Chapter 24 #2
“I take very little,” Star said.
“Lucian and I are made to feed your kind, angel,” Radu said.
“And if I started gathering shadows, you’d have to feed me, too, right? More than mortal food… part of your life energy?”
“Yes, though I admit I enjoy the balance of lust for life,” Lucian said. “You’re not likely to hurt us.”
“Me either,” Theo said. “I think.”
“The seraph is all life and would last a long time,” Radu said. “But it would eventually become overwhelming and the Fracture may begin anew.”
Yuri nodded, taking it all in, and Star watched him, searching for any hint of what he was feeling.
Why were humans so good with emotions? Hiding them?
Masking what they felt from the world? Star sighed, tempted to fall to his knees and beg Yuri to let him bear the burden alone, at least for now.
Couldn’t he have a little time to love them all before they needed to resolve another conflict of the universe self-imploding again?
But it wasn’t fair to demand he make all the decisions.
What if Yuri wanted power? What if he hated being mortal?
What if he didn’t like that Star created everything they touched in the world between?
“Okay,” Yuri said. “Can we go find this food market thing? Will there be shadows everywhere? Maybe we can eat first and enjoy the cool evening, then head to your estate?”
Star swallowed. “We can.” He sighed. “They will come. Maybe not the moment the sun falls, but we’ll see them if we are out tonight. They can’t resist.”
“Do you collect them?” Yuri asked.
And that was the hard question. Because no, but also yes. “Mostly no.”
“He’s terrible at solid answers,” Lucian remarked. “He means to say that he’s always tempted, and will need to occasionally collect the shadows to maintain power, but he’s not actively hunting them.”
Star glared at him.
“What?” Lucian asked. “You’re slow. I’m hungry. The angel is hungry. Yuri is hungry. Let’s go get food. We’ll blitz any shadows we cross and head to your estate to tour the treasure trove of past lives you’ve gathered there.”
“Past lives?” Theo asked. “That sounds exciting.”
“All those memories he tried to erase from our histories,” Radu clarified, stepping away to head toward an area of lights and the scent of food.
“We’ve all met him in the past. The catalyst spent many lives trying to find us, and failed.
Morningstar decided this last time to find us himself.
Only he erased those memories, not only from Yuri and all his other incarnations, but from each of us. ”
“Sneaky bastard,” Lucian added, agreeing.
“I don’t remember meeting him…” Theo said.
“Because we didn’t,” Star said. “Not until I found you in Yuri’s memory. You’d been the first of us lost, and I searched for ages, but it was hard to linger among the blazing light of the seraphim to find you.”
“Theo was the one that Gabriel…” Yuri’s comment trailed off as horror flitted across his face. He wrapped his arms around Theo, tears filling his eyes.
“What? I don’t remember.”
“Better that way,” Lucian said. “Shall we find food?” He prompted, waving his hand toward where Radu waited for them. “The street fair here is exquisite.”
“I’m looking forward to trying things,” Radu agreed.
Yuri released Theo from the hug, but held his hand. “What are your favorites, Theo? You’ll have to show me where these tasty sticks are.”
“And the pancake thing,” Theo added. “It’s filled with a custard.”
“Ice cream like,” Lucian clarified as Yuri and Theo trailed after him, leaving Star to bring up the rear. Was no one else worried about the shadows and whether Yuri would choose to fall again so soon?
Yuri smiled back at Star and offered his free hand. “Have you tried any of this food?”
“Not really,” Star said. He glanced at Lucian and realized it was another half answer. “I mean, not in this physical form. I’ve tried some things through scions and swords in the past.”
“But not as you?”
“No.”
“Then I can’t wait to try this stuff with you.” His eyes widened. “What about money?”
“We have plenty of money,” Lucian said. “Even if we weren’t traveling with the divine general. And anyone entering the city gets a certain number of credits for lodging and food.”
“No one starves or is homeless in Auroi,” Radu said. “I’ve read the reports and believed it impossible. But seeing the city now, it’s beautiful and fascinating.”
“There is other lodging if we don’t want to stay at Star’s place,” Lucian said. “There’s a capsule type hotel with tiny rooms, or fancy full-service places. There are even many we could request private use of for several weeks if we wanted to stay that long.”
Star shuddered. How many shadows would gather in a few weeks’ time?
“You’re okay with us staying at your place, Star?” Yuri asked. “It sounds amazing.”
“Yes, of course. It’s very grand. Built by my swords and scions over many centuries. There is a large garden courtyard with attached greenhouses. Lots of room for us to wander or relax. Even a massive library.” Maybe he could entice them to move faster.
“Sounds nice,” Yuri said.
“There’s the stick place,” Theo said, pointing off to a small shop near the edge of the entrance to a plaza with a fountain in the center.
“Let’s go!” Yuri said, grabbing his hand, the pair racing off toward the shop.
Star sighed.
“It will be fine,” Radu said.
“Trust Yuri,” Lucian added as he followed their lovers to the shop.
“I do trust him,” Star grumbled.
“Just not yourself,” Radu agreed. He remained at Star’s side as they trailed after the others.
“I’m always doing the wrong thing.”
Radu snorted. “Still lying to yourself. Let’s get food. Maybe eat and think less?”
“I’ve never tried these sorts of things.”
“Me neither. But let’s call it an adventure.” Radu slipped his arm around Star’s waist and pulled him close, turning to brush his cock against Star’s thigh. Star couldn’t hold back his gasp. “I adore how you lust for me.”
“Hardly makes me want to try mortal food,” Star said, wishing he could drag them all to his estate to drown in pleasures of the flesh instead of facing an evening of shadows and strange food.
“You love the things Yuri makes. And Lucian has grown accomplished in several dishes.”
Food was a necessity now, not an adventure. But Yuri and Theo stood in front of the shop delivery window, Lucian beside them, passing around a plate of skewers.
“Shall we try to partake of what it is to be mortal?” Radu asked.
“What if I hate it all?”
Radu shrugged. “We all have preferences. I don’t like the sweets as much as Lucian does. But Yuri made this thing called a stuffed potato that I enjoyed.”
“That was strange,” Star said. “Fine. Let’s get this over with.” He headed across the courtyard toward the others. “If you try it, I will, too.”