Lance was an elf! How was that even a thing? God, he hated Seth’s best friend on principle alone. He looked at Simone, seeing the same look of recognition on her face. For one second, time froze.

Raum sucked in a breath and the air seemed to turn cold, breaking the spell. Lance dropped his coat without even looking, stepping around Seth in one slick move. He and Raum stared at each other with animosity of long time enemies, and Anri found himself stuck between them. Raum loomed, raising his eyebrow in challenge. Simone reached out, her fingers resting on his forearm. His eyes never left Lance, but he placed his other hand over her fingers.

She pulled her hand back reflexively at his touch, staring at her hand in shock, as if she hadn’t meant to touch Raum. Tension filled the room as the two men stood off. Anri looked back and forth between the two of them, unsure what was going on, but sure that he didn’t want to be in between when it did. Raum, dressed in all black, and blond viking Lance was dressed in tan and white, dark versus light. As far as Anri cared they could both destroy each other, as long as they kept Simone and Seth out of it.

Seth sighed loudly and pushed past Lance, and the tension dissipated like morning fog. He walked up to Anri and kissed him on the cheek in front of everyone. Anri felt his ears catch fire, but the look of hatred on Lance’s face made him smug inside. Seth’s display of affection, and the look on Lance’s face, had Anri feeling all tingly, despite his shame.  

Lance glared at him until Seth turned back, his face changing instantly from a glare to a tight, forced smile. Lance didn’t like him? Well, the feeling was mutual.

Raum cleared his throat, pulling everyone’s attention to him. He waited until everyone was looking at him before he said, “Child of Fey, why have you come?” Anri sighed. Why was Raum posturing?

“Why, hello Sigaliansadine Raum. I could ask you what you are doing in this realm,” Lance replied. If he was afraid of the demon, he didn’t show it.

Raum’s eyebrow rose up. “You have me at a disadvantage, as you know who I am. I assume you are Tytania’s whelp?”

Lance’s smile was icy. “Not that I owe you any answers, but Tytania is my mother. Since I gave an answer, now you owe me mine. Why are you here?”

Raum scratched at his chin. “Ah, then you are Lancastor, as you are not Lysstor.” Anri didn’t know who to watch, somehow still stuck in the middle. Luckily, Seth didn’t seem to be as frazzled as he was. Seth’s hand wrapped around his, giving him a reassuring squeeze. It was amazing the kind of effect Seth’s small gestures could have on him. Seth looked between Raum and Lance, then made a decision with a curt nod. He pulled Anri past the dining room and into the kitchen, granting wide berth to Raum.

Simone stood close behind Raum, but her eyes were on him and Seth. She watched them walk through the tension with awe, Seth leading him the entire way, then turned and followed them, glancing back at Raum and Lance as she left with an unreadable look on her face.

Seth squeezed his hand again, then headed over to the counter. He leaned against it, pulling Anri next to him. “Lance, please come in here. Raum, you too,” Seth said calmly. Anri was boiling with anxiety, and he could feel it a tiny bit, some of it slipping through the tiny shred of connection that Seth had left open. Anri looked longingly at the basement door, the door to Seth’s sanctuary, but Seth shook his head, a slight, subtle shake, but he caught it. That gesture said there was no escaping this.

Simone grabbed a chair at the table, nervously looking back over her shoulder to where Lance and Raum were still both standing off. Anri thought Seth was getting ready to call them again, but a breath later Lance filed in, followed by Raum, who’s eyes never left the elf’s back.  

Lance walked in like royalty, heading straight to the fridge, somehow unconcerned with the fuming demon’s intense attention. He pulled a diet Coke out and stepped away, the ancient refrigerator door swinging shut on its own. He hopped up onto the counter, spun the lid off of the plastic bottle and took a swig, as if everything were normal. He was familiar with Seth’s house, and he was making a point to demonstrate it.

Lance watched Raum, spinning the lid back onto the bottle, one eyebrow raised in expectation. Another silent standoff began between the two men began.

Seth rolled his eyes and broke the silence. “Lance, this is Anri,” he pushed against Anri with his shoulder, “his sister, Simone,” he motioned towards Simone with his open hand, palm up, “and Raum,” Seth introduced, motioning to Raum. Simone nodded warily at Lance. “Everyone, this is my best friend, Lance.”

Lance smiled icily at them all in turn, Anri, then Simone, then Raum. “Hello, Anri, Anri’s sister Simone and Rathanat si Prense Raum.”

Rathanat si what? What had Lance just called Raum? It seemed important, but Simone disregarded it, responding, “Nice to meet you, Lance,” in a way expressed that she wasn’t entirely sure it was nice to meet him or not.

Anri nodded but said nothing, still chewing on the foreign words. Seth sighed heavily. “I was worried this was going to happen.”

Lance looked over at his best friend casually. He scratched his fingers through his long bleach blonde hair. “What, Seth, you thought that introducing me to your vampire boyfriend, his sister and their new pet Duke of Legion wasn’t going to go well?” Lance said. “This is exactly how I had thought it might go.” Lance didn’t even attempt to hide his animosity for them.

Seth scowled, looking around the counter, possibly for something to throw. “My what?! I-ah,” Seth stuttered, a blush creeping up his cheeks. “Jesus, Lance, can you chill the fuck down? You’re making this worse! You said you’d behave!”

“Because if I didn’t, you wouldn’t have brought me!” Lance retorted.

“I’m am no one’s pet here, child of Fey,” Raum interjected before Seth could respond.

“What? Yeah, sure you aren’t. I guess, actually, you’re kinda right. My bad, you’re not his pet, but making pets instead,” Lance said, nodding heavily at Simone.

It took a second for her to realize what he had said, but when she did, her face burned with anger. She was standing before she knew it, then stepping forward. Anri tensed in anticipation of her biting remark, but Raum’s hand went to her shoulder before she could say anything. She looked at him in pure fury that scared Anri, but Raum just shook his head. Anri recognized the look on her face as she smacked his hand from her shoulder, and was glad her anger was not pointed in his direction

“No, Raum, kiss my dick. And you, too, you cocky fairy. You can both kiss my dick. I’ve had it about up to here with all of the supernatural bullshit that’s been happening lately. If I could go back to my apartment I would, but since I’m stuck here with you assholes, not you, Sethy,” she added quickly, smiling weakly at Seth, “I would appreciate it if you could all quit your pissing match and put away your dicks. I don’t know what you think, elf, but you can’t just come in here swinging.”

“Hey, wait!” Anri barked. “What’d I do? Why’m I an asshole?”

They all ignored his comment. Lance leaned forward from his perch. “Whatd’ya think you’re doing here? How long have you known Seth? You act like you live here-”

“I do for now, thank you,” Simone interrupted.

“No, you don’t. You’re a guest. Seth’s guest. And I’m here to fix that for him now. Let me tell you in simple terms you’ll understand, vampire. You’re not welcome here,” Lance spat.

“Lance, shut up, you don’t get to… Wait. Elf?” Seth looked over at Lance, trying to catch up with the conversation. “You’re an elf?” Seth turned to him and asked again, “he’s an elf?”

Seth didn’t know? How did he not know? How could he have been best friends with an elf and not known. His lover looked at him for clarification and he nodded. “Did you just meet him recently?” Anri asked.

“We’ve been best friends since elementary school!” Seth scowled, turning his anger towards Lance. He was glad Seth wasn’t looking at him anymore, because he couldn’t have hid his confusion even if he tried.

Lance rolled his eyes, obviously exasperated, sighing dramatically. “See! This right here. This’s why everyone hate vampires. They ruin everything.”

“I don’t hate vampires! No, no, no, we are not going to ignore this! Don’t think you can distract me. You’re an elf?!” Seth exclaimed too loud. “Like Legolas?”

“Oh my god, Seth! How long have you known me? Am I anything like Legolas?” Lance took another drink of his diet Coke, swallowing angrily before he slammed the plastic bottle down on the counter

“Um…yea, kinda, actually. So you’re an elf? That’s why you can do magic. One more secret you weren’t gonna tell me?” Seth said. Anri felt like everything was happening around him, and for once he was glad he wasn’t actively involved.

Lance took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Seth,” he entreated. He rubbed his chin nervously as he debated what to say.

A small smile peeked at the edge of Raum’s poker face, and the demon took the opportunity to answer for him. “He is a child of fey, the sky realm. Just as you call us demons, you call them elves. They do not refer to themselves as such, but he is what he is. To Daeva he is Alfheim, to his own realm hs is Seelie, or as your realm refers, he is an elf.”

“Sigaliansadine, you stay out of this! You still owe me an answer,” Lance hissed. Simone’s black eyes were focused on Lance with intensity, and Anri noticed that Raum’s hand was back on Simone’s shoulder.

“I owe you nothing, Lancastor. I never agreed to your terms,” Raum returned. His body language was both menacing, and he pushed Simone behind him. She didn’t seem to notice, her attention on Lance.  

Seth shivered. The air in the house dropped at least ten degrees, cooler air breezing through the house. Anri briefly wondered if the door was still open as he leaned into Seth more, trying to protect him from the cold.

“Seth,” Lance said without actually looking at Seth, ‘this is why I marked you as mine. This bullshit right here. Don’t you see? This situation is completely FUBAR. Come on, let’s go. You can stay with me until we can get this…infestation out of your house, and until I can fix things. I know I can fix it.” Lance jumped down off of the counter, sticking his hand out towards Seth.

“Lance, didn’t I tell you to behave? You promised! You’re making this so much worse than it has to be. Seriously. All it had to be was like, ‘oh, hi Seth’s new boyfriend, I’m totally supportive of him and I am totally not judging anything until I understand it!’, not…whatever…this is!” Seth griped. “And, no, I’m not leaving. This is MY house. Everyone here is welcome in MY home. IF you keep acting like an ass, Lance, you can go leave. Go be an asshole somewhere else. Incase you forgot, I’m not exactly thrilled with you right now, and all your secrets. You promised you’d behave. Shit,” he exclaimed, running fingers through his hair. “I knew you were going to be stupid about this. I shouldn’t have let you come. I should have brought Anri to meet you one on one. This is exactly how I worried it was going to turn out, with the exception of the elf thing, which does nothing towards putting you back into my good graces.”

Lance stared at Seth, obviously trying to come up with something to say. No one said anything for a moment.

Raum laughed, full and deep, startling him. Lance’s shoulders hunched forward and he he perched on the counter like a cat ready to pounce.

“Stop it, both of you. I mean it,” Seth said. Anri worried for the safety of his Wren if the demon were to do something unpredictable, but Raum didn’t move, just laughed as if this were the funniest thing he’d seen in a while.

Both men ignored Seth, Raum laughing and Lance looking like he was trying to determine the best way to clean up cotton candy puke right outside the Whirl-O-Matic. Seth watched them both for a minute, then he glanced at Anri, a tired smile on his face. Anri smiled back, confused.

Seth nodded once, another decision made, then pulled him up off the counter. Anri staggered, feeling completely ungraceful, and allowed himself to be dragged towards the basement door. They were through it before Raum or Lance realized they were escaping. The tension in the room was so strong it was nearly a physical barrier, he realized this as the air seemed lighter as Seth pushed him through the door ahead of him.

As Seth passed through the door behind him, he twisted around while at the same time pushed Anri to continue down. The unexpected push almost sent him stumbling down the steps, but he caught himself on the railing, preventing his tumble. Lance call out Seth’s and Anri paused on the steps, looking back over his shoulder.

Seth pulled his hand over the door frame as if he were making a rift, but instead of peeling it back to open it, he left it hanging, gold shimmering around the frame.

“Seth, god dammit, get back here! What you doing?” Lance yelled after them.

“Go!” Seth said as he pushed Anri further down the steps. He heard more than saw the scuffing movement of someone giving chase as they ran down the steps. “Cool off, Lance!” Seth yelled back as he vaulted down the steps, pushing Anri out of the stairwell.

Anri stumbled through the door frame at the bottom of the steps, catching himself on the arm of the couch as he nearly fell to the floor. Seth turned around and did the same movement, creating another Rift around the door frame at the bottom of the steps. Flickering gold shimmered to life, framing the doorway, but this time the center was not translucent, but deep black with flecks of gold shooting through the darkness like stars.

There was a popping feeling, as if he had just traveled through the rift as the second rift settled into place. Seth watched the door carefully and Anri approached, reaching for Seth’s hand. Seth took his hand and squeezed it, his eyes never leaving the stargate.

“I think it worked…” Seth said, watching the golden flecks dance inside the gate.

“What worked?” he whispered, immediately feeling dumb that he was whispering. They stood there, staring at the rift. This one looked different than Seth’s normal gates. Instead of showing the place where it connected, this one was filled with deep, hypnotic hypnotic blackness. Gold flecks shot across the deep blackness until they fizzled into nonexistence, a door-sized meteor shower.

“So, you remember how Raum was talking about his portals? How they travel in the demon realm?” Seth asked, his eyes still on the inky gate.

He nodded. “I guess.” More tiny golden explosions disappeared into the black void.

“Well, I thought about it and Joro recognized it. It just…well, I thought maybe I could do it, too. And so I did, I guess,” Seth said. Anri wished he their connection was open more, he only caught shreds of what Seth was feeling, and it unsettled him.

“What did you do, Seth?” he wondered aloud, glancing over at his Wren.

Seth bit his lip ring, his eyes locked on his work. God, Seth’s lip ring was hot, and the action sent a spike of lust straight to his core. “I made a loop. They can pass through the first rift, but if they pass through both…well, it sends them back out of the first rift. I connected the rifts to each other.”

Anri considered this, his eyes on Seth’s sexy lip ring, caught enticingly between his teeth. “So…you’re telling me that there is no way for anyone to get down here with us?”

Seth sighed, then looked at Anri uncertainly. “I don’t…I don’t think so. And, even if they could, I think I could get Joro to send them back upstairs anyway. I…I think I’m getting better at this!” Seth said, a huge smile making him look even younger than he was.

Anri couldn’t take it. After the smell of that elf all over his Wren, all of the insanity and tension with Raum, their interrupted time together last night, and how long it had been since he’d spent time with his Wren…he was at the end of his reason. He turned to Seth, stepping up to him until he was only inches from his face. “You’re telling me that we are absolutely alone, completely isolated, and that no one can get in here?”

Seth swallowed hard. “I…think so…”

His hand wrapped around Seth’s neck, pulling him down to his face. He kissed him hard, and Seth’s mouth welcomed him without hesitation. As they kissed, he felt Seth respond, his body possessively pressing against his, his manhood pressing against Anri’s belly. Seth took a step back, then another, Anri matching his steps equally. Seth pushed him back, his hands on his chest, breaking away from the kiss.

“But, shouldn’t we go back up and make sure they don’t-”  Seth got out before Anri kissed him again. Seth broke the kiss again, breathing heavily, “Kill each other or something?”

Anri kissed him forcefully, encouraging him back another step. He sent his hand, which had been resting on Seth’s cheek, down the line of his body. It came to rest on Seth’s firm butt and he squeezed, pulling Seth forward into another kiss, pressing his enticing manhood back into his navel.

Seth tried to break away but Anri could tell his eyes were going dreamy, and he could feel his arousal through their connection. “Seth,” he ground out between kisses. “They’ll be fine for now. I’m the one who needs your attention.”

Seth moaned into his mouth, his hands tangling through Anri’s hair to push the ponytail holder out. Seth’s fingers twined through his hair, fingernails scraping his scalp. Anri took another step back, this time pulling him, then he twisted so that Seth fell to the bed beneath him.

“You don’t feel blood-lusty today…” Seth breathed out between kisses.

“I’m not,” was his quick reply. He went to kiss Seth some more. Seth blocked him with his hand, mushing Anri’s face against his palm.

“What’s this, then? Last night, you-” Seth started.

Anri nipped at his hand without breaking the skin and Seth pulled it away reflexively. “I’m repenting for last night now.” He closed his mouth over Seth’s before he could say anything else, pulling him back down on top. Seth’s tension melted, his body relaxing under Anri’s. His hands traveled over Seth’s body, not resting anywhere for long. The need to touch his Wren was strong, strong enough that he wasn’t embarrassed by it. He could be honest with himself and his needs, even if it wouldn’t last.

He hoped it would.

Seth’s leg wrapped around his back, pushing their bodies even closer together. Filled with the need to feel Seth’s skin, his hands fumbled until they found the hem of his shirt. Seth understood what he was doing and untangled his fingers from Anri’s hair just before he pulled the shirt over his head in one quick tug.

Anri broke off the kiss. Seth whined as he sat back, straddling his Wren. Both of them were panting. He could tell by Seth’s reaction that his eyes had gone red as they locked eyes. He knew had Seth’s undivided attention. Seth watched him closely and he allowed his fangs to drop. The blood in Seth’s veins sang to him.

Seth was beautiful, a masterpiece of muscle sprawled on the bed beneath him. His skin looked so smooth and pale in the dim lighting that Anri just had to taste it. He dipped his head down, eyes still locked on Seth’s, then took one of Seth’s rosy nipples between his teeth. He closed his lips around it and sucked slightly, pulling it deeper into his mouth. Seth gasped as his back arched, forcing his hips to buck, pushing his erection against Anri’s butt.

Pleased with this reaction, he bit down carefully with one of his sharp fangs. He didn’t break the skin, but applied enough pressure for Seth to squirm under him, rubbing himself harder on Anri. Seth moaned and squirmed, which in turn just made him want to do it even more.

He shifted himself to Seth’s other nipple and gave it the same treatment, his hands running over Seth’s bare skin. Seth’s hands tangled up into his dirty blond hair. Seth sucked in a deep breath as his teeth pinched pleasantly but did not pierce.

“God, Anri, I love you,” Seth gasped out between bites.

He paused his biting to slide his mouth over Seth’s pecs. He kissed and nipped his way up Seth’s chest, stopping at his neck. He placed a hard kiss on the unintentional scars he had given Seth and his Wren trembled. Anri licked the scars, running his tongue over the rough skin that marked Seth as his, for better or for worse.

He continued to lick and kiss up Seth’s neck until he caught his ear gently between his fangs. “How are you mine?” he wondered softly in Seth’s ear. “I don’t deserve you. You’re too good for me. And yet, you’re mine.” He punctuated this point with another sharp nibble to his earlobe.

Seth’s body trembled and then he rolled, bringing Anri with him. They lay on their sides, facing each other. Seth opened his mouth to say something but Anri smothered it with his own. They kissed with need, hands roaming over one another’s bodies.

His hands fumbled with Seth’s belt and he tried to break away again, heading south. “Anri,” Seth mumbled thickly, “no time.” Seth’s hand found its way under his sweatpants band, his warm fingers wrapped around his solid member. Anri couldn’t stop his hips from bucking. Seth’s touch was like lightning in his veins.

“I’ve waited all day. Wanted you all day,” he growled into Seth’s ear. He ripped at Seth’s belt, finally getting it loose. The button on his jeans was next and then his hands were freeing Seth’s heavy cock. “I want this,” he breathed heavily, squeezing Seth’s dick firmly.

“I want you, too. So much. Finish this way. Almost out of time,” Seth moaned, his fingers in Anri’s hair stopping him from travelling down his body. He began stroking Anri, slowly sliding up and down the shaft. “So glad. I wanted you, too.”

He melted against Seth’s body. In this moment they were perfection. Seth relaxed the kink in their connection and it flared between them, glowing softly, connecting them.

Anri matched his strokes to Seth’s, both of their hips moving. Seth felt so good, tasted so good, he couldn’t stop himself, couldn’t slow down, but he found he didn’t too. Seth set the pace, and when his pace quickened they were both close to the edge.

“Seth,” he panted, breaking away, breathing hard. “I want to cum on you. You smell like that elf. I can’t stand it. Smell like mine. Please…” he begged, his face burning with shame. How could he ask that? Say that?

“Anri, do it. Oh, god, do it. Yes…” Seth moaned. He rolled them both so that Anri was again above him. He looked down the length of their bodies, at his cock enclosed within Seth’s hand.

Anri couldn’t hold out. His eyes flew back in his head as he came in Seth’s hand and on Seth’s bare torso. His release was powerful and raw, the result of days of pent up frustration. Seth’s hand continued to ride his shaft a few more strokes, pushing out each pulse of his ejaculate.

Seth’s cock erupted in his hand only seconds after Anri’s thick ropy semen had landed on his perfect, pale belly. Seth’s hips bucked wildly, and he tried his best to catch all of Seth’s desire in his other hand. He had to have it, he didn’t want to waste it. He knew it was a fucked up thought, but he didn’t care.

Anri collapsed onto Seth, their bodies in a heap, content for one perfect minute. Anri brought his cum covered hand to his mouth and began licking it up like a cat with cream. He was truly becoming addicted to Seth’s flavor.

Seth’s fingers danced over his neck and into his hair just before he pulled his hand into a fist within Anri’s locks. He was forced away from licking Seth off his hands into a demanding kiss. They kissed again fiercely before Seth broke away, sitting up. Anri whined.

“Raum’s coming.” Seth said with a frown. “He broke my first rift, he’s almost done with the second one. Joro’s afraid of him.”

“Shit…” Anri swore. “You should, um, clean that off.” His eyes were locked on his pearlescent cum splattered across Seth’s belly.

“I thought you wanted me covered in your scent.” He grinned proudly.

Anri blushed hard, looking anywhere but at his Wren. “I…ah, I do. I mean…you are. You smell all mine. But, ah, you should at least wipe it off. Everyone will know what we just did. They’ll smell it.”

“Says the vampire licking me off of his hands,” Seth replied playfully. He looked sharply over to the doorway in the next instant.

“I’m not wasting this. Shit, they’ll all know from how you smell, even if you wipe it away. You should go take a shower,” he pouted.

Seth flushed, then coughed to cover it. “But won’t that wash your scent off of me? Besides, you totally have that glow to you. Everyone’ll know exactly what we locked ourselves away to do anyway.”

Anri flushed, sucking on his middle finger. “Fuck. I’m never going upstairs again.”

Seth looked at the rift again as it flickered and then popped out of existence. “I don’t think you’ll have to,” Seth said.

Raum stood in the doorway, and he did not look happy. He surveyed the room, eyes half closed in annoyance at the sight of the disheveled pair of them on the bed.

He could feel his face burning. “Jesus, what the fuck is wrong with you? Don’t you know how to fucking knock? You couldn’t fucking give us, like, ten fucking minutes?! You didn’t have to fucking tear down Seth’s gates!”

“I did it because I can. Anri, if you are done marking your territory, do the two of you mind coming back up stairs so that Seth can get rid of his elf? Dark heavens, it smells down here.” Raum’s nose wrinkled in displeasure. “Seth, perhaps you should shower first, or it might cause your elf to be even more disagreeable.” He turned back towards the steps. “Come clean up your mess, children.”

Demonbound Chapter 7a: Five’s a Crowd

Demonbound Chapter 8: Confrontations