Part of this chapter was written by Alice Montrose ^.^

Progeny
By: Delilah deSora

Chapter 8

Cayle backed up a few steps, eyeing his target from across the room. The moment his father turned he took a flying leap at him, only to have his descent upon the startled man stopped when an arm snatched him out of the air and left him dangling a few feet off of the ground. He twisted and squirmed but only received a quick shake for his efforts and a disapproving glare from his sire.

“Gently.” Cain growled, setting his son upon the floor.

Cayle had the decency to look slightly abashed and climbed up onto the couch and into the ring of his father’s arms. Shido smiled sleepily and stroked his son’s hair, watching the play of light through the golden strands. He pressed a kiss to his son’s forehead, laughing as the corners of green eyes, his eyes, crinkled and his son grinned. He struggled to push himself up on the pile of pillows, pulling Cayle to his chest above the heavy swell of his stomach. As he shifted he felt the child within him move, tickling him deep within.

A hand touched his shoulder and he pulled away slightly, a frustrated sigh breathed over the crown of his head as his mate let him go. Cain retreated to a seat near the corner where he peered over the edge. He watched his younger brother working alone in the corner on a puzzle made of carefully carved stone. He studied the boy, golden eyes taking in the serious façade. Aside from the shapes of their faces there was precious few features they shared.

Alexandru stood and approached his youngest son, who shied away from him. A look of frustration crossed the older velassi’s face but he relented, stepping back away from the dark haired child who pretended not to be aware of him. With a sigh he turned. “I will go fetch us food.” He murmured, ignoring his mate’s outstretched hand as he stalked away.

Adrian sighed and shook his head, glancing none too happily at his son, who kept his head bowed over the puzzle. “I will go with him.” He stated, gathering his hair back as he followed his larger mate out.

Cain watched as Dorian’s head lowered slightly, his expression turning shamed, though his dark hair hide much of his face from the rest of the room. Movement caught his eye and he glanced up, scowling as Cayle climbed up onto the back of the couch and proceeded to slide back down onto his father. He made to rise but Este beat him to it, catching the giggling child as he made to do it again and holding the shrieking boy upside down as he caught Dorian about the waist and held him on his hip.

“Come on, let’s go burn off some of that energy outside, shall we?” He asked, laughing as Cayle clung to his leg.

Cayle perked. “I wanna hit Renzo with a snow ball!” He chirped, earning a laugh from Este.

“When he gets back from his meeting. Then we’ll see.” Este replied, dragging the young velassi out with them.

The room fell silent and Cain sat for long while, lost in his own thoughts. When soft sounds disturbed is mate’s quiet sleep he rose, reaching down to brush his knuckles over a pale cheek as violet lashes fluttered restlessly. Shido’s lips rose in a silent snarl as his body tensed.

Deciding the nightmare has gone on long enough Cain knelt at his mate’s side and brushed a kiss over his mate’s forehead.

“Wake now.” He whispered, chasing away the memories of his mate’s past.

He leaned against the door he had just closed, breathing a sigh of relief as the worries of the world were shut away for yet another night. Alone in his rooms at last, he could forget the pressure he felt from the others every night, a pressure which seemed to increase with every passing night. But the welfare of the velassi was his duty, and they had been for the past century and a half; a duty he could not give up, would not give up. Not even when it was this very position that had taken his mate from him, and had alienated him from his children. But he had sworn to his dying mate that he would not abandon his people; he would not break his final promise to the sire merely because the pressure was getting to him.

He sighed again; having him abandon his position would be exactly what the head elder wanted. And that was a satisfaction he would deny Mardus. Over the centuries, the sire had become almost paranoid about his duty, and lately… lately there had been far too many slips of the man’s control, which had made the silver-haired father even more suspicious towards the head elder than he had already been.

He massaged his temples, trying to chase away these grim thoughts. He was safely away from the council hall now, and alone…

A subtle scent caught his attention, and he immediately straightened and looked around him. Normally, nobody had access to his rooms, but now that he was concentrating he could sense something, something that made his living space feel different from what it had felt when he had left it.

The velassi pushed away from the door, hands hooked into claws as he studied the small hallway with glowing eyes but found nothing out of place. He flexed his fingers and moved towards the entrance of the first room, his careful steps muffled by the thick rug that covered the floor.

He stopped in the threshold, eyes narrowing as he caught sight of a person sitting in one of the large armchairs he kept in front of the fireplace. There were always candles burning in this room, but unfortunately the seat was half-turned so the father wasn’t able to make out his features; still, he could only think of one person in the city who was old and strong enough to get into these rooms undetected and be able to conceal his presence so well.

He stepped forward, a frown marring his beautiful features as he spoke. “I thought I was pretty clear when I told you I have no intention of accepting your proposal. Coming into my rooms uninvited will not make me change my mind, so I suggest you leave.”

His uninvited guest’s chuckle made the father scowl harder, for it was clearly not the head elder’s voice; and then the other stood and turned towards him, and he couldn’t do anything but stare at someone he had not seen in a very long time.

“Mmm… I was not aware that I had made you an unacceptable proposal, my lovely silver fox,” the sire purred, smiling at the other’s startlement. “But if you say I did, then it must have been something horrible for you to refuse so vehemently.”

The words cut though his startlement and he fought the urge hit the sire upside the head with something of considerable weight. What he did was freely return the smile and hold out a slightly shaking hand. “I… I dared not hope to see you here again,” he whispered, his gaze softening as golden eyes returned to their regular pale blue color.

The sire shook his head and took the proffered hand in both of his, placing a kiss on the pale knuckles. “I heard rumors that you were looking for me, Takhi. I thought I might come see if they were true.”

Takhi nodded. “I know that, but… you promised not to come to the city again unless it was a truly serious matter. Things have happened, but nothing the council couldn’t handle on its own… and I did not wish to be a bother.”

One hand reached out to touch the father’s cheek. “You, my dear, would never be a bother. Besides, I live much closer to the city now than I did in the past.”

“To tell you the truth, Greyan, everyone said you were dead,” Takhi said frankly, looking into the sire’s silver eyes. “There was no news from you, so they assumed you were dead.”

The sire snorted. “And likely thought it a good riddance, too. Did you believe them?”

He shook his head. “A part of me did not want to, but… there was this voice inside me which said that the loneliness might have gotten too much even for you.”

He suddenly found himself in Greyan’s arms, his cheek pressed against the softest dark suede. Lips kissed his temple, and a hand ran through his hair as the other pressed him closer against that middle-sized yet unyielding body. The father’s arms circled a trim waist and he allowed himself the luxury to be held like that for a while. Greyan’s embrace was safe: freely given, and nothing was expected of him in return. They had known each other for almost two millennia, and had remained friends even after the tragic explosion that had taken both their mates from them. Edran, Takhi’s mate, had died in his arms from the wounds he had received; Deikan, who had been Greyan’s mate and Takhi’s younger brother, had never been found.
Takhi squeezed his eyes tight and tried his best not to think about that right now. Every time he broke down in tears in front of Greyan, strange things happened. Better not to think about it, to close the memories away and carry on like it had never happened.

But he could not do that; he couldn’t forget his mate’s face, the pale mane of hair he’d so loved to play with and those compassionate eyes that had drawn him to the sire in the first place. Nor could he forget his brother’s smile and his obstinacy to obey rules he thought without meaning, his insatiable desire for knowledge that had led him to meet Greyan in the first place.

The father felt himself shiver, but couldn’t help asking, “Do you remember him?”

Greyan sighed. “I remember him. With every breath and heartbeat. I keep wondering what he would have made of this and that thing, or if he would have liked to live in the places I have been visiting. I even find myself talking to him, sometime, and then I turn around and realize he is not there.”
Takhi’s sad smile was hid against the sire’s shoulder. It all sounded very familiar. “When the council gathers, I keep asking myself if Edran would have approved of a decision, or would have said something to influence the outcome of things. Sometimes I imagine I am only holding his place until he returns from a journey, or that he is waiting for me when I get back home. Mardus probably thinks I am half-mad by now.”

He didn’t resist when Greyan pulled him towards the armchair he had occupied earlier and made him sit, looking down at him with a worried expression on his face. “You thought I was Mardus earlier, didn’t you? What did he ask you to do, Takhi?”

“He asked me to become his mate,” the father said bitterly, placing a hand on the older velassi’s arm when he noticed the sudden feral glint in the rapidly-darkening silver eyes. “I refused, of course, but that is not to say he will not try again.” Not with All Souls Night rapidly approaching. “But that is my problem, and not the reason I wanted to see you.”

“Can that other reason wait? I’d rather deal with this now.”

There was an eerie quality to Greyan’s voice as he said that, and Takhi could nearly feel the pull of the other’s emotions. To say that the older sire was displeased was an utter and complete understatement; and given the history between Mardus and him, all that Takhi could do was hope they would not run into each other any time soon.

“There is no need to –” he started saying, but the sire shushed him.

“I will move back into the city,” Greyan declared, “so if he tries anything, I can…”

Takhi glared up at him. “I can take care of myself, you know. I do not need you to breathe down my neck until our most esteemed head elder decides to look somewhere else for his new mate.”

The white-haired velassi let out an almost exasperated breath “I know that, Takhi. Know it, do not like it, but respect your decision. Still, I don’t think it would do any harm to have me within reach… just in case.”

The father smiled, his gaze softening. Perhaps Greyan had missed the city and his people more than he was willing to admit. “All right, then. Just make sure you stay out of sight. This other matter, it is a bit of a sensitive topic right now, and I do not want anyone to know you are here just yet.”

Greyan’s sly smile was enough to let him know he had not been fooled by the other’s casual tone. “You have something planned and I am your trump card.” He bent down so their faces nearly touched, and his smile widened. “Very well, then. But I would very much like to know what I am getting myself into.”

They were close, the father realized. That, and the feeling of safety he always had around this particular sire, were usually enough to get him to relax and let his guard down, and having his body betray him was a mere step away.

They hadn’t felt this way when both their mates had been alive; it was only after their deaths that the bond between him and the mate of his dead brother had become something more than friendship. Greyan wasn’t his lover, not in the sense that humans gave to that word anyway, and neither of them would have considered what they had a bond. Still, on the three or four occasions they had met afterwards, they had been intimate. It was strange, but sometimes the body’s need was simply too great. Takhi had had a few encounters with other sires, but he thought that they would take it as a personal offence for him to call another’s name during lovemaking, even if it was the name of a dead person, so he had always controlled himself on those occasions. But with Greyan, it was a different story; not only did the older sire not mind at all, but could easily be accused of doing the same.

Hmm… maybe this time he should ask Greyan to mark him. That would certainly help keep Mardus at a distance…

Takhi’s eyes flashed, and he smirked. “I will tell you all you need to know… later. Or you can try and make me.”

Fingers forced his chin up and for a moment the father was not certain what to make of the look in those silver eyes. Then Greyan returned his grin, bent down and pressed their mouths together none too gently. Takhi growled low as he allowed this, his hands hooking into the suede jacket and pushing it off the others’ shoulders and out of the way. He closed his eyes as he felt his own clothing loosened, the sash around his waist undone and removed so that the layered robes fell open and the sire could bury his face into Takhi’s neck, kissing and sucking but not quite breaking the tender skin.

The father trembled, his heartbeats quickening as he was pressed deeper into the rounded contours of the armchair, long fingers trailing over his chest and then lower, coaxing pale thighs to part with a tenderness that belied what lay buried deep into crimson orbs. He closed his eyes and relaxed, knowing no harm would come from this, that if he so wished he could stop what was about to happen with a simple whispered word.
He did not do it; instead, he allowed himself to be lost in the other’s touch, soft moans escaping his lips as his body was explored, opened, taken…

One loud growl broke the silence as he bit into the flesh he was pressed against, a quick glance revealing it to be one marble-white shoulder. The blood tasted differently than what he remembered, not that of his mate but it was still warm and alive, and he let the flow lull him into his release, the other not far behind.

The powerful hands were now holding him, maneuvering him so that he was on his side, his robes wrapped about his body once more as he sank against the other, a content smile on his lips.

For a while, only their breaths dared break the silence. Sated and a little tired, he rubbed his cheek against soft cashmere, noting with amusement that someone hadn’t even bothered to remove his clothing, and began weaving his tale.

When he was done, he could feel the tenseness in the sire’s body. Having a very good idea how Greyan felt about these issues, Takhi was content that he had not barreled out of the rooms to hunt down Mardus and do something incredibly insane, like tearing the head elder into pieces the way he had done with the sire’s brother ages ago.

“Mardus is a fool,” the white-haired sire finally growled, “to have allowed this go as far as it has. And yet he wonders why the council has been losing its authority as if he has done nothing wrong, as if he is the very symbol of propriety.”

“What was done cannot be undone,” Takhi replied with a sigh. “But it can be corrected – no, it will be corrected. Not all of the council members agree with Mardus on this subject, and there are those of us who would not allow this menace to remain among us. I have a plan… but I will need your help in this matter, and I am not sure if it wouldn’t be asking too much.”

“Tell me,” the Executioner demanded.

So Takhi did.

Miron sat back, watching the tangled mass of velassi before him. He could smell the distress as the young fathers struggled futility against the sires that moved against them, subtly avoiding their hands and finding openings in their clothes. Eyes were wide as they tried to save some sense of propriety yet failed miserably as the sensations got the better of them. They did not know about the drugs that even now coursed through their systems, heightening their desires and muddling their minds.

To their credit the young sires didn’t know about them either. They rode high on the fasle knowledge that their touches inflamed the previously unflammable fathers who refused mates and thought themselves the equal of any sire. It gave them a sense of power and made it all the easier for them to ignore the panicked looks and hesitant demands of release.

He sat back, crossing his legs as he glanced towards the carefully guarded door. The sire there glanced at him, nodding slightly at his sharp motion and slipping into the room to check on its occupant. Somewhere beyond Jorian was doing whatever it was he did to amuse himself. Miron did not care. He would have liked to have the young father a part of this “experiment” but it would not due to have the child running off to tattle to his sire of the frightened fathers and ignored protests.

He sank back into the plush chair, soaking in the power as he watched his experiment strengthen his claims. As a sire he knew how they thought. After lying with a father they would not easily release their partner. A father may bond with his heart but sires bonded through more physical means. Once their bodies found pleasure in another they were unlikely to release the one that gave them that taste of paradise.

Especially not these young sires who were eager to find mates with which to help him rebuild their race’s politics and bring back the old ways.

Two doors opened at nearly the same time. The moment Basyn stepped out of Jorian’s rooms the front door opened and another sire slipped in. Miron frowned, watching as the other came towards him. The sire knelt at his side and he leaned towards him, listening to his words. He considered for a long moment, no longer truly seeing those before him. Finally he stood and strode out, ignored by those on the couches, so intent were they upon satisfying their desires.

At the door Basyn frowned, watching the pale haired velassi leave. He waited a moment but when Miron did not return he turned and slipped back into the private rooms.
 

Shido opened his eyes, enjoying the feel of fingers playing with his hair. Cain smoothed the hair at his temple back and he shivered. His mate smiled and nudged him to the side so that he could slide in behind him. Shido frowned as the body situated itself behind him but could not deny that he enjoyed the feeling of arms about him, crossing low beneath his stomach.

He shifted slightly but the arms tightened about him, trapping him.

“Stop fighting me.” Cain growled and, though his touch was gentle, Shido could feel his muscles trembling in rage.

Shido felt his own anger boil and he scowled at the wall. “It was you who turned from me first.” He snarled.

He felt the hesitation in his mate’s touch and took the moment to try to slip away but Cain was faster and he snorted in annoyance as he was pulled back against his mate’s chest.

“I have never turned from you.”

Shido rolled onto his back to glare up at the golden haired velassi.

Cain frowned, struggling back through months of sleeping in the outside room on the couch to figure out what his mate was talking about. He could not think of it, though and growled in frustration.

So he did what always worked in the past.

Shido shrank back, baring white fangs as his mate descended upon him but even the threat of a bite did not deter Cain’s kiss and he pushed futilely at his mate’s chest as lips teased his. A tongue played over his fangs and he couldn’t stop the moan as the sensitive teeth were teased, shooting little sparks of pleasure down his spine.

He opened his mouth, gasping, and his mate took the advantage, sinking more fully into the kiss. Claws caught in his hair and Cain smiled into the kiss, his own nails stroking lightly over the violet haired velassi’s bare arms.

With a moan Shido wrenched his face to the side, clenching his eyes closed as he struggled to regain control of himself.

Smirking Cain licked his ear, enjoying the shuddering trembles it produced. “Let me back into our bed.” He whispered, moving slowly against his mate’s side.

“Never!” Shido hissed.

“Never can be a very . . . very long time.” Cain reminded, pressing his hardness against his mate’s firm thigh to punctuate his words.

Shido growled but it came out more as a moan then anything threatening, pushing at the hands that stroked his body.

Cain dove down but movement caught his attention and he pushed himself up, staring at the sire that suddenly paused in the doorway, surprise registering on the normally stoic face.

“Outside.” He said, repressing a laugh as Renzo blinked at him for a moment before shaking himself slightly and nodding. He disappeared and Cain peered down at his scarlet faced mate.

“Where were we?” He cooed, laughing as his mate tensed for his second attack.

Este laughed as the two young boys dragged him to the ground and threw snow in his hair. Dorian laughed and pranced away, making faces at his nephew who growled and chased after him. Forgotten for the moment Este pushed himself up onto his knees, smiling to hear the dark haired child’s laughter.

It had been months since he’d laughed and, for a moment, Este wished his parents were with them so they could see their child happy again.

The children turned on him again and he let them win, tiny fangs burying into his bare arms. He allowed it, knowing they were learning to bite. Finally he dragged them down under him, meeting their growls with one of his own as they squirmed beneath him.

The crunch of snow caught his attention he sat back, a warning growl ready on his throat as he peered through the dark to the figures that approached.