Chapter 16
Lucian knew the answer now. He blinked at his uncle’s worried expression. The long years of wars, and forced leadership wore at him, but he never lost that gentle core carefully protected by iron will.
“I’ll find him,” Lucian said. He walked past his uncle and squeezed the man’s arm for comfort, a small touch as they were still healing the division forced on them by Lucian’s sire.
Lucian found the book, worn and worse for wear, in his room, packed a bag of some basics, and then made his way outside.
Theo and Barney lay in the sun, basking a lot like cats warming themselves.
Lucian took a moment to memorize the beauty of Theo’s delicate face resting in the rays of bright light.
The sun didn’t bother Lucian, Theo, or even Radu. But Lucian knew Star had spent a long time in the dark, found comfort in hiding, and suspected the man hid in the deep space of woods between their house and Raphael’s.
Theo must have sensed him because he looked up with sleepy eyes. “You okay?”
“Yes. Headed off to find Star.”
“He went off into the woods. I asked if he needed help. He said no. But he promised he’d look for berries for us. Did you have any luck making the dessert?”
“No. I’ll try again later.”
“Do you want me to go with you?” Theo sat up, his gaze finding the dark stretch of woods, and he shivered. Nothing there could or would hurt them, but the shadows touched them all in a way they had yet to recover.
“Rest. I’ll be back in a while.” Lucian said as he passed them and headed into the woods. Strawberry vines usually grew where Star set down roots. A connection to Yuri, or because they reminded Star of him? Lucian didn’t ask, it felt too personal.
He wove through the woods, the glowing orbs of mushrooms lighting his way until he found the first spread of strawberry vines and their bright green leaves with sprouting red fruit.
His heart flipped over at the stretch of the growth spreading across a small area and up over the sides of a cave that loomed dark like the abyss.
It was the first time that he’d truly realized the connection to Yuri also meant a connection to Star, their soul split, but pieces of one beautiful being made two.
Lucian could imagine a thousand terrifying things lurking inside that cave, but when he approached he had to kneel and crawl to get inside, the space narrow and tight.
He lit a small orb of dim brightness and let it float in front of him as he followed the vines to the back of the cave and found Star curled up in the corner.
Lucian opened his pack and took out a couple fluffy blankets, and a container of the shortbread cookies he’d mastered. They were a little on the dry side, but with a handful of sweet berries, he knew they’d keep the two of them fed.
Star breathed, the only movement coming from the small shadow in the corner, but he didn’t wave off the darkness or respond.
The size of him, closer to Yuri’s mid-range height, lean and lanky, wasn’t something he normally let Lucian see.
But in the dark, not even the orb allowed to pierce the vail of blackness shrouding him, he couldn’t see Star anyway.
Lucian set one blanket at Star’s knee and took the other for himself, curling up in a comfortable spot against the wall. He opened the book, starting at chapter one, and began to read.
The day stretched, chapters fading but Lucian read, pausing for a few minutes between each to gather up berries and set a stack of cookies on a cloth napkin between them. Lucian nibbled a few here and there, adding a flask of water to the mix after Star snatched the first cookie.
“I’m sorry if they aren’t as good as Yuri’s,” Lucian said, placing the flask in the dark void of space created by Star’s unwillingness to be seen.
“You’ve never tried them?” Star asked softly. It was the first words he’d uttered in their hours of time together in the tiny cave.
“He didn’t have the ingredients for them when we were imprisoned at my sire’s castle. I made them according to the book. He had this recipe highlighted, but I think it was meant to go in other things…” Like the custard he’d been trying to make.
“You don’t have to read to me,” Star said.
“I don’t,” Lucian agreed.
“You’re no longer some kid in a cage.”
“I’m not.”
“Then why stay? Why sit in the dark tasting my depression?”
“Because depression is always worse when we are left alone with our thoughts. No one hates us more than ourselves. Why listen to the voices in your head, when I can read you a pretty story instead?”
Star said nothing for a while and Lucian picked up the book again. He read through another chapter, the shadows beginning to creep away as Star reached for a berry or a cookie.
Lucian relaxed against the wall and arranged the blanket in his lap, reading and waiting.
It took two more chapters before Star curled himself up to put his head in Lucian’s lap.
Lucian set a gentle hand in his hair, the clammy chill of sweat on the back of Star’s head.
Fear? He didn’t pry, and as he’d been well-fed by his pretty seraph this morning before attempting to cook, he didn’t sip at the angel’s emotions.
He continued to read, and Star relaxed to doze in his lap, the shadows slinking away, nothing more than a willingness for him to hide rather than the living dark itself.
Without them, the inside of the cave glowed with vibrant plant life, mushrooms, twisting vines filled with sweet berries, and soft flowers of teal and gold.
Lucian sensed someone else approach and glanced toward the opening of the cave.
His uncle peered inside, curious, and with a slightly worried expression.
Lucian put his finger to his lips and shook his head.
Star slept, and as it was rare for him to rest without nightmares, it was best to let him sleep.
Radu nodded and shoved a wrapped basket into the hole. “From the seraph. I can’t promise to keep him away as it’s getting dark. But he packed fruit and wine for you.” Radu kept his voice barely above a whisper. “Barney’s outside the door too.”
Lucian nodded and reached out to carefully snag the basket without disturbing Star.
Theo had given them a dozen sweet stone fruits and two bottles of sweet wine.
Lucian enjoyed the flavor, though Raphael created it and claimed it needed more work.
He popped open the first bottle and took a swig.
Sweet with a bit of bubbly kick. He sighed and drank more, needing to relax himself.
He and Theo had been traveling a lot. Searching out leads for Yuri and they felt close. Like it would happen any day, and yet each day they returned home empty-handed, all of them died a little more inside.
Lucian drank and studied Star’s face. The man was pretty. Not like Theo with his ethereal androgynous beauty, or Yuri with his modern boy next door perfection. But Star’s features would make anyone do a double take.
He ran careful fingers through Star’s thick hair, not long like the rest of theirs, as Star once told Radu that he kept it short to remind himself he was in mourning.
“I like it,” Lucian said, more to himself than anyone else. “Short like this. Maybe I should cut mine short.”
“No,” Star said.
“Hmm?” Lucian asked, taking another swig of the wine straight from the bottle only to find it empty. He reached for the second one. “No, what?”
“Don’t cut your hair.”
Lucian opened the second bottle and took a long swallow, his gaze on Star, who sat up to stare at him, his eyes focused not on Lucian’s face, but his swallowing throat. “See something you like, angel?”
“As if,” Star grumbled.
Lucian huffed a laugh and offered the bottle. “Maybe with some liquid courage? This drink does wild stuff now that I have all these mortal needs…”
Star took the bottle and tipped it back, his face scrunching for a half second, but he chugged half the bottle before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “That’s sweeter than I remember.” He narrowed his teal-blue eyes at Lucian. “What mortal needs? Alcohol isn’t a need. Food might be…”
Lucian wrapped his hand around be back of Star’s head, cradling his neck and mashed their lips together. The kiss started off rough and a bit drunk, but Lucian sank into it as Star returned his kiss with more curiosity than anger. When they parted, he wore a confused frown.
“What?” Lucian asked.
“Why kiss me?”
“Why not? You looked like you could use it.”
Star stared at him.
“Do you think only my uncle finds you hot? Do you know how bad the seraph wants you? I could spend hours telling you tales of the things he wants to do with the two of us together. I suspect he’d enjoy Radu as part of the rabble too, but I think we need Yuri for the buffer on that one.”
“And you?” Star asked.
“Me what?” Lucian said. “You fishing, angel? Want me to tell you how your eyes shine like mushrooms and your lips taste like berries? Theo’s the poet.
” He traced his fingers over Star’s cheek and outlined the man’s lips with his thumb.
“I’d like to see you take my cock though.
Ass or mouth, both, or either. But if you’d rather rage and spar until we’re bloody, I’ll need more wine ‘cause it will get me kicked out of bed and sleeping alone tonight.”
Star opened his lips and sucked Lucian’s thumb into his mouth. He played with the digit for a moment, lapping at it. “And if I’d rather have you?”
“I’ll put the pretty seraph beneath you. He enjoys having a thick cock in him.” Lucian leaned in and wrapped his hand around Star’s neck. “Don’t tell me you don’t enjoy being split wide. I hear you with my uncle all the time.”
“Maybe you should be doing something other than listening to us? Like search for Yuri?”
“Low blow, angel. Normally I’m balls deep in Theo when you’re screaming my uncle’s name. Which of us do you think Yuri will join first? His dark pair, or his blond angels?”
Star stuttered, but Lucian pressed his lips back to Star’s, silencing him.
“Hmm,” Lucian agreed, enjoying the taste of him as he began to submit. “I bet I know what he’d love…”
“What?” Star demanded.
“Seeing you sandwiched between Theo and me.”
“Theo has always been between us…” Star disagreed.
“He’s not here right now,” Lucian said. He snagged Star around the waist and pulled the man up into his lap. “That’s not to say he won’t come looking for us eventually. Maybe my uncle will keep him distracted. He is insatiable after all.”
“Theo, or Radu?”
Lucian smiled and pressed Star’s hips to his, adding enough friction to know the angel was happy to be there. “How about you?”
“Bold,” Star grumbled.
“You like bold.”
“I should have left you in that cell.”
Lucian reached over to tug the blanket down beneath them and lie Star back on it, their hips gliding together in a delicious friction that would only improve the more naked they got. “Yeah? You don’t say?” Lucian tugged off his top, throwing it aside and kicked off his shoes.
“Presumptuous,” Star said without heat. His gaze all over Lucian’s shoulders and chest.
“You want human or Onari between your thighs, old man?” Lucian teased as he unbuttoned his pants and shoved them off to bare himself in one go.
Whatever Star meant to say was lost as he swallowed hard enough to nearly choke. He willed his clothes away and spread his thighs, his gaze all over Lucian.
“What was that?” Lucian teased as no sound came from Star’s lips.
“Both?” Star asked.
“Yeah?” Lucian wrapped himself around Star. “Worship you with the body of Yuri’s creation and then the one of your own? Sounds kinky.”
“Yes,” Star agreed.
“Works for me,” Lucian said. “A couple of rounds and then we’ll ravish Raphael’s creation.”
“Will Theo want to?”
Lucian laughed and palmed Star’s erect cock, stroking it with a firm hand. “Oh, yes. Who knew the sweet little seraph you picked would be the neediest of all of us. If he could permanently ride one of our cocks around all day, he would.”
“We all awaken to different desires,” Star said.
“Yeah?” Lucian asked. “Can I awaken a few of yours?”
“You can try,” Star said as if he couldn’t be bothered.
“Can I? Let’s.” Lucian smiled down at him. The lights of the cave turned near luminescent with the bright joy dripping off them. Soon it would be sweat and come flooding off them both, and Lucian couldn’t wait.