Finding Salvation in the Dark - 4. Never Alone

Antonin frowned at the knock on the door as he glanced at the lime green digits on Alexander's clock proclaiming it to be well past midnight. He carefully extricated himself from his lover's arms and pulled on his trousers – carefully, as his claws had automatically extended at the unexpected noise and perceived threat – and then grabbed he grabbed his shirt.

He didn't bother to button his shirt, merely doing up his pants. He cast another quick glance at his still sleeping lover as he made his way silently to the door. He hadn't heard screams, or the sound of a head hitting the ground, so whoever was at the door clearly didn't mean Alexander any harm. Still, he was alert as he carefully and quietly cracked the door open.

Murmuring softly, Alexander wiggled into Antonin's place and fell deeper into sleep Outside, a male stood, looking out over the woods, his eyes taking in the darkness around them, hearing things that no normal human could hear. Having taken the back path, he didn't know for sure if Alexander's cuter half had come home with him or not.

Turning towards the door as he heard the sounds of someone coming up to the door, he waited patiently for the door to finish opening.

Antonin opened the door just a little wider as he saw a face he recognized, although he couldn't help the raised brow of surprise on his face. "Lin-san," he murmured softly, opening the door slightly wider. While he was sure Alex wouldn't mind him letting Lin in, Alex was both undressed and asleep. "I take it you wanted to see Alexander?"

"I'm just here to drop of an assignment for him/Alex. I hope I did not disturb you too much." Lin murmured softly, smiling as he held out what looked like a very small box. "He has three weeks to prepare for this trip, since the idiots have planned it for then."

Quite curious about the first part of Lin's response, Antonin chose to ignore it for the moment and focus on the latter part. He allowed his lips to curve slightly and replied, "I was quite awake, you didn't disturb me, apart from my concern over the knocking waking Alexander."

Raising an eye brow, Lin snickered before shaking the box. "Take the box; bug him for details about his job and what he does for me. For now, let him sleep. He'll be up in an hour wanting to nibble and shower if I know him," Lin teased softly.

For a moment Antonin's eyes flashed gold as he wondered just how Lin knew that, and then it was gone. Alexander would have told him if he and Lin had shared an intimate relationship and they were clearly good friends. Darius was more familiar with his habits than most lovers, and they had never taken that step in their relationship.

He smiled, reached a hand – now devoid of claws – through the door to retrieve the box. "Three weeks to plan, yes?" he confirmed.

"Yep. Hope you can deal with a hyper Alexander. He despises planes and ends up bouncing around," Lin snickered. "It's out of town; it should be a nice vacation, Antonin-san," he finished, as he turned around and bounced down the stairs. "I'm going home. I have a bottle of fae wine and some pizza calling my name."

"Lin-san," Antonin called out softly after him. "Thank you. Your gift at the restaurant made Alexander quite happy." He couldn't allow the man leave without saying something as he'd enjoyed the smile that had lit Alexander's face at the sight of the bottle. The knowledge of his "Little Bird's” acceptable alcohol was truly a gift indeed.

Nodding, Lin waved over his shoulder. "There's a specialty store that sells it on Main. It's a tiny shop called Italian Lovers. Just ask for the house specialty, tell them I sent you. You know, it really goes well with berries. Oh," he gasped, turning back to gaze intensly at Antonin, "He really is unique. Take special care of him."

Antonin watched him as he climbed into his car before he finally closed the door with a full smile on his lips. Once more, he was pleased in Alexander's choice of friends; it was very apparent Lin cared for him. Antonin could only surmise that Lin did indeed approve, or he likely would not have given Antonin some of the personal information he had about Alexander.

Making a mental note of the store's name he slipped silently back into the bedroom, pulling off his clothing, setting the box on the night table before he climbed back into bed with Alexander, once more wrapping the smaller blond in his arms.

Murmuring something, Alexander purred in delight, burying his nose into Antonin's neck, a smile stretched over his lips. Not even twitching at the sounds of a car pulling away from the house, he breathed out 'Drago' before going back to just breathing softly.

Something about hearing Alexander use that name in his sleep made Antonin suddenly not want to hear him use it in public. It had been breathed so softly, so contentedly that suddenly, it seemed so very personal. Antonin couldn't imagine hearing Alexander use that name anywhere in public without wanting to drag him off in private.

It was far too intimate to share with anyone – even Alexander's friends – because, now, that name would be forever associated with the intimacy that came with deep trust, magnified by the fact it had been said while Alexander was asleep.

About an hour later, Alexander, still pressed up against Antonin, slowly awoke, his nose twitching slightly was the first sign of wakefulness. Slowly he wiggled away to lay on his back; slowly he stretched first one arm, then the other, then together. He stretched his legs out the same way, finally arching his back as he stretched his entire body. Opening his eyes, he blinked a few times, the vines and flowers receding, and he looked at Antonin with large, sleepy eyes.

Chuckling softly, Antonin said quietly, "Perhaps I should call you Kitten instead of Little Bird. I've never seen anyone stretch so much like a feline. How are you feeling?" he added.

"Not a kitten. Your little bird," he pouted softly before smiling. "I'm hungry actually. Food? Please?"

Laughing gently, Antonin slid out the bed. "Lin did warn me that you'd be hungry I should have brought it back in here with me," he murmured. He started for the bedroom door and stopped, turning to face the bed once more. "There's an assignment for you there," he said, pointing at the box on the nigh table. "Lin said you've three weeks to prepare. Would you like the remaining rice ball or some of the left over sushi?"

"Both, oh, and a slice of the pizza in the fridge?" Alexander asked, as he sat up on the side of the bed. His hair fell around his body as he moved a few pillows behind him to lean back on. Grabbing the box, he slit the tape. "And a can of Necturn Juice to?"

Smiling and shaking his head slightly in amusement, Antonin went to the kitchen to retrieve the requested items. He opened cupboards until he found a platter to set the food on and carried it all – can in hand – back to the bedroom.

Pulling out pictures of his assignment, and then a few different files, the history known to humans, and the real history of the site, he groaned at the thought of someone fucking with a sealed creature. "Not cool, you idiots," he muttered, reading the main file on the group.

Antonin set the dish and the drink on the night table next to Alexander, then he climbed back into the bed. "Something you need time alone to work on?" he asked. Lin had just told him to ask, not be where he wasn't needed.

"No, not really. You know all those cult houses and ghost groups out there?" Alexander asked, holding up a picture of a decrepit building.

"I know of them, yes," Alexander replied. "I also know that most of them are more than they seem." He took the picture from Alexander and frowned. He'd been told to ask in the morning but, as the opportunity had been presented, "Alexander, what is it exactly that you do?"

"Well, some places aren't just haunted or condemned. They are places that great evils are sealed," Alexander explained, as he showed Antonin a small book with hand inked pictures and words on parchment paper. "Waverly Hills is one of them. This is part of my job. I make sure that others don't tamper with the seals or fix them again if someone has."

Antonin digested this information in silence for a few moments before asking his next question. "And the rest of your job?" He had many questions, but he wanted to understand the entirety of Alexander's job before he began asking them.

Alexander looked up from a picture and smiled softly. "I raid cult houses. The members usually have been removed or out of their house before I go in.There's usually traps and tricks to them. It's much safer than it sounds."

Antonin wasn't all that certain about that; having dealt with a few cults in his own time. "Who's your backup?" he asked. He would not believe Alexander did this without reinforcements of some kind. Even he preferred to have at least one person he trusted at his back when he went into potentially dangerous situations.

"Usually, it's just me, but for the more dangerous or larger homes, Lin helps," Alexander admitted. "I can usually coax plants into helping me trip traps," he said, eating a piece of sushi.

While it did help to ease his worries to know that Lin acted as reinforcement for Alexander, and that his Little Bird could coax help from the nearby plants, Antonin still wasn't entirely reassured. What happened if something went wrong on one of those supposedly simple trips? "Do you have a way to contact anyone should you need help during one of the smaller assignments?" he asked.

"Yes," Alexander said, laying down across the bed and digging under his bed before pulling out a semi large lock box. Settling back, he opened it up and pulled out a small black phone with holder, several specialized IDs and what looked to be a long tanned whip with accessories to keep it supple. "This phone is my work phone."

"How long does it take for help to arrive?" Antonin asked, looking over everything curiously.

"Eh, about a minute or so," Alexander replied. "It's because the van is usually down the block waiting for me to give them the okay."

Now Antonin was reassured. He relaxed in the bed, stretching out and watching Alexander eat. "What do you need to do to prepare for this one. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Can you get Shinto shrine tags?" Alexander asked, looking over at Antonin as he set up his whip cleaning set, needing to get it back into shape. "I need new ones but every time I try to get them, I have to beg and plead for them. Most priests and mikos would rather sneer at me than let me have some."

"The thin strips of paper with spell work on them, used for protection and binding?" Antonin asked, just to be clear. It was becoming apparent to him that while Alexander knew of a great many things, he wasn't familiar with their terminology. Somehow that came across as charming.

"Yeah," Alexander said, smiling brightly as he held up his last three. "I'm down to three of them. I found an unruly demon bound to a Japanese burial urn with some mikos’ ashes. Her sprit was crossing over and no longer able to hold him as well as she used to. The urn ended up covered in them."

"The Japanese are very honor bound creatures, eternally concerned with culture and 'face', how they look in the eyes of others," Antonin said softly. He wanted to share what - he thought - was the likely reason that the priests and mikos were so difficult to obtain help from. "Tell me, have you ever heard the term 'gaijin'?"

"Once," Alexander replied, "Before I cussed the person out in Japanese, Chinese and then Latin. My father used to take me to Japan. He did the same thing I'm doing now, but world wide," he explains, blushing softly. "I know how to speak and understand Japanese, but the terminologies still escape me."

He leaned forward to give Alexander a light kiss on his lips; that blush was just as sexy as ever. "Understandable if you have no one to practice with," Antonin replied. He'd spent several decades in Japan with Darius and had developed both an appreciation for the culture as well as his love of the food.

"It wasn't always meant as a negative term, that word. The way gaijin is used now is actually a fairly modern term, coined during the Meiji restoration period. Before that it 'ikokujin', the word used to refer to foreigners – people from different feudal states – by the people of Japan. When the Tokugawa Shogunate opened Japan to European visitors they coined the word 'gaijin, which literally means 'foreign country person'," Antonin said, sliding a hand along Alexander's cloth covered thigh as he thought about what he'd learned during his stay.

"It's mostly tone that determines if the word is meant as an insult or not. But I digress. My entire point was that some Japanese, particularly the older ones, take offense to people requesting things and not making the request properly," he finished with a wry smile.

"I requested them properly though," Alexander said softly. "I send a note to make sure that I have permission to call or video conference since I suck at remembering all of those letters. Then when I ask them if I could stop by on my yearly trip to Japan, mind you this is right after I get back from said trip, they said no. I learned from my father and I used to be able to get them..."

Antonin tilted his head, thinking. If Alexander had been able to get what he needed before, he saw no reason why he shouldn't be able to now, unless something had happened to change the way his contacts viewed him. "When did you start having trouble?" he asked.

"About the time someone began to tell who my goddesses were," Alexander said softly, frowning slightly. "I never found out who told them. I didn't really want to tell them because that was part of my personal life and they understood that."

Now Antonin could see what the problem was and he wondered if Alexander realized what it might be. "Why do you think they've been less willing to help since they learned the names of your Goddesses?"

"In all honesty, I don't know why. My goddesses have blessed some families in Japan, but beyond that...I have no idea," Alexander said sadly, playing with a rag. "It hurts too since most of them were my father's friends."

Antonin took the rag from Alexander's hands and tugged his lover down into his arms. "Little Bird," he began softly. "It may be because many in that particular religion regard your goddesses as dark or wicked, at least Li. And because Li is intimately tied with Jin-Sing, she is viewed as being deceived by the dark as well."

"Oh," Alexander said, frowning softly. "It's because Li willingly gave her life up for a demon thief, isn't it?" he asked, looking rather sad that they would turn away from him because of that.

Antonin nodded, sorry to have caused Alexander more pain. "The miko are intended to guard against demons, not aid them. Most especially not die for them. That is seen as a forsaking of their duties, turning their back on those they are meant to protect. A loss of purity, regardless of circumstance." He stroked a hand gently through Alexander's hair and added, "It does not make it right, but…"

Nodding, Alexander nuzzled his lover's neck for a few moments before turning back to his whip, uncoiling it. "Well, I suppose I'm going to have to find a go between from now on, huh?" he asked, smiling softly before taking a bite out of his pizza.

"Very likely," Antonin replied. "I'll see what I can do in the meantime," he promised watching his lover eat and work. He was waiting for the shower Lin had mentioned Alexander would want to take and wondering if he would be welcome to join him.

Finishing with his pizza and then his whip, he made sure to rub the oil into the leather, he set his stuff aside before looking at Antonin with big eyes and smiled. "Take a hot bath with me?" he asked softly.

Antonin smiled. "No need to use those eyes," he said, just managing to bite off the 'love,' still unaware he'd used the word already. "I was hoping you'd ask." He shifted off the bed and pulled Alexander with him. "Lead the way."

Giggling softly, Alexander headed into his bathroom, the bedroom color scheme followed them, including giant fluffy green towels. Sliding up the mood lighting switch, he smiled at Antonin and pointed to the custom tub. "My 18th birthday present from Lin was a remodeled master bath," he explained.

Antonin smiled, noting the large Jacuzzi tub. He thought Alexander would rather like his bath and resolved to find a way for him to see it. He watched as Alexander set things out and turned on the water, looking around with interest.

Humming softly, he moved to the bed room, coming back with the small tray of still burning candles, setting them onto the counter sink. "My shower was just finished a couple of days ago. They had to order the rain fall shower head."

Antonin looked at the shower head curiously. If this was what Alexander preferred, he'd have to get one installed in his bath as well. "How long before you can use it, or is it already operational?"

"It's already operational," Alexander replied, testing the water. "I hope you don't mind hot, hot water. My mother always says I'm more suited for the jungle than for a forest considering how much I like a humid bathroom."

Antonin shrugged as he slid into the bath next to Alexander. "I like hot water," he replied, reaching for Alexander. "Come here Little Bird, and let me wash you."

Sliding over to Antonin, Alexander grabbed a small bottle filled with green goop and a soft, sponge-like fluff ball. "I love poufs. Very little soap is needed, but it gives so much rich lather," he said softly, popping the top of the container.

Antonin took the pouf and the soap from Alexander; he set the pouf to the side. "I hope you don't mind, but I just as soon do this with my hands," he said softly.

"I don't mind," Alexander said, smiling softly as he twisted his hair up, the bottom half already soaked. It had turned a dark gold color from the water. Securing it for the moment with a hair stick, he shifted closer. "I like your hands."

Antonin spread his legs, and gently lifted Alexander and placed him between them. Slowly he slid his slicked hands over Alexander's chest, encouraging the smaller man to lean against him for balance.

Leaning a bit, his hands on Antonin's thighs, Alexander tipped his head back slightly, delighting in the touches. He had always been someone who loved to be touched. To be touched by someone he was quickly falling in love with meant every moment spent with him, was heaven.

Gently, carefully, putting as much reverence as he could in the light strokes over Alexander's body, Antonin slid his palms over Alexander's chest, moving them up to his shoulders and lifting each arm from the water in order to wash it.

Purring softly in delight, his nails glimmered in the light, he smiled at Antonin, idly wondering if Antonin would find his blood red nails with black tips sexy, before humming in delight as his wrists were massaged.

Antonin let Alexander's hands slide back under the water, then he lifted him slightly, closing his legs together before setting Alexander back on his lap. "Lift you leg, Little Bird," he murmured, knowing there was another way of doing this, but not wanting to lose the body contact just yet.

Shifting and lifting his leg, he blushed softly as he had to show off a bit of his flexibilityto get his leg up. Smiling, he relaxed again and watched Antonin with half lidded eyes.

Antonin couldn't help the smile that curled his lips or the way his eyes flashed gold as he remembered just how flexible his little lover was. He slid his hands slowly over the skin of Alexander's inner thigh, tempted to free his kin of water so he could taste it again.

Shivering slightly as the hand stroked over his skin, Alexander reached forward over Antonin’s shoulder and slid a connecting light switch down lower. He found he liked the way his lover looked in soft, glowing lights and he wanted to see it again.

Antonin turned to look at Alexander then and froze. He wanted to mark him, taste him properly, but he hadn't discussed that with Alexander yet. He wondered what it was about this man that made him feel so possessive, so needy. He could hear Darius voice in his head laughing and he knew the other man would have made some sarcastic comment about Antonin being blind to the obvious, but it had to be more than the simple fact that Alexander was his mate. His eyes swirled completely gold and for a moment he forgot what he was doing.

"Antonin?" Alexander asks softly, tilting his head to the side, wondering what was running through his lover’s mind. His mind ran through what he knew, thinking that maybe his lover was possibly hungry, but pushed that thought aside. Making a note to ask Antonin about vampires, he gently stroked his hand over Antonin's cheek to get his attention again.

Antonin's eyes slid closed in pleasure and a soft growl emanated from his throat. "You have no idea how very tempting you are, do you?" he asked softly, eyes still closed.

"Me?" Alexander asked softly. Shifting slightly, he laid over Antonin's body, his legs on either side of the man's hips. Laying his head on Antonin's chest, he similed shyly and said "I'm not that special. I've seen prettier and sweeter people."

"Where?" Antonin immediately responded, eyes opening to regard his lover. "Visited the Land of the Fae have you? Alexander, I have walked this earth for over five centuries. I have seen and known many beautiful people and not a single one of them begins to compare to you."

Alexander nuzzles close and smiled in pleasure, looking up at him. "Actually, I have been to the Land of the Fae. Lin is like 20th in line for the Dream Clan," he admitted softly. "But I was talking about Japan. I'm nothing compared to some of them, but I'm glad I'm beautiful to you."

Surprised by that answer but not in the least bit deterred, Antonin began washing Alexander once more, using the hand supporting his lover to slide over his back. He would need more soap, but he could take care of that in a bit. "Alexander, I was including the people I’d met in the decades I spent in Japan. There are many people with beautiful exteriors that do not match their interior. Those people have material beauty, often bought with wealth and cosmetic surgery. Even those with surgery often lack true beauty, as that comes from within."

He curled his other arm around Alexander's waist after letting go of the leg he'd been holding, let go long enough to tip more soap into has hand then he curled his arm around Alexander once more as he washed his back properly. "You have a beauty of soul and a spirit that enhances the physical beauty you already possess. That is what makes you so incredibly alluring; the kindness in your soul, the grace in your movement, the sweetness of your actions."

Smiling sweetly as he pulled back, Alexander kissed Antonin’s chin gently, just a butterfly's kiss. "Thank you, for being so sweet to me. It's...wonderful to have you in my life," he said softly, looking into Antonin’s eyes, his own shining with warmth and love, even though he had yet to say the words.

Antonin got the distinct feeling that, while Alexander found his words sweet and thought that Antonin believed them, Alexander didn't believe them at all. It made his blood boil as he wondered what exactly his lover's ex had been like. What he had to have said and done to make Alexander doubt himself and his worth this way.

Rather than push with words, Antonin decided to show him. He shifted Alexander once more until he was facing him completely, sitting with his legs bent on either side of his body. He knew his prick was stirring – not surprising considering whom he held in his lap – and made no effort to hide it as he brought Alexander's face low for a kiss.

Mewling softly in question, even as his eyes slid shut and he leaned into the gentle kiss, Alexander nearly melted in delight at the sheer love he felt. It was a shock to his system, one that made a tear escape from his eye, followed by another one. Wrapping his arms around Antonin’s neck, he settled contently into the man‘s arms.

Both smelling and tasting the salt of tears, Antonin pulled away, concern monetarily overwhelming his desire. "Are you all right, Little Bird?" he asked, lifting a wet hand to slide a few strands of hair from Alexander's brow.

"Uh, huh," Alexander said, sniffling softly as he wiped the tears away. "Remember how I said I don't have my wood sprite powers trained? Well, one of them is Empathy, which I usually keep locked away. It takes a powerful emotion to get me to feel it now days unless I allow myself to feel. I felt your love."

If Antonin's body hadallowed him to blush, his cheeks would have been bright red then. Fortunately, the blood in his body flowed far too slowly to properly heat his cheeks, but his eyes swirled slightly silver in embarrassment before the gold returned. "And this made you cry?" he asked softly, wanting to hear why it affected Alexander.

"It's a good cry," Alexander replied, smiling softly. "It's hard for me to believe in someone(‘)s feelings, even my friends, now days. But when I felt what you do, it was a shock to my system."

"Ahh," Antonin replied, cuddling Alexander close. He'd been right to suspect his lover hadn't fully believed his words. He'd just have to make a point to allow his emotions to surface more often when he was with his Little Bird than he was used to allowing them. "I would apologize," he began, "but I am not sorry you know how I feel, though I hadn't planned to say it just yet."

"You don't have to say it," Alexander says, shaking his head, sniffling again. "I know you love me and for now, it's good enough for me." Finishing that,: he finished with a kiss to Antonin’s forehead; a smile on his lips.

Grateful that his feelings hadn't repulsed his lover, Antonin took Alexander's lips once more, his hands sliding softly up and down his spine.

Melting into the kiss with a happy sigh, Alexander held onto Antonin tightly, afraid to let him go.

Breaking the kiss and chuckling softly at the way Alexander held him, Antonin murmured against his shoulder. Breaking the kiss, Antonin chuckled softly, murmuring, "I will not leave you, Little Bird. Not unless you want me to." It would no doubt break him, but if Alexander decided he no longer wanted any part of him, he would leave.

"No. Not letting you go," Alexander said, a pout in his voice as he snuggled closer to the bigger male. "I have you, the world can go screw it’s self, I'm not letting you go."

Chuckling softly at that, Antonin replied, "So, I take it, you will not mind my staying with you for the rest of the night, what little is left of it?" He was still aroused, but now more concerned with making certain his lover was content and happy.

"No," Alexander said), wiggling slightly in Antonin's lap, his own length stirring at the feeling. "I want you to stay here all night, then be here when I get back from my fabric shopping tomorrow so I can curl up against you."

"Once I sleep, I will not wake until dusk, and if I do – which would take a near catastrophe – I will be sluggish and virtually useless to you," he warned.

"I'll be mostly sleeping after this night," Alexander purred softly before remembering something. "Antonin, earlier, were you hungry? Not food hungry, but rather 'nibble a neck' hungry," he questioned.

Antonin closed his eyes for a moment before he opened them once more to look at Alexander. "Not… precisely. I do not feed often; I fed well this week already. I…" he paused, trying to think of a way to word what he had to say. "I wanted to Mark you as mine. It would require I bite you, yes, and in a rather intimate spot, but it would warn any other vampires you may run across that you are to be mated soon, and to me."

Shifting slightly, Alexander nibbled on his bottom lip, tilted his head again as he stared up at the man. The thought of being marked in such a way was heating his blood and make him shiver in need.

Scenting the shift in his lover's mood, Antonin closed his eyes and inhaled sharply. "Alexander?" he questioned. It was unusual, to mark a potential mate before a Presentation, but not prohibited. As he had told Alexander before, The Courtship could last as long as a year to as little as week. This would simply be one less step they would have to take if Alexander wanted it, and would go a long way in earning Darius' ready approval.

"I want to be marked..." Alexander said softly, shyly looking at him through his lashes. "I want to carry that mark with me proudly, proclaiming me yours. Please?" he begged, his hips rocking into Antonin's.

Antonin gasped, his own hips rocking forward. "Be very certain. It will be… intimate… I will draw a bit of you blood and spill a drop of my own," he warned. "It cannot be undone, save by death. We will be connected."

Thinking for a few more minutes, Alexander finally nodded his eye sure and firm. "I'm certain. I want to be yours, forever," he said gently, smiling at him.

Antonin growled and stood, stepping out the bath, holding Alexander close to his chest. He picked up one of the green towels and quickly dried his lover off before sweeping him off his feet once again, returning to the bedroom. He grabbed a pillow and slid it under Alexander's behind, settling between his legs once more and looking up at his lover as he leaned in to lick at Alexander's inner thigh.

"It will be more comfortable for you this way," he murmured working his tongue over his lover's thigh, drawing ever closer to his groin.

Blushing and gasping softly, his hair coming loose from its bun, Alexander watched Antonin closely, his eyes darkened with every lick. He had a feeling he was going to love this quite a bit...and end up needing to eat again if he didn't sleep through the rest of the night.

Antonin turned his head to lave Alexander's sac, then returned his attention to the place where Alexander's inner thigh became his upper thigh. Allowing his fangs to extend and grateful they were sharper than any scalpel and would cause little pain, he slid them into the thick femoral artery and closed his lips over the flesh, sucking softly, once, twice, three times, knowing Alexander would feel the sensation in his cock and balls.

Yelling softly in pleasure and delight, Alexander arched slightly as he shivered and moaned. The feeling washed through his body, causing his cock to drip slowly onto his stomach.

Gently extracting his teeth, Antonin slashed a tiny wound in his arm and allowed a drop of blood to land on each tooth mark. He then sealed the wounds with his tongue, his saliva mixing with both his blood and Alexander's and causing a small circular bruise to appear. By this time the next evening, the bruise would be gone to reveal two intertwined lines in the shape of a Ying and Yang, the spots where his teeth had penetrated taking the places of the dots in the symbol.

Panting harshly as he looked down at Antonin, Alexander whimpered and shifted to sit up on his elbows. "Antonin," he breathed softly, his eyes dark with love and lust. The sting wasn't there, only a need to feel his lover once more. To be pressed into the bed by the heavier weight as he was taken again.

As much as he wanted to respond to the plea in Alexander's eyes and voice, Antonin didn't want to hurt his lover, and he was concerned that Alexander would be sore as it was. He licked over the wounds once more, then turned his head to nuzzle Alexander's sac before asking, "Are you certain, Little Bird? I do not want to hurt you, and you will be very sore."

"Healing energy," Alexander gasped softly, wiggling in delight at the feeling. "My sprite blood is like every supernatural creature's and will heal most small things easily. Thus the reason why I was hungry," he whimpered, spreading his legs a bit more.

Chuckling softly, more than a little drunk on the potent taste of Alexander's blood now that he allowed himself to focus on it, Antonin licked his lips. He grazed his fangs lightly over the skin of Alexander's thigh. "I want to kiss you, but… the taste of your blood is still on my tongue, and my fangs will stay extended until it leaves. Do you mind?"

"No," Alexander purred, shaking his head as he writhed, feeling fangs against his skin. It was oddly exotic and he was quickly discovering he had a thing for vampires...well, more then he used to at least.

Purring softly in pleasure at his lover's willingness to explore, he rewarded Alex with a slow, sensuous sweep of his tongue along Alexander's length, licking up all the fluid that covered it before he slid up to Alexander's mouth and very carefully took it. His incisors weren't very long, unless he was angry, just very sharp, so he was careful as he licked his way into Alexander's mouth, sharing the entrancing taste of his lover's blood and semen with him.

Mewling at the rather exotic taste of blood and seed on his lover’s tounge, Alexander slowly lapped at Antonin's tongue a few times before gently and carefully sliding the tip of his tongue down over the front of the fang. It felt smooth and silky, something that was absolutely amazing to him.

Antonin shivered, giving a low groan that was something between a growl and a purr. His fangs were extremely sensitive and having them explored this way seemed to have a direct link to his cock.

Doing it again, Alexander slowly shifted so that he could slide his very agile tongue down over the back of the fang before just ghosting over the sharp edge, getting the hint of how it felt.

Antonin groaned once more. He wanted to move, wanted to pin Alexander to the bed, but he didn't dare. Any sudden movement might cause his lover to accidentally cut himself, and he didn't want that. So he held still, despite the need coursing through him. He waited for Alexander to finish his explorations.

Sliding his tongue back, Alexander purred softly as he sucked on Antonin's bottom lip in a teasing way. "Antonin, I like your fangs," he whispered softly, letting go of the man's bottom lip.

"Gods above and below, but you are amazing," Antonin breathed kissing Alexander gently once more, working his way from the delicious mouth, along Alexander's jaw, gently trailing his fangs along his neck, being careful to use the face and not the points.

Moaning softly and arching up, Alexander pressed gently into the touch, loving the way Antonin’s fangs slid across his skin. "Antonin," he mewled, his eyes fluttering shut and throwing his head back.

"So very perfect," Antonin murmured against the skin of Alexander's neck, licking a path from his collarbone down to suckle a nipple. "So delicious, like fine aged wine and chocolate," he added, lapping at the tight nub before moving to the other.

Letting out a soft moan, Alexander buried his hands in Antonin’s hair. His nails gently scratching his scalp. His legs rubbed against Antonin's sides as he eyes fluttered.

Antonin made his way slowly down Alexander's body, loving the responses he wrung from his lover. He sighed softly in relief as his fangs finally retracted. He licked the tip of Alexander's prick before he swallowed it whole.

Yelping in surprise, Alexander melted, the feeling of a hot, wet mouth around his length surprised him. His toes curling, he whimpered softly, his hands fisting tightly in Antonin’s hair

Sucking slowly and steadily, Antonin ran his tongue over the heated flesh each time he slid down, applying suction as he pulled up. He would never tire of this, tasting Alexander this way, but he needed to be inside his lover and he had something different in mind this time.

Slowly he pulled completely off and reached for the body butter, slicking his fingers and gently sliding one inside the welcoming body below him.

Mewling at the feeling of the mouth leaving him and the(to be replaced by a) finger sliding in(to him), Alexander arches(arched) up into the feeling(word repetition please consider removing “into the feeling” with the suggested changes it’s not necessary). His fingers gently tugged on Antonin's hair as he slowly slid open his eyes and his body automatically relaxed around the finger(suggested sentence revision: His fingers tugged on Antonin’s hair. His slowly opening as his body relaxed around the finger).

Carefully adding a second finger, Antonin circled them, stretching Alexander, delighted by the pulling of his hair and the sounds leaving Alexander's lips. "You make the most beguiling noises," he murmured, placing a gentle kiss on [i]his[/i] mark decorating Alexander's thigh.

Alexander shuddered, becoming louder as his hips pushed toward the gentle hand. "Antonin," he moaned softly, before panting out "Drago."

Antonin nearly lost control of himself; he had to remember Alexander needed to be properly stretched; that no, he couldn't simply take him now. He compromised, deciding to add a third finger; if Alexander took that easily enough, then he would take him. Dragging in a ragged breath he slid the last finger inside, groaning in both pleasure and relief as Alexander's body accepted it.

Pulling his fingers free, he used the remainder of the butter on himself, then crawling on top of Alexander he rolled them over so that the smaller man was on top. Eyes gold and voice ragged with need he said, "This way you'll have control over how fast or slowly you take me."

Gasping and nodding as he shifted over Antonin's body, Alexander rocked his hips back and forth a few times teasingly before lifting up and then impaling himself. Letting his head fall back, his hair brushing over Antonin's thighs, he slid up and down again, setting a steady pace that picked up every few upstrokes.

Antonin brought his hands to Alexander's lips and growled in pleasure as Alexander rode him. He waited until he was certain Alexander was comfortable in his rhythm before he moved his hips, pushing upward on Alexander's next downstroke, going deeper than he had so far. He rolled his hips beneath his lover and thrust again, trying to find that spot that he knew would make Alexander scream with pleasure.

Tightening around Antonin's erection as his back arched, his nails scrapped down over the man’s chest, Alexander moaned Antonin's name loudly as his prostate was nailed again. "Yes," he whimpered moving a bit faster.

A wicked, feral smile curled Antonin's lips, and he kept to the same angle, striking Alexander's prostate with every thrust. He watched his lover's face, the pleasure there only enhancing his own, and he knew it wouldn't take much more before he came again. He lifted a hand from the blond's hip and curled it around his neglected erection, providing the additional sensation of being stroked from the outside while Antonin stroked him within.

Mewling and shuddering, his body tightened around Antonin. Alexander dropped his head forward, his hair falling around his face. Shuddering again, a sweet keen of pleasure slipped past his lips as he spilled into Antonin's hand.

His eyes widened as the already tight sheath became impossibly tighter, Antonin cried out Alexander's name as he came, filling his lover with body warm fluid. He barely managed to stroke Alexander through his orgasm as satisfaction settled into his body.

Panting and relaxing, Alexander fell onto Antonin's chest as he tried to catch his breath. "Just as good," he hums after a few moments, his eyes slipping shut.

Chuckling softly, Antonin brought his hand to his mouth and lapped it clean of Alexander's release, then reached for the towel he'd discarded earlier. Gently he wiped Alexander clean before tugging him down for a kiss. "Did you think it would be less enjoyable the second time?" he asked teasingly.

"No. Just didn't think it would be just as intense. I'm suddenly very sleepy," Alexander hummed with a purr of contentment shifting so that he could cuddle closer.

Feeling the approach of the sun, Antonin decided it would be best if they moved now. "We should get under the covers, Little Bird. When the sun rises I will sleep, and I have been told I am nearly impossible to move in that state," he said. "Also, I want to tell you what the effects of the Marking are."

"Uh, huh," Alexander murmured softly, shifting slightly to grab the bed sheets and pulling them down enough to slide under them.

Antonin did the same, then pulled the covers other them as he drew Alexander closer to him, one arm across Alexander's waist. He glanced at the open curtains and said, "The curtains will need to be drawn to protect me from the sunlight. Despite what popular fiction believes, I will not spontaneously explode – although those of weaker blood can, and often do – when exposed to the sunlight. It does, however, put me in a state of near paralysis. It makes it very difficult for me to move and for my mind to function. I am at my weakest at sunrise."

He paused to allow that to sink in, then went on," By the time I awaken, the bruise on your thigh will have changed. It will become the symbol of Ying and Yang, with the places where my fangs penetrated making the dots inside each symbol. You will be able to sense what I am feeling, what my state of being is. You will know when I need to feed, when I must rest, if I am angry, those sorts of things. I will know the same of you. Also, if you have any talent for it, this Marking will trigger any latent traits of telepathy. It will not be immediate, and at most – until we are fully bonded – you will be able to hear my thoughts when I direct them to you."

Blinking up at his lover, Alexander nodded finally and said, "If you press the blue button on the remote right there, the curtains will close. As for the rest, wow...that's gonna take some time to get used to." Nuzzling close, he smiled softly. "I have no doubt that it won't take very long for me to get used to it."

Reaching over for the small remote, Antonin did as he had been directed, smiling as the curtains slid closed. They were thick, and dark – much like his own curtains at home – and he relaxed. He yawned gently, then smiled at Alexander. "In a sense, I will always be with you," he pointed out, wanting Alexander to know he would never really be alone again. "Sunrise is close, I can feel it coming."

"That’s good," Alexander hummed, soon after falling into a deep sleep with his lover by him. He knew that Antonin wouldn't leave him and it made him feel safe and content.