-Blood-Flesh-and-Spirit

by Hyacinth-Scarlet

  The same darkness encroached on Dante’s vision, and then it slowly melted into something else, an image he could barely distinguish. As it cleared, Dante realized he was seeing a camp fire, with Vane Bloodmoor and Marlais Hayden sitting around it. Kier, Eli, and Cole were nowhere to be seen. A wave of panic settled in Dante’s heart, but then he grasped something else. He could feel Eli, just like he had when he’d drunk the elf’s blood.

  Taking a deep breath, Dante struggled to steady himself and leave behind the gloom of death. As he managed to get a grip on his emotions, he finally spotted the object of his concern and affections. Eli stood straight next to him, rigid and staring into the darkness of the night as if seeking for answers. Eli was keeping watch, Dante realized, although he couldn’t exactly tell where they were located. And, oh, Eli was as beautiful as the evening when he and Dante had met, but his fair complexion had now turned pale and his gold eyes looked haunted.

  On instinct, Dante reached out for Eli, gently touching the elf’s cheek. Eli shivered, but didn’t turn. He rubbed his chest, as if suffering from some strange ache. “Oh, Dante…” he whispered brokenly. “Why?”

  He obviously didn’t realize Dante was there, and mourned Dante’s death. It was so very strange, to see Eli show such sorrow over something Dante hadn’t been able to fully accept. Once again, Dante touched Eli, this time tugging on a stray lock of long blond. It moved slightly, although not as much as it should have if he’d been in a truly corporeal form. It was a cruel reminder, but Dante didn’t let it dishearten him. He was here with Eli. He’d focus on that for now, and not on what he’d lost.

  “Eli,” he murmured in the elf’s ear. “I’m sorry, baby.”

  This time, Eli looked in Dante’s direction, his eyes wide. “Dante?” he asked.

  “Yes, Eli,” Dante quickly answered, excited that the elf could hear him. “I’m here.”

  Eli shook his head and took a step back, almost stumbling in his haste to move away. Only the natural grace of the elves kept him from falling. “No. Get out of my head. I’m losing my mind.”

  “Please don’t run,” Dante said, stepping forward. “I came back for you.”

  Eli’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed nervously. “How…You’re dead. I saw you die.”

  Dante grimaced. “Don’t remind me. It’s not the most pleasant experience. But…I couldn’t leave you. I was worried Father would harm you in retaliation.”

  For a few moments, Eli just stared at him. He then came back to Dante’s side and extended his hand. He could obviously see Dante now, if he hadn’t before.

  “It’s really you…It’s not a dream.”

  As Eli’s fingers reached out to him to cup his cheek, Dante waited, uncertain as to what he should expect. He knew that, in all likelihood, Eli wouldn’t be able to touch him like before. And yet, when Eli’s digits made contact, he felt them, felt their warmth and their gentleness at the very core of his being. Yes, the sensation had changed, but just the fact that he could experience it meant the world to Dante.

  “It’s not a dream,” he told Eli. It could have easily been a nightmare, but it was their reality, and one that could have ended up much worse. “Don’t worry, baby. We’ll make this work somehow.”

  Eli just nodded silently, already looking a little livelier. Unable to hold back, Dante brushed his lips over Eli’s in a brief kiss. It was very different from the ones they’d shared in the inn, but what mattered was that, in a way, they were still together. Dante didn’t know what he’d do, but he could only hope Mother Earth would guide him. In his heart, he knew he and Eli were meant to be. He’d been given a second chance to make sure it happened.

  Chapter Two

  A few days later “Thank you for everything,” Vane Bloodmoor said as he shook Eli’s hand. “I don’t think Moss and I could have gotten out of there alive without your help.”

  Eli nodded, although he felt uncomfortable with Vane’s gratitude. At times, a small part of him wished he’d never intervened. If he’d stayed out of the situation, Dante might not have died. But then, Kier would have suffered the consequences. It was so hard to have to make a choice between two people he cared about so much. And how had Dante become so important to him in less than a week? Having the bloodkin’s ghost haunting him must be getting to Eli’s head.

  Shaking himself, Eli finally replied, “I had to help Kier, for old times’ sake.”

  “He does care about you,” Vane offered. “It’s just…His relationship with Cole…”

  Eli waved a hand, interrupting Vane’s words. “I know. I understand it now. I hope they manage to be happy.”

  Kier and Cole had left their group shortly after their escape from Tachaka, presumably to warn Marlais’s uncle of a possible retribution from the Imperator’s part. Similarly, Vane, Eli, and Marlais had gone to Elmya, where they’d picked up Marlais’s family. Now, the humans were safe in Manturanael, while Eli was banished.

  In a mysterious act of selflessness, Vane had left Marlais in the elven lands, claiming that Marlais deserved a better life than the one he could offer. This brought Eli and Vane, alone on the continent. Since they had virtually nothing in common, they had eventually decided to part ways.

  “I wish for that, too,” Vane mused. “Good-bye, Eli. And good luck.”

  Without further ado, Vane got on his horse—one of the bloodkin mounts they’d stolen from Tachaka—and rode away. Eli watched him go with a measure of relief. To a certain extent, he liked Vane, but he needed privacy to solve his more recent problem.

  “Well, I guess it’s just the two of us now,” he told Dante.

  By his side, the dead bloodkin prince appeared. His form was a little translucent, but still identical to what Eli remembered. It was surreal, and sometimes, Eli had to pinch himself so that he’d actually believe he wasn’t dreaming.

  Like all elves, he had great faith in Mother Earth. However, he’d never heard of a spirit lingering in the world of the living. Even so, he couldn’t exactly complain. Having Dante like this was far better than not having him at all. Just the thought made him recall the moment when he’d seen Dante die, and he shivered, still tasting terror in his mouth.

  “Are you all right?” Dante inquired.

  “Yes,” Eli replied automatically. When Dante gave him a skeptical look, Eli sighed and plopped down on the grass, in the shadow of a nearby tree. “It’s just hard. I almost…I can’t accept it.”

  For a few moments, Dante didn’t answer. He seemed to be attempting to figure out the meaning of Eli’s words. “I’m sorry,” the bloodkin said. “I know my presence is a burden for—”

  “No!” Eli shouted. “That’s not it. You’d never be a burden to me.”

  Dante threw him a skeptical look. “I’m sorry if I have doubts believing that.”

  “It’s true,” Eli insisted. “I admit I don’t fully understand it. A few weeks ago, we didn’t even know each other. But I believe everything happens for a reason, and I think that there’s something between us, a bond of sorts.”

  At that, Dante’s lips twisted into a small smile. “Quite. You do realize that you’re the only reason why I came back, right?”

  Dante had said that before, although he hadn’t forced Eli to acknowledge any responsibility in the matter. In truth, neither of them knew what Dante’s new form implied, but if Eli had inadvertently managed to reach out to the bloodkin even in the realm of the dead, he could only be grateful to Mother Earth that She’d allowed Dante to respond and return to his side.

  In any case, that didn’t change the fact that Dante deserved better than this. He deserved a real life, not an undeath, a ghostly existence that could only be a shadow of what he’d experienced before.

  “If that’s true,” he told Dante, “I wish I could do more. I wish I could fully bring you back, to the way you were.”

  “I’m not sure it’s possible,” Dante said glumly. “My body wouldn’t have disintegrated since I’m too young for that to happen. Ho
wever, my father has likely burned it already, or will do so soon.”

  Eli’s stomach roiled at the words. He simply couldn’t imagine Dante’s beautiful form consumed by ruthless flames. Eli had only had the chance to touch Dante once before the tragedy, but it had still branded him with a desire he didn’t think he could ever quench. Sitting here, with Dante by his side, he felt as if fate was taunting him with what he couldn’t have. It hurt, but he consoled himself with the thought that, in the end, he’d been shown more generosity than he likely deserved. He would not be ungrateful, no matter how angry the injustice of it all made him.

  The whirlpool of emotions inside him finally prodded him to do something he himself hadn’t expected. He extended his hand toward Dante and brushed his fingers over the bloodkin’s cheek. He hadn’t dared to do that until now, afraid of what he might find. For his part, Dante hadn’t pushed him, perhaps feeling as anxious as Eli. But now that Eli did have the courage, he was shocked to note that Dante’s skin felt strikingly solid to the touch.

  Both he and Dante gasped at the same time. “Oh, baby,” Dante murmured sounding lost and overwhelmed. “I can feel you.”

  Eli didn’t even have words. This was different from what he’d experienced that first night when Dante had returned to him. It was a sensation of deep emotional connection, but also a physical one, something which Eli hadn’t expected.

  Taking advantage of this chance, Eli leaned in closer to Dante. Dante met him halfway, and their mouths came together in a kiss that took Eli’s breath away.

  Suddenly in his arms, Dante pinned Eli against the trunk of the tree. Losing himself in the bloodkin’s caresses, Eli parted his lips, wordlessly demanding more. Dante didn’t delay in taking the invitation, and thrust his tongue into Eli’s mouth.

  It was beautiful, this coming together, just as good as Eli remembered their first kiss to have been. No, it wasn’t the same, as some of the physicality of it had morphed into something Eli couldn’t quite identify. Nevertheless, Dante’s taste, his passion remained identical, and it was easy, so very easy to forget everything beyond this moment and this man.

  Dante’s hands worked the buttons of Eli’s shirt. Eli helped as much as he could, uncertain as to the limitations of their situation, not knowing how much he would be able to move without disturbing this half-dream, half-reality. In the end, they managed to get rid of Eli’s upper garments without too much trouble. Dante smoothed pale hands over Eli’s chest, tweaking his nipples and setting off small explosions through Eli’s body.

  When Eli groaned in passion, Dante separated their mouths and started exploring the rest of Eli’s body. He nibbled on Eli’s earlobe, and from there, he progressed toward Eli’s neck, tracing the largest vein with his tongue. It was the same spot where Dante had bitten him during their first meeting. He didn’t bite now, and Eli got the impression that he couldn’t actually do it. However, he didn’t get to dwell on that thought too much, as Dante’s wicked, talented tongue played havoc on Eli’s body. It swirled over Eli’s collarbone, finding sensitive spots Eli hadn’t even known about. And when Dante’s strikingly hot mouth settled over Eli’s nipples, Eli almost came. It wasn’t that other lovers didn’t pay attention to the tiny nubs. They did. Kier in particular had always been very aware of their sensitivity. But Dante went a step further. He bit down on the buds, giving Eli just a hint of pain. Eli wouldn’t have thought he was into such kinks. He’d never tried testing it before, but neither had he felt the need to do so.

  Yes, something had been missing. He could see that now. Just these first few rough caresses enflamed Eli more than entire nights spent with some of his kind. His dick ached with the need to come, and he writhed under Dante, needing more, needing release.

  He was so out of control that he didn’t even know what he was doing or saying. He just needed skin to skin. He needed to be touched, held, kissed, fucked, taken, and marked as belonging to Dante.

  Fortunately, Dante seemed to be able to focus a little better than Eli. Even as he continued his torment of Eli’s nipples, his strong hands traveled over Eli’s abdomen all the way to the bindings of his pants. It took a mere couple of seconds for the bloodkin to be able to get rid of the flimsy resistance protecting Eli’s body from sight, and then, his hot fist slipped into Eli’s trousers and enclosed his erection. Eli almost didn’t recognize the cry he himself let out, an agonized shout of unfulfilled desire and desperate want, a vocalization of a sensual torture he’d never had thought possible. And still, Dante didn’t lose control. His black eyes were completely focused, taking in Eli’s face with almost eerie concentration. However, in their dark depths, Eli saw lust, the same lust Eli himself experienced, untamed like a fire burning through the wilderness, consuming everything in its path. As Dante rubbed his thumb over the head of Eli’s erection, Eli could do nothing but submit to Dante’s ministrations and hope his brain didn’t short-circuit at the onslaught of pleasure.

  Time seemed to gain new meaning as Dante played Eli’s body like a virtuoso would a musical instrument. At one point, the bloodkin managed to push off Eli’s pants, although it took some wriggling and effort from Eli’s part as well. They had to remove Eli’s boots first, which meant he temporarily had to give up the mind-numbing pleasure Dante’s caresses brought him. However, it turned out to be worth it, especially when Dante disrobed as well.

  While Eli had to take the long boring way, Dante seemed to just will his clothing off. The garments evaporated into thin air, leaving Dante naked, a sight that called out to Eli’s every sense. He was more beautiful than the sight of dawn over Manturanael, more arousing than the seductive sirens in the ancient tales, to the extent that Eli almost couldn’t believe this was truly happening. He pushed away that thought, and the doubts that came with it and focused on what his heart and body wanted, Dante.

  Extending his arms toward the bloodkin, Eli beckoned Dante to him. He had no words to say, nothing that could express this urge in his heart, this almost insane need to belong to Dante, to be one with his soon-to-be lover. It went beyond the boundaries of reason, but Eli was done asking questions. He had the most important answer deep within his soul, and he had the sudden knowledge that similar emotions dwelled inside Dante.

  And then, thoughts melted into nearly incoherent ideas as Dante pressed their mouths, and their bodies, together. Their dicks came into contact, slick heads rubbing against each other. Eli wrapped his arms around Dante’s neck, wanting to pull the bloodkin even closer, to fuse their beings so that no one could ever part them.

  At the same time, he spread his legs, accommodating Dante better, offering himself to the bloodkin. Dante bit his lip lightly, and while Eli suspected that normally, he’d have drawn blood, it didn’t happen now. Nevertheless, the light pain was there, and it made Eli’s dick jump and pulse with frustrated desire. He needed more. He craved everything Dante was and had to give.

  When they broke away once again, Eli half expected for Dante to return to his earlier, teasing caresses. Instead, the bloodkin went straight for the gold. Crawling lower down over Eli’s body, he brought his delicious, wicked mouth over Eli’s dick. Eli held his breath, anticipation coursing through him, his blood boiling with lust. And then, wet heat engulfed Eli’s dick and pleasure exploded over Eli as his new lover took his cock all the way into his throat. Ecstasy coiled within every inch of him, and brought each and every nerve ending to life. Volcanic rapture flared through Eli, and as Dante began to bob his head up and down his shaft, Eli knew that he would not last. Unable to hold back, he threaded his fingers through Dante’s long hair, loving the silky feel of it. Unleashing sharp, inarticulate cries, he started to fuck Dante’s mouth, seeking out his pleasure and his completion.

  Dante seemed of a similar mind, as he employed every possible trick to drive Eli insane with lust. In fact, he appeared to be intent on making Eli come with due haste, as if Eli’s climax was the most important thing, no, the only thing on his mind. He pursued this goal with such single-minde
d intensity that soon, Eli was on the brink of orgasm.

  And then, as if the torture of his mouth hadn’t been enough, Dante decided to add another layer of sensation. A dry finger rubbed against Eli’s opening, offering a hint of dark delights. Slowly, the digit wormed its way into Eli’s rectum.

  The pressure, the burn, and the promise of rapture sent Eli over the edge. Calling out Dante’s name one more time, Eli came, shooting his seed into Dante’s mouth. At the last moment, the bloodkin released his dick, causing Eli’s sperm to splatter over his face. It was actually a little strange, because, by rights, Dante didn’t have a solid body that could support physical substances. However, this didn’t seem to matter now, which was quite fortunate, because Eli couldn’t get his mind to focus on upsetting realities anyway. He was flying, soaring on the wings of his surprising climax, wanting to reach out to Dante, wanting to give the bloodkin the same pleasure he himself had received.

  Dante had his own plans, though. He gathered Eli’s spunk on his fingers and brought them to Eli’s opening again. Still shivering from his orgasm, Eli found his body and his libido responding once more when Dante started to stretch him. His dick twitched and went rock hard, and Eli couldn’t help but push back against those invading digits that felt so very good inside him. As those lovely, wicked fingers slid inside, over and over, the fire of Eli’s lust began to flare even brighter than before, his need for Dante just fueled by his previous climax.

  He didn’t have the patience to wait for Dante to prepare him more elaborately. In his heart, he was too afraid that he might lose this, lose Dante. Burying his fingernails into Dante’s shoulders, he said, “Please, Dante. Fuck me.”

  Dante chuckled darkly. “I give the orders around here, baby, not you. Always remember that.”

  As he spoke, Dante crooked his fingers inside Eli, in the process hitting Eli’s prostate. Eli’s mind just about melted, but he did know that he was at Dante’s mercy. Dante was the one calling the shots, and Eli could do nothing but submit to the bloodkin’s domination. Mother Earth, why did that thought excite Eli so much?