V

He was drawn to Guilty Pleasures like a moth to the flame. Stood night after night in the VIP lounge's dark solitude, watching him.

Tamlin could probably sense him, but he made attempts at concealing himself visibly by sticking to the darkest corners, leaving before his act ended as not to get caught...standing there, admiring the lines of his body, the paleness of his shimmering skin.

My love, he thought while standing there. Do you know what you're doing to me?

Tamlin had changed his act since the first time he saw him. Instead of silk shirt and jeans, his only attire in this performance was a couple of huge peacock feathers that he danced with under soft light, blue and green. He stroke his skin with slow, soft brushes, concealed himself cleverly while his body moved sensually, rhythmically on stage...Exposed flashes of pale, naked flesh, his own ecstatic expression. Bit into his own lip and licked the blood off. His eyes seemed to burn as he swayed and made love to the feathers. Asher hated them, he felt jealous of their intimacy with the body he wanted.

He felt silly standing there yet dreaded to go any closer. It wasn't just about his inner conflicts anymore; not only the awakening of the sorrow and the bitterness...It was what he did to him as well....

At the night of the banquet he had realized that his desire for this boy had somehow managed to stir his pride. Remind him of who he'd been...The kiss he had given Tamlin had been an exercise from those days so long ago. He had remembered his lover's skills. How to use them. He was astonished and surprised they were still there; that the hidden and lost part of him still had pride enough to wriggle free from the confines of the past and forgotten and raise its head and act...

Tamlin made him want to be that vampire again; that dark, golden prince of seductive destruction.

He had felt so foolish...like a prude...refusing to give in. It was not him, was not Asher...Asher had been the hunter and sex had been his forte. Having it all turned up side down faced with this feral, young vampire had made something snap inside of him.

Being the monk was not a role he felt satisfied with anymore. And the kiss...the kiss had spun a dream that maybe...he could pull it off. Make the younger vampire feel so good the betrayal, when it came, would feel like a blow to him too... If Asher could be what he'd been, giving him up to whatever purpose would be giving up pleasure at its richest, finest...For Asher could provide that; the kiss had proven that he still had at least some of his skills intact.

And the pride in him roared, that he was not to be reduced to some drooling old man watching from the shadows while the arousal and want flooded through him. Yet at this point that was all he was.

Afraid...to be such a loser. Afraid to give it up. If, in the worst case scenario having Tamlin would mean the end of his life, was he ready to give it up? His existence with Jean-Claude in St.Louis, his rank as a master...Was it all at stake now?

And if so, was Tamlin worth it?

Was a moment’s pleasure...this opportunity, for just a brief moment, to be the one he'd used to be, not who he'd become, worth risking it all? He watched the dancing vampire and wondered...

"He is calling you..." Jean-Claude spoke in the darkness of the lounge. Asher had been too absorbed by his thoughts to notice his approach.He scolded himself inwardly for letting his guards down.

"What do you mean?" he asked emotionless.

"I saw you at the banquet," Jean-Claude's sensual voice continued. "The way the two of you rubbed up against each other..."

Was it bitterness in that voice? Jealousy?

"I was bargained for, remember?" he quickly replied and was awarded a calming hand on his shoulder.

"Ah, do not hate me for that," Jean-Claude pouted, " I never thought it was desire between the two of you..."

"Oh yes, you did..." Asher said calmly.

"Well, from his side, not yours, mon ami."

It was silence between them for a moment, then Asher spoke again:

"Does it make any difference Jean-Claude?" he sighed. "I am who I am, I can not change that."

"Non...But you could bed him. Instead of tormenting yourself so..."

"The thought has struck me," Asher admitted and caught the familiar scent of Jean-Claude's skin: Roses and lilies, a hint of gardenia. "But I don't trust him," he added.

"And neither should you," Jean-Claude replied softly. "But you never needed trust to bed a beautiful boy..."

"And if his lust is just mockery?"

"...Then I'll catch you if you fall..."

"And if I die...?"

Jean-Claude chuckled softly:

"Aren't you reading a little too much into this...? Another male wanting you doesn't necessarily pose a death threat..."

"But it could."

"Yes, it could..." Jean-Claude admitted, his polished nails trailed the leather of Asher's coat.

"Why don't you take him..?" he suddenly said. "Just bed him and see what happens...To me he seems eager enough and quite frankly I can't blame him." he added softly.

"You are struggling with your own feelings of guilt in this," Asher said and gave him a wry smile. "Your judgment is not to be trusted," he added dryly but with a little twinkle in his gaze.

"True..." Jean-Claude admitted, "but I have also seen more than one stag in rut...I can sense them and so can you. I don't think you have anything to fear from this vampire."

"...I could have my heart broken..."

"And I will catch you if you fall..." Jean-Claude whispered the last words to his ear. He squeezed his arm gently and was gone, just as quickly as he'd come.

Asher sighed and stroked his brow with the back of his hand in a weary gesture. He felt the scar tissue too. His curse...

With heavy steps he approached the stairs to the back stage. Another farce had ended. Tamlin doubtlessly knew he was there anyway, had known so for the past nights while dancing with his long, broad feathers.

Just as well reveal himself. Face him...and whatever would come of it.

If he went down, Jean-Claude would seek his revenge and that was more than he had dreamed of, being loved so, while staying at Belle Morte's court...And it was true as Jean-Claude had said: Tamlin called to him...to his core. Better just be who he was for one night and go down in pain or humiliation, he mused, than never be that person again. Asher was suddenly awake...

He sent for him and waited in the corridor. Once again surrounded by those glittering, smooth bodies. The lean muscles and the sheer energy that radiated from the dancers. Although this time he allowed himself to feed on it, grow stronger. He didn't hide his face but took them all in. Drew their vibrating sexuality like blood.

He saw a black-haired shape shifter and smiled gently at him as he passed. The boy had done some fabulous dancing with a woman from the audience. Made her sweat and blush and reek of want...Thankfully Tamlin had done nothing of the sort, he wouldn't have handled that well, he realized, and smiled at his own possessiveness...

Finally the long-haired master vampire showed in the door: A little smile played on his lips but he seemed unusually calm and composed.

"Asher...?" he said. "I wondered when you would show yourself," he added but without emotion.

Asher drew a deep breath. "You can have it... what you want...if you still want it," he said simply.

Tamlin's expression lit up in understanding as the words dawned on him. He stood still for a moment, casually leaning against the doorframe. His black jeans and crimson tank showing off his long, lean muscles. His leather coat hung over his arm, neatly folded. He measured Asher with serious, grey eyes.

"All right," he said at last. "I'd be a fool to say no, wouldn't I?" Finally he smiled. He stepped casually out of the dressingroom and closed the door behind him. Asher let out a breath of relief, allowed the excitement to seep in and build a little.

Tamlin had said yes, he was going to have him. Either that or be ruined and ridiculed in the attempt. Tamlin, however, didn't feel much like a threat as he walked beside him down the corridor:

"I won't ask why...what changed your mind," he suddenly said. "But I'm fairly sure it was the peacock feathers..." His lips twitched and Asher realized he was fighting hard not to laugh, so he did it for him. Strange how his own laughter sounded deep and purring, almost feral today. Was it because he could watch the younger one's buttocks under the tight fabric undisturbed, or simply because he knew that if the gods were with him that he was to cup those buttocks in his hands very, very soon?

Sooner then he thought, apparently, as they turned a corner in the corridor and Tamlin was suddenly upon him. A flash of movement and he was caught in strong arms, lips on his own, eating hungrily at them.

Asher chuckled deeply in his throat, it was indeed coming back to him, his old ways, how to behave. With a pleasurable sigh he gave in to his urges and finally felt the firm half-globes in his hands. They were just as nice to touch as they'd appeared. Tempting fruit, Asher squeezed them several times, enjoyed to have them cupped in his palms. Tamlin sighed and responded with a insistent rubbing against his crotch, made Asher squeeze harder to make him move closer, tighter as the sweet waves began building and washed all his coherent thoughts away.
Tamlin licked at his neck, bit gently without drawing blood and Asher leaned against the wall behind him, spreading his legs to feel his arousal better. Rubbing against his own, yes it did. Denim-clad cock grinding against him. It didn't matter now that Tamlin could feel him, he had already revealed his want...

"Can I take all that?" Tamlin whispered with a coy smile.

"You better," Asher replied in a murmur. Now that he had the other in his arms at last, he was not about to let go, not even for a minute. He tasted and felt just as expected. Tasted sweet; felt smooth and hard. He moved his hand up a bit to stroke his naked back under the tank. Warm skin vibrating under his fingers. His other hand tangled in the long, slick mane of hair, forced his lips to Asher's again. Tongues entwined now, hot and raw as they ate kisses from each other's mouths like blood-filled candy while grinding their hips together hard.

Asher moved his hand from the smooth skin of his back around the narrow waist to the front of Tamlin's pants. His fingers slipped under the waist-band. No self-restraint now as his personal beast was let loose. He was good with his fingers, he knew that. With the slender arousal in his hand he continued kissing the other while small drops of liquid escaped the slit of Tamlin's erection and dribbled over his fingers. Tamlin moaned and bit at his lip, lapped up the blood with a quick tongue. He dropped his leather coat to the floor and his hands moved inside Asher's coat and began eagerly roaming his sides, he held on to his hips as he groaned at the back of his throat and his body jerked under one of Asher's moves.

Oh, he wouldn't betray him with a light heart, Asher felt sure of that now. Tamlin's hand slipped under his shirt and touched his belly with flat palm. He touched the scars and Asher steeled himself as not to flinch. Tamlin didn't flinch either. He just gazed at him with half-closed eyes, only silvery slits of passion.
Asher let his hair go and fished his hand out from the other’s jeans. He put Tamlin's index in his mouth and sucked at it; licked it with a slow motion:

"Let's go home," he whispered hoarsely when the finger slipped out of his mouth.

Tamlin nodded wordlessly and picked up his coat from the floor. Together they stepped out the back entrance to the club and with just a quick glance in each other's direction they moved up in the air, headed for the Circus with unnatural speed, side by side among the moon and the stars. Tamlin's blue tresses fluttered around his face in slick tendrils. Asher saw that his gaze was unfocused and distant. As they passed the lights from a bridge below he took the other's hand. Flying together they took a sweep over the huge building of the Circus of the Damned and landed soundlessly in the parking lot; still with their hands laced together.

"My place or yours?" the young brat smiled.

"Mine," Asher told him. "You will look good against my ceiling," he added with a little smirk. And it would be safer there, his brain told him. Much more so...

Eager now and Asher boiling with want they passed the cheerful crowd of humans waiting to get in to see the show. The found the guarded back entrance and nodded to the guard as they passed. Down they went, gliding gracefully down the steps to the lower regions. Through empty corridors, past closed doors. Even deeper, down to the inner sanctum, passing a few minor vampires on their way. Around the corners, past the lit torches set in the walls until they came to a stop before Asher's door. The roses carved in the golden-brown wood was a welcome sight, and a little scary too. Once that door was closed behind them, there would be no turning back...

Still he didn't hesitate but pushed the intricate flowers around until he hit the lock and the door sprang open.

"Welcome to my home," he invited the other vampire inside. A polite gesture, among their kind.

"Thank you." Tamlin bowed slightly but the smile on his lips was anything but polite. He looked hungry, Asher realized with a satisfied smirk. He walked inside and lit a few candles on the table. The door fell shut behind them but he didn't feel scared instead he felt...happy! And satisfied.

"This is my bed", he motioned to his right."Make yourself comfortable," he smiled.

Tamlin chuckled but instead of approaching the bed he embraced Asher from behind. Kissed his neck again, soft, wet kisses...on both sides. His right and his wrong.

Asher blew out the match in his hand and turned to face him. His arms slid over Tamlin's shoulders as he gently forced the other across the carpeted floor to the giant four-poster bed. Down on the white bed spread, his blue hair like a fan. Asher loved him then.

He took the leather coat from his hands and threw it on the floor, wriggled out of his own and let it slide down with it. Then he leaned over and cupped Tamlin's face in his palms, kissed him tenderly this time. Savored the taste and the feel of the male beneath him.

Tamlin sighed softly and lapped at Asher's tongue. His hips were already arching against Asher, rubbing insistently. Did he want to get it over with? Asher wondered briefly but then he met Tamlin's gaze and thought of it no more...Asher knew want when he saw it. Felt it...like a throbbing beat in his core.

With his gaze locked with Tamlin's he pushed up the red tank and finally let his fingers touch the marble smoothness underneath. He felt warm to the touch, and firm. He bent down and caught a pink nipple between his lips, flickered it with his tongue and listened satisfied to Tamlin's vocal reactions. He bit at it, gently with sharp teeth and circled it with more tongue and saliva. The flesh became puckered and hard in his mouth and Asher played with it with his fingers while giving its twin the same treatment. He marveled at the hard planes of his chest. He was lean, yes, but well built. Muscled and beautiful. His skin shimmered pale like mother of pearl in the dim candle light.

He kissed a trail down to his stomach while keeping his hips in place with his hand. He was softer there, the skin smoother. Asher licked at it, savored the scent of musk and orchids. The little, thin river of black hair that ran down from his navel caught his attention and he nuzzled it with his nose. Slick, soft hair which he followed down to where it disappeared. With a not to gentle tug on each side of the row of metallic buttons he forced the pants open and was suddenly faced with the slender organ of his desires laying flat and leaking moisture across the lower part of Tamlin's belly...

It was surrender in this, from Tamlin's side, to have fangs so close to the centre of his passion. Tamlin would not die without it but he would be severely reduced. Like Asher had been...

Asher licked the salty sweet liquid from his skin, tangled his fingers in the nest of curly, black hair around the base of his cock. Stroked across the heavy sack; it was firm to the touch; like a ripe fruit before bursting. He felt Tamlin's hands at the top of his head. Heard his heavy breathing...His hips swayed a few inches off the mattress and Asher adjusted a bit to be able to force the tight jeans over his hips, licked the sharp, smooth angle of his hipbone as he peeled the rough material from Tamlin's body. He stepped away the bed and pulled the pants with him and left them in a black heap on the floor. He looked luscious there as he lay with his hair spilling out from his head and the crimson tank pushed up to his armpits. Pale flesh and a hard cock weeping on his stomach. His chest rose and fell heavily. His pale cheeks had gained that blush of pink matching his lips: His gaze was dark and laden. His hands lay above his head; he was Asher's in this moment: All cream colored perfection before him.

Tamlin's nipples stood out in the air like tempting kisses and Asher parted the other's legs and climbed back up in the bed, bent down and accepted the offer: Kissing them both while his hand reached down to Tamlin's crotch and played with him.

"Please..."Tamlin whimpered. "Please..."

Asher sat up to his knees and lifted his legs a bit, Tamlin bent them obediently and didn't make any sound of discomfort when Asher presses the whole length of his index into the tiny entrance he found behind his balls. It was warm in there, and tight. There was a certain, special pleasure in this. Fucking him with his hand, watching first one finger, then two slip inside his body and rhythmically force whimpers from the other's pink lips. Tamlin's cock twitched on his stomach and his balls were tight and full now, looking more like a ripe, pink peach than ever, under the silken curls.

Asher took pity on him and began stroking him off. Moved his hand on the pale hardness and felt it pound against his palm: He smeared the liquid seeping from it over the smooth head with his thumb and steadily met Tamlin's gaze that burned dark against him from the white bedspread.

Tamlin's parted lips and gleaming fangs were tempting but Asher found himself unable to let go of his current task. As much as he ached and yearned himself; the utter enjoyment of seeing the other so submissive and lost kept him there. His fingers pounding in and out, his other hand embracing and caressing his arousal. The curve of his thighs on each side of him. The tall vampire offering himself utterly, the sight and feel of it was tempting beyond words. Made Asher slightly dizzy. The erotic sensations coursed through him, still he would not let himself go but kept using his hands on the younger one. Thrusting his fingers faster and deeper into the velvety heat of his body, felt the cock in his hand gain a life of its own twisting and jerking and suddenly spitting strands of white liquid over his hand and down on the blue-haired one's stomach. He came much and he came long, the vampire's mouth opened wide in a silent scream as his body jerked on the white fabric and his grey eyes opened wide, looking blindly up at the ceiling. His hands clawed at the mattress beneath him and he suddenly twisted his head to the right and gave deep, ragged moans every time a new spasm hit his body and his cock shot more of the creamy substance.

Finally, with a deep sigh, he stopped. Instead of jerking, his body began shivering slightly while his breath slowly evened. He still looked to the side, not at Asher. A little ashamed perhaps, that he had come so fast.

Asher smiled, amused and happy. His inner beast purred like a well fed cat, stretched its limbs and padded from the sweet, warm comfort of the fireplace...It was time for it to play.

Asher lifted his stained fingers to his lips and licked them clean; it tasted pure and salt. Fresh hunger.

"You're not done playing yet, are you?" he asked the younger one purringly. The grey gaze looked up at him. Watched his tongue's play over his fingers as the last traces of liquid were consumed by Asher's lips. They felt sticky with it, he realized and smiled widely.

"No..." It was glittering again now, the gaze of the other. His long arms finally came down from their position above his head and he effortlessly sat up, brought his face only a few inches from Asher's. His tongue lapped at Asher's lips; tasted his own essence.

Asher's fingers dived into cool, blur-black hair and he wondered what it would feel like having it spilling over his chest. He let it go when Tamlin pulled the wrinkled tank top over his head to toss in the floor. All naked now, the vampire boy, but no feathers hid his intimate parts. Spent and resting for the moment but still blood filled enough to promise further adventures.

They kissed each other passionately. The saliva and faint trickles of blood mingled with the taste of Tamlin's semen. Tamlin's arms embraced him and his lips left his to whisper, "You have opened me up now...it is time you had me..."

The words sent hot waves of desire surging through Asher's body. The offer was a promise and it was good...His own aching hardness demanded the attention and he couldn't help his hips from jerk a little, press up against the naked body before him.

Then he froze, as Tamlin's fingers began unbuttoning his shirt.

"Don't..." he uttered before he could stop himself.

"Yes!" Sudden storm in his eyes. He would not be denied. It was a master's voice that had spoken. Asher...could only yield. So he looked away while Tamlin quickly unbuttoned the last of the small buttons and pushed the fabric from his shoulders. he felt the fine fabric flutter down but did not look at Tamlin again before the other moved in closer and covered his naked chest with his own.

Of course there was bliss in that touch. Warm skin against warm skin. Nipples touching, his scarred side roamed by a pale hand. Asher gave in with a sigh and turned his head back to seek Tamlin's lips. They were there, more than willing to spill kisses. His thumbs were caressing Asher's belly. He made no difference between the sides but touched all his skin equally. Asher was grateful for that.
Tamlin's hands eventually drifted down and found the zipper to his pants. He touched his length through the fabric first, caressed him firmly and increased the ache. When he finally sprang free it was into that hand. That pale, slender hand of his that knew very well how to touch and handle it. It was Asher's turn to throw his head back and moan softly while the other vampire's hand pleasured him, stroke across his sack, tangle in the golden hair he found there. His hands fluttered down his thighs too. over the golden hued skin and he heard him hiss.

Was it the scars? he thought. Or just excitement?

"I want you inside of me." It was a hoarse whisper with a sweet kernel of desire to it. Asher accepted, obliged the command.

He let Tamlin motion them around and gently push him back till he lay sprawled on the bed with his knees bent and his toes touching the floor, his pants slipped further down his legs and he used his feet to push them off the last bit.

He watched with amazement as Tamlin bent down and took him into his mouth.
It felt good, better...it felt mind shattering amazing and he cried out when the pink lips closed around him and bathed him in heat and moisture. He knew that tongue had to be clever, and it was. Swirling and licking at his head, caressing the length of him with lingering strokes. He didn't suck much but drenched the hardness with warm saliva. It took Asher a moment to comprehend what he did, but when he did he felt as if he was to burst the same moment.

The cool draft of air was brief and meant nothing when the slick mouth disappeared and Tamlin straightened and moved up to straddle his hips. There was nothing in this world quite as arousing as that sight, he thought, when the lean vampire reached back to spread his own buttocks with his hand while holding Asher's cock in the other; pressing those two parts together: The little hole and the slick arousal. When he moved down on him it was with a deep sigh. Asher echoed it loudly; it turned into a ragged moan as the warmth and tight pressure of the other engulfed him...

Finally he was inside, impaling the other vampire on his hardness. Asher's hands closed on his hips; he wasn't going to leave him now. He'd make sure he stayed in place.

He moved his hands with him as Tamlin began to move upon him, forcing more ragged moans from his throat as he went; sliding up and down his cock with sensual motions. His long hair swept across Asher's thighs and he began to move himself: Thrust upwards to meet the other. Small sighs escaped Tamlin too now as Asher hit that particular place in his inner wall that could turn any brute into a purring kitten. His cock began to grow larger and Asher caught it with one hand, helping it along by stroking it and gifting it with several clever caresses.

Tamlin's eyes shone like dark stones under ink black lashes, Asher watched him fascinated as his desire grew in his hand. The slight changes on his features, the difference in the sounds he made. Louder, more breathless and violent.

Asher gave a ragged moan and realized that not only was it wonderful to give his own body what it craved for, but he loved fucking Tamlin, every aspect of it. Every motion was pleasurable and added spice to the action. He gripped the hip in his hand harder and held on to it as the pace grew faster with the size of the cock in his hand. Tamlin's eyelids fell half shut and he steadied himself with his hands on Asher's chest wile he with back thrown head rode him passionately. Thrusting his cock into Asher's palm as he went.

Asher sighed and watched him through his own half-closed eyes. The swirl of blue and pale, pale skin that moved on top of him and made it feel so unbelievably good...The passion, the tightness, the fire of the desire that burned and ached and urged him on. It was heaven, it was bliss and suddenly he snapped. Not completely aware what he was doing he finally let go of his last traces of control. His hand went up to Tamlin's shoulders and held him roughly as he flipped them over; himself landing between Tamlin's thighs. Tamlin was on his back again, Asher gave him no time to reflect upon it but continued to pound into the pale body on his own accord. He lifted the long legs and draped them over his shoulders; kissed and licked at a pale lower thigh as he mercilessly thrust into him. He hardly registered how Tamlin had taken his own cock in his hand, fondling it passionately with his gaze locked on Asher's features, he only saw what he felt; his own hardness slipping in and out of the entrance between the creamy buttocks before him. He held them now, parted the half-globes further and kept him steady while pounding inside...The heat of it so good...the body so delicious.

It had nothing to do with Tamlin's want now...not anymore. It was Asher and his desire, all that counted. The only thing that meant something, his own building pleasure. The orgasm he fought to catch. Almost there but slipping from his grasp, he chased it further through the slick, tight ring of muscle, the velvet heat inside of it. Hunted it until Tamlin cried out and his body contracted, sending Asher out in mind shattering pleasure. His fingernails cut through the skin of Tamlin's buttocks and he squeezed the flesh in his hands while pumping him full with semen, gaining a hot spray of pearly liquid himself as Tamlin's cock slipped from the his slippery grasp and twitchingly continued to spit out small beads of sticky white on Asher's thighs and stomach.

Asher stared up at the ceiling; then down at the blue below while the fire roared and pulsed through him in hot, dark and master flavored waves.

He had taken him. And it had felt good.

"Asher..." A faint breath of air and Tamlin's legs slipped down to his waist. Coiled around him and kept him there. His lean arms reached for him and pulled him down to the pale chest. They rested there for a long time before any of them spoke and when they did it was nonsense.

"We should have had oil or something..."

"Spit worked just fine..."

"It dries so quickly, I get sore..."

"You're a vampire, you'll heal in no time."

"That's true..."

"It was just because of the peacock feathers..."

"Of course, why else would I bring them on stage but to seduce you...?"

"Do I look like a hen?"

"No you don't...you look like a golden beast of sorts...or a dragon, with sapphire eyes."

"I breath fire?"

"You do...You taste like it. Golden honey and cinnamon...blood."

"Fire?"

"You taste like fire."

"And you...taste like sex."

"Dragon fodder?"

"Yes, indeed....But you're a dragon yourself; silver dipped kind."

"The scourge of the Magyar,"

"Is that what you are?"

"Right now? Just this..."

"It tickles..."

"It'll pass..."

"Again?"

"And again..."

"Until dawn."

They shared a glass of wine and he fucked him once more: Up against the wall with his back turned to Asher, leaning in on his forearms; presenting his smooth curves and open, slick rear to the older master. The perfection of his buttocks was marred by tiny, red crescent moons from Asher's fingernails. It made him smile, that he had marked him. When they were done, the semen covering his lower regions, front and back, made him smile so too. As if the semen trickling out of him was his scent mark upon the younger's body. The fine sheen of it covering his front was evidence of his still existent power.

When they were done, the feeling of dawn approaching was undeniable and they retreated to the bed, curled up there together under layers of cool satin, deep under the circus where no light could find them they died in each other's arms.

*

Asher came to life first. His eyes slowly opened and was met with the sight of the blue painted ceiling, the golden. tiny stars set within. The he felt the weight of the other. His lover, from last night, upon his body.

At first it made him smile and he stroke the long hair that lay across his chest and stomach, the pale face, still in death. His finger trailed the sharp angled cheekbone. He had fallen into death with his head on Asher's chest. The scarred side. Now it struck him what an oddity it was, the smooth paleness against the marred, melted surface.

It could not be!

Suddenly the dark blue hair reminded him of Jean-Claude. Jean-Claude and losing Jean-Claude. How it felt to have his heart ripped out and spit on. How it felt to be betrayed, being the one who lost...

Granted she had fooled him, Belle Morte...But still, his heartache had been real enough. And he had lived without this kind of love so long...

And if it was only mockery after all? Did the vampire on his chest even crave for more after this night or had his curiosity in the cripple been satisfied? Because...the more he looked at the odd picture, he realized it could not be so...

He was not going to keep this one, he would leave...Sooner or later some smooth skinned beauty would find him and catch him and take him away from him...Even if he didn't leave before, on his own accord.

He had forgotten to guard his heart...Had fallen for the twinkle in his gaze as much as the sway of his hips. Asher was in love and he could clearly see...that it could not be. Tamlin was just leant to him by destiny.

Even if there was no plan, which he was still willing to believe that it was, there was no way he'd be able to keep him. Not a beauty like this...It simply couldn't happen to him...Asher...the Scarred.

It made his throat tighten and a sob to form and hell's rage to break loose in his chest all at once.

It had been lovely the night before. It had been wonderful...But that was all. Had to be all...because...If he gave himself he would lose him, and he could not face another heartbreak. Another black love to be shattered.

He pushed the lean body from his chest and rose to his knees in the bed. Quickly and with his lips pressed tightly together he stepped out of the bed and grabbed a blue silk robe from a hanger by the door.

With a last lingering look at the long blue hair on his pillows he walked away. He'd send someone in to feed him, he thought. Feed him and give him a message: Please, leave now.

It was best so he told himself with sorrow almost choking him. Best to end it this way, before it went too far...


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