Laughing, Seldon hugged his son.
“But I need to feed soon. We don’t have any more dose, and it’s been almost six hours.”
“Okay. I don’t know how long it takes him to make more, and the RV was practically swimming in doses.” Seldon led his son to the sofa where Daniel and Caledon sat.
“The Prince is ready to dose you now.” Levidon came over, putting his hand on Marcadon’s lower back which made Seldon’s son smile at his Guard Lord lover. Yeah, that smile meant his son didn’t just feed.
Daniel left with Marcadon, Levidon, and two other Guards. Seldon plopped down next to Caledon.
Elakdon rummaged through the mini fridge. “Can I interest anyone in something?”
“No, thank you,” Seldon said.
“I’ll have something,” Caledon said.
Elakdon returned with two small bottles and placed one in front of Caledon.
“How often does Daniel have to be dosed after the Empowerment so he won’t get the cold?” Seldon asked.
“Oh, we don’t get the cold,” Elakdon said. “If we don’t feed, we just get very sick.”
“How long? I mean, how often do you absolutely need to feed?”
“We can go a few days, but it gets bad.”
Daniel returned, dragging the stench of Marcadon under a heavy dose, so when the boy took a seat on the sofa, Seldon left it to stand by the window which he opened enough to get some fresh air. Caledon flipped through the content of a tablet, and Daniel rearranged himself before tugging at Caledon. The Lord looked up, puzzled. “Come sit here.” Daniel patted the seat between his legs. Caledon smiled in a sweet way, and Seldon loved how Daniel had begun cuddling with Caledon more. He loved the relaxed body language of Caledon as he leaned his back against Daniel’s chest and the calmness as Daniel raked his fingers through Caledon’s hair.
Guard Lord Afdon came to stand next to Seldon by the window. “We have made contingency plans for every step of our trip. Recon just came in, and this is our plan.” Afdon handed Seldon a list of names grouped into smaller factions. Marcadon and Caledon were paired up while Daniel and Seldon were, too. He wondered about the dividing of Marcadon and Daniel, but he also saw the point in being in as small groups as possible. According to the plan, they’d be meeting up again pretty soon after the split, so Daniel wouldn’t be separated from his Fountain for long.
“Roardon and Geodin? They aren’t here.” But according to the paper, they were paired with Elakdon.
“They arrived earlier today.”
“Have there been sightings of possible threats against the Royals?”
“Suspicious acting humans, that’s it. We have nothing concrete, but we are on high alert and won’t take any chances.”
Seldon nodded, memorizing the plan and route for them to run. It couldn’t be easy for a new Royal Guard to be pushed into a war the moment the Prince was empowered, and he felt grateful for the experienced Royal Guard of Elakdon. “Daniel should be told. He doesn’t do too well with sudden changes, but he’s pretty good at following directions.”
“Will you talk to him about it, Grand Sire?”
“Yes, Guard Lord.”
Afdon dipped his head and stepped back, and Seldon figured Marcadon’s feeding hormones had to have evaporated around Daniel. So he closed the window and joined his lovers and Elakdon at the sofa group. Daniel and Elakdon were talking about the structural ideas for the new Great House of Beaudon being built in Canada, and Seldon stayed quiet, not willing to interrupt what was definitely an important subject.
“The invited guest is here,” Afdon announced and held up his sunglasses before putting them on, reminding everyone else not used to having to hide their eyes to do so as well.
Seldon smiled and stood, putting his glasses on. “Let him in.”
Daniel sat up, looking around. Afdon opened the door, and a drop-dead gorgeous young man sauntered in.
“What is this?” Elakdon asked, perking up.
“I’m the stripper!” the gorgeous guy announced, holding out his arms and looking like he was the very definition of self-confidence.
“Aaron?” Daniel was about to take off his glasses, but Caledon stepped in the way for just three seconds. Then Daniel stared at his friend again with his human eyes.
The stripper’s self-confidence disappeared, and he gaped at Daniel. “Well, this is awkward.”
Daniel stood and took a few steps closer. “It is you.”
Recognition sparked in the stripper’s eyes. “Daniel Evans?” Daniel smiled, nodding. “Oh, my God! How’ve you been? What are you doing in Vegas and…” Aaron looked around at all the men with dark glasses on.
“Seldon, you did this?” Daniel asked.
“You miss him, you said so, so I had a Guard Lord look into it. I know you love us, but you need someone your own age to horse around with, not only a four and eight hundred-year-old.”
“Marca’s younger.”
“Still, we often need a connection to the world our Minglers come from. I know I do,” Elakdon said, standing. “How old are you?”
Aaron looked around, obviously puzzled at the weird conversation. “Twenty.”
“A very beautiful Untouchable for your House, Beaudon.”
“No, no, no, no, no!” Daniel said, holding up his hands.
“That would be for his safety,” Elakdon continued.
Daniel switched to Cubi and mucked it up, but Seldon got the meaning. Daniel didn’t think it fair to just steal his friend from the human world.
“May I remind you of the life you can offer him?” Seldon asked, also in Cubi. “He’s Heimli material, and with what you told me about your youthful dreams, a stripper was not his goal in life.”
Daniel apparently didn’t know enough to understand the whole sentence, so Seldon went to whisper it into his ear.
“You can ask him, of course, but either way, I say we claim him as collected and bring him. He’ll thank you later,” Caledon said.
Daniel did not look convinced but like he could still be swayed. If he wasn’t willing to part with his long lost friend again, then there was a chance.
“Remember what I told you?” Elakdon said, smiling, beckoning Daniel closer. He then pulled Daniel closer and whispered something into his ear, making Daniel smile. “He’s certainly a looker,” Elakdon finally said and sat, taking his half-empty glass of whatever he’d pulled from the minibar. “If there’s a vote, I think he should continue doing what he came here to do.”
Seldon looked at the young man, agreeing wholeheartedly with the King, but Aaron looked too shocked to do that now.
“Daniel, would you…come here.” Aaron waved Daniel closer, and Seldon wondered if the Royal Empowerment had satiated the young Prince enough to not get hungry at maybe hugging his long lost friend. An Untouchable young friend. But Daniel didn’t seem to have trouble as he stepped away with his friend who even grabbed his arm to steer him away from prying ears.
Aaron leaned in and whispered.
“Let’s sit, come on.” Daniel grabbed Aaron’s arm and steered him toward the sofa, apparently gripping his arm hard enough to cause pain.
“Watch your strength, cub,” Caledon warned, and Daniel let go.
“Sorry. Aaron, please, tell me what happened since you moved away. I’ll tell you everything, too.”
“Shall we leave them to it?” Elakdon asked and stood.
“I’d like Seldon and Caledon to stay,” Daniel said. “I might need some advice.”
“And a lover’s advice is to be preferred, always.” Elakdon sauntered away and took a seat in a windowsill, not looking like he felt dismissed.
* * * *
Daniel couldn’t believe he sat with his childhood friend again, and he loved Seldon for tracking him down. He did think the big guy could have given him a heads up, though. Not that he didn’t love the surprise, but the fact that he’d have to reveal the truth and maybe even kidnap his best friend was not a prospect he looked forward
to.
That someone as beautiful and charismatic as Aaron hadn’t made it as more than a stripper put beauty in the human world in a bright light of hopeless youthful dreams. It certainly offered a new perspective. Daniel had always felt second around Aaron.
“Could he be a Halfling?” Daniel asked in Cubi.
“Sure,” Seldon said, taking a seat in the chair the King had vacated. “We’d need a lab and a blood test to determine that.”
Either way, Aaron would become an Incubus. Daniel wanted to give him that life. Okay, so maybe he was selfish for making that decision without asking Aaron. He didn’t like the concerned expression on his old friend’s face, though.
“How did you end up a stripper?” Daniel asked.
“We moved because we lost everything, remember?”
“Yeah, you moved to Seattle.”
“Yeah.” Aaron slumped back in his seat. “Then they split up because of the money problems. Mom and I moved here, and she works as a blackjack dealer at the Mirage, and I can’t afford college since she still paying off the loans from the bankruptcy. She doesn’t know I strip to help make ends meet.”
“Do you only strip?” Seldon asked.
Aaron gaped at Seldon. “Who’s this asshole?” Aaron asked, pointing at Seldon. “You don’t sit there and accuse me of being a fucking whore!”
“Wow, wow,” Daniel said, putting a hand on his friend. “That asshole is my lover.”
Aaron turned a shocked expression on Daniel. “And I actually thought to ask the same. And we’re not judging or anything, we’re just asking to understand just how tight money is.”
Aaron groaned and hid his face in his hands. Daniel glanced at Seldon who didn’t look impressed about being called an asshole. Daniel couldn’t help the grin, but then Aaron looked at him, and he found a suitable somber expression since he too was apparently an asshole for asking.
“Only a few times,” Aaron finally said.
“Are you gay?” Seldon asked.
“Seldon!” Daniel exclaimed. “We need a bit of human tact here, and that’s not it.”
Caledon snickered and patted Seldon’s shoulder.
“What?” Seldon asked. “Your sexual orientation was very important to you mere months ago.”
Aaron turned a puzzled expression on Daniel. “You’re gay?”
“No.”
“But if you’re straight, why are you dating a dude.”
“I’m not dating a dude, I’m dating two dudes, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have sex with women and love it.”
“What?” Aaron exclaimed. “Then just say you’re bi!”
And there they were, at the threshold of the truth. “I’m an Incubus, I’ll fuck anything with a heartbeat.”
Seldon chuckled while Caledon took off his glasses. Seldon finally did, too, getting a whispered “What the fuck?” from Aaron. Daniel focused on his red eyes, and Aaron practically jumped backward over the armrest of the sofa in surprise.
“I’d like to offer you a very different way of life, Aaron. I’d like to invite you to come and live with me. You will never want again.”
“Just sex for the next few years,” Seldon added.
“I think we’ll get to that later,” Caledon said.
“Oh, I think that one’s important, too,” Aaron said, returning his attention to Daniel. “An Incubus?”
“Yup. We’re a society living separate from humans, but we do feed on you.”
Aaron blinked, and Daniel hated going through the whole truth thing. It was so much easier in the Great House. At least he thought it was. Then again, Jenny didn’t think so. What had been the most difficult for Daniel about it all was what an ass Seldon was at the beginning, because Daniel hadn’t really had trouble figuring out the whole Incubi are real stuff once submerged in all the sex and glowing eyes.
The door opened and Levidon, Marcadon, Geodin, and Roardon entered. Marcadon steered directly for Daniel, not looking like he cared a human stood there looking perplexed. “Do you have the ointment you borrowed?”
Daniel smiled. “In my toiletries.”
Seldon got up and rummaged through a bag, then tossed the tube to Marcadon.
“Aw,” Levidon said, reaching around to take the tube. “You did ask for it.”
“Four Royal doses? Of course I did!”
“Let me help you out, lover.” Levidon undid Marcadon’s pants and yanked them down.
“Come on, I can—”
Levidon pushed Marcadon forward, and Daniel hid a smile, glancing at Aaron while Levidon spread the ointment between Marcadon’s butt cheeks. Daniel didn’t find it weird, but Aaron certainly did.
“Cubi don’t really have the same sense of modesty humans do,” Daniel said. Levidon chuckled, and Marcadon winked at Daniel who leaned closer to Marcadon’s head to whisper. “How did you know this human was being told the truth?”
“Dad texted me a minute ago.”
“Ah.” Daniel sat back and looked at Seldon. He really did prefer the truth, slam, right in the face. And Daniel had to hand it to him—it probably was the way to go.
Levidon stepped back, and Marcadon pulled his pants up again, buttoning and zipping them up, and Daniel saw that he had all of Aaron’s attention.
“Why are your eyes red, Daniel,” Aaron finally asked, still not sitting down.
“Because I’m a young Incubus. Purple are the oldest.”
“Aha…and…what was your plan again?”
“To take you with me. To live with me.”
“And have sex with you?” Aaron asked, apparently not that open to that prospect.
“No! Not…yet.”
“Not yet?”
“Aaron, please sit, it’s stressful telling people this when they stand up and pace. My mom did when I told her.”
“No shit!”
“Please sit,” Seldon said.
Aaron looked like he wanted to object, but he finally did. “Can I at least have a drink?”
“You’re twenty, so no,” Seldon said.
“I’d suggest you give him one anyway,” Elakdon said, joining them. “May I offer my assistance?”
“Thank you,” Daniel said, nodding.
Elakdon took off his glasses and smiled at Aaron as he shooed him to sit in the middle of the couch and thus between Daniel and Elakdon. “My name is Nol-Elakdon, Nol meaning Sovereign. As in I’m a King of a Cubi nation. The eye thing gives it away since only Royals have golden eyes.”
“You’re the King?”
“A King, not the King of this nation. This nation has a Prince.” Elakdon pointed to Daniel who focused on turning his eyes golden without wooing anyone. Aaron turned his head and jumped.
Levidon placed a glass with ice cubes and a small bottle of Jack D in front of Aaron.
“Holy shit,” Aaron said, pouring his drink with shaky hands. He drank it all in one gulp and shivered, pulling a face, but apparently, his system needed the shock.
“What…I’m…what exactly does going with you entail?”
Daniel glanced at Seldon, hoping the straightforward Incubus would hold back for a moment. He did.
“To secure you against the general hunger of the Cubi people, you’d be marked as under my protection. It means that no one, not even me, is allowed to feed from you.”
“Marked? A tattoo?”
“No, a collar with my name on it.”
“As in some BDSM shit?”
“I actually think they might have gotten the idea from us,” Caledon said.
“Bree—the humans who live with us and feed us are normally tattooed, but special humans are collared.”
Aaron looked disgusted at Seldon’s phrasing, and Daniel couldn’t blame him.
“Seldon means the ones we’re close to. Plus you’re under twenty-two which makes you an Untouchable. It means no one may touch you because you can turn into an Incubus once dosed, and you’d stop aging. You’d be young and gorgeous forever.”
“That doesn�
��t sound too bad,” Aaron said.
“And back to the reason why I asked if you’re gay. You might be classified to only feed on women or feed Succubi.”
Aaron’s gaze scanned all of them, stopping at Geodin. “You’re a Succubae?”
“Succubus. Yes.”
“You’re beautiful.”
She lit up with a smile. “Thank you.”
“I don’t really have a preference,” Aaron finally said and shrugged. He drew a deep sigh. “This is far out!”
No preferences? Daniel could easily think he was a Halfling, and he asked Geodin if the records of Halflings could be searched, but he asked in the Cubi language. She smiled and fished out her phone.
Daniel looked at Aaron again, and he looked like he was giving the suggestion some serious thought. Either he took things in stride or making ends meet was a bigger hassle than Daniel understood. “Please, come with me.”
“What about my mom?”
“We can’t live with our parents forever,” Daniel said, thinking about his own mom. And Bill.
“But I can’t just leave her.”
“No one said you had to,” Seldon said. “We have phones and stuff. And once we’re settled, it is possible to have a visitor.”
Aaron sat back, thinking, and Daniel let him while he looked at his friend. He was drop-dead gorgeous, and Daniel felt hunger stir. Not to a point where he’d do something stupid around the human, and he had people around him to stop him if he did try anything.
“I always thought I’d be a model or something,” Aaron whispered, then looked like he hadn’t meant to say that out loud.
“Oh, I think Heimli would agree,” Seldon said.
Daniel smiled because if Heimli did agree, Daniel could use Aaron as one of the Cubi to be propelled, but he couldn’t be before he’d been changed. At least he couldn’t be out and about in the world before that plus the years it took him to get over the new glands impulse firing at a moment’s notice.
“Who’s Heimli?”
“The photographer, Heimli.”
Aaron snapped his head around to gape at Seldon. “You know him?”
“So does Daniel.”
“I’ll introduce you,” Daniel said. “His makeup artist is Seldon’s daughter.”
Fountain of Beauty Page 18
