Chapter 40 A Guest
Dorian wondered how he had in any world mistaken Lucius for Julian, even if he was drunk. Perhaps after all the failed attempts of the assassins, the war, humans and his father, Lucius would finally succeed at killing him.
Lucius straddled the vampire, rising up and down with such speed and force, fucking himself against Dorian’s enormous cock. His seemingly thin waist was flexible and indefatigable, and his full-hard cock danced up and down with his movements. A thin layer of sweat glittered on his smooth and speckless chest, and his reddish-golden hair stuck on his blushing cheeks. He was so fierce and beautiful that Dorian couldn’t stop staring at him, and the feeling of losing control and being taken over by sensations was driving Dorian mad.
The overwhelming, breathtaking pleasure built up inside the vampire, higher and higher like a raging tide behind a dam about to collapse.
“I can’t hold back much longer!” Dorian growled and moved his hands to Lucius’s waist, but the insisting consort pressed his hands back to the bed.
“Not yet!“Lucius commanded between his erratic movements, “wait for me!”
“I’ve waited long enough!”
Lucius suddenly sat down exceptionally hard, making Dorian’s dick thrust into the deepest part of his body, and he paused. The interruption almost sent Dorian to the afterlife, and the vampire prince almost wanted to beg, “what are you doing!”
“I said patience!” Lucius brushed his wet hair away from his face, and he lowered down to kiss Dorian on his lips, and the kiss scattered down to his neck and chest. Dorian felt the narrow, soft and wet tunnel suddenly squeeze his already fully charged penis playfully, sending a shock wave through his scorching body and making him moan loudly, and his eyes rolled to the back of his head.
“Elders! You are killing me!”
And Lucius started his dancing again, and as the pleasure once again built to another level, the incubus-like consort finally whispered into his ear, “now you can have it.”
Dorian growled like a beast and scooped Lucius up with his strong arms and flipped their positions with one smooth and fast movement. Lucius swore that for a brief moment, Dorian’s face changed into his devilish beast form, his teeth grew longer, and his irises flashed crimson. He bit down on Lucius’s neck while driving HARD into the slimmer body beneath him, making his consort write and cry in overwhelming ecstasy, and Lucius shot his load first. Dorian came not long after as he sucked ravenously at Lucius’s blood.
Afterward, they snuggled together in the messy bed. Lucius ran his finger across Dorian’s hairless chest, addicted to the silky tactile sensation and the vibrating warmth. Dorian grabbed his playful hand and kissed his fingers, one at a time, and the intimacy made Lucius’s soft penis twitch again.
“You would have made a great musician.” Lucius rested his head on Dorian’s chest and laughed, “or perhaps a band member. People would have worshiped you like a god.”
“But then I wouldn’t have married you.“Dorian combed his fingers through Lucius’s wavy locks.
“Have you ever regretted disobeying your father because of me?” Lucius asked quietly, “am I worth all these troubles?”
Dorian’s hand paused for a second, then sat up a little and tilted Lucius’s face up, so the latter could see his eyes.
“You may not believe it, but I care for you, Lucius.” Dorian said somberly, “I wouldn’t have had it another way.”
All sorts of emotions mingled in Lucius’s heart, and he felt a lump in his throat. He had always doubted if he was worthy of anything, too scared to believe that anyone would love him. Yet he had been yearning for it nonetheless.
Would he dare to believe that maybe, just maybe, he had some space in Dorian’s heart? And did he deserve it when he was a liar and a traitor?
South of Esmore was a vast desert stretching for a hundred miles, namely Faramos, the forgotten land. Aelisians believed that there used to be an exceptionally advanced and prosperous ancient civilization that existed on this barren land, but one day they disappeared for mysterious reasons. Their grandeur temples, lavish palaces and beautiful gardens were erased and engulfed by wind and sand, and their glory, name, and history had passed into oblivion.
All three of Dorian’s bodyguards were neophytes who might suffer heat stroke and even burn under the vicious desert sun. For this reason, they avoided the ferocious sunlight during the day and only traveled in the roseate gloaming.
Lucius sat at the back of the car, watching the sun sink under the horizon, and the stars and the moon took off their vile, showering a soundless rain of silver over the sea and mountains of sand. The night of the desert was so still that even time stretched longer. They drove for more than eight hours, and before sunrise, they arrived at a small town.
Their journey was kept confidential so no media chased them to the remote town, and Dorian kept a dissociative illusion around Lucius and himself to avoid anyone recognizing them.
They stayed the night in a crude little inn and had breakfast in a local diner. Florian, as the only human in the group other than Lucius, quickly mingled with several local guys sitting at the bar table. Fifteen minutes later, he returned and sat next to Lucius, pushing a tissue with a crudely drawn map on it to Dorian.
“They never heard of anything about a sanctuary. But the man with the beard there said some rich people, possibly vampires, visited this town every three years, but he hadn’t seen them returning for at least six years. The man’s father used to guide them to a place called “the Labyrinth of Mahoraga.” It’s an ancient ruin that sometimes appears in the desert like a mirage, and very few people can find it, even with maps and coordinates. And some people found it, but they disappeared from it and never emerged again. The locals try to stay away from it unless they are really desperate. They believe it is an evil place.”
Dorian looked at the map on the tissue and asked, “and this is the way to the labyrinth?”
“Yes.”
Dorian frowned, “can the man be our guide? We may get lost without a local.”
“I asked. He wouldn’t do it. He said his father disappeared in it.”
Dorian glanced over to the group of men at the bar, “everyone has a price.” He stood up and strutted toward the group of men. The people noticed his fine cloth and unusual deportment, and one of them, being a neophyte himself, recognized that Dorian was an apostle vampire, and bowed his head reverently. Dorian conversed with the man for a few moments and passed a thick stack of cash to him, and the man reluctantly nodded.
“We are leaving tomorrow at 5 pm,” Dorian said once he returned. He sat next to Lucius and said, “I need to see some people and do some shopping for the trip. You can walk around the town if you want. My spell will last another three hours. Make sure you return to our room before that.”
Lucius was still enjoying his omelet and replied with a mouthful, “alright. You go do your thing.”
Dorian smiled and kissed his cheek before turning to Florian, handing him a small package, “you take care of him, don’t let him get in trouble.”
“Hey! I’m not a child!” Lucius protested.
Florian took the package and looked inside, and his brows rose in surprise. Inside was a gun, two fully loaded magazines and a dagger.
Dorian gave him a warning look, as if saying, “don’t let me regret my decision”, and took off with his three bodyguards.
Lucius finished his meal and asked for a refill of the black tea. He seeped at it silently and suddenly said, “you can leave, you know.”
Florian regarded him quizzically.
“We are not in Eternia anymore. You are not a slave here. You can just leave.” Lucius said casually as he squinted, watching a group of tourists passing by the dinner on camelback, chatting excitedly, “I will tell Dorian I released you. He won’t let anyone come after you. You can be free.”
“And you?” Florian asked.
“I still have a job to do.”
Florian contemplated the offer for a very brief second and said, “then I will stay with you.”
Lucius gawked at him, “why? You can be FREE! You can go anywhere you want, do anything you want, and be anyone you want. You can even go back to being a hunter.”
“I know.“Florian sat on the other side of the table and said, “but I also have a job to do.”
“What job?”
“I promised to protect you when you freed me.” The hunter fixed his deep, dark brown eyes at Lucius, and his tone was even but resolute, “and that’s what I want to do now. I agreed to be your servant, which is who I want to be now.”
The hunter’s answer struck Lucius. He couldn’t understand Florian even after so many months. Why would anyone give up the precious opportunity to be free?! Nevertheless, the answer injected a balmy steadiness into his turmoiled heart, like a safety rope in the perilous darkness. He flashed a quick, grateful smile to Florian, but before he could say anything, the waitress came to collect the empty plates from their table, and as she left the bill, Lucius noticed a line of words written at the bottom of the bill.
It was a message. An instruction.
Lucius knew it would find him sometime in those few days, but seeing it still expelled all the enjoyment and overcast a hoary, damp mist over his mood.
“Is it him?” Florian asked.
Lucius nodded and said warily, “I have to go alone.”
“I will stay somewhere close. Just in case he dares to try anything.” A slice of stinging coldness flashed across Florian’s face, “it’s not the first time I’ve hunted an apostle anyway.”
Half an hour later, Lucius stood outside the abandoned factory. The dilapidated building was like an animal carcass, quietly rotten in the barren sun and harsh wind. The dozens of broken windows were bullet holes, and the bare pipes and structures were organs and bones.
Lucius looked around, making sure no one was in sight, then he pulled the rusty door open. The expansive space was mostly empty except for some undistinguishable mechanical parts strewing around.
Lucius flinched as a hand was planted on his shoulder.
“I haven’t heard my brother playing cello for six years. You certainly are...unusually talented in the art of bewitching men, especially considering your past occupation.”
Silvan stood in the gloaming light, elegant and dazzling as usual, and his smile disarmingly charming. But Lucius was alarmed by his “compliment.”
Was he implying something? Did he find out about Lucius’s identity?
Lucius decided to change the topic, “why do you have to come out of nowhere like that? You could have just waited in plain sight!”
“What’s the fun in that? Your blood smells even better when you are startled. ”
Lucius didn’t want to tarry for long. He took out the napkin with the map and gave it to Silvan, “we are going to the Labyrinth of Mahoraga tomorrow.”
“And the scroll?”
“I finally got a chance to take a photo of it after he fell asleep last night, but I couldn’t send it to you for some reason. It always says sending failed.” Lucius took out his phone to show Silvan the photo.
Lucius couldn’t understand the language on that scroll, not to mention those cryptic circles and runes. He thought Silvan probably could read it. But the vampire only frowned, “it’s gibberish.”
“But that’s the scroll he took from the chapel. His mother left it to him, telling him to use it if he is in a precarious situation.”
“Are you fucking with me, Julian?“Silvan squinted his eyes menacingly, “this is not any language.”
“I am not! It is the key to the sanctuary, he told me!“Lucius scoffed, “perhaps you just can’t read the language?”
“Maybe it is some sort of protection magic or code. You said you couldn’t send these photos?“Silvan slid Lucius’s phone into his pocket.
“Hey! That’s my phone!”
“Tell my brother you lost it.”
“You asshole!“Lucius tried to snatch his phone back, but Silvan caught his wrist like an iron vise. Silvan pulled Lucius toward him, “why are you always so hostile to me?” Silvan breathed into the smaller man’s ear, “I have been nice to you since day one, haven’t I?”
“Except the day you bit me?”
“Well, that was just a little deposit. I’m also taking a big risk by not telling anyone about your little secret mission.“Silvan sniffed his neck hungrily, “you took that photo after my brother fucked you and drank you all night and fell asleep in satiation, didn’t you? I can smell his venom on you.”
“Why are you so obsessed with what your brother has?!“Lucius pushed him away, getting worked up, “You want his position, his crown, and now his consort?!
You won’t even spare me a second look if I’m not your brother’s spouse.”
“Perhaps. But you should know that answer because I heard you also have a brother.” Silvan curled up his lips, smiling alluringly.
A boding feeling sank into Lucius’s stomach, “don’t compare me to you. I would never wish my brother ill.”
The vampire took a few steps back with an mysterious grin, leaving the route for Lucius to exit, “you should go back now.”
Lucius didn’t want to spend another minute with him, but just as he scurried toward the exit, Silvan’s voice caught his ear, “Oh, by the way. I got you a little gift in your room. You are welcome.”
Lucius and Florian rushed back to the inn right when the illusory spell on him was about to expire. But as he stood before the door to his and Dorian’s room, he heard voices coming from inside and saw the light seeping out of the bottom.
Was Dorian already back? Was there someone inside with him?
Lucius turned the door knob. It was locked.
Strange...
Lucius knocked at the door, feeling unnerved and anxious. Silvan said something about a gift in his room. What could it be?
The door was opened, and Dorian stood in front of him. Lucius beamed at his husband but soon noticed something was not right. Dorian was not smiling back, and the way he looked at him was...complicated, bordering guilty.
“What’s the matter?” Lucius asked as a chill crept up his spine.
“Lu.”
A voice called that familiar nickname, but it was not Dorian’s voice.
The voice came from someone in the room. Someone who sounded almost identical to Lucius’s own voice.
Dorian quietly stood aside, but before he did so, Lucius already knew who the other person in the room was.
But how was it possible?
This couldn’t be happening!
Lucius stood in the shadow of the hallway, eyes wide open, face pale like a ghost, gaping at the person standing before him.
“Julian.”