Chapter Twenty Three

Luke took his time getting up the next morning. It was his day off. He still felt nauseous, but worked on some book keeping. He wanted to rest, so no work at The Jade Wolf today, but he did feel well enough to shop for supplies. He also stopped in at the pharmacy.

During the party celebrating his ascendancy as pack leader, Gabriel took him aside. "This really is a family. You know how it is, you can't always stay with your birth family after something like this. A lot of us come from tough backgrounds. What I'm trying to say is, a lot of the cubs, and even some of the older wolves, really need a father figure. Gretel and Alaric are great at discipline and are fiercely loyal, but neither of them are the warm and fuzzy type. If you can, take the cubs under your wing."

Some of the older pack members had expressed similar concerns about the young ones. Natasha was most blunt. "You may need to reign 'em in about sex. We don't need any babies running around here. You give 'em the talk if you have to."

Not all pack members had steady employment, and he made sure the young ones had birth control. He'd asked Natasha to talk to the girls, but she turned him down. "No can do, Boss. They'd think I'm a buzzkill. They'll listen to you."

None of them were young enough that he had to explain the basics but he did tell them he bought birth control, told them to keep it on them, especially when they went to one of Magnus' parties. He left it at the Hunter's Moon, and checked and restocked as needed. He'd been surprised that the young ones confided in him they were scared about losing control during intimate moments.

"Has that like, ever happened to you? You turned or started turning while doing it? I'd be so embarrassed I'd want to die!" wailed Malarie.

"That's why I like hooking up with Downworlders. It'd suck if it happened, but hey – at least they'd already know I was a werewolf." added Bat.

Luke told them that had never happened to him. That rage or deep pain were what had triggered his uncontrolled changes, not passion. He told them he had never told a Mundane he was dating he was a werewolf. That it was difficult to have to hide, but only they could decide who they wanted to be with.

He needed to restock. While in the aisle, he saw the personal lubricants. He remembered his and Valentine's first time. What Valentine had said last night. He normally didn't feel embarrassed buying the birth control, but now he realized that was because it wasn't personal. He wasn't buying for himself.

He schooled his features and took a bottle of lubricant off the shelf, without thinking any further what he intended to use it for. He paid and left the pharmacy, stopping by The Hunter's Moon to chat with the wolves who were working. It was mid afternoon, but it would get crowded here later. He told them not to expect him tonight.

Valentine and he had agreed to meet tonight, earlier since he didn't have to work. Valentine told him this would be his last night in the area, and he'd asked to stay the night with him at Renwick's. Valentine agreed, and he had an overnight bag packed with toiletries, a change of clothes, and now, his recent purchase.

Valentine stood outside of Renwick's, well past sunset, the nights were long this time of year. There wasn't much outside the building. Overgrown hedges, a few trees. The people who used this place enjoyed some style, hence the furnishings on the third floor, but this place was only a temporary location. A place to hide in plain sight. He had taken care of his business here. Met with contacts, exchanged information and favors.

He saw Lucian's truck approaching, watched him park, then open the door and hop down.

"Good evening, Valentine." Luke said as he approached, a smile on his face. He was wearing his down jacket and work boots again, carrying a duffel bag. He felt predatory at the sight of him.

"Good evening. Come inside."

They walked in through the front doors. He turned on his witch-light, and once again handed Lucian the lantern, hyper aware of of his hand, even through their gloves, close to his own. They headed directly upstairs to the study. He had a fire going already. There was too much stone for it to be pleasant, but it was tolerable.

He removed his coat and gloves, while Lucian did the same. He seemed better tonight; his color had returned. After observing Lucian on and off a year before approaching him, Valentine knew he regularly looked haggard. He hadn't looked that way when they were younger. While never brimming over with passion, Lucian had looked well and he saw that in him again the night they had been intimate. The flush invigorated him, he had looked positively glowing. Valentine hoped to see him that way again later this evening, but for now, he indicated to the chess board.

"A rematch? I would like to improve upon yesterday's performance."

"Alright." agreed Lucian.

He was somewhat interested in the match, but he had suggested it mainly because he felt it would be crass to invite Lucian to bed immediately upon his arrival. But there was no doubt – in either of their mind's – that was their destination tonight.

He had been pleased Lucian wanted to stay the night. Asking him ahead of time, so forthright, was not something Valentine was used to, but it matched Lucian's personality. He had found it refreshing when they were young. Lucian had a deep sense of who he was, and Valentine admired that in him. He wondered if it was from spending so much time alone as a child.

Lucian had told him he would often spend hours by himself wandering through the woods around the cabin he and Amatis grew up in. Even when he was with Jocelyn, he said one of their favorite things to do together, that Jocelyn later confirmed, was to wander through the woods, she with her sketch pad and pencils, and find a clearing to sit in. Jocelyn drew to her heart's content, with Lucian her silent companion:

"It actually turned quite embarrassing for us; my parents thought we were exploring 'something else,' together in the woods. My father took Lucian aside and explained to him about the birds and the bees, while my mother did the same with me. I was horrified. Amatis still teases us about it."

Despite his only partial commitment to the game, he did improve, winning the match. Valentine felt Lucian's eyes on him, and turned to face him. To his surprise, Lucian had a slight blush.

"Could we go to your bedroom now?" he asked.

Valentine smiled. "My thoughts, exactly." He needed no persuasion, and he picked up his witch-light, Lucian his outerwear and duffel bag. Upon seeing that, he picked up his outerwear as well. They would not be coming back in this room tonight, and Valentine doused the fire, then led the way out to the hall, turning right. The door to study was directly off the stairs. There were four furnished bedrooms on this floor. He was staying in his favorite room here, at the end of the hall.

He pushed open the bedroom's heavy oak double doors. There was a fireplace that shared the wall the doors were on. He had lit it earlier. It took the chill off. The floor was stone, the furniture the same dark wood as the study. There was a love seat and chair with a low table in front of the picture window on the right wall. On the far wall was an attached bathroom and the headboard of a four poster bed.

Valentine placed his outer wear on top of a dresser, then lit candles for light, some on the fireplace mantle, and he placed one on the bedside table as Lucian looked around the room. He had said last night this place reminded him of Idris, and Valentine agreed. It was part of the limited appeal of staying here, the only other benefit being its central location.

Lucian walked to the chair, placing his things down on it, as Valentine walked to the left side of the bed, flipping the heavy quilt and wool blankets back. Lucian approached from the other side, after placing his glasses down on the nightstand. Valentine laid down, and when Lucian came close, he reached for and pulled him on top. He kept one leg bent up and pressed firmly against Lucian's side.

After last night, he did not want to jar him by touching his thigh, or anywhere near it. Valentine had determined to keep his ministrations mainly to Lucian's torso, though it frustrated him to do so.

Once Lucian was balanced, Valentine secured one arm up around his waist, the other around his shoulder, placing his hand on the nape of his neck. His heat was welcome in this drafty place. Lucian leaned down and they kissed, Valentine running his tongue along the seam of Lucian's lips. He felt Lucian's quick intake of air through his nose. He pressed on, his tongue touching Lucian's front teeth, Lucian having parted his lips enough to allow him to do so. Valentine then started pushing between Lucian's top and bottom teeth.

Lucian pulled away briefly, readjusting himself so that he was putting his weight on his forearms, then leaned down and kissed Valentine again, taking Valentine's lower lip between his teeth gently, eventually feeling his tongue against his own.

Lucian eventually pulled away, sitting back on his knees. He gripped the bottom of Valentine's wool sweater. Together they maneuvered until Valentine was free of it and his thermal silk base layer. Lucian started undoing the buttons of his flannel shirt, and he pulled off the cotton thermal underneath that, leaving them both bare chested. Valentine refrained from touching him while he did so, instead watching the flex of Lucian's chest and abdominal muscles in the firelight.

Valentine had slept with a few men in the past, but it had been mostly for curiosity's sake. He had been exclusively with women for years now.

He was aware of the effect he had on others. He enjoyed the feeling of power it gave him, and he enjoyed sex in general. He liked the give and take of energy, liked to see people stripped down, revealing their base selves, but these encounters were not intimate, nor were they ever intended to be. The people he slept with were attracted to him superficially: his looks, his charisma, his intelligence, a certain essence even, and he had been similarly attracted to them.

Lucian was with him tonight having seen him at his best and his worst, having known and interacted with him for years. There was nothing superficial about this.

Lucian grabbed the pile of shirts and let them drop off the side of the bed. Then Lucian leaned down and kissed Valentine on the side of his neck. He gripped the back of Lucian's head threading his fingers through his hair. Lucian's hair had always been unmanageable, and he liked the texture of it. With his other hand he felt along Lucian's back.

"Are you trying to send me a message, Lucian?"

Lucian stopped what he was doing and looked up. He looked genuinely confused. "What do you mean?"

"Having me bare my throat to you?"

Lucian's reply was hesitant. "No, I wasn't trying to do that."

That had been a poor choice on his part, but he had been caught up in the moment. It occurred to him that Lucian had never had a lover who knew he was a werewolf. What a strange twist of fate, that he was the first.

"I am only teasing. Please, continue."

To further emphasize that, he pulled Lucian's head back down, and gripped his back more tightly.

Lucian kissed his neck once more, but he did not linger there, instead he started moving lower, kissing the base of his neck, then making a straight line down Valentine's chest. Valentine hummed his approval.

Lucian kept going until he got to the waistband of Valentine's pants.

"Let me up for a moment." said Valentine.

Lucian moved back towards the foot of the bed. Valentine sat up and stood from the bed. He removed his belt and pants and baselayer, feeling Lucian's attention on him as he did so. He had not felt like struggling to remove his trousers in the bed, but he also wanted to send Lucian the suggestion to remove his own jeans. He thought it best to let Lucian decide when he wanted to reveal himself. That was why he had not touched him when he removed his shirt, nor did Valentine plan on removing any of Lucian's clothing tonight.

He grabbed hold of Lucian and turned him so he was lying on his back with Valentine hovering above him. Valentine pulled the covers over them, then brought his arms under and around Lucian's shoulders, lifting them up so that they rested on Valentine's forearms. Lucian wrapped his arms around Valentine's shoulders in return, as Valentine had hoped he would.

Valentine pressed into him and kissed him, chests flush. He was satisfied, feeling when Lucian pressed up against him to take breath, and in this new position his breathing rate had increased.

Valentine pulled up eventually, and Lucian withdrew his arms, then reached down to undo his belt and jeans. Lucian had no other layer on underneath, but having felt Lucian's jeans, he knew there were heavier than normal, lined with flannel most likely. Lucian dropped his clothes over the side of the bed, then moved closer to Valentine, lying on his side.

Valentine turned on his side as well, and as they began kissing again, he enjoyed the feeling of so much skin against skin.

Valentine could tell much about a person after sleeping with them. How genuine they had been in earlier meetings with him. It was difficult to hide anything during such a focused, intense interaction as sex.

Lucian was much as he expected him to be, and getting to know each other in this way felt much the same as when they first got to know each other as teenagers. Lucian was reserved, but his presence was strong. He had not opened up immediately, but once they established their friendship, Lucian was loyal, honest, quietly giving.

Valentine thought they had established a good connection with each other, so to suddenly feel Lucian's energy give out, as though he had fallen, was startling. He checked to see if Lucian had physically shifted, but he had not.

Lucian kissed him again, but the difference was immense. Valentine rolled them so he was once again straddling Lucian, and leaned down to kiss him again. It didn't change anything; Lucian's movements were slower, softer, that previous lack of density. Then, to his surprise, Lucian spoke.

"Valentine-" Lucian sounded as if he were in mid thought, and Valentine waited for him to finish. Instead of continuing, Lucian let go of his holds on Valentine, then he turned himself over, so that he was laying on his stomach, then turned his head to look up at Valentine.

"Can we try this again? I brought lubricant with me; it's in my bag. Let me up and I'll get it."

This only added further to Valentine's confusion. He was almost positive Lucian had no awareness that his being had shifted so drastically, but he was aroused and overcome Lucian wanted this.

As he stated last night, he had wanted to do this again since their first night together, but that night had not been easeful. He had almost stopped multiple times. Even with the preparation and the balm, Lucian had been almost too tense to enter, but each time he considered stopping, Lucian managed to relax enough for him to move again. He doubted it was pleasurable for him, and suspected he only climaxed out of being overly stimulated.

Even for himself it had not been pleasurable, but it was undeniably powerful, being in such intimate contact. Given what had happened last night, Valentine had not thought it likely they would be having intercourse tonight.

Valentine moved off of Lucian and sat up in the bed, watching him as he sat up and got off the bed, walking over to his duffel bag bare save his underwear. This room was significantly more homey than the rest of the manor, but it still had the feeling that no one really lived here. Seeing Lucian in this transient place, with his vitality gone, he was unpleasantly reminded of a ghost. Even the memory of just a moment ago, feeling Lucian pressed up against him could not dispel this.

He got a good look at his face, and he did not look well. He was flushed, but this flush caused him to look worn out, exhausted even. Valentine realized this had probably been building for awhile, and he only just noticed it a moment ago.

Once again, he had been fooled by Lucian's natural steadiness, though he had to admit his own lust had at once blinded him and caused him to disregard something he already knew- that their conversation last night was not enough to ease the aftermath of what Lucian had gone through.

How to tell him this without it coming across as a rejection or a critique. When he got back to the bed, Valentine took the lubricant bottle from him, and placed it on the bed next to him, then he pulled Lucian into an embrace. Lucian turned his head, kissing Valentine on the cheek.

"I know that -" began Lucian, but Valentine interrupted him.

"Listen to me." as he tightened his arms, holding him to his chest. "I believe what you are asking to do will be too taxing on you tonight. I decline your offer, but know you are welcome in my bed."

He felt Lucian's surprise by the way he tensed, and he continued on quickly. "That being said, we can still make use of this." He let go of Lucian and picked up the lubricant, opened the cap and squeezed, but nothing came out. Momentarily amused, he twisted the cap off, then took off the safety seal, looking to Lucian with a smile on his face and a question in his eyes.

"I bought it today." Lucian said, bashfully.

"Lucky me." Valentine grabbed the waistband of his briefs and slide them off. Lucian actually looked shocked, but slid his off as well, and they dropped them off the sides of the bed. Valentine leaned over, still sitting up, and kissed Lucian deeply, and he was pleased to feel Lucian respond in kind, bringing his hands up to grip Valentine's biceps.

Valentine pulled away from the kiss, then took the lubricant, squeezing some onto his hand. He trailed his hand down Lucian's abdomen, making his intentions clear.

Valentine pulled them both down, after they finished, letting the aftershocks run through. Lucian's breathing took on a deep, resting quality. They laid there so long, Valentine thought he had fallen asleep, but he heard a rustle of sheets, then Lucian's whispered "I love you."

This brought Valentine back to Lucian's goodnight kiss at The Riverside, and he saw it with new clarity. It was not that Lucian lacked sincerity, but he now recognized the anxiety behind his words; Lucian trying to come back to himself and the present, and not quite succeeding. He wished there was more he could do for him, but for now, he leaned forward, kissed Lucian tenderly, and repeated to him, "I love you."