Fallen Angels - Chapter 4: Discoveries.
by Akane
Gael and Jon had left Adonis back at the Club. He seemed to get more and more friends with each new drink he had. From experience, Gael knew that his old friend would have no difficulty to end the night in a hot bed. A very hot one.
Gael was standing on the flat roof, Jonathan tightly secured in his arms. They were enjoying the still of the night, neither one of them wanting to enter the house and go on with the usual we're-only-friends-and-nothing-more lie, because they both knew that there has been something more since summer. And something new since this night, too. They couldn't deny the changes in their feelings, even if they didn't understand exactly how many things had changed. Gael knew that Jon would surely never accept his advances, but maybe it was better like this. True feelings. It was something new to him.
"It's late... I'm tired, let's go to bed."
As always, Gael enjoyed the innocence in Jon's voice. Somehow he felt innocent himself when he was with him. His own innocence. Lost so long ago. If only he'd had the choice. But he didn't. He willingly gave his body to a stranger one night, then a few other nights. But the man didn't ask when he stole his blood. He sighed, trying to push his thoughts aside. He burried his face in Jon's neck for a little while before kissing the soft tempting skin. He smiled and took the boy's hand. They entered the house by the roof-door, carefully silent. They didn't want to wake Dash at 2:00 a.m., which he'd surely never find funny. Their friend has been nervous these days, certainly because of an incompatibility of temperament with Adonis. Gael carefully broke the silence.
"Adonis won't come back tonight. Come sleep with me."
They were standing in the corridor leading to their rooms, Gael holding Jon close to him, his lips brushing the boy's ear. As Jon was trying to answer in the negative, Gael stopped his protest with a kiss, first soft, then deepened, pleased to feel the thrust of Jon's tongue against his own. They stood there embracing and kissing for what seemed hours to them, comforted by the silence of the house.
"What are you doing?!"
They both started. Dash was looking at them, stunned, dressed only with a long white shirt opened to his navel, which Gael didn't miss to appreciate. One of the advantages of being a wizard was the fact that he could still look very young. And much to Gael's taste. If only he could slip his hand in the gap of this shirt... Fortunately for them, the wizard's surprise got over his anger, and he didn't notice Gael's insistant gaze on his body. Jon was petrified, ashamed of being discovered in such an activity, ashamed by the lies he had told to this man he loved and respected like a father. Gael was embarrassed, too, and it was a feeling he wasn't used to.
"We... We thought you were sleeping..."
"I think I don't want to know what else you two are doing when I sleep."
"No! You're wrong! I'll never let him do me those dirty things he dreams of!"
Jon disentangled himself from Gael's arms. He felt betrayed. How can this man think such awful things? Dash was staring at them, trying to understand what he had missed before, that change in their behavior and in their feelings for each other that he hadn't detected. Then any trace of anger disappeared from the wizard's face. Jon was under his responsibility, but his protection shouldn't endanger the boy's happiness. What could he do? Separating these two would be worse. Besides, who was he to decide of someone else's life? He studied Jon's sad and flushed face for a while then sighed.
"You two are really going to spend the rest of the night standing in this corridor? I think my bedroom will be more comfortable to talk."
They followed the wizard and sat on the big bed. Resigned, they started to explain him everything. At least everything they could explain to themselves. Dash couldn't help but worry about Jon. The boy seemed to have found his balance with Gael, but there was still something that made the wizard worry.
"How long all this will last, Gael? Remember you're immortal. What will you do when Jon will start to grow old? Will you stay with him like you said, you who only love beauty? He's young and cute. Well, I suppose you find him cute, I can't judge. But he won't always be, like any other mortal."
Old. Gael felt a knife pierce his heart. Again, his fear of seeing the boy degrade and die was back. That was right, he loved what his eyes found beautiful. But with Jon it was something else. He loved the beauty of the boy's soul as much as his features. The loss of the boy's beauty was nothing, it didn't disturb him. What he feared was Jon's death. He realized that what he was really afraid of was losing him. The remark disturbed Jon, too, reminding him of what Adonis had told him at the time of one of their wrangle. "You think he could love you? You think he'll stay with you forever? When you'll be old, little boy, he'll laugh of you. No, he'll let you down before!" Jon had thought of it many times after, wondering what Gael would actually do.
"I don't want to lose him. But I know only one way to keep him forever with me and forever young. And you two know I'll never do it. Help us, Dash. I want to make him happy, I think I can do it. He deserves it."
"Who do you think I am? I can do a lot of strange things, but miracles are out of my competence."
"I've always tried to protect him since he arrived here. You remember when he tried to die right after he was brought here? He cut his wrists and I retreive him and gave him the blood he needed to live. And when he was about to fall from this cliff, this summer? I was quick enough to grab him before it was too late. I was there to save him everytime he needed. I want to be there everytime he needs someone."
The wizard frowned, suddenly worried.
"Wait a minut! You're scaring me. I'm thinking of something... You were speaking of this day, when he cut his veins. You're right, you saved him this time. Remember? You gave him your blood. In the emergency I didn't think of the consequences and I helped you do it..."
Gael and Jon looked at each other with fe
ar. The temperature in the room seemed to fall suddenly to ice cold. Gael was the one who broke the sudden and awkward silence.
"No! If he'd become a vampire, he would have already felt it. And if his nature hadn't yet been reveled to him, Adonis would have detected it, he can feel the presence of one of our kind from miles."
Dash wasn't convinced. It was vampire's blood they were talking about. It couldn't be shared without consequences. Jon was trying to hide his worry, burying his face in Gael's chest.
"We must be sure. Jon, I must take a sample of your blood to see if..."
"No!! ...It'll hurt..."
"Don't be a child! I need it to compare your blood to Gael's. We'll be fixed, then. It can hurt you more than the razor on your wrists. Remember?"
The boy shuddered at the thougt. Dash finally managed to get Jon's blood with the help of Gael: Jon had suddenly forgotten the ache caused by the needle in his arm, too busily kissing his dear vampire to notice it anymore. Their new passion slightly confused the wizard.
"You can stop, now. I've finished."
"Mmmm..."
Dash sighed, slightly disgusted. He left the room with the blood sample and prepared it for the test. But when he came back several minutes later these two were still tighly embraced and still kissing. Enough! The wizard needed some rest, especially for his mind.
"Go to bed, damn it!"
Dash finally managed to send them to sleep. Night, at least what remained of it, and morning had been quiet, as if nobody remembered what happened the day before. Maybe nobody wanted to. It was nap time. Gael was settled comfortably on the sofa, absently watching TV while playing with Jon's hair. The boy was lying beside him, his head resting on Gael's thighs, sleepily petting his cat Zenki who was purring with delight. Adonis was out, so the house was calm. The house seemed to be a place of perfect serenity. Dash's voice suddenly startled everybody, vampire, human and cat.
"Jon! I have the results! Guess..."
"Stop playing with our nerves, Dash. Tell us!"
Gael seemed restless but Jon was calm, almost resigned. Both were expecting the worst, though they didn't know exactly what the worst could be. Even Zenki looked questioning.
"Well, your blood isn't vampire's blood..."
A big sigh of relief welcomed the news. Dash looked at them with a mischievous smile and went on with his discoveries.
"But it's not the blood of a mortal... It's altered, but not the same way it is with vampire's blood. It's just like mine."
"Altered? Like yours? You mean..."
"I mean Gael made you immortal."
Jon was still decoding the unbelievable information but Gael was already smiling. His wish, his dream had come true. Jon will be with him, now and forever. Forever young. He was 19 now, and he will always be. Maybe forever innocent. And forever his, always by his side, he hoped. This strange feeling was here again, something very old, something Gael had known a long time ago. But he couldn't remember what it was and when he had felt it before. Something that seemed to be buried in his soul. He tried to figure out what it was but Jon pleasantly disturbed his thoughts when he wrapped his arms around his neck, nibbling at his ear, kissing his cheek and his lips tenderly.
"You gave me your blood and its power allowed me to be immortal... It means I'm yours, now. But you're mine, too. Don't forget this. We're bound, forever. And I won't let anybody take you away from me."
"I won't object to this, angel."
"I'm curious to see Adonis's reaction when we'll tell him...!"
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© Isa Akane B. , 1998, 2000