Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or any of its sexy men.
Summary: Merlin's body is possessed by an incubus: a sex demon. And it has its eyes on Arthur. Things get complicated when Uther, Mordred, and everyone else comes into the picture. Arthur/Merlin, Older!Mordred/Merlin
Night Dreams
Chapter 1: Devilish Intentions
It was a crisp, autumn morning in Camelot. And, unfortunately, Arthur Pendragon had to be awake and out of bed to enjoy it. Since one of his knights was bedridden with illness, Arthur took it upon himself to do the morning patrol around the town's perimeters. Of course, he dragged Merlin along with him. After all, if the master had to suffer, then so did the servant.
"Surely you could have done this by yourself," Merlin groused, trudging after the prince.
"No, I simply could not have," the blond replied dryly.
"It's just walking, Arthur!"
"Well, maybe I wanted the pleasure of your company," Arthur said with no humor, but plenty of sarcasm. "And you should be up around this time anyway! Getting my breakfast and clothes ready, making sure my armor is shined, my sword sharpened, and my horse groomed. Honestly, what kind of manservant are you?"
"One that likes his sleep," Merlin grumbled as he attempted to comb his sleep-tousled hair with his fingers. He yawned, his eyes growing dull and heavy-hooded. "I really do think it is of the utmost importance I go back, sire. I'm...having trouble keeping my eyes open..."
"Oh stop complaining! Maybe I should have left you in bed. You're more bearable when you're unconscious."
Arthur waited for a moment before his lips twitched into a frown. Usually, his servant would have retorted something equally insulting by now. Merlin never missed a beat; his quick wit and total disregard of authority (Arthur's authority anyway) kept their banter on a fast-paced, high note. It entertained him immensely.
"Well, well, well. It looks like I left you speech—" Arthur spun on his heel to shoot Merlin a condescending smirk, but his face went lax when he saw no one behind him. "—less...?"
Arthur's sharp, blue eyes scanned the sparse crowd. Not all the townspeople were up yet since dawn just appeared; therefore, the prince should have spotted Merlin easily, but the clumsy manservant was nowhere to be seen.
"Merlin?" Arthur called tentatively as he peered for his face among the few people milling about. He wondered if this was a prank. The prince slipped (gracefully, of course), but easily caught himself. He looked down, cursing the mud – until he saw Merlin's red scarf pressed into the wet earth. Arthur slowly picked it up as a dawning sense of dread quickly overtook his stomach. He clenched the scarf in his fist.
"Merlin! Answer me!" Arthur demanded as he searched the vendors and stalls. No where. His servant disappeared. Merlin disappeared. Into thin air! In a panic, Arthur almost sprinted back to the castle, but his peripheral vision caught a pair of shadows – Arthur found Merlin standing in the gray darkness of an alleyway...with a cloaked stranger.
Arthur dashed toward them. "MERLIN!"
The cloaked stranger, whose claw-like hand was clutching Merlin's hair, suddenly let go when Arthur's voice and quick footfalls echoed closer. Merlin fell back, body limp like a marionette unstrung. Arthur leapt forward and caught him, all the while glaring death at the cloaked figure, who fled into the maze of alleyways.
"Merlin, wake up, open your eyes, come on now," Arthur shook Merlin's still body and gently slapped his pale face.
Merlin continued to sleep in his arms.
-o-o-o-
"Nothing's wrong with him, my lord..." Gaius murmured after doing a thorough examination of Merlin's body and head. "No bruises, bumps, or markings. Nothing!"
"But there must be a reason why he's like this! That man – woman – had their hand on his head. I am certain something was done to him!" Arthur exclaimed before his voice dropped to a whisper. "I think it was magic."
Gaius's eyebrow arched. Even though he was doubting the idea that anyone could overpower Merlin's level of magic, Arthur misconstrued the expression on the physician's weathered face.
"I know you don't believe me, Gaius, but I'm sure of it. It was magic. It had to be. Merlin's a clumsy idiot, but he's strong enough to fight off someone of that stature, whoever they were. Whatever they were."
"Perhaps, my lord. Perhaps. We won't know until he wakes up," Gaius sighed. "I must go out and retrieve some yellow salt and pepperwood. Would you mind staying with him until I come back?"
Arthur shook his head. The prince took a seat beside Merlin's still form as Gaius swept out of the room.
"You're so useless. Who follows a complete stranger like that?! Perhaps I should have left you in bed!" Arthur growled. He was angry, but only because anger was easier to deal with than guilt or concern. He was not sure how long he sat there, watching Merlin...but his eyes drifted closed and his consciousness slipped from him.
-o-o-o-
Arthur groaned in pleasure, his neck arching with approval. The most exquisite sensations assaulted him under the grainy mist of sleep. Warm fingers confident with desire slipped under his shirt, caressing his chest, his ribs. Soft lips pliant and eager with lust traced the shell of his ear, tongue teasing, until teeth nibbled the lobe with mischievous intentions.
Who is that...? Arthur wondered, hoping to find out this lover's name in this particular dream.
The warm body above him shifted away, perhaps to get into a more comfortable position, but Arthur wrapped his arms around the waist of the seductive stranger and pulled him back. The stranger laughed softly in his ear. Arthur knew it was a man; women had soft curves, dips, and gasping moans. But men – like the one pleasuring him now – was made of flat planes, compact ridges of muscle, and deep, silken tones.
"Mmm..." the man purred appreciatively against his ear. "You are exquisite..."
Merlin...? Arthur thought, recognizing the alluring voice despite being drunk with sexual tension and need. Arthur never had a night dream of his manservant before...but he was not surprised and sure as hell not complaining. After teasing his neck, Merlin's lips finally descended upon his own, interlocking as cleanly as a lock and key.
Where in holy Hell did Merlin learn to kiss like that? Does he kiss like this in real life? Arthur decided to save the thought for later as he parted his lips –
"A-ARTHUR?" Morgana's voice cut across Arthur's dream like a stone skipping along a still lake.
"MERLIN!" Gaius's voice was like rooster's crow at dawn, short and sharp and entirely unpleasant.
Merlin's fingers, which were currently under Arthur's shirt, dug into his ribs from surprise. Arthur yelped from the pain.
Pain...? Arthur thought dazedly. One did not feel pain in dreams, only in real life.
Arthur's eyes snapped open to find Merlin sitting in – straddling, the more appropriate word – his lap. In his peripheral vision, he saw Morgana and Gaius in the doorway, their mouths hanging open. He blinked, shaking his head with stiff denial.
I can't possibly be awake, Arthur reasoned. I simply cannot be –
Merlin leaned forward and slowly, possessively wrapped his arms around Arthur's neck. His manservant was smirking like a fox, who snatched the biggest hen from a farmer's coop.
"I'm sorry...is this yours, milady?" Merlin asked with a smooth and sultry voice Arthur did not think his bumbling manservant capable of. Merlin's groin came in contact with Arthur's and from the short, hot pulse that traveled to his stomach, the prince finally realized: Holy Mother of God, this is not a dream!
Arthur shot up from his seat. Merlin fell back as consequence, his back landing with a thud against the stone ground.
"What in God's name were you doing, Merlin?!" Arthur snapped, hoping to look fierce and furious despite the deep blush he knew was staining his cheeks.
Merlin peered up at him through his dark lashes with an irritated, yet enticing smirk. "You knew exactly what I was doing, prince. If I was used to this body and hadn't been so rudely interrupted, you'd be halfway inside my – "
"MERLIN!" Arthur cut him off, his heart about to burst with embarrassment.
"He's not Merlin!" Morgana shouted, near hysterical. "You're not Merlin!"
Merlin slowly stood up. He flicked his eyes towards Morgana. "Hmph. No need to be so dramatic, girl."
Morgana turned to Gaius, her eyes desperate. "Do you believe me now, Gaius? I dreamed this would happen and look! Merlin's not...Merlin. Nothing like him at all..."
Arthur fought the compulsion to draw his sword. But upon closer inspection of Merlin's eyes and twist of his lips, Arthur knew his servant was not there before him. It was someone else staring at him with those blue, gold-flecked eyes. Something else.
"Who are you and what have you done with Merlin?" Morgana demanded, her eyes turning into arctic chips. "If you harmed his soul, I swear I will – "
"Ugh, stop your shrieking. I'm not some flesh-eating fiend or soul-robbing wench," Merlin retorted. He rolled his shoulders, bent his knees, and stretched his neck as if testing the motion of his limbs. A look of disgust and disdain contorted Merlin's face. "Believe me, I feel entirely too human...and why does my head throb so? Is this normal?"
"Then what are you?" Gaius asked, his voice edged with wary anger. "What do you want?"
Merlin cocked his head toward Arthur and with the utmost sincerity said: "His virginity."
Arthur blanched.
Morgana and Gaius shared similar looks of bewilderment.
"What?" the-demon-within-Merlin asked innocently. "Am I asking for too much?"
E.n.d. o.f. C.h.a.p.t.e.r O.n.e.
Note: A short, teasing chapter, I know. Please don't hurt me, but please leave reviews! The more reviews, the faster I write. I am determined to finish this story regardless of the amount of reviews I get, but...it would awfully sweet of you to leave your thoughts, questions, and hopes behind. :) Thank you for reading!