Chapter 5 The Dark Gift #2
Finley blinked. “Blood… of course, it was written in blood.” He reached up to that strange white scar at his throat before dropping his hand again and going back to his sandwich. “Well, do you recognize it?”
“No, but that’s not surprising. From its age, it could have been created from a species that no longer exists. More are gone than are currently here,” he explained.
“That’s fascinating.” Finley chewed thoughtfully.
“It is. So many of them are only known because of a scrap of cloth or a ruined wall, but they had vast and powerful civilizations here. Yet so little is left. This could be a remnant of those.” He touched the cover as he said this. “And you found this in a temple in Illithor?”
“The Temple of the Necrilem,” Finley answered between swallows. He took a large sip of wine. “It is a strange thing to find a temple to the worship of death in the city of immortals.”
“Not at all. Vex and Ailduin were very open minded about who they let in. Freedom of religion was paramount,” he answered.
“And they were as fascinated as we are about the ancient civilizations in the Under Dark. So they encouraged very different species to come to Illithor and make their homes there, build their temples and practice their magic.”
“The temple’s floor in the foyer had a human skull in the stone,” Finley told him.
“Human–”
“I know. Maybe it magically changed when I came inside. Could there have been humans in the Under Dark at some point?” Finley asked.
There were only crumbs left of the sandwich. Rhalyf levitated a bowl of fruit over and, to his delight, Finley grabbed one of the oranges that he eagerly began to peel.
“Humanity does stretch back 250,000 years, but… I doubt they made it to the Under Dark to create something like this.” Rhalyf weighed the book in his hand. “It feels like the result of an Elder Civilization.”
“Elder?”
“It’s what we call those who lived before the elves. They raised shining cities in the dark. They left their mark. But then they left or perished or…” He shook his head. “Did Vex tell you anything about them?”
Finley had stuffed an orange section in his mouth so he could only shake his head at first before he swallowed and said, “He just indicated that the magic it held could be wielded by a human.”
Rhalyf opened the book and stared at the title page. The language was unknown to him. In fact, the longer he looked at it, the words began to blur and his head throbbed. He shut the book and handed it back to Finley who took it only a little eagerly. He rubbed his temples.
“Are you all right?” Finley asked, concern tinting his words. He set the book down and reached out to Rhalyf, but stopped just short of touching him.
“Yes, but I don’t think I should handle that book often.” He gave a tight smile. “You can read it?”
“Oh, yes!” Finley brightened.
“What does that cover page say?”
Again, that hesitation. But Finley opened it and read, “The Dark Gift.”
He blinked. “The Dark Gift? Well, that sounds…”
“Dangerous?”
“Well–
“Worrisome?”
“I–”
“Dark?”
“Okay, you have me there! The Dark Gift is dark. But also promising. What is the gift? I mean it must be magic, but what exact kind?”
“Necromancy, I think. I mean, I’m relating it to what I know from fantasy games and books but that appears to be what this is,” Finley admitted.
“What does that mean to you?”
“Using the spirits of the dead for magical purposes,” Finley explained.
Rhalyf gently reached out and brushed his fingers along the wound on Finley’s neck. Finley went very still, but did not try to block him.
“But there appears to be some very real physical aspects to this magic,” Rhalyf murmured, displeased that he was unable to fully heal this wound.
“It requires sacrifice,” Finley answered softly. “The blood doesn’t really fuel the magic from what I can tell. At least, not exactly. It’s the concept of giving up your life for death.”
“Giving up–”
“The magic comes from death. For mortals, our deaths are far longer than our lives,” Finley explained haltingly.
“Which seems to indicate that there is some existence for you beyond the dying of your mortal coil?” Rhalyf nodded.
“Yes. It’s funny…” Finley let out a dry laugh. “I didn’t believe in a soul before. And here I am, studying necromancy.”
“You allowed your worldview to be widened once you had more information. That is all that can be asked of any of us, Finley,” Rhalyf said.
“This idea of sacrifice explains why I couldn’t heal you fully.
Or, at least, why the scar remains. It’s part of your deal to use the magic.
” He trailed his fingertips over that raised flesh, but then he was touching Finley’s unmarked skin.
It was tender. Sweet. Warm. “Do you think you will have to suffer many more scars?”
Finley wasn’t moving. He was holding himself very still as Rhalyf touched him. “I’m–I’m not sure. Would you–you mind if I did?”
“All great magic leaves marks.” Rhalyf lifted his left leg and pulled up the wide leg of his trousers to show the Blood Tattoo of Lament.
Finley immediately was moving to get a closer look at it. He sank to his knees in front of Rhalyf’s chair and brought his elegant hands up towards the Blood Tattoo. His hands hovered an inch over it.
“Can I–”
“Touch my thigh? Yes, yes, go right ahead!” Rhalyf chuckled.
Finley narrowed his eyes. “This is for scientific research not–not to cop a feel.”
“Of course it is! Completely and utterly scientific,” Rhalyf sighed. “Unfortunately.”
Finley blinked and blushed. That pretty pink color flowed beneath the collar of his shirt. It made the scar all the more white in comparison. “We can do other, non-scientific things later if you like. But, for right now, I want to look at your Blood Tattoo.”
It was Rhalyf’s turn to blink. “Later? You would–”
“Science now. Sex later. It’s been a long day,” Finley murmured.
“Oh, yes, of course. A long few days,” Rhalyf muttered in return.
Had Finley just propositioned him? He thought the young man had!
So brave! So bold! He was pretty sure that Finley had little to no experience with lovers.
Should he pursue this? He wanted to. Looking at Finley’s bowed head and feeling the young man’s warm breath on his thigh, he realized he was very interested.
But was it wise?
Finley was his friend. He didn’t want that to end. But he knew that humans–for the most part–paired off and were monogamous. Elves did, too. But even if his intense liking of Finley deepened, he was in no way ready to settle down. And Finley being mortal would complicate that even more.
“How does a Blood Tattoo form?” Finley asked as he barely brushed warm fingertips along the outside of Rhalyf’s leg.
“Ah, well, it happens in a moment of high emotion. Fearing for one’s life. The loss of someone beloved. Rage over injustice even,” he answered even as his skin tingled and his cock started to take unfortunate notice.
“But Declan turned Ardreth into a Blood Tattoo in the Pedway. He did fight those Leviathan. But that wasn’t a moment of high emotion for him,” Finley protested as he seemed to be measuring the tattoo and comparing it to the real thing in his mind.
“Declan was in the middle of accepting that he wasn’t human, that he was a Kindreth. By taking Ardreth and slaying those Leviathan in that moment, he was accepting the truth of who he is truly is,” Rhalyf pointed out, trying not to squirm as Finley put a rather proprietary hand on his bare knee.
“Yes, I see what you mean. Declan rarely expresses emotions outwardly. It was narrow-minded of me to think he would have to yell or cry or something before taking a Blood Weapon,” Finley murmured. “Does it hurt when they appear on your skin?”
“N-No, not really. But there is a sense of having been changed from it,” he explained.
More hot breath puffing across his flesh. His cock twitched. Oh, he was grateful for flowy pants and self-control. Finley looked up at him with those wide blue eyes made even larger behind his glasses.
“Are you aroused?” Finley asked.
“What?!” He squawked. “I mean… what?”
“You appear…” Finley shifted a little. “Does it excite you to have me on my knees before you touching your bare leg?”
Rhalyf stared at him. “Is that a trick question?”
“No, it’s just an honest one. I’m not good at games. I want to know,” Finley answered. “It won’t bother me either way.”
“Honest?” Rhalyf lifted an eyebrow.
Finley’s fingers tightened on his knee. “Well, I would like you to enjoy this. But if you don’t then I have my answer and I can… can put this attraction I have for you aside.”
“Ah… yes, yes, I am aroused. Yes, I like seeing you like this,” he answered far more calmly than he felt.
Finley nodded. But he didn’t smile or show any sign of pleasure or displeasure. “Your friendship is very important to me.”
“And yours is equally as important to me,” Rhalyf confessed.
“I do not wish to risk that friendship for something fleeting and physical,” Finley told him. “So I need to know… how you feel and what you would want from this.”
Rhalyf stared at him. “I was thinking along those lines myself. I’m not really… really the pair-bonding kind, Finley.”
If he expected Finley to be horrified or chuck the idea of them doing anything physical he would have been quite disappointed. Finley sat with this for moments.
“I did not think you were. And that would be difficult with my short lifespan,” Finley pointed out as if his mortality was not a crime.
“That is… very clear headed of you,” Rhalyf said slowly.
“And you are a Vex. A royal Kindreth. I would imagine if you did–how did you put it? Oh yes, pair-bond–that it would have to be a politically motivated arrangement.”
More blinks. “Yes, yes, I suppose it would.”
Now that he wasn’t actually running for his life, his position as Vex’s nephew was secure once more. The ironic part was the only person he had ever felt comfortable with being himself, of sharing secrets, was a mortal young man who would be completely inappropriate to marry.
Except Vex likes him so…
But he mentally shook himself. He enjoyed Finley immensely. No matter what they would be great friends. They already were on that path. If they sweetened it with coupling, he would certainly not be adverse to that. But either way, he wanted Finley in his life as long as the young man could be…
“My studies will take precedence in any case. So I am not a pair-bond type of person either. I would likely not give a partner enough of my time and attention. But since you have other interests as well–and expect nothing permanent from this in terms of love or commitment beyond friendship–then I think this could work between us,” Finley said with a nod as if this was quite sensible in his mind.
Rhalyf should have been pleased with Finley’s statements. They mirrored his own. This was best. They could be friends with benefits! So why did he feel his heart sink at this? It was nonsense.
Finley gazed up at him through his dark lashes. “I would like to study a bit more, but… I would like to kiss you first. May I?”
His cock nearly stood at attention. Yet it was the sweetness of the request that struck deep in Rhalyf’s heart.
“Oh, yes, you most definitely may.”
Finley rose up so that his face was even with Rhalyf’s. His expression was serious and somehow analytical. “I have not kissed anyone like this before so you will have to lead and teach me what you enjoy.”
“And you will as well. We are all unique,” Rhalyf said. “Shall I lead now?”
“Yes, please do,” Finley murmured.
It was then that Rhalyf realized Finley’s pupils were blown wide with desire. Though he was acting very in control, he wanted this. His body desired it. Needed it.
Rhalyf cupped Finley’s face with both of his hands as he shifted his body so that Finley was between his legs.
His thumbs caressed up and down Finley’s fine cheekbones and along the orbits of his eyes.
Finley’s eyes hooded. They were more black than blue now.
He tilted his head as he leaned in. Finley’s plush pink lips parted as his mouth covered Finley’s.
Finley arched back as Rhalyf’s tongue slid between his lips.
He slid a hand around to Finley’s lower back to hold him, brace him, as he deepened the kiss.
Finley just opened to him. His body went hot and pliant.
He allowed Rhalyf to manipulate him in any way he wished as their tongues tangled.
He kept Finley from pushing too close and clacking their teeth together.
He showed him the way to delve and slide and tease.
Heat.
Liquid.
The chase of wine.
And then Finley was winding an arm around his neck. His fingers feathering through Rhalyf’s long hair, tugging on it possessively. Holding Rhalyf to him. Surging up against him. Wanting to merge their bodies seemingly into one.
Rhalyf’s heart raced. Heat flooded between his thighs. His cock was like an iron bar in his pants. He felt that answering hardness in Finley’s trousers. Finley gasped into the kiss as their bodies met.
This was not just a kiss.
And Finley was not going back to studying if Rhalyf had anything to say about it.
He lifted Finley up into his arms. Finley’s legs wrapped around his waist. And just as he was turning towards the four-poster bed, he heard a knocking–loud, insistent, not to be ignored–coming from the door of the tower.
Both of them froze.
Finley broke away and they stared at one another.
“Who–who could that be?” Finley gasped.
“No one. It can’t be anyone. We’re so far from civilization–”
“Brother?! Rhalyf, come on now! I know you’re in there! I’ve been waiting hours for you to come out, but since you look to be making a night of it, I would like to come in,” Haera’s voice rose up the winding set of stairs.
Rhalyf froze.
“Is that… is that your sister?” Finley asked.
He closed his eyes. Evidently, his secret hideout was not secret at all.