Son of Kael'thas

Chapter Twenty: A woman to ruin Kael'thas

There was a rumor going around that Kael'thas was dating someone.

Who was she? A Night Elf woman, graceful but also somehow feral. A druid? No, not that, never that, what can you possibly be thinking? Not among Illidan's allies, not with Malfurion trapped under the jail, somewhere in Shadowmoon Valley. But she looks a lot like Illidan though, acts exactly like him too… though they also say she's blind.

How awful for Kael'thas to have been set up with Illidan's sister. That's what they said next, that this woman was Illidan's sister. Are they sleeping together? Oh of but of course, have you even seen her! She's beautiful, and has these exotic tattoos all over. Kael'thas can't keep his eyes off her of her and all those frightening tattoos, though it's strange… after Saturna Whiteblade, no one expected him to go out with a person so dangerous, speaking in tongues the way N'shatai does. Fluent in so many dialects of Demonic, sharp canine teeth, knows everything that can be known about Demons and their doings, perfect for a warlock. And all over him too. N'shatai is more frightening than the latest Illidari addition to Tempest Keep. And speaking of Mavia the Maneater, did you hear that she hates N'shatai? Hates her with a passion, because Mavia knows her well, this warlock-loving woman, Illidan's sister.

The gossip went round and round like that in circles that made absolutely no sense. For one thing, if Illidan had a sister, wouldn't the whole of Azeroth and Outland know about it? Would Kael'thas really be amenable to Illidan setting him up with a woman… and would Illidan ever set Kael'thas up with someone who would just end up dividing the warlock's coveted attention? That had been the problem with Saturna Whiteblade three years ago…

"That is what I would like to know." Lady Liadrin crossed her arms and looked down her nose at Sunthraze and Tempest one morning. They were newly made up after their falling out, that was obvious. But hard to appreciate when Blaize was taking his time in the background, gathering up all the old law books and what not he'd brought over to the Matriarch's apartment the previous night. That he was sleeping with their superior… Blaize seemed to get a kick out of it for some reason.

Arms hugging a bundle of clothing and books, Blaize raised his voice into the conversation. "Let me guess, you two are stuck fixing that nightmare man's love life?"

"General Blaize, may I suggest you hurry that tight ass of yours."

Sunthraze glared at Tempest sneaking in a compliment to the other man in the room.

Blaize hid his smile for Tempest, then turned to pull Liadrin into a tender embrace. That sort of glee had a more than obvious source. "Thank you, finally, for last night. We worked hard on drawing up these papers, didn't we? And it was sorely deserved." He parted from Liadrin and gathered up the rest of his things. "You'd better be ready for even more too, love. Because now that we've lost that map, I willmake sure that Kael'thas signs this contract…" he paused when Sunthraze and Tempest leaned forward in their seats, wondering what he could mean. "So then. I'll see you again tomorrow night, Liadrin, to celebrate?"

Tempest brightened, whispered something into Sunthraze's ear. He blurt out, "So Blaize works like a dog and you throw him a bone? Is this your big, secret mission with the Sunfury army, that we weren't supposed to interfere with? HAHA!"

Blaize was promptly put out then. Liadrin immediately set about threatening both her Bloodknights with excommunication from the Nexus, to which Sunthraze merely shrugged. The very next threat was to put them both on babysitting duty again, in place of Pyorin and Daphne whom Kael'thas insisted on after the porn-trait incident. The Prince liked to focus on the reason why Belorim had got into the painting in the first place, rather than him owning a wall-sized pornography. During that short-lived meeting a while back, Tempest and Sunthraze failed to argue for their reputations on the matter. In the first place, they'd wanted to get fired, and in the second place, they couldn't stop laughing at Kael'thas the whole time.

Liadrin shouted, "You will rue the day you mocked that man's tragic misfortune, toyed with his broken heart and offended his innocent son!"

Tempest and Sunthraze stopped laughing right then in there. In their ears it sounded a lot like Pyorin's Olvi'athon prophecy.

"Now, why is it that Kael'thas is dating someone apparently dangerous to his well-being, and I don't know about it? What have you two been doing to encourage him on the romantic side of things?"

Both redheads stared at Liadrin.

"… Am I to conclude then that you've been chasing each other like rabid animals this entire time, not minding any of your Bloodknight duties?"

More clever silence.

"Get out of my sight. Go on, get! NOW! And don't you come back until this N'shatai fiasco is settled. I swear, by the Light, that if it truly is Lord Illidan's sister Kael'thas is shacking up with, I am going to kill the two of you with my bare hands, resurrect you and then murder you again! GET OUT!"

Suffice to say, Tempest and Sunthraze took this matter very seriously, when at last it was forced upon them.

Later…

The magical red doors to Kael'thas' apartments slipped open to a near horrifying scene.

Kael'thas and the majestic N'shatai both arguing in a terrifying dialect of Demonic that echoed in the room and seared ears. He and the woman promised the vilest sorts of death and destruction to each other in tongues… while pulling at her clothes.

"Ugh…" Sunthraze swore. "This is exactly why I did not want this assignment."

Tempest laughed, then let forth a sharp whistle to break it up.

N'shatai was an exotic beauty. She was taller than Kael'thas by at least a head. Her long rose-colored limbs moved gracefully despite how savage N'shatai could make herself sound. N'shatai had an odd way of drawing calm to herself when she wasn't speaking, breathed through her mouth like a gentle animal when lulls in conversation swelled. She would float in and out of being a majestic Night Elf woman, and Kael'thas seemed not to miss it, though he was still irritated with her. They glared at each other for a long time.

N'shatai lost the odd warlock versus Demon Huntress staring contest. She yelled, "I'XAX HARII NOMMA UNTA RUFSTHATAA HAAAAACK!" and sounded like she was going to hack up something awful and spit on Kael'thas at the end.

Kael'thas broke his gazing and snarled in response. "Your mother."

"I do not find you amusink, Blood Elf Prince. You are pathetic vaarlock. Disgusting!"

"You had better not walk around my ship bare-chested and give my men the wrong sorts of ideas." Kael'thas removed his hands, now that the point was made. "Keep that shirt on, thank you very much. It's bad enough that Illidan had you come here and spy on me."

"Ohhh… This is the part where they give into their feelings and kiss each other." Tempest smiled slyly. Sunthraze laughed with her.

Kael'thas and N'shatai paused to explode at both redheads at once.

"Prince Kael'thas. I earned zis right when I become full Demon Huntress." Now N'shatai's resemblance to Illidan made sense. The fel-tattoos, the strange hide pants stitched with the very same. And, one would have thought the twin blades that resembled the fist-scythes of Azzinoth Illidan used, laying on Kael'thas' desk, would have been a dead give away too, but those were hard to see from where Tempest and Sunthraze were standing. Illidan and N'shatai weren't related by blood, like the rumors suggested, but by profession…

Her accent was odd as well as her guise. N'shatai spoke as if some ancient dialect of Demonic was her first language, and not Darnassian. "I am strong and proud, vithout need for armor, for my fel-runes. I am ze one woman Demon Hunter of all Illidan's servants, but dat is no matter. I MUST go bare-chested, Prince Kael'thas."

"No, you must not." He mocked. "What you must do is stop following me around everywhere and ruining my reputation."

"Reputation is already ruined. And when I cannot even carry ze veapons of a Demon Hunter in public zen how else can I divine your vile works? I smell Demon magic everywhere in zis place…" and she sniffed the air like some wild animal, twisting her head about, crouching with clawed fingers outstretched. "So thick, I hardly know where to begin."

"Wow… she's really hot, in her spooky way." Tempest whispered to Sunthraze. Sunthraze gave his girlfriend a strange look.

Then he asked, on the verge of laughter, "So… you aren't dating anyone afterall, Kael'thas?"

"No… I'm being spied on, officially, by an Illidari Demon Hunter. Apparently, sending Mavia here wasn't enough for Illidan."

"You!" N'shatai pointed. A long braid of silken navy hair woven behind her violet ears in the traditional Kaldorei style slipped over her shoulders. "You are friend vith vaarlock!"

"Him? Hardly myfriend." Sunthraze nodded at Kael'thas, misunderstanding whom exactly N'shatai meant.

Kael'thas grumbled, "It's mutual."

"And you!" she turned on Kael'thas before leaving. "You have sex with Demons. Disgusting! Maybe amusing now, but it vill make you sick," her eyes got wide, "put a cancer in your soul. You vill not be able to have any voman without destroying her."

Sunthraze had been laughing heartily at Kael'thas' expense until then. Who N'shatai was referring to hit a painful note with all of them.

N'shatai reached past Kael'thas for her weapons, but he got in her way.

"Huntress N'shatai, may I ask where you intend to wander unfettered through my ship, and hopefully with your shirt kept on?" Kael'thas threatened.

"To continue investigation of Burning Legion, according to Master Illidan's wishes. Beyond eeevil Maaavia of course, everyone knows Lord Illidan, ze almighty, turned her."

Kael'thas didn't look surprised to hear it. He motioned for N'shata to go without her 'unsettling instruments that would only cause his men to panic.' After N'shatai felt her way past them, half-seeing, half sensing from under her ritual Demon Hunter's blindfold, Tempest and Sunthraze burst forth with questions. They wondered how long Kael'thas had known about Mavia's duplicitous loyalty, they accused him of siding with the enemy, demanded whether or not poor Fennore knew?

Kael'thas sat at his desk. "First of all, there is no such thing as 'poor Fennore.' Pathetic Fennore, yes, and stupid Fennore, which is even more accurate, but never 'poor Fennore.' He is more capable these days than either of you could ever imagine."

"Stop distracting us from what we need to know Kael'thas." Sunthraze accused.

"I found out from N'shatai only a little while ago that Mavia used to be a member of the Burning Legion. It's not exactly a secret, just one that Illidan never cared to tell me. And that infuriating N'shatai cannot stop talking about how much she distrusts Mavia, how much she hates her… I've been hearing nothing but that all day long, believe me." Kael'thas rubbed the bridge of his nose. "But I can assure you that Mavia's loyalty isn't strained in any way while she's here, for what it's worth. From what I've gathered, Mavia left the Legion because she was so opposed to their works. It is just another reason why Illidan finds her so valuable. She knows a great deal more about them than anyone else."

"What about you?" Sunthraze prodded. "That kind of information could be useful to you too, Kael'thas."

Tempest saw the argument bubbling over, sat on the desk between the two men. "Easy now, boys, we aren't all here for that."

And it sounded weird, as if the three of them were about to do something together. Tempest had a strange way of implying all kinds of unladylike things without really trying to. Or, was it that she always tried to, like a second nature?

"If you've come to ask for your baby-sitting privileges back…"

Tempest leaned a little over the blades and papers on Kael'thas' desk, winked. "No. We're here for something even better. My Prince."

When Kael'thas learned of their new assignment he swore so loud and wrong that both Sunthraze and Tempest had to cover their ears.

"I am not taking love advice from either of you two!"

"It's either that or let everyone in the Keep think that you keep gargantuan pornography in your bed chambers, have sex with your succubus, and are dating Illidan's sister." Tempest didn't stop smiling up at him, scooted closer across the desk. Kael'thas frowned and inched further away in his chair.

"Which, has certain implications, by the way," Sunthraze snickered, "Like… that you'd be willing to date someone exactly like Illidan except for the gender part."

"I hate both of you."

Tempest grinned specially at him. "Not me, though right? I'm going to make this lots of fun…"

Sunthraze gently pulled his girlfriend by the arm, so that she got up from the desk. "So we can be a little mean… like, okay so all the time. But Tempest and I promised Liadrin we'd be nicer to you," Snorted laughter slipped through that, "Ahem. And, despite how my girlfriend looks, Tempest isn't going to bite you Kael'thas, or is even allowed to spend any time alone with you, by The Lady's orders, don't you remember? Dear?"

"Oh, riiight. Liadrin did mention that a while back. Sorry."

Sunthraze folded arms across his chest, ignored the pang of her coming onto another man so fast. First Blaize, and now Kael'thas… what next?

"Alright, so Tempest and I were talking, Kael'thas. What this all boils down to is getting you laid by a normal" he eyed him, "…ish woman."

"Belorim is just fine by the way, thanks for asking. Since my son's near death experience, he's been having nightmares, has tummy aches… thank the Sun that you all came by offering to hook me up with someone. Because forcing Belorim's daddy to date will surely make him feel better."

Tempest sat down. Sunthraze scratched bright hair at the back of his neck. "Sorry Kael'thas, we had no idea."

Kael'thas shook his head. "Admit it, you don't really care. But I do. I can't stop worrying about Belorim. And with N'shatai here I can't even relax… Illidan is ruining my life! Did you hear that, Illidan? My son is sick and I'm to busy entertaining your psychotic Kaldorei crony to even be a comfort to him!" Kael'thas yelled through their Soul Link. "And why am I even complaining to you two for, like you care. What I would give for someone reasonable to speak to. But that's a luxury isn't it? To have friends."

This was the part where the two Bloodknights were supposed to reassure their Prince that they were his friends.

Kael'thas got through it, as he did so many things, by changing the subject. "You know what, Belorim hasn't left his bed in an entire week. I'm sure he'd love to see some new faces… even if they areyours."

It turned out that Kael'thas was right. Belorim smiled when he saw Tempest and Sunthraze, cheered up to see the Bloodknights he called 'his heroes' immediately. Kael'thas sat beside drowsy Belorim and helped him to sit up while Tempest and Sunthraze awkwardly asked the boy about his day, which was a limited conversation, and then about Belorim's favorite games, none of which he could play in his condition.

Belorim wiggled his little toes under the blue blanket and yawned. There was a pause during which they all felt what Liadrin had been getting at. Kael'thas and Belorim were royalty yes, they practically lived in a palace… but they were still a family in need. There was so much pain and sadness, and a little compassion could go a long way to help.

Kael'thas leaned down and wrapped both arms around his son.

"Are you his girlfriend?" Belorim asked suddenly, and started coughing.

Tempest was caught off guard. "Uh, yeah…"

"Where's Pyorin?"

Sunthraze flinched. Kael'thas smoothed blonde hair back from his son's sweaty brow. "Bim, don't worry about that—"

"Was he mean to you again?"

Tempest answered carefully… "Well, at first. But something happened… We fixed it though. We're all still friends. It's fine." Sunthraze looked uncomfortable.

Belorim stared straight ahead for a long quiet while. "Not Fennore."

"Son, this is sort of an adult conversation, you shouldn't concern yourself with these things." Then whispered, "I know you like them but… they aren't our family."

Sunthraze and Tempest were hurt to hear it. Kael'thas told them, "The way you've treated us… I wouldn't be surprised."

Softly, sleepy, oddly defiant, "Where's Uncle… Fennore?"

"He tried to kill me."

"Sunthraze!"

"What? It's true Kael'thas. Or didn't your minion tell you what he did to cover your secrets. None of us are speaking to him anymore. Him and eeevil Maaavia."

Belorim giggled, but that ended in a fit of coughing. "Das funny. 'Member when, at the Black Temple he used to…"

Sunthraze stood immediately. "How does Belorim know about anything from back then?"

Kael'thas shook his head. "I don't know. I think he hears more of my conversations than I realize. And he always blames it on his imaginary friend… but what do I care if he eavesdrops on me? He's my son. He can do whatever he wants…" Kael'thas lay down completely beside Belorim, his only comfort. "Look you two," he whispered when Belorim began to doze. "This is where I want to be, right here. I won't leave my son."

"But you said you were lonely, Kael'thas. You feel like you don't have any… friends?" Tempest sat on the edge of the bed. "I understand about your demanding work and all, but you can't keep isolating yourself like this. You also sound… afraid to trust other people. I know we Bloodknights keep screwing up but, still."

Sunthraze observed, "Belorim responds to you. He's too serious for a little boy, and he's getting that from you Kael'thas. All you do is wander around here and worry about him. You don't smile at him, you don't try to be happy for him, you can't. You get three guesses as to how that's going to affect his current condition."

Kael'thas lay there for so long, quiet and reluctant, Tempest and Sunthraze were forced to accept that there was nothing they could do for him, if Kael'thas did not even care to try.

"What if I…" he addressed them as they went through the door. "Take Bim with me, for a walk. What if we just walk outside in the Foyer for a bit. I'll hold him, he can sleep… will that count as me trying to cheer up and move on?"

Tempest hugged Sunthraze and tried not to cry. Sunthraze said, "It's a damned good start, Kael'thas, at last."

Out in the Foyer…

Belorim snored softly as Kael'thas and what looked like a regiment of nurses and physicians strolled among humming violet lights, patrolling guards with dragonhawks, and of course, curious Sunfury women who found excuses to wander down to the lowest level of the ship and sneak a rare look at Kael'thas and his son.

"What is this supposed to help me do, exactly?" Kael'thas whispered to Sunthraze. The ship should have been loud and alive with the noise of people working in Tempest Keep. Everyone seemed aware of Kael'thas though. Even the phoenixes soaring above in the Core had fallen silent. That sort of reverence made it feel like all pairs of eyes were on them.

"Women love kids." Sunthraze joked. Kael'thas flashed him a look.

Then, "Do they… really?"

"Do you mean you never even tried it? There are benefits to being a father, Kael'thas." Tempest smiled sadly.

"Well it doesn't affect you, Tempest." Kael'thas observed.

A mischievous smile. "Who said it wasn't—"

"Mommy…"

"Sorry, Sunthraze." Tempest said quickly and stopped leaning so close over Kael'thas' shoulder to peek at Belorim.

"I'm not asking how your girlfriend got that awful nickname." Kael'thas glowered.

"Saturna used to call him Sunshine." Sunthraze told Tempest and instantly shifted embarrassment.

"Awwww…" but it wasn't Tempest fawning over the Prince. Two Sunfury Magisters had wandered in nearer than most in the Foyer.

"Is that what you call him, Prince Kael'thas?" One of the women said. Kael'thas cleared his throat.

"Um no… that's sort of… or was my nickname. I call him Bim."

"Bim Bim." Sunthraze corrected.

Another round of oohing and ahhing.

At Sunthraze's encouragement, the ladies got Kael'thas talking about how much he loved his son, and their favorite things to do together, and all the fun trouble they got into when… well when Belorim was feeling better. The women in red Magister's robes lingered for a while, suggesting remedies, wishing Kael'thas and Belorim good luck, wondering when they might see father and son out in the Keep again, because they were so adorable together…

"You know… you can make an appointment and see Kael'thas whenever you like." Tempest said.

Kael'thas squinted an eye, suspicious.

"Just, you know, make a date with him through Advisor Sorn."

"But I…"

Sunthraze came forward and patted Kael'thas on the back. "Right now isn't the best time, you see, and he's normally so very busy with work and his son, and all. But if you want to chat and spend even more time with him…"

"A handsome Sunstrider."

"Who's single, might I add?"

"The last of his line, at that."

"And a loving father, a widower,"

"Wait, Saturna and I weren't—"

"Widower." Tempest insisted. "And it's been so hard for him, he mourned for so long. If you can imagine, it isn't easy getting back in the saddle, if you know what I mean." And as if that weren't already clear enough. "The Prince has got to be near to bursting after three long… lonely… sweaty—"

"Tempest!"

But the women were giggling and fanning themselves with their hands, blushing. Sunthraze pointed up a few levels, through the glass walls of the Core to where the royal apartments were. "I'd run up there and get at the top of his calendar, and fast, if I were you. We're his Bloodknights, and we can assure you that Kael'thas just went back on the market. Fresh this morning! Just tell Sorn that… Sunthraze the Sly sent you."

Kael'thas blushed while the ladies winked and flirted. Because of the glass ship walls, he was forced to watch the pretty Magisters hurry all the way around the ramp, ride up on the lift, and then down the hallway in the direction of Chief Advisor Sorn's office and the royal bedroom.

"I… hate… both of you."

Kael'thas would have said more but Belorim blinked awake. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Oooh! Birdies!" and pointed up above their heads to the circling phoenixes. The magical birds cheered on seeing the little Prince awaken, sang something that felt light and victorious.

"Are you feeling better?"

"Daddy! How come we never go out like this? It's fun!"

Kael'thas smiled. Belorim smiled too. Sunthraze pinched Tempest for smiling down at the Prince's backside.

"Shall I go write your name at the top of his schedule, myself? Dear?"

"No. Sorry…"

That night…

Kael'thas went to bed after everything, feeling uneasy. He'd glanced at the schedule Sorn kept for him. Three pages filled with the names of women who heard the news thanks to Tempest and Sunthraze, rushed to sign up for dates…

A heavy sigh. "That's not me. That's never been me at all… I don't care if it's been three years, this all feels like it's happening too fast."

He wandered to the bed, slipped into his nightclothes. The gargantuan painting of Saturna faced him. Velvet curtains separated them. Kael'thas was tempted to open the painting. That idea, 'beyond the veil'… Well, maybe it was just a crazy dream hallucination Freywinn had not explained to him yet, but still. It was hard to give up hope that maybe Saturna was still there.

"Goodnight Starshine." No answer. Kael'thas did this every night and there never was. At this point, it was mostly routine, a sort of three-year-old ritual… a prayer to his lost, dark angel.

Kael'thas didn't dream. He was exhausted from a day of running after a Demon Huntress, then watching Belorim, then the Demon Huntress again, after Tempest and Sunthraze thankfully left off recruiting dates for him. But now, at last, Belorim was safe in the next room and there was nothing left to do but sleep.

That did not come easily. The skilled Bloodmage was restless, got a sense he wasn't alone. Kael'thas felt someone, or something was watching him. Vile magic prickled his skin, made him hot and ache, too intense to be just a dream. A warm breath on his cheek…

It was crouching directly over him.

Kael'thas opened his eyes and watched the thing back.

"Who are you…"

Kael'thas grabbed what he thought was a leg, but it turned out to be an arm. The wrist was small, feminine. The woman was athletic and disciplined. She was perfectly still while Kael'thas reached up and felt more and more of what he could not see. Her calm breathing quickened as he slid fingers over a sweaty shoulder, then down her arched back. The bed creaked softly as Kael'thas knelt beside her. Before long, he realized that she was also kneeling.

"You're someone on my schedule… coming for what you want too early. You're not…" though he didn't believe himself, "…welcome."

"I cannot see so vell here… But I did not expect you to take me, Prince Kael'thas, as a vould a blind man."

His hands slipped carelessly over the naked backside as soon as he recognized the naked hint of profile, of a Kaldorei woman.

"N'shatai!"

"You took too long to learn who I vas. Ze rumors are true zen. You have not known voman in three long years…"

"What are you doing here? What do you want? You're not… on my schedule, are you?"

"You have felt me all over, Kael'thas. You know I come before you, to lay prostrate on hands and knees. Unless… Can it be that you've forgotten ze significance of zis position?"

Kael'thas knew. There wasn't a warlock, or sane man for that matter, who didn't know. He let himself get lost, graced a finger up the back of N'shatai's thigh, thought of where he was sitting behind her, how dangerously alluring she was, and the excellent possibilities…

"This is obviously some trap. Powerful women like you don't freely offer Demon sex… especially not to a warlock. And not to me."

"It is not an offer, Kael'thas. It is a demand. I have searched zis ship. I know vat you keep from Illidan."

Kael'thas froze.

"I can tell Illidan, or you can give me vat I vant now, vhat you have been giving to Demons, but keeping from mortal vomen for three long years… and so save yourself. Ze investigation can be held off for a very long time, Kael'thas. Perhaps indefinitely. Zat is what Mavia knows. You have bribed her too. She stinks of warlock."

If N'shatai thought that Kael'thas was the warlock sleeping with Mavia, then she knew nothing at all. Kael'thas felt the collar burn around his neck. Illidan was behind this…

"Your Lord and Master won't sleep with you? Is that why you want me, N'shatai?" Kael'thas undid his pants.

"Between fellow Demon Hunters, it is forbidden. And zere is also another connection—" her sentence was cut off when Kael'thas grabbed her from behind. He slapped his thighs against hers, rubbed himself along the inside of her leg, teasing, playing. She exhaled softly.

"But you know about our Soul Link. You know that I absorbed much of Illidan's personality, long ago. His thirst for sex and violence together is like mine… You want me to bite you, and fight with you while I take you hard, is that it?" This came out somewhat angry.

It really had been too long. Kael'thas felt himself falling for it too. He moved sweaty palms over the alluring woman's buttocks, and a sweaty cock that felt heavier and stiffened more each time he teased. Before long, both of them rubbing and needing each other, barely holding back…

"You hired ze Legion engineers imprisoned in ze Arcatraz to create ze Void Reaver, and bribed Warden Mellichar to look ze other way."

The shrewd accusation revived Kael'thas. He dug fingernails angrily into N'shatai's hips. "Is that what you would like to know, or what you have already found out?"

It escalated dangerously for him in that moment. N'shatai was uncertain, showed fear. That flicker of her innocence, ignited his desire to take advantage of that and seize her like someone else he once loved many times like this, to thrust deep inside and let the anger well up, savage, then release. And maybe she would save him too, from Illidan and the Legion, and everything else. Kael'thas sneered in the darkness and lay down instead. He used strong arms to move himself underneath N'shatai and lay facing what he wanted. The part of him that threatened to obliterate his control and ruin everything he was trying to accomplish right now, positioned far down from where it could get him into trouble.

N'shatai didn't see it that way though. She licked him.

"Stop it. I don't trust you, and if you do that, I'll kick you in the face." Kael'thas threatened.

"I could threaten you with ze same. It is a bad place for you to putyour head…"

But when Kael'thas indulged, N'shatai was incapable of complaining.

He pulled her hips down closer over his face, spoke between firm, long strokes of his tongue. "Tell me… what do you think you know about me… and the Legion?"

"Something vile… Oh!" a ragged breath, "Zomething… Nothing… no, not that… it's hard to say…"

Kael'thas kissed her, worked and licked warmer, deeper before attempting, "You can tell me, precious… something about the Void Reaver, isn't it? If you want me… to keep going…"

N'shatai gasped and pressed herself onto his mouth. Kael'thas gently pushed her away so that he could finish his sentence. "Tell me what you know, N'shatai. Then, I'll give you what you want."

It was a hard deal not to break. Kael'thas could see her better now, smell her, had tasted her. Too long, too long… doing this with a woman who could choose, who might be unwilling and unpredictable, that was an amazing thrill. Kael'thas felt himself smiling. Every conjured Demon woman in the world paled to this. He leaned up to take more, and felt N'shatai bending lower to take him in with her soft lips…

A foot against her jaw. "No. I use you, Demon Huntress, slave of my master. You don't use me."

"Zen vhat are ve doing?"

Kael'thas was overcome and needed release, though he didn't dare cross that line now. He would lose himself completely after waiting for so long... Kael'thas turned and sank his teeth into her thigh. It was well beneath the artery but N'shatai never forgot that he was her enemy. She panicked in stunned terror while he spoke into the wound, sucked.

"Finding out that you, in fact, know nothing at all. I've seduced it out of you, and so I know now that your threats are empty. Nor will I slip up tonight and tell you anything you don't already know… Even if I didn't fall for you wanting me, or having power over me, did you really think I was so hungry for a mortal woman that I wouldn't care about the consequences of giving a Demon Huntress control over my body?" Kael'thas listened to N'shatai rage against him, curse him, growl then buckle and give in. Her voice, her power, was hypnotic. But that was the point, wasn't it? Illidan wanted Kael'thas to fall prey to someone who could counter his warlock powers.

"Raa'tha, ix'atkama pumvas thack. Tamla itzack Olvi'athon. Yi Ishar…" purring, a rolled, grating 'r'. "Ishaaarrr, Kael'thas."

It turned him on. Kael'thas knew exactly what she said in that ancient dialect, and had to shut his eyes against what it meant to him. "Thank you for the compliment. It was kind. No one has ever been able to turn that into…" Kael'thas swallowed. "No, N'shatai. What I need even more than that, is for you to get your treacherous, warlock-hating ass out of my bed."

Kael'thas used magic to put the lights back on. He stood and crossed his arms while N'shatai again dressed—she didn't wear very much and so it did not take very long—and then walked her to the door.

"You are a horrible man, Kael'thas Sunstrider. I hope you get vhat's coming to you."

He laughed at her. "Because I didn't finish? Or, do you hope so because you can't deliver my punishment yourself? You are the very instrument of my downfall, N'shatai, according to Illidan, but you can't even perform a simple investigation." His scowl lightened to a handsome, self-satisfied smirk. "How does it feel to be undone by a warlock, by magics you've sworn to loathe and reject in your Demon Hunter's oath?" He leaned an arm on the doorpost. "Go on, admit it. I'm not just good at what I do, N'shatai. I am better than you could have ever dreamed. It makes you melt."

N'shatai pursed her lips together, but then smiled at him. "You are different, Kael'thas." She reached out to play with the red nightshirt he still wore. N'shatai trailed a finger over the 'K' in the monogram embroidered in the silken breast pocket, then in a circle to make the next letter, the initial of his little-known middle name, "…A compassionate vaarlock. You could have truly hurt me tonight, murdered me for trying to trick you. But you did not. I, your enemy, vas given joy. Even if it vas… cruel joy."

They kissed.

She has dark features as I have, the fel tattoos on her body. And she is even a Demon Hunter too, Kael'thas. So then, why do you like her more than me? I demand to know.

Kael'thas instantly pushed Illidan's henchwoman away. "Uh…we can't. Please, just go."

N'shatai smiled fiendishly at him. "But I may be tempted to… not find anything incriminating in ze future. If I am further discouraged."

Kael'thas could not get the similarities that Sunthraze and now Illidan had drawn together out of his head though. "No. It's just… so wrong. Besides, he can hear you."

N'shatai raised her eyebrows. She'd gotten carried away, forgotten. And then, she began to wonder about the rest of their encounter.

"Oh you are vile! Vile…" and hurried off through his dark apartments to the sliding red glass doors.

"Hey, it's not my fault when this collar wasn't my idea in the first place!" He called after her. "I'm not the one who likes to watch. And by the way, sweetheart, don't you come sneaking into my bedroom again, you conniving spawn of…"

The doors closed and Kael'thas decided to just let it go. N'shatai had so much more power than he did in this situation. No need to really get under her skin when she'd be hanging around Tempest Keep for a while yet. But he'd succeeded at disarming her, she was thrown off the trail. For now.

I demand an answer, Kael'thas.

Illidan… I think it's time we finally talked about this. Have you noticed that, over the last three years, you've been getting… clingy, obsessed with me? Sometimes you even suggest that we… well, it's sick! Can you please stop doing it? You are no longer the man I met in Outland almost six years ago, the person I feared and respected so much that I foolishly put blind faith in him.

I am still that person.

No, your madness is eating you alive. You are getting worse… it's disturbing, to say the least. Not that I care, but I'm your warlock. You enslaved me to that task against my will. I might as well tell you, before we both end up in an even worse mess together. You should go get some help.

A pause.

Kael'thas. You are my help.

Kael'thas groaned in frustration, sat on the bed and pulled at his long hair.

No I'm not! Stop saying that. We are not friends, we are not brothers, not anything… You put a collar around my neck, and one day I swear I am going to kill for it. And for taking Saturna away from me, and everything else! Don't think that I'll ever forget, Illidan!

You are a compassionate warlock. Perhaps you will not forget. But I believe that, in time, you will forgive me.

"Yes, a weakness of mine I will do everything in my power to keep you from exploiting. Even if I have to go to the greatest lengths to corrupt myself—"

Illidan seized Kael'thas' voice, through the collar. "You will break my heart if you do."

For you see, Kael'thas, regardless of what you believe, or of our physical limitations… My heart and yours, they are the same. We are kindred spirits, Kael'thas, and not even you can deny that. What you do affects me deeply, and the converse is also true. Sleep well, my friend.

Well before I go to bed Illidan, you'd better at least accept that N'shatai and you are not the same. So don't you even dare bother me about that insanity again.

Actually, she and I have spoken about this before. N'shtai is, in fact, a Stormrage through some distant relation... our shared features and personality, the affinity for dark magics, are no coincidence. It is an authentic resemblance that you found so appealing—

SHUT THE HELL UP, ILLIDAN!