had a nightmare. Not that I could blame him.

    The things we¡¯d seen were horrific, even for normal people, but for him? The man who¡¯d lived firsthand what those kids suffered?

    It would be so much worse.

    When another rippling shudder rolled down his back, I steeled myself and inched forward. Yes, life sucked sometimes, but that didn¡¯t mean he had to face it alone.

    My knees sank into the bedspread before I hesitated, hovering behind him. Now how should I go about this? I doubted just grabbing him would be a good idea¡­

    Sliding to sit at his side, feet flat on the floor and hands to myself, I waited. There was no telling how much touch he¡¯d want right now, better to stick with none until he said otherwise.

    He jerked, apparently not having heard me move, before turned sharply away as if to hide his tears. Too late.

    Fisting the fabric of my borrowed shirt, I looked straight ahead¨Cmaybe I could spare him some pride, if nothing else¨Cand spat the first words that came to mind. ¡°Do you want touch or space?¡±

    I wasn¡¯t about to ask him if he was alright. He was shaking, crying and choking back sobs. That was as far from alright as anyone could get.

    His hand drifted over to clasp mine, pulling me back to the present as his face stayed turned away. His voice, thick with tears and heavily congested, still managed to hold his usual refinery.

    ¡°I am fine. You should go back to sleep, tomorrow will be trying and I handled nights such as this alone for centuries.¡±

    Okay, you know what? No.

    Stroking my thumb along his hand, I squeezed lightly and snorted. ¡°That¡¯s not happening and you know it. The only way I¡¯m leaving¨Cby sleep or otherwise¨Cis if you want that.¡± I paused, letting it sink in. ¡°So, do you want that?¡±

    I wouldn¡¯t take offense. If he needed space I¡¯d give it to him and check back in the morning. I of all people understood that sometimes you just needed your own space.

    The hand clutching mine froze, fingers tightening until his nails dug sharply into my palm. ¡°No, I do not.¡± His face stayed tilted away, but the exhaustion to his tone was clear.

    Nodding, I leaned carefully into his side, relaxing when he all but melted into the contact. His free arm wrapped around my waist, a firm tug pulling me flush to his sweaty side.

    That nightmare had taken a number from him. Pushing back the worry threatening to gnaw through my gut, I offered. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say anything, I get not wanting to talk about the shittier parts of your past, but if you need to talk about it¨Cor even want to¨CI¡¯m here.¡±

    I sincerely doubted he would, but that was fine. I could bring him his favorite tea and maybe some chocolate too until he was ready to go back to sleep. However, just as started gearing to stand up, he nodding, taking me by surprise.

    ¡°I do not want to discuss this, but perhaps¡­it will help. I have suffered through this particular nightmare more times than I can count. Ignoring it changes nothing. A new approach is warranted.¡±

    I stayed quiet, letting him get his words together while I focused on stroking his hand. After a few minutes of silence, he started.

    ¡°You saw the brand, but I never told you how it came to be.¡±

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Jitters of rage flushed through my veins, the image of that raised and blackened skin rattling the bars of the cage I kept my blood lust locked behind. Fuck, if this was what the nightmare was about, keeping calm while he talked was going to be hell.

    I¡¯d do it for him though. He didn¡¯t need me murderous and frothing at the mouth, he needed comfort and come hell of high water, I¡¯d give him that.

    It¡¯d be my usual clunky brand of it, but there was no helping that.

    His eyes stayed firmly locked on the far wall, now ignoring the wet trails on his cheeks as he swallowed. ¡°As you would guess, my captor gave it to me. As a ¡®monument¡¯ to my being under his care for five years. The iron he used was one also wielded for cattle, he made sure I knew that was all I was, an animal for him to play with.¡±

    Fisting my free hand in the sheets, magic boiling hot out of sight, I bit back the writhing force burning to jump out of me and hunt down the one who¡¯d done this. He was well and truly out of my reach, but that didn¡¯t stop the protectiveness from bubbling over to drown me.

    Thankfully he kept going before my restraint failed, his grip turning bruising as another shudder wracked his frame.

    The brand was not cared for properly and it became infected. I was too young to feed then, thus my healing was that of any other child. A fever gripped me for I know how long and throughout it he took claim to what was not his. Every waking moment was filled with violation. Pain and revulsion were constant companions of mine until finally, something changed.¡±

    His tone dropped, voice hitting a low growl I¡¯d never heard before. ¡°By that point he was already immune to the effects of my heritage, but just as the fever threatened to take me, I fed and grew stronger.¡±

    A hard smile curled his lips as he finally turned to face me. ¡°I continued taking from him¨Cwith him none the wiser¨Choning the powers that began showing themselves. Tasting his desire sent revulsion the likes of which I had never known through me, but when the day came that I took control of his mind, his body¡­it all became worth it.¡±

    Blood thirst oozed from the last bit and I finally let myself sink into the wrath boiling under my skin. ¡°While I wish you¡¯d never suffered through any of that, I¡¯m glad you got to off that pathetic excuse for a man. Nothing was more fitting than him taking his own life.¡±

    Dimitrius¡¯s smile eased at the corners, becoming genuine as his eyes softened.  That softness didn¡¯t last long though. His gaze dropped to the brand sitting just over his hips, disgust clear in his features.

    ¡°The nightmares never stopped, even after I escaped and hunted down every last one of the people who had welcomed themselves to my body. There are times when they are more severe. What we saw yesterday added fuel to the fire, brought too many memories to the surface and thus this¡­¡±

    He didn¡¯t need to elaborate, I got it. The nightmare had knocked him on his ass. Before I could offer comfort¨Cor what passed as it, coming from me¨Chis teeth ground and frustration sparked through the air.

    I didn¡¯t have time to react before his hand rested on the brand, nails digging in sharply as he snarled. ¡°Despite the millennium that has passed he still holds power over me. No matter how much time marches on, that does not change. I am still his plaything and I am weary of it.¡±

    So saying, he dragged his nails across the raised skin, alarm slamming through me as blood welled under his fingers. Spitting a curse, I threw myself into his side and gripped his arm at the elbow, halting the self harm before it could actually take off.

    With how calmly he handled everything I¡¯d assumed he didn¡¯t have issues like this. I lashed myself now for that na?ve thought. He had years to learn to hide this, but that didn¡¯t mean things were alright!

    Keeping my hold firm, I grabbed his other arm too, just to be safe, and cut off the hate lingering dangerously under his tone.

    ¡°No, you are not. Listen to me, Dimitrius. I understand what it feels like, to have someone long dead hold power over you, but your captor lost that control the second you killed him. This?¡± I gestured as much as I could given our current positions.

    ¡°This is trauma and unfortunately she is a grade A, swamp cunt, bitch. It never feels like you¡¯re over it and every time it rears its head it leaves you feeling like garbage.¡±

    I paused, letting that sink in before meeting his eyes dead on, the lost look so painfully wrong on him that the knife in my chest twisted. ¡°But it tricks you, because you are out from under their thumb. Dimitrius, you¡¯re wading through a relationship for the first time despite that trauma and you¡¯re making progress. That, more than anything, proves that he doesn¡¯t have power over you anymore.¡±

    The dangerous glint faded from his eyes, the hair raising awareness that¡¯d initially woken me finally abating as he sank in on himself. His hands didn¡¯t move to claw at the brand again as he leaned on me, the weight of the world resting on his shoulders finally becoming too heavy.

    He¡¯d carried this too long, aching for someone to share it with.

    I was more than happy to be that person.

    ¡°You are right, but times such as this I am confronted by what I cannot do thanks to his touch. The vile essence still lingers to this day. If I were a regular man¨Ca whole one¨CI could make love to you. I could feel you clutched around me in the throes of passion and linger in the aftermath with no fear or disgust.¡±

    He dipped his head, nose brushing my throat as his weight settled on me, a tired sigh brushing my neck. ¡°But I cannot, because of him.¡±

    A lump clogged my throat at the open ache in his voice, an ache I knew all too well. I¡¯d railed at the Lord in my earlier years for the magic that¡¯d made me a ¡®monster¡¯, all while restricting me from defending myself as others of my race could.

    Years were spent with that frothing rage, that frustration and hopelessness, especially when the council¡¯s influence made life difficult. If it hadn¡¯t been for them spreading my bad reputation far and wide I would have had an easier life, but looking at what ifs was useless.

    We could only work with what we had and honestly? I had more now than I¡¯d ever dared to dream of.

    Reaching up to slide a hand into his hair, the locks twining and tangling with my fingers, I massaged his scalp. He melted into him, tension leaking off like water. When he¡¯d all but morphed around me, I spoke.

    ¡°Yes, there are things you can¡¯t do yet, but that¡¯s the key word darling, yet.¡± Shifting him out of my throat, a hand cupping his jaw and pulling him to meet my eyes, I continued. ¡°If someone told you a year ago that you¡¯d be in a relationship with me and already doing what we are intimacy wise, what would you have told them?¡±

    Dimitrius hummed, lips twitching in an attempt at a smile. ¡°That it was impossible.¡±

    I nodded, resting our foreheads together. ¡°Exactly. Eventually you¡¯ll be able to do all the things you want with me, but it¡¯ll take time Dimitrius. And I¡¯ll be here for it all. Whether it takes you years or decades, I will still be here. I¡¯ll enjoy every minute, hour or day that we spend together in the meantime.¡±

    Holy shit, my words were actually coming out right for once! Zero fumbling, stumbling or horrific word choices to be seen. I sent a prayer of gratitude heavenward for that.

    Dimitrius looked so¡­beaten, so vulnerable. I couldn¡¯t hurt him when he was like this, on accident or otherwise.

    After a minute, the last of his tension eased and the furrow deep in his brow faded. The corners of his lips curled up into a tired, but content smile as adoring eyes locked on me.

    ¡°You are right and I will also relish in the time we spent together until then. There will be days I am frustrated, but with you¡­perhaps they will be easier to bear.¡±

    I nodded, squeezing his hand before turning my focus to the still bleeding injury. We needed to handle that, pronto. Obviously he wasn¡¯t in the mood to feed, so that left one option. Raising our joined hands, I dropped a kiss against his palm.

    ¡°I need to wrap that injury. Afterward we can read a book or watch a movie if you don¡¯t feel like going to sleep again.¡±

    His mouth opened, argument already on the top of his tongue¨Cprobably that I didn¡¯t have to do this or other such nonsense¨Cand I cut him off with a finger pressed to his lips. ¡°I know I don¡¯t have to do this, but I want to. No, I need to, because you¡¯re important to me. So, shall we?¡±

    Any argument he¡¯d been building collapsed, letting me tug him up off the bed with no restraint as I led him into the bathroom. He leaned back against the counter as I flipped on the light, cringing internally at the bloody welts he¡¯d left behind.

    He avoided my eyes as I pulled out the disinfectant and bandages, shame and unease clear. I¡¯d address that in just a minute. Thankfully the brand was high enough on his stomach I didn¡¯t need to worry about touching areas that were definitely off limits right now.

    Focusing entirely on the brand, making sure his underwear and pants stayed firmly below it, I dabbed it clean before sliding a bandage in place. It¡¯d probably heal by tomorrow, but that was no reason to not make sure it was taken care of now.

    Smoothing the bandage down, I glanced up.

    He was watching now, honey orbs open and vulnerable as I leaned forward and dropped a kiss against the far edge of the bandage. Rising to his level again, I cupped his face and soothed the sick worry all but rolling in his eyes.

    ¡°While I hate seeing you hurt yourself like this, it won¡¯t scare me away, darling. So stop looking so worried. I¡¯m not going anywhere unless you tell me to.¡±

    The tension that¡¯d built in his jaw dropped, a small exhale of relief brushing my cheek as Dimitrius nodded. ¡°And I will evermore be grateful to have you. Now then, let us retire again. Tomorrow will be¡­long and we both need our rest.¡±

    I didn¡¯t fight him, happy to be tugged back to the bed and wrapped into his arms. There¡¯d be hard times, trauma lingered in both our dreams more often than not, but as long as we were together we could handle it.

    Together, we would stand through it all.

 Exploration and Redefining Boundaries

    Chapter Twenty One

    Morning¡¯s light burned the backs of my eyes, an arm automatically coming up to offer shade as I grumbled. ¡°Turn off the sun.¡±

    A low chuckle rumbled through the chest my face was shoved into, the sound dragging one of my eyes open to meet the amused honey orbs not two inches away. ¡°While I can claim many powers, controlling the sun is not one of them.¡±

    I hummed, sweeping a glance down his frame. The tension from yesterday was gone alongside the haunted glint that¡¯d prickled my skin like hundreds of ants. Everything wasn¡¯t completely okay yet, but it was closer to it.

    Beside the shards of old trauma, warmth glowed in his eyes and it was a far more welcome sight. His mouth quirked into a small smile when he caught my gaze, his hand inching up twine with mine. ¡°I am well. While I have seen things as horrific as Mary¡¯s fate before, it never becomes easier. Though, this is the first time I have had someone to offer me comfort afterward.¡±

    Leaning in, I pecked his cheek, reveling in the scratch of his stubble as he shifted down, dry lips sliding along the skin of my throat. Any lingering sleepiness evaporated when he spoke against my neck. ¡°Thank you for staying with me last night. The company was much appreciated and should you ever wish to share my bed again, the door is always open.¡±

    Welp, that settled it, I was never sleeping in the other room again. After a week of having me cling like a koala I¡¯d check back in to make sure he was still fine with it.

    Instead of saying that, my arms wound languidly around his neck, soaking in the peace of the moment as his mouth trailed across my throat again. Sensitive skin buzzed, the short hair on his cheeks sending waves of awareness through me everywhere they scratched.

    Then his tongue flicked out, tasting my pulse point. I barely had a second to brace before his teeth grazed my neck, the feather light scrape hardly qualifying as a bite even as my hormones surged to the surface.

    ¡°Dimitrius-!¡± My warning stopped short when he repeated it, shifting us so he hovered over me, his arms dug into either side of mine. I clenched when he added a bit more pressure, sucking until a bruise was sure to form. Bucking up against him, I moaned, hands scrabbling to find purchase.

    Eventually they wound around his back, my legs burning with the urge to latch to his waist even as I forced the urge back. Tangling one hand into his hair, I tugged sharply. ¡°Dimitrius, we need-.¡±

    He stopped laving my neck, lips trailing to mine but instead of easing off, he hit the throttle. Wet tongues slid together, the taste of him surging through me as he sucked again. Warmth burned low in me, tightening and pulsing in time with each pull he gave, images for what else he could do that with painting across my mind.

    Ripping myself away before I could start rutting against him, I gasped in air and tried to slow him down. ¡°We need to slow down.¡±

    He cut me off with another kiss, teeth sinking into my lip before sucking on it. His eyes sparked with lust when he pulled away next and denied. ¡°No, I have wanted to ravish you since our bath and now I will. The only thing that will be stopping this is if you truly do not want it.¡±

    The only way I¡¯d ever answer ¡®no¡¯ to that was if I were dead, and even then I still might drag myself back to the living just to agree.

    Dodging his next dive for a kiss, I stared into his eyes, searching for any hint of uncertainty. There was none, only a molten arousal that stroked against me like a physical caress.

    I was more than alright with things going further between us, but if he was doing this out of some twisted form of gratitude then I didn¡¯t want it.

    When a minute passed and nothing but certainty showed itself, I nodded. ¡°Alright, but feel free to stop at any time.¡± Would I be disappointed? Sure, but I¡¯d be a lot more than disappointed if he forced himself through this.

    Though I would be finishing myself if he couldn¡¯t. I had morals, but that didn¡¯t make me a masochist.

    His lips curled in a wide grin, one I hadn¡¯t seen yet. It reeked of daring and desire, carrying a promise with it I could only hope he¡¯d follow through with. My heart tripped, beating hard against my chest when he trailed his mouth down my throat to respond.

    ¡°This will not be sex, I am not ready for that, but your scent beckons me and now I will finally answer its call.¡±

    My scent? What, did his power boost come with enhanced sense?

    Any confusion I felt evaporated at the speed of an ice cube in the Sahara desert when he drifted down, frame now between my thighs. Calloused fingers stroked the skin of my thighs, brushing the borrowed shirt higher, higher, higher. It slid over my hips, revealing my already wet entrance to the chilly air.

    He hovered closer, air brushing in puffs over me, before stopping. When he didn¡¯t continue, a pinched expression covering his face, I cursed inwardly. Maybe he wasn¡¯t quite as ready as he thought. When I moved to pull away though, his grip tightened, pulling me closer as he growled.

    ¡°I wish to have this, but I have no knowledge for how to proceed. Guide me, but I refuse to leave your thighs now that I am here.¡±

    Well, damn, what was I supposed to say to that? Aside from hell yes, but I think that went unsaid.

    Taking a deep breath, I nodded. ¡°Alright but before we get into this¡­¡± I locked eyes with him, pushing as much certainty as I could into my next words. ¡°If you need to stop-. Hell, if you want to stop, say so. This isn¡¯t something all people enjoy and if you¡¯d prefer not to do this yet, or at all, that¡¯s fine.¡±

    He nodded, ¡°Of course.¡± When only certainty stared back at me, I continued.

    ¡°Alright, lesson one.¡± I trailed a hand down my front until it rested over my clit, pressing into it with a shuddered hiss. ¡°This, this is very important. Roll it, lick it, suck on it, do whatever you want but don¡¯t leave it out.¡±

    Abandoning my clit entirely too quickly for my taste, I snagged one of his hands and pressed all but two fingers down. Pushing the tips forward against my entrance, I sucked in a breath and continued. ¡°Go slow, sink to the palm, and once you can move around comfortably, crook them. There¡¯s a bundle of skin just inside, aim for that. Everything else is figure out as you go-.¡±

    As if that were his signal, he slid the digits in, not wasting a minute as his mouth dropped to wrap lips tight around my clit and suck. White blitzed across my vision as talented lips rolled and pulled in time with every slow slide of his hand.

    When he licked straight up from his fingers, ending it on a crook that nailed the bundle of nerves head on, my spine snapped up in a perfect arch. My thighs lashed around his head, yanking him nose first into my curls as his eyes widened and a choked noise came.

    He didn¡¯t move, the sudden stillness making me bite back a curse.

    Fuck had that been too much? I should have told him I was a clinger.

    Before I could drop my thighs from his shoulders, his hand came up to put them back tighter than before, his mouth pulling away from my clit long enough to say. ¡°Between your thighs is where I wish to live and die, do not take this from me.¡±

    He barely waited for my nod before diving back in like a man starved, mouth a hot brand of motion as his hand picked up speed. Every slick slide rubbed deliciously into pulsing, clenching walls and the familiar hot swell in my stomach pressed in. I wasn¡¯t going to last for much longer, but something told me he didn¡¯t mind.

    It¡¯d been so long that even his fingers were a stretch, the slight burn when he pressed the third in sending a shiver down my spine. A well timed pull on my clit paired with his fingers sinking to the palm, scissoring out as a gush of arousal hit, and I bucked hard. His free hand pressed my hips down, holding me still as he dug in with renewed vigor, humming in approval when I let out another cry.

    That hum was divine and he must have noticed that, because it continued in a drawn out syllable, the vibrations, heat and friction putting me on the pin¡¯s head of climax. He shoved his fingers to the base, twisting to scrape several spots at once as I shattered around him.

    Iron hit my tongue, teeth digging in to stop the scream building in my throat, but through my world shaking orgasm, I caught his order. ¡°Do not muffle yourself, scream and let the entire house hear it.¡±

    With no functioning brain cells left to argue with, I did just that, his fingers milking the bundle of nerves as his lips sucked in time on my clit. Pressure pulsed under my skin, tightening and tightening until finally it burst outward, magic snapping out from me in a wave as everything dissolved into a pleasurable daze.

    The scream he wanted came, my throat burning from it as I clamped around his hand and road him through my orgasm. After a minute and the last of the aftershocks faded, I released him, limbs still twitching as he slid back up the bed to lie beside me.

    Idly, I noted the busted light bulbs littering the floor¨Coops¨Cbefore all my attention shifted to Dimitrius.

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    A satisfied smile curled his lips as he pulled shiny fingers into his mouth, tongue flicking out to collect every drop while never once looking away from me.

    Memories of what that wicked tongue could do squeezed another clench from me before I groaned, letting my head fall against his chest in defeat. ¡°Shit, you¡¯re going to kill me. It¡¯s going to be a fan-fucking-tastic way to go, but I¡¯m definitely dead.¡±

    He chuckled, low and full of promise as his arm wound around me, dragging me closer. ¡°I am glad that even without my aura, I have this effect on you.¡±

    Considering the shudders still rolling through me? Safe to say he had no reason to worry. Forcing shaking limbs to curl around him, I chuckled. ¡°You¡¯ll never have to worry about whether or not I¡¯m getting mine. I can already tell that¡¯s never going to be a problem.¡±

    As the last of the trembles left, I trailed a hand down from his hair¨Chad I still not let him go?¨Cto his chest. Stroking the grooves of muscle and scar, I continued southward until I hovered over his belly button.

    Making sure to meet his eyes, I waited for permission. He hadn¡¯t said how far he wanted this to go and while I¡¯d more than enjoyed what he¡¯d done, I burned to return the favor, my fingers all but itching to explore.

    ¡°Are you comfortable with this?¡± I asked, nails trailing over the prominent bulge tenting his pants, flesh jumping up into my palm as he sucked in a breath. Calculating eyes took me in, before he nodded.

    ¡°We will redefine my boundaries together, though if you could go slowly to start¡­¡±

    The thought of doing anything else hadn¡¯t crossed my mind once. His first willing time trailing into sex wouldn¡¯t be something to regret, I¡¯d ensure it. No matter how slow he needed to take things, I¡¯d follow his lead.

    ¡°I¡¯d do nothing else for you.¡± The words rang with certainty and Dimitrius eased, eyes open and warm as my gaze slid back down to the painful tent in his sleep pants. The grey fabric was stretchy, giving a stark outline that made me itch to explore. After one last glance up to make sure he was still on board, I tucked a finger in the waistband.

    Keeping my eyes locked on his, I slid the fabric down, his cock revealing inch by tantalizing inch until finally it was free. Pale skin flushed dark red, a thick vein winding from the base up the underside toward the tip making my tongue peak out to wet my lips.

    How would it taste?

    My thighs clenched, vivid images of his hands fisting my hair and riding me like I¡¯d done to him almost making me want to go for a second round. He didn¡¯t seem the type to totally lose himself in the bedroom, but fuck the thought was glorious.

    He was gorgeous and now he was mine. I had time to think about taking him apart piece by piece, or having him fuck me like he¡¯d die if he stopped, later. For now, I had other things to focus on. Namely the cock standing to full attention not two inches from my hand. Trailing feather light touches across the triangle of his hips, his abs tensing under my fingers, I paused just by the base.

    Gold eyes all but drowning in lust caught mine, his head dipping in the slightest nod. Without further ado, I gripped him, my fingers not closing around the girth as I trailed my other hand up, up, up. Until my thumb rolled over the slit at his tip, a clear drop of liquid smearing across the pad as his eyes fluttered shut and he sucked in a sharp breath.

    A beat passed, then another. When he didn¡¯t tell me to stop, I repeated the motion, tightening my fingers around his base as I started a steady massage. A ripple of pleasure rolled through him, his fingers digging hard into the sheets as I gripped firmly and slid my head up to his tip. Skin slid with the motion and he bucked, a hiss filling the air as he fucked up into my hand.

    Guess I didn¡¯t have to ask if he was good to continue.

    His cock leaked, the clear liquid sliding down to coat my fingers and making the slid smoother. With each pull, his hips rose to meet me, shuddering thrusts picking up as his moans increased in pitch and frequency.

    I could finish him like this, but watching the tip poke out of my hand before ducking down again nudged me on.

    Remembering his earlier eye contact and the effect it¡¯d had on me, I opened my mouth and never once let my eyes leave his. Flicking my tongue out to taste, I reveled in the salt as he jerked, bowing off the bed as his hips snapped hard.

    A choked groan came, satisfaction bubbling under my skin as I did it again. Starting a rhythm, I soaked in the rush of pride reducing him to this brought me. When he started bucking harder, I inched just a bit further down his length.

    Wrapping my lips around the tip, I sank onto it and hummed. Like a ripple, his muscles bunched and released, a shudder trailing through him as a choked shout broke through the air. Smiling in glee¨Cas much as the cock in my mouth allowed¨CI started a steady rocking motion, even downward slide pulling him further and further into my throat.

    At least my gag reflex isn¡¯t sensitive.

    The thought was there and gone before I could really process it, my focus on the task at hand as his hands trailed into my hair. Just like I¡¯d hoped he pulled me closer, grip turning near bruising as he used the new leverage to drag me down him. Opening my jaw a tad more, I sank into the movement as his control unraveled.

    He was thick, thicker than any I¡¯d had before, and my lips almost hurt from stretching around him. That didn¡¯t stop me from sinking another inch down and hollowing my cheeks, the salty taste of him hitting my tongue in time with his choked moan.

    It¡¯d been awhile since I¡¯d done this, but if the hand fisting my hair was any indication I¡¯d say I still had it.

    With two more slow rocks, my nose pressed against blond curls at his base and his eyes rolled back, the tang of him touching my tongue. While I enjoyed knowing he was close, his eyelids weren¡¯t what I wanted to see.

    Keeping my teeth back, I swallowed around him, watching as his eyes flew open to lock with mine. Only experience made me pull back in time as he bucked, nearly stuffing my throat. The hand in my hair tightened, his thrusts picking up speed as moans came one after the other, the low rumbles imprinting in my memory as I picked up the pace.

    Reaching between us, I cupped his balls and smiled when they twitched threateningly. He wouldn¡¯t last long and as my throat began to burn from the tight fit, I was glad. Between his thickness and my previous screaming a dull burn was already starting low in my throat. I¡¯d probably need a popsicle after this, but oh I didn¡¯t mind in the slightest!

    Wrapping my hand around his base, his balls tightening in final warning, his fingers tugged me upward. Ignoring the message, I locked eyes with him and sank all the way down to swallow one last time, fingers stroking him in time.

    Understanding flickered, then his hips snapped up, burying himself to the base as he threw his head back. A choked shout of my name cut off midway through as his every muscle tensed to stone. Relaxing against him, I relished in the pulsing cock as it shot his load down my throat, some of it overflowing to bubble out the corner of my mouth.

    When the last of the tremors stopped, I pulled back and swiped it clean with a grin.

    Satisfaction curled through me as he turned hazy eyes my way, blond hair in complete disarray, though from his lashing or my fingers gripping it I wasn¡¯t sure.

    In short, he looked like the definition of ¡®just got laid¡¯ and I¡¯d be making it my personal goal to see that on him more often.

    Flopping against his chest, I sent him a saucy grin. ¡°Now that was fun.¡±

    He still faintly shook as a hand came up to stroke my spine, the fingers trailing under my borrowed shirt to slide along my tailbone. I¡¯d never had this quiet time after sex, and as I settled further into his chest, I sighed.

    I¡¯d had no idea what I¡¯d been missing out on.

    After a minute, the hand pulled me closer, the embrace warm as Dimitrius tucked his chin on top of my head. ¡°For the first time, I can completely agree.¡± His pleased rumble pulled me back to the present.

    I hated that he¡¯d never had any good experiences with this before, but I was happy he¡¯d chosen me to do it with now. Our first major test was behind us without a single hiccup, the success sending waves of triumph through me.

    Snuggling into his throat, I reveled in it. Hopefully the future hurtles would go as well.

    ¡°And it only gets better as we get to know each other.¡± I said, pausing at the end to cough, my throat protesting so much talk after its most recent abuse. Though calling it that may be wrong, since I¡¯d enjoyed every minute of those screams¡­

    Making a note to keep a water bottle by the bed in the future, I went to ignore the discomfort only for Dimitrius to pull back with a frown. Concern furrowed his brow and I cut him off before he could worry excessively.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, it¡¯s normal for my throat to be a bit sore. Screaming orgasms tend to do that.¡± The scratchy tone didn¡¯t soothe him and before I could argue he was up and moving from the bed.

    ¡°I shall be right back. I refuse to relax while you are in any way uncomfortable because of me.¡± Then he was gone, barely stopping long enough to pull on pants and a shirt before hauling ass out the door. Shaking my heat in amusement, I stretched and waited for him to come back.

    The mild soreness really didn¡¯t bother me, but if his severe reaction was anything to go by it bothered him and I wasn¡¯t about to sneer at the concern. After so long with no one caring, I was happy to soak in the new change. Besides, I had a hunch why he reacted like this.

    He probably had experience with the soreness I felt, but his screams hadn¡¯t been from pleasure. The thought threatened to sour my mood, before I quickly shucked it to the side. Later I¡¯d tell him that I didn¡¯t mind the soreness, but there was nothing wrong with soaking in his unique brand of caring for now.

    Barely two minutes passed before he came back, the sight of what was in his hands making me sit up in excitement. He handed over the chocolate and mint milkshake without hesitation, sliding to sit behind me as he leaned against the headboard.

    ¡°Apparently Scott knew you would require it as he had it prepared and ready when I came to the kitchen.¡±

    Considering how loud I¡¯d screamed before, that didn¡¯t surprise me. I should probably be embarrassed by that, but honestly I was too happy to care. So, the rest of the house knew I¡¯d gotten very lucky, so what?

    It wasn¡¯t as if Dimitrius and I were screwing in plain sight and he definitely wasn¡¯t going to tolerate me being quiet, so everyone else would just have to suffer through it. Let them be envious of me, I would be in their place.

    Once the shake was half gone and the burning my throat somewhat soothed, I put it to the side and focused back on Dimitrius. Trailing a hand up into his hair, I fixed it back to a somewhat orderly state. I hated breaking our little bubble, but reality would come knocking soon.

    ¡°So do you want to get up and start the day or sleep for the rest of it?¡± I asked, hoping he¡¯d take the second option even as I knew he wouldn¡¯t. Sure enough, his eyes darkened as some of the previous glow dimmed.

    ¡°As much as I wish to stay and lounge in bed with you, there are things that must be done. Mary¡¯s parents must be informed and the other children need to be returned home.¡±

    His hand wove into my hair, tilting my head back to drop a kiss against my temple. Pulling back after a second, he requested. ¡°While I could handle it alone, I would appreciate you coming as well for those tasks. If you would prefer to stay here I will not hold it against-.¡±

    Cutting him off with a slow, languid kiss, I shook my head. ¡°Nope, I¡¯m with you ¡®til the end of this. You need me? I¡¯m there, it¡¯s that easy. Now let¡¯s get dressed and get this day over with. We can come back to cuddling later. After all, I have an open invitation to your bed now and if you think I¡¯m not taking full advantage of that, you don¡¯t know me half as well as I thought you did.¡±

    His lips quirked, but he didn¡¯t argue as I hopped out of bed, moving to the bathroom to pull on my pants from yesterday. Eyeing the shirt for a minute, I shrugged and left without it. Walking back out, I tucked the hem of his shirt in, lifting a brow when scorching honey eyes leveled on me.

    Shrugging unrepentantly, I asked. ¡°What? Your shirt is comfortable and it smells like you.¡±

    A smile twitched across his lips. ¡°That is more than acceptable, though focusing throughout the day will be difficult. Let us go, before I throw you onto the bed and nothing gets done.¡±

    Eyeing the bed, I considered throwing myself onto it so we could get a head start on that, before shaking the urge to the side. While the thought was beyond enticing, we didn¡¯t have time for that right now. Linking my arm with his, I relaxed as we breezed out of the room.

    Today was far from over, but if nothing else I¡¯d have the wonderful morning to remember when things inevitably went to shit.

    What we¡¯d already done nearly sent me into orbit, so how fantastic would being intertwined with him be?

    Or maybe the better question is, how long would my brain be out of commission until all its cells revived¡­

    Well, eventually I¡¯d find out.

 Lesson In Biology And Were Back In Action

    Chapter Twenty Two

    ¡°Something Scott said made me wonder, do we have to worry about condoms?¡±

    The question came from nowhere and Dimitrius paused in reaching for one of the papers surrounding us at the table. We¡¯d been working for hours, going through the printed interviews of the various parents in hopes of finding something we can use.

    After months with no information, it didn¡¯t hurt to try to find something this way. There had to be some kind of commonality between each case. As of yet, we hadn¡¯t found it though and that left my mind with time to wander to odd topics.

    As it did now.

    Unfreezing, he hummed curiously. ¡°No, incubi and succubi do not breed through the exchange of sperm and egg cells. I briefly mentioned this when I initially told you of what we are, but perhaps a more in-depth discussion is needed?¡±

    I nodded and he continued.

    ¡°The tales sat the original incubus was a human rapist who, after his death, continued to torment women in their dreams, feeding on and impregnating them. While the truth of those legends is unknown, the point remains that incubi and succubi can only reproduce through a dream state. There are no accidental pregnancies for my people as we must use our power to uphold that dream state.¡±

    Curiosity and the thirst for knowledge burned to the surface as I prodded. ¡°Good to know we won¡¯t need a rubber when the time comes, but if there are no accidental pregnancies then how did we get such a massive boom in children all of a sudden?¡±

    His brow furrowed, confusion deepening the lines of his face, before I explained further.

    ¡°I mean, you said it yourself that this is more kids of your blood than you¡¯ve seen in¡­ever. None of the parents we¡¯ve interviewed were incubi or succubi either. This kind of thing can¡¯t be passed down through the blood or skip generations, so someone must have purposefully impregnated the women.¡±

    Scratching my head, I shrugged. ¡°If there¡¯s no emotional reason, then why are there suddenly so many incubi and succubi kids with no ¡®demon¡¯ parent there for them?¡±

    Nothing about this made sense.

    Then, Dimitrius¡¯s face shifted into a mask of disbelief, unease pouring off him in waves as he muttered. ¡°No¡­it is not possible.¡±

    Okay, now you see, that really wasn¡¯t comforting. Hardly anything shook Dimitrius. So what could he possibly be thinking of that would merit the dawning fear in his eyes?

    Settling a hand over his, I prodded as nerves bubbled in my gut. ¡°Dimitrius, what are you thinking?¡±

    He shook his head as if pulling himself back to the present. ¡°It is told that there was a war many years ago. An incubus, supposedly the original, spawned hundreds of children. Once they reached maturity he took them, trained them to be weapons in his army.¡±

    Honey eyes drifted to the papers in front of him as color dropped from his cheeks. ¡°Only the interference of humans, magically enhanced beings, and others of my blood who disagreed with his quest for world domination stopped his plans.¡±

    A hint of green encroached on his features. ¡°Afterward, my people were slaughtered. The fear of what we could do becoming known, fear spreading like wildfire until there were so few of us left it was assumed we were extinct. We allowed others to think that for our safety.¡±

    Staring at him in dumbstruck disbelief, ice slid down my spine like a snake as I took it in. An ancient incubus with a god complex from hell, raising an army to take over the world. This was the stuff of fairy tales!

    Which, if something similar was happening here, meant we were the ragtag group of idiots bent on saving anyone. I really didn¡¯t like the sound of that. Heroes always got screwed in the end and I wasn¡¯t keen on being one of them. Not with my track record with being bent over by fate.

    Sitting back, I glared at the papers and groaned. ¡°By the seven hells, I did not sign up for saving the world.¡±

    Dimitrius finally broke from his frozen stupor, throwing me an amused glance with a heavy edge of worry. ¡°We might not have a choice if that is what is happening. I pray that we are overreaching, because if that is indeed what we will be facing¡­¡±

    He swept a glance around at the papers. ¡°We will need every bit of help we can get.¡±

    Unfortunately, help wasn¡¯t exactly lining up to our door. Being the ¡®Useless Mage¡¯ would ensure the council never listened to a word I said. Even if we had proof, those old blowhards would see the world burn before they helped me.

    I was the outcast, always had been, and bringing this to them would do nothing but sign Dimitrius¡¯s death warrant.

    The flash of hot, sharp fear soaked blood thirst lashed me then.

    I¡¯d kill every last one of them before I allowed that to happen. Dimitrius wouldn¡¯t be harmed, by the council or anyone else.

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    Resisting the urge to spit a string of profanity, I bit back a sigh. This was why I didn¡¯t get involved with things, and I couldn¡¯t walk away now either.

    Resigning myself to being the hero, a role I never wanted, I tried to be positive for both our sakes. ¡°Maybe we¡¯re wrong. For all we know incubi may have wanted to repopulate your species or something. We can¡¯t jump to these conclusions until we have solid evidence and to get that we need to talk to the mothers.¡±

    Gripping the logical train of thought with both hands, I continued down it. ¡°If they can give us a description of the one who impregnated them, we at least have a place to start. To my knowledge, there are no tracking potions that work off photos or drawings of a person, but I¡¯ll ask around. For now, we have to focus on what we can do.¡±

    The ill expression left his face as he nodded, determination settling like a veil as he gathered the papers close to him again. ¡°You are right. I shall make a list of the women we can contact. With any luck, your guess that my brethren are trying to increase our population. It would still be a heinous thing to do, but it is leaps and bounds better than the alternate option.¡±

    Yeah, stopping an incubus trying to take over the world was definitely not how I wanted to spend my Tuesday, especially if it ended in another species wide slaughter.

    Instinctively, my hand drifted to his, squeezing to reassure myself that he was safely beside me.

    It didn¡¯t matter, if it did turn into a bloodbath I¡¯d just have to ensure Dimitrius¡¯s identity stayed hidden from the magic council and the humans.

    I¡¯d raze the battlefield and anyone who tried to aim a weapon at him if it came down to it. He wouldn¡¯t be taken from me, not while I breathed.

    There were a select few plants that could neutralize all magic in the area around them. Most of the magical world treated them like weeds, ripping them apart the second they found them, so getting my hands on some seeds shouldn¡¯t be too hard¡­

    ***

    I tightened the notches on my belt, the fancy leather holsters tucked neatly out of sight against my stomach as I ignored the rub of leather on skin.

    It¡¯d taken us the better part of a week to sift through all the women, but now we had a potential lead on top of a base to hit.

    Thankfully the base was on the way to the mother we¡¯d be questioning, making it easier on us.

    The mother were visiting¨CIsabelle Collins¨Cwas different from the others. While the other parents had only been visited once in their dreams, she had been visited continually over the course of years.

    And she was pregnant again from the same man she¡¯d seen in her dreams.

    For the incubi to focus on her in a way he hadn¡¯t to any of the others spelled nothing good.

    Why would he bother continuing to torture her? Some kind of grudge match maybe¡­ Or maybe he¡¯d fixated on her after bumping into her. It was astounding what could cause stalkers to latch onto people.

    Forcing away the questions with no answers, I sighed. Whatever the reason, hopefully we¡¯d manage to spare her from it. She¡¯d survived through years of mental torture, pushing through her son while dealing with it.

    She¡¯d suffered enough, peace was more than owed to her. Now if I could just figure out how to give her that.

    Checking one last time that my weapons were placed correctly, I faced Dimitrius who stood at the doorway with an intent look leveled my way.

    ¡°I have said it before, but it bears repeating, you look ravishing in that suit.¡±

    Considering the leather hugged my everything, it wasn¡¯t surprising he liked it. I definitely enjoyed the matching one he wore. Shelving my previous line of thought, I grinned impishly and raked a long look up his frame.

    The tight leather all but painted onto his thighs and chest, giving me quite the show as trailed my gaze from his shoes all the way up his frame. Sauntering over with a deliberate sway, I curled my fingers into one of the straps on his chest and tugged with a purr.

    ¡°Oh trust me darling, you look just as appetizing, but focus. We have things to finish and at the moment we aren¡¯t on each other¡¯s to-do lists. Later, after we¡¯ve talked to the mother and sent the kids home, then we can explore more.¡±

    He nodded, though his eyes stayed glued to my chest, one of his hands lifting to trace down my side. Once it rested on the well of my bottom, he dragged me against his front. Dropping his mouth to my ear, he growled. ¡°Indeed, suddenly later seems quite far but you are right. There is much to do and little time to do it in, but Julian?¡±

    My name rolled of his tongue, sending shivers down my spine as he brushed his cheek to scrape sensually against my throat.

    ¡°When we get back, neither of us will be leaving this room until I all but glow from the energy I pull from your arousal.¡±

    Heat threatened to stuff my head, before I nodded to shake it aside. ¡°Can¡¯t wait.¡± Before he could say anything else to make me say ¡®fuck it¡¯ to our plans and drag him back to the bed, I ran for the door.

    ¡°Come on, the quicker we get this finished, the quicker ¡®later¡¯ comes.¡±

    His chuckle rang from behind me, the throaty noise rubbing too pleasantly as he followed. ¡°Right behind you my darling.¡±

    We hardly made it three feet from the front door before a quiet voice stopped us.

    ¡°Are you saving more kids like me?¡±

    I spun, facing Avery. The boy¡¯s wounds had healed well, scarring over into thin web like strikes across his face. Wide gold eyes stared up at me as he moved down the staircase, fisting a hand in my pants when he made it to my side.

    I shot a glance Dimitrius¡¯s direction before nodding, kneeling to be at his level.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the plan. Think you can get everything ready here for when we get back? I¡¯m sure they¡¯re going to be scared like you were.¡±

    And in need of showers, clothes and a friend.

    The boy lit up, a wide smile stretching his lips as he glowed. ¡°I can do that.¡± Then the smile fell, his toes nudging the ground as he tugged my pants and muttered. ¡°Will you two be okay? Those men holding us were scary.¡±

    And there went my heart again, melting into my shoes.

    Ruffling his hair gently, I nodded. ¡°Yup, we¡¯ll be just fine. We probably won¡¯t be coming back with the kids though, not at first. We have something else to do. So don¡¯t worry, alright?¡±

    His lower lip wobbled a bit before he blinked the tears away. In a flash, arms wound around my shoulders in a hug, holding on for the briefest second before he darted away. ¡°Be safe, come home soon!¡± He threw the words over his shoulder, cheeks scorching red as I stood up with a shake of my head.

    Dimitrius breezed to my side, lips quirking slightly as he led us to the car. ¡°He adores you.¡±

    I shrugged, ignoring the warmth to my cheeks. ¡°He¡¯s cute, I¡¯ll give him that. Bad choice in role model though. He should admire you.¡±

    Dimitrius shook his head, kissing the top of mine with a chuckle. ¡°You have many admirable traits, Julian. When we return, I will be sure to list them. For now though, let us get to the first base. The drive is two hours long and we must hurry, lest they become aware of our plan.¡±

    I bobbed my head in agreement, settling into the car as unease slid through my veins again. No amount of brushing it aside worked, like a balloon it floated to the surface again, fisting a hand around my gut.

    Sneaking a glance outside the car window, I took a deep breath and sent up a prayer.

    Please, watch over us.

 Here There Be Traps

    Chapter Twenty Three

    ¡°There aren¡¯t any magical signatures inside so the guards should be human.¡± I said, letting my power coil back into me.

    Dimitrius nodded, stepping forward. ¡°Good, then this shall be easy.¡±

    The confidence in his tone pulled a smile from me as I gestured for him to do his thing. Ever since he¡¯d started feeding regularly, his power grew by leaps and bounds. An unplanned bonus to our relationship, but I wouldn¡¯t complain, especially considering he¡¯d been pulling energy from our ¡®explorations¡¯ lately instead of a kiss.

    I¡¯d thought it was intense just from the kiss, but feeling the bond while we were in the throes of passion? A shiver worked down my spine. It was an entirely new playing field.

    Again, thoughts of later clouded my mind, the familiar double pulse starting between my thighs even as I shoved it down. Now was not the time, though if he wanted to we had hours on the plane ride ahead of us¡­

    Putting that to the side for now, I focused. Just because there were no magical signatures didn¡¯t mean there were no incubi or succubi guards.

    I¡¯d prefer to think no one would put their own kind through what those kids lived, but darkness lived in all mortal beings hearts. Species didn¡¯t matter, as long as they were people at their core, they were corruptible.

    The bite of my leather sheathed knives yanked me to the present as Dimitrius raised his arms, power fanning out to grab all the humans inside the building. Just as I¡¯d seen before, one by one they came marching out, matching glazed looks on their faces.

    Well, he obviously had things covered here, no reason to sit and gawk at him. Besides, I wanted to get on that airplane and discuss that whole ¡®later¡¯ thing.

    Moving toward the modest one story house, I threw over my shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m going to check it out and make sure there were no guards hidden. Catch up with me after you¡¯ve got them secured.¡±

    He nodded, all his focus centered on the humans before him as he pulled out zip ties from the pack around his waist.

    Breezing through the house, I paused briefly to wonder at the painfully perfect surroundings. Everything was straight out of a decorating magazine and it burned my eyes. I¡¯d always hated the ¡®museum¡¯ vibe to houses like this and now was definitely not an exception.

    Shaking that to the side, I carefully moved through each of the rooms, clearing them, before finally coming to a small pantry like closet shoved into the corner of the kitchen. A lock sat on the outside, telling me exactly what I¡¯d find.

    I paused before heading in, calling over my shoulder. ¡°I found where the children are being held.¡±

    Hardly a second later, Dimitrius came around the corner, eyes riveted on the door as he nodded. ¡°Then let us rescue them. Our plane is set to leave in half an hour and my staff is ready outside to transport the children back to the house.¡±

    I hummed, facing the door. Flipping the lock, I eased inside while bracing for whatever waited. Thankfully it wasn¡¯t nearly as horrifying as the last base.

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    There were only a handful of children and all but one was watching me warily. The last huddled in the corner, obviously frozen still with terror. Taking in the other heads of blonde hair, I shot back to Dimitrius¡¯s worry over this being one incubus.

    He¡¯d mentioned that children of his blood always inherited the physical traits of the ¡®demon¡¯ parent, and now that I thought about it, had all the kids so far been blonde?

    Glancing to the corner where a single girl cowered, I noted the brown hair with relief. Okay, maybe we were over reaching and blonde was just a common hair color among incubi.

    Letting that relief sit for a minute, I turned back to Dimitrius while gesturing to the girl in the corner. ¡°I¡¯ll worry about the others if you can get her?¡±

    He didn¡¯t say a word, already moving for the corner as I faced the others. Crouching to their height, I soothed. ¡°Hi, I know things are scary but we¡¯re here to save you.¡±

    Instead of breaking down in tears of relief or flinging themselves at me¨Cboth common reactions thus far¨Cguilt painted their expressions. One of the girls stepped forward, tears running down her cheeks as she spoke lowly through sniffles and fear.

    ¡°They said you would be¡­¡±

    Ice dropped into my gut like a punch, alarms screaming through my mind as my previous wariness came roaring back. Before I could ask just what in the fuck she meant, a spike of magic strong enough to make my hair stand to attention as if I¡¯d been electrocuted knifed through the air.

    Shit, there had been a magical here! For me not to notice them they must have sensed us coming and cloaked their power.

    Whirling around, I tried to pinpoint the source¨Can illusion maybe?¨Conly for soul sucking dread to hit in the next instant when I found it. The last girl.

    Dimitrius was trying to soothe her, eyes on her face and completely unaware of her hands and their gesturing. When the girl landed on the last symbol in the sequence, realization dawned and terror flooded my veins with adrenaline.

    Lurching into action, I cursed my naivety as I blurred across the room. This had been a trap and I¡¯d walked right into it! I couldn¡¯t let Dimitrius pay for my lapse in judgement.

    Not again.

    Barely making it in time before the mage disguised as a child attached the spell to Dimitrius, I fisted my hand in his outer leather and ripped him back. His choked noise of surprise echoed in my ears, relief hitting like a wave when the mage¡¯s hand met air.

    Only to immediately dissolve when the ¡®child¡¯ turned cold eyes on me, lips pursuing in an entirely different spell as her magic shifted, changing course.

    Ripping a spelled gem from my pack, I surged magic into it and snapped. ¡°Corrumpebant!¡± The mage flinched back, realizing a second too late what I was doing as the gem attached to her chest.

    The cloud of magic around the mage began dissipating, the gem working immediately, and I sighed in relief. Too close.

    Before I could turn to check on Dimitrius, the mage sneered, the half formed and fading on her fingers flinging my way as a last ditch attempt at retaliation. Too close to dodge, I braced as the Taint spell slammed full force into me. The effects were immediate.

    The room spun dangerously as if the world was turning right off its axis, my stomach joining the ride as it threatened to heave up its contents. The temperature of the room dropped, shivers wracking my frame and I vaguely felt the collision of something hard against my side.

    I couldn¡¯t focus enough to identify it though, every last drop of my focus was on the weight now settling over me like a blanket.

    A far off part of my mind screamed in alarm, screamed that I needed to cast a cleansing spell, but my magic slid between my fingers like sand, refusing to come to my call. After another attempt, I shuddered, the illness doing rounds over me only increasing as exhaustion slammed over my head like a brick.

    Dear Lord, I was tired. Surely a nap wouldn¡¯t hurt before I got back on that cleansing spell?

    Just before darkness swallowed me, a voice drenched in terror called out, breaking through the haze.

    ¡°Julian, open your eyes!¡±

    I tried, hating the fear oozing off his words, but cement poured over the lids. Not even a twitch no matter how hard I tried. The more I struggled, the worse the exhaustion got until my energy drained away like sand in an hourglass.

    Distantly, I felt someone lift me, shaking my shoulders as the panicked voice came closer. This time I couldn¡¯t make anything out but white noise and the spell working through me pulsed again, slamming the lid on my coffin of my consciousness as everything faded away.

 The True Meaning of Fear

    Chapter Twenty Four

    Dimitrius¡¯s Pov

    In my life, I thought I knew fear.

    It had been a constant companion in my early years, but staring at Julian¡¯s crumpled form, the flush already making way across her brow, I gained a new definition of the word fear.

    Terror closed my throat, a fist gripping tight around my lungs and heart as I lunged my love¡¯s side, searching desperately for the rhythmic rise and fall of life.

    Throughout our relationship, the thought of her falling never came. She hardly left my side and I would not allow something to harm her. That was what I had thought, until now.

    Cradling her to my chest, red cascading over her cheeks from the spell thrown over her, the truth hit. I could not lose her. This woman had curled into my life, my heart and my bed¨Call places no other had successfully planted themselves¨Cif she were to pass, life would be hollow, devoid of color¡­

    It would rend me asunder to lose her now.

    The desperation that had led her to convincing me to feed all those weeks ago gripped me tight, refusing to let go as I shook her. ¡°Julian, you must open your eyes! I do not know how to fix this with you!¡±

    Not without knowing just what had been done. We had made impressive strides in my education into the magical world, but this was beyond me. I knew not what spell had been cast, or its counter.

    Hopelessness seeped like ice through my veins as Julian went slack, only the rise of her chest keeping the panic at bay. Then, from the corner of my gaze, I saw her.

    The mage.

    Still in the form of a child, she smirked confidently, the blood in my veins boiling at the sight. She had hurt Julian¨Cmy Julian¨Cand had the audacity to smile as if she were safe?

    A long sleeping wrath awoke in my chest, the beast sucking in air through dusty lungs as I bore down on the mage who had the sense to look uneasy now. Glaring with every ounce of the hate I possessed, I snarled.

    ¡°What did you do to her?¡±

    The mage swallowed, face paling to paper white as she cleared her throat. ¡°I cast Taint.¡± She glanced at Julian before grimacing. ¡°Well, half of it.¡±

    I did not like the sound of that.

    Dread writhed in my chest like a snake, thrashing and knocking into everything around it. Clasping Julian tighter to me, I advanced on the mage who immediately began backing away, hands thrown up in fright.

    ¡°You can¡¯t kill me, you¡¯ll need the information I have!¡± She bleated, the wide eyes of a child not inspiring pity how she most likely hoped.

    She hurt Julian, there was no form she could take that would protect her from my wrath.

    Fisting a hand into her clothes, I hefted her up to my face and hissed. ¡°Killing you is not in the plan, but you will be coming with me. Pick a god to pray to, for if she does not wake from this I will spend every minute of my waking life tearing you apart piece by piece until I am ready to join her past the veil.¡±

    The mage swallowed again, but before she could open her mouth to plea for a mercy I would not give, one of the children behind me inched forward. Her eyes stayed locked to the ground, shame and fear swirling around her like a physical miasma as she hastily glanced in my direction.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, they told us if we warned you they¡¯d hurt us.¡±

    Tears trailed down her cheeks even as she braced for what she must think was a beating. Usually, I would comfort her¨Cassure her that I not anyone else would lay a finger on her¨Cbut now was not such a time.

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    The person my existence was now melded with fought for every breath against my chest, I could focus on nothing else. Instead of responding to the apology, I gestured to the exit roughly.

    ¡°We must leave, now. Once we are safely within my home¡¯s walls, your parents will be called to retrieve you.¡±

    Not bothering to hear her response, I hauled the disguised mage out the door, not loosening my hold on her or Julian. The second we left the house, my staff rushed toward us, Scott pausing to take in the odd sight we made.

    I breezed past him, ignoring the confused and wary glance he threw the mage clasped in my fist. Marching to the nearest car, I opened the trunk, slammed a firm fist into the mage¡¯s head, and dropped her into it.

    Slamming the lid shut, I faced the eyes of my staff, all watching with confusion. I should not waste time, not when the amount I had to work with was unknown, but this much had to be explained.

    ¡°That is a mage spelled to look like a child, this entire setup was a trap as the other children will tell you. Cancel our flight, I must go home and tend to Julian.¡±

    With any luck there would be something in the many books we had amassed that would prove useful.

    Moving to the backseat of the car I threw the mage into, I gestured for Scott to drive as I settled Julian across the seat, her head in my lap. Scott said nothing and asked no questions, hitting the gas. Now on the way home, I turned my focus to the body partially in my lap.

    None of the spells we discussed had these effects, but one of her books had to have the answer. We could not have come this far only for this to be what separated us.

    Shifting a hand through her hair, noting the sticky sweat near her scalp, I bent to whisper, hoping she could hear. ¡°Be strong, my darling. I will fix this, but you must give me time.¡±

    It could have been my imagination, but she seemed to relax. Though whether she understood or was merely comforted by the sound of my voice, I was uncertain.

    It mattered none, if it put her at ease to hear me speak, then speak I shall.

    ¡°When you recover you will have to tell me what this spell is. It seems dreadful. If my guess is accurate, this was cast by an Exitium mage. If I am honest, your dislike of them is beginning to rub off¡­¡±

    ***

    The hours passed in agonizing slowness as we inched our way back home. Hardly fifteen minutes after we left, Julian began to writhe as if in the throes of agony. The only thing stopping her from struggling free was the secure grip I held around her.

    Quiet whimpers and moans of pain twisted my heart, wrenching a burning knife through it as I curled her closer, spoke just a tad louder in hopes of reaching wherever she was. By the time we pulled into the drive of my home, I was coming undone at the seams.

    Vaulting out of the car before it completely stopped, I barked over my shoulder. ¡°See to it that the mage is taken directly to the basement. If anyone removes that gem from her chest I will exact the same punishment on them as the mage herself will get.¡±

    Scott bowed smartly, moving to do as told without further ado.

    Blurring down the halls at breakneck speeds, I skid to a stop outside of Julian¡¯s room. All books on magic were kept in here when not in use, for the sake of ease. Shouldering the door open, I moved to the bed and gently set her down.

    When I moved to pull away, a hand twisted in my shirt, stopping me. One hazy lavender eye opened, blurry with sickness as she tried futilely to tug me to the bed.

    ¡°Don¡¯ go¡­¡±

    Her voice was hardly a whisper, strained and tired in a way I had never heard before as raw pleading dragged the knife deeper in my heart. Bending to kiss her head, I soothed.

    ¡°I shall be right here, trust that you will not be alone while you are weakened.¡±

    With the flush of fever still high on her cheeks, I doubt she could understand. Putting aside the clawing fear trying to choke me, I untangled her fingers and moved for the bookshelf. Little else was in her room despite the many times I told her she could decorate.

    A pang of affection quickly followed by fear lanced through me, before I focused on the present.

    Glancing over the titles, I took any that sounded potentially useful before returning to her side. Julian cracked an eye open, the vermillion flush staining her cheeks having crawled to her throat in the time it had taken us to arrive.

    Running a hand through her hair again, the motion pulling a soft sigh from her, I put the books on the nightstand and moved for the door, ignoring her quiet noise of protest. Opening it, I caught one of the passing staff members.

    ¡°Deliver a thermometer, wet washcloth, ice pack, bottles of water, and some light soup.¡± Not waiting for confirmation, I closed the door and against the headboard next to Julian, my back flush with it. A flash of relief curled through her as she tried to inch further against my leg.

    Stroking a hand against her cheek, I soothed. ¡°I promised I will be going nowhere and I meant it. Now then, can you tell me what spell was cast on you or how to break it?¡±

    Her brow creased in confusion, the fever too heavy of a blanket for her to shrug off and I bit back a sigh.

    ¡°Never mind, I suppose that would have been too easy.¡±

    She hummed quietly before trying to drag her head upward onto my thigh. It fell after a minute, exhaustion clear in each failed attempt as the pitiful sight tugged on my heart. This was not like Julian, my strong and ferocious Julian. But I would fix this.

    Gently maneuvering her head onto my thigh, her quiet sigh of pleasure wiping away some of the knotting tension in my chest, I reached for the stack of books to my right.

    Time was short, but with any luck I would find a way to break¨Cor at least hold level¨Cher curse. I doubted it would break as any regular fever would, but I had nothing to lose and everything to gain from trying.

 Meet The Family

    Chapter Twenty Five

    By the end of the hour, the urge to toss the books aside was overwhelming. Not a one of them mentions a spell with these effects or how to counter it.

    The wet rag across Julian¡¯s head had calmed her somewhat, but her temperature was still dangerously high and I had no way of lowering it other than what I was doing.

    Would that work, or would her body give out before the illness could run its course?

    The thought of her dying, going where I could not follow, after discovering only a percentage of what our love could be, burned like the hottest iron in my throat.

    The questions circled one another, threatening to drive me to insanity alongside the despair digging poisonous nails across my heart, until a commotion from outside the room called my attention.

    Shouting¨Cfrom the staff and an unknown feminine voice¨Ccame through the walls and the crackle of magic trailed along my skin like a caress. Mage, whoever was here, they were a mage. Hope ignited in my chest, bolstering when one clear sentence touched my ears.

    ¡°Let me through, I¡¯m here to save that dipshit, Julian.¡±

    Part of me bristled at the insult even as I gently disentangled myself from my love¨Cher head still using my thigh as her pillow, for both our comfort¨Cand made for the door. Hope surged up, drowning everything else as I entered the hallway to an¡­interesting sight.

    Scott stood firm and tall in front of a woman, her skin faintly glowing though from magic or natural beauty I was unsure. Her mouth set in a scowl as she glared Scott down, a slender fox standing confidently on her shoulders as it too glared at my staff.

    The black of the creature¡¯s fur mingled with the woman¡¯s short locks, contrasting against the brilliant sunset pink of her hair. Shaking off my surprise at the unexpected guess, I placed a hand on Scott¡¯s shoulder to ease him.

    Turning to face her myself, I spoke with authority. ¡°You say you are here to heal her, but how did you know she was harmed to begin with?¡±

    I would be happy to accept any help offered, but I was no fool. Julian was hated in mass by her people. I would not allow anyone to hurt her while I still breathed.

    The fox¡¯s head swung in my direction, followed shortly by its master. The second we locked gazes, another surprise dawned on me. This woman was blind.

    Her eyes stared right through me, unable to focus on anything as she huffed. ¡°My name is Seraphina Boltzman and if my hunch is right, Julian already told you how I knew she was in danger. It¡¯s kind of my thing.¡±

    The seer. Any uncertainty drained away into bone melting relief. This was the seer who had first sent Julian to me. Nodding for the staff to let her pass, I gestured for her forward, only to grimace. She was blind, I reminded myself.

    Before I could speak my permission for her to come closer, she just as asked, the scowl never leaving her lips.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you have questions, but they need to wait. She¡¯s been under the spell too long as it is. You¡¯ve done well keeping it at bay with prosaic methods, but only a magical remedy will clear it.¡± She said, confirming what I feared.

    I moved out of her way, shelving my curiosity to follow her into Julian¡¯s room. Hope that beat at the walls of my chest doubled, encasing everything as the seer breezed to Julian¡¯s side. She would be healed soon, healthy and whole with me as she should.

    The gripping my chest eased the slightest bit to that.

    Following a step behind Seraphina, watching for any suspicious movements, I explained what I knew. ¡°We were freeing children at a base. One of our enemies disguised themselves as a child and struck when we let out guards down.¡±

    She nodded, the fox turning to stare at Julian¡¯s shivering form with calculating eyes, before she spoke again. ¡°Would you happen to have any fresh lavender, rosemary and thyme? I¡¯m out and didn¡¯t want to waste time stopping at a store.¡±

    Turning to the staff still hovering in the doorway, I nodded, watching them zip off to get the requested items. Shifting my focus back to the bed, I took in the woman with open curiosity. Her movements were sure, unlike any blind person I ever knew once outside of their domicile.

    Her voice broke the silence. ¡°I can practically hear you thinking from here and the short answer is this; the fox on my shoulder is my seeing eye. The lengthy explanation will come later once this troublesome brat is up and moving again.¡±

    Accepting that, I took the offered items from the staff before shooing them away. Just before the doors shut, I noticed a small face with wide eyes and grimaced.

    Avery. He had caught snippets of what had happened, but the staff kept him occupied during my search for Julian¡¯s cure. I would need to reassure him once things settled here. He was sure to be worried for her¡­

    Turning back to Seraphina, I offered the bundle of herbs. ¡°How will these help clear this illness?¡±

    Her mouth twisted, irritation with the question clear even as she answered. ¡°All three of these herbs are well known for their purifying ability. While I could do the spell without them it would cost considerably more power on my part. Material resources reduce the output we have to use and in times like this that¡¯s insanely valuable.¡±

    So saying, she put the herbs in the palm of her hand, taking out a line of twine to tie them together before pulling out a lighter. Instinctively, I tensed, watching her light the bushel aflame entirely too close to Julian for my liking. Forcing down the urge to interfere, I watched, gritting my teeth.

    She must have sensed my unease, because her irritated frown melted into a knowing smile. ¡°You love her, don¡¯t you?¡±

    The refusal was on the tip of my tongue, but it never came. Slowly, the truth of the matter hit as if I were sliding over the edge of a waterfall. I did love her.

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    Despite the short amount of time we knew one another; that remained true. Thinking of a life without Julian, it burned like a hot iron in my chest and only a fool would deny what was painfully clear.

    I was no fool.

    Seraphina took my stunned silence as an answer, her chuckle sounding next. ¡°Good, she needs more people in her corner and no one in our community is going to be it. I¡¯ll always be here when she needs it, but the more people watching out for her reckless ass, the higher her odds of survival are.¡±

    With that, she swiped the burning bushel to rest directly over Julian¡¯s chest. Magic eased out of her, the same I had felt before, as if saturated the air. Once it formed a cloud around the two, she whispered. ¡°Restituere.¡±

    The dim glow surrounding her skin brightened, confirming my previous suspicion that it had been magic, before forming a wispy smoke that entered Julian¡¯s lungs. Immediately, she improved.

    Magic sank through her skin, the flush dying away as blue and soothing energy trailed through Julian¡¯s veins, lighting them from the inside out until it reached her eyes.

    After a long, breathless moment of anticipation, her brow smoothed and she groaned, coming awake as I took my first full breath of air in hours.

    ¡°Ugh, what hit me?¡±

    With the force of a dam breaking, relief tore through me, my knees unable to hold my weight as I sat next to her. Before I could answer, Seraphina beat me to it.

    ¡°A mage who¡¯d disguised herself as a child. Really, Julian? You know better than to let your guard down like that.¡± The scolding tone would put any school teacher to shame and Julian groaned, cracking an eye open to find her friend.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah. Can we save the lecture for later? I feel like roadkill that¡¯s been run over, backed up on and then pissed over.¡± Her eyes narrowed then. ¡°Why are you here anyway?¡±

    The pinkette scoffed. ¡°What a nice question to ask the woman who saves your life. Again. I saw that you jumped in front of your lover boy here and took a Taint spell to the chest. It was half done, thankfully. If it¡¯d been full, I doubt I could have gotten her in time.¡±

    Then, Seraphina¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously. ¡°And while we¡¯re on that topic, what in the seven hells were you thinking? You have the power to clear diseases. If you¡¯d let him get hit you could have healed him instantly!¡±

    Julian glanced to me, meeting my eyes for the first time and sending a swooping joy through my chest at the tentative smile she gave.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t exactly thinking clearly at the time, Sera. Just knew I have to get him away from her. Thanks for coming though.¡± The last bit, she turned to her friend to say.

    Seraphina huffed, turning away, but even as she did, I saw the flash of relief to her face. She did not show it, but this woman had been just as scared for Julian as I myself had been.

    Now that the danger was passed though, it was time for introductions and answers. Gripping Julian¡¯s hand, I nodded to the pink haired woman.

    ¡°Yes, thank you for coming to her aid. I am eternally grateful for it. Now that the excitement has passed, shall we commence with niceties?¡±

    One of her brows rose in surprise before she gave an amused curl of the lips in Julian¡¯s direction, the fox doing the same. ¡°Trust you to find someone so well mannered. If he¡¯s half as calm as he sounds that will go a long way in keeping you out of trouble, since your impulse control is constantly on life support.¡±

    She sat back, relaxing for the first time since she stormed the house. ¡°But he¡¯s right, my previous introduction was too brief. As I said before, my name is Seraphina Boltzman. I¡¯m a Divinus and Auxilio mage, and you are?¡±

    Inching closer to Julian until her head rested in my lap again, the warmth shooing away the leftover shards of terror, I answered. ¡°Dimitrius Valentina. A true pleasure to meet you, Julian speaks fondly of you.¡±

    One of Seraphina¡¯s brows rose to that, an amused and fond smile curling her lips as she shot a glance to the still exhausted Julian. ¡°That¡¯s surprising, given we have a rivalry, of sorts. Still, it¡¯s nice to hear that she cares.¡±

    ¡°She is listening, you know.¡± Julian griped, voice edged with irritation I instinctively stroked a hand through her hair to soothe.

    The pinkette snorted. ¡°Yes, you are and I don¡¯t care. I had to race here to save your sorry ass because of a stupid mistake on your part. I¡¯ve earned the right to tease you a bit.¡±

    Julian eased, sinking into me further with a sigh. ¡°Sorry, as you can probably guess I¡¯m not feeling up to teasing right now.¡±

    Her friend nodded. ¡°Fair, considering how closely you brushed with death today. While there are things to discuss, I can practically feel your lover¡¯s urge to check you over from here. Is there a guest room I can rest in? We can talk about everything else later.¡±

    At that, I sat up straighter. ¡°If you will go with one of the staff they can lead you to temporary quarters.¡±

    As if on cue, the doors to the room opened and Scott came in, ready to do as told. The fox on Seraphina¡¯s shoulder turned curiously as its owner nodded. ¡°That sounds fine, now then. If you¡¯ll lead on so we can leave the lovebirds to themselves?¡±

    Then she was gone, leaving us alone one more. Turning my attention back to Julian, I relaxed, pulling her up to rest in my arms. Gripping her tight enough to bruise, I let the previous fear ooze out in waves.

    ¡°You scared centuries of life from me and I request that in the future you allow the spell to hit me. I can heal through feeing, you cannot.¡±

    She winced, guilt clear as she raised a hand to weakly stroke my cheek. ¡°Sorry. To be honest, I couldn¡¯t tell what spell she was casting. I could only see some of the hand gestures. It was a higher level one and Exitium. Quite a few of those could kill you at close range so I didn¡¯t stop to think.¡±

    I could understand that. Had our positions been switched I would have done much the same, but it mattered none. I could breathe now. She was recovering at an impressive rate and I no longer had to ponder how empty life would be without her.

    I had been careless today, too confident in myself and my increased powers and it nearly cost me everything. It would not happen again, I would ensure it.

    ¡°It matters none, from now on we shall both be careful and this situation will not repeat itself. For now, rest my darling. You need to recover and I will be going nowhere until you are well again.¡±

    Nudging off my shoes, I laid down next to her, the no longer feverish warmth comforting as she cuddled into my chest. My arm settled around her waist, fingers gripping and tracing the skin to reassure myself that she was alive and here with me.

    There were still many things to do, but I could not care. She was here, alive and well. I would ask for nothing else. We could bring Seraphina up to date tomorrow and call the mother we never met with to inform her of our delayed arrival.

    It could all be handled tomorrow.

    Before I could drift off, the stress of the past few hours draining me, a quiet squeak of floorboards by the door snapped me to full alertness. Julian shifted as well, hearing the same thing as I called.

    ¡°Avery, come in.¡±

    There was only one person it would be and, sure enough, the boy nervously poked his head through the door. The second his eyes landed on Julian, relief poured through him, a smile twitching across his lips as sniffled.

    ¡°You¡¯re okay!¡±

    Julian winced at his volume, but nodded.  ¡°Not feeling my best, but give me a bit of time and I will.¡±

    Avery hovered by the door, eyeing me with open uncertainty as Julian faded in and out of sleep. The question he would not voice hovered behind his eyes and I gestured him forward. ¡°I believe, it is time for a nap and¨Cif Julian would not mind the company¨Cwe could all use one.¡±

    Julian raised a brow, but did not argue. Instead, she shot a glance to Avery and lifted the blanket in invitation. The boy bounded across the room in a blur of gold, all but vaulting next to us before snuggling between our frames.

    Julian snorted, but said nothing, content to lay her head on my offered arm. Peace settled over us like a blanket as Avery cuddled closer, a small smile curling his lips that matched the one Julian sported.

    It was¡­right. This felt, to the marrow of my bones, right and with it, my earlier revelation came rushing back. I loved her.

    Sweeping a glance over her lightly dozing features, I let it sink in. Love. I never thought to fall to it again, but with her, it was inevitable. She was Julian, the head strong and determined woman who now held my heart tightly in her palms.

    Once things were calm, I would tell her just that. For now it would be a distraction from our goal and those children¨Cchildren like Avery¨Cdeserved our undivided focus.

    Laying a final kiss on Julian¡¯s head, I allowed sleep to rise up and claim me. There was no rush on these things, I could tell her at my own pace.

 Explanations And Bad Feelings

    Chapter Twenty Six

    Julian¡¯s Pov

    ¡°So, just to make sure I¡¯ve got this¡­someone is possibly breeding an army of incubi and succubi to take over the world as we know it?¡±

    Seraphina¡¯s tone perfectly conveyed her disbelief and, to be fair, if I hadn¡¯t been in the thick of it, I would have had just as much difficulty swallowing it all.

    ¡°Yup, that¡¯s about it. We¡¯re hoping that isn¡¯t what¡¯s going on but talking to the mother should give us a bit more insight.¡±

    At that, Sera raised a brow. ¡°The mother? You¡¯re meeting with one of the women who¡¯ve been impregnated?¡±

    I hummed, gripping Dimitrius¡¯s hand as I answered. ¡°Yes, we were actually going to her after hitting the last base, but¡­well you know what happened.¡±

    The pinkette scoffed, Elle¨Cher familiar¨Csending me a pointed look as her master spoke. ¡°You mean you recklessly jumping in front of a spell that nearly killed you? Yes, that would slow down your plans, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±

    Groaning, I fought back. ¡°Really Sera? I couldn¡¯t see what her hands were doing! I just saw enough to know it was high level. You have to understand why I did it.¡±

    Her lips quirked in amusement. ¡°Well, considering I haven¡¯t been able to see in the strictest sense of the word in years¡­No, I wouldn¡¯t know the feeling, but I understand what you mean. While the risk you took was reckless, it was to save someone you care for and I can respect that.¡±

    Relaxing a bit, I questioned hopefully. ¡°Does that mean you¡¯ll drop it?¡±

    Sera barked a laugh. ¡°For now, but I¡¯ll definitely be adding this to my list of ¡®Reckless Things Julian Did That I Highly Disapprove Of¡¯.¡±

    Fair enough.

    Turning to Dimitrius, I prodded. ¡°Before I forget, did you call that mother, Dimitrius?¡±

    He nodded, coming into the conversation with ease. ¡°Yes, I did, but the phone rang through. IT could simply be that she was at work.¡±

    Despite his hopeful words, every hair on my neck stood on end as if to refute that. Trying not to be negative¨Cfor once¨CI stood from my place reclined into his side. ¡°When then, we should head her way immediately. I¡¯ll apologize for not showing up on time when we get there. With us so close to finally getting some answer I don¡¯t want to leave anything to chance.¡±

    Before we could start getting ready though, Sera spoke. ¡°Wait, I¡¯m coming with you two.¡±

    Turning, confusion boiling away in my gut, I asked. ¡°Not that I¡¯m saying you can¡¯t, but why? You hate planes.¡±

    She grunted in agreement. ¡°That I do, but something tells me I¡¯m going to be needed for whatever dumpster fire we¡¯re about to set foot in.¡±

    Well, if I hadn¡¯t been on edge before I certainly was now! A dire feeling from me was nothing new, easily brushed off as paranoia, but one from Seraphina? Better to break out the umbrellas because shit was going to hit the fan.

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    Not saying that, I waved. ¡°Alright, always better to have someone else with us, especially given the gadgets you have for battle. Hopefully it won¡¯t be needed, but if whoever is behind this is actually making an army, I¡¯ll need your help and anyone else we can rope into it.¡±

    She stood, following swiftly as we led the way towards the weapons room. On the way there, she asked.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you knew an Exitium mage? If it comes down to it you can always call him.¡±

    If it came down to it, I would. Vladimir was by far one of the scariest motherfuckers I knew. Between his Exitium, Spectrum and Mortuus magic types he could drive someone to the brink of insanity while ripping every ounce of water from their corpse before raising it from the blasted grave to do it again.

    But with our shared history and I sincerely doubted Dimitrius would be comfortable with having him under this roof. Our relationship was going well, better to not add unnecessary tension.

    ¡°I do know one, but let¡¯s try not to call him in. We¡¯re hoping it isn¡¯t that severe anyway.¡±

    Dimitrius nodded. ¡°We are most likely overreaching. The amount of power it takes for an incubus to impregnate a human female is impressive. While this may also be a group of incubi doing this, it is unlikely. Generally, women are born, not males.¡±

    Fascinating bit of information there, but not one we needed to focus on right this minute. ¡°We¡¯ll talk to the mother and get an idea of where we stand after that. No reason to start screaming about the sky falling yet. Unfortunately, so far she¡¯s the only one of the mothers we contacted who can remember the face of the man who impregnated them. If she¡¯s a dead end, we¡¯re back to waiting for something else to pop up.¡±

    Just another reason I was anxious to get to the woman. In situations where the information I needed could only be acquired from one place, the world had the cruel habit of removing it from my reach. As proven with the Frenwere.

    With any luck we would get there and she¡¯d have the information we needed.

    Sera broke me from my thoughts, Elle now turning to face Dimitrius curiously. ¡°She¡¯ll have the information, I can feel it. Though the sooner we get there, the better. After we talk to her, I advise putting her and the child under some kind of protection. It isn¡¯t safe for her right now and if your enemy learns she helped you¡­¡±

    I winced, ¡°Then she¡¯ll have a target slapped on her back, so will the kid.¡±

    Thankfully, Dimitrius chimed in before my mind could go any further on that. ¡°Then I shall see to ti that they remain safe. On the plane ride over I will have everything set, but for now, let us make haste. Every moment wasted could be vital.¡±

    Agreeing silently, I followed as he walked into the weapons room. The walls were lined with everything from daggers to full on great swords. I¡¯d drooled more than once over his collection, but for now I shook it off.

    Tugging on my leather absentmindedly, I loaded up on weapons before throwing over my shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t think we have anything you can use here Sera.¡±

    Most would assume that¨Cdue to her blindness¨CSera didn¡¯t fight, and that was generally the last mistake people made when facing her. She¡¯d never let anything stop her before and now was no exception.

    Elle turned to me with a huff as Seraphina traced over the weapons on the table. ¡°I have everything I need on me, as you should know.¡±

    Not surprising. Before I could tease her though, Dimitrius broke in curiously.

    ¡°Forgive me if this is overstepping, but what weapon do you use?¡±

    Sera¡¯s mouth twitched upward as she finally stopped examining the table¡¯s contents. ¡°Most of my attacks aren¡¯t magic, which is why I have this.¡± Reaching into her coat pocket, she pulled out a small metal cylinder.

    At first glance it was harmless, fitting in her palm with ease, but I knew better and if the wary look Dimitrius threw it was any indication, he knew it too.

    Noting his look, Sera smiled in approval. ¡°Not underestimating it just because it¡¯s small? Good, you might survive in our world after all.¡±

    Then, in the next heartbeat, the cylinder lengthened until it formed a long, sleek pole.

    Runes circled it from the tip to base, moving as she did and fluctuating between the many different spells she¡¯d paid to have enchanted into it.

    She tapped the ground with it. ¡°This is my weapon of choice. It doesn¡¯t look like much, but I have various protections embedded into it that have saved my life over the years.¡±

    I could all but see the curiosity burning in Dimitrius¡¯s eyes as I hooked my arm through his and dragged us out the door. ¡°Come on, we can explain how enchantments work on the place ride. We¡¯re in a hurry, remember?¡±

    They both nodded, following without complaint as the itchy feeling at the back of my neck picked up its pace again. Damn it all, I hoped that was just my paranoia and everything was fine. We¡¯d dealt with enough setbacks lately.

 Why Am I Only Right When It Doesnt Benefit Me?

    Chapter Twenty Seven

    ¡°I fucking hate being right.¡±

    My knees threatened to drop out from under me as I took in the smoldering pile of stone that¡¯d previously been our destination. Smoke and the unmistakable smell of burning flesh clogged my throat as I surveyed the area.

    The back of my neck burned from where I¡¯d itched it raw on the flight over, only Dimitrius grabbing my hand stopping me from drawing blood. Halfway through the plane ride, I¡¯d known that we¡¯d be too late, but I¡¯d hoped I was wrong.

    I hadn¡¯t been.

    The mother¡¯s information must have been important if they killed her to keep it secret and now we had to wait who knows how long until another person had the same info.

    Anger boiled low in my gut, but above that failure settled like a heavy blanket around me. This woman¨CIsabelle¨Chad been tormented for years, never allowed to have a peaceful night¡¯s rest without worry for who would visit her. Had born the child of her rapist and torturer not once, but twice.

    And now she¡¯d died at the same whim of the one who¡¯d put her through all that.

    Fighting the urge to slam my skull into the nearest hard surface, I instead faced Dimitrius and thunked my head into his shoulder with a hiss. We¡¯d failed that woman and the truth of that burned me to the core.

    His hands stroked my spine, a hard frown curling his lips as he examined the rubble with open sorrow. ¡°Such waste, did the fireman say if the child at least made it out?¡±

    Sinking further into him, I shook my head. ¡°Both bodies were found inside, dead.¡± Three bodies, if we counted the unborn inside the mother¡¯s womb.

    If only we hadn¡¯t had to detour for me, we would have made it in time. The ¡®fire¡¯ had only happened a few hours ago¡­

    Sera¡¯s hand rested on my shoulder, pulling me away from the self-deprecating thoughts.

    ¡°Don¡¯t, I can practically feel you blaming yourself from here. Instead of useless self-hate, let¡¯s do something constructive. We can still salvage this, though the lives that were lost won¡¯t be coming back, we can still get out answers. Those will save countless lives and while it doesn¡¯t change what happened here, it will at least make the future better for those you spare.¡±

    Dragging the tired pieces of myself back in line, I nodded, only for Dimitrius to glance between us, brow knit in confusion.

    ¡°How will we go about getting information from corpses?¡±

    That¡¯d be sarcastic on anyone else, but Dimitrius was genuine and I reluctantly pulled back to explain. ¡°Remember how I mentioned the different types of magic? One of them is Mortuus Magum, Death Mage. They can pull spirits up from the grave and through that, we can talk to her.¡±

    His brow didn¡¯t ease though.

    ¡°Neither of you are Mortuus Mages, correct?¡±

    Sera snorted, ¡°Nope, would have made my parents a lot happier with me if I had been though. And because of Julian, finding someone who¡¯ll work with us is going to be¡­interesting.¡±

    Rubbing my temples, I sighed, knowing what we had to do. ¡°No, it won¡¯t, because I already know who we need to call in. He doesn¡¯t mind my history or my magic, but I was hoping to avoid pulling him into this mess.¡±

    Sera stopped, facing me with a brow raised and hands on her hips. ¡°And who do you know? Because I was under the impression you didn¡¯t know any Mortuus Mages.¡±

    Glancing briefly back to Dimitrius who watched with open curiosity, I bit the bullet. ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t call us buddies. He¡¯s nice and hasn¡¯t judged me once over the years, kind of a necessity for our arrangement since killing me would have been fairly easy if he¡¯d wanted to¡­¡±

    The meaning went over Dimitrius¡¯s head, but not Sera¡¯s. Her eyes widened as she sputtered in disbelief. ¡°Wait a minute. You¡¯re not friends but you know him? You had better tell me that we¡¯re not calling in your fuck buddy to help with this.¡±

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Dimitrius visibly flinched back, snapping his head around to stare at me in surprise as I winched. ¡°Yup, though I¡¯d appreciate you not calling him that. Even if we aren¡¯t officially friends, for both our sakes, he doesn¡¯t deserve to be slandered. Vladimir is a good guy and he hasn¡¯t done anything to deserve that. Besides, he gets plenty of crap from the council with his magic being Exitium, Mortuus, and Spectrum.¡±

    Sera¡¯s jaw hit the floor as understanding dawned. ¡°You¡¯re talking about Vladimir? The Vladimir? Literally the only person who might be more wildly distrusted than you by the council?¡±

    I nodded, turning to face Dimitrius who looked like he¡¯d sucked on a lemon. I couldn¡¯t blame him. We were talking about bringing in one of the few people I¡¯d slept with so he had full rights to be uncomfortable with the idea.

    ¡°Yeah, our history is why I didn¡¯t want to bring him in. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be too happy with him being under your roof. We could wait until another mother pops up who can remember the man who impregnated her?¡± I offered.

    It¡¯d probably take months we really didn¡¯t have right now, not to mention with how much our enemy focused on that woman in particular, it smacked of more. She¡¯d been special.

    Dimitrius must have come to the same conclusion, because he nodded, determination overtaking his previous displeasure.

    ¡°No, waiting could spell death for countless others children and adult alike. We have someone who can get the information we need, so we will use them. It matters none that he had you before I have you now.¡±

    Butterflies took flight at that as a warm fist gripped my heart and squeezed. Brushing that to the side, I nodded. ¡°That you do, big guy. So it¡¯s settled?¡±

    At both their nods, we headed back to the waiting plane. One the way back, Sera idled up to my side with an impish smile. ¡°So, you¡¯re his?¡±

    I should have known she wouldn¡¯t let that go. Ignoring the flush working over my cheeks, I shrugged. ¡°Yup and he¡¯s mine. That¡¯s kind of how this whole relationship thing works. Gotta admit, I like it.¡±

    Sera¡¯s milky eyes softened. ¡°Good, I¡¯ve always hated how our community treated you and from what little I¡¯ve seen he¡¯s a good match. I hope you¡¯re both very happy together.¡±

    Aw, she did care. Before I could comment about this being a near hallmark moment, she added on with a grin.

    ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve always said you need a full time babysitter, and who better than him? He seems to have impulse control and common sense in spades, something he¡¯ll need to deal with you. Oh, and patience. Lots of patience.¡±

    Sera paused, remembering that Dimitrius was right behind her as she shot him an apologetic look. ¡°Sorry for talking like you¡¯re not here. Sometimes I forget to have Elle do a check around me.¡±

    He waved her off, a serene smile curling his lips as he moved to grip my hand. ¡°It is fine, no offense taken. I imagine your disability makes things slightly different for you.¡± Again, curiosity lit behind his eyes and the expression made me chuckle.

    ¡°If you want to ask her something, just ask. Trust me, if she doesn¡¯t want to answer you she¡¯ll say so, but beating around the bush just irritates her.¡±

    Sera nodded. ¡°She¡¯s right, besides it¡¯s not often I get someone who wants to know just for the sake of knowing. So, fire away.¡±

    And with that, the rest of the trip dissolved into Sera explaining how she used her familiar Elle to see. Of course I already knew about the collar specifically made for Elle, embedded with the spell ¡®Sight¡¯, but watching Dimitrius take in all the new information with excitement was always refreshing.

    Besides, after the day we¡¯d had, some innocent confusion was nothing to sniff at.

    I¡¯d taken a brief stretch break to inform the pilots of where to go, but other than that I contently listened as my partner learned more about my world. It was only when the plane came to a stop hours later that Dimitrius blinked out of his fascinated stupor.

    ¡°I only just realized I do not know where we traveled to.¡±

    Biting back a snort that he¡¯d gotten that tied into the explanation, I took pity on him. ¡°its fine, we¡¯re in Russia. Vlad¡¯s place isn¡¯t far from the airport, but you¡¯ll both need to promise not to tell anyone where it is after I show you.¡±

    They nodded, though Dimitrius shot me a confused glance. ¡°He hides himself, why?¡±

    Sera beat me to the punch. ¡°Because just like Julian is famous for only using Auxilio magic, Vladimir is the same for having all three of the most destructive types under his belt. It terrifies people, and what people fear, they lash out again. He¡¯s basically a living legend.¡±

    The constant threat was why his home was so heavily hidden. If Vlad wasn¡¯t a master of Spectrum magic, he never would have managed to keep himself cloaked for so long, but he was one of the best for a reason.

    It took only a short drive before we stood outside a barren plot of land. Rolling hills stretched as far as the eye could see, white painting it into a picturesque landscape. It looked abandoned, if you didn¡¯t know where to go.

    Not saying a word, I led them to a giant boulder to the side of the road. It was surrounded by trees and after wiping away the ice on its smooth face, I smiled. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±

    Dimitrius looked around, confusion still present as even Sera quirked a brow.

    ¡°Julian, throw me a bone because I don¡¯t see anything and for once that isn¡¯t a pun on my lack of eyesight.¡±

    And they wouldn¡¯t see anything, at least not until the master of the house came to let us in. Yet another security measure, but I couldn¡¯t fault him for it. He¡¯d made too many enemies¨Cmostly by just existing¨Cto be anything less than paranoid.

    For now, I didn¡¯t answer either of their curious looks. Instead, I put my palms on the rock and took a deep breath. Gathering magic into my hands, tingles sweeping out in waves as I spread a veil around it. The rock pulsed sharply, before fading to reveal a glowing doorway with no handle.

    Dimitrius¡¯s hiss of surprise came, but I didn¡¯t turn. Knowing Vlad he was sure to be prompt. Sure enough, less than a minute after I summoned the door, it swung open and out stepped a very familiar figure.

 Meet The Ex

    Chapter Twenty Eight

    Vladimir stared down at me, eyes wide with surprise as snow stuck to his ebony lashes. Then, he flicked a glance behind me, taking in Dimitrius and what little he could see of Sera with a short, but thorough appraisal.

    The hot pink hair tended to stand out more than anything with the latter, though Elle probably got some looks too.

    Curiosity lit his eyes as they came back to me, the gold shade pairing nicely with his bronze skin as he rumbled, arms crossing over his smoky grey jacket and shirt. ¡°Well, I must admit the last thing I expected today was a visit from my Kotenok. Though I suppose it has been quite a bit since our last meeting.¡±

    The Russian accent added gravel to his tone as he swept another look over the two behind me. ¡°If you wanted to bring others into our arrangement you should have told me first, I don¡¯t like being caught off guard like this.¡±

    Dimitrius¡¯s bristle was nearly a physical thing against my conscious and I instinctively took a step closer to him, a hand reaching down to clasp his. Raising our now joined fingers, I shook my head with a smile.

    ¡°It has been awhile, but that isn¡¯t what I¡¯m here for. If you¡¯ll let us in, I¡¯ll explain everything but the bottom line is that I need your help and it¡¯s a lot direr than a last-minute booty call.¡±

    At that, a sculpted brow rose, reminding me eerily of Sera, before he eyed the other warily. ¡°You trust them?¡±

    No hesitation, I nodded. ¡°With my life, and yours or I never would have brought them here.¡±

    He wasted no time after that, turning to face the stone door and opening it for us, his magic spiraling out to form the proverbial key. Stepping back, he gestured for us to go in.

    ¡°If you¡¯re friends of my Kotenok, then you are friends of mine as well.¡± His lips curled into a smile, before focusing on me again, the edges dimming with concern. ¡°You say there is urgent business to discuss? Let¡¯s talk more after we¡¯re in the parlor. You¡¯ll catch a chill out here.¡±

    Stepping through the portal was always odd, the familiar tingle making my skin crawl as the illusion dropped seamlessly. In perfect sync, I heard two gasps from behind me.

    From the corner of my eye, I caught Vlad¡¯s lips twitching upward, the tusks in the corners of his mouth becoming more prominent as he smiled. He may not admit it, but he liked showing off just as much as the next person, he just had to be a lot more careful since his ¡®showing off¡¯ could wind up rousing the council¡¯s attention.

    Never a good thing for social pariahs like us.

    On top of being a tri-mage who mastered in all three of the most dangerous magics, Vlad was also part orc, though the orc-ish heritage didn¡¯t come through physically aside from his tusks and golden eyes.

    Two small things that one wouldn¡¯t bat an eye at if they didn¡¯t know his lineage, but it was enough for people to distrust him. Half breeds were a no-no in the magical society, especially if one parent wasn¡¯t necessarily human.

    Personally, I thought it was stupid, but then again I¡¯d never gotten along with society and its views anyway¡­

    Vlad was a good guy; if nothing else he¡¯d always made sure I was taken care of in our romps, and not once had he made me feel lesser for my magic type. From the beginning, we¡¯d been equals, a rarity in our community.

    But generally speaking, bigoted fear and hate didn¡¯t care if the person they targeted was nice or not.

    Forcing the thought to the side before I pissed myself off¨Ca common thing when thinking about racist assholes¨CI blew a plume of mist out and spoke over my shoulder. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s definitely something, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    The first I¡¯d been here I¡¯d frozen the second I walked through the portal.

    Massive stone walls stretched out, Vlad¡¯s castle towering over us making me feel as tiny as an ant, just like it had all those years ago. After the first few times I¡¯d gotten better about not openly staring, though Vlad enjoyed my inability to look away.

    Being born as what he was made boasting about things difficult, so I¡¯d done my best not to burst his bubble when he was genuinely happy about showing me things.

    Whipping winds flung snow around the stone fortress, adding to its mystical vibes as we slowly worked our way toward the entrance. The giant doors opened when we approached, the staff rushing to get our coats even as I waved them off.

    ¡°This hopefully won¡¯t take long, we don¡¯t have a bunch of time and I probably should have called to talk to you about this, but when asking for a favor it should be done in person.¡±

    Again, one of Vlad¡¯s brows rose. ¡°A favor? Now I¡¯m truly intrigued, but come. Let us settle and get warm. Russia is known for its biting winters and this year is no exception.¡±

    He led us down a maze like hallway that branched off to a few other areas, before stopping once we entered his personal study. Bookshelves lined the walls, bracketing the roaring fireplace that threw light over the room, illuminating his desk that sat in the middle.

    The shelves made me itch to hover closer, but before I could give in, Vlad cleared his throat pointedly, lips twitching upward in amusement. Heat crawled up my cheeks at being caught ogling his bookshelves, but when Vlad snuck a glance to Dimitrius behind me, I bit back a chuckle.

    Apparently I hadn¡¯t been the only one drooling.

    Forcing myself to focus, I took a seat across from him on the couch, his frame draping into the lone arm chair as if it were a throne. Dimitrius took the spot next to me, hand curling around mine and squeezing while eyeing Vladimir warily.

    Ah, he had nothing to worry about with Vlad, the second I told him we were dating he¡¯d drop any and all advances, but now wasn¡¯t the time to bring that up. We came here for a reason and I would focus on it. Giving Dimitrius¡¯s hand a small squeeze in return, I jumped right in.

    ¡°I guess the best place to start is the beginning. I got a call from Seraphina, she had a vision and-.¡±

    Vlad stiffened to stone, eyes widening to near comical proportions as he snapped forward out of his relaxed posture. ¡°You know of Seraphina!?¡±

    Okay, so apparently we¡¯d be getting off track after all. Stealing a glance to said seer, I nodded slowly. Seers weren¡¯t exactly common, so it didn¡¯t surprise me that he knew of her, but something about his reaction screamed of something more than a fan wanting to meet her¡­

    Sera flinched at his volume, Elle pawing at her ears irritably as Sera mimicked the motion and growled. ¡°Yeah we¡¯ve known one another for years, now who are you and why are you so surprised? Preferably at a quieter volume this time. I¡¯m one sense down but that others work just fine, thank you very much.¡±

    Vlad swung to stare her way, finally taking her in past the highlighter shade of pink hair. The longer he looked, the wider his eyes got until he was all but on the edge of his seat with dinner plates strapped to his face.

    Seeing that he wasn¡¯t going to answer, I reached out to carefully prod him back to the present.

    One must gently poke the Exitium mage capable of leveling this entire room¡­I don¡¯t feel like being covered in fire, ice or acid today.

    ¡°Hey, you can have a heart attack later in private, don¡¯t leave us in suspense while you do.¡± I said, watching him visibly come back to himself as he locked eyes with Seraphina again.

    Disbelief glowed in golden orbs as he finally spoke. ¡°My name is Vladimir, the reason I¡¯m surprised is that I never expected to see you again. I searched for years.¡±

    Okay, definitely not sounding like a fan. Furrowing my brow at the turn of events, I shot a confused look to Sera who looked every bit as lost as I was. Leaning forward, I tried to untangle the mess.

    ¡°Vlad, I don¡¯t think she knows you, so maybe you have the wrong person?¡±

    At first his face fell, pain crushing the hope that¡¯d been there not a minute before. Then he looked at Sera again, scrutinizing her carefully. After an intense stare off, he shook his head, determination clear.

    ¡°No, this is her. I¡¯d recognize that magical signature anywhere. The reason she doesn¡¯t remember me is that she was only a child the last time we met.¡±

    Irritation twisted Sera¡¯s face as she snarled. ¡°Quit talking about me like I¡¯m not here! I don¡¯t remember you and you haven¡¯t shown me anything to prove that you¨Csomehow¨Cknow me from when I was a kid. If you keep spouting off bullshit, I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    To punctuate that, she moved to stand, obviously rattled by his odd behavior, but he followed her, a determined frown curling his lips.

    ¡°Your parents are Mr. and Mrs. Boltzman, from the time you were young you were raised in Manchester, England and your father had you from an affair with an unknown woman.¡±

    By the sudden paling of Sera¡¯s skin, I guess he got all that right, though how he got that information was beyond me. Ready to jump up and intervene at a moment¡¯s notice, I warned.

    ¡°Vlad¡­I think we need an explanation and you need to sit down.¡±

    Only then did he seem to realize he¡¯d jumped up, one of his arms gripping Seraphina¡¯s. He dropped it as if burned, looking to the side sheepishly before collecting himself again.

    ¡°My apologies, but as I stated before I¡¯ve been trying to find you for years. I couldn¡¯t let you leave without at least talking to you first.¡±

    Seraphina was far from calm¨Cunderstandably¨Cbut to her credit she sat back down, eyes narrowing on him as her lips pursed. ¡°Alright, so you know things about me that no one else does. Care to share with the class how you found out? And who were you looking for me to begin with?¡±

    He settled back into the couch and nodded. ¡°The reason I know those things and the reason I was looking for you are one and the same. You¡¯re my sister and I was tasked with protecting you.¡±

    I was sure my jaw was hanging open, but I couldn¡¯t find the will to close it.

    Though, now that the two were sitting near one another, I could see the similarities. Their jaws were identical and so were their noses, but what were the odds of this happening? Not high, I knew that much.

    Sera shook off her surprise first, immediately settling into inquisitive mode. ¡°Okay, say I buy this and you¡¯re my brother. For one, who put you in charge of watching me and for two, why?¡±

    He rubbed a hand through short black hair, sliding it down to the stubble coating his jaw with a sigh. Staring at the ceiling for a moment, he gathered his words. ¡°Our mother told me to watch over you and ensure you were safe. For reasons she refuses to tell me to this day she birthed you and then left you on their doorstep. I made sure to be around over the first few years, checking every now and then, but when you crested twelve years of age, you disappeared.¡±

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    His mouth twisted as pain painted his face. ¡° I couldn¡¯t find you anywhere.¡±

    Genuine distress dripped from his tone and Sera patted his arm before I could, hesitating slightly before she explained. ¡°Yeah, trust me that wasn¡¯t by my will. I was twelve when my magic made its appearance and my parents were less than thrilled about my Divinus and Auxilio magic. They threw me out after blinding me for having two ¡®useless¡¯ magic types. The next day I started seeing visions and that was when Elle found me.¡±

    She reached up, stroking a hand through the fox¡¯s fur. ¡°I ran away after that, lived on the streets since no one would take in a seer child. Which is why you couldn¡¯t find me.¡±

    I¡¯m sorry, let¡¯s back up to the whole ¡®my parents blinded me¡¯ thing. Rage burst through me veins, heating to near painful levels as red coated my vision. Those mother fuckers had better pray I couldn¡¯t hunt them down!

    I¡¯d known some of Sera¡¯s past, but not that, not how she lost her sight. Now that I knew though, every ounce of will I had went toward not hunting down those worthless sacks of festering canker sores.

    Vlad¡¯s face twisted into one of matching murderous intent and we exchanged a long look, a silent agreement passing. Once the current crisis was over, we were hunting those assholes down.

    Shaking the rage to the side with obvious effort, Vlad continued. ¡°Had I known what they¡¯d planned I would have taken you from them long ago¡­¡± The anger melted into remorse, but before I could soothe him, Sera beat me to the punch again.

    ¡°Don¡¯t. By the sound of things you¡¯ve been looking for me for years. I will want a heritage potion done to back up this whole thing, by the way. Nothing personal, but this is a lot to take in and having proof would make me feel better.¡±

    Vlad nodded easily, rising without pause as he gestured for us to follow. ¡°That is fine, double checking information is smart and I have no problem proving my claims. I have an extensive harden for magical ingredients so this will take just a moment to have the portion ready.¡±

    The second we walked into the greenhouse off the side of his castle, I bit back a moan usually reserved for the bedroom. ¡°Okay that¡¯s it, I officially have envy of your house. It has my dream library and garden.¡± I¡¯d been here before of course, but I¡¯d never had reason to see anything but his bedroom.

    He shot me an amused glance as he strolled to the plant he needed, waltzing through the rows of herbs that made me all but drool at the sight of. Dear Lord, was that Fenewere? Jesus I could have asked him for some this whole time.

    ¡°You¡¯re more than welcome to visit, as you know. Stop by anytime.¡± Vlad said, dragging me back to the present.

    Dimitrius stiffened, reminding me that he was probably very uncomfortable with everything going on right now. Squeezing his hand, I responded with an easy smile.

    ¡°I¡¯d love to, as long as you don¡¯t mind me bringing my lover.¡±

    I put emphasis on Dimitrius¡¯s title, raising our joined hands pointedly as well. Vlad¡¯s eyes trailed to that, understanding flashing across his face as he nodded. ¡°Ah, so that is why you didn¡¯t greet me as you usually would. I¡¯m happy for, though I must ask¡­will our previous arrangement be continuing with him as well? He is quite strapping and I have no problem with multiple participants, as you well know.¡±

    His eyes raked down Dimitrius¡¯s form with open appreciation, the look visibly taking Dimitrius off guard and amusing me at the same time. All of his previous wariness about Vlad disappeared as he swung a wide eyed, startled look my way that all but screamed ¡®help¡¯.

    Biting back a laugh, I shook my head and stepped in. ¡°Nope, I¡¯m way too possessive over him to share. I¡¯d kill whoever tried to set foot in the bed.¡±

    Though the idea was¡­something. Warmth coiled around my collar at the thought of both of them, before I binned it. Dimitrius was traumatized, he would never go for having someone else in our bed.

    Better to get that particular fantasy out now.

    Vlad heaved a disappointed sigh as he pulled out a cauldron and mixed the potion, visibly losing the intent stare as he did. ¡°While I¡¯m glad you found your partner, this means I¡¯ll have to find someone to replace you now. How galling.¡±

    I snorted at his grimace, leaning into Dimitrius as I soothed. ¡°You¡¯ll find someone, I know you will. You¡¯re too nice not to. If society was less stupid about you being half-orc you¡¯d already have your life mate.¡±

    Gold eyes softened as a small smile curled his lips, the tusks poking out again as he hummed. ¡°We shall see, though I don¡¯t hold out hope for such a thing. But onto other topics, I take it he is your life mate?¡± Vlad nodded slightly to Dimitrius who still looked mildly shell shocked.

    At my nod, Vlad¡¯s smile stretched into a wide, warm grin, fully baring his tusks. ¡°I¡¯m happy for you, make no mistake. Seething with envy as well, but that goes without saying. Had anyone told me a year ago that the world known ¡®Useless Mage¡¯ would find her mate, I would have deemed them unhinged, but this is a good thing.¡±

    He looked back to the potion, muttering in a low voice probably not meaning for me to hear. ¡°If you found one, then maybe it isn¡¯t hopeless for me either.¡±

    Longing dripped from those words, pinching my heart as I offered the only comfort I could. ¡°You will, you treated me well when we were together and I¡¯m sure that¡¯ll extend to whoever you find to share your life with. You just have to find them.¡±

    I put a hand on his shoulder as I said it, his fingers coming up to rest over mine before giving a light squeeze of gratitude. Then he glanced over my shoulder to Dimitrius who¡¯d been stiff and quiet since I¡¯d announced our relationship.

    After a beat, Vlad sent a reassuring smile his way. ¡°You have nothing to fear, your lover is loyal to fault. Even if I was the sort to chase a taken woman¨Cwhich I¡¯m not, to be clear¨Cshe would remove my cock for even hinting at it. You have no reason to trust my word that I wouldn¡¯t do such a thing, but you should trust her.¡±

    Dimitrius paused, taking that in before relaxing with a small smile. ¡°I do and you are right. I have nothing to fear of you or any other.¡± To punctuate that, he moved forward to wrap an arm around my waist, tugging me against his side in the same motion.

    Sending him an amused glance, I leaned in and didn¡¯t comment further. After all, I was generally more possessive than he was, so it¡¯d be a bit hypocritical of me to get snitty with him over this. Instead, I turned the conversation back to the potion.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see is so we can hear the rest of your story.¡±

    Vladimir nodded, gesturing for Sera to come forward. ¡°I assume you know how these work?¡± He asked, and at her nod he held out a knife he pulled from inside his coat. ¡°Then let¡¯s begin.¡± Each of them pricked their finger, letting the blood fall into the potion.

    The room held its breath as a blinding glow flashed, shifting between colors, before finally the light faded, the potion settling on a dull red.

    Sera nodded, Elle on her shoulder staring down into the cauldron as she tried to come to terms with it. ¡°You were telling the truth, though that doesn¡¯t explain why our mother left me and raised you.¡±

    Hurt tinged her tone, but before I could offer comfort¨Cor attempt to at least¨CVlad cut back in. ¡°I apologize, but that was misleading. Our mother didn¡¯t raise me either. She left me, just as she did you. I tracked her down years later, but she had no interest in the spawn she¡¯d made. So we had the same experience in that regard. I don¡¯t have any other information to give on the topic, unfortunately.¡±

    His mouth twisted into a sad smile. ¡°Our mother has refused to speak with me since the day she told me to guard you.¡±

    Sera grimaced. ¡°Great, another parent who doesn¡¯t give a shit about me. Because I needed another one of those.¡±

    I winced at the thinly veiled exhaustion in her tone, but before I could even begin to think on what to say in response to it, Vlad stepped forward, an almost palpable hesitance around him.

    ¡°I know that this doesn¡¯t fix or change anything, but you have gained a brother. A half-orc brother who is despised by most of the magical society, but a brother all the same.¡±

    Sera lost some of her pained expression, Elle sweeping a look down Vladimir¡¯s form before she shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re orc or human, you¡¯ve already treated me better than my parents and apparently have been looking for me for years.¡±

    She paused, adding on. ¡°Why exactly were you looking for me?¡±

    He stared incredulously, mouth open the slightest bit. ¡°Why? You¡¯re my sister, of course I searched! Though we aren¡¯t full blooded siblings, that matters none. It is the duty of the elders to watch over and care for those younger than them. I have continued my search since the day you disappeared, though the last place I expected to find you was trailing behind Julian. I¡¯d almost given up hope of you being alive.¡±

    Sera winced to that, shifting awkwardly as she responded. ¡°Well, thanks for trying. Though I don¡¯t need protecting, just to get that out of there. I¡¯m not defenseless, despite what this may lead you to believe.¡±

    She gestured to her eyes and he shrugged. ¡°It has nothing to do with how strong you are or your sight. Even if you beat me combat, I will still protect you to the best of my ability. It¡¯s who I am.¡±

    A tense beat of silence, then Sera sighed. ¡°This is a lot to take in. I¡¯m not saying we¡¯re not siblings, because obviously we are, but can we come back to this after I¡¯ve had time to process?¡±

    Vlad nodded, a sad smile curling his lips as he straightened. ¡°That¡¯s fine, you¡¯re handling the information that you have a half breed brother quite a bit better than I expected, to be honest. I can work with overwhelmed. If nothing else, it¡¯s better than disgust or hate.¡±

    At that, Sera scowled. ¡°You¡¯ve dealt with way too many bigoted assholes, haven¡¯t you?¡± Before he could answer she continued. ¡°Never mind, don¡¯t answer that. Just give me a bit of time and we can talk more. Besides we came here for a reason and it wasn¡¯t to discover long lost family.¡±

    Vlad visibly pulled his formal mask back in place, turning after a nod of acknowledgement. ¡°Right you are, now then, back to why you came here Kotenok. What favor do you need of me?¡±

    Shaking off the oddity of the past hour, I gave him the brief rundown on the entire situation. By the time I finished, a hard scowl carved into his jaw, something dangerous and lethal sparking behind his eyes as he snarled.

    ¡°How dare these people do this, violating those women in such a way, then coming to take the child as if it were their due.¡±

    The room tensed, his magic coming out in a wave of crackling power as he stormed internally. I couldn¡¯t blame him, I was the same way when I thought about it.

    ¡°Yeah and we¡¯re working on figuring out what all is going on, but we need information from a woman who was killed less than a day ago. You can pull her spirit up, right?¡±

    Instead of agreeing and making my life ease, Vlad grimaced.

    ¡°I know a common misconception with Mortuus magic is that we can talk to spirits whenever we so choose, but it¡¯s incorrect. We can only call a spirit forward if they have unfinished business in this world. The mother¡¯s child died with her so I doubt she had enough willpower to remain here after death. What you need is a ¡®Verum Vivifica¡¯, a true resurrection.¡±

    Even hearing that name swept a chill down my spine. ¡°Is there nothing else we can do?¡± I asked. That spell was a pain to cat and its success rate was abysmal, even for a master of his art like Vlad. Unfortunately, he shook his head.

    ¡°No, is the information you need from this woman impossible to get elsewhere?¡±

    I shared a loaded glance with Dimitrius, running a hand through my hair with a nod. ¡°Technically we could but we¡¯d have to wait until another mother actually remembers the person who came to them, and now that whoever is behind this knows we¡¯re on their trail, they might start killing the mothers before we can reach them.¡±

    And for some reason, our enemy had been fixated on Isabelle in particular. I wanted to know why. I doubted there wasn¡¯t a reason and something old me whatever it was, it¡¯d be important to our cause.

    Vlad¡¯s scowl deepened, his fingers bridging in front of his mouth. After a long minute of consideration, he nodded, determination oozing off him as he stood. ¡°If innocent children and women¡¯s lives are in danger, then there¡¯s no choice. I will do as I must to prevent further harm from coming to them. Though we¡¯ll need to keep it secret from the council and you know the odds of it succeeding are low.¡±

    Honestly, I was just amazed he was on board for it. Sure I¡¯d come here for his help, but I hadn¡¯t known I needed a true resurrection. That wasn¡¯t something most would even do for a close friend. And yet, here he was, stepping up to the plate despite not knowing any of the people we were trying to save.

    Shaking off my surprise, I nodded. ¡°I know, but we have to try. Thank you, this spell can get dicey and I appreciate you helping, despite us not being that close.¡±

    His return smile was gentle, warmth lingering under the surface as he waved my thanks to the side. ¡°We may not have known one another for decades, but I¡¯d like to think that after everything between us, we¡¯re friends and I help my friends. Even were that not the case, I would still lend you aid. Those women don¡¯t deserve this and neither do the children. If I can help, I will.¡±

    He stood then, his hand gesturing for the staff. ¡°I will be leaving with them for an unknown amount of time. Be sure to take care of everything while I¡¯m gone.¡± After the staff nodded, he turned back to me.

    ¡°If you¡¯ll give me fifteen minutes to pack, we can be on our way.¡±

    While I didn¡¯t mind waiting, I wasn¡¯t sure why he needed to pack. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t be gone that long?¡±

    He shook his head, a grim frown tugging his lips. ¡°While the resurrection shouldn¡¯t take long whether it succeeds or fails, I¡¯m going with you. Whoever is behind this has made many suffer for their own selfish reasons and I refuse to stand for it. Children should be free to be children and women shouldn¡¯t fear being taken advantage of in the sanctity of their own mind.¡±

    His lips twisted into a hard line. ¡°This person will pay if I have to drag their soul to hell myself.¡±

    And that was why I liked him so much, his sense of justice was every ounce as steadfast as my own. Returning to his previous comment, I agreed.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s set. After you have everything together, we can head out.¡± To hopefully revive the wronged mother and finally get some damn information. Though how she would react to being alive again, should we succeed, I wasn¡¯t sure.

    The spell failed over ninety percent of the time and even those that came back generally couldn¡¯t handle the transition, taking their own lives within a year of coming back.

    To my knowledge, there had only been one person successfully raised into a ghoul who still lived, but I¡¯d never met them. It could be a legend, for all I knew, and we were about to put the woman who¡¯d already been through far too much through yet another crucible.

    Guilt gnawed hard on my gut at the thought of causing the woman even more pain, but I pushed it down. There was a possible incubus uprising taking place and we needed that information. The woman could hate my guts for the rest of her life if that¡¯s what she so chose, but I had to do this.

    For kids like Avery who¡¯d done nothing wrong but exist, each of them reminding me of Dimitrius in small ways, we had to do this.

 Can Nothing Be Easy?

    Chapter Twenty Nine

    The trip back was uneventful, thankfully, but just as we passed through the door, Vlad dropped a bomb on me.

    ¡°We will need Narcissus flowers, Spinel stone, and most importantly the Vivirein. I assume you have some?¡±

    Staring in a mix of incredulous surprise and amusement, I huffed. ¡°Why would I have one of the most securely guarded herbs of our people on hand?¡±

    He raised a brow. ¡°Because you brought me into this so I assumed you have the necessary spell components ready.¡±

    Fair, but he was forgetting something. ¡°I didn¡¯t know this spell would be needed until today and I¡¯m not a Mortuus mage, so how would I know what components were needed?¡±

    He paused, turning that over in his head, before acknowledging my point with a nod. ¡°Then we have a problem. That herb is vital to the spell and cannot be substituted.¡±

    Seraphina stepped forward before I could curse, her lips tugged into a frown. ¡°Where all is it? Surely not all of it is under lock and key by the council?¡±

    Vlad shook his head. ¡°It is. The only others who may have some would be those who had an abundance before it was deemed illegal. They could have hidden it when the decree was given.¡±

    Great, because that¡¯s just what we needed right now. Vlad was the oldest mage I knew and I was the oldest one Sera knew.

    ¡°Dang it, we don¡¯t have time for this. The council will never approve us taking some, not to the Vladimir and the ¡®Useless Mage¡¯. I doubt even Seraphina is in high enough standing with them to get some.¡±

    Her being a seer could theoretically pull enough clout, but she¡¯d have to put in a formal request and that¡¯d take forever. We didn¡¯t have time for it.

    If the herb we needed was any other, it wouldn¡¯t be such a problem, but Vivirein was mostly used for dark arts and spells that would cause mass destruction. Ironically the only non---lethal use for it was the one we needed it for.

    Looking around at each person in turn, I tried to think of anyone who might have such an herb. Only for Dimitrius to speak up next, eyes curious on Vlad.

    ¡°What of your mother?¡±

    Seraphina¡¯s eyes lit up as Vlad¡¯s darkened, a scowl turning his lips down as he immediately denied. ¡°Trust me, she wouldn¡¯t help us. It¡¯s far more likely she¡¯d give us something counterproductive just to watch us fail.¡±

    Well, wasn¡¯t that a ringing endorsement.

    Dimitrius stepped forward, face a serious mask. ¡°But do we have another option?¡±

    Dead silence rang out as we exchanged long looks. No, we didn¡¯t and we all knew that. Running a hand through his hair, Vlad heaved a sigh.

    ¡°We don¡¯t, but I don¡¯t like this. I¡¯ve only attempted to speak to our mother once in the past decade and the response was so icy I didn¡¯t try again.¡± Melancholy and an old ache twinged in his tone, Sera putting a hand on his shoulder even as she shook her head.

    ¡°It get why you don¡¯t want to¨Cparents¡¯ rejections are a bitch¨Cbut we have to at least try. Besides, if this does turn out to be some kind of ¡®end of the world as we know it¡¯ thing, then she¡¯d be threatened too. It¡¯s in her best interested to help us.¡±

    He swept a jaded look over each of us, but didn¡¯t argue. ¡°Let¡¯s hope that is the case.¡± So saying, he stepped back, before glancing around. ¡°Do you have something to hold water in?¡± He asked, chin tipping to Dimitrius.

    A nod and his staff were a furry of movement, fetching a bowl and placing it in front of Vlad. Within minutes he was crushing various herbs, dropping them into the bowl of water as his magic pulsed sharply through the air. His voice rumbled lowly, power flaring up to brush my skin.

    ¡°Contactu.¡±

    The water glowed, rising up to form a sheet of mirror-like ice. Instead of Vlad¡¯s reflection though, a far more feminine one with nearly the exact same features came into clarity. Sharp cheekbones, bronze skin and a scowl of disgust decorated the woman¡¯s features as she flicked a dismissive glance over Vlad.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you.¡± The utterly unimpressed tone made Seraphina and I bristle in sync, but Vladimir gestured out of sight of the mirror for us to settle. I did, reluctantly. We needed to ask her for a favor so we couldn¡¯t afford to get prickly over her attitude.

    Didn¡¯t mean I couldn¡¯t fantasize about stabbing her a few times.

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    From the corner of my eye, I caught Elle¡¯s gaze and the mutinous look on Sera¡¯s face. A silent agreement passed between us in the space of a breath. After this, we were pulling Vlad into the fold. If the closest thing he¡¯d had to family was this then it was no wonder he¡¯d been ecstatic to see Sera again.

    Forcing the protective rage back, I listened as Vlad explained the situation to the bored looking woman.

    Apparently he¡¯d inherited next to nothing from his mother aside from skin tone, but Sera looked like a younger version of the woman, minus the pink hair of course.

    It was weird, seeing an older lookalike of my friend, but I supposed there were weirder things in my life to focus on. Shaking that to the side, I tuned back into the conversation just as Vlad explained why he¡¯d called.

    The bored look that¡¯d been firmly planted on his mother¡¯s face melted away for the first time, interest taking its place as her eyes narrowed.

    ¡°So he¡¯s making his move then? I knew it would be soon, but not now¡­Very well, you may have the herb you seek.¡±

    Wait, she knew who was behind this? Before I could ask for more information, the woman continued, catching Vlad¡¯s shell shocked expression.

    ¡°Do you believe that an army of magically immune people is nothing of concern to me? Why do you think I birthed you and your sister? Centuries ago, I had a vision that this very situation would come to pass. You two would be integral parts in this chess game. Seraphina would lead the Useless Mage to the problem and you would raise the ghoul who holds the information you seek. Without you two, she would fail and thus the world would burn.¡±

    And we¡¯re back to being comic book heroes, great. I wasn¡¯t going to be dodging that title after all¡­

    Forcing back the rising irritation with the new status, I questioned. ¡°You know who¡¯s behind this?¡± We wouldn¡¯t need to revive the ghoul if she did!

    Ancient eyes leveled on me, my skin crawling under the attention as she seemed to stare straight through to my soul. ¡°Yes, I have watched him for many centuries. His name has been forgotten to time and I can give you no more information on this topic. Accept that and go forth. You have no time to waste.¡±

    Then, without even giving me a chance to ask anything else, the spell dissipated and the water fell back into the bowl. Groaning, I glared at it.

    ¡°Good God, it¡¯s like having two Seraphina¡¯s giving me cryptic jobs to do!¡±

    Said seer shot me a glare, even as one of her shoulders raised in reluctant agreement, Vlad stepping forward as the water in the bowl evaporated to reveal a tiny sprig of herb. Its prickly exterior was blood red and Vlad picked it up as if it were made of glass.

    ¡°It will take me hours to prepare the spell, after that we can leave to the site of the woman¡¯s burial. Our mother was correct that we must make haste.¡±

    We all nodded, Dimitrius coming up from behind to wrap his arms around me. ¡°If the preparations are things a non-magical can do, you can leave it to my staff. Once you revive the woman, whoever is behind this will be alerted to our plan and then time will be of the essence.¡±

    He paused, looking at each of us in turn. ¡°The woman holds information for who our enemy is, but after that, it is up to us to find them.¡±

    Which would probably be a long and irritating task. And now we had confirmation that it was one incubus behind it all too, at least if the seer¡¯s words were to be trusted. Fucking great.

    Sighing through my nose, I leaned into him and nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right, though I don¡¯t know of any locating potions or spells that can work without DNA. Vlad?¡±

    He shook his head, ¡°Neither do I, though we may be able to use the DNA of one of the children whom the incubus sired.¡±

    Wait, what? Furrowing my brow, I asked. ¡°There¡¯s a spell that allows tracking through second generation DNA?¡±

    Vlad paused, shooting a way glance around the room, before shaking his head. ¡°There wasn¡¯t before I made one. I invented it when I was trying to find my mother. For now, let¡¯s focus on raising the ghoul to receive the information we need. While it appears the person behind this is a singular incubus, it isn¡¯t uncommon for seers to only see part of a whole picture. Never trust visions to give you the whole truth of the matter, it will get you dead.¡±

    At that, Sera snorted. ¡°Damn right, the number of times I¡¯ve had a misleading vision is insane. After we verify with the woman that whoever is behind this is the only one then we can use the DNA of one of the kids to track him.¡±

    A soft creak dropped the room into silence, all heads swiveling to the small form hovering by the entrance with wide, scared eyes. Avery.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to use me to find someone, the man who took us?¡± His voice shook, fear in every syllable digging a dagger into my heart. Vlad¡¯s expression shifted into a remorseful but determined one, Dimitrius stiffening behind me with protectiveness.

    Before Vlad could speak up, I cut him off with a lethal glare. ¡°Not unless you agree to it.¡±

    All heads spun to face me, Avery¡¯s eyes losing some of their terror as relief edged in. Sera grimaced, muttering low.

    ¡°Julian-.¡±

    I shook my head, glaring her and her brother down. ¡°No, I refuse. Fight me on it, we¡¯ll be here all day. If he doesn¡¯t want to take part in this spell then we¡¯ll ask the others kids we rescued. It¡¯ll take a bit longer that way since we have to contact their parents, but I don¡¯t give a shit.¡±

    Locking eyes with Vlad, I finished, all but daring him to contradict me. ¡°Avery has been through enough, had his choices ripped away too many times. I won¡¯t allow anymore of it.¡±

    Dimitrius¡¯s hands grazed my back, offering silent support as he towered behind me, the silent sentinal comforting as Vlad glanced between us and Avery. After a long, tense minute, he nodded.

    ¡°Very well then. There are bound to be others who would offer aid.¡± His put a hand on Sera¡¯s shoulder when she went to argue. ¡°She¡¯s right, it would make us every ounce as monstrous as our adversary if we forced a child into this.¡±

    Any arguments she had ripped away, her frame losing its fight as she heaved a sigh. ¡°Fine, fine you have a point.¡±

    Avery, for his part, relaxed. Inching out from his hiding place behind the door, he bolted to Dimitrius and I, arms thrown around our waists as his face buried into my side. I barely heard his next words, muffed through the fabric.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    And there went my heart strings ladies and gentlemen!

    Gently patting his shoulder, I nodded, not saying anything as the boy pulled back to hover at our sides. Dimitrius offered him a smile as well, arm firmly around my waist as he spoke to the room at large.

    ¡°Let us relax for now. After tonight, the battle will truly begin. We must be sure we are prepared and well-rested, for who knows what all heads in our direction.¡±

    Tension sparked through the air and I nodded. ¡°Then let¡¯s get to it.¡±

 True Resurrection and Its Consequences

    Chapter Thirty

    ¡°Okay, you know what, you¡¯re definitely cheating now. Are you using that mind-reading spell?¡± I asked, glaring with fake outrage at Vlad, who only leveled an amused smile on me.

    ¡°I¡¯m doing no such thing and I¡¯ve told you before, that spell isn¡¯t a mind-reading one. It allows me to drop a message into someone¡¯s mind, not pull something out of it.¡± He sat primly in the seat, cards faced away as I grumbled.

    I¡¯d never thought poker would be such a pain to play.

    Not willing to let the subject drop, I raised a brow and teased. ¡°You¡¯ve made spells before, it wouldn¡¯t surprise me if you made another one.¡±

    Dimitrius¡¯s lips twitched upward, but he said nothing, keeping his eyes firmly on his own hand. Seraphina, on the other hand, snorted.

    ¡°Give it a rest, Julian. It¡¯s not my brother¡¯s fault you can¡¯t keep a poker face to save your life.¡± She rolled her eyes, putting her cards down as she did.

    Shaking my head, I gave in. ¡°Fine, whatever. I¡¯m glad we aren¡¯t playing with real money because you¡¯d wiped me out.¡±

    And it didn¡¯t escape my notice that Vlad all but beamed when Sera referred to him as her brother. If it made him that happy I¡¯d have to drag him into the fray of the twisted little unit I was building here. I¡¯d leave it up to him if he wanted to subject himself to the insanity or not.

    Vlad smiled warmly, amusement still dancing in his eyes. ¡°Which is why I insisted we not. I have more than enough funds as it is, no reason to take yours.¡±

    Before I could try to figure out who had a better hand me or him¨Cit was probably him, if his luck so far was any indication¨Cthe door behind me opened and a staff member came in with a bow.

    ¡°All the preparations have been completed as specified.¡±

    And just like that, the easy air disappeared in a snap.

    Vlad put his cards down, rising alongside Seraphina as he nodded. ¡°Then it¡¯s time. Come, let¡¯s be off.¡±

    I almost waited to check their cards, but Dimitrius¡¯s amused glance and arm around my waist stopped me. Grumbling under my breath, I followed, linking our hands as we headed for the plane. It was finally time for answers.

    ***

    The barren land was quiet, an eerie silence perfectly fitting the mood as we stood in the clear patch of forest. A body bag sat in front of him¨Cgetting that from forensics had been hell¨Cand as he raked a glance over the charred remains of what used to be a woman, he grimaced.

    ¡°This is her?¡±

    Disbelief leaked from his tone and internally I winced. Yeah, there hadn¡¯t been much left from the fire to recover and it wasn¡¯t a lot to work with. Hopefully it¡¯d be enough.

    Nodding, I shoved the thoughts away. ¡°They couldn¡¯t save much. Supposedly a gas line blew and the house went up before the fire department could get to them.¡±

    But we knew better, if there had been anything wrong with the gas it¡¯d been done deliberately to take out a lead. I¡¯d focus on hunting that murderer down just as soon as we put the mind behind all of this in the ground.

    Nerves danced in my stomach at the dubious look on his face and I asked. ¡°Will it be a problem?¡± Good God, I hoped not. We needed one win in our corner.

    Vlad raked a glance over the bag again, frown not twitching away. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t, but I¡¯ve never attempted this spell before¡­¡±

    Which meant he was just as in the dark we were. Beautiful. Forcing the bitchy thought back, I nodded. ¡°Even if it fails, thank you for trying. This will take a lot out of you and I appreciate your presence and cooperation.¡±

    Gold eyes softened as he clasped my arm, the almost hug the most affection we¡¯d shared outside of the bedroom. ¡°I meant what I said about us being friends. After this mess, I would enjoy the chance to sit down and get to know you better. Friends are a rarity for me¨Cas I assume they are for you¨Cand that is worth far more than this.¡±

    Even if he¡¯d refused to help us, I still would¡¯ve accepted the offer of friendship. After all, social outcasts gotta stick together right? ¡°Sounds good to me, besides you and Dimitrius will get along great once you have a chance to talk. You¡¯re similar in a lot of ways.¡±

    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    Dimitrius raised a brow, but didn¡¯t argue. ¡°I will enjoy the many discussions we have in the future, but for now let us focus.¡±

    Vladimir lost his amusement, face shifting into business mode again as he knelt over the corpse. He arranged the herb and other components over where the woman¡¯s chest would be, only stepping back when he was content with it.

    Then, he raised his hands level with his chest and closed his eyes. At first, nothing changed, but I stayed quiet. This was quite possibly one of the most complicated spells to pull of. It¡¯d need longer to put the magic in place and his focus couldn¡¯t be interrupted.

    Minutes ticked by, the tension in the air climbing with each one until finally, an electric charge began to build. My hair stood on end as magic pulsed hot and sharp through the clearing, nearby animals scattering with alarm as the Mortuus magic spread out.

    Not an uncommon thing, most animals didn¡¯t like the feel of it.

    When red began to glow off Vladimir though, I tensed. Until now I¡¯d never actually seen magic physically manifest, other than my own occasionally. It took mass amounts of concentrated power to make it visible to the naked eye and watching the red smoke twine around Vlad was breath taking.

    With every beat of his heart, it grew, swirling to form a tunnel around him until he opened his eyes. Red swallowed the gold orbs as he stared at the corpse, his mouth pulling into a hard line as he willed his magic into the spell. ¡°Surge ex cinere. Verum Vivifica.¡±

    Rise from the ashes, True Revival.

    How fitting, though it made sense. Incantations weren¡¯t generally long or flowery despite pop culture¡¯s belief. After all, magic was useless if you died while trying to cast it. A dead mage wasn¡¯t a very powerful one.

    The physical snap of Vlad¡¯s power pulled me back to the present as it rushed into the body. In my next heartbeat, he dropped like a sack of potatoes, sending my heart up into my throat. Seraphina caught him before I could so much as twitch in his direction, a hand drifting to his pulse before nodding, sending relief through me.

    Then, we all turned to the body bag, holding our breath. When nothing happened despite the magic circling it, hopelessness chased the heels of my relief.

    It hadn¡¯t worked.

    Vlad leaned heavily on Sera, sending me an apologetic look even as tremors from magic drain wracked his form. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry, Kotenok.¡±

    Biting back my frustration, I waved the apology off and sighed. ¡°its fine, we knew this was a long shot and she was in horrible condition-.¡±

    Dimitrius cut me off, eyes riveted to the bag as he raised a hand and muttered with open awe. ¡°Look.¡±

    All eyes swung to the body as Vlad¡¯s magic twined around it, tracing along the remains until it flowed into where her nostrils would have been. Traveling slowly, it inched through her bones, the glow of magic marking its trail until every inch of the corpse shone red.

    Not taking my eyes off it for a minute, I watched transfixed as slowly¨Cpainfully slowly¨Cmuscles began to grow back. It was gruesome to watch, but also fascinating. Pink and red crawled over the bones, until fifteen minutes later the unmistakably human form laid before us¡­without any skin.

    Unease slid down my spine at the sight, my stomach rolling dangerously as I muttered. ¡°Is¡­she going to stay that way?¡±

    Because that was flat out terrifying and if that was what ghouls looked like, it was no wonder they never survived long. My sanity would snap too.

    Vladimir shrugged, nausea clear even as he refused to look away. ¡°I have never seen this spell successfully cast, or even attempted. For her sake, I hope not.¡±

    None of us dared to so much as breathe loudly as finally, skin began to regenerate. Inch by inch, the body returned to what it was before. Then, the glow dissipated, leaving the naked body of a woman in its place.

    Long, ebony hair laid beneath her, contrasting against skin that seemed to be painted from moonlight. When the edges of the woman¡¯s mouth twitched into a frown, we all leaned forward.

    Come on, you¡¯re so close! Just a little more. Thousands of lives depend on you.

    It took another minute but she twitched again, her eyelids scrunching as she visibly took stock of her body. Her hands clenched at her sides, before the lightest roll of her shoulders came. Her tongue peeked out to wet her lips, grimacing at the taste of dirt and ash, before hazy silver eyes finally flicked open.

    The orbs glowed under the moon and with that, I knew Vlad had succeeded. Only ghouls had those eyes and triumph washed through me in a wave. Hope wasn¡¯t lost yet.

    Before I could get ahead of myself, I forced my attention to the woman now looking at Vladimir in confusion. ¡°Who¡­who are you?¡±

    He gave a gentle, if exhausted, smile. ¡°Vladimir, and I am very pleased to make your acquaintance.¡±

    She blinked before glancing around, taking in her surroundings and all the strangers now standing around her. Slowly, the daze left her eyes as fear and uncertainty inched into her face. ¡°Who are all of you and where are we? I don¡¯t remember coming here, the last thing I remember is-¡°

    Her babble cut off, face going slack as something new I¡¯d never seen before dawned. Terror unlike any I¡¯d ever witness awoke and she jumped up, her legs immediately giving out. I tried to reach out, offering support, but she jerked back, eyes near feral as she looked around for something.

    Or someone.

    ¡°Where is he?¡± She asked, voice choked with that same soul wrenching fear.

    Oh, duh. No wonder she¡¯s freaked.

    Raising my hands in surrender, I tried to soothe. ¡°The man is gone, though we¡¯re hunting him and we need your help-.¡±

    A shaking hand fisted my shirt, snapping me forward with surprising strength given the woman had been a corpse not thirty minutes ago. Dragging me down until our faces hovered inches apart, she cut me off with a snarl.

    ¡°Not him. Where is my son, where is Gail?!¡±

    Oh¡­fuck.

    Icy understanding hit as tension crackled through the air. I hesitated, not removing her hand as I tried to figure out just how to proceed. The boy was dead still and nothing would bring him back, but how do I explain that to his mother?

    Swallowing, I looked around for help, only for wide eyed blank stares to meet mine. Great, leave me to offer comfort, because nothing could possibly go wrong with that.

    Taking a slow breath, I wrapped a hand around hers and tried to comfort. ¡°He¡¯s gone, in the fire that killed you.¡±

 Hell Hath No Fury

    Chapter Thirty One

    Okay, so probably not my best attempt at comforting, but harsh honesty was better than pretty lies! Though this is definitely further proof I would never be the one people came to for comfort.

    Sera shot me an incredulous look, but before she could rip into me for the blunt statement, Isabelle backed away, face dropping through disbelief, fear, and acceptance at a rapid pace.

    ¡°No, he can¡¯t be¡­ I¡¯m alive, so he must be too.¡±

    Her jaw tensed, a glint sparking in her eyes that immediately sent sirens of alarm screeching in my ears. Fuck, damage control, quick!

    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t survive the fire, we brought you back, but-.¡±

    She whipped around, hand still fisted in my shirt as tears trailed down her cheeks, devastation burned brightly in those eyes as she shouted. ¡°Why?! If he¡¯s dead then I have no business being alive!¡±

    Then, she seemed to realize something, her free hand drifting to her stomach before another round of grief hit. Her shoulders shook with bitten back sobs as she shuddered. ¡°They¡¯re both gone.¡±

    A lump formed in my throat at the naked loss, but I pushed on. ¡°Yes, they are.¡± That was true and unfortunately children couldn¡¯t be brought back, even if we had more of the components.

    Isabelle looked at me, eyes wide with pleading and the desperation of a parent whose child was gone as she brought her other hand next to the first, shaking me lightly. ¡°You said you brought me back? Please, bring him back. If not both of them, at least him. I can¡¯t live while my son is gone. Please!¡±

    The word dug harshly into my chest, but before I could try to explain why we couldn¡¯t do that, Vladimir took over. Carefully pushing off Seraphina, he moved to stand in front of Isabelle, sympathy marring his face.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but that is impossible. Children¡¯s souls can¡¯t be brought back. They¡¯re too weak. Trying would shatter them. I barely managed to pull you across the veil.¡±

    Sorrow deeper than the ocean and sharper than a blade dawned as she shook her head, releasing my shirt to face Vlad. ¡°That can¡¯t be possible. If you need some kind of sacrifice then take my life, but please bring him back.¡±

    Vlad forced his legs to hold him, shaking his head with a frown. ¡°I can¡¯t, nor can anyone else. For what little its worth, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Slowly, realization dawned. Isabelle¡¯s face twisted in agony, her head falling with a silent thump to Vlad¡¯s chest as her hair covered her eyes like a veil. Tears trailed down her cheeks, jaw clenched tight as she sobbed.

    ¡°Why? Why did you bring me back? Have I not suffered enough under him?¡± An edge of fury came then, sharpening her tone even as she kept her forehead pressed to Vlad. ¡°Now I have to live without Gail and even the child I never met? What did I do to deserve this?!¡±

    The shout echoed through the clearing, her chest heaving for air between sobs as Vlad answered, hand hesitating over her back. ¡°You¡¯ve done nothing, I¡¯m afraid. For some reason, that man took an interest in you and we need to know why.¡±

    He paused, choosing his next words very carefully. ¡°It could save thousands of lives, those like your sons¡¯. Innocents who did nothing to earn this, nothing but being a pawn to a cruel man. We brought you back because we need to bring your children¡¯s¡¯ murdered to justice.¡±

    Despair rolled off the woman in waves, dousing the air until I could all but taste it, before something else peaked out. Like molten lava, energy¨Cmagic, I realized with stunned disbelief¨Clashed around her as she finally picked up her head.

    I¡¯d seen people angry in my lifetime¨CI was fairly good at pissing people off after all¨Cbut this? The near feral glint to those silver eyes that promised death-no, promised vengeance on the one who¡¯d wronged her?

    It was an unholy wrath, one I¡¯d never seen the likes of, and without a doubt, I knew that Isabelle would be a force to be reckoned with should she survive the first year of turning.

    Vlad didn¡¯t flinch despite her stare leveling on him, her tone dripping with poison as she snarled. ¡°I don¡¯t care that he killed me, I¡¯ve been begging him to for years, but he touched my sons. You say I have information that can bring him down? You¡¯ll have it. You¡¯ll have anything you need, but promise me that he¡¯ll die. As bloody and painful as you can possibly make it. Swear to me on whatever you consider holy that. He. Will. Pay.¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    Vlad smiled, a slow and grim thing, and nodded. ¡°On the grave of the daughter I lost two centuries ago, you have my word.¡±

    My head whipped around at that, shock and pity flash mobbing me. He¡¯d lost a kid?! Jesus, our entire group needed therapy¡­

    I guess it shouldn¡¯t surprise me though, magic was hereditary, yes, but it the child didn¡¯t inherit they had the same lifespan as any other human. It was the reason why most people refused to even try for kids. The chance of watching their offspring grow old and die was too great. I couldn¡¯t blame them, even if I¡¯d had a serious partner in the past, I wouldn¡¯t have considered kids.

    Though that did bring a different question up. If Dimitrius and I ever had children, would they inherit his longevity? He had said that kids of incubi always inherited the ¡®demon¡¯ parent¡¯s genes.

    Shelving that for later, I watched Isabelle nod, a slight wobble to her jaw before she swallowed back that and the tears clearly visible in her gaze. ¡°Alright, what do you need to know?¡±

    Before I could start questioning, Dimitrius stepped forward, sending me a look of mild reproach. ¡°While I understand that haste must be made, we should discuss this at my home. Vladimir needs rest and so do you. Being pulled from the grave is no minor feat and you should take some time to adjust.¡±

    Isabelle tensed, looking ready to argue, before reluctantly deflating. ¡°Fine¡­¡± Before she could move though, Vlad stripped his outer jacket and offered it.

    ¡°Here, it isn¡¯t much but it will cover you until we¡¯re back and you can cloth yourself accordingly.¡±

    She blinked, glancing down as she just seemed to realize she was naked. Taking the jacket numbly, she mumbled her thanks while tugging it on. It swamped her, but she didn¡¯t react.

    Vlad nodded. ¡°It¡¯s nothing to thank me for. As the mage who raised you, you¡¯re my responsibility and I won¡¯t shirk that. Should you need assistance, just ask. If you have questions, I will do my best to answer them, and if you need aid, you will have it.¡±

    Wanting to add my two cents into the mix, since it was partially my fault she had to go through all this crap, I threw in. ¡°And you¡¯ve for more than him. Apologizing does nothing, but all the same, I¡¯m sorry for dragging you back into this hell. You¡¯re part of the twisted family we got going here. If you want to be, that is.¡±

    Isabelle paused, taking us all in with a slow sweep, hesitating over Dimitrius warily for some reason, before shaking the brief uncertainty off. ¡°Thank you, everything is overwhelming now, but I appreciate the offer. Once everything is settled, I¡¯ll have to talk to you more. For now I just want to sleep.¡±

    More than fair, I was sure Vlad would do the same after all.

    ¡°And you¡¯ll have your chance. its a few hours flight back the house and then you can take all the time you need.¡± Vlad said, offering an arm that Isabelle took, letting him lean partially on her as they walked.

    She¡¯d agreed to give us information, Vlad was right that we didn¡¯t need it now. While we would need to move things along soon, we didn¡¯t have a countdown over our head either.

    It was only on our way back to the airport that I realized something important we¡¯d forgotten, my hand raising to smack my forehead with a loud clap.

    ¡°Curse my memory to all seven layers of hell, you asked who we are right? I¡¯m Julian, the woman you talked to before on the phone.¡±

    Understanding lit Isabelle¡¯s eyes as she nodded. ¡°My name¡¯s Isabelle Collins, though I guess you already know that. It¡¯s nice to meet you¡­¡± She hesitated, realizing the lie even as I chuckled.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t but that¡¯s alright. We get it. Very few people are happy to meet us and in your case, there are special circumstances.¡±

    Isabelle blinked, surprised, before she shook her head. ¡°For now, you¡¯re right, but once that bastard is in the ground I¡¯ll be a lot happier to be around you¡­if that helps.¡±

    A wide, blood thirsty grin curled my lips. ¡°Oh that works just fine for me, I fully plan to rip that sick fuck to shreds for what all of this.¡±

    Silver eyes glinted with a mirroring viciousness as Isabelle nodded. ¡°You¡­you and I are going to get along just fine.¡±

    Yeah, I got that feeling. Poor Seraphina, that¡¯d make two chaotic dumbasses for her to keep track of. As if thinking the same, the pinkette groaned as Elle watched from her shoulder, occasionally nudging Vlad worriedly.

    ¡°Dear God, there¡¯s two of you now.¡±

    Vlad patted her shoulder sympathetically. ¡°I¡¯m here to help keep them out of trouble.¡±

    Oh, I couldn¡¯t just not chip in there! ¡°Actually, Dimitrius is going to be keeping me out of trouble, so you just have to worry about Isabelle.¡± Sending a smile back to the amused blond, I shrugged apologetically. ¡°Sorry babe, you¡¯re stuck with babysitting duty.¡±

    He hummed, a chuckle just on the tip of his tongue as he kissed my temple. ¡°I consider it part of our relationship, so no apology is necessary.¡±

    Cuddling back into him, I heard Sera¡¯s playful gag. ¡°Ugh you two are insanely sweet. I can feel myself getting cavities from here.¡±

    Not pulling away from my spot cuddled into Dimitrius¡¯s chest, I shot back. ¡°Then have Elle turn her head, I¡¯m not stopping because of your delicate sensibilities.¡±

    Nudging my nose further into his throat, I felt his rumbling laughter as Sera snorted from behind me.

    ¡°Go back to cuddling your lover and behave. No getting freaky on the airplane either. I¡¯m one of the two people here who haven¡¯t seen you naked and I¡¯d like to keep it that way.¡±

    I flipped her off without a word, the gesture pulling a sharp bark of laughter from Sera. ¡°There¡¯s the brat we know and love. In all seriousness though, we should probably get some rest. These next few hours are going to be killer and you in particular¨CVlad¨Chave used more than your fair share of energy.¡±

    The man hummed, exhaustion clear as he barely kept his eyes open. Isabelle glanced over him worriedly, gripping his arm as if to keep him awake. Maybe focusing on him will give her an outlet for her grief for now¡­

    Shaking that to the side, I leaned into Dimitrius and let go of the tension rolling in my gut. One thing down on the agenda, with any luck the rest of our little quest would go as smoothly.

 The Calm Before The Storm

    Chapter Thirty Two

    I reclined back on the couch, Dimitrius¡¯s hand combing through my hair as I dozed in and out.

    Isabelle and Vlad were taking the opportunity to rest before everything got crazy again and I was never one to miss an opportunity for some quality cuddle time with Dimitrius. All I¡¯d had to do was lie down and look at him, then he was at my side, tugging my head into his lap.

    Part of me wanted to drag him to the bedroom while we had the minute, but I forced the urge down. Now wasn¡¯t the time for that, we needed to rest while the opportunity was here. I doubted we¡¯d have time for this once the hunt really started and I¡¯d revel in it just in case.

    Not to mention we could always die in the coming fight, though I was doing my best to not think like that. Redirecting my thoughts before they could trip down the dark rabbit hole, I melted into him and sighed.

    ¡°I wish we could do this more often.¡±

    Our relationship had been hectic from the start, barely giving us time to be together in between base hits and now this. Dimitrius nodded, not pausing in his stroking.

    ¡°Soon we shall have all the time in the world for this. While things have been busy, I will relish in the days when we may slow down and enjoy one another¡¯s company more thoroughly throughout each day.¡±

    I almost turned the conversation in a decidedly more naughty direction, but I shook it off with practiced ease. I was too comfortable here and besides, the quiet intimacy was nice. Breaking it wasn¡¯t what I wanted and I doubted Dimitrius did either.

    Cuddling closer, I hummed. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that, you¡¯ll have a hell of a time making me move.¡±

    His chuckle was low, stroking along my nerve endings in an all too pleasant way. His hand shifted, guiding my chin up to look at him. ¡°When our time is our own then you may lie in my lap as often as you please. I certainly have no complaints.¡±

    Before I could contemplate the idea of wrapping myself around him and refusing to move, a tentative voice from the doorway stopped me.

    ¡°Should I come back later?¡±

    Isabelle hovered near the entrance, eyeing us with open uncertainty and a longing I more than understood. Sitting up with a grunt despite my muscles screaming in protest, I shook my head. ¡°Nope, we can go back to that in a bit. What¡¯s up?¡±

    She bit her lip, pulling something from behind her with a shrug before offering it. ¡°I couldn¡¯t make my mind slow down enough to sleep, so I drew a sketch of the man you¡¯re after. Some details are off, but this is the basic description.¡±

    All previous drowsy affection left me as I took the pad of paper excitedly, only to freeze at the face staring back at me. Impossible¡­

    Shifting up to sit next to Dimitrius, I held the pad next to his head and gawked. The man in the sketch was nearly a mirror image of him, though Dimitrius¡¯s jaw was a touch softer and his eyes weren¡¯t the same shape.

    Isabelle nodded. ¡°I know, the similarities unsettled me at first before I realized he wasn¡¯t him. But this is good, right? If they¡¯re related somehow then maybe we can track him easier?¡±

    Shaking off the world rattling shock that the sick fuck behind this mess might be related to Dimitrius, I handed back the paper and focused on her. ¡°In a way, it is. Though it doesn¡¯t spell out anything good for us. Supposedly there was an incubi uprising in history, one incubus in particular trying to take over the world clich¨¦ super villain style. Now we have a rise in incubi and succubi kids and all the offspring look similar?¡±

    I shook my head, hating the conclusion I was drawing. ¡°We were hoping this was a group trying to revive their species, but no. This is looking more and more like an army in the making and if all the kids were born from the same incubi?¡±

    I glanced back to Dimitrius who looked vaguely ill, coming to the same conclusion I did. ¡°We¡¯re dealing with someone old and powerful.¡±

    But just how old could he be? Was this the incubus who¡¯d tried this uprising bullshit the first time or was this just someone who saw the idea and thought ¡®Hey, that looks like a fun Tuesday activity, let¡¯s do it!¡¯?

    God I hoped it wasn¡¯t the same one. To survive this long, impregnating dozens of women in the time of a year, told me more about his power level than anything else and I did not like where this was heading.

    Dimitrius grimaced, his arm tightening around my waist as he spoke. ¡°This bodes ill. My mother only ever birthed me before her death. For him to bear such a striking resemblance¡­¡±

    Stroking his hand, I finished the thought. ¡°Means he¡¯s either your father or your brother and neither of those options are good ones.¡±

    He shook his head, swallowing hard. ¡°No, they are not.¡±

    Dead silence rang out, before Isabelle shifted from foot to foot. ¡°Would me telling you more about him help anything?¡±

    Sharing a long glance with Dimitrius, sighed. ¡°Honestly, we have no idea. We¡¯re pretty sure he¡¯s spearheading this mess, no partners, and if that¡¯s the case then we need to find and put him down before he has a chance to train that army. With any luck he won¡¯t have had time to raise any of the kids so we¡¯ll only be dealing with one psychotic, potentially millennium old incubus.¡±

    Isabelle tilted her head, digging for anything that could be useful. ¡°He didn¡¯t usually try to touch me in my dreams, just the two times I got pregnant. He liked to taunt though, he got off on my fear and knowing he put me through hell. He mentioned once that I was different, that of all the women he¡¯d raped I was his favorite.¡± She grimaced, disgust and pain clear.

    ¡°As if that¡¯s something to be proud of. He didn¡¯t say why he favored me though, just that I¡¯d be his pet after he got his way, because I would be different. Stronger.¡±

    She shivered at the thought and I cut her off before she could delve further. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say anything else. Your sketch is a wonderful help and now we have more to go off of. He¡¯s related to Dimitrius and he¡¯s working alone. That tells us we¡¯re not sniffing out a group and Vladimir said he can track him through one of the children since they¡¯re a direct line of descent.¡±

    I offered a tired smile. ¡°You¡¯ve done your part, now let us do ours.¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    She nodded, hesitating before adding on. ¡°While everything is still overwhelming, I wanted to thank you. I¡¯ve wanted to see that monster dead for years¡­¡±

    No kidding. Waving off her thanks, I responded. ¡°It¡¯s not something to thank me for. Now get some sleep, we¡¯ll let Vladimir rest a bit more and then-.¡±

    The door to the room slammed open, one of the staff stumbling with eyes wide with fear. ¡°Sir, the children you saved-!¡±

    Already moving to stand, I ground my teeth. That prick had better not hurt those kids again! They¡¯d been through enough already and when I got a hold of him I¡¯d feed that motherfucker his teeth for everything he¡¯d caused.

    Dimitrius stood as well, alarm and outrage chiseled into his face. ¡°Were they kidnapped again?¡±

    The staff member shook his head, face pale as death with a tint of green. ¡°No sir, at least then we¡¯d be able to save them.¡±

    Silence. No one dared to even breathe as the truth hit with the force of a truck, my previous rage roaring high into an inferno as I choked on the clawing heat trying to choke me. Grief followed next, and I spoke through my daze.

    ¡°Did any of them survive?¡±

    The man grimaced, ¡°Some, but not many. We found evidence of magical interference at several of the homes so we think-.¡±

    Dimitrius cut him off with a feral growl. ¡°That the one behind it all is killing them off, hiring mages to do his dirty work.¡±

    Isabelle gasped, a hand dropping to her stomach as the flinty wrath from the clearing came back. ¡°But I thought he needed the children!?¡±

    To that, I shook my head. ¡°He does, which means he doesn¡¯t like how close we¡¯re getting to him now. He¡¯s cutting his losses while he still can. By eliminating the kids from the picture he can stay in hiding, try to plan this again in a few centuries.¡±

    I would have admired the cold, logic behind it under other circumstances, as it stood I could only be disgusted. ¡°He¡¯s smart, patient and above all ruthless. He knows what he¡¯s doing.¡±

    Injustice and the urge to rip him limb from limb washed through me until red dotted my vision. Those children had been through hell already and now they¡¯d died by the man who¡¯d caused ti to begin with. Hell was too good for that monster, but I had nothing worse to offer him, so Hell it would be.

    Power flooded the room, Isabelle stiffening from the corner of my eyes as Dimitrius¡¯s anger flared out, coating the room in a prickly and pulsing blanket. ¡°He will pay for this, make no mistake.¡±

    Minutes ticked by as we all came to terms with the new development, silence enveloping the room before Isabelle broke it to whisper. ¡°But how do we find him now? You said we needed the kids to reverse track him.¡±

    A small voice from the door came then, one that ripped my heart from my chest.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    All heads swung to face Avery, his eyes wide with fear even as a shaky determination covered them. His grip on the wall eased as he came into the room, tipping his head up in an imitation of Dimitrius I¡¯d seen more than a few times since he¡¯d come to stay with us.

    Stopping in front of Dimitrius and I, looked up and repeated it. ¡°I¡¯ll do it. He hurt the others again, will hurt me too. I can¡¯t let him-.¡± He choked, tears clogging his throat as my heart twisted painfully.

    Kneeling to his level, I shook my head, gently swiping his tears. ¡°No, I won¡¯t let you. This won¡¯t be something you have to shoulder.¡±

    Avery went to argue, wet cheeks only adding to the painful picture, but Dimitrius brushed a hand through his hair, cutting him off with a smile.

    ¡°She is right, besides you do not need to do this.¡±

    He looked over to me, jaw hardening as he continued. ¡°Because I will. I have a direct line to this incubus as well and I am an adult.¡± Then he glanced back to Avery, eyes softening. ¡°You are but a child. This is not a role for you.¡±

    Avery shuddered, relief washing over him as he melted against Dimitrius, cuddling under his arm. The sight tugged my heartstrings and I nodded in agreement. ¡°He¡¯s right, he¡¯s also used to fighting and you¡¯re not. Thanks for trying kid, but this isn¡¯t your fight.¡±

    Vlad breezed through the doors then, eyes still crusty from sleep as his long black coat swished soundlessly behind him. ¡°We have no time to lose then. Your staff woke me with an update on the situation. We must strike now. Every minute wasted is one more will suffer.¡±

    I would have argued under other circumstances, Vlad still looked like death warmed over, but I couldn¡¯t. What other option did we have?

    Determination cemented Dimitrius¡¯s face as he nodded. ¡°Then we shall do this now. He has wreaked havoc for too long. Tonight, we will locate him and put an end to this.¡±

    Equal parts anticipation and nerves surged at that. I wanted this over, but we were all tired, fighting while exhausted was never a good idea¡­

    But again, there was no better option, so I nodded. ¡°Before we get into that¡­¡± I squeezed Avery¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Bud, can you please go back to your room for now? The adults have to talk.¡±

    He pouted, but after a final hug around Dimitrius and my waists, he nodded. Once he was gone, I nodded to Vlad and stood up. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get this show on the road.¡±

    The bronze skinned man breezed out of the room, Dimitrius following as they discussed the spell that would send his mind to our enemy. I went to follow, only for Isabelle to catch my arm. ¡°I want to be there to see him die.¡±

    Shit, I really didn¡¯t have the time or energy for this. Running a hand down my jaw, I tried to find the words to explain just how bad of an idea that was, only for Vlad to walk back into the room and do it for me.

    ¡°While I understand why you say that¨Cbelieve me, I do¨Cyou¡¯ll be doing no such thing. As you are, you¡¯re an easy target and we¡¯re more likely to get killed trying to defend you than anything. I gave you my word that he will die and I¡¯ll carry that promise through even if it kills me. But you need to let us do this.¡±

    Isabelle frowned, a battle waging across her face, before she sighed in defeat. ¡°Fine, but only because I don¡¯t want to be the reason you die. Just¡­be careful, alright?¡±

    Vlad paused at the genuine concern in her tone, only to stiffen to stone when she moved forward, snaking arms around him in a hug. He stared blankly down at her, taking in the sudden action with a stupefied wonder, before I gestured wildly to get his attention.

    Once I had it, I moved my arms to pantomime ¡®hug her back, you fool!¡¯. He did, after a minute. Seconds ticked by before Isabelle pulled away, looking to the side as she cleared her throat.

    ¡°Sorry, even after everything, I¡¯m still a touchy person.¡±

    Vlad smiled, the twitch of the lips hesitant but genuine. ¡°That¡¯s fine, I quite enjoy touch myself, so you¡¯ll find no complaints from me.¡± Tension sparked through the air between them, making me raise a brow, before shaking it to the side.

    Not my business.

    Instead, I turned on heel and followed the direction Dimitrius had originally gone. He was my business and we should probably talk about what was to come. Thankfully there were only a few rooms in this direction and when I opened the door to his room, I found him.

    He sat on the edge of the bed, offering me a tense smile when I entered. ¡°So it finally comes to a close. Tonight we will have his location and then we can finally be done with this.¡±

    Grief tinged his voice and I instinctively sat beside him, taking his hand and squeezing. ¡°There¡¯s nothing you could have done to stop any of this from happening. Don¡¯t blame yourself.¡±

    His lips curled harshly as he pulled me tighter into his side. ¡°That is easier said than done, but we can worry about my guilt later. For now, we have a location to find and a war to wage.¡±

    I reluctantly let the topic go, though not without kissing his head. ¡°I will be coming back to this, but you¡¯re right. We have things to deal with, but after that I swear we¡¯re both going to therapy. I know my issues alone would be enough to have three therapists cry, puke and quit, in that order.¡±

    His eyes lightninged with a tad of amusement, before Vlad entered, cutting off any discussion. His face settled into a mask of grimness as he stopped in front of us.

    ¡°Julian can stay if you want her to, but no one else. I¡¯ll need to focus to send you through the spell.¡±

    Dimitrius nodded, glancing to me with an open question that I answered without hesitation. ¡°Try to remove me from your side, see what happens.¡±

    His lips twitched up and he faced Vlad with a nod.

    With that, the air grew heavy with tension and we started. Dimitrius settled with his head in my lap, my fingers automatically twining with his hair as Vlad settled on his other side. A joke about all three of us being in bed together was on the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed it.

    Not the time.

    Honey eyes slid shut as Vladimir cast the spell, his magic saturating the air for the second time as he wove the spell over Dimitrius. I knew instantly when it took effect, his muscles going slack as his mind followed the magic guiding him to our enemy.

    Sending up a prayer for his safety, I took a deep breath and centered my ricocheting nerves. The hair on my neck tingled, itching relentlessly as the crawling feeling that somehow, someway this was going to backfire rose up to clutch my throat.

    Dear Lord, let this work¡­

 Behind The Curtain

    Chapter Thirty Three

    Dimitrius¡¯s Pov

    All around me, a dark abyss stretched. Not an ounce of light anywhere to be seen, but before the instinctual panic could settle over me, I remembered Vlad¡¯s words.

    ¡°It¡¯s disorienting at first but just focus. The spell will work like a string tied to you and him, follow it.¡±

    Feeling for that ¡®string¡¯, I swept my power out in a wave, smiling when I found it. Tugging on it with all my might, the dark melted away into a large, empty stone building that almost resembled my home.

    A sweeping staircase sat in the middle, leading up to a set of doors. Long tapestries hung from the walls, what looked to be French architecture and paintings catching my attention. Good, that would hopefully make narrowing down where he was easier.

    Then, the doors at the top opened and out strode the man I saw in the sketch.

    Blond hair hung to his throat in waves, pulled back into a tail at the base of his neck. Eyes I had inherited from him swept the room, before landing directly on me.

    Impossible, I was not physically there for him to see¡­

    Despite that, he smiled widely. ¡°So you are the one who¡¯s been causing me so much trouble. I must admit, when I learned that my children were being rescued, I expected it to be a nosy mage. Never in my wildest dreams would I have assumed it to be you. One of my own offspring.¡±

    Disgust curled through me as the truth dawned, this cretin was my father. Looking around, I took note of our surroundings as I spoke icily. ¡°I had only one parent and she died when I was young. You are nothing but her rapist.¡±

    He quirked a brow to that, smiling as if I had offered him a compliment. ¡°True, but you wouldn¡¯t be alive if not for me. As is the case with many others as well.¡± His mouth pulled down then into a scowl.

    ¡°Thought hundreds of my children died in the last war. I spawned you just before that accursed blight came and those blasted mages killed all the others. I thought none of you survived and yet, here you are. You¡¯ve grown well, become stronger than I ever thought possible.¡±

    The smile returned then. ¡°Which is why, instead of killing you, I¡¯m going to give you an offer and you¡¯re going to accept it.¡±

    Disbelief strafed through me as he continued to lay out his ¡®offer¡¯ with complete assuredness that I would accept.

    ¡°You will stop interfering in my plans and in exchange, you will rule beside me. I¡¯ll even let that pet mage of yours live along with that boy you took in. All you have to do is turn a blind eye. You, that woman and the child can live happily ever after then.¡±

    Fighting the urge to sneer, I spat. ¡°We will do that without you or your offer. Any peace I receive will be won over your grave, not the pain and death of millions.¡±

    His face fell from its arrogant mask into a scowl. ¡°Such a shame, and I was looking forward to our alliance.¡± He flicked his fingers.

    ¡°Fine, have it your way, but before you go¡­I believe I¡¯ll give you a gift. I missed one thousand of your birthdays so far. News of you has spread far and wide in our community, the incubus who refuses to feed from sex. Pathetic. We¡¯ll fix that right now. When you awake, your full birthright will come to the surface, forcing you to feed the way you were born to.¡±

    He smiled cruelly as a chill worked down my spine. ¡°No more of this starving yourself on scraps. Besides, I¡¯m sure that woman of yours will appreciate it. Cheers.¡±

    Then, one of his hands rose, power visibly building around him as his form changed into something monstrous. Massive dragon like wings pulled from his back to form a scaled drape behind him, nails shifting into wicked claws as he smiled, revealing fanged teeth.

    He lashed a hand through the air, sending a wave of power toward me. It collided like a physical blow despite my lack of corporeal form, the foreign magic seeping deep inside until it circled my core, pulling and prodding at something.

    Then, that something broke free and the last thing I saw before everything went black again was my father¡¯s glowing eyes.

    And with it, I knew nothing.

    ***

    Julian¡¯s Pov

    ¡°What in the fuck!¡±

    Dimitrius writhed in my lap, my firm grip the only thing keeping him on the bed as he arched and tossed his head. One of his arms reached around, trying to claw at his back while I rolled us to pin him down.

    ¡°Vladimir, what¡¯s going on?!¡± I snarled, trying to keep Dimitrius from hurting himself in his fit. Vlad stared down at us in shock, uncertainty and fear battling for supremacy as he shook his head.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know! This didn¡¯t happen for me. He shouldn¡¯t have been able to do anything to him while under that spell.¡±

    Damn it all, I knew this was going to go sideways.

    The door burst open just as Dimitrius¡¯s eyes opened, glowing gold in a way that swept ice down my spine. Seraphina barked from doorway, hands raised and ready to cast. ¡°Vlad, get away from him.¡± Elle bristled on hr shoulder as well, ready for a fight.Stolen story; please report.

    Dimitrius tensed under my palms and in my next blink, everything changed. One second he was clasped underneath me, the next I was under him and the glowing eyes were the least of my concerns.

    Two giant wings sprouted from his back, gold and shimmering with raw power as they fluttered and flapped with his agitation. His aura all but poured off them as they arched high above his head, his fingers now sharpened to hooks as the wicked nails sunk into the bed on either side of me.

    Then, he lowered himself as if to cover me, chest holding me in place as he narrowed feral eyes on the others. Predatory intent all but oozed from him and instincts screamed to the surface. Vlad had backed away at Sera¡¯s warning, but she couldn¡¯t sling her immobility spell at Dimitrius until he got off me.

    Which he didn¡¯t seem ready to do anytime soon. Vlad inched back to stand next to his sisters, eyes firmly locked on Dimitrius as he spoke in awestruck unease. ¡°I¡¯ve heard stories of the incubi¡¯s true form but assumed they were tall tales after meeting Dimitrius. Apparently, they¡¯re truth, but his blood was diluted thus this form didn¡¯t come through.¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°Something pushed it to the surface, most likely something out adversary did. If the legends are true, he¡¯ll go back to normal after whatever this haze is has passed.¡±

    Relief clawed nails down my spine as I bit back a sigh, okay we¡¯re not out of the woods yet but maybe there was a light at the end of the tunnel.

    Speaking lowly as to not startle the man over me, I asked. ¡°And how we get him out of this?¡± Because I¡¯d very much like my lover back without the wings, claws or glowing eyes. The feral glint to them made me twitchy and I was ready to tackle him at a moment¡¯s notice if he so much as twitched near the others.

    Vlad¡¯s answer was less than helpful.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I assume by feeding he¡¯ll go back to normal, though it could be from physical release as well. There aren¡¯t many legends surrounding incubi.¡±

    So either I had to get him off or let him feed on me while I got off. Great.

    One thing for sure though, I needed to get him incapacitated. Something told me if the others weren¡¯t here he¡¯d focus solely on me and considering what feeding meant for most incubi, I knew I couldn¡¯t let that happen.

    The first time we made love was not going to be while he was basically drugged. I¡¯d tie him to the bed and burn through as much lust as I had to before I let that happen.

    Vlad shifted and Dimitrius mirrored him, eyes narrowing as a warning rumble rolled through me. Sera hissed when Vlad moved again experimentally.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move. Right now he¡¯s completely feral. You move, you¡¯re prey.¡±

    Damn it, I knew what I had to do¡­

    ¡°You¡¯re right and there¡¯s no way to guarantee he won¡¯t hurt one of you, so get out of here. Empty the house,  put up barriers around it in case he leaves the room, and wait until he¡¯s back to normal to lower them.¡±

    Immediately, Vlad jerked, eyes sparking with protest. ¡°You can¡¯t expect us to leave you with him while he¡¯s like this!¡±

    Dimitrius tensed at the shout, muscles preparing to lunge, but before he could, I snaked a hand up to gently stroke his chest. Like a switch, his eyes slid shut and he shuddered, relaxing just a hair into me. Once he was as subdued as he¡¯d get for now, I turned back to Vlad.

    ¡°I can and will expect that of you, now go. He won¡¯t hurt me, you said it yourself that he¡¯s after feeding and I refuse to let anyone else help with that. I¡¯ll work him through this but you guys need to get out of here.¡±

    Vlad looked ready to argue again, but Sera cut him off. ¡°Don¡¯t, she¡¯s right. He isn¡¯t attacking her and if she can calm him down without hurting him then its better she does it. If all else fails then we can step in, but for now we¡¯re being a hindrance, not a help.¡±

    A battle waged across Vlad¡¯s face before he heaved a sigh. ¡°Alright, but scream if you need help. We won¡¯t be far.¡±

    And wouldn¡¯t that be awkward for Dimitrius later? Shaking that to the side, I nodded, watching as they backed out of the room. The heavy thud of the door sliding shut followed not a moment later.

    Immediately, Dimitrius relaxed, turning his full attention to me as every ounce of hostility left his form. His wings eased down out of their defensive arch, settling on either side of us like a blanket as open lust poured from him.

    Swallowing around my dry throat, the stroking power not helping as the familiar daze threatened to cloud my mind, I mentally slapped myself. I could do this, I wouldn¡¯t betray him, not like so many others had.

    The heat look of promise would have sent me stripping while sprinting for the nearest vaguely flat surface had this been of his own will, but it wasn¡¯t and I refused to let things go where his eyes promised they would.

    I needed to pull him back to the present and that¡¯d take either feeding or fucking. Unfortunately, there was no ¡®Idiot¡¯s Guide to Taming Your Feral Incubus¡¯ so I was on my own here.

    A good place to start though¡­

    Trailing a hand down his chest, I hummed. ¡°Can you understand me?¡±

    A blink was my answer. Biting back a sigh, I let the flash of disappointment spear through me. If he was under there it was far enough down that he couldn¡¯t react, which was going to make this a lot harder. Still, on the off chance he could hear me I needed to say this.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re in there somewhere and I want you to know, I¡¯m not letting this go too far. I¡¯ll do what I have to until you¡¯re back here, but this will not be our first time. Not with you like this. Wherever you are in that head of yours, just relax until this lets go. I won¡¯t be like them.¡±

    It might have been my imagination, but I thought I saw something warm soften his eyes before he lowered his mouth, stubble scraping deliciously along my throat. His teeth nipped a path as well, sending waves of pulsing arousal between my thighs.

    Shivering at the intimate touch, I dragged my nails lightly across his chest and waited for my opportunity.  Thankfully, I didn¡¯t have to wait long.

    His hands moved to my clothes, ripping them in his haste to get me naked, but I paid it no mind. Throwing my weight up, I rolled us over until I sat perched on his chest. His wings flattened to the bed, his eyes wide with surprise before his face scrunched into a dark scowl.

    A low growl rumbled through his chest, but before he could fight me for dominance, I rolled my hips against his groin. Immediately, he went still, losing all hints of aggression again to life pliant with a low hum of contentment.

    So he¡¯s fine with me being on top as long as he got his? Good to know.

    Shaking that to the side to analyze later, I trailed my hands up his arms to his wrists, stroking the skin sensually as my magic built under the surface. Then, once it was enough, I snapped his arms up to the headboard and snapped. ¡°Continao.¡±

    Immediately, magical binds wrapped both wrists, pulling them behind and above his head. The desire left his face as he snarled, aggression coming back in force as he struggled uselessly against the binds with newly grown fangs flashing.

    Not how I¡¯d wanted to use my magic in the bedroom, but I couldn¡¯t be picky right now. Sitting on his hips, I glared. ¡°Quit snarling, you¡¯ll get yours make no mistake, but it¡¯s going to be on my term.¡±

    To prove that, I dragged the tips of my nails across his chest again, watching as he shivered and his eyes slid shut. Inching back until I had easy access to his groin, I fiddled with his belt and prepared myself for a long few hours.

    I wasn¡¯t sure how much energy it would take before whatever this was burned off, but by the time we were done I was going to be exhausted, without a doubt. Sliding my mouth down his chest, he watched intently with drilling eyes as I finally undid his belt. In no time I dragged him free, encasing the tip in my mouth while ignoring the slight unease slithering through my veins.

    Dimitrius was going to be uncomfortable beyond belief no matter how I handled this, but at least this way I couldn¡¯t accidentally get caught up in the moment. I was going to stay clothed and in control, even if it killed me.

    Focusing on my task, ignoring the odd circumstances, I got to work while praying this wasn¡¯t a big mistake.

 Restraint and Relapse

    Chapter Thirty Four

    Heady warmth stuffed my head, the bond that¡¯d been up and rolling for three hours now still raking claws along my resistance. I held firm, not a single waver despite the thrumming pulse between my thighs that echoed throughout the rest of me painfully.

    Dimitrius¨Cfor his part¨Cdid not appreciate that sacrifice in his current state.

    He¡¯d been steadily chowing down on my arousal, the energy flowing freely into him as it ramped my lust higher by the minute, and it was fair to say I was a wee bit ready to rut into the bed and call it a day. Hearing his moans, the deep and throaty sounds rubbing in all the right places, and watching his hips grind open air had me biting back the urge to do just that.

    I couldn¡¯t, not until he was back to himself. For all I knew the second he was cut off from my arousal, his feeding source, he¡¯d lose all the progress he¡¯d made toward being normal again. And there had been progress, though painfully slow.

    His thrusts and bucks were languid now, the feral glint having faded back bit by bit the more orgasms I dragged from him, and even now his glowing eyes were dulling. We were almost done now, I couldn¡¯t give in and risk ruining everything.

    It was sweet torture, being this close to him in the throes of passion, but it would all be worth it soon. Sweeping out my magic to test his aura, I nearly whooped in relief at its severely diminished state. Just a little more now and we¡¯d be golden.

    At least, I hoped we were almost done. All signs sure pointed to do it and if things dragged on much longer I¡¯d soak the sheets underneath us. Then again, I glanced around at the already painfully drenched bed before correcting the previous thought, maybe it wouldn¡¯t make a difference.

    Dimitrius laid back, muscles relaxed to the point of cooked pasta as sweat and cum covered him. His hair was tussled, thrown in all directions from his rapid head tossing, and every spare inch of skin was flushed. To add to the overall picture of debauchery, his pupils were wide enough that only a thin ring of gold showed, and he looked as if he wanted nothing more than to roll us over and devour me whole.

    In short, he was a sight straight out of every erotic novel I¡¯d ever read and more than anything I wished he was looking at me like that while mentally sound. But he wasn¡¯t and that thought had been what kept me in line over the past few hours of delicious torture.

    Unfortunately, he noticed my distraction and capitalized on it, bucking up between my thighs as something long, hard and pulsing dragged with glorious friction over my clit. A gurgled, broken cry dragged forward, my hips snapping forward on instinct as I teetered dangerously on the edge before ripping myself back with pitiless determination.

    Through the haze of the bond, his excitement scalded me, stroking between my legs as if to goad me on as he rocked upward again, the touch threatening to shatter me. All but throwing myself back, I sucked in lungfuls of air while resisting the itching urge to shove my fingers into my cunt and end it now.

    But I couldn¡¯t, not yet. The second he was back to being himself, I¡¯d roll over and handle it, but not before.

    His disappointed groan rang out, hips bucking weakly into open air as I snorted. ¡°Yeah, you think you got it rough buddy.¡±

    My voice came out scratchy from our earlier activities, the constant rubbing of his girth proving too painful after the first half dozen orgasms. Besides, I could only taste so much cum before I was ready to puke and I¡¯d hit that threshold a long time ago.

    Then again, doing it this way left opportunities like the one he¡¯d just taken, so maybe I should go back to sucking his brain out through his dick¡­

    Shaking that to the side, I reached between us, wrapping my fingers tight around his cock and pumping. He thrust up, eyes rolling back again as halting, sluggish hips rutted into my palm, nowhere near as driven or desperate as he was hours ago.

    Compared to then he was almost drunkenly moving now and I could only hope it meant we were almost done. The foreign magic that¡¯d hovered just on the edge of his own waned like a candle¡¯s flame in the wind.

    When I gripped tight and dragged down just how he liked, he bowed his back with a groan, streams of seed coating both of us though notably with less pressure this time as that flame finally doused. Feeling through his aura, hope sparked in my chest at the lack of foreign influence.

    Readjusting him back into his trousers, I sat back and waited, keeping an eye on his every move. Just because I thought he was back didn¡¯t mean he actually was and I wasn¡¯t about to take any chances before dropping the magical restraints.

    After a minute, his eyelids flicked open and hazy honey orbs locked on me, not a trace of the glow from before showing. Then, slowly, his wings began to shrink, shriveling back down toward his back. The points to his fingers and teeth followed suit, rounding back out as he finally spoke, voice every ounce as wrecked as mine.

    ¡°What happened? The last thing I remember is being sent through the spell, then nothing.¡± He moved as if to lean forward, only to pause, finally noticing the restraints holding his arms above his head. Slowly, he took in his shirtless state, his bound hands, and then he looked back to me with open uncertainty. No accusation though, thankfully.

    I snapped, the magic holding him dissipating immediately as I flopped against his side, ignoring the hard pulse between my thighs for just a little bit longer to answer the question hovering behind his eyes.

    ¡°You were in some kind of sex craze. Vlad said it probably had something to do with your nature being suppressed and something waking it up. Honestly? I don¡¯t care, I¡¯m just happy you¡¯re back. Don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t let things get too far.¡±

    His frame eased, tension leaking off as he rubbed blood flow back into his arms. Noting his grimace, I shrugged. ¡°Sorry, but that was the only was I could keep you from pinning me to the bed and fucking me. I figured you¡¯d prefer the pins and needles to the alternative.¡±

    He nodded, looking around the bed that was soaked in¡­well him, before wide eyes landed on me as he swallowed.

    ¡°All of this was from me?¡±

    Sneaking a glance at the pretty well coated sheets, I supposed it would look daunting now that he was back to normal. If I hadn¡¯t been there for every bit of it, I¡¯d probably be just as surprised. Still, after hours of ignoring that fucking pulse, I¡¯d earned the right to be a bit snarky.

    ¡°Well it certainly isn¡¯t mine.¡±

    As if to attest to that, I clenched, the ache growing by the second before I caught his decidedly ill expression. Only centuries¡¯ worth of control let me shove the arousal soaking my thighs down. Comfort first, fuck the nearest pillow or dildo later.

    ¡°You alright over there?¡± I asked, not touching him just to be safe.

    His lips screwed down into a scowl as he looked me over, hands trailing with a feather light caress over my chest that was every ounce as filthy as his was. ¡°Physically, I am fine. Mentally? I do not like what happened.¡±

    Biting back a snort, I let my head thump into his palm when he started stroking my hair, massaging fingers into my scalp as I purred. ¡°No shit, being taken over like that isn¡¯t a fun Monday activity for anyone, least of all you.¡±

    However, to my surprise, he waved a hand. ¡°Not that, though that was unpleasant as well. I meant what I did to you.¡± He brushed my neck, eyes flicking over me with disgust as something close to anger bubbled to the surface. ¡°Your throat is raw and you are covered in this.¡±

    If things had been different, I wouldn¡¯t have minded that honestly.

    Sitting up, I stroked his cheek. ¡°Yeah, I am, but you know what? I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re back. My throat will heal with a popsicle and maybe a light healing spell from Vlad. As for this?¡±  I nodded to the rest of me. ¡°A shower will fix it. And look, your claws are receding.¡±

    He held up a hand just as the last of the points disappeared, rounded fingers I adored flexing experimentally. ¡°That they are, thankfully. I never expected tracking him would have such consequences.¡±

    Neither had I, though had we been further in our physical relationship I would have handled that entire sex craze completely differently. But that didn¡¯t matter, it was over now and I¡¯d be happy for the things I had instead of the ones I didn¡¯t.

    Another clench came from between my legs, reminding me with sharp clarity that yes that was still problem, but before I could roll over to handle that¨Cor go to the bathroom¨CDimitrius¡¯s hand landed on my hip. The touch was hesitant, his mouth set in a small, uncertain frown as worry filled the air between us. Before I could ask what was wrong, he spoke.

    ¡°You are not afraid, or disgusted?¡±

    Ah, so that¡¯s what this was about. Abandoning my orgasm for the umpteenth time, I hefted myself up to settle in his lap. Once there, I cradled his face in my palms, stroking some of the nerves away, and teased lightly.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen your library, my adored. You sort them by author last name and¨Con occasion¨Cby how sad an ending they have. While the new form was surprising and the past few hours were a test in patient, nothing you do could make me fear you after that. As for disgust?¡±

    I shrugged, inching forward to slide a kiss across his cheek, trailing back until my lips brushed his ear. ¡°Whether you have wings and claws, or shape shift into a completely different person altogether, it doesn¡¯t matter. You¡¯re you¨Cmy Dimitrius¨Cand that guarantees my adoration, no matter what form you take.¡±

    His throat bobbed, wetness flashing across his eyes as he blinked it back to rumble, arms pulling me tight to his chest. ¡°Had our positions been changed, I would feel the same. No matter what you look like, you are Julian¨Cmy Julian¨Cand I love you for it.¡±

    All thoughts came to a screeching halt to make room for those words, their echo sounding through my head. I love you. I didn¡¯t have to wonder when the last time I¡¯d heard it was, my mother, and hearing not from him eclipsed that pathetic memory with a joy unlike any I¡¯d experienced before.

    It lit me from the inside out, heat grabbing around my heart and squeezing as I struggled to breathe through the all encompassing rightness. My tongue felt like sandpaper as I swallowed, taking in the open adoration all but gushing from his eyes as I finally managed to choke out.

    ¡°I love you too.¡±

    It came out raspy for reasons other than my throat being sore, emotions pulsing hot under the surface as my lips formed around the foreign words. Though maybe soon they wouldn¡¯t be so rare¡­

    My mother¡¯s voice whispered at the back of my mind that it wouldn¡¯t last. Eventually, he¡¯d get tired of me as everyone else had, then I¡¯d be left with the pain of rejection just like before. An instinctual fear rose up at that, but I shoved it to the side.

    One glance in his eyes confirmed what I already knew down to my soul, he would never hurt me like that. Love like I¡¯d never seen burned brightly for me¨Conly for me, the greedy part of soul whispered¨Cand the more I looked, the further back my doubts shrank.

    If this ended in pain or rejection, then so be it. At least I¡¯d enjoyed this while it lasted and besides, I had an entire world of love to gain from taking the chance. It was worth it.

    Leaning our heads together, I said the sappiest thing I¡¯ve ever dared to utter. ¡°Hope you¡¯re ready, because nothing you do is getting rid of me now. I am irrevocably and completely yours.¡±

    My hands brushed his stubble as I soaked in the new feelings. I¡¯d never given myself over so wholly to someone before, but as he smiled at me¨Cbeaming as if I¡¯d given him the moon and stars¨CI knew I wouldn¡¯t regret it.

    Falling into those eyes, I only broke away when he dipped forward, sucking me into a soul melting kiss. Tongues and teeth slid against it each other, the balance of tender and carnal carefully controlled as I slid fingers into his hair and hummed, relishing in the new depth to our kisses as I shifted to lie completely against him.

    Not an inch of space sat between us, which meant there was no buffer when something rose to prod my core through my clothes. Dimitrius stiffened above me and immediately, I started to disengage. After what just happened and his will being compromised, it made sense that he wasn¡¯t in the mood for being rubbed against like this.

    I respected that, though the redoubled pulse between my thighs would have to be handled. Ten minutes, at the most, and I¡¯d be back at his side. My attempt to dismount came to an abrupt stop, his hands gripping the points of my hips and yanking me back to him. Understanding dawned a minute later when he ground upward, his tip dragging right where I wanted him.

    Lust blitzed hot through my veins, demolishing everything in its wake as Dimitrius rocked up against me again, air rushing from my lungs as if I¡¯d been punched. The urge to roll us over and pin him to finish what he was starting rage, but I forced it back. There¡¯d been a reason I hadn¡¯t done that before and I kept in mind now as I hissed.

    ¡°Now is not the time of this, you just dropped out of a spell and for all I know this is that talking.¡±

    I barely finished the words before he crushed me to him, mouth locking over mine in a dominating kiss as he rolled us over. Once he sat astride me, the position pushing al the right buttons, he pulled away long enough to growl.

    ¡°The spell has worn off, that I assure you. Anything I choose to do is entirely up to me and rest assured I have wanted you since I nearly lost you.¡± His hand cradled my jaw, eyes softening slightly as he continued.

    ¡°Right then I knew that living without you would was not truly living. Now I know that wasting a single minute when the next is not promised is foolish. I have shown not a speck of disgust or fear of you so far. I want to continue. Not because of spell, or to fee. But because I love you.¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    Catching my breath after the rough kiss, I stared up at him, taking in the burning desire in his eyes. Ravenous hunger the likes of which I¡¯d never seen on him stared back at me as he waited for my response.

    It didn¡¯t take long for me to come to my decision.

    I¡¯d never tried to make his decisions for him yet and that wasn¡¯t about to start now. He said the spell was gone and I didn¡¯t feel any of the aura from before. On top of that, the wings and claws were now completely receded, further backing up his claim.

    If he really wanted things to go the full way, I wouldn¡¯t be stopping us.

    Staring resolutely into his eyes, noting the desire to dive into me and claim everything as his own, I gave in. ¡°Then take me, but you¡¯d better be sure its what you really want. Once I¡¯m yours, it¡¯s all yours. The snippy me that¡¯s going to get bitchy with you when I¡¯ve had a bad day, the reckless me that¡¯s first instinct is to jump in because waiting has never been my strong suit, and even the distrustful part that will always make me fear what you could do to me if you ever chose to.¡±

    I bit my lip, hesitating slightly before throwing caution to the wind. I¡¯d already spilled this much, may as well throw all my chips in and hope for the best. ¡°There is not halfway here, if you want me than you can have me, but it¡¯s all or nothing.¡±

    Instead of being put off¨Cas any sane person would be¨Chis eyes glowed, not with lust but devotion, and he lowered his mouth to mine again. His words were hardly a whisper, brushing my lips before he claimed me in another brutal kiss.

    ¡°I would accept nothing less and you shall have the same from me.¡±

    His tongue twined around mine, sucking until iron hit my tongue, my muddled mind too buzzed to figure out who it¡¯d come from. The flavor and his sudden ferocity jolted something new in my awake, the feral want to claim what was freely offered roaring to the surface.

    Done holding back, my restraints snapped and my hips ground up against his, both of us letting out shuddering moans at the friction. Forcing my scrambled brain to find words, I bit out. ¡°We can take things slow and easy later, take what¡¯s your so I can do the same.¡±

    Because if we waited much longer I¡¯d be flipping us over and taking the lead.

    Thankfully, he didn¡¯t make me do that.

    A shudder ripped through him at me being his, before his mouth slid down my neck with devastating effect. His hands were a blur as they fisted his clothes, shredding them to ribbons before repeating the treatment with what was left of mine.

    Breaking the kiss to stare down the line of his body¨Cthe brand momentarily catching my attention before I ruthlessly shoved down the instinctual rage¨Cto the v of his hips, I swallowed back a moan. His cock stood to full attention, head flushed, vein pronounced while bobbing enticingly against his stomach.

    A clear drop of liquid trailed down the bulbous head, sliding slowly across his skin, over the protruding vein, before resting near his sac. My mouth went dry with the urge to follow it with my tongue. Letting my head slump back in submission, I sucked in a rattling breath.

    He could do whatever he wanted with me as long as he hurried.

    ¡°Fuck.¡± It was the only word I could say, but considering how gorgeous he looked, completely uninhibited and ready to reduce me to a screaming puddle, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to care about the lack of eloquence.

    A slow smirk curled his lips, a growl rubbing against my core sensually. ¡°Yes, fuck.¡±

    Any other time I¡¯d bust a gut laughing at the sound of him cursing in such a modern way, not at all as creative as he usually was, but given the current setting, all it did was pull another moan from me.

    Fingers reached out blindly to trace his stomach, the muscles bunching under my nails as I trailed them to his sides. Gripping tight, I dragged him forward, shuddering in relief when he finally shifted between my thighs.

    I spread them, bolts of lightning shooting through my veins as well muscled hips leaned into me, awareness making my skin tingle everywhere he brushed. Something thicker than his fingers brushed my clit, running along it teasingly before finally dropping to my sopping folds.

    I¡¯d never been wetter, arousal slicking my thighs and now him, and the tip popped past my first ring of muscle with laughable ease. It stretched me, pushing against all the right spots as my eyes rolled back, euphoria whiting out my vision.

    His hand clutched mine, chest looming over me as he all but vibrated in place, giving me time to adjust. If I hadn¡¯t been wound up over the past few hours I would have needed that, but his cock slid deeper with little resistance. When he stayed frozen another minute, I hooked my legs around his hips and snapped upward, the delicious stretch and rub bowing my back clear of the bed.

    Full, fuck I¡¯d never been so full. And when he gave a small buck of his hips, the motion nudging against a swollen bundle of nerves deep inside, a choked moan wrangled from my throat. He wasn¡¯t even moving yet and I was already teetering on the line of orgasm, the last few hours¡¯ worth of frustration demolishing my stamina.

    Oh well, if I came first I¡¯d sit back and enjoy the show. There¡¯d never be a sight I relished more than this, after all.

    His thrusts were small¨Cstilted with inexperience and hesitation¨Cbut I didn¡¯t prod him on, reveling in every tentative move as his head dropped to rest in my shoulder. Soft hair tumbled down, tickling my throat and face a he started a halting rhythm.

    His teeth ground audibly next to my ear, stuttering breaths puffing my skin as he sucked in air like a man suffocating. Then, the air around us shifted, my only warning before drugging warmth gushed through my head. The haze of feeding clouded my mind, his soul easing in next to mine as I shuddered. Sinking further into the bed, I waited for his emotions to brush mine, his love.

    Only it never came.

    Arching fear and disgust cleaved through the pleasure haze curling through me, dropping a bucket of ice water over my ardor. Those¡­those weren¡¯t from me.

    Snapping my eyes open, I took him in again, this time looking closer for the signs I already knew would be there. Sure enough, I found them after hardly a second of watching.

    Dimitrius wasn¡¯t just trembling, he was quaking. The shakes took on new meanings as his thrusts lost the little rhythm they¡¯d had, his sharp blade of fear surging up in time as he flagged. Like fire against my skin, his terror branded me, ripping away the desire from before as ruthlessly as an ice bath.

    He wasn¡¯t slowing down.

    I could feel his disgust¨Cthe crawling feeling of thousands of bugs under his skin¨Cand the memories of past rapes just on the edge of his consciousness, but. He. Wasn¡¯t. Stopping.

    He snapped his hips forward again, something close to a sob brushing my shoulder as he tried to push himself through the trauma, ignoring the shards of pain shredding him as he did.

    Pain flooded my veins next, hot tears burning the backs of my eyes as he softened, but still didn¡¯t stop. As if possessed, he kept rolling his hips, frustration biting through the bond when he couldn¡¯t harden again.

    Wrong. This was wrong.

    This time it was my skin that itched, the urge to claw at it growing by the second as realization of just what he¡¯d tried to do settling like sour milk in my stomach. He¡¯d tried to force himself through, ignoring our agreement to speak up if either of us wanted to stop.

    Poignant hurt raked claws over my heart then, a spark of anger following on its tail.

    Did he think I wanted this? That I wanted sex so much as to ignore him shattering over me, breaking into millions of pieces?

    A shudder of a different sort rolled down my spine, tears finally rolling down my cheeks as I snapped out of my stupor.

    No more, He wasn¡¯t ready, that was plainly obvious, and I wasn¡¯t about to just sit back while he broke himself trying to push through something he shouldn¡¯t be. My hand shook as I trailed them up his sides, my legs dropping like lead weights against his thighs¨Cgood God, I¡¯d pulled him closer when he was like this¨Cas I planted a palm on his chest directly over his heart.

    It was trying to beat out of his chest, the pace stampeding as new waves of revulsion hit my senses. I¡®d let this go on too long and as he let out another choked noise¨Ceerily similar to a wounded animal¨CI finally spoke through the tears.

    ¡°Dimitrius, stop.¡±

    The words cut through the air like a whip, his body freezing, cock still buried deep even as it softened the rest of the way. Tremors violently shook him, his face staying curled in my shoulder as he tried and failed to hold himself together.

    Meanwhile, I lashed myself internally. I should have known that now wasn¡¯t the right time, no matter what he¡¯d said! He¡¯d just been forced into a lust crave, for fuck¡¯s sake!

    Guilt lanced through me, shame following on its tail before I pushed both away. They wouldn¡¯t help this, but I knew what would.

    Reaching down, I gently disconnected him, watching as the now flaccid length hung limp between us. Silence rang through the room, Dimitrius refusing to raise his head as horrible, stifling tension built to suffocating levels.

    I stayed quiet, grappling for the right words that¡¯d fix everything while knowing they didn¡¯t exist. We¡¯d have to talk about this, without a doubt. He couldn¡¯t ignore his own comfort¨Chis own boundaries¨Cnot for anything.

    The bond flared again, his fear finally abating as wave after wave of relief smothered it. He dropped fully on top of me, the weight comforting as I stroked along his spine. The tremors from before lightened, as did the pace of his breathing, as his nose turned to curl into my throat.

    Something warm and wet hit my skin then and with it, my heart gave another twist.

    I didn¡¯t need to be a genius to know what those were.

    Pain chewed through my chest like a wild animal as I hummed lowly, hoping to soothe the last of his fear. It did, to my relief, but before I could relax, scalding hot shame seared through the bond next. He moved to pull back, a swell of self disgust and frustration pushing against my mind as he avoided my eyes. When he opened his mouth to apologize, I cut him off.

    ¡°Dimitrius this isn¡¯t something to be sorry over.¡± Aside from his not stopping when I asked him to, that was, but we wouldn¡¯t get into it right now. Even I knew that the timing wasn¡¯t right.

    Instead of calming, he ripped himself away, eyes moist and burning with inwardly directed anger. He crouched, form towering in a way that would have been imposing, if it weren¡¯t for the way he still shook.

    The air crackled with emotions, his aura flaring with the tangled mess of feelings overwhelming him, before he finally grit out.

    ¡°Oh? We were about to make love¨Cwere in the middle of it¨Cand I went flaccid. You are still aroused, I can practically feel it saturating the air and I cannot sate you. But that is nothing to apologize over?¡± His tone sharpened, cutting lines into my heart as his usually soft eyes turned hard, shooting unease through my blood.

    This wasn¡¯t my Dimitrius. Even now all he seemed to care about was ¡®sating¡¯ me, as if I could ever enjoy this while he was so painfully ripped open. The thought soured any remaining dregs of arousal, the dull throb between my thighs finally fading back as I shook my head.

    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t. Because I went into this knowing that sometimes we¡¯d need to stop. I expected situations like this, Dimitrius.¡± I paused, hot tears burning the back of my eyes at the hurt still stinging deep. ¡°What I didn¡¯t expect was for you to try to shove your way through.¡±

    We¡¯d promised not to do this and yet here we were.

    I didn¡¯t mind stopping¨Cthat came with dating someone with a history of rape¨Cbut this? Knowing that he would have shoved himself through it without telling me that he needed to stop? It was so much worse.

    Dimitrius shuddered, shame doubling as my hurt cut through the bond loud and clear. Before he could sink into the barbed depression already waiting with open arms to greet him, I sat up to be level with him

    Reaching for his hand, I paused, hovering over it while waiting for permission. He¡¯d been sobbing into my shoulder not five minutes ago while drowning in his own revulsion, to say he may not want touch right now was the understatement of the century.

    His eyes trailed down to my hand, a rueful twitch curling his lips as he intertwined our fingers and squeezed. Then, he spoke.

    ¡°I am sorry, for all of this. I wanted you, all of you, and when it began to be too much, I refused to listen, sure it would fade if I pushed through it¡­a foolish thought.¡±

    He didn¡¯t need to elaborate on ¡®all of this¡¯, the self hatred dripping from his tone more than got the message across.

    Tugging on his arm, I guided us to lean back on the headboard, our sides brushing as I settled our hands in my lap. Once settled, I started. ¡°Again, an apology isn¡¯t needed. Not for this.¡± When he looked away, scowl still tightening his lips, I cupped his cheek and gently brought those wounded eyes back to mine.

    ¡°Please, listen to me Dimitrius.¡±

    He grimaced, but didn¡¯t look away, eyes heavy with all his centuries as they bore into me. Taking that as my go ahead, I continued. ¡°I don¡¯t want sex if you¡¯re not ready. What we¡¯ve done together is already more intimate than I¡¯ve ever had before with anyone else and even if we never managed more than that, I¡¯ll be happy.¡±

    Frustrated at times, but happy all the same. Arousal could be handled in other ways, but the disgust I¡¯d felt earlier? It had no business being in our love life. Not while I still lived and breathed.

    His scoff was sharp, breaking me from my thoughts. ¡°I sincerely doubt that.¡±

    Now he did move to look away, but I stopped him, meeting his gaze again with a ferocious scowl. ¡°Doubt it all you like, that doesn¡¯t make it any less true. Everything I¡¯ve done before you has been purely physical, no emotions involved whatsoever. And Dimitrius?¡±

    I paused, waiting to make sure he was still listening before I continued. ¡°It was empty pleasure. I didn¡¯t love them. What we have is more than that, more than anything, because it¡¯s you and me. You¡¯re not some random person who looked passed me being the ¡®useless mage¡¯ long enough for quick fuck. You¡¯re Dimitrius Valentina, the incubus who stole my heart, and you want me for me. There¡¯s nothing I could experience that would make me happier than that knowledge.¡±

    He sucked in a shuddering breath, fragile warmth blooming as adoration and something I¡¯d only ever felt from myself bubbled to the surface.

    Love.

    He¡¯d told me he loved me, but feeling it was¡­something else entirely.

    It swelled, growing until it encased every corner of my being, filling the cracks I¡¯d long forgotten until I ached with the fullness of it. Then it vibrated, glowing from deep within me and I could only hope he felt mine just as clearly.

    I¡¯d never loved anyone, not since my mother¡¯s betrayal, but staring into eyes that all but oozed adoration, I couldn¡¯t summon the trepidation this would have brought even a month ago.

    This was Dimitrius, my heart was safer with him than it¡¯d ever been before.

    Leaning to rest my head against his, I gently nudged the conversation back on track. ¡°There¡¯s no time limit for this. Take as long as you need to, but please don¡¯t try to force yourself again. For me, if not for yourself.¡±

    Feeling his disgust had nearly ripped my heart from my chest and I¡¯d just as happily never feel it again.

    Relief burst like a balloon when he nodded, raising our joined hands to his lips as he did. ¡°You have my word, I will not repeat this mistake again.¡±

    Relaxing into his side, my head coming to rest on his shoulder, I let the tension gripping my lungs go. So that¡¯d gone¡­absolutely horrible, but I suppose we were due for a stumble in this regard. Though I wished it hadn¡¯t been this massive, for his sake more than mine. Shaking aside the useless frustration, I focused on the now.

    ¡°Do you want to get a shower?¡± We were still covered in him and he¡¯d admitted on more than one occasion that he wasn¡¯t comfortable being covered in such things after his childhood.

    To my surprise, instead of agreeing, his arm inched around my shoulders and pulled me closer to his side. Warmth seeped through the touch as his chin rested on my head, mouth brushing the top in a brief kiss as he denied.

    ¡°No. Soon, I will, but right now I wish to feel you here. I may not be able to claim you in the way I wish, but this will do as its stand in.¡±

    A ferocious ache unfurled through the bond, perfectly mirroring mine. The open longing to have all of me burning between us. Swallowing past the hard lump in my throat, I twisted to better face him, cuddling closer as I did. His arm curled around my waist, lifting me into his lap with ease as he shifted around me. Once settled, I nestled my nose into his throat and offered.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to make love to me to have me. Everything I am and everything I will ever be, it¡¯s already yours.¡±

    He paused, turning that over, before giving a slow nod. Warmth burst back through the bond as the previous longing abated.

    ¡°You are correct. The physical intimacy¡­ will come when it comes.¡±

    Acceptance breezed over me and with it, I finally melted into him, absolutely certain now that there¡¯d be no repeats. Yeah, things would be hard, but all the best things were. We¡¯d take our time and get through it together, at whatever pace he needed.

    Dimitrius leaned his head back against the headboard, soaking in the warmth from the now fading bond, his arm locked tight around me. Usually this would be where I bowed out, showering and disappearing before I could start to sink into post sex cuddles.

    Stealing a look at his peaceful expression, a tiny smile curling his lips that swept flutters through my gut, I knew I¡¯d be doing no such thing. We were forever now, I didn¡¯t have to leave for fear of developing deeper feelings because it was too late for that.

    ¡°I love you.¡± The words were barely more than a contented sigh, but he still heard them. One honey eye opened, taking me in with a lazy joy that warmed me throughout as he bent just enough to kiss my head.

    ¡°As I love you.¡±

    I¡¯d never get tired of hearing that.

    Cuddling into his chest, I listened as he reluctantly pulled us back to reality and away from our bubble of happiness. ¡°My darling, we need to discuss what I learned.¡±

    His tone was every bit as unwilling to destroy the moment as I was, but this was important. Children and mothers were dying in waves because of that sick fuck, we could cuddle later.

    Forcing myself off of him, I eyed the sticky substance coating us with amusement. ¡°Well, a shower is in order before we do anything else. Vlad and Sera would never let us live it down if we went out like this.¡± Glancing over at him, gauging his emotional state, I offered.

    ¡°Want to join me?¡±

    I didn¡¯t bother adding that there¡¯d be no funny business. After what¡¯d just happened, it was painfully obvious now wasn¡¯t the right time for it. Even without the ¡®potential end of the world¡¯ threat looming over our heads, he was still too emotionally rung out and to be honest, so was I.

    He nodded, no hesitation as he took my offered hand, not dropping the contact as he all but dragged us to the bathroom. ¡°Yes, while I am in no mood for amorous activities, your presence is soothing and I will never turn it away.¡±

    Again, flutters awoke in my chest, but I paid it no mind. Let my heart spin in its cage all it wanted. Happiness all but glowed off me and after the past centuries of murky pain and loneliness? I¡¯d earned the right to just enjoy it.

    ¡°Right back at you, now let¡¯s go get clean. The faster we finish that, the quicker we can finally put this entire mess to bed.¡±

 Strike While The Iron Is Hot

    Chapter Thirty Five

    Tension suffocated the room like a heavy blanket as Dimitrius explained everything he¡¯d learned. Afterward, a stunned silence rang out. It was Sera who finally broke it, disbelief and the smallest thread of fear coloring her tone.

    ¡°So, your dad was the original incubus who started the legendary war? That means he¡¯s not just old, he¡¯s ¡®should be dust but isn¡¯t¡¯ old.¡±

    His lips twitched at the description even as he nodded. ¡°Correct. He stated that I was the last living descendant of the final round of children before his plans failed. When I refused to join him, he called forward the sleeping inheritance buried within my blood.¡±

    At that, Vlad stepped forward, an amused smile curling his lips as he teased. ¡°And while I¡¯m sure Julian had fun with that, I¡¯d prefer we don¡¯t let it happen again. At least, not while I¡¯m in hearing distance. I¡¯ve accepted our new status as friends with nothing else, but having to listen to you is just a tease.¡±

    Dimitrius shifted, a shard of embarrassment clear, but before I could snap back, Sera cut in with a snort. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m with him on the whole ¡®do not repeat¡¯ thing. I really didn¡¯t need to know what you sound like in that way.¡±

    She didn¡¯t even hear the worst of it, since we¡¯d cut everything short¡­But Dimitrius wouldn¡¯t appreciate me saying that, so I kept it to myself. ¡°Yeah well, congratulations, you know anyway. You won¡¯t need to worry about it happening again either, since we have the information we need and¨Cwith any luck¨Cthat bastard will be dead by tomorrow.¡±

    The mood turned somber again as Vlad nodded, his smile dropping into a scowl as he rolled his shoulders. ¡°And on that note, you said you saw architecture that was unique to France, yes? There aren¡¯t many castles there that aren¡¯t tourist attractions or in use. It should take little to no effort to find the one you saw.¡±

    So saying, he moved to the computer at Dimitrius¡¯s desk and began typing. Wrapping an arm around Dimitrius¡¯s waist, I sent up a prayer to anyone who was listening for this to be it. That monster had killed too many innocents¨Cmentally scarring hundreds of others¨Cto be allowed to live another day.

    Sneaking a glance with Dimitrius, an icy understanding settled between us as his hand hovered down to rest on my hip, squeezing lightly. No matter what happened, we were dragging his father into the grave. After that, we could finally relax and enjoy our relationship without someone actively trying to kill us.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    I couldn¡¯t wait. After the past few months of constantly fighting, I¡¯d revel in the opportunity to just be with him. Despite my unfortunate personality flaw of needing to ¡®play the hero¡¯ as Seraphina called it, I really did enjoy peaceful times. When this was done I¡¯d be holing myself up with him and talking to no one for at least a week.

    If the world tried to fall apart in that time, it could burn. Nothing short of a horseman knocking down our door would stop me from relaxing. An apocalyptic event would be negotiable. A noise of triumph from Vlad pulled my attention back to him as he turned the laptop to face us. ¡°I searched ones with the layout you mentioned and two came up. Do either of these seem right?¡±

    Dimitrius nodded instantly, pointing to the one on the left. ¡°That one. That is where he hides.¡± Vlad flicked a glance over it, nodding as he stood.

    ¡°That¡¯s in Les Andelys. It¡¯s a ten hour flight so we should prepare ourselves and be ready for anything. None of his soldier should be old enough to fight us yet, but he¡¯s shown he has no problem hiring mages. Dimitrius, I¡¯ll equip you with a spell to repel most magics.¡±

    I went to argue, Sera tensing right next to me, before Vlad shot us an amused glance and continued. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll be giving it to the women as well.¡± His brow ticked up, lips twitching to reveal a tusk. ¡°No need to become irate, I¡¯m not stupid enough to try to keep you from the battle. I¡¯ll simply be at your back to ensure no harm comes to you.¡±

    She huffed, grumbling even as she relaxed. ¡°I¡¯m fully capable of protecting myself and once we get there, I¡¯ll prove it to you. Whoever kills of incapacitates the most wins?¡±

    Vlad¡¯s lips stretched into a full grin and he nodded. ¡°Perfect, considering each of our expertise, it should take little more than fifteen minutes.¡±

    The borderline arrogant comment made me snort. ¡°Easy there, let¡¯s not get such a big head. Even this house can only hold so much hot air and we don¡¯t want your skull popping on the ceiling.¡±

    Dimitrius let out a choked sputter, attempting to muffle his laugh to not avail, but Sera didn¡¯t bother hiding it. Open laughter rolled from her as Elle watched in amusement.

    ¡°Oof, good one, but she¡¯s right. Getting arrogant means we get dead, so let¡¯s just play this smart¡­for once.¡± She glared pointedly at me on that and I raised my arms in surrender.

    ¡°I¡¯ll admit I usually don¡¯t follow plans that consist of more than ¡®kill him¡¯, but you¡¯ll be happy to know that since dating Dimitrius I¡¯ve been doing the impossible and growing a few brain cells.¡±

    She nodded in approval. ¡°Good. You¡¯re over three hundred years old, it¡¯s about time you learned to use that thing in your skull called a brain. I thought it was going to rot away thanks to your refusal to exercise it.¡±

    I raised a hand to my chest in mock offense, but Vlad cut in with a chuckle. ¡°While this is highly amusing, we should be going. Ten hours is too long to leave him to plot as it is. The longer we give him, the worse our odds are of something nasty waiting.¡±

    All levity dropped from the room as we nodded. Laughter could come later, it was time to head for the battlefield.

 Let The Fun Begin

    Chapter Thirty Six

    The massive stone building towering over us desperately needed repairs, but it perfectly fit the ¡®creepy hideout¡¯ of a cheesy villain. Rolling my eyes at just how clich¨¦ our enemy was, I huffed.

    ¡°Are we bothering with a spell of hiding since he knows we¡¯re coming?¡±

    Sera tipped her head in thought, Elle examining the building for her. ¡°No, the only people in there who may be fighting us are magical and if he has them at his home base then they¡¯re not amateurs. They¡¯ll see right through your basic illusion spell.¡±

    Before we could decide how to continue, Vlad cleared his throat, leveling both of us with an incredulous look. ¡°You do remember what my third mastery is in, right?¡±

    We paused, realizing what we¡¯d forgotten in all the mayhem.

    Heat inched up my cheeks as I coughed, gesturing to all of us. ¡°Ah, right. Sorry, things are a bit insane. Would you do the honors?¡±

    After shooting me a mildly amused look, he smirked. ¡°Oh I¡¯ll do one better than hiding.¡± Raising his arms, magic filled the air until I could all but feel it like fog against my skin. When it grew to nearly suffocating levels, he whispered. ¡°Geminus.¡±

    His magic circled, sliding over me as if memorizing every nook and cranny. Dimitrius grimaced, but bore through it, curious eyes watching to see what the spell would do. After a long minute, the air shimmered and slowly, mirror images of us formed.

    Vlad eyed them critically, before nodding. ¡°Apparently my magic is still drained, because these aren¡¯t my usual quality, but they¡¯ll do. You two sneak past the worst of the fighting using the spell of hiding after we and your doubles take the attention of the front defense.¡±

    Usually I¡¯d disagree with leaving anyone behind to face an unknown¨Cbut most likely massive¨Cforce of enemies, but knowing who we were leaving behind? I was almost sorry for the poor schmucks inside.

    ¡°Alright, but you¡¯d better be careful. You¡¯re not the only one who has few friends and I don¡¯t want to lose you or Sera.¡± I said, ignoring the discomfort sliding up my spine at being vulnerable like this.

    Elle hopped off her owner¡¯s shoulder to land on mine, rubbing affectionately against my jaw as Sera raised a brow. ¡°Aw, and you say you don¡¯t like Hallmark moments. We¡¯ll be fine, though hearing you telling us to be careful is hilarious. We should be saying that to you, not the other way around, oh one whose plan generally comes down to ¡®kill them and don¡¯t die.¡¯¡±

    Rolling my eyes at the familiar teasing, I brushed it off. ¡°Yeah, yeah. I know, I need work, but that¡¯s not a secret, now less talky and let¡¯s get this thing done so we can all go home.¡±If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Elle jumped back to Sera¡¯s shoulder as the pinkette nodded with mock seriousness. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re very anxious to have your lover again. I mean, it¡¯s been hours. However will you survive, you poor things?¡±

    Not gracing that with a verbal response, I flipped her off before stepping back. Grabbing Dimitrius¡¯s arm, I arranged us in the foliage and cast. ¡°Celare.¡±

    Warmth rolled over us in waves, coating me in the flimsy illusion as our friends marched forward. Vlad paused long enough to exchange a long look with me that portrayed everything words couldn¡¯t, before following right on the heels of his sister, hands already raised to summon a fireball at the enemies running toward them.

    Hardly five minutes later, I watched in awe as the siblings dispatched wave after wave of mages. Anytime one of them even got close to Sera they were met with a wall of fire, their screams echoing through the area and making their comrades hesitate.

    That hesitation was all Sera needed to plunge her enchanted staff into their chests, the end transforming into a spear in the time it took me to blink. Magic flowed around the head, digging into the skin of her adversary as the spear worked like an injecting needle.

    By the time she jumped back, the man was convulsing on the ground, the magic she¡¯d forcibly pumped into his veins sending his system into shock. Even from our place yards back, I heard the sibling banter.

    ¡°Might want to keep up, Vlad! I just finished my sixth one.¡±

    Instead of commenting, Vlad formed a familiar symbol with three fingers as a massive wave of power rolled from him, slamming straight into all the enemies on the battlefield. His words were lost under the roar of magic but I knew this spell¡¯s handiwork anywhere.

    Propero.

    To speed up the aging of the victim¡¯s body until they turned to dust. All enemies that¡¯d previously been attacking Seraphina dropped, their skin wrinkling as muscles atrophied. Once they were handled, he shot her a knowing smile.

    ¡°I believe that brings my count up to¡­oh I¡¯d say fifteen. It appears you¡¯re the one who needs to ¡®keep up¡¯.¡±

    Sera didn¡¯t snipe back, her lips pulling into a manic grin as she spun her staff. ¡°Good thing there¡¯s plenty of them, right?¡±

    She wasn¡¯t wrong, the incubus hadn¡¯t pulled out any stops. To see how many mages he¡¯d managed to recruit¡­disgust welled deep in my chest. There was a special ring of hell for people like them, willing to do anything for greed.

    I had more important things to think on.

    Forcing my attention away from the terror twins over there, I gripped Dimitrius¡¯s hand and pulled. ¡°Come on, now¡¯s our chance. Those two are more than a match for anything out here and we need to make sure dear old dad doesn¡¯t get away this time.¡±

    Determination settled over his features as he nodded, following behind me as we skirted the edges of the clearing. Even from here I could see a patch of wizards fighting our clones, none of them realizing they were brawling with illusions.

    ¡°Idiots¡­¡±

    Dimitrius nudged me gently in reproach, not breaking stride as we slunk through the stone halls. ¡°Yes, but it works in our favor, now do not test fate. We are not finished here yet.¡±

    Conceding the point with a nod, I went silent, focusing as we progressed deeper into the shambling castle. Finally, after who knows how many twist and turns, we made it to a sweeping staircase and Dimitrius nodded.

    ¡°That is where he was before.¡±

    And hopefully where he¡¯d be now.

    Waves of blood thirst crashed against me, but I held them back. Clear headed and smart, that¡¯s what I needed to be. I stayed firmly at Dimitrius side, hand on my knife, as he opened the giant door at the top of the stairs. Light glowed from the crack, every hair on my neck standing to attention as I lurched back.

    ¡°Dimitrius-!¡±

    I couldn¡¯t warn him in time. The doors burst open and a crushing power slammed into us, the pressure sweeping paralyzing fear through my veins in the brief second I was awake to experience it. Then, as if flipping a switch, darkness rose up to claim me and I knew nothing.

 Doubt, Trust, Love And Hate

    Chapter Thirty Seven

    Blazing agony scraped along my nerves, the pain pulsing in time with every beat of my heart as I came back to consciousness.

    Someone pass the morphine.

    Fuck, my everything burned from my toes to my hair, and when I tried to shift liquid fire poured through my stomach. Dragging an eye open, something heavy caking the outside of it, I took in my surroundings.

    Stone walls loomed all around me, the familiar decorations and staircase snapping everything into place. The door, opening it to the blinding light, and then¡­

    Snapping upright, my nerves sizzling at the sudden movement, a single frenzied thought cleared my foggy mind. Dimitrius.

    Looking around wildly, panic bubbled in my chest when no flash of blond met my eyes, his familiar form nowhere in sight as dread slid through my veins like an icy river.

    Shit, he must have gone to confront his father.

    Taking stock of my injuries, I looked down and hissed. A cut¨Cand the source of the fiery pain¨Cgaped across my stomach, something pink and fleshy visible underneath my shredded shirt. Biting back a gag at just what was nearly spilling out of me, I looked up the stairs to the door.

    Dimitrius needed help, I couldn¡¯t waste time like this. For all I knew, his father was hurting him or worse-With a hard shake, I stood, ripping away from those thoughts.

    Don¡¯t go there, Julian. You go there, hysterics will follow.

    Standing was easier said than done, though. Muscles shook as if made of jelly, my knees barely holding my weight as I sucked in a breath, agony stealing the air from my lungs as I straightened. Fuck, that hurt.

    Resolutely not looking down at my stomach, I marched for the stairs, ignoring the pain with centuries of experience. None of it mattered. Injury or no, Dimitrius wouldn¡¯t face that psycho without me. I¡¯d drag my corpse up those steps before I let something happen to him while I relaxed back here. Blood dripped steadily to the floor beneath me, but I ignored it.

    Dimitrius, I have to get to Dimitrius.

    The thought became a chant, keeping me going until finally I was up the stairs, the door looming over me now closed again. A glint of metal caught my attention, one of my knives. Snagging it, I sighed in relief. At least I wouldn¡¯t be going in unarmed.

    Bracing my shoulder against the door, I shoved it open.

    Or¡­I tried to. Instead of going inward, a colossal force shoved against it, sending me flying back down the stairs with pitiless abruptness.

    Motherfucker, really?! I just climbed those, you asshat!

    Rolling to a stop at the bottom, my stomach ripping open further with a flash of molten pain, I forced stiff muscles to swing around and face my attacker. The incubus stood over me, gold energy pouring off him in waves as an arrogant smirk twisted his lips.

    He¡¯d shed his human skin, the giant scaled wings arching above him making for an imposing picture. The glow to his eyes flashed me back to Dimitrius and worry raked claws down my back again. Pushing through the pain, I stood, breaths dragging like glass from my lungs as each puff of air scraped painfully.

    Once on unsteady feet, I snarled. ¡°Where is he?!¡± I raised my knife, ready to rip out the bastard¡¯s guts at a moment¡¯s notice.

    It didn¡¯t take a rocket scientist to know he¡¯d caused my injuries, though the details to how exactly he¡¯d done that were a bit fuzzy. I¡¯d ask Dimitrius when I found him, but for now? I had a raging swamp cunt to dismember.

    Eyeing his wings, so regally perched on his back, I decided. Yup those would be the first things to go. Maybe I¡¯d even bring them back as a present for Isabelle, like a cat bringing its friend a trophy.

    Vicious glee gave me energy, kept my head up high as the incubus hummed, amusement strafing his face. He advanced languidly, like a predator who knew his prey couldn¡¯t run from him.

    ¡°My spawn? He ran. This mission of yours was a suicide one to begin with. Once he saw what I was capable of, he left.¡±

    For less than half a second, old doubts and fears bubbled to the surface. Would he?

    Then, like a light shining through the murky trauma, Dimitrius¡¯s words came back, illuminating the truth I knew to my soul.

    No matter what you look like, you are Julian¨Cmy Julian¨Cand I love you for it.

    The love from back then eased through me, soothing the fear as I sneered up at our enemy. ¡°Bullshit, try again. And this time, at least make it somewhat believable.¡±

    His eyes widened, a flash of surprise cleaving through his features at how quickly I¡¯d figured it out, before a slow smile curled his lips.

    ¡°Such faith in the boy, impressive. Very well, I killed him. After I threw you from the room, giving you that lovely parting gift on your stomach beforehand, he became blinded with rage. It was pathetically easy; all I needed to do was throw him into the wall. No one can survive being crushed by that many stones.¡±

    Icy terror rose up to grip my heart in a stranglehold, my eyes flicking behind the smirking asshole as I tried to breathe through the panic welling. No, he was lying, saying things to get under my skin. Dimitrius was stronger than that, smarter too.

    But¡­if Dimitrius was alright, where was he?

    My distraction cost me, giving him the opening he needed, and in a blink he stood in front of me. I didn¡¯t have a chance to move, his fist landing solidly in my stomach, sinking into the existing injury with pitiless force.

    Everything went white, all noise dulling to the rush of blood in my ears as he used his handhold to pick me up. Gravity dragged me down, the injury opening further as I sank onto the hand in my stomach, his claws shredding my insides.

    Thank God my magic makes me sturdier¡­

    The incubus smiled, a twisted and cruel parody of his son¡¯s, as he taunted. ¡°Brave little witch who can¡¯t even cast attack magic. How did you think this would go? That you¡¯d be the victor, ending the monster¡¯s reign? You read too many fairy tales.¡±

    Without another word, he hauled his arm back. I couldn¡¯t brace in time before he threw me through the window. Dimly I registered the sound of shattering glass, but a new wave of pain stole my attention. Glass dug into every bit of exposed skin, grinding painfully as I rolled to a stop outside the castle.

    Once the world stopped spinning, I took stock again. My arm wasn¡¯t moving and I¡¯d never felt more like a pincushion. Eyeing the useless limb, I bit back a curse. The universe had one hell of a grudge match against me some days.

    This was what I got for playing the hero; I knew it¡¯d been a bad idea to sign up for this shit. But as I looked up, trialing my eyes over the incubus merrily strolling toward me, wings arched high as if to mock my place on the ground, fury unlike any I¡¯d felt before blazed to life.

    If the world wanted to make me its martyr, then fine, but I¡¯m taking this asshole down while I was at it. After I finished him, I could look for Dimitrius.

    Hope bolstered me, a plan hatching as I went limp. This fucker was arrogant, it practically oozed off him and I¡¯d use that to my advantage. Closing my eyes, playing the part of whimpering damsel, I turned away as my only working hand gathered the glass shards nearby.

    Alright you mummified son of a bitch, let¡¯s brawl.

    His chuckle came, superiority leaking off it as his hand fisted in my shirt. The glass scraped against me as he hauled me into the air, up over his head until I stared down at him. I loathed the smug smile he wore as he gloated.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°Say nighty night, Useless Mage.¡±

    His other hand rose, claws tensing as he made to end it all. Well, I couldn¡¯t let him do that could I?

    Springing into action while praying it¡¯d be enough, I shoved my hand¨Cglass and all¨Cinto his eyes. Pushing the shards as deeply as I could, his screams ringing throughout the yard like music to my ears, I ripped myself out of his hold.

    Blood dripped form my hand, both his and mine. Rolling to my feet, I snapped up my blade and lunged. No mercy and no hesitation. This fucker died today. For the women like Isabelle who¡¯d done nothing to deserve their torture and rape, for the children who¡¯d had their innocence stolen all to be a pawn in his sick game, and for Dimitrius.

    The partner I adored, who¡¯d lived through too much thanks to the heritage this monster passed down. I wouldn¡¯t stop until this fuck was dead.

    Not giving him time to recover, his healing already working on fixing his eyes, I jumped onto his back. The knife bit between his shoulders, my useless arm hanging at my side as I twisted the blade. Shoving both of us to the ground, ignoring the unearthly howls from beneath me, I ripped my hand sideways.

    Vicious satisfaction swelled in my chest as it ripped through the wing joint. Yanking the blade out to shove it between his shoulders again, fingers riddled with glass gripped the scaled appendage.

    ¡°No, don¡¯t-!¡±

    I didn¡¯t listen to his plea. Planting a foot in his back, I pulled on the limb until a sickening squelch rang out. Ripping the wing clear from his spine, keening screams rang out as I threw it to the side. Plunging the dagger into the other one, I repeated the process, staring down at the two cavities now empty, marring his otherwise flawless skin.

    Putting the dagger¡¯s tip over his heart, his body going slack as his healing couldn¡¯t keep up, I spat. ¡°If you have a god, pray to it.¡± He writhed, attempting to buck me off, and I sneered. ¡°So be it, go to hell and stay there.¡±

    My dagger sank through his heart, the form under me going stiff as blood gushed over my fingers. Giving a vicious twist, I smiled when he went limp, his heart stopping against my hand. Pulling the blade out, I stepped back, waiting to make sure it was really over.

    A beat passed, then another. When he didn¡¯t move and his injuries stayed gaping open, I sank to my knees in relief.

    It was over. Finally, over.

    My relief was short lived, a faint voice snapping my head up as it called from inside the castle. ¡°Julian, answer me!¡±

    Terror strafed Dimitrius¡¯s tone and it was the most beautiful sound I¡¯d ever heard. Hauling myself up on shaking legs¨Cmy stomach injury already starting to slowly knit together, thank God¨CI dropped my dagger next to the corpse and shuffled toward the house, excitement and hope warming me from the inside.

    He was alright! I¡¯d praise the Lord every day and twice on Sunday for that gift.

    Clambering through the window I¡¯d previously been thrown out of, I fell face first onto the granite floor, my blood slicking my shoes as I called. ¡°Dimitrius, where are you?¡±

    Never had he sounded more relieved. ¡°Up the stairs. I heard the screams, are you alright?!¡±

    Pausing, I looked down to my various injuries and grunted. ¡°Eh, I¡¯m alive. Headed your way now. Daddy dearest is dead. Like, very dead.¡±

    The marble steps stained red with my blood, my fingers gripping the banister for dear life as my feet threatened to slide out from under me. Finally, I made it to the top, staggering into the room and sighing when Dimitrius became clear.

    Apparently his dad had only been partly bluffing. A wall was knocked over on Dimitrius, but he¡¯d managed to crawl halfway out from under it. Bruises and what was definitely a broken bone stuck out, but he was alive.

    If he hadn¡¯t been feeding from me regularly though¡­

    Forcing the thought away, I moved to his side, his face blanching the closer I got.

    ¡°By the gods, you said you were alright!¡± He sputtered, eyes wide and concern clear as his struggles to get loose picked up a notch. Sparing a glance down at my copious injuries, I shrugged.

    ¡°No, I said I was alive. I didn¡¯t answer whether or not I was alright. Besides, I¡¯ve grown to have a very flexible definition of ¡®alright¡¯ so this might fall under it.¡± His lips pinched in a thin line, eyes narrowing as he scowled.

    ¡°Julian, no.¡±

    I ignored the scolding tone, using my good hand to grab the piece of wall crushing him with a grunt. ¡°Julian, yes. Now let¡¯s focus on getting you out of this. I¡¯ve done my duty, played the hero, and now it¡¯s time to save the damsel in distress.¡±

    I paused. ¡°Dude in distress?¡± Eh, whatever. Before I could start dragging the stone off him, his hands gripped my leg, trying to stop me.

    ¡°No, you must get one of the others. You are too injured. I¡¯m not in lethal danger, have Vlad heal you and-.¡±

    I snorted, hysterics setting in as I cackled. Dimitrius eyed me, probably wondering what color of straight jacket he¡¯d be buying me, before I finally spoke. ¡°You finally used a contraction, good job!¡±

    Incredulous eyes stared at me, then he opened his mouth and shouted. ¡°Vladimir! Healing is needed!¡±

    The unsaid, because Julian is losing her fucking mind, just sent me into another round of laughter. Forcing it down, I turned to him and smiled.

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait until we get home. Fuck, can you believe I¡¯m the slightest bit tired right now? Your old man put up one hell of a fight.¡± I stopped, a wide smile stretching my lips. ¡°Oh! Guess what, I ripped his wings out as a present to Isabelle. Fucker didn¡¯t get away scot free for what he did to you and the others, I made sure of it.¡±

    Surprise ghosted across Dimitrius¡¯s face, before something close to a chagrined smile tugged his lips.

    ¡°Be happy I adore you, because that statement would strike terror in me otherwise. Especially paired with that grin¡­¡±

    Oh, was I grinning like a loon? Considering I¡¯d lost about a fourth of my blood, got turned into a pin cushion, and managed to kill the big baddie in less than an hour¡­yeah my mental state probably wasn¡¯t the best.

    Not the worst either.

    Subduing my smile into something less manic, I bent to kiss him. Was it the appropriate time? Nope. Did I care? Also no. I¡¯d damn near lost my life just now, the stomach wound still actively bleeding not looking great either, and I wanted a kiss. So fuck it, I was getting my kiss.

    He stiffened at first, not expecting it, but after a second he eased into it with a sigh. His free arm wiggled out to stroke my cheek and I relished in the contact until he pulled away.

    His eyes trailed over my jaw, before grimacing. ¡°Your face¡­¡±

    Only now did the pain register. When the prick had thrown me ass over tea kettle through the window it¡¯d diced my face to ribbons. Adrenaline softened the blow before, but now?

    Hissing as every movement pulled the cuts lining the right side of my head, I joked. ¡°Yeah, its cut up good, isn¡¯t it? Sorry, your partner isn¡¯t going to look as hot, even after Vlad heals it. Scars always stay.¡±

    Self consciousness didn¡¯t have time to root before he scoffed. ¡°I care not for that. Your beauty comes from within and scars will not detract from that. You are losing too much blood, you need to get Vladimir-.¡±

    I sighed, cutting him off. ¡°Back to not using contractions? And here I thought we were making progress.¡± He shot me a baleful look, his rarely seen temper starting to peak out, but before he could chide me about this not being the time for jokes, my favorite half orc necromancer breezed into the room.

    ¡°Apologies, we were just finished-.¡± He ground to a halt, taking in the scene with open disbelief as Seraphina followed behind him. Elle bounced off her shoulder, racing over to get a better look at me as she snarled.

    ¡°Seriously, you two?! You¡¯re both in tatters, she looks like a failed attempt at dissection, and you didn¡¯t call for us sooner?! We were right outside, for fuck¡¯s sake! And don¡¯t think I don¡¯t see the marks around your mouths. Kissing can wait until you¡¯re not on death¡¯s door!¡±

    Despite the harsh words, worry oozed from her words and I bit back a smile.

    Aww, she does care.

    Not saying that, I flipped her off. Vlad¡¯s voice stopped me from saying anything though. ¡°Come now, murdering the man who¡¯s caused so much suffering is reason to celebrate, and what better way to do it? If I had a life mate then I would be doing the same.¡±

    His hand settled on his sister¡¯s shoulder, soothing her ire as he turned to me with a sardonic smile, longing aching deep in his eyes.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind her, she¡¯s just irate because I won our bet.¡±

    Sera chipped in irritably. ¡°Only because you have magic that can speed up the aging process and set idiots on fire! I was doing better than you with one on one.¡±

    Vlad chuckled. ¡°Whatever makes you happy to think.¡± Before she could say anything else, he looked at me, worry inching forward. ¡°What in the blazes happened to your hands?¡±

    Looking down my thoroughly fucked up frame, I raised a challenging brow. ¡°You look at this hot mess and the hands are what you notice?¡± Pausing to gesture to my stomach wound still gaping open, I then threw a wide gesture over the rest of me sarcastically. ¡°How about the wounds on my everything? Though the one on my stomach is pretty gnarly.¡±

    His brow shot up. ¡°Yes, speaking of that, let¡¯s deal with it. Seeing your intestines is making me uneasy. I can get your lover out of his predicament after that is healed. The rest can wait until we¡¯re on the plane back home.¡±

    He trailed off, hands hovering over my stomach as magic pulsed to the surface. Blessed relief curled through me when he whispered. ¡°Medicor.¡±

    Agony dimmed to pain, then to mild irritation, before disappearing entirely. Finally, once I closed, he continued. ¡°Once rumors reach the magical community of what we¡¯ve done here, they¡¯ll be even warier of us.¡±

    Catching his grimace, I snorted. ¡°I don¡¯t know, I think you raising a ghoul would ruffle more feathers.¡±

    He hefted the wall of Dimitrius with laughable ease, offering a hand to help the other up as he grunted. ¡°Yes, well let¡¯s not inform them, shall we? I already receive looks as if I¡¯m a time bomb ready to explode. I don¡¯t need that as well.¡±

    Sera dropped her fake pout to pat his back. ¡°It¡¯s alright, we¡¯re all outcasts here. Who cares if they¡¯re wary of you. Just means they won¡¯t cross you unnecessarily and that¡¯s useful. Have to look at the positives.¡±

    His lips twisted sardonically. ¡°Yes, I suppose so, and speaking of our lovely ghoul friend, shall we head back? I will of course heal the rest of you on the flight over, Kotenok. But I ask that we make haste. I don¡¯t like leaving her alone right now. While she¡¯s soldiered on admirably, losing a child is devastating and she lost two. As the one who raised her it¡¯s my responsibility to watch over her. I will not fail her in that.¡±

    Exchanging a long look with Sera, I all but purred. ¡°Lovely, you say? I¡¯ll be sure to tell Isabelle you said that. Nothing like a compliment from a dashing half-orc necromancer to brighten her day.¡±

    His skin tone made it hard to tell, but I could have sworn he blushed. Before I could look closer, he spun around and moved back toward the entrance. ¡°Cease your flattery and let us be off. If you continue teasing, I won¡¯t heal you.¡±

    While he sounded serious, I knew he was bluffing. Was he uncomfortable with my poking? Absolutely, but he¡¯d never let me be in pain when he could fix it. His strident morals would never allow it. Still, I stopped teasing him, instead choosing to lean on Dimitrius as we marched past the scattered body parts outside.

    I¡¯d have more opportunities in the future to pick at Vlad, I was sure. Besides, as I all but melted into Dimitrius¡¯s side¨Chis hands hovering worriedly over my various injuries¨CI¡¯d prefer to be curdled against him than snipping at Vlad.

    On the flight back I watched my patchwork family banter back and forth. This was what I¡¯d always wanted, not perfection, not easy, but something real. And if our little family was made entirely of misfits? Well, all the better.

    Normal was overrated anyway.

 Sanctuary At Last

    Epilogue

    Having hands over my eyes would unsettle me if it¡¯d been anyone other than Dimitrius doing it. As it stood, I just smiled, going along with him and the small hands tugging on mine excitedly.

    It¡¯d been a week since we¡¯d killed his father, putting down the risk of global war before it could start, and so far I¡¯d loved the life we were making for ourselves. There¡¯d always be something for us to fight, but not having to rush out the door every day to hunt someone down was nice.

    And being able to lounge in bed with Dimitrius and do nothing but rest was beyond nice. I¡¯d never been the sort to laze in bed all day, but he brought it out in me¡­Though what we were doing in bed could sometimes be considered a form of exercise. Even without going the full way, Dimitrius managed to wring me out until I was a twitching puddle of orgasmic goo.

    Dimitrius and Avery pulled me to a stop, pulling my thoughts to the present again as Dimitrius¡¯s mouth brushed my ear. ¡°Keep your eyes closed for one moment more.¡±

    At my nod, he removed his hands, pausing to be sure I¡¯d followed through with his order before the sound of a door opening and Avery¡¯s excited giggles hit my ears. They guided me a few more feet, their hands warm on my back and hand as the scent of freshly tilled earth slid through my nose. Before I could puzzle out what was going on, he hummed.

    ¡°Open them.¡±

    Doing as told, I bit back a gasp. A gorgeous garden stretched the entire length of the house, several herbs in it making my jaw drop. Not looking away, I asked thunderstruck. ¡°How did you do this?!¡± Then, my face split in a massive grin to mirror Avery¡¯s as the boy all but vibrated at my hip.

    He threw his arms wide and gushed, ¡°I helped! And so did Vlad! He helped us get the plants and even told us how to grow them.¡± He pointed to the side where a small shed waited. ¡°He put them in a book in there.¡±

    Turning to face Dimitrius, I bit my lip, waiting for permission go explore. He gave it with a chuckle. ¡°Go on, we made it for you, after all.¡±

    Excitement rushed through me in a wave as I linked my arm with his, before snagging Avery¡¯s hand with my free one. Between the two of us we all but dragged Dimitrius over to it. Looking inside, a second round of awe hit.

    The interior was much bigger than the exterior¨Cmuch like my infinity bag¨Cand it was entirely lined with bookshelves, workbenches against one of the walls, and even a computer on the far side.

    Dimitrius spoke, snapping me from my nearly drooling state. ¡°Neither Vladimir nor Seraphina knew how to enchant the space inside to be bigger, but they did point me to a kind enchanter who I hired. The young man seemed particularly excited to do it and was a genuine delight to talk to. Do you like it?¡±

    I swung around and threw my arms around him in answer. His chuckle breezed my head, his lips dropping a kiss to my hair as he rumbled. ¡°I am glad. When we find the rest of the children my father sired, you will need somewhere to retreat to when you are overwhelmed. Only you are allowed in this area, not even the staff will come in unless you explicitly order them to.¡±

    Then he sent a look down to Avery, who¡¯d taken the opportunity to wriggle between us in our hug, sandwiching himself in the middle. ¡°And that includes you, young man. No entering without express permission.¡±This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Avery nodded without hesitation, wide eyes curious as they took in everything around us. In a way he reminded me of Dimitrius, though now we both had matching scars webbing across our faces¡­ Shaking that to the side, I patted his head, before cupping Dimitrius¡¯s cheeks.

    Pulling him down into a sound kiss, I put all the emotions I couldn¡¯t speak into it, hoping they came across. Easing back when my lungs burned in protest, I leaned against his chest and gushed.

    ¡°Thank you for this! I¡¯ve never had somewhere to work before. You¡¯re welcome inside whenever. Anywhere I am, you¡¯re welcome to be.¡± Then I paused, looking down to Avery who leveled hopeful eyes on me.

    ¡°You¡¯ll still need permission but that¡¯s more for safety than anything. Dimitrius knows what not to touch. I don¡¯t want you getting hurt, alright?¡±

    Avery deflated a bit, but recovered quickly, hands fisting into each of our shirts as he tugged. ¡°How many kids did you guys find?¡± He asked, the opportunity for playmates sparking hope behind his eyes.

    Not that I could blame him, though soon he¡¯d probably have more siblings than he knew what to do with. After we¡¯d finished off Dimitrius¡¯s father, we¡¯d decided to hunt down the rest of his siblings using the locating spell Vladimir made.

    If they were in loving homes, Dimitrius told the parents about what to expect as the kids aged, if they weren¡¯t in loving homes¡­Well, I took great joy in making them piss their pants while Dimitrius extracted the kids to be brought back here.

    This was a sanctuary for his people and when he¡¯d hesitantly broached the thought of having who knows how many kids here, I¡¯d agreed instantly. Kids deserved a safe place to grow and where better than here?

    Besides, after watching how he reacted to Avery, I knew he wanted kids. whether they were biologically ours or not. He slid into the fatherly role with ease as if he¡¯d been born for it, and who knows? Maybe with some extreme changes to my swearing I¡¯d make a half decent mother.

    My patience still needed work, though I¡¯d used strategy in the fight against Dimitrius¡¯s father, so maybe I was already headed in the right direction.

    Dimitrius pulled me back to the present, his chin dipped down toward Avery as he spoke. ¡°At the moment, we have located a dozen. Only two require intervention, thankfully. My people have already gone to fetch them and they should be here tomorrow.¡±

    Alright so all poisons and sharp objects would need to be put up before then, got it. Kissing his jaw, I sighed, watching as Avery¨Cwith my permission¨Cstarted exploring my new workspace, occasionally turning to point at something excitedly.

    ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought that we¡¯d be here, kid proofing a castle for your dozens of half-siblings?¡±

    Dimitrius chuckled, an arm lancing around my waist as he pulled me to rest against him. ¡°Certainly not I. I assumed with my revulsion to intimacy I would never have children, so this scenario never crossed my mind, though they are not biologically ours.¡±

    Then, he paused, considering something before turning partially to me with uncertain eyes. ¡°I never asked your stance on offspring.¡±

    No, he hadn¡¯t, and before if he¡¯d asked I wouldn¡¯t have known what to tell him either. But now? The answer came easily.

    Sliding an arm around his neck, I soothed the worry inching out into his features. ¡°Eventually, when Avery is grown, I could see us having our own spawn, but for now don¡¯t we already have a kid? With quite a few more on the way?¡±

    I nodded to Avery to prove that, Dimitrius¡¯s lips twitching up at the ¡®spawn¡¯ remark as he hummed in agreement. ¡°Yes, we do and now we can enjoy our lives without the threat hanging over our heads.¡±

    Thumping my head into his shoulder, I reveled in the safety rolling off him in waves. ¡°Sounds like a plan to me, go as slowly as you want. We don¡¯t have any worlds to save now and I¡¯m definitely not going anywhere.¡±

    Not willingly at least, and if someone tried to take me from him I¡¯d remove them from the equation post haste. After everything we¡¯d gone through to get to this point, nothing would get between us, I wouldn¡¯t allow it and neither would he. I¡¯d found a home in Dimitrius, the love I¡¯d ached for and a safety I hadn¡¯t thought possible.

    I refused to walk away from that for anything.

    He caught the double meaning behind the words, his lips curling into an adoring smile as he leaned our heads together. ¡°Yes, slow. That sounds fine.¡± His hand curled around mine, tucking me closer into him as he pulled me into another slow, searching kiss.

    We¡¯d made it to the light at the end of the tunnel, the fairy tale ending I never thought I¡¯d get.

    We¡¯d won.