Finding Salvation in the Dark - 14. Chapter 14

Cyril growled and shifted his fingers, reminding Ki he still had them inside him. "Are you certain you wish to continue doing that?" he asked.

"I want you," Ki mewled, pressing back again as he lapped at the marks again. "I want to feel you claim me."

"Impatient little thing aren't you?" Cyril teased, pulling his fingers completely free and shifting positions so they were lying side by side. "And what if I wanted to feel your hands on my body before then?"

"Then you'd feel them," Ki hummed, shifting so that they were closer, his fingers already sliding down over Cyril's pecs, teasing Cyrils’ nipples in hardness.

Cyril smiled and rolled onto his back, giving Ki better access. His prick was hard and leaking slightly, the tip resting on his body. His eyes were focused on his lover as he waited to see what Ki would do next.

Moving so that he was sitting on his knees, Ki leaned over and blew on one nipple as his fingers slipped through his cum on Cyril's stomach. Licking at the nub, he let his finger rub against the head of Cyril's length with one cum covered finger.

Cyril groaned, the sound vibrating through his body at the feel of that slick finger teasing him. He spread his legs, wordlessly encouraging his lover to touch and explore as much as he liked.

Lapping a few more times at the dark nubs, Ki slowly slid down, his hair spreading out around him. Stopping for a moment, he pulled his hair over a shoulder before leaning down and slowly drawing his tongue over Cyril's stomach, a flash of white on his tongue as he drew it back into his mouth.

Cyril fisted a hand in the hair on top of Ki's head, tilting it just a little so he could have a better view. The sight of Ki licking his own come from Cyril's body had him leaking more, a rumbling moan echoing in his throat.

Continuing to move down, licking up every bit of of the sticky liquid before moving down some more, Ki moaned as he lapped up the pre-cum that Cyril was leaking, his slick hand wrapping around the base to hold the prick up.

Cyril managed to stop himself from jerking into Ki's mouth, but only just. He exhaled slowly, doing his best to hold on to his control. Ki may have been affected by the magic, but Cyril had been more affected by his lover's need than he'd made obvious. Watching Ki come had sent him nearly over the edge and it had been all he could do to hold his orgasm at bay. This… this would only make it more difficult.

Licking a line from base to tip, Ki nearly purred at the taste that he got. Salty, sweet, musky...just the perfect mix to make him hard again and make him want to taste Cyril completely. Moaning quietly, he dipped his tongue into the slit of Cyril's prick, the taste sending shudders of need through him.

"Lilith's tits!" Cyril cursed, eyes sliding shut. It seemed Ki was determined to torture him in return for the teasing he'd given his mate before he'd allowed him to orgasm.

Finally wrapping his lips around the head, Ki looked up at Cyril, not moving until the other looked down. Trying not to smirk, he moved his mouth completely down, taking Cyril deep into his throat in one smooth motion.

Both eyebrows shot up into his hairline as Cyril's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected that, but given the mischievous nature of his lover, perhaps he should have. He closed his eyes in pleasure then forced them open once more, locking them with Ki's as his shaft was engulfed once more.

Working his way up and down, Ki hummed around the thick length, his tongue moving and pressing along the skin and veins, trying to draw out his lover's pleasure. Dipping his tongue into the slit as he moved, Ki purred softly.

Cyril lost control of his hips for a moment, thrusting up into Ki's mouth. He was grateful as his lover seemed to be prepared for the movement and just moved with him, keeping him from going too far too fast. He unclenched the fingers in Ki's hair and slid them slowly through the purple curls, a deep moan of pleasure escaping his lips.

Smirking to himself in his mind, Ki slowly pulled off his lovers’ length, giving it one last lick before looking up at Cyril. He knew he looked debauched with swollen lips, dark, wanton eyes and a flush across his cheeks and he knew how to use the look. "Do you want me to continue sucking on you until you spill into my mouth or do you want to take me now?" he purred softly.

Cyril didn't answer. Instead he hauled Ki up along his body and kissed him hard, breaking the kiss long enough to grab the lube and saturate his fingers, then slid them into Ki as he took his mouth once more.

Moaning and pressing on the fingers, Ki squeezed around the fingers as he reached over and fumbled with the lube, slicking his fingers before bringing them down to wrap around Cyril's prick. Returning the kiss, he suckled on Cyril's tongue as he slid his hands up and down.

Cyril groaned, eyes sliding shut before he forced them open. "I am sorry. I had wanted this to be slow torture for you. I cannot wait," he said as he shifted his hold on Ki's hips and lifted him, bringing him forward slightly so Ki's body was above his cock. "Your pace," he added, voice husky and filled with need.

Rocking his hips down, Ki nodded as the head slipped in. Moaning quietly under his breath, Ki slid completely down over Cyril. Once he couldn't go any further, he sat there panting for a few moments, trying to get used to being stretched wide, even more so than he had been once before. Finally lifting up, he slowly pressed back down a few times.

Cyril forced himself to wait until Ki had established a rhythm, knowing it would mean his mate was as comfortable as he could be given his position. He rocked his hips once – testing – and groaned as it only made Ki move more.

Biting his lips over the high pitched keen, Ki arched back, continuing to move over Cyril faster. It was turning out to be more explosive then he had anticipated, his cock leaking over Cyril's stomach as he sped up again, his hands now gripping Cyril's shoulders.

Cyril shifted his hips once more, rolling them as he thrust up into Ki, wanting to find his prostate. Ki felt incredible; hot and devastatingly tight and the sight of him in his pleasure had Cyril greedy for more.

Jerking and digging his nails in hard enough to draw blood, Ki [i]howled[/i] in pleasure as his body got tighter around Cyril, and loosing control over his wings, feathers floated down onto the bed as they spread out behind him.

That was it for Cyril; the sight of those glorious wings, the sharp bite of Ki's nails and the incredibly constricting pleasure around his length had his orgasm roaring through him. His fingers dug into Ki's hips as his eyes stared sightlessly ahead, unable even to take in the vision of his lover's orgasm.

Falling limp and breathless, Ki stared at his wings, enjoying the feeling of being full of come, knowing that he was claimed in all ways that mattered to his people. No one would ever touch him again as long as Cyril lived and that made him feel warm as a stripe of brilliant silver ran down the top of his wing. Ignoring the stickiness between them, he nuzzled close.

It took Cyril several minutes before he felt able to speak. Once he did, the first thing he asked was, "Does the change in your wing mean something significant? Or is it like Alexander's tendency to make things bloom when he orgasms?"

"It means that the bond that was between us was accepted by my magic," Ki said lazily, brushing his fingers over the nail marks, healing them completely. "It means that in Fae society, you are the mate of the 3rd in line of the throne of The Clan of Dreams."

"Am I?" Cyril asked. He hadn't known Ki's position – not that it would have made any difference – however, it seemed both he and his brother had been fortunate in their choices. He had no doubt Ki would be accepted as his mate; Ki's stature within his clan made him practically Council material.

"Yes," Ki smiled, moving to play with a bit of Cyril's hair. "Ri-Sou is 8th I think and once Lin comes into his full power, he'll be 2nd in line. It depends on the person and power that they wield."

Cyril still found it infinitely ridiculous that someone with Ri-Sou's power was reviled, but the workings within clans were often unfair. He found himself hoping the other fae would find – or had found – someone who appreciated both him and his talent. "We should clean up," he said mildly, choosing not to respond to just how powerful a group he found himself surrounded by.

"No. I like being right where I am," Ki teased as he pulled his wings back so that they were tucked against his back. Taking Cyril's hand, he put it onto one wing and said simply "Stroke?"

Cyril raised a brow but did as asked, ghosting his fingertips over the bend of wing at Ki's head, sliding them down to the feathers adorning the lower middle of the wing, then on to the tip, grazing his fingers over Ki's ass.

Purring and turning into a puddle of goo over Cyril, Ki's wing twitched a bit, letting the inner feathers show a bit more, causing him to purr louder. He hardly got to have his wings stroked and the feeling of his mate caused him to be more relaxed and finish shaking off the remnants of the magic. "I like having my wings stroked, but it's not often I feel safe enough to let them out," he hummed against Cyril's neck.

"I will remember that," Cyril promised, stroking them lightly once more. He gave them one last caress then pulled his hand away. "I do hate to do this; however, I do not particularly enjoy the feeling of dried semen on my body. I will play with your wings more after we have at least wiped the larger part of the mess away," he promised.

Smiling and nodding, Ki sat up and slowly slipped Cyril's softened prick out of his entrance before sliding off the bed gently. Stretching, he hummed and smiled to himself. “I forgot how it felt to be so well taken; it is a delicious feeling,” he said, smiling over his shoulder at Cyril.

Cyril sat up as well and slid off the edge of the bed, kissing Ki from behind before heading for the bathroom. "I intend to make certain it is a feeling you do not ever forget," he promised.

Smiling even brighter, Ki followed after, flipping on the bathroom light. “I’m going to have to call my cousin. I think something happened with him. My plants keep sprouting,” he said, pointing to a small poinsettia that sat on his sink counter.

"Tomorrow," Cyril said, tugging Ki toward the shower stall. "Tonight belongs to us."

*~*~* 

Kneeling down in front of the building, Lin started to take pictures of various spots at various angles before getting ready to film the first and second floors for Alexander and Antonin, who were probably relaxing after their bonding party. That had been fun, if not a bit tiring. He was happy for them and he had a feeling he would be doing it all over again with Ki.

Al watched the man work from his perch in the trees. Although, he considered, man wasn't the appropriate term, not entirely; not that he could cast stones. He sniffed the air lightly once more, his dragon eyes swirling. His own encounters with other supposedly mythical beings had left him changed in ways he was still learning about, many, many years after the fact. He pushed those thoughts aside, firmed the glamour that made him appear to be a part of the tree, and settled in to see what the pretty fae demon would do next.

Shifting a bit on his feet, setting his one foot out to the side, helping him to bend slightly a bit to the side, Lin paused as something tickled his senses before shaking his head. He continued with his pictures, he finished the front before moving to his jeep. Popping the memory card out, he looked around, taking in the woods that surrounded Waverly and the way the setting sun made it look dark and rather foreboding. "Yeah, Alexander and Antonin are going to have so much fun," he muttered softly, as he went back to loading the pictures.

Aleric sat up in interest. This was the first time anyone had responded to his silent regard in decades, and he'd watched all manner of creature in these woods. It had almost seemed like the little fae had sensed him, or sensed he was being watched, something. He jumped lightly out of the tree and leaned against its trunk, not dropping the glamour yet, just wanting to see if the fae would react again.

Lin jerked around slightly, looking to the woods, his eyes taking everything in, his glasses perched on top of his head. Blinking his oddly colored eyes a few times, he sighed and shook his head before tugging on his braid. Taking off the hair tie on the end of it, he let his hair loose and massaged his head a few times.

"I'm getting paranoid," he muttered, putting his glasses aside as the sun dipped lower.

Al had thought the little fae pretty, with his purple hair in a braid, but with it down he was glorious. His appearance, his ability to sense Al – even if only slightly – the care and effort he'd put into taking his photographs and the fact that he'd managed not to disturb the woods Aleric currently resided in, combined to give Al the desire to speak to another person for the first time in years.

He dropped the glamour and – voice rusty with disuse – spoke just loudly enough to be heard. "Actually, your senses are better than most. So no, I wouldn't say you were paranoid. What, may I ask, brings a fae demon to the wilds of Kentucky?"

Lin squeaked loudly as he jumped into the back of his jeep, clinging to his camera and laptop. He looked over his shoulder, appearing rumpled and surprised, he cleared his throat before trying to speak. Another squeak was all that made it’s way out.

Clearing his throat again, he shook his head. "I'm the leader of a group that makes sure that sealed demons stay that way. I'm doing a pre-mission scan for a friend of mine," he finally said, scooting backwards from the jeep. "And I could ask you the same thing...without the fae demon part."

Al couldn't help but laugh at the undignified squeak. His laughter increased when it came again and he barely managed to stop in time to hear what the little fae had to say. Even caught off guard and defensive, the man in front of him was lovely, and it [i]was[/i] a man, despite the long blue skirt and lace top. He'd never seen a man dressed this way before; well, he had, but none that pulled it off so well and made it look so natural.

He wondered what the little fae thought of what he wore; he knew full well his clothing preference wasn't exactly the norm for these modern days. Finally, he answered the implied question, smiling ruefully at himself. "I'm here for the same reason you are. I don't like it much when people bother things that are best left alone. And I'm human… mostly, I think."

"Mostly?" Lin asked, blinking several times as he looked over the man slowly, taking in his appearance with wide eyes. "Yeah, I can see where you may not be seen as completely human," he mumbled before shaking his head. "So, what do you do beyond sneak up on people and look hot?" Lin asked, turning back to his computer and tapping at the keys a few times, saving the pictures to a flash drive, a smirk playing on his lips as he waited for the answer.

Al looked down at his outfit in confusion. His tunic was held together by four strings wrapped around silver buttons; – loosely – his leggings and boots were actually quite comfortable. He didn't think he was over dressed, and he didn't feel heated.

He shrugged; maybe the little fae thought he was uncomfortable. "I don't usually want to speak to many people so I rarely bother with sneaking up on them. And I'm quite comfortable. This clothing breathes more than you might think." He shook his head and cleared his throat, looking out at the building in front of them. "As for what I do… I study, I suppose, and observe, and try to keep things in balance."

It occurred to him he hadn't introduced himself and he said, "I'm called Aleric by the by."

Looking up at him, Lin smiled softly over his shoulder.

"It's nice to meet you, Aleric. I'm Lin Tsaka of the Dream Clan of Ireland," Lin replied, getting his camera ready for the next set of pictures. "Would you mind coming with me into the building? Usually I would have someone with me, but my main partner is enjoying a honeymoon at the moment."

Al smiled, feeling himself properly chastised. "My apologies for the poor introduction," he replied, an amused smile tugging at his lips. "It would seem I have been too long without human interaction. I am the Mage Aleric Divad; Dragon claimed and taught by Dainath the Black. It is an honor to meet you and it would be a pleasure to escort you," he said with a small bow.

Curtsying back, Lin grabbed his camera with a smile. "Thank you for your help, Mage Aleric. Feel free to call me Lin. I need to do floors one and two for now," he explained quietly, he grabbed a small blue hip purse, he attached it around his waist, letting it hang low on his hips. "I'm curious, how are the seals on this place? Are they still strong?"

"Aleric or Al please. Being addressed as Mage makes me feel my age," Al replied. "The seals are beginning to show the smallest signs of weakening, but for the moment, they should be fine. I think if they're pushed hard enough though, they might crack. I've been considering whether or not I should do something. Adding dragon magic to other magic can be… tricky." As well as being incredibly dangerous.

"Alexander will be coming here with his husband in a couple of weeks. We, unfortunately, can't do anything right now but we have news that a group is going to try a séance here," Lin replied, as he grabbed a small pouch and added it to his bag. "He's a fully trained witch and half wood sprite. His powers should work well with the pure magic." He smiled as he closed the back of the jeep.

Al stepped back so Lin could get past him and began walking behind him. He waved his hand as they approached the building and the air around it shimmered for a moment.

Lin paused, feeling the barrier before moving past it, he shoved the doors open as they squealed. "I thought these things were taken better care of," he muttered, He opened the pouch and reached in. Pulling out a small amount of yellow powder he dropped it onto the ground, a small ball formed. Kicking it up into the air, it started to shine as he walked in.

"Nice trick," Al said, looking around with distaste. "And no, they don't. I suppose they think because it's not being used there's no reason for upkeep."

"Either that or someone just doesn't do their job," Lin sighed, shaking his head. "The last idiots who were supposed to be working for me were supposed to clean this stuff up so we can turn it into a research area."

"Ah," Al replied. "Do you live in the area then?" he asked. If that was so, why was he just now seeing this man? He would have remembered seeing Lin before, and he knew it. The little fae would be hard enough to forget once he left, as it was.

"New York actually," Lin replied, smiling over his shoulder before he started snapping pictures. "This base will be mostly be growing food that requires no earth so that the soil can rejuvenate. This place is a perfect area once it's fixed up and what not."

Aleric nodded, something that could only be disappointment curling in his chest. So he wouldn't be seeing Lin again after tonight. Not that it really mattered; it wasn't like he truly lived here either. He would be here until the people who threatened this site were gone, then he would be gone as well, wherever his instincts led him.

"I'm actually trying to figure out where the hell I'm going to stay tonight. I'll probably crash in my car down the road," Lin mused stepping into a room before being tossed out on his back and sliding back a few feet. Blinking several times up at Aleric, he waved. "Hi there."

Aleric arched a brow as he reached out a hand to help him to his feet. "Still want to go in there?" he asked, nodding at the room. He wondered if he ought to offer Lin shelter. What he had wasn't much; a cave he'd reshaped with magic to make it reasonably comfortable while he was here. It was the only one he'd found near running water. It wasn't exactly a hotel; still, it had to be better than letting the man sleep in his metal box.

"Yep. The jerk took my camera," Lin replied, smiling and dusting off his skirt before walking up to the door. "Excuse me while I get pissy," he said softly before kicking open the door with one foot and walking in. Grabbing his camera, he was about to walk out before being tossed out of the room once more, crashing into Aleric. "Ow, sorry."

Al automatically braced himself wrapping his arms around the other man to keep them both from falling. It was then he realized, for the first time, just how much shorter Lin was. "Tiny little thing, aren't you?" he murmured before he added, "How can any one being be so beautiful?" It was clear he hadn't meant to let the thought leave his lips by the blush that immediately filled his cheeks as he let go of Lin carefully. "Alright?" he asked, looking away toward the next few doors down the hall.

"Yes," Lin squeaked, blushing brightly as he straightened up. Getting his balance, he glanced around before looking back up at Aleric. "Um, are you okay?" he asked softly, blushing once more at drawing the taller man's attention again. The other man was really very handsome. Clearing his throat, he blushed again, having caught him staring.

He really is quite something when he blushes, Aleric thought. Blinking, he realized he was staring and looked away once more. "I'm fine. Are you sure you want to do this now? It might be easier in the day when you don't have to worry about controlling your light."

"Yeah, I'm sure," Lin said, tapping the little ball. "And this is actually a spell done by Alexander. All I have to do is feed it a bit of power, drop it on the floor and kick it up," he explained, smiling brightly. "Took him months to get it right."

Nodding, Aleric took a deep breath and said, "You're welcome to stay with me once you're done. It will be late and I don't think sleeping in that metal box of yours will be very warm. It gets cooler the longer the night goes."

"That sounds nice," Lin said, heading for the stairs leading to the second floor before pausing beside a dark spot on the floor. "I think I found out what happened to my clean up crew," he muttered, looking slightly sick to his stomach.

"By the look on your face I'm not sure I want to know," Al replied, immediately placing protective shields around them both. His pupils turned to slits as he worked, the tattoo on his face flaring before fading back to unblemished skin, his eyes returning to normal. "Let's get this over with."

Lin nodded, going up the stairs, the feeling of magic crawling over his skin, making his hair stand on end. Taking the necessary pictures, he was soon tugging Aleric down the stairs and out the door. After stepping out the front doors together they slammed shut

Al looked back at the doors and blinked, shaking his head. "I'm not far from here. Did you want to remove your belongings from your…" he paused, trying to remember the right word. "Car? That is the right word right?"

"Yes, that's the right word. To be precise, it's a jeep and made for rough terrain," Lin replied, moving to his jeep. "Let me put it under some trees," he said, climbing into the jeep and moving it forward, making sure not to damage the roots. Hopping out again, he opened the back door and grabbed his camping bag, and lap top case. His battery would live since he had a good mini generator. "Alright," he said, as he finished putting a specialized circle around the jeep. "I'm ready to go."

Nodding approvingly at Lin for warding his belongings, Al turned and set off south of the tree he'd been sitting in. It really wasn't far – perhaps a five minute walk – when he stopped in front of what looked like a solid rock face and waved his hand, faint orange and yellow light surrounding it before the rock disappeared to show an opening in the wall. He turned to Lin with a wry smile and said, "It has no bathroom, but there is bedding and cushions and food."

"It works for me. I've camped before," Lin said, smiling softly as he moved into the cave, looking at the way things were set up. "Must have taken quite some time and magic to do this," he mused, his ears twitching, catching the sounds of a spring, which sounded perfect. "Where's your spring?" he asked, turning to Aleric.

Al grinned and pointed towards the back of the cave. "That's the part that took the most time. The spring ran underground here and reshaping the cave in order to give me better access to it without damaging anything was… interesting."

Smiling and nodding, Lin headed into the back, his hips swaying now that he was on more even ground and not running. Putting his back pack down, he slid the curtain closed behind him, sighing in pleasure at the sight of the spring.

Aleric watched him go with a bemused smile, then turned to rummage through his belongings for something for them to eat. He pulled out his pot, then realized he'd need water and made his way over to the curtain. "Lin," he called, "I'm going to put a pot under the curtain. Could you fill it up for me?" He didn't know if the little fae had disrobed or not – and he couldn't help the flush that lit his cheeks at the thought – but he wasn't taking any chances.

"Of course," Lin replied, having slipped out of his skirt and shirt, his boots set aside. Taking the pot, he moved over the spring and kneeled down before dipping the pot into the water. Carrying it back, he pushed it out from under the curtain, his soaked feet peeking out from under the curtain.

Al smirked at the sight of wet toes and took the pot with murmured thanks, then headed toward the mouth of the cave to start his fire. He set the pot over it then went to retrieve his bag of dried meat and vegetables, then added them and some wild herbs he'd found earlier in the year to the pot. He transmuted a small cup into another bowl for when the stew was finished, then set about making a pile of bedding for his unexpected guest.

Finishing his bath with a bit of swim, Lin stepped out from behind the curtain as the scent of stew teased his nose. Picking up his giant fluffy towel, he dried off before tugging on a loose pair of pants and a giant shirt, before sweeping his hair up into the towel. Grabbing his stuff, he moved towards Aleric with a smile. "Smells good."

Al looked up at Lin and blinked – a long slow blink like the lazy one a dragon gives when they first wake. "Thank you," he finally said once he managed to turn away, the image of Lin imprinted on his mind. "Its simple fare, but it works. It should be done soon." He pointed in the direction of the cushions he'd rearranged and enlarged and said, "I set that up for you. If you want to move things around or don't want the cushions let me know."

Nodding, Lin settled down onto a cushion, his legs tucked under his hips as he dug through his bag, pulling out several packages. "My friend made me these to bring. Um, I think they are different styles of bread," he said, unwrapping one, finding soft brown buns, still soft and moist. "Oh, he made Fae Wine buns," he said, smiling brightly.

Al's brow rose at that. "I don't believe I've ever had them. Fae wine yes, but not those. What are they like?"

"They are kinda like berry bread," Lin replied, breaking off one of the buns and handing it over. "They are made with fae wine, but the alcohol cooks off, leaving behind the sweetness and longevity of the wine."

Al nodded and took it with a quiet thank you, immediately taking a bite of it. He chewed and considered, then nodded. "It's good. It should go well with the stew." He watched Lin as he ate some of the other half and wondered what to say next. He really hadn't spoken with anyone in a long time – years – and the lack of interaction was bothering him now because he felt as though if he had, he'd know what to do next.

Smiling, Lin broke off a couple more of the buns, putting them aside before wrapping them up again. Digging around his bag again, he found a bottle of fae wine in his bag. Smiling, he read the label before opening it "Elderberry," he hummed softly in pleasure.

"You have elderberry wine?" Al asked in surprise. He loved elderberries – he thought it might be his former mentor's fault as the dragon had been very fond of the things – and it had been some time since he'd had elderberry wine.

"Yes, I do," Lin replied, handing the bottle over. "Alexander sent it with me apparently. It's probably the same type of wine used in the bread. Either that or cherry fae wine."

Aleric nodded, searching for his cup. It took him a minute to remember he'd changed it into a bowl for Lin to use and he turned to the other and held up the bottle. "I haven't got anything to pour it in. Do you mind if I just…"

"Go ahead," Lin giggled, digging around his bag and pulling out a small tea set, including two cups. "I think he was expecting me to have company," Lin hummed, before standing up. "Do you like tea?" he asked.

"I do," Al said, smiling a little before he lifted the bottle and took a sip of the wine. "This is very good," he commented.

"Comes from Italy," he said, coming back with the kettle filled with water. "It's created by the Sweet Air Vineyard," he explained. "They are some of my best customers of my jewelry shop."

"You're a jeweler?" Al asked. Somehow, that wasn't what he'd expected from a man willing to do battle with a ghost over his camera.

"Yes, I am. I love doing it and it's the first thing I ever started to do on my own," Lin admitted, sticking out one foot, hitching up his pants leg to show off the delicate white gold anklet that hugged his skin, a single tear drop hanging from it. "This is one of the first official pieces I made."

Al looked at it, took in the fine and delicate work and smiled. Somehow, it seemed more fitting an occupation for the other man once he'd seen his work. He handed over the wine bottle and asked, "Do you always share so much of yourself with people you've just met?" He was curious; he knew he mostly ignored people and had already admitted as much.

"I'm a very open person when my demon doesn't growl," Lin admitted, smiling shyly. "I didn't have the urge to run or attack, I didn't get any ringing bells. To me, you're safe if nothing else." Sipping from the bottle, he put it aside and picked up the kettle with a piece of cloth to pour the water into the cups with hand made tea bags.

Al considered that for a moment and nodded. He had no intention of harming Lin, and he was glad Lin knew it, even if his demon had recognized that fact before Lin himself had. "I'm sorry," he found himself apologizing as he checked the stew and found it finished. "I'm not used to having guests. It's… odd."

"It's quite okay," Lin said, waving it off and offering Aleric a cup of tea. "I'm quite used to it. I deal with many different people at any one time, some of them not used to people."

Al accepted the tea with a nod of thanks and set about dishing up the stew. He handed Lin his bowl before he dipped his own bowl back into the pot and curled a soft cloth around it to wipe it clean, then dug out the spoon he kept with him and handed it to Lin. He'd use the bread to eat his with, he decided.

"Will you be back?" he asked finally. It was the one question he had been wondering about most. He liked Lin, wanted to know him better. It was the first time in a very long time that he'd felt any kind of connection or interest in any of his fellow humans. He grinned internally; maybe it was [i]because[/i] Lin wasn't entirely human that he felt a kinship with him. And he could admit to himself the man was damned attractive.

"I will be, in about a week after tomorrow," Lin said, sipping the broth a bit before using the spoon to eat with. "I like the land around here, but it's not home for me. I've come to consider New York that," he hummed, smiling down at the stew before eating a bit more, dipping a small piece of bread into the broth and eating that. "You'll be able to meet Alexander and his hubby too," he suddenly said, smiling brightly.

"Alexander is your partner, the one who's on his honeymoon?" Al asked.

"Yes, he is. He's my best friend and brother in a way," Lin replied, nodding happily. "He's planning a Wiccan Bonding ceremony, but in the Vampiric way, he's celebrating his honeymoon. Antonin spoils him shamelessly."

Al laughed softly. "A wood sprite and a vampire. Now that's a combination you don't see every day. Dainath would have found it amusing," he said, suddenly missing the old dragon in a way he hadn't since he'd been small and claimed without knowing what was happening.

Smiling softly, Lin toasted the memory that he could feel meant a lot to Aleric. "I bet he was a wonderful...person," he said, laughing quietly before sipping his tea. "And those two work together, they really do. It's nice to see Alexander so happy," he said quietly, staring into the fire with slightly sad eyes.

Aleric laughed. "He was a crotchety old dragon that claimed me soon after I was born," he said. "He took human form when he felt like it but would rather fly around and scare the townspeople when one of them looked at me funny." He sighed and smiled softly at the memory. "His mate died, and I'd somehow escaped my mother when I ran into him, literally. He said he claimed me on the spot because I wasn't afraid."

He looked over at Lin and caught the look in his eyes. "You're lonely too, aren't you?" he asked gently.

"Yeah. It's lonely when all of the potential mates only want you for your money and body," Lin replied, putting his empty bowl aside before slowly stretching. "I should go to bed early," he hummed, looking out at the stars that could be seen. "I thank you again for your willingness to let me stay.”

Al nodded. "I suppose I needed some company," he admitted softly. He didn't have to worry over people wanting him for his money, or his body. Most people didn't even know he existed, and those that did wanted his former mentor's horde. Dainath had said it was his when he died, but he hadn't wanted it. He'd taken enough to travel. Occasionally he'd go back and get enough to buy new cloth, but he made his own clothing, he foraged for his food and he read any book he could get his hands on. It was all he had, and he'd been fine with it… until now.

Smiling sleepily, Lin put the wine bottle down near Al before moving to the bedding. Creating a mini nest of sorts, he lay down and curled up under the blankets. "Good night, hot stuff," he teased quietly before falling asleep, the trip and the building having taken most of his energy. The last thing he saw before his eyes closed were Aleric's eyes, the very ones that he would dream of for the rest of the night.

"Good night, Kirei," Al whispered, but Lin was already asleep. He set about quietly cleaning up from their meal, setting aside the stew in case Lin wanted some in the morning. He took the pot outside and scrubbed it with leaves and buried those, then took it to the spring to rinse it out. He settled himself on his own cushions and watched the other sleep. Occasionally he would look outside to the stars, but he spent the entire night awake; watching Lin and pondering his sudden desire to no longer be alone.