Moon River Brewery, Savannah, Georgia

3:30 a.m.

His eyes were so dark. Complete black like midnight on a full moon was what it reminded Zak Bagans of. His breath was caught in his throat, his hand reaching out toward the younger man's. His skin was so cold and clammy causing Zak to shiver. He pulled his hand away quickly, the younger man's eyes were still on him, and it scared him. He wanted his best friend; he missed the glowing look of life that belonged to his gaze. Zak wanted Nick Groff back.

"Shit," he sighed when Nick's eyes refused to lighten up and stare at him like he wanted to murder Zak. Zak backed up toward Aaron in the dark, glancing behind for a moment to see if he was still there, and then returned his sight to Nick. Nick's gaze seemed to follow him, "Dude, Aaron, what's the matter with him?" he didn't even wait for Aaron to reply before he let loose his confusion and worry in a fit of cuss words, "Fuck, dude, Nick, snap out of it! Aaron," Zak glanced back at the other man, his words running together, "Shit, what the fuck is the matter with him?"

"I-I-I-I-I," Aaron stumbled across his words and at the sound; Nick's eyes looked at Aaron. His eyes widened at what he saw, "Dude, Zak! His eyes! Man, look at his eyes!" he stepped forward to the younger man, but Zak stopped him.

"Yea, yea, yea, I know!" Zak replied. His mind froze in fear, but his mouth seemed to still have a mind of its own which still worked, "Nick, behind you!" he heard himself cry and raise his hand, "They're behind you, Nick!" he called out, "Turn around!" he practically begged. Nick looked at Zak for a second before the room was bathed in the white light from Aaron's camera. Zak blinked rapidly to allow his eyes time to change. Nick, however, looked back at Aaron, his face devoid of any expression. His eyes were still so dark.

"Nick!" Zak called out to his best friend again, "Nick, snap out of it!"

And, like Nick heard him, the darkness in his eyes was gone and the soft, brownie eyes that Zak knew were looking at him in confusion, "Zak, what's the matter?"

Like he was robot, Zak grabbed Nick by his upper arm, pulling him behind him. All Zak could think of was to keep Nick safe. His own blue eyes could not keep his gaze away from the dark spot where Nick had once stood. Zak wanted to kill and, if the entity was only a living being, there would not have been anything to stop him from doing so. With a sigh he turned to Aaron and Nick who were talking quietly amongst each other.

"Nick," his blue eyes ran over the younger man almost expecting him to be covered by bruises and scratches, but there was nothing, "Aaron, let's go," he needed to get Nick out of the basement.

"Zak," he heard his name as a protest on Nick's lips, but Zak just wrapped his arm around the man's shoulders and walked him toward the exit. He needed Nick safe.

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Comfort Inn, Savanah, Georgia

5:15 a.m.

He wasn't sure when he started having feelings. All he knew was that the warm body next to his own was proof that they were not just one sided and it was real. Zak sighed and nuzzled his nose into the juncture between the other man's ear and hairline. He was so warm and safe and the way the other man felt in his arms was different, but a good different.

"Zak" the other man shifted in his arms so they faced one another, their legs tangled in the sheets.

"Hmmm?" Zak hummed, nuzzling the man like some wolf to its mate.

"What does this mean?" the man said, his fingers lacing themselves within Zak's own.

Zak hummed happily, his blue eyes connecting with the brown of his fellow investigator, "It means forever," and Zak brushed his lips against Nick Groff's softly, taking Nick's breath away, "If you'll have me."

Nick smiled, his thumb moving back and forth across Zak's knuckles, "Forever sounds perfect," he replied and leaned back into Zak's touch. Pulling his hand away, Zak cradled the side of Nick's head, angling their kiss, deepening it. Nick moaned, his, now, free hand resting on Zak's hip. Zak's touch was gentle, but, the more Nick moved and the more Zak felt his blood run through his body, the harder it was to control himself.

"God, Nick," Zak moaned in between their clashing lips, "I want you so bad."

"Hmmm," Nick hummed and his lips fell from Zak's own and down the long, muscular neck he had seen so many times snap in his direction such as earlier that night. His possession, well partial possession, was still fresh in his mind, but the precious moments after were like some forgotten life time. Nick sucked lightly on the pale skin there, Zak's pulse beating rapidly beneath his own touch, "Take me," he could hear the deep lumber in his voice and it thrilled him to no end when Zak shivered beside him.

Rising up on his elbows, Zak leaned over Nick. The sheets of Zak's hotel room bed tangled in their legs and the pillows smelled like Zak's shampoo from the night before. To Nick, he was in absolute heaven and completely surrounded by the heavy male smell that was Zak's. He moaned loudly as Zak's hands ran the length of his sides and his lips sucked gently on the Nick's neck, giving each other the same deep, purple mark.

Though this was the first time they ever touched each other like this, Nick couldn't help but note the way they did. It was like they were rediscovering each other after so many years. Nick gasped as Zak's lips trailed an invisible trail down his chest, his cool hands following behind him. His back arched, suddenly, as Zak's hands found the edges of his boxers. His fingers trailed the edges of the fabric at his hips before falling to his thighs, where they stopped.

"Zak," he moaned as the taller man's lips drew invisible patters and letters on the valleys of his hips. Nick's hands fell to the man's dark hair; feather soft, raven hair ran through his fingertips, "Zak," he moaned again, lust and desire running hot through his veins, "Please."

"Patience, patience," Zak murmured against Nick's skin, his fingertips were pure torture. Then, Zak pulled the boxers down Nick's legs, taking them off completely. He leaned back, Zak's eyes taking in the sight of a completely naked Nick Groff beneath him, "Wow," Zak commented breathlessly.

Nick's cheeks flared red and his legs shifted from under Zak's own hips. Suddenly, Nick sat up, his hands falling on Zak's own hips. Suddenly, Nick sat up, his hands falling on Zak. Nick, once more, ran his fingers through Zak's raven hair, pulling their lips together.

"Nick," Zak moaned, leaning into Nick's touch, pushing back lightly on the younger man. In response, Nick could not stop the need to see Zak, and so reached for Zak's own boxers, "Oh, Nick," Zak moaned again against his lips, "Mhmmm," and the two men separated to allow Zak room to take his boxers off, "I was so scared, Nick," Zak murmured as Nick lay back down on Zak's hotel bed, Zak following behind him, "So scared. I thought I lost you."

"I'm here," was all Nick responded with, his body growing more with need as he felt Zak's naked flesh upon his own.

Zak sighed and kissed Nick's lips, "You're here. You're here. You're here," Zak repeated the words like a never ending mantra until Nick could hear them in his skull and Zak started to believe them.

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Zak's Penthouse, Las Vegas, Nevada

January 1

12:00 a.m.

The city skyline exploded in a shower of color and light. The rumbling of explosions tumbled across the Sierra Nevadas Mountains and right into his ears. He was sore, but it was the good kind of sore. His hips hummed in pleasurable pain and the juncture between his neck and his right shoulders still stung slightly from his lover's bite. It was soothed as he felt a gentle kiss placed upon it. Two muscular arms, also, came around his naked waist and an equally muscular and naked chest pressed softly to his back. His lover gave a soft sigh in his ear.

"It's like a carpet of diamonds and the fireworks are a magnifico tapestry," they had just come back from an investigation in Italy and Zak Bagans had picked up a few choice words of his own.

Nick Groff chuckled, placing his arms on top of Zak's, and lacing their hands together, "They remind me more of your eyes."

Zak gave a groan, like some puppy, and buried his face in the side of Nick's neck, "No, they don't," Zak enforced his statement with a light nip to the ever-growing-darker, purple spot.

"You're not the one who gets to see them darken and lighten up above you as their owner has sex with you," Nick defended his own statement, bending his neck to the side to give Zak more room.

Zak hummed his response, "I love you, you know."

Nick could feel Zak's smile against his skin and Nick couldn't help, but reciprocate it, "Mhmmm, I love you, too," and the two lovers stared out at the firework blazed sky. Nick sighed happily. All was well.