A Night at the Inn

by Cricketsong.1985

Adrian never expected Sypha and Trevor to invite him to join their relationship. After a night at an inn changes everything he's learning that there is more to life than defeating his father. This new mixture of awkwardness and self discovery has him learning to open up for the first time but setbacks along the way meet him at every turn. Threesome. Violence, gore & angst later. M.

24. Part Twenty-Four

~o~O~o~

Part Twenty-Four

Adrian passed several hours in a still and dreamless slumber, but eventually he was pulled back to consciousness by the now-familiar sound of Trevor and Sypha bickering about something that was most likely inane and probably borne of their own stubborn natures. Their voices were coming from outside, but he could hear them clearly, caught in a circular back and forth that sounded like it was getting more heated by the minute.

Unwilling to leave the comfort of his resting place just yet he stirred lazily and opened his eyes, blinking up at the rafters overhead. It was warm and dark in the loft, and the smell of fresh bread filled the room. Adrian had fallen asleep with his boots and coat on, but he didn't mind. The quilt beneath him was hardly even rumpled – he was very still in his sleep and hadn't disturbed it much. Now he took the opportunity to stretch indulgently, arms overhead and toes pointed, his linen shirt riding up slightly and exposing his abdomen. He yawned wide and sat up, smoothing his gloved fingers through his hair.

He felt far better after some rest. His mind wasn't so turbulent and upset over the earlier conversation any longer. There were things to do and he was fairly certain that if he didn't go and break up his two squabbling lovers that Sypha was likely to either set Trevor on fire or follow through on her threat to end the Belmont line by freezing his balls off. Poor Trevor. Adrian would almost feel sorry for him if he didn't know him so well. But he did, so any sympathy towards him was quickly offset by the knowledge that he'd more than likely earned Sypha's ire.

Adrian rose gracefully, pushing the oilskin from the window and peering out over the lawn. The sun had traveled across the sky and by his assessment it was somewhere in the middle of the afternoon. He wrinkled his nose at the brightness and let the flap fall shut, but he'd already seen enough to make him smirk to himself.

Sypha had taken the goat out of the barn paddock and had it on a rope lead which it was in the process of chewing through even as the copper-haired mage tried to yank it free so the animal could be led to the cart, which was in the middle of the yard and now laden with supplies. Trevor was gesticulating dramatically at the animal and pointing to the barn, stomping his foot.

Adrian silently made his way through the cottage and out towards the scene. He arrived as Sypha stepped between Trevor and the goat, as if to defend her charge.

"Trev she has to come with us! We can't leave her here, she'll starve!"

The last Belmont laughed harshly. "Like hell that thing is going to starve, it already tried to eat my hand and your robe. Turn it loose and it'll be fine. We aren't fucking farmers. Didn't you learn anything from the last time we tried to bring a goat with us? It will slow us down too much and attract attention. It's not coming."

"She's a she, not and it, and she's coming with us. We owe Hana a goat, remember? You stole hers, and she was so kind to us. We have to bring her."

"No, we don't. Like I give a shit if I owe some old maid a damned farm animal. She's probably dead by now anyway. That village is the closest one to where the castle is right now. I'm sure everyone there is already dead. Dracula will need corpses for his necromancer to turn into night creatures, and who better to kill than helpless peasants? Come on Syph, you know I'm right."

Sypha stood her ground, crossing her arms and leveling Trevor with a challenging glare. "I don't care. She's coming with us. She's a sweetie, aren't you girl," she turned and made to pet the animal's side. The goat made a noise of indignation and snapped at her hand. Sypha withdrew quickly, the sound of teeth echoing between them. "She's just nervous because of all the commotion. You're scaring her."

Trevor barked derisively at that. "Right. I'm scaring her. That's rich."

Adrian debated whether he should bother interjecting. This argument was more ridiculous than he initially realized and it was pretty clear that there was no way to make both parties happy, so he didn't see any point in getting involved. Instead he crossed his arms and leaned casually on the side of the barn in the shade, letting them carry on of their own accord.

Trevor grabbed the rope lead and yanked it, pulling the brown and white animal back towards the barn. "C'mon, back in your pen."

Sypha rushed to stop him, grabbing the middle of the rope and trying to pull in the opposite direction. Trevor nearly yanked her off her feet but she flicked a finger and froze one of his boots to the ground, effectively halting his progress.

"That's fucking cheating," he growled and pulled a dagger from somewhere on his person, quickly throwing it so it pinned the bottom of Sypha's robe into the dirt. Adrian had to bite back a snicker at their childish standoff. The rope was taught between them, still being yanked in two directions.

"You can't leave her in there, there is nobody here to take care of her Trev. She needs us."

"Well why don't we kill her and eat her then? Problem solved. Adrian can have the blood. Everyone wins."

"No! Look at her sweet face, we can't kill an animal like her! Besides, she can give us milk while we are traveling!"

Ever reasonable, Adrian was willing to consider bringing the animal if only to repay the kindness of this 'Hana' woman. If she wasn't dead, as Trevor had said already. And she probably was, so it would be pointless to bring the goat. He glanced at it skeptically, noting that it had already managed decent progress on the lead while the pair were distracted. It gave him an unimpressed stare with one eye, creepy oblong pupil making him recoil. No wonder people associated these animals with devils; they were just awful. Adrian thought if he had to take a side here it would be Trevor's. Killing it or leaving it behind sounded far preferable to dragging it along. It had already proven that it had an awful temperament. Sypha was clearly delusional.

As Trevor managed to free his boot from the ice and Sypha yanked the dagger out of the earth to unpin her robe, the rope went slack, eaten through by the animal in question. It bleated at them both and trotted off in the opposite direction, towards the garden where it casually began to eat the vegetables, stubby tail swishing in triumphant glee. The mage and hunter ran after it and were led in a comical and fruitless chase in circles around the garden.

After tripping over one another and knocking their heads together Trevor threw his hands up in exasperation and stalked towards the barn. "Fine Sypha, if you can catch it you can bring it, but I'm not taking care of it!" he called over his shoulder, dusting himself off and rubbing the goose egg he was getting on his head gingerly.

"Jesus you'd think her skull is made of rocks," he muttered to himself, pausing beside the dhampir and giving him a scowl. "You look awfully fucking smug," he snapped when he saw Adrian's expression, but his mouth softened into a sheepish grin. "I should know better than to try and win an argument with Sypha by now. Serves me right."

"It does," Adrian agreed, opting to keep the smirk. He caught Trevor's elbow in his hand and tugged the hunter closer, tracing a careful fingertip over the growing bump on his head. Trevor seemed like he was going to resist, but he allowed himself to be pulled against Adrian's chest and inspected.

"I think you'll live," he concluded after a moment, taking the opportunity to press a kiss to the hunter's hair and another on his temple.

"OW! Hey! Stop that! I'm on your side!" Sypha's voice came across the lawn and both men looked up to see her tugging the edge of her robe out of her rescued charge's teeth. Her finger was bleeding where it had clearly bitten her. At the scent of blood Adrian tensed, considering coming to her aid but Trevor wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him back.

"Don't you dare help her. Let her learn the hard way. That thing is a menace."

"But-

"No. She'll never learn if you play hero every time she is too pig-headed to see reason."

Something about that statement made Adrian smile. "You'll be a good father someday Trevor," he said affectionately, leaning his head against the hunter's.

Trevor shrugged. "That's a scary thought. Me, the responsible one between us. Christ help whatever kid gets fucked over hard enough to have me as a parent. Come help me with the horses. Let her suffer a little longer."

They both watched as the goat pulled Sypha forward and she landed hard on her hands and knees in a patch of greens. It bent right beside her and started nibbling at the leaves, ignoring her exaggerated fuming.

"Are you sure we shouldn't-

Trevor rolled his eyes. "No Adrian, we shouldn't. How are you this soft? She'll be fine. Horses, come on."

Adrian let himself be guided into the barn and out of sight of Sypha for the time being. He couldn't help feeling a little guilty for not helping, but he supposed Trevor was right, and he wasn't exactly eager to go head to head with that awful creature. Extracting its milk earlier had been plenty harrowing for his tastes already.

The interior of the barn was warm and dim, the strong scents of animals and hay nearly overpowering to Adrian's delicate senses. He wasn't much for the rugged life, and he lacked an appreciation for this sort of organic environment. Horses were fine, but he could do without all the rest. Trevor, on the other hand, seemed very much at home. Given his unusual life it was likely that he'd spent many nights sleeping in piles of straw or between animals for warmth. Adrian could imagine him sneaking into a place like this to bed down and keep from freezing to death on an especially cold night. The man had no compunctions about doing what was necessary, dignity and standards be damned. Adrian had to wonder if he would be able to tolerate living in a normal home, sleeping inside and such; maybe his wanderlust would be too strong to keep him in any single place for very long.

Trevor completely lacked appreciation for the finer things in life, but Adrian was beginning to long for them wistfully.

If there was anything to look forward to in all of this – aside from the whole saving the human race part – it was to finally return to his home and be able to get properly clean. The romanticism of life on the road had been lost some time ago, and he wished fervently for clean nails and hair and the plushness of a feather bed under him, and the softness of silk sheets on his skin. He could hardly claim to sweat at all, but he felt like he was coated in a layer of grime from head to toe which no amount of bathing in creeks and lakes would ever wash away. He nearly fantasized about giving Sypha and Trevor a good scrubbing as well; neither of them was especially mindful of their hygiene on the road. He longed to have them pink and fresh and dressed in something they hadn't already been wearing for weeks on end.

But that was a dream for another day, because at present Adrian's buckskin boots were only narrowly avoiding the closest pile of horse shit and Trevor was impatiently holding out the reins of one of the two large animals for him to take. They needed to be brushed down and all of their gear needed to be inspected before they could go anywhere.

Adrian accepted the length of thick leather and an apple in his hands and watched Trevor for a moment. The animals were eager for attention and not shy, and Trevor had already begun sliding his palm along one long brown nose, speaking quietly under his breath and letting the animal get used to him before he began to brush. As with most things, Trevor got right down to business and didn't waste any time.

Adrian hesitated momentarily, considering the things he had been thinking about earlier. He wanted to talk to Trevor about some of his uncertainties, but didn't know how to begin. Rather than say anything he turned his focus to the chestnut mare with a dappling of white along her face and chest. She nosed him curiously, looking for treats and attention. He gently stroked her face, letting her smell him. She was far more interested in the apple than being touched. He offered it to her and it was taken greedily into her mouth, straight white teeth crunching through it in seconds. After she finished with the fruit and was convinced that there were no more apples hiding within reach she stilled and let Adrian brush her, beginning with her mane.

"Sypha and I got the wagon pretty much packed while you were napping, so we can get going as soon as we are done with this," Trevor offered after a few minutes of companionable silence passed.

"We should have lunch first," Adrian suggested. "Then we can hopefully make some good progress before we have to stop again."

"We ate while you were asleep," Trevor turned and gave him a wide smile, one that Adrian thought made him look very handsome. He had also shaved at some point and was almost stubble free – an unusual look for the normally grizzled hunter. "I didn't think you would be hungry yet."

The blonde nodded in understanding. "I'll be fine for awhile."

They went back to brushing, Adrian finding himself tongue-tied and at a loss for how he could outright ask Trevor to explain sex between men to him in so many words. It was too strange a thing to ask, no matter his curiosity. Sypha had made it easier to talk to her earlier because she had asked him what he was thinking about, but Trevor didn't seem to be paying much attention to him at all, his mind was obviously elsewhere. He was moving through his task expediently, not saying much. He was probably thinking about the coming journey, and what lay at its end.

"Syph had that nasty skin book out for awhile earlier," Trevor said suddenly, breaking the spell of silence. "She got really curious after you were talking about your magic and your ideas about the castle and your dad. I guess there are a few pages in there about how to kill him. I'd take anything in there with a grain of salt through, because whoever wrote that thing is long dead and Drac's still kickin' so they couldn't have been very successful."

"Was there something we haven't already thought of?"

Trevor shrugged his wide shoulders. He was working on his mare's tail now, trying to untangle some knots in the long hair. "Nothing completely new, but lemme ask you, did you ever see something you'd consider to be the 'heart' of the castle? Like, a creepy old section with a pool of blood, or some all-powerful artifact, or maybe a coffin where he sleeps?"

Adrian considered this. He shook his head. "No. Remember, if he didn't want me to see something, it was impossible to access. I'm sure there are many places I have never found. He slept with mother in their bedroom most of the time."

Trevor snorted. "What a joke. Scariest vampire around and he sleeps in a regular bed with his wife like a human."

"Well, they didn't only sleep in the bed," Adrian said with a little smile, tip of one fang visible. "They had a coffin too."

Trevor dropped the brush. It clattered to the dirt floor and he had to bend to retrieve it. "They? Like, they shared it?"

Adrian laughed. "Mother was very open-minded I suppose, always trying to understand things from Father's point of view, demonstrate her acceptance. The one they shared was a gaudy thing, made specifically with her comfort in mind. I think when I was really small they brought me too sometimes; I remember being in it between them. I imagine he has another somewhere more secretive, but yes, they did occasionally share a coffin."

Trevor took a few moments to process that. He opened his mouth like he was going to say more then closed it, thinking. Eventually he spoke again. "You were sleeping in a coffin under Gresit."

Adrian nodded. "I miss it from time to time. It's very comfortable. Quiet, dark, peaceful. I have one at the castle too."

Trevor rolled his eyes. "That's such a fucking cliché. Vampires sleeping in coffins. Christ."

He favoured the hunter with a mocking smirk. "You could join me sometime if you like. You'll sleep like the dead."

Trevor put a hand over his face, shaking his head. "That's terrible. You're terrible. The worst. There is no way in hell I am crawling into one of those things while I'm still alive."

"Scared, Belmont?" Adrian teased.

"No, but I don't like confined spaces. Why the hell would your mother agree to that? Did Drac force her?"

"I don't think so. Most likely she was curious; she always wanted to know everything about everything. When you consider the way she walked boldly into Father's castle and demanded he teach her what he knew of science it's unsurprising that her brash fearlessness was at play in other areas as well. Besides, there was no safer place for her than at his side – she would certainly be in no danger."

Trevor was caught in a rare moment of speechlessness, evidently at a total loss for any response to that.

Adrian flushed then, remembering something he would have preferred to forget. "I accidentally walked in on them once and they were… you know."

Trevor leveled Adrian with an incredulous, slightly disgusted look. "You're saying you caught your parents fucking in a coffin?"

It was Adrian's turn to shrug. "It seemed fairly normal at the time. I rather think I should have had more siblings given how… healthy their relationship was."

Trevor seemed like he was in real danger of choking on his own tongue, but he managed to regain his composure after a moment and ended up grinning knowingly. "You know, there shouldn't have been any surprises in a household where almost everyone has super senses. Sounds like your dad was flaunting it."

"Probably. I was already twelve or so, and that was the time where we had started to fight a lot. He often took advantage of opportunities to put me in my place or make me uncomfortable. It comes off as childish now that I think of it."

"You don't say," Trevor deadpanned.

"I suspect he was jealous of how close Mother and I were. She was teaching me a lot about her medical practice, and we spent a great deal of time in Targoviste at her cottage. I think he wanted to make sure I knew that she belonged to him."

Trevor just stared at him for a second, processing that. "I hope you realize how royally fucked up that is."

"I do now. Then… well at the time I was just relieved that I realized what was going on before I actually saw anything I'd never be able to forget. I- uh-" he coughed dryly. "I was more careful to knock after that."

There was a distinct snicker and Adrian shot Trevor a reproachful glare. "Shut up."

"Hey c'mon, you know it's funny. Especially since you're such a prude."

Adrian felt heat rise on his cheeks. "I'm not a prude," he snapped. "Nobody wants to see their parents doing- that."

Trevor raised a brow, setting his brush aside and checking his horse's hooves to see what state they were in. He held one fore-leg between his knees and began to clean the shoe. "I can agree with you about the parents bit, but you're literally pulling the whole blushing virgin thing on me right now. We can barely talk about sex and you are uncomfortable."

The fact that Trevor was right didn't help matters in the slightest. Adrian sighed, finishing with his horse. He didn't know how to assess the hooves or shoes, so he started to look over the bridles and other equipment to check for damage. A moment passed while he tried to think of how to respond to Trevor's observation. "You don't have to point it out like that," he finally said, voice soft.

Trevor grinned shamelessly. "How else would I get you to make that face?"

"I'm not- I'm not making any face!" he looked intently at the tangle of horse-related stuff he was sifting through to avoid meeting the blue stare he could feel on his back.

Trevor stopped what he was doing and closed the distance between them, pulling the riding gear out of Adrian's hands and guiding the dhampir's arms around his waist. "Yes you are," he said in a low tone, his hand cupping Adrian's rear and squeezing indulgently. He seriously contemplated launching the hunter across the barn; it would serve him right.

"Trevor," he bit in warning, squirming under the brunette's hold. He found himself responding to their closeness, to his partner's scent and heat pressed so near. He turned his head to the side, trying to ease out of Trevor's arms. Admittedly, he wasn't trying very hard. Trevor tightened his hold and there was a sharp pain on Adrian's ear as the hunter bit him there. He shivered, his fingertips digging into muscled sides in a halfhearted attempt to gain his freedom.

"Sometimes I wonder if you don't realize how sexy you are," Trevor said in that same rough tone, speaking conspiratorially into Adrian's ear and punctuating his announcement with another fistful of leather-clad ass cheek. "But that's impossible. You have to know."

Adrian didn't have a response to that, managing only to shift uncomfortably in Trevor's hold.

"I think you're doing it on purpose," the hunter growled, teeth latching to the pale skin on Adrian's neck. He bit harder, and crushed the dhampir against his body. "Making me crazy, parading around in tight pants with all that blonde hair flying behind you and blushing at anything even remotely provocative. You're teasing me," he accused.

"I'm… not," he said, feeling breathless. It suddenly seemed very hot in the barn.

"Then let me enlighten you," Trevor said in between working his lips along Adrian's throat, sucking the spot just below his ear until he was leaning into the other man helplessly as goose flesh spread along his neck from the attention. "You're unfairly hot. I can't wait to fuck you. This morning used up the last of my patience and when you admitted how much it turned you on I was ready to bend you over the God damned table right then and there. I'm know you need time but I don't want to wait anymore. I can't. I'm only a man Adrian, I can only take so much."

Adrian stiffened at this blatant declaration of Trevor's intentions. He had never come out and said it like that before. Even though he liked the attention to his throat and the sensation of the hunter against him, he was uncomfortable. He pushed Trevor away, eyeing him warily. How could he ask all the questions he had in the face of Trevor's words?

"Uhm," he murmured, inching backwards. "Could we slow down a little?"

Trevor stepped closer again, though he didn't try anything beyond putting his hands on Adrian's waist. "If we go any slower we'll be going backwards."

Adrian began to feel cornered, but he stood his ground. He was past running away from these things. He put a hand on Trevor's shoulder, holding him at arm's length. "I have questions."

There was the barest hint of exasperation on Trevor's face, as though he was tired of discussing everything to death, but it was fleeting. "About what?"

"About sex. About you and Sypha and myself, and where I fit into that."

Now Trevor looked puzzled. "What do you mean where you fit in? Ideally you'd fit between us… I mean, you could top, but I don't get the impression you'd want to, especially the first time. I'll try anything, really, though. Hell, even Sypha will-"

"Top?"

Whatever Trevor was going to say was cut off by Adrian's utterance of that single word, and his obvious confusion over it. The hunter squinted oddly at him, before realization dawned on his features. "Adrian are you telling me you don't know what that means?"

Adrian's gold eyes glared into Trevor's sharp blue. "I know what it means," he insisted, not without a touch of petulance. He didn't want to seem as uninformed as he actually was; he didn't want Trevor to know. His hand slipped from the hunter's shoulder slowly. He grasped Trevor's arm near the elbow and resigned himself to embarrassment. "I wasn't sure if you wanted to- to do that," he said quietly, playing with the fabric of Trevor's sleeve, cheeks blazing.

"In what universe would I not want to? You might have noticed how I get a boner anytime you wiggle that perfect ass near me, or any other part, for that matter. You're a walking wet dream, for fuck's sake."

That was a bit much for the blonde. He was already struggling just to navigate their conversation, but Trevor was pushing hard, no longer bothering to edit himself or treat Adrian with kid gloves. He found himself replaying the hunter's words as he worried his lower lip between his teeth. Trevor's eyes followed his mouth, not missing a single movement.

"Christ I told you before what it does to me when you bite your lip like that. That shit is why I wonder if you are really this naive or if you're fucking with me."

Adrian scowled, crossing his arms in irritation. Why did this jerk have to make these things so difficult? "I'm being serious Trevor. You and Sypha were together before I became involved. We have never discussed this until now."

"Sorry, sorry, jeeze, don't get all upset, I thought it was pretty obvious what all three of us wanted. We can talk about it. What do you want to know?" Trevor backed up his statement with an arm around Adrian's waist, his palm open over the curve of his lower back. It helped make things less awkward. Adrian's inclination was to withdraw when he was uncomfortable, but Trevor wasn't going to let him, he kept bringing them back together, maintaining a physical connection. It helped. He found himself leaning into the touch.

"Do you really want to… do that to me?" he asked, knowing he sounded diffident even though he was trying no to.

Trevor planted a kiss on his temple. "You have no idea," he said with a toothsome grin, pulling Adrian more tightly against his body. "You don't want to?"

Adrian wavered, trying to find a polite way to say what he was thinking. "Well, it seems like it would be… unpleasant. Painful. Unsanitary. I don't see the appeal. Male anatomy isn't intended to be-"

"It can be all of those things," Trevor admitted, which only served to further confuse the blonde.

"Then what is the appeal? You own enjoyment? Even if it feels bad for the other person?"

"It doesn't have to feel bad. It can feel great if you're properly prepared and a little care is taken. I don't plan on hurting you. I mean, unless you want me to, but let's start with the normal stuff before we worry about the kinky shit. Syph and I even tried it, for fun. But women are missing some key anatomy, so it doesn't feel as good for them. We were just fucking around, playing. She couldn't get off just from anal."

Trevor's hand had worked its way along Adrian's lower back. He slipped it into the tight confines of his breeches, cupping his bare rear and squeezing affectionately. "Let's not beat around the bush. I'd like to try, and fuck do I ever hope you will give it a chance, but you don't have to if you don't want to. It's not like I can force you."

Adrian studied the hunter's face as he thought about what he was saying. "Can't we just do it the traditional way?"

Trevor raised a brow. "Unless you have a pussy you aren't telling me about..." he removed his hand from the back of Adrian's pants and pushed it down the front instead, cupping the blonde's testicles and groping around behind them obtusely. Adrian grabbed the hunter's wrist, tugging his hand away.

"Quit it," he complained with annoyance.

"Hey don't get all pissy, I was just checking. I'm all for something new and you are prettier than most of the women as it is, though you're awfully tall..."

Adrian rolled his eyes and slapped a hand to his forehead, bowing it in exasperation. "Oh my God Belmont I don't have a vagina I was talking about Sypha."

The shameless grin appeared once more, just begging to be slapped off the cocky jerk's face. Adrian was rather proud of his restraint thus far. A lesser man would have already punched Trevor or at the very least tossed him across the barn. "I know you were. But making you uncomfortable is so satisfying. I can't help myself."

That was the final straw. Adrian did toss Trevor this time, grabbing him by the back of his shirt and flipping him hard onto his back, making sure to knock the wind out of him. The horses whinnied in alarm and stamped their hooves, making to bolt at the sudden commotion. Adrian grabbed their reins before they could trample the hunter in their effort to escape. Trevor stayed where he landed, winded, but still smirking with self-satisfaction. Adrian gave him a mildly disgusted curl of his lip and flipped his hair over one shoulder, leading the horses out of the barn. He was courteous enough to lead the animals around the man on the floor, rather than over him.

"Good talk," Trevor called after him, his voice a wheeze.

"Fuck you," he shot back, not bothering to look over his shoulder, although he knew the idiot was still grinning as he tried to catch his breath.

That exchange had been awfully awkward, but at least he'd found a few of the answers he had been searching for. He was secretly grateful for Trevor's humour and his complete lack of propriety; it made him much easier to talk to about the uncomfortable things which Adrian knew he'd never be able to put into so many words on his own. Trevor never failed to provide a push to get the ball rolling when Adrian was paralyzed by trepidation. Now Adrian's thoughts were circling over the topic at hand, replaying Trevor's words in his mind. He was not necessarily convinced that he wanted to try it, but he was certainly growing more curious.

~o~O~o~

The trio left the quaint forest cottage behind in the late afternoon with a mixture of fond memories and a heavy sensation of foreboding as they proceeded towards what Adrian knew may well be their doom. It was still sharply cold and bright, even as the shadows were beginning to lengthen beneath the pines. Adrian was on foot, allowing Trevor and Sypha to sit on the wagon seat and lead the horses along a narrow, winding course through the thick trees. He could already detect the scent of death on the wind from time to time, but for the moment it remained far off in the distance and he expected they had a few days ride before they encountered the source of the odour.

Nestled in the back of the wagon was the brown and white bone of contention which was already proving herself to be far more trouble than she could possibly be worth, especially given that she seemed both willing and able to chew through almost anything, including the sacks they'd packed their food stores in and the ropes used to tether her into the cart. The goat wasn't fast enough to keep up with the horses, and she had been relegated to the wagon after only a short time.

Trevor was still shooting Sypha poorly concealed dirty looks over the animal's presence, which were met with haughty little snorts and the sight of Sypha's small nose turned upwards, her arms crossed. In Adrian's opinion the pair of them were acting like children. He couldn't bring himself to be irritated though, because there was clearly levity underlying their squabbling, and Trevor's glares had lost their sting sometime ago.

When the dhampir next glanced back at them Trevor had wound an arm around the Speaker and they were leaning into one another. He could hear her hum of approval as she snuggled closer to the his warmth and he pawed at the swell of her thigh to draw her nearer. Adrian returned his eyes to the path, a small smile gracing his lips.

As nighttime drew in around them Adrian shifted to his lupine form, padding along well ahead of the horses and scenting the forest for any sign of danger. His paws tread silently over the dirt and stones, ears high, golden eyes scanning the dark spots between the trees. He kept a careful ear trained on the cart bumping along behind him and occasionally did a wide circling loop around his companions, ever vigilant and easily resuming his position ahead of them on the trail.

Eventually the horses needed rest and the trees were so thick they were blacking out the trail and making it difficult to traverse. Trevor called Adrian back to them and he appeared astride the cart in the blink of an eye, his large white form slipping silently from between the trees. He pricked his ears forwards to show Trevor he was listening, giving the horses a wide berth in case they spooked at the sudden appearance of a wolf. They seemed alright and he deduced that they had grown used to him over the past hours and perhaps recognized his scent from earlier.

"Let's find somewhere to stop, I can't see a damn thing," Trevor complained. Adrian noted the way his eyes were straining in the blackness, the blue irises a thin ring around pupils which were open wide to catch what little light was available. If his fur weren't white he thought Trevor wouldn't have been able to see him at all. He released the soul of the wolf, quickly returning to his usual shape and hopping gracefully into the cart so he could speak to them.

He landed neatly on the balls of his feet, earning an unappreciative snap from the startled goat in the back. In a moment of pure reaction Adrian gave the creature a low growl and flashed his teeth in warning. She stilled and regarded him warily, then twitched an ear and decided he was better left alone. Satisfied, Adrian returned his attention to Trevor and Sypha.

"If we continue a little further there is some higher ground where the trees are thinner and the animals could graze," he informed in a quiet tone.

"Then let's rest there for awhile and make something to eat," Sypha suggested. "Its getting cold again. I can see my breath."

"I'll go ahead and gather some wood for a fire," Adrian offered. Before anyone could answer him he sprang from the cart, clearing the horses easily and landing well ahead of them. He disappeared from his companion's view, proceeding forward at speed and searching out standing dead wood to make a fire with.

He found his prize, making short work of a couple of dead cedars which were well dried. Soft wood was perfect for a quick warm fire, and he could look later for something harder which would burn longer into the night and keep the chill at bay.

Adrian didn't necessarily enjoy this type of thing; it fell under the category of 'roughing it' and he disliked the sharp scent of sap on his gloves, the bits of cedar sticking in his hair, small branches plucking at his coat and threatening to pull the gold embroidery along the edges. He did it because he wanted Trevor and Sypha to be comfortable. He enjoyed that part, and it made the mundane tasks worthwhile.

By the time the cart and company pulled into the small grassy break in the trees Adrian was just lighting the fire. He took a page from Sypha's book and used magic, attempting to keep the burst of flame small and controlled. He was still getting used to the sensation of calling the power up from inside him and found he wanted to practice summoning and manipulating it. It wouldn't do to be rusty and slow if he needed a spell in the heat of the moment. He also knew he should probably familiarize himself with some of the things he had yet to try, but the thought of using such abilities on his partners was most distasteful. He was quite serious when he said he had no desire for controlling people or confusing their perceptions. He wrinkled his nose at the thought.

He managed to get a cheery little blaze going without setting the rest of the forest alight. As he released the gathered magical energy he watched the flames curl around the kindling with pops and crackles, casting a warm flickering glow on their surroundings.

Adrian offered Sypha his hand, guiding her from the cart. She gripped his glove in her small fingers, allowing him to help her down even though she was perfectly capable of descending unaided. Trevor jumped off with a solid thud of boots hitting the ground and took a cursory look around.

"We are pretty exposed here, we really shouldn't have a fire," he grumbled, noting the small, thin circle of young trees that surrounded the clearing. They would do little to shield them from view. Night creatures were attracted to signs of life, and could smell humans and livestock easily from long distances. Any monsters in the area would be drawn to them as it was. Doubly so with the addition of fire.

"Its cold," Adrian pointed out, watching as Sypha led the goat down from the cart and tied her off on a nearby tree. She immediately began to graze. Trevor eyed the horses, his expression thoughtful.

"We might have to leave in a hurry."

Despite this, he unhooked them and mimicked Sypha, tying the animals off so they could feed.

"I'll keep watch while you sleep," Adrian offered as they started to unpack some bread and cheese to eat. Trevor took an exploratory lap around the area, learning the terrain and finally resolving himself to unpacking some blankets for he and Sypha. She quickly made herself comfortable by the fire and doled out portions of food for each of them while she waited on water to boil for tea. Adrian accepted a hunk of bread and some slices of cheese and sank down beside her, Trevor on her other side.

Adrian kept a careful ear on the forest as he nibbled his portion. Chatter was sparse, Trevor's unease seeming contagious. His instincts were rarely wrong; he had an uncanny sense for danger. They kept the fire small and low, only feeding it a log when the current one started to burn down, and after they finished the food Trevor wasted little time stretching out to get some rest. Adrian kissed them both then found a good perch in a nearby oak tree where he could see over the tops of the smaller saplings around the clearing. He rested his back against the uneven bark, one knee bent against his chest, the other leg dangling. He watched as Sypha curled into Trevor's heat and laid down as well. The pair were out in a few minutes, leaving Adrian alone with the night.

He didn't notice one of their charges making her escape, having once more gnawed through the rope which tethered her in place.

The hours crept by slowly, inching along a little at a time as the moon made its way across the cloudless sky. Cold seeped into everything and left the ground with a dusting of light frost. Adrian added to the fire several times to keep it from dying out, and he spread an extra blanket over Trevor and Sypha when he saw them shivering. They were laying on top of Trevor's fur cloak, which would do a good job of keeping the damp ground from stealing all of their warmth.

It was absolutely silent except for the crackle of flames and his companion's breathing.

Adrian watched them sleep for a long time, mulling over his conversations from the day. There was a lot to contemplate, so he was glad for the hours of uninterrupted quiet. He thought hard on his earlier conversation with Trevor, and also back to the events of the morning, and the night before. Things felt far changed from only two days ago; they had altered the context of their threesome considerably, and Adrian was still a bit overwhelmed at everything, like it was happening very quickly. Thoughts of blood and intimacy and discussions of sex were all mashed together, but ultimately he was happier for each new experience.

He still had reservations about breaking his blood fast – it was not so easy to change a veritable lifetime of habit – but he realized that it was okay, even though it made him squirm to think of it. He was becoming marginally more comfortable with the things feeding had stirred up, but he still didn't see himself making a habit of it. He detested feeling out of control, and didn't like the powerful stir of his instincts reminding him of his dual nature.

It was still disconcerting to bear witness to his own desires; he felt apprehensive in the face of them, and ill-equipped to subdue his urges, hardly comforted by the knowledge that his nature was now accepted and such complete control was not really necessary. He still struggled to put everything together. He had difficulty picturing himself burying his teeth into those he loved and for that to be okay, even after doing it. Especially after discovering how much the evidence affected him. It made him recoil and grow tense just picturing it, both for the arousal it provoked and the revulsion at the idea of such a reaction.

He would need time to test the waters and grow more accepting of that part of himself, if such a thing were even possible. He had no doubt Trevor and Sypha would be more than willing to participate, but he still felt dirty and shameful for having the feelings at all.

He wondered at what point the novelty would wear off for them. Eventually he expected they would grow tired of being bitten, marked, or bruised, of being balanced somewhere on the line between partner and prey. Adrian himself was already exasperated by the relentless impulses and it had been a mere day. He hoped with fervor that the excitement would wear off in time for him as well, and that he wouldn't have to war with himself so much.

One small concession was that they were three, so things could be spread between them, and they could all support each other as they went along. He was grateful for that. It seemed a stronger formation than a mere couple could achieve.

He was also beginning to feel relieved to find himself with what could only be described as a desire to perform sexual service. He felt he could give something back to Trevor and Sypha, and that he could surrender to them, perhaps even confess the particulars of his anxieties and allow them to assume some form of control and relieve him of the pressure of his own nature from time to time.

He wondered if they could use that to transform what was immeasurably complicated into something far simpler.

Perhaps he could begin by braving the experience Trevor so clearly lusted for. Part of him regretted throwing Trevor in irritation earlier, because they had been right into the meat of the issue at hand and Adrian had been so out of his element that he was easily provoked by Trevor's teasing. Now he wished he hadn't been so hesitant to discuss it, or so quick to grow flustered. He still struggled to reconcile the concept of anal sex with himself, but after every odd and revealing experience they had shared he was no longer scared to share his body with the pair, or his heart.

He simply needed an opportunity to put everything from the past few days together and find the best arrangement. He could no longer deny his own desires, or his happiness at being so deeply connected to the hunter and mage he loved. At its core, it felt good and right with them. There was some combination of all of the different factors that he believed would fit together perfectly with a bit of wiggling, and he was determined to find that. Feelings and instincts which seemed to be the antithesis of one another would probably fall into place if he could just figure out how to position them. He wanted it to work, and was just starting to recognize that he deserved happiness as much as they did.

Adrian shifted on his perch in the large tree, his minute movements sounding deafening to him in the quiet darkness. His skin was as cold as the air around him. He had hardly moved for the last hour, the stillness of sitting in place a comforting companion to the reverberations of his mind. He leaned into the bark, its hardness not bothering him, rather it was pleasant to sink against something so unyielding and tangible; the perfect juxtaposition to the fluid swirl of his thoughts. He appreciated that now, when the jumble of it all seemed nearly overwhelming. The unyielding cold and hard grounded him.

In the deepest dead of night the heavy cloak of noiseless introspection was broken by the chittering calls of an approaching pack of night creatures. Adrian was up in an instant, scenting and pinpointing their location. He slipped out of the tree and quickly shook Trevor and Sypha awake, putting a finger to his lips to indicate they should be quiet and disappearing from their sides to confront the creatures himself. He hoped to buy enough time for Trevor to ready his weapons and for Sypha to be ready to cast.

It was a much larger pack than their last encounter. Adrian grew wary as he saw the lumbering form of a minotaur among them, its horned head towering as high as the small trees in the area. It was flanked by more of the fire-breathing, winged creatures they had fought before, and through the underbrush Adrian saw the quick shapes of several dog-like beasts on all fours, each possessed of a long, wicked spiked tail and considerable talons. Some smaller creatures were with them, but they were still hidden by the trees and difficult to identify from his present distance.

He was surprised to see such a large number of creatures all together this far into the wilderness. They had made good progress in their travels that day, but they still had at least another full day or two of riding, maybe more before they reached the village. He expected something like this the following night, but not yet. It had him wondering if his father may be watching their progress from his Carpathian mirror; that was the only logical conclusion he could draw for the presence of so many monsters heading directly towards them.

There was nothing for it, they would have to defeat these creatures here and now.

As the first wave of beasts came through the trees Adrian was ready, sword hovering at his right side, heart rabbiting at his breast though he was confident they would be victorious. He flew forward and immediately set to causing as much damage as efficiently as possible. His blade sliced into undead meat, stabbing the first creature clear through before his weapon returned to his hand and he was little more than a blur of movement. He heard the whoosh of Trevor's Morning Star to his right, and saw the flashes of Sypha's spells to his left. They managed the first creatures well enough, and before long there were many charred and stinking corpses piling around them.

The monsters were more organized than previous packs. Before Dracula lost his army and his generals the creatures had been produced by the hundreds and it was clear that the necromancer had put more focus on numbers than quality. These new ones were made with far more care. They were larger, stronger. They were faster as well, and much to the trio's misfortune, they seemed to both understand their shouted communications and possess strategy. Adrian watched with growing concern as they worked together, ganging up on each of them and successfully countering attacks which their predecessors would have succumbed to. Adrian was moving like lightening, his figure little more than a flash of silver sword and gold hair as he cut them down as fast as he could. They were avoiding him, focusing on Sypha, who's attacks were becoming more stilted as she was forced to defend herself.

They were separating each of them away from one another, Adrian realized after another moment.

Trevor realized it too, evidently. "Don't let them separate us!" he shouted, his whip smashing into the skull of a dog-beast and sending it erupting in flames. He was immediately swarmed by a mass of smaller bat-monsters. They got too close for him to be able to use the whip, and he was forced to draw his sword and focus on clearing them before he could continue his larger scale attacks.

Adrian took his wolf form, teeth sinking deeply into the throat of one fire-breathing beast as his sword cut the wings off the next one over. He smelled his fur singeing in their blue flames before he could evade, but at least the one he was attacking ceased screeching, its head hanging from its body by a thin stretch of flesh and little else. It collapsed, but Adrian had no chance to savour the small victory, because he could see that they were losing and needed to do something to gain the upper hand or they were going to have to flee. Already the distance between each of them had grown and he could scarcely keep track of Trevor for the sea of monsters between them. He shifted back to his human shape and delivered a crushing kick to the next beast that flew at him, knocking it to the side and stabbing it with his sword. He was forced back several paces by more of the same creatures taking its place, and he realized that he had lost sight of Trevor, and he could smell his blood through the reek of death and gore that filled the air.

He had little opportunity to consider his options before the minotaur uprooted and entire tree and began to swing it in wide, destructive arcs. Sypha was flinging ice daggers at everything that came within her range, and blasting fire in between to push the circle of monsters back so she could cast more attacks. She didn't see the huge tree being swung towards her until the last second. Eyes wide she froze as it closed in on her.

Adrian acted purely on impulse, quickly disappearing in a tall fiery column and reappearing between Sypha and the tree trunk before it could hit her. It struck him in the back and he stood his ground as pain blossomed and the impact forced his teeth to snap together so hard he nearly severed his own tongue. The tree splintered around his body. The breath was knocked from him and he felt wood stabbing through his clothes, scraping and bruising him beneath the force of the blow. He nearly lost his footing, but he redoubled his efforts, determined to keep Sypha safe. His feet skidded through the dirt and dried leaves and he ended up standing inches from Sypha, who stared at him for only a fraction of a second before she sent a blast of fire over his shoulder at the minotaur. It roared, a low, grating noise that sent all the smaller creatures flying at the pair in unison. Adrian whirled on them, cutting the first wave down with his sword. He had no time to consider the searing pain that he knew indicated he was injured. It didn't matter. No matter the severity of the wound it would heal.

He called magic to him once more, finding it came easily when the need was great and time short. The sinister glow of his flames reflected in the eyes of the creatures before him, making them look eerie in the surrounding darkness. He sent Hellfire into the center of the mass, three large fireballs sailing through them and leaving a burning trail of singed and wailing demons in their path. Sypha chased it with more fire, widening the channel of death until they could see Trevor on the other side, surrounded by several of the winged monsters, who were backing him into the thicker trees where his weapon was less deadly.

The minotaur was grabbing small trees and large boulders and hurling them quickly, and Sypha used a wall of thick ice to shield them both as they looked at one another for a moment then back at Trevor.

"Go, I've got these guys," she said to him, demonstrating that she was quite capable of holding her own by relieving an entire group of monsters of their heads with a sharp sheet of ice, following that up with a wall of flames that engulfed the corpses like a reeking, macabre funeral pyre. Adrian found himself smiling at the image of Sypha wreathed in power and carnage. She was like a goddess of destruction and he was just thankful that they were fighting on the same side.

Adrian could not be in two places at once, but he had to trust Sypha – after all he had sworn that he would never doubt her – so he flew through the channel of writhing monsters, sword ahead of him, claws out to catch anything that came at him before it could make contact. He felt himself being slashed and singed in several places, but he made it to Trevor at the same moment the minotaur launched a man-sized stone through the air towards his back. He was surrounded by the fire breathing winged beasts and Adrian knew he would not see the boulder.

He couldn't risk being struck by the Morning Star, so teleportation was out of the question. Instead he was forced to use all his available speed, blurring out of view entirely and leaping at the boulder, knocking it off-course with his already wounded left shoulder before it could strike the hunter. He landed hard, panting from the exertion, his hand clutching at his arm, which was slow to respond to his movements. It was numbing, his fingers slick with his own blood. The stone careened harmlessly into the forest. Trevor saw him but barely reacted, his whip making sweeping arcs through the attackers and his sword picking off any he missed. He was bleeding from several slashes on his hands and arms, and something had hit him in the face, but he didn't appear seriously hurt so far. Adrian sent another Hellfire blast into the circle of demons, incinerating some of them and giving Trevor a chance to beat back the rest and step closer to the dhampir. He felt a tremble run through his body, the use of so much magic and speed compounded with his wounds leaving him in need of a moment to recuperate.

The minotaur picked up another tree, a very large one this time, and brought it down over Adrian, trying to squash him with it. He barely evaded the strike, feeling the wind of it on his skin as the ground where he'd been standing erupted with the blow. He leapt forwards and phased out of view, reappearing behind the horned giant. He stabbed it in the back and the end of his sword stuck in the bone, costing him seconds as he struggled to pull it free while the creature thrashed madly and summoned the other demons to its aid.

Suddenly it lurched, its movements becoming awkward and jerky. Sypha had frozen one of its feet to the forest floor. She gave Adrian a cocky wink and cast her holy spell on the beast. It froze in place, jaw slack, eyes focused on something neither of them could see. It was enough time for Adrian to get his weapon free and chop its head off in one clean and satisfying strike. The massive head struck the ground and rolled, taking out some smaller creatures before coming to rest in a leaking heap near where Trevor was still cutting through the latest wave of enemies.

They were growing thinner, and weaker, many of them wounded. With the loss of the minotaur they became frenzied and less organized, and Adrian knew they now had the upper hand. He began to dispatch every creature he came across, watching as his companions did the same.

He hopped off of the slumped corpse of the giant and joined Sypha as they dispatched the remaining monsters on their way to where Trevor was working through the last of the others.

Another few minutes and the forest was silent save the moans and whines of the last dying creatures.

Sypha and Trevor met Adrian in the middle of the carnage, the trio completely covered in gore and black ichor, and Trevor bleeding from his superficial wounds. It looked like his nose could be broken, his lips and chin dark with his own blood which was coming from it in a copious stream. Sypha had brain matter in her hair and a splatter of burnt flesh clinging to her robes but at least it appeared she was unhurt. Adrian thought he probably looked much the same as Trevor, the minotaur's blood soaking him through. Steam was rising from his shoulders as the blood cooled rapidly in the chill night. Now that the frenzy of battle had passed he could inspect the large wound across his left arm and back from where he'd taken the blow to spare Sypha. It was bleeding, red soaking rapidly through his already filthy shirt and dripping from his hand and arm.

"Gross," Sypha said, picking the burnt goop from her clothing and flicking it away. She eyed Adrian's dripping hand. "Are you hurt?" she asked, moving closer to inspect him, calling up a fireball for light.

"It will heal," he said, but he could feel the large, long gash stretching from his arm across his back. He removed his coat, trying to twist to see. He could make out the white of a rib through the deepest part of the injury. Well, that explained why it hurt so much. Sypha looked a bit ill, her hands hovering nervously near the wound as if she wanted to do something but knew she couldn't.

Trevor was still panting hard, his teeth stained pink and his eyes gleaming white against the blood all over his face. He wiped his sword on the grass and sheathed it, curling up the Morning Star and securing it at his hip. It was dripping with monster blood. Adrian's sword was in a similar state.

"Trevor, your nose," Sypha said, looking between her two injured men.

Trevor poked at it gingerly and stifled a wince. "Shit," he said, his eyes watering. "Could be broken, but if it is it's not that bad. I'll be okay once the bleeding stops."

Adrian could easily smell Trevor's blood through the thick and overpowering scent of all the dead beasts and he was alarmed at just how much was coming from the man's face. Trevor didn't seem especially concerned, but he reminded himself to keep a close watch in case he got lightheaded or dizzy in the next few minutes. At present Adrian needed to focus on healing the bone-deep gash which was stinging terribly and costing him a great deal of blood of his own. He closed his eyes, focusing on the deepest layers of flesh and healed them, the pain intense enough that the healing didn't tickle, rather it zinged as if he'd struck a nerve. The sensation lessened as the open air was no longer on his insides and he sighed, feeling drained from blood loss and the use of his magic. Trevor's blood smelled both mouthwatering and inviting, and Adrian had to blink the red from his eyes and look elsewhere for several seconds as he quelled a wave of thirst which swept through him.

There was a rustling and all three whirled, expecting another monster. Trevor redrew his sword, Adrian prepared to fly forward and attack, and Sypha summoned a spear of ice.

A brown and white beast trotted from between the trees, stubby tail twitching behind it. The goat stopped when it saw the trio and gave them a baaahhhhh which could be interpreted in a variety of ways, then it snorted and turned tail, trotting back into the underbrush, chewed lead dragging behind it.

Adrian realized that he hadn't seen it most of the night. He'd forgotten about it after they settled around the fire. It was very possible that the horde had been attracted to them by the animal wandering freely around the forest, making noise and spreading the scent of livestock and humans in a wide circle which made them easy to detect. He couldn't specifically prove that it was the goat's fault they had been attacked, but looking at the hateful creature, he wanted to believe it was her fault.

"I hate that fucking thing," Trevor said under his breath, wiping the slowing trickle of blood from his face with his sleeve.

Adrian laughed at the absurdity of one little animal being so much trouble.

Sypha didn't say a single word.

~o~O~o~

A/N:I hope this chapter was fun to read, I had this odd sense of humour when I began and it really bled through into the first half. I have no idea why I keep writing about the goat. I almost named her. I also couldn't resist throwing in that bit about the coffins and some of the corny jokes that came with it.

I believe this chapter breaks 200k words, which is almost double the size of anything I have written before. I'm surprised at myself, and really excited to keep going. I have all these little brainchildren that come to me when I'm driving or working or doing mundane and unrelated things, and I scribble them down with the hope that I will still remember them properly when I get to the place they will be relevant.

If you enjoyed this I would love to hear your thoughts! I often go back and read through the comments to help motivate myself to continue, and to get a better feel for where I have been successful, and where I can improve. Thank you for looking, and more will come soon!