Chapter 3: Worth a chance
Gwen felt really awkward just before she was to knock on Arthur's door. Her fingers curled and uncurled in front of the door before finally taking the decision to do so. The talk with Arthur had her worried for Merlin. She knew how rough Arthur could be in these situations, maybe a bit insensitive as well. Merlin must have been scared and confused. She took an unnecessary deep breath and opened the door after she heard the reply from behind the door.
"Umm, yes?" Merlin asked.
She popped her head in and asked him with a smile. "Am I disturbing?"
Merlin stood up leaving the book in hand beside him, polite as he was in a lady's presence. "No, not at all my lady."
She closed the door behind her and sat next to him. "Please sit. And call me Gwen. I'm second in command after Arthur."
"Nice to meet you." he flashed a smile at her.
"How are you tonight?"
"Umm... Good I guess..."
"You must be really confused, aren't you?" she looked at him with a sympathetic smile.
"Quite frankly yes."
"Don't take it too hard on Arthur. He is a really good person of you give him the chance. I know he can be a bit... pressuring but he isn't always like that."
"He hasn't shown me otherwise."
"Give him a chance please?" she placed her hand on his in compassion,
He sighed.
"He can be a very gentle lover. I know it."
"You... know it?" he looked at her in bewilderment.
Her face had a mixture of embarrassment. "We, um, used to be kind of engaged. Well actually we were expected to be each other's permanent mate. His father expected it and our coven expected it. But we didn't really feel it. We tried but it just didn't happen. Not that I don't like him, Arthur is really handsome. But Lancelot is what I would call meant for me."
Merlin chuckled at Gwen's panicked talk. "I understand." He told her. "I- I will try to talk to him... get to know him better."
"I'm glad." She said with a smile. "In the meantime if there is anything you need don't hesitate to ask me or Lancelot."
"Thank you my Lady."
"Please call me Gwen."
...
All the while Arthur was gone and after Gwen left Merlin stayed in his room as instructed. He continued rummaging through his books. He searched eagerly through the pages as if there was no time on earth for him to read all of it. He skipped on book after the other whenever he decided that they weren't worthy of his time.
"You must really be fond books." He heard the familiar voice.
"Oh, sorry." He said starting to put the pile of books back to the shelves. "I'm just trying to pass time."
Arthur watched him while he busied himself with his task. Gently, Gwen said.
"What would you like to read?"
"Anything really... I don't mind."
"Here." He approached Merlin and took one of the books from the highest shelves. "Read this. It's one of my favourites." Merlin examined the book in his hand and caressed the rough texture.
"Thank you, I will." He eyed the book and then at Arthur, surprised at the sudden change of behaviour.
They looked at each other's eyes, trying hard to ignore the urge of touching each other. Both looking at each other's eyes, lips and skin. It was an awkward moment which Arthur decided to break, tearing there gaze apart.
"Well..." he started. "I am guessing all this must be new to you. So you may ask any questions you want." Merlin eyed the man carefully, wondering when the change of character happened. Arthur made it to the centre of the room to take a sit, him following he sat at the other end of the couch.
"Umm, I don't really get this whole "Half thing"..."
"When a vampire finds their other Half, vampire or human but it's mostly human, their blood is different, it smells different. It will be almost impossible to not drink from them and when that happens it is called The First Connection. From that time onward they are bound together and if one dies the other does to."
"So no one has any say into this, just by some divine nature two people are forced to be together even if they don't want to."
"It's not like that Merlin..." he said looking into his eyes. "This kind of thing rarely happens. People who have experienced this say it's as if they were meant for each other. As if they were meant to meet. They aren't forced to be together, they are together because they wish so, because they love each other."
"So you are saying that I will fall in love with you?"
"Yes, eventually you will." He paused before admitting. "And I with you."
Merlin thought about this carefully. "So I smell... good?" He thought the question sounded stupid.
"More than good. It's hard to keep myself away from you."
Merlin was jumped in fright.
"Don't be scared, I'm not going to feed on you if you don't want to..." he assured him. "... for now."
"Great! That makes me feel better." He mumbled and they glanced at each other again. It was Merlin, however, that broke the silence this time.
"So, um, yesterday when you, um, drunk my blood, was that the First Connection?"
"Yes."
"And if I die you die and the other way around."
"Yes."
He waited a bit before admitting, "It felt good." Arthur shot his head up. "When you, um, drunk my blood it- it was pleasurable, more than pleasurable actually."
Arthur looked at him in disbelief. It was true and all vampires knew it that biting humans to draw blood was not pleasurable at all. It hurt and it could hurt a lot more if not made under comfortable conditions. Arthur knew that and everyone else in the Castle, thus he only drew blood out of the humans while they were focused on... other activities and if that wasn't the case he would drink from donated blood.
"Don't look at me like that. I'm as surprised as you are." He told him. "It never was a nice experience from my part before."
"How do you know about vampires?"
"I just met a few through a friend but they weren't anything like her."
"What do you mean?"
"Well most of them either tried to suck the life out of me or fuck my brains out!"
"And you let them?"
"No!"
"Did anyone ever claim you?"
"No!"
"Alright, alright! No need to be so defensive!" he laughed. He hid a smile as he struggled a lot not asking again "Are you a virgin then?"
"Argh! What difference does it make?"
"A lot actually." He said while sliding towards him. "Because then, I can either take it really slow..." His hand reached up to caress his cheek. He put a small kiss to the corner of his lips and then one at the centre of them. It was a very light and sweet kiss which Merlin responded to. "... or I can take it a bit further."
He kissed him again, this time bringing him closer, an arm around his waist pulling him towards his body. His lips were wet against Merlin's and Merlin gave into the kiss. His hands eager to meet Arthur hesitantly reached up to him. Arthur left his lips to trace a line of kisses on his chin, then his jaw and throat until he found the hollow of his collarbone.
They couldn't understand what was happening. It was as if they have known each other for a long time. As if they had done this before. Arthur knew exactly where to kiss and Merlin responded and touched him as if he were his. They felt it was impossible to stop, an invisible force drew them together.
"Arthur." Merlin breathed. "Arthur." He was silenced by Arthur's lips again and a hand hooking under his knee placing his leg on the couch so that he could lie more comfortably.
Merlin thought he shouldn't be doing this. He wasn't here for this. He pulled back from the kiss.
"You really think we should-ah." Before he could even finish his question Arthur rubbed his crotch against Merlin's, their hard dicks brushing against each other.
"Don't try to tell me, Merlin, that you don't want this. It's very visible you do."
Arthur took everything painfully slow after that. Merlin threw his head back allowing him access to his throat, not for biting since Arthur's mind was set in kissing him lingeringly. A kiss here, a lick there and all the while his found a rhythm, rolling his hips in a motion that had both of their swollen cocks rubbing through clothes. He was so very slow with everything, taking his time. He peppered Merlin with kisses on the hollow of his throat, his Adam's apple, his jaw, his lovely high cheekbones, the bridge of his nose and then the tip, his chin and finally reclaiming his lips. That was all it took to have Merlin gasping and moaning softly, even producing a low hum.
Arthur continued his wicked way of seduction, until Merlin couldn't take anymore.
"This is ridiculous!" he exclaimed.
"What is?" Merlin started untucking Arthur's shirt from his trousers, desperate to find some skin.
"Too many clothes..." and that had the vampire chuckling.
The shirt was dragged over Arthur's head and then as if both knew they started unbuckling each other's trousers. Their lips sloppy and wet, all the while, against each other and Arthur's tongue penetrating the other man's mouth. Merlin's hands snaked around his waist and then lower until he was digging his fingers between Arthur's butt cheeks and the fabric of his loose trousers. There seemed to be little time to take the rest of their clothes off.
Arthur hissed and his fangs were extracted. What a lovely sound that is, the younger man thought. He shook the thought out of his head announcing himself to be an idiot. The blonde then took both of their cocks in his grasp and pumped them. His strokes were wet from the slick product of the hot friction they produced. Their moans now filled the room, with every move and every breathy, hot kiss.
"Merlin" he panted across his lips not once breaking them apart. He couldn't have enough of his lips, of his kisses and his tongue. It just wasn't enough, never enough. "Merlin" he panted again as if he was asking for something. His throat was burning furiously in demand. Merlin pulled a bit apart his breath warm on Arthur's lips as he spoke.
"Do it Arthur." He asked. "Do it again." He begged, even though he didn't say any kind of words.
As Arthur sunk his teeth on his creamy, white throat, Merlin closed his eyes shut and came with a moan, Arthur following just seconds away. The sound of Arthur's fangs retracting was all it took before they both fell limp on the sofa.
"You didn't take much."
"It's all I need." He assured him. "It was more than enough."
Merlin hummed happily. "Mmmm... This sofa 's really nice y' know."
"Wait till we get to try the bed."
"What now?" The young man panicked.
"No." He groaned and stood up. "Unfortunately, I have some work to do, but don't worry dear we will get to that eventually." He said and flashed the most wicked grin Merlin has ever seen.
A/N- I know this chapter was a bit shorter than the other ones but it would have been to huge if I merged it with the next one.