Let me know if I'm needed, he whispered at his immortal, and Damon, without even a hitch in his breath, hummed his assent at him. After Senri returned from the shower and took the spot across from him at the table, his immortal launched into explaining what had happened during the last few days. While G'raha listened at first, from the back of their shared head admiring his mate's beauty – he couldn't help himself! – soon, he had a better idea of how to use his time-out.
With Damon's agreement, he slipped deeper into his soul – something he did multiple times while his immortal frantically searched for his husband – and, with some apprehension, dug into the temptation of memories provided by his lover's unconsciousness…
By his beast.
When he first discovered it, Damon was amused at his trepidation in 'invading' like that his mate's privacy. It was a common thing that came with soul-sharing, his immortal would laugh at his expanse if it did sound more than forced then. The soul – according to him – was woven from memories and emotions, thoughts and feelings – and if one wished to Bond in their kind's way, they discarded the silly notion of 'privacy.' And after the whole ordeal – and how Ares regained his memories from sharing his lover's soul… Well, G'raha more than appreciated that it was a thing!
But now, nervously brushing against the hazy images, he focused on looking for one specific memory. Not really out of curiosity – as he would honestly prefer if Senri was the one to tell him about his adventures – but as something he thought he needed to know and was unsure if his lover would even remember that, as this set of images was definitely supplied by his last night's entanglement with his darker, hurt side. If forced to explain how he knew that, he would say they 'tasted' different – as little sense as it made – as if dipped in the layer of frost.
And he wanted… No, needed to know how Haurchefant 'rejected' his lover's darker side – if nothing else, than to avoid making the same mistake by accident. And if it by any chance offered the hint of how to help his mate heal the split of his soul… Well, G'raha was sure he'll need any help he could get.
Yet, he was wholly unprepared when – as he touched the memory he thought held the answer he was looking for – it sucked him in almost violently…
The delicate, pleasant buzz of the few shared drinks almost makes him giggle like a kit as he and his would-be lover stumble out of the backdoor of the Forgotten Knight. Perhaps he does – giggle – when slightly taller Elzen wraps his arms around his neck and pulls him into a sweet, delicate kiss. It's still so new and so warm – even though Senri knows what kind of reaction it would evoke in this cold, frost-bound city if they were spotted – so he leans into it, thinking that perhaps tonight he would be brave enough to invite his blue-eyed knight into his quarters in the Fortemps Manor. So far, they shared a few uncertain kisses and touches – both new to the idea of… His trail of thought is cut short by a scream, and they break apart with a jolt, looking toward the sound with trepidation.
It's a woman, tall and Elzen, if her clothes and covering her filth indicate she is more than a part of the reason he hates Ishgard. The Brume, the slums of the city, makes his stomach revolt every time he passes through – the dichotomy of it compared to the splendor of the High Houses he spots each time he passes through the higher levels of the city makes him sick. The idea that even bound by their unending war against the dragons, the nobles failed the most vulnerable… This whole city made stifling his temper especially difficult – even comparing it to Ul'dah and the memories the desert city brought back in his mind.
But here, his name didn't mean anything – and for Alphinaud's and Tataru's sake, he must play nice, pretending that the unfairness of this place didn't make blood positively freeze in his veins. He had already lost most of his chosen family – along his home in Eorzea – and his insides clenched with terror at the thought of losing more… But as he leans over the edge of the balcony behind the tavern, then sprints down the wooden bridge leading to the slums, he can't think about it as his blood thickens with ice at what the filth-covered woman screams. He barely even registers Haurchefant following, calling him to slow down.
He almost pounces at the woman, grabbing her shaky form and demanding directions – his blood by then singing deafeningly with the sweet, heady rage, spreading chill across his whole body. Between the choked sobs and barely coherent pleading, the woman gives him what he needs, and Senri darts up toward the exit of the slums, by this point, the rage is a living thing under his skin, prowling the cage of his mind with deafening snarls. Only one thought on his mind: the woman's young daughter snatched from under her nose by the four well-dressed men as he arrives at the doorstep of the described building.
After years in Ul'dah, he has a too-good idea of what kind of part the girl was bound to play in the nobles' games – and despite his would-be lover calling a warning behind him, he snarls as he grabs the guard at the door by his throat, smashing his head against the doorframe. The male's silvery helmet is no match for his unnatural strength and his scull bursts like an over-ripe fruit as he sags in Senri's grip. The wooden door is also not much of an obstacle, and soon he's sprinting up the winding staircase, skipping steps as he prays to any god that would listen…
…and he's too late.
The four very drunk men scream invectives and threats at him as he bursts into the room, scrambling and calling for guards, but his whole focus is on the small, bloody frame entangled in soiled sheets.
Too pale and unmoving – and so Twelve-forsaken young…
The blue-eyed knight finally catches up with him, and realizing what he does – too late, too late, too late – he says something about arrest and justice… But Senri knows this game too well to be as naïve. And for him, there is only one possible payment for the blood spilled over the crumbled sheets.
For snuffing out the bright flame of too-young soul for nothing more than sick entertainment.
His grin is a vicious thing as he pushes his would-be lover aside and grabs the closest male – the alcohol and surprise making him merely blink with surprise and not even register his intent – and without effort, he picks him up. The beast under his skin purrs as he impales him on one of the bedposts. His ears twitch with delight at the male's shriek, but he's already upon the next, moving in a blur.
The second man can merely reach out his arm – a weak attempt to fend off the Hydealyn's Chosen – and he breaks it with a satisfying crunch. He pulls him, steps behind, and sends his heavy-booted heel on the back of his knee, grinning at another lovely crunch. The man wails, falling to the floor, but Senri leaves him for later, seeing the last two gather their bearings and scramble for weapons. He doesn't mind, with lethal grace and vicious edge to his grin, avoiding the blades and, in a mere blink, having both pinned face first to the floor with his hands on each's neck.
They're nothing compared to the Primals' and for what they did… he could not deliver a punishment that would equal that travesty, but the rage singing in his blood demands their screams.
The male on his right flails helplessly, and Senri grins, shifting on top of them to press his knee in the middle of his back, freeing his hand to reach for the dagger concealed in his knee-high boot. And his grin only widens as he shoves the blade up the man's arse without even a thought toward mercy. Pleased with his shriek joining the other three, he leaves him, focusing on the last prey.
The scent of sex – the violation of the body far too young – is still fresh on this one, and Senri snarls in his face as he rolls him over to his back. Sitting astride him, he ignores the male's flailing and brutally clamps his hand around his throat, reaching toward his other boot and another beautifully sharp blade. The man's disheveled clothes work to his disadvantage as he easily presses the tip of the dagger to his abdomen and, with an upwards slash, opens him up. His wail joins the others, creating music that has something feral inside him purr with satisfaction. He grins as he lets go of the dagger and dips his hand in the man's gut, pulling his intestines free and letting the male enjoy the sight.
A sound finally tears through the deafening staccato between his lowered ears, and he looks up right into the terror-stricken eyes of his knight. Pressing his back tight against the room's wall, his would-be lover looks at him like a rabid animal… And Senri knows – at that moment and that stare – that for once, the knight looks under his mask and what he sees… The disgust and horror in the blue eyes have something inside him whimper and pull back, but he ignores the feeling, pushing it deep, deep down as he climbs to his feet slowly and looks away from his knight toward the soiled sheets and too-pale figure splayed between them.
He nears the bed, shakes off his jacket, then carefully wraps it around the tiny form, and his mind slips briefly to the small twins he encountered on the way to Ul'dah, after shamefully escaping his tribe. His throat is too-tight at the unfairness of this sacrilege, as the girl's only crime is the beauty of her youthful features. He gently smooths her matter with blood, dark hair and brushes his fingertips against her delicate cheek, then picks her up carefully. When he turns around and sees his would-be lover kneeling by one of the males, the one with broken limbs that's still alive, Senri tightens his jaw, pulling the tiny, too-still form against his chest. He steps around them without a word, heading toward the door.
He could still return the girl to her mother and beg forgiveness for being too late…
Raha, he heard as the image froze. G'raha blinked rapidly, splitting from the form of his lover and looking between the frozen figures as the much, much taller redhead with too-bright cyan eyes appeared in the middle of the image. Taking stock of it, the immortal looked confused at first, then his gaze got stuck on the tiny figure of the girl in Senri's arms, and his beautiful face grew unreadable. What is this?
Senri's memory… or rather, his beast's, he replied reluctantly, then cleared his throat and though it was only that… ghosts and mirages, nothing more… G'raha moved next to the kneeling, frozen Haurchefant and looked down on the only male left alive. Do you need me? He asked Damon without looking up.
Quite, the immortal replied, his voice sounding cold and detached.
And though it didn't matter… He slammed his foot down on the male's head, the lovely crunch of the scull under it almost like music, soothing the burn inside his chest. It's not enough – nothing would be ever enough – but he took a deep breath and rolled his neck, then finally looked up at Damon.
Be right out, he whispered, letting the memory dissolve around them, but not before tossing a quick, distasteful glance toward the blue-eyed knight. He wasn't a match for my beast.
He wasn't, Damon agreed easily, then his form dissolved as well.
He took another steadying breath, then cleared his mind and let himself be pulled up, closer to the surface, but not taking over as he took stock of their surroundings.
Senri's mother and sister were still present if the plates T'rhasa brought were empty by now. His lover still sat across from him, if his beautiful face was a mask of disdain as he looked at something to the side, and G'raha was confused until Damon helpfully followed his narrowed gaze. And seeing the source of his mate's apparent annoyance… he would snort a laugh if he could.
The beast sprawled on the ground near the table, patiently letting the little T'ralla pet its ink-black fur as the girl cooed at it funnily, waving her blonde tail enthusiastically. T'rhasa, next to him, sat sideways and looked toward the sight with a slight, amused smile on her beautiful features, clearly sharing none of her son's apparent apprehension.
As cute as it is… he started, wondering why Damon needed him.
Wait, his immortal hummed, then smiled, motioning toward the girl and the beast and leaning slightly toward Senri's mother. "So… you recognize it?"
That instantly caught G'raha's attention.
"I mean… somewhat, as I said," T'rhasa nodded slightly, then looked around toward her son. "Doesn't it remind you of Onyx, Senri?"
"Onyx…?" his lover murmured with confusion, looking between her and the beast with a scowl. "What are you talking about, mom?"
"Ah… you don't remember?" she chuckled somewhat ruefully, then sighed and turned her navy-blue eyes toward Damon, leaning in confidentially and lowering her voice. "He was very young, so perhaps it's no wonder… But he was barely a kit, and whenever his older sisters picked on him, he would snap back that if they were mean, 'Onyx' would come and eat them. When I asked once what it was supposed to mean, he admitted that he made it up to scare them, drawing me a small picture of the big, scary cat with many, many teeth. I was reminded of it when it…" she pointed toward the beast with a chuckle. "…yawned. This one doesn't look scary at all… but all those teeth are hard to miss."
"Out of curiosity," Damon said with a polite smile if tossing the creature a somewhat considering look. "How does it look for you?"
T'rhasa blinked, then looked between him and the beast with a bemused expression.
"What do you mean?" she replied, then smiled. "Like a big, fluffy kitten, obviously. All that gorgeous fur is wonderful," she sighed dreamily, looking toward the beast with a downright enamored expression.
"Fur…?" his lover hummed with surprise, and Damon tossed him a narrowed look, letting G'raha see more than a hint of distaste on his mate's features. "What fur? Looks like a spill of ink at best."
What do you think? Damon asked carefully. Does it manipulate how other's see it…? Or is something else at work here?
No idea, he admitted with a sigh. And, honestly… I'm more interested in that 'Onyx' she mentioned. Let me take over…?
If you can behave? The immortal chuckled at his indignant hiss, then he almost gasped as the strange sensation of disembodiment melted away, and he felt his limbs again. A quiet sound had his eyes dart toward his mate – and he fought an instant blush at the sight of intent, heated stare… Senri was apparently more than aware of the switch. With effort tearing his eyes away from him, G'raha cleared his throat self-consciously and smiled when T'rhasa looked at him, raising her eyebrows slightly when their eyes met.
"This… 'Onyx' you mentioned," he asked, waving his hand toward the sprawled beast. For him, it looked like before, the expanse of soft, ink-black fur and pale, nearly white eyes. And intent stare toward him as it raised its triangular head, visibly tensing while its long tail swiveled slowly on the ground. "What was it exactly?"
The female blinked at him, then smoothed her blonde locks with a somewhat sad smile, looking toward her daughter as T'ralla squealed a giggle, instantly wrapping herself around the beast's neck and rubbing her chin between its ears.
"An imaginary friend?" Senri's mother replied softly, then sighed and caught his hand in both of hers, squeezing delicately. "You must understand, G'raha… I did hear from Senri's friends that you grew up here and not in a tribe, and I don't know how much you… know the rules governing one – or if yours would be even similar to ours… But when my boy was little, he was very… unhappy that he was born a male. As much as I adored him… it was very frowned upon to show it around the other females and my daughters… His older sisters would grow very… upset whenever I would do so. I couldn't help myself… beautiful as my boy always was," she added with a wistful smile, looking toward Senri. Still, when G'raha followed her gaze, his lover's eyes darted away, getting stuck in the table between them as his pale skin colored noticeably. "But they… his sisters, I mean… would chase him away whenever he came looking for me, chiding him that his place is with other Tia's. One day, when he managed to sneak past them, he brought me this gorgeous black stone and gave it to me to add to the ever-growing collection and asked – as always – what its name was. I think – if I recall correctly – I replied that it looks like onyx, so similar to his gorgeous, black hair… Soon after that, was when I first heard that name: Onyx, when one of my daughters came crying that it was going to eat her…."
"I hated them…" when his lover finally raised his eyes, they were empty and unreadable – so reminiscent of the shards of ice. "…because they were allowed to stay with mom whenever they liked… And I was not. Just because of the way I was born… And it was so unfair…" he trailed off, shifting uncomfortably and looking away. "…nevermind."
"And I would gladly eat them…" the beast purred, drawing his surprised gaze. "…if I could back then."
G'raha blinked, then bit back a gasp when understanding dawned. Freeing his hand from T'rhasa's grip carefully, he stood up, then, with a reassuring smile toward the surprised girl, fell to his knees next to the animal-looking creature and somewhat gingerly rested his hand over its triangular head.
"That's what created you in the first place, isn't it?" he whispered, staring in its incredibly pale eyes. "The unfairness… of that."
The beast rubbed its head against his palm with a near-deafening purr, but turned its gaze behind him, toward Senri's mother.
"Balance is imporrrtant," it rumbled out, and he followed its gaze with a frown. T'rhasa nodded, looking almost hypnotized by its stare. G'raha swallowed thickly, looking back toward the ink-black creature, and felt as mesmerized when its eyes turned to his and grew in a familiar, chilling frost. "But ourrr… need brrrought shame and rrridicule to ourrr motherrr, so we learrrned to hide it. Ourrr firrrst mask, my firrrst brrreath."
"Sh-shut up!" his lover snapped, startling G'raha out of the daze, and he looked toward him. Senri glared daggers at the beast, his ink-black ears flat against his head in distress.
"Trrrruth burrrns, doesn't it, Senrrri?" the creature downright chortled, though it hardly sounded humorous, as it lowered its head, resting it on G'raha's thigh. He sighed sadly, running his fingers through the ink-black fur while not taking his eyes off his mate's face. "Funny thing, what Damon did to us… Now you can't shove it down my thrrroat and prrretend the herrro…"
And seeing the shame and anguish in his lover's eyes as they turned away, G'raha thought that he finally understood what exactly this beast was. And – perhaps – what he had to do to help his mate heal.
Senri had to learn to accept the fact that it was part of him – and learn to forgive himself for having these thoughts and feelings that he avoided his whole life to spare others' sensibilities and meet their expectations. Learn that he had every right to be enraged by things like this of his memory from the frost-bound city.
And that he would never scorn his hunger for balance… Especially not when his chest still burned at the memory of the tiny, bloodied form splayed between the soiled sheets…
G'raha lowered his eyes toward the beast and met its pale gaze with a smile, scratching behind its triangular ear.
"Thank you, Onyx," he said softly, then delicately pushed its head from his thigh and stood up, clearing his throat as he walked back and around the table. Even though his face heated up as T'rhasa's eyes followed him, G'raha wrapped his arms around his lover's shoulders and buried his nose against his neck, purring soothingly when Senri flinched with surprise, wrapping his hand around his forearm.
"Wha…?" his mate murmured, but was cut short when his mother stood up with a giggle and soon picked up her daughter, despite T'ralla's protest.
"Come, baby, your brother needs more rest," she chided softly and smiled at him when he looked at her over Senri's head. "I'm sure you can play with the kitten later," she added, then, with the girl in her arms, headed toward the door. "Do take care of my boy, won't you, Raha?"
"Mom…" Senri started, but G'raha shifted his arm in his grip, resting his hand over his mouth, then nodded toward the female.
"I intend to," he said, ignoring his flush at the statement.
And they were gone, Senri's mother closing the door behind them quietly. Looking toward the spot the beast was sprawled, he wasn't very surprised to see it gone. Without loosening his grip around his mate, G'raha unceremoniously lifted his foot, rested it against the table's edge, and, with a loud screech! pushed it away, then swiftly planted himself in his lover's lap.
The owlish look in Senri's eyes was definitely worth it, so he chuckled, pulling his hands back only to smooth his hands over his wide chest, to give him a somewhat coy smirk as he leaned against him, letting one hand climb into his soft, ink-black hair.
"I like your mom," he purred, using his grip to pull him down until their breaths mixed, instantly intoxicated by the heat of ice-blue irises as his lover's big hands smoothed over his thighs, soon curling possessively around his ass.
"That's good… but it's not something I feel like talking about right now," Senri breathed, kneading his flesh through the material of his pants, pulling him higher in his lap.
"Oh…?" he chuckled breathlessly, with his free, shaky hand making quick work of opening his lover's soft, black shirt and tugging it impatiently from the waistband of his pants. "What would that be then, my beast?"
Senri stilled utterly, and when G'raha looked up, his ice-blue eyes looked like ice again.
"Don't… call me that," he rasped with a growl.
In a move fast like a viper, he wrapped his free hand around his mate's throat, at the same time tightening his grip on ink-black hair as he stood up around him, forcing Senri to press back against the backrest of the chair as he bared his teeth in his face with a snarl.
"You would deny me, beast?" he hissed with outrage, watching his lover's pale irises grow dazed with lust instantly, his sweet scent growing thick with arousal and so unbearably delicious…
"Never…" his mate whined desperately, going utterly plaint and submissive in his grip. G'raha purred his approval but sent him a warning glare as he pulled back and almost embarrassingly quickly discarded his pants, then climbed his lover's lap again. "R-Raha…" Senri almost choked out as he impatiently tugged his pants open, then wrapped his hand around his cock, pumping the scalding flesh and watching through his lashes the mix of pleasure and confusion bloom on his beautiful face as his shaky hands once again wrapped around his hips, but so unbearably uncertain now.
"Told you, Senri… you are mine," he growled furiously, then shifted and, in thought thanking gods for the whole night leaving his body more than eager, he unceremoniously impaled himself on his mate's cock, groaning deeply with relief as he wrapped his arms around his lover's neck tightly, burying his flushed face against his throat. "All of you, my beautiful beast," he purred near-deafeningly, rolling his hips slowly against the pleasurable stretch of his scorching heat spearing his insides.
"Rrraha…" Senri arched under him with a choked whine, and the noticeable prick of his claws at his hips only worked to send his arousal over the roof as G'raha moaned deeply, pulling back just enough to claim his lips in a deep, delicious kiss… and nearly lost it, feeling his fangs.
This was his kink of kinks… no doubt about that!
Devouring his pretty mouth and only dying for me, he gripped the backrest behind him and, using it as leverage, lifted, then let himself fall, whimpering involuntarily against his lover's lips at the sensation, then repeated it, growing nearly numb with pleasure as he soon rode his cock with relish. He swallowed Senri's increasingly desperate groans, his grunts, and moans, barely registering half were his own. And when his mate's clawed hands tightened on him almost painfully, forcing him to roll his hips against each increasingly brutal thrusts, he soon arched with a breathless whine as his cock hit the spot inside him that let him see stars.
His beast's downright vicious grin was all he saw before his world shifted when Senri stood up suddenly, then, with a few quick steps, pinned him against the wall. Hooking his arms under his knees, he nearly bent him in half, taking his slack mouth into a brutal, biting kiss as he set to fuck him mercilessly, each vicious stroke perfectly aimed to rob him of his senses as a star shower of sparks danced on his nerve endings.
"This is what you… need, mate?" his lover purred near-deafeningly, pulling back a breath from a kiss and rolling his hips as he took him with barely contained violence, his pale irises scorching and chilling simultaneously. "Forrr me to fuck you like an animal?" his voice resonated dually – deeper, rougher undertone betraying his beast.
"I n-need…" he gasped, curling his hands into fists in the ink-black hair and arched with a breathless whine at another, scorching stroke that sent jolts of nearly painful pleasure up his spine. Immobile in his mate's grip, he could only take it as Senri pounded his cock into him furiously, groaning when G'raha swore, then brutally tugged at his hair. "…your all, Senri. The man and the b-beast… both are mine," he hissed, then couldn't help but tumble over the edge with a choked shout when his lover growled in retaliation and bit him.
His whole body felt ablaze, and it spasmed with the power of his orgasm, as lost in his high, he mindlessly mewled his lover's name. And when Senri groaned loudly and set a downright punishing rhythm, he could only wrap his arms around him possessively, giving into his need all too easily. He purred his enjoyment loudly when his mate came with a deep, relieved whine, sagging against him. The scalding heat of his seed inside him, the stuttering staccato of his heartbeat against his own… the heat, the intoxicating scent of their mating… G'raha basked in all of it, running his fingers through his lover's sweat-dampened hair and raining affectionate kisses over his skin whenever he could reach, his cheek and jaw, dazed by the slowly ebbing bliss.
He only purred louder when Senri's big hands shakily smoothed up his legs, curling around his ass as his lover pressed into his embrace deeper. If his low, staggering purrs made G'raha's heart ache, he didn't let it show, gladly wrapping his legs around his lover's waist and coiling around his tall frame.
There was a lesson in here that he wanted Senri to learn, making his touch carefully soothing and delicate as he let himself enjoy his heat, so very far from pushing away or wishing to separate from him. And as his lover's breath grew calmer and his purrs more confident as he almost shyly nuzzled against G'raha's throat, he grinned involuntarily – triumphantly – letting the back of his head fall against the wall.
"There is space for both," he whispered, rubbing his lover's sensitive ear and smiling as his purrs grew louder, and Senri carefully, without pushing off the wall, coiled his arms around him possessively.
"Hmm?" his mate sounded nearly dazed, making G'raha's heart stutter, his grin turning into a tender smile as he curled into his lover's body, nuzzling against his heated skin.
"For the furious fucking and sweet lovemaking," he chuckled at himself, feeling his face heat up.
"So far… it's mostly the first," his lover snarked, and he snorted inelegantly, then sighed with bliss, resting his chin on his arm wrapped around Senri's neck.
"We will get there – to the sweet part – eventually," he said with a quiet laugh, then snickered when his mate sighed patiently, then pushed off the wall, and, holding him tight, marched across the room. He let himself be a tad unceremoniously dropped into his lover's nest, grinning gleefully when Senri tossed him a deadpan stare, setting to discard his disheveled clothes. That swiftly grew heated when G'raha chuckled sheepishly, then followed his example, pulling off his shirt and carelessly tossing it out of the nest.
"…eventually," his lover muttered, then he laughed softly as he soon found himself pinned down by his tall frame. He didn't mind, more than pleased with his heat, but while Senri set to nip his way down his chest, purring his approval while G'raha petted his dark hair, he stopped him when his mate dipped his tongue in his navel, then headed south his body.
"Senri...?" he whispered with a slight tug on his ear and smiled somewhat sheepishly when his lover growled a complaint but obediently looked up, then frowned, meeting his gaze.
"What's wrong?" he breathed, without otherwise moving.
"My gorgeous soulmate…" he purred, resting his hand against his cheek, then brushed his thumb across his lower lip, smiling when they parted with a quiet, rumbling purr even as his ice-blue irises never left his red-cyan ones. "…I have a request if you would indulge me, my beautiful beast."
This time his lover didn't flinch at the nickname – or the way he pushed his thumb into his pretty mouth, brushing his fingertip against one of the elongated fangs.
"Name it, mate," now, this dually resounding, deep voice was accompanied by the ice-blue irises growing paler, nearly white… and sent nearly a violent shudder down his spine and right into his dick. He didn't even try to hide his arousal, sinking fingers of his free hand into the messy mane of the ink-black hair that somewhat felt thicker, more like fur. And holding his beast's downright enamored stare, he let his lips tilt into a downright devious smirk, watching the vertical pupils dilate impossibly, swallowing pale irises until they were mere, thin rings around them.
His Senri, his beast – at the full display – and his beauty was blinding.
"I have a list, you see…" he purred teasingly, tightening his fingers into a fist in ink-black strands as he let his smirk widen. "…of people deserving punishment. People who are untouchable by their position or reputation… who play games in this city that make me sick to my stomach. So if you indulge me, my beast, I want their heads," he trailed off when Senri shifted, growling softly – in that dual voice – and climbed up his body, watching his expression with near-feral intensity.
"Arrre you surrre that's what you wish forrr, mate?" he growled when their lips were a mere breath apart.
"More…" he purred, wrapping his arms around his neck and placing a sweet, delicate nip on his lower lip. "For every single person they hurt… They will hurt if they aren't put down like the rabid beasts they are… I want to make them pay, Senri. So when we can… Would you play with me, my mate?"
If ice could burn…
"With pleasurrre," his lover breathed, then took his mouth, narrowing his world to his taste, to the brush of sharp fangs against his lips and the sweet, tantalizing scent of their shared need. But even then, as Senri freed his mouth to bite him with a nearly animalistic snarl, G'raha grinned with a downright vicious edge, coiling around him possessively as his lover took him, nearly brutal in his claim.
Not because it was a way to show his beast that he wanted every aspect of his being – the brave protector and the ruthless punisher, both.
Not because he wanted to prove he was a match for his beast – as he knew it, the moment he saw, experienced, the anguish of his soul in that painfully delicate brush of fingertips against the dead girl's cheek. Haurchefant was blind to the true beauty of his beast's soul – the willingness to do all, no matter how heinous, to make those who deserved it pay their due. He was blind to what G'raha saw and experienced too many times: that there was no justice in their flawed, broken world. Not for those in position better than those they harmed.
The knight was terrified when all he could feel was awe.
Because predators like those men – and too many similar ones in this Twelve-forsaken city – never stopped. No, it took another, more vicious beast to put them down and scare others from following in their footsteps.
And to know such a beast owned him…? That finally, after years of helplessly watching this nightmare of the world around him… he could do something?
That was no less bliss than his lover's claim, making his soul soar as he pulled his mate into a mind-shattering kiss, gladly drowning in his taste.
After their host's exhaustion took them and he shared what he saw, Damon remained silent, running his fingers through his husband's dark hair delicately as he numbly stared at the ceiling above the nest.
"…a child?" Ares finally found his voice but buried deeper into his embrace as a slight shudder ran through his body. "How anyone c-can…?" he trailed off as his voice cracked with misery, and Damon closed his eyes with a quiet sigh.
"We did know what broke Senri was bound to be… bad," he said, striving to keep his temper in check, hiding it behind the cold, detached tone. Not even sure why he bothered – habit, perhaps? – as Ares knew his soul better than he ever did. He understood him more than he ever allowed himself to dwell on his… issues. But nothing he ever saw could prepare him for this… atrocity.
In their world, children were precious. Not loved – but they were the promise of their world's betterment. Their kind's eternal goal.
And to think…
…to consider…
His mind briefly slipped to the memory of Hades's smile when he looked as young as the girl in that image… and his very being balked as his host's stomach roiled unpleasantly. He must have uttered a sound because Ares flinched, then he felt a delicate, familiar push, and he gladly opened to the connection – letting his husband's presence soothe his mind.
"All who think to do such… will pay," his lover whispered against his throat, and Damon smiled, tasting the bite of his chilling temper across their bond.
"Agreed," he replied smoothly, letting the flame of his fury blaze so much hotter, matching his husband's frost-bound rage.
They were always a match – despite their adverse temperaments. And if he understood Raha's uncertainty in that, he knew – and witnessed – his boy more than inherited his temper.
As Senri did Ares's.
And taking solace in his husband, letting him share in his mind, he meticulously set to make a mental list of the spells to prepare – not even surprised that by half, his lover's deep, rumbling purrs vibrated against his skin.