lordsofgondor.com

Title: The Hunter’s Moon 5/9
Authors: sairalinde & anorienbean
Characters: Craig/David
Category: RPS AU
Rating: NC-17
Beta: Us.
Feedback: Yes, please to sairalinde@hornofgondor.com or Anorien.bean@gmail.com.
Warnings: Vampirism.
Disclaimer: This did not happen, no money was made from this story, and we are not in any way implying anything about the characters mentioned within.
Summary: A man in need of a miracle meets the most unlikely of saviors.

Chapters: 1-2 | 3-4 | 4-5 | 6-7 | 8-9

For a few weeks David had felt like a new man, even Sean had been shocked, pleased but shocked. David just shrugged it off, saying that maybe the medicine he was taking was helping but in truth he was just as baffled as Sean was.But in that time, he’d moved into Craig’s chambers, and though they used separate rooms to work in, Craig in his office, David in another that he’d had set up in the large basement they still spent a lot of time together. The servants seemed…a bit shocked too but they never said anything. David figured it was their job not to question their boss though but he could tell they watched him curiously sometimes.

As time went on, the energy he had after that night seemed to fade. Only a little at first, he would start to tire more quickly, but in the last week it had grown much worse. Almost as bad as it had been when he first came to the castle. He could barely walk upstairs from the basement to the kitchen without having to stop to rest at least twice. To have touched on normalcy for such a short time had been wonderful, but he’d known it wouldn’t last. Whatever miracle had occurred for him to have the time he’d had with Craig was quickly fading…just as he was.

This day he’d decided to work on the plans for one of the towers, Craig had asked for a renovation there too, and he also worked on another set of plans he hadn’t shown to Craig. The castle would remain looking the same from the outside, but from the inside no hint of sunlight would come in through windows ever again, yet Craig would get a view of the outdoors that he never got. Basically it would cost a fortune and Craig may not want to do it, but the windows would be retrofitted with the same type of glass used in industrial steel mills, basically large sheets of welder’s glass.

He was so tired though. Just getting out of bed had been an effort and in the last week or so he and Craig hadn’t made love as they had before. He’d simply been too weak and tired to even attempt it. That frustrated him and he wondered if Craig regretted inviting him to live downstairs with him now that they couldn’t make love.

Sighing heavily he leaned against his hand and fought against the listlessness he felt. “Just a few more days…please? Please just a few more days with him,” he whispered not even sure it was a prayer. Before he knew it though he’d dozed off.

As Craig watched his lover resting against the desk, he felt tears gather in his eyes. He was able to hold them back until he heard the words whispered so softly that he wondered if he’d truly heard them or not at all. He hated watching David growing weak again, but knew that each time he *healed* him the effects would last for a shorter period of time until they finally had no effect at all. At one point in his long life, watching a human die wouldn’t have affected him as much. They’d tried to destroy him, so why should he lift one finger to help them? But this…this was David, and though Craig never let himself stop and analyze what was happening to them, he wasn’t ready to let his lover go quietly into the night. He moved closer, wiping away his tears, and let his hands move up and down David’s arms. Leaning forward, he placed a kiss to the back the neck he’d kissed and licked and tickled but had never even thought of sinking his fangs into. It was time. Time for David to know the truth, to actually see and hear and acknowledge what Craig was, and to agree, somehow, to let Craig help him. “Hey baby…” His voice was warm against David’s ear as he pressed another kiss to his lover’s temple. “I know you’re tired, but…we need to talk.”

David leaned into the touch as he fought against the fatigue he felt. “Mmmm, I am tired…but never too much for you,” he whispered having to practically bite his tongue from calling Craig ‘love’. He slowly sat back, barely able to hold his head up but forced himself to do so by sheer will alone. //Damn it, I’m not going to die yet. Not yet, I need more time…I need more time with Craig.// He blinked a few times as if trying to wake up but mostly to blink away the tears his thoughts had brought on. “You look serious…is…is something wrong?” He wondered if Craig were about to tell him that he’d changed his mind and wants him to move out after all. Maybe he just couldn’t handle sitting back and watching David die?

Moving around his lover, Craig could see the exhaustion written all over his face, more so than it had been only a few hours earlier. He leaned down and gently placed David’s arms around his neck. “You carried me to bed last time, so now it’s my turn.” He carefully lifted David from the office chair and stood; carrying him across the room to the bed they now shared every night, still talking as he moved. “And yes it’s very serious. I hope you’re up to this, but… but…I…no, *we* can’t put it off any longer.”

David wrapped his arms around Craig as he lifted him, knowing he hadn’t had the energy to get up himself but he stiffened in his lover’s arms when he continued to speak. //So it’s come to that…you don’t want to sit idly by and watch me die…I can’t say I blame you. At least for a short time I was able to have you, love.// When Craig laid him on the bed so gently, David moaned softly, his entire body ached so badly. “I…I know its difficult to see me like this…” his words trailed off as he watched Craig shake his head.

“Shhhh,” Craig silenced his lover with a kiss. “It’s not that…I mean, yes, I hate seeing you like this, but…” He sighed, carefully unbuttoned David’s shirt, and slid it down over his arms, then removed his own, always finding the contact of skin on skin comforting. Leaning against the headboard, he gently pulled David into his arms, letting him get comfortable before they continued, knowing there was little he could do to stop the pain until they’d both gotten settled. “Honey, that’s what we need to talk about. I…I can help you but…I’m not sure you’ll want me to when you find out how.”

David was so grateful when Craig kissed him, he wished he’d had the strength to pull him closer, but all he could do was wrap his fingers around Craig’s and squeeze them gently. Then when Craig unbuttoned his shirt and slid it off him, he stifled a groan of pain and then watched his lover take his own off and crawl into the bed next to him. Like Craig he’d always enjoyed just laying against him so he could feel his lover close, but lately he’d hurt so much and so often they hardly touched one another anymore. “What…what do you mean? I’m…not sure I’m following you,” he whispered, though a part of him reminded him of the night he almost drowned and how he’d awoken feeling so much better. Had Craig given him something then? If so it *had* worked at least for a little while…why on earth would Craig fear he wouldn’t want him after though?

Craig took a deep breath and closed his eyes. This was even harder than he thought it would be. “I know what’s wrong with you,” he said softly, not moving a muscle, afraid that to do so would hurt his lover even more. “The night you almost drowned, I…you *were* dead, you know that. You had stopped breathing, your heart had stopped. I brought you back, but…you were too weak to do much more than just breathe, and even that seemed too much for you.”

David sighed, he’d never really discussed what was wrong with him with Craig other than telling him it was a rare blood disorder so he was curious what he meant. Then when he continued he felt sadness grip him. He didn’t remember anything clearly of what happened but he didn’t doubt his lover’s words. “I know when I finally did wake up I felt better, but I don’t remember before that. I do remember being drained…feeling much like I feel now in fact,” he whispered sadly.

“I know. It all seemed to happen so fast, and…God, when I walked in and saw you,” Craig had to wipe at his eyes before he could continue, “I’ve never been so scared in my life and I barely knew you then. So I…I just…the only thing I could think of was saving you, and I did something…something you might not approve of, and I can only pray you don’t hate me for.” This wasn’t working, not at all, and Craig knew he wasn’t making sense. “David, do you believe in vampires? Immortals?”

David wished he weren’t so weak so he could wipe Craig’s tears away himself and he felt tears well in his own eyes. Of course he’d feel the same, but he was confused. Hate him? For helping him? Then the abrupt change in conversation made him blink in surprise. “Uh…vampires? I…I don’t know. I mean, I’ve read of them, seen movies…I always imagined them to be based on *some* fact since there were so many stories but…I don’t know…what does that have to do with this though?”

“Vampire blood can be used as a temporary cure for what’s wrong with you,” Craig said quietly, feeling his heart pounding in his chest and a sick feeling curling in the pit of his stomach. “That night, I didn’t fall and hit the mirror. I broke it on purpose. I cut myself and got you to…God, I know this sounds crazy, but…I got you to drink the blood from my arm.” He paused, waiting for his lover to put everything together, and either laugh, or try and push him away, neither of which he was sure he could face.

David sat there for a moment and stared at Craig. It took him a moment to process it all, and piece together the odd dreams he had since coming to the castle really. “I drank…” he made a bit of a face and remembered how MUCH blood there had been on the towel and how weak Craig had been. “I…I don’t know what to say,” he realized he was completely at a loss and looked at his lover for a long moment. “You…you hurt yourself for me?” he asked feeling a bit off kilter. He should be freaked out shouldn’t he? He drank BLOOD? The idea turned David’s stomach a bit but somehow in his dreams he’d known all along something like that had happened.

Craig’s brow furrowed and he wondered if David was too weak to be thinking clearly, to understand what he was saying. He held out his arm so David could see the thin white scar and traced his finger over the jagged edge. “It gave you strength, it made you better…for a while anyway. I can make you better again tonight if you’ll let me.”

David stared at the scar feeling the pain almost as acutely as if it were his own arm that had been marked like that. Craig’s body was absolute perfection from head to toe except that one scar…a scar he’d given himself to save David. He looked up and shook his head. “I can’t deny I was better…better than I’d been in years…but…but…lemme get this straight. You’re a vampire? That…oh God,” he sighed. “That’s why you can’t be touched by sunlight?” he whispered realizing he really had almost killed Craig unknowingly of course. He thought about all the times they’d made love, all the times Craig had kissed his neck, nipped at him with his teeth but never once broken the skin. “If you’re a vampire…why…why haven’t you…well…” then David paused. //Why would he want your blood? Yours is sick.//

Surprised that David hadn’t pulled away from him…yet…Craig shook his head and tentatively took his hand again. “Well, for one, I don’t feed off people….ever. I never have,” he explained. “And even if I did, I would never hurt you in any way. I couldn’t bear to. I…I care too much for you to even consider causing you pain.”

Looking down at their entwined hands David smiled. He didn’t ‘feed’ off people…that sounded so odd in his mind but the entire conversation had been surreal so far. But then Craig continued and his smile grew. “I couldn’t hurt you either…that…that’s why this kills me,” he whispered forcing his other hand to trace the scar. “You hurt yourself on *my* behalf and you want to again…I…God, I don’t want to leave you, Craig but…we can’t do this can we? I…you were so weak last time…I…can’t ask you to do that again…even if I don’t want to leave you,” he whispered honestly. The idea of drinking blood wasn’t that appealing either but that didn’t bother him nearly as much as Craig being hurt.

“We *can* do this,” Craig whispered. David was making no move to get away from him and that meant more to him than Craig could even begin to say. No he wasn’t a typical human at all, but Craig had known that from the very beginning. “We have to, please, David, let me help you. I don’t want to lose you.”

David felt tears gather again and he squeezed Craig’s hand gently. He realized the reason Craig scarred so badly last time was because of his haste and the need for it. And David was so weak it was likely he may not live through the night tonight. “Just…please be more careful this time?” he asked softly. “If we do this…God I can’t even believe I’m considering it to be honest, but I don’t want to leave you. Dying wasn’t so bad when I didn’t have anything to look forward to //except mountains of bills// but now…I really don’t want to die, I don’t want to leave you. I just…I’m a little afraid…not so much of drinking blood though I have to admit it is a little…umm…well,” he made a face and saw Craig’s eyes that had been so sad twinkle a bit, “I just…just be more careful this time.”

Craig could remember feeling the same way before Tristan turned him, the very thought of drinking blood enough to make him want to gag and pretend things like that didn’t really happen. He knew better now, of course, but he knew all too well what David was thinking, “I’ll be careful,” he said softly as he gently extricated himself from underneath his lover and reached into his pants pocket for a small pocket knife. “I was afraid you’d rather die than do this but I’ve felt guilty for doing it without your permission last time.” Carefully propping a pillow underneath David’s shoulders, Craig moved to sit beside him and smiled. “Doing this will give you my strength, and I’ll sleep for a long time, but I’ll be fine, I promise. And when I wake up, we’ll be fine together. Ready?”

David watched nervously as Craig pulled a knife from his pocket and swallowed hard. Was he really doing this? Agreeing to let Craig cut himself and then…then drinking his blood? It was insane wasn’t it? But…the idea of dying at 40 didn’t exactly appeal either, and leaving this man willing to hurt himself on his behalf…man…well he really wasn’t a man after all but that didn’t matter did it? David loved him. No matter what Craig was. He wasn’t a murderer as the movies and books seemed to imply…he didn’t even ‘feed’ on people. David had so many questions but he knew his time was short. Just the conversation they’d had laying in bed had made him feel weaker. “All right…I’ll take care of you, love…I promise,” he whispered not realizing the endearment had finally slipped past him.

The knife had already pierced his skin when Craig realized that David had called him love, and as the first drop of blood hit the white sheet beneath them, their eyes met. In that moment, Craig knew without a doubt that he loved David. Why else would he be willing to do this if he didn’t? And why would the thought of losing him tear his heart out if he didn’t love him? “I know you will,” he whispered as he held his arm up close to David’s mouth, but didn’t press it against his lips just yet. “I love you, you know. I know I’ve never said it, but I think I’ve felt it for a long time now. It just took me this long to realize that this is what love feels like.” He pressed one finger over David’s lips and shook his head. “Drink, sweetheart. We can talk later, when we both feel better…but for now, drink, please.”

David had to clutch at the sheets to keep from stopping Craig. Watching the knife pierce his skin broke his heart, but then he heard the words ‘I love you’ as Craig leaned closer. He wanted to tell him that he loved Craig in return, that he’d held the words back since the first night they made love but his lover stopped him. His stomach flipped as he watched the blood well on Craig’s wrist and he bit his own lip for a moment, uncertain that he could do this now that the task was presented to him. //A life with Craig or death later tonight…you aren’t stupid, David. He loves you; he’s doing this as much for you as for himself because he doesn’t want to lose you, just like you don’t want to lose him. You’ve eaten rare meat before…how’s this so different? You’ve sucked on a cut finger of your own before…this isn’t all that bad.// As the thoughts ran through his mind quickly he looked into Craig’s eyes and hoped his lover could see how much he loved him. Tentatively he pressed his lips against his wrist and at first drew away from the first sharp coppery tang, but then moved forward again trying not to hurt Craig by sucking at the wound just simply letting his tongue lick at the blood. Just in the first few hesitant swallows though he felt life ebb back into him. He was able to sit up more, and did, slowly nursing at the wound and feeling shame color his cheeks as he began to feel aroused from the act. It must be a part of it, but it was still disconcerting until he realized that Craig’s eyes were darker, and that he too was aroused from it even though this weakened him. After a few moments he saw Craig’s eyes start to close and David pulled away. “I don’t want to take too much, love…tell me what to do.”

It was true; Craig was already hard behind the zipper of his jeans, even though his head was already spinning. Still, it wasn’t enough, not yet. He shifted on the bed and lay beside David, smiling sleepily, but forcing himself to keep his eyes open. “Keep going,” he whispered hoarsely. “You need to take almost every drop I have, but don’t worry…by the time I wake up, I’ll have replaced it. Just keep drinking until I tell you to stop.” His other hand moved to touch David’s hair, his face his shoulder, his smile widening as his fingertips brushed over already pink skin. “And when you finish, maybe you could just let me rest my head over your heart, so I can hear it as I sleep?”

David sucked in a breath when Craig said he needed to take almost all of his blood and swallowed hard. He nodded, clearly worried but trusting his lover. He had wrapped his hand around the wound to stop the bleeding and still held it there even as Craig moved to lay next to him. “Anything you want…anything, love,” he whispered and then leaned forward and kissed Craig gently before drawing away. He took a deep breath before drawing his lover’s wrist to his lips again and releasing his hold on it, allowing the blood to flow freely. He drank again, with each swallow feeling stronger.

Craig watched, feeling weaker by the moment, but relieved as well. David would be well again, at least for a while, and that was the most important thing. He nodded, and couldn’t help shifting his hips, letting his lover know that this aroused him as well. Letting David drink for long minutes, he finally felt his vision begin to dim, and knew he was getting close. “There,” he whispered. “I think that’s enou…” His words trailed off as he fell asleep in mid-sentence, still smiling, and still bleeding from the wound on his arm. //Let it be enough, love. Let it heal you for a while, at least until we can figure out what to do next…//

Almost gasping when Craig moved against him, David smiled a little against his wrist. At least he wasn’t the only one feeling it and it made him feel a bit less perverse. When Craig whispered David stopped immediately and quickly clamped his hand around the wound. He looked around the bed until he was able to grab his shirt that Craig had taken off him and wrapped it around it, tourniquet tight. “I love you,” he whispered softly as he lay down in the bed beside his lover and pulled him close, careful not to bump his arm. He pulled Craig’s head to rest over his heart just as he asked, and smiled when he felt him snuggle against him. “I love you so very much,” he whispered again, before he pulled the covers over them and simply held Craig throughout the night. His own mind was reeling, everything that happened…everything he’d said…and left unsaid. He had so many questions.

David watched over Craig’s sleep for hours, holding him close, whispering softly to him, and feeling his own body grow stronger from the gift Craig had given him. His mind was still filled with questions, but he wasn’t afraid of the answers, only curious. Yes it was a lot to take in…he was in love with what most of the world at least in what he’d believed to be fiction until a few hours ago…was a monster. But Craig was the furthest thing from a monster as he could imagine. He wasn’t cruel; he wasn’t a murderer. Craig wasn’t a monster at all; in his lifetime David had known humans that were monsters. They might not drink blood but they were cruel and hateful and much worse. He did have questions though…how did he become a vampire? How did he become titled or was that a product of his birth? Did he have to fake his death or move so that he could keep from being found out? Were there others? Did Craig have friends? Any family? God, he’d fallen in love with someone he knew so little about! Craig moved slightly in his arms and he looked down at him smiling. “But I do love you, there’s no question about that.”

Feeling his lover’s eyes on him, Craig smiled in his sleep and moved closer, nuzzling against him. He heard David speaking, however, and rather than fall back into the safety of sleep, he let his eyes flutter open to look at the beloved face above him. For a brief moment he was afraid that David only loved him because he could heal him, if only temporarily, but the sparkling - and healthy - blue eyes regarding him so tenderly looked nothing if not sincere. “Even after all I told you, you still love me?” he said softly. “Knowing what I am, and how I live, your feelings haven’t changed?”

Smiling as Craig looked up at him, awake after so many hours and his eyes sparkling again. “No, no they haven’t changed at all,” David whispered softly. “I have a million questions I think, but nothing can change how I feel about you, Craig. I’ve loved you since the first night we made love but been afraid to tell you.” He shifted slightly to gaze at his lover more easily. “Do you believe yourself to be what they portray in fiction? Because knowing you…I know those people got everything wrong…all right a few things right, the whole sunlight thing and feeding on blood but…” he grinned then. “But they got so much wrong.”

Stretching luxuriously beside his lover, Craig felt almost like his old self again, and he could tell that David was feeling much better as well. “They got *a lot* wrong,” he agreed with a smile before his face clouded and he remembered the way Tristan died in the sunlight. “They got a lot right too, unfortunately…including most of the ways to kill a vampire. I was turned a long, long time ago, by a vampire named Tristan. I was the first and only human he’d ever fed from, yet they killed him with no more thought than they’d swat a fly, or step on a spider. No one cares to know the good things we do, but they sure as hell write about all the bad things.” He sighed and concentrated on the strong heartbeat underneath his fingers. “I have so much to tell you, love, I don’t even know where to begin.”

David watched silently as Craig’s eyes darkened with sadness and knew his lover had known something very painful in his long life. “I’m sorry that they focused on the negative…I’m sorry you lost your…um..friend?” he said uncertainly. “I suppose you could start from the beginning…but first there’s something I have to do,” David said softly and smiled when Craig looked up at him expectantly. Very gently David tipped his face up and kissed him tenderly. “I love you,” he whispered.

Craig rested his hand on the back of David’s neck and deepened the kiss, letting his eyes close and a soft moan fall from his lips. When they pulled away, he rested his forehead against his lover’s and smiled. “And I love you,” he said softly. “So very much. I just can’t believe it took me this long to figure it out.”

Their kiss was perfect, both of them weren’t hiding anything, simply sharing in the love they felt for each other. “You had a lot to worry that I would run for the hills over…it’s hard to put your heart on the line when you fear it’ll get broken,” David whispered softly.
“Now…you’ve got a *lot* to tell me,” he grinned, “would you like me to call for some food or anything? Or…well…something?”

“How about we make love, call for food, make love again, maybe take a shower….oh, make love again, and then maybe take a nap?” Craig was only half-teasing as he spoke but right now, David looked healthy enough to do just as he’d suggested. “And maybe while we eat, I can tell you everything and answer all your questions.”

David laughed and leaned back to look at his lover. “Hmm…I think my questions can wait…” he grinned pulling Craig’s uninjured hand up to his lips. “I…I have to admit that…well when you helped me…it surprised me that I…well, we both,” he felt his face blushing and laughed when Craig grinned at him. “I really felt like a pervert at first,” he laughed and lay on his back pulling Craig with him to lay over him. “That is until I realized I wasn’t the only one.”

Craig rolled over and gently lowered himself over his lover’s body, chuckling at David’s words. “You definitely weren’t the only one,” he assured David. “In fact, even as I drifted off to sleep, I was thinking about how much I wanted you, and wishing I had the strength to make love.” His hips slowly moved, rubbing their already hardening arousals together and his breathing quickened at once as he started getting harder almost immediately. He didn’t know how long David’s health would last this time, but he was determined to spend every possible moment showing him how much he loved him, for as long as he could. “Seems we’re both already in much the same state now as we were then, doesn’t it?”

“Mmm, much the same,” David breathed softly. “I need you, Craig,” he whispered arching upwards to rub his body against his lover’s. “I told you before, anything you want…” he grinned as he leaned up and nuzzled against his lover’s neck and breathing in his scent. David felt as wonderful as he had last time they’d done this, but he was still saddened by the fact Craig would now have another scar from what they’d done. He pushed that thought away easily enough when his lover’s arousal moved against his own, dragging a low moan from him.

“Then I think there’s something right *here*,” Craig’s hand moved over the bulge in David’s jeans and he squeezed lightly, “that I want.” He moved down and pressed his lips just to the side of the zipper and let his breath warm the soft denim as his hands rested on his lover’s hips. He stopped only long enough to unfasten his jeans and kick them off, then went back to his previous pastime, simply breathing on David’s arousal through the confines of his jeans. It had been a while since they’d been intimate, and while Craig loved simply holding David, he was ready to make love to him now - *really* make love, and be able to tell him how he felt as they did so.

David moaned and pressed his hips upwards against Craig’s touch but soon his lover was moving down his body and he licked his lips as he watched. God, he was beautiful, so perfect, and David wanted him so much. They’d not made love in over a week and it felt more like a year had passed. When Craig removed his own jeans he watched, openly enjoying his lover’s body, his grace, everything about him. “Please…I need you, Craig. I need to feel you inside me, love,” he moaned softly as his lover teased him through his jeans.

Needing no further encouragement, Craig unfastened David’s jeans and pulled them down his hips, along with his underwear. David’s arousal lay hard and dripping against his stomach and even as Craig reached over to the nightstand for the lotion, he was letting his mouth slide down the heated length, sucking and licking at the swollen head and taking him in until his lips were wrapped around the thick base. His slick fingers rubbed gently over his lover’s entrance as he added one, then two fingers, stretching him quickly, but with as much care as always, though he was painfully hard as well.

Moaning and writhing under his lover, David struggled to maintain control as Craig’s mouth sealed around his arousal. He spread his legs wider, and shifted his hips a little as slick fingers invaded his body, stretching and preparing him for more. He wanted Craig so much he positively ached for him and cried out when his lover’s fingers brushed against his prostate. He was shaking as Craig’s mouth moved over him, his tongue caressing his shaft. “Love, please,” he murmured as his head tipped back into the soft pillows. Making love with Craig was more than any experience David had ever known, he felt so connected to him in a way that he couldn’t possibly explain.

Craig gave a final twist of his fingers before pulling his hand away and placed a kiss to the tip of David’s length. He quickly slicked himself and pressed the head of his erection against David’s opening, then moved forward, sliding inside the tight passage in one smooth practiced motion. A perfect fit, as always. Velvety inner muscles massaged his length and as he stared into eyes that he loved more than he could find the words to say, he slowly began to thrust. Resting his weight on one arm, he slid the other between them and wrapped his fingers around David’s arousal, stroking him in time with his movements. Their need was too great for them to go slowly this time, that would come later, after the edge had worn off, after they could think clearly again.

David moved under his lover, pushing upwards as Craig sank into him in one long stroke. His body melded around his mate’s and David rocked his hips not wishing to wait a single moment. He wrapped his legs around a slender waist, pulling Craig deeper inside him as they moved together, each of them so close to losing control already. “Yes…oh God, love,” he moaned as long fingers wrapped around his length and they quickly thrust against one another. David leaned up, sucking on the pale skin of his lover’s neck, his shoulder, wanting to touch him everywhere at once it seemed as their passion built. “So close already,” he murmured as each thrust slammed against his sweet spot. His own hand bumped against the jar of lotion beside them on the bed and he dipped his fingers into it, leaning up more and reached around his lover, pressing slick fingers against his entrance, and dipping inside. He felt his lover’s gasp as his fingers slipped inside the tight passage.

Taken completely by surprise, but in a very, very good way, Craig lost his rhythm for only a moment, as his body was breeched. He bent the arm he was resting on and sealed their mouths together, desperate to touch the man he loved in every way possible. He thrust harder and faster, knowing that at least for now, David wouldn’t be hurt, would, in fact, welcome the feeling of being taken so completely. He felt utterly boneless, buried to the hilt inside the gripping passage that seemed tighter and hotter than ever, the sweetness of David’s tongue probing at his mouth, and the slick, long digits delving inside him. They made love with a wild abandon like they’d never done before, and in almost no time at all, Craig was losing all control, bucking wildly as he came hard, not even having time to warn his lover that he was close.

David smiled as Craig reacted to his touch, but soon found his lips captured in a searing kiss as their passion grew. It was almost a tangible thing, a wonderful feeling of being so connected to one another. David hoped that Craig felt it too as they continued to move against one another wildly. It wasn’t harsh or rough at least not the way it might have looked to an observer, it was loving and wonderful. David cried out against Craig’s lips as his lover spilled deep inside him, and David spilled between them, moaning as his lover’s body contracted around his fingers and his own contracted around the shaft buried inside him. “I love you,” he murmured over and over again between kisses and shaking breaths.

Mindless of the mixture of come and sweat between them, Craig lowered himself on top of David and buried his face against his neck, smiled as each sweet kiss was bestowed on him. “I love you too, sweetheart. I wonder how I’ve ever managed to…” He stopped, feeling a sudden intense burning sensation on his hand, just between his thumb and index finger. He lifted the hand and gasped as he saw a long red mark forming there, slowly taking the shape of an elongated figure 8, one loop over the back of his hand and the other over his palm. Before David had even said a word, Craig knew he would be feeling the pain as well in a few seconds. On one level, he was shocked, never thinking he would see this mark on his own body, but on another level, it made perfect sense. “Oh, baby, what have I done to you?” he whispered softly.

David’s fingers slipped from inside his lover and he simply lay panting as Craig collapsed against him. He smiled as Craig told him he loved him and then felt his lover jerk and lift his hand as if in awe. David watched as the mark formed on Craig’s hand and was about to question him when his own hand stung as if someone had branded him. He looked at it for a long moment and then at Craig wondering what on earth it meant. He shook his hand as the pain ebbed away and he gazed at it for a moment before looking at its match on Craig’s hand. “What…what does this mean?”

Craig slowly threaded their fingers together, still trying to come to grips with what had just happened. The marks were perfect matches, and though they no longer hurt, they were, without a doubt, permanent. With a mixture of love, worry, awe, and something else even Craig couldn’t define, he looked into David’s eyes and licked at his lips, stalling until he could find the right words. “It means that the Fates have given us a choice,” he explained. “We can be mates for all of eternity, if we choose to. It means that I…I can make you into what I am…but…Gods, no, I can’t…” His shook his head, unable to even bear the thoughts of what that would entail. Killing David. To give them an eternity together, Craig would have to hurt him, feed from him, basically kill him. “Oh, love,
I didn’t know this would happen…I thought I was destined to be alone for all my life, so I never dreamed…”

David sucked in a breath when Craig said that he could make him into what he was. A vampire. He’d read enough books to know how that transpired but he wasn’t sure if they were really *right* about it since they’d been wrong about other things. But then Craig’s reaction, his immediate no, told him that yes, it was exactly as he imagined. “You didn’t do anything wrong,” he whispered as Craig looked so forlorn. “Even the fates realize how much we love each other,” he said smiling softly. “If…if making me what you are entails what I think it does…I’m not afraid,” he whispered. He’d never been afraid of dying until he met Craig to be honest. He wanted to live, but he’d resigned himself to the fact that one day very soon his illness would overtake him. But if he were to become a vampire like Craig…he wouldn’t have to face that.

It made perfect sense to Craig. They could have an eternity together, with no illness, no death, no disease. And there was absolutely no one Craig would want to have that with besides David. But it wasn’t all sunshine and roses that was for certain. Humans would try to kill them, they were ageless, so they had to stay out of sight for the most part, never letting anyone see them unless they were prepared to move on to another city, another town, another country. There was the blood and the sunlight and…Gods, there was so much. Yet David wasn’t afraid. David was willing to do this for him, to let Craig kill him, then bring him back as a creature of the night. Craig himself had not been given a choice, but David had…and he agreed. “Oh baby, I want that, but…there’s so much to think about. I’ve…I’ve never killed anyone before, and I don’t think I could bear to start with you.”

David felt such sadness radiating from his lover that he didn’t press the issue. He knew just agreeing for Craig to cut his arm for him earlier had been painful enough but to have to kill the one person you love…even if it were to bring them back to life it was a very difficult thing to ask of anyone. He nodded slowly and pulled Craig closer. “It’s all right, love…we don’t have to decide anything tonight,” he whispered softly as he pressed his lips to Craig’s temple.

“It would cure you,” Craig said softly, resting his head back on David’s shoulder, telling himself he could get over feeding from David. He still had nightmares about holding his lover’s lifeless body in his arms after pulling him from the bathtub though, and since he’d never fed off a human before, let alone *killed* them, what if he did it wrong and couldn’t bring him back? “You’d do this? You’d be all right living as I do, never going out in the sunlight, moving every few years, hunting for food at night under the moonlight?”

David looked at Craig and smiled. “I would…besides moonlight is romantic,” he teased. “The sun’s hot…it causes cancer too…I’d rather stay in bed all day with you anyway,” he teased just to make Craig smile because he hated seeing him so sad. After a few moments he looked at his lover seriously. “I want to be with you Craig…and the only way I can do that and not fear every few weeks that I will die is that way. It’s totally selfish of me because,” he held up his hand the mark matching Craig’s perfectly, “Because I love you and don’t want you to be alone just as I wouldn’t want to be alone.”

Craig relaxed and thought, for the first time, what the Fates had given them. A love strong enough to bring them together despite their differences, a cure for David’s disease and best of all, a lifetime together in a world that might, if not welcome them, at least tolerate them one day. “I always thought I was destined to be alone until I found you.” He sat up and brushed the hair back from David’s forehead, studying his face intently. “You do understand what this means? That you’ll have to…Gods, I can’t even say it. I’ll have to feed from you…take *all* your blood, then give you mine back to bring you back to life. I’ll have to kill you to save you. Are you sure you trust me with your life like that, knowing I’ve never done it before?”

David listened silently as Craig spoke of what they would need to do. Yes, the idea did frighten him. No one *wants* to die…but he’d much rather die in Craig’s arms with the chance to come back, than some hospital bed with no chance of return, as he was destined to do before. “Of course I trust you. I love you, and I know you love me and would never purposefully hurt me,” he said raising their marked hands together. “I can’t doubt you love me now can I?” he said smiling gently. “I won’t lie and say I’m not a little afraid and don’t have questions, but I do trust you. Tristan had never turned anyone before you…and he certainly got it right.” He kissed Craig’s hand tenderly and smiled at him. He did trust him implicitly. Craig wouldn’t hurt him and he knew he loved him enough to make absolutely certain that David would come back to him.

Staring at their entwined hands for a moment, Craig pushed aside the thoughts of what he would have to do, and began thinking of what they could have. Quite literally, the Fates had offered them forever together. And the fact that David trusted him with this made Craig love him all the more. He took a deep breath and pressed a kiss to David’s lips. “Then, we’ll need to have Ian get a few things. Turning a human isn’t that hard, but I have to have the antibodies to your disease in my blood. If I die, then everyone in my service will die too, as well as everyone I’ve changed - and that would be you. It’s more…complicated when the human is sick, because the moon has to be in the new moon phase, rebirthing so to speak, and the antibodies have to have time to take effect, but we can do this, sweetheart. We can have an eternity together.”

David smiled as Craig entwined their hands and listened closely as Craig explained the process. It was frightening but also touched on the romantic in him as well as the practical. A life with Craig…forever, not just a few more days or months or even years but all time. “I want an eternity with you…if *you* think it is worth the risk, then I want this…I want to live, but more importantly, I want to live with you,” he whispered softly.

In truth, it did sound a bit complicated because of his disease but nothing in his life had been easy the last few years. And this was a real chance for him to not only live but to have a reason to live.

Craig pulled David against him, knowing now that he wouldn’t hurt him since he’d gotten his strength back. It felt so good to be able to hold him tight like this, and sighed with pleasure, wondering how long they’d have to wait until the next new moon. “I can’t say that it won’t break my heart to actually…God…to actually *kill* you, but I don’t know how much longer my blood will keep you strong,” he said softly. “Besides, I can think of absolutely nothing in all the world I’d rather have than forever with you. I’ve never been in love before, and already I think I’m quite addicted to the feeling. Well, quite addicted to *you* is more like it, and I’m not willing to lose you…ever.”

Wincing a little when Craig said he would have to ‘kill’ him, David shook his head. “You won’t be killing me, this disease is doing that. No, you’ll be giving me the chance to live, think of it that way instead, love,” he whispered softly as his own arms wrapped around Craig holding him just as tightly.

They talked for hours, Craig answering David’s questions, of which there were many. Not all of them were about the process of turning him but more about Craig’s long life. David was fascinated by it, and though it was sad that Craig *had* to live in so many parts of the world it was also interesting to him. For his part, David shared his past with Craig. It was late at night before David’s stomach rumbled so loudly they laughed and made their way for the kitchen rather than disturb Ian.

They ate together at the small table next to the stove, still talking and sharing stories about their lives, stopping only to share a few kisses and caresses that they’d both missed in the past few days. Craig, however, needed more than he could find even in his well-stocked kitchen, but hesitated to bring it up. He wasn’t quite back to his full strength yet, though, and wouldn’t be until he’d fed on the one substance that really kept him ‘alive’ so to speak. But the sun would be coming up in a few hours, and *he* would be the sick one if he didn’t hunt while it was still dark. After they’d finished their meals, Craig stood and looked longingly toward the back door. “I don’t know how to say this,” he started, then paused as he wondered if the mere thought of what he was going to do would disgust his lover. //God, he’ll never want to kiss me again….that’s for sure…// “I need to go out for a while, love. I…I need to feed.”

Watching in silence as Craig looked toward the door, David understood what he needed. He wouldn’t find in the food there. “It’s all right,” David whispered not wanting to think about what Craig needed to do really. It wasn’t all that different from hunting he supposed well…maybe a little bit. He stood up as well taking Craig’s hand and smiling when his lover gave him a shocked look. “I’ll wait for you on the patio,” he whispered walking with him.

Worry turned to relief as David took Craig’s hand and spoke. He’d snuck out while his lover had slept in the previous weeks, and he hated feeling as if he were deceiving him, but felt he’d had no other choice. But now, here they were, no secrets between them, and David was walking him toward the door as if seeing him off for work. “Thank you,” he said as they stepped out on to the patio and looked toward the acres and acres of forest behind the castle. “Thank you for understanding….and thank you for not turning away.” He wondered if David realized that *he* would be hunting with Craig before too long.

“I do understand, love,” David said softly as they stepped out into the cool night air. “You’ve a Hunter’s moon tonight,” he whispered and smiled as Craig turned his eyes skyward for a moment. “I’m not afraid of you, or what you are…maybe I’m a little touched in the head or something,” he teased knowing that other humans in Craig’s long life hadn’t been so accepting. “But I know what you have to do…and what…I’ll need to get used to in the future.” He looked toward the trees and wondered what it was like…would he be able to do it? Then again he’d been able to drink Craig’s blood…his thoughts were a little uncertain but he decided he’d cross that bridge when he came to it.

With a final squeeze of his lover’s hand, Craig pressed a kiss against his cheek and smiled. “It’s not so bad,” he promised. “I’ll be with you and show you how to take only what you need, and not hurt the animals. If you’re careful, and don’t take too much, they don’t even have to die.” He released David’s hand and walked gracefully down the steps. “I won’t be long. In the meantime, why don’t you be deciding where you want to live next? We have the whole world at our feet, more than enough money, and literally all the time in the world. People around here will…we’ll they’ll think you’ve died, so we can’t stay here much longer…” He paused, hearing the sound of an animal at the edge of the woods, senses alert and ready. “Think about it…I’ll be back as soon as I can.” With that
he was off to feed, looking forward to returning to the castle and not having to sneak back into bed and pretend he’d been sleeping all night.

Smiling as Craig said the animals didn’t have to die he watched as his lover moved down the steps silently. How’d all those stories get it so wrong? “I’ll be waiting,” he whispered. He thought about the fact that the only person in the world who cared about him besides Craig was Sean. He hated to deceive his friend of so many years and wondered what things he’d need to do to wrap up his ‘life’ to begin his next one.

He looked back at the castle and though he had fallen in love with the beautiful structure as he’d stayed there, he knew his lover was right. They would have to move on. He sighed and watched as Craig disappeared into the thick woods and leaned against a low wall surrounding the flowers. He thought about the future now that he had the possibility of one and waited on his lover’s return.

TBC

Chapters: 1-2 | 3-4 | 4-5 | 6-7 | 8-9