What Elves Eat

by Cassandra Kane

  He turned back to the darkened room. Dario was sprawled over the couch, asleep in a white T-shirt and jeans, twitching and murmuring. Elorien strode toward him, stopping short as he caught the blinking light of the machine on the little table by the couch. It blinked 73 at him. No, it was now 74. Messages, Dario had called them bitterly before he’d turned off the ringing sound and thrown himself headfirst onto the couch.

  Elorien wondered whether he should wake him to say goodbye. He didn’t want to leave like a thief in the night, but the queen and her court would be waiting for him in a few short hours. It pained him to have ruined Dario’s life so completely through ignorance and carelessness. This was certainly not Faerie. This was a much harsher and more unforgiving world.

  Perhaps it was better just to leave, Elorien thought, staring sadly at Dario’s prone form. Say goodbye forever and hope that one day he would be forgiven. But it would be so hard to forget him.

  Elorien almost jumped out of his skin as the doorbell rang -- again! It had been ringing solidly for a few hours this afternoon until Dario had called security guards to help keep people off his property. Who had managed to get past them?

  Dario woke suddenly, sitting bolt upright, his eyes wild and staring. Then he saw Elorien and smiled. Elorien smiled back, his heart beating faster. Had he forgiven him?

  Dario yawned and rubbed his hand over his hair. He looked at Elorien, fully dressed in his hose and doublet, and frowned. “Where are you going? You’ll never get past them.”

  Elorien opened his mouth to answer and was cut short as the doorbell peeled out again.

  “That’s probably Karlie,” Dario said glumly. “I told her not to come but she always does what she damn well pleases.”

  Dario padded across the room and opened the door. “What are you doing here?” Elorien heard him say in surprise.

  The door was forcefully pushed open and two people slipped inside. One was the drunken girl who’d been Dario’s girlfriend, the other was an evil-looking little man with black dyed hair who Elorien vaguely recalled from the party.

  “What a circus!” Zinnah said cheerfully, striding into the room. She was wearing a tiny mini skirt that showed off the crotch of her pink underwear and a low-cut sequinned top that just covered her nipples. Her hair fell down her thin back in a mass of red hair extensions.

  She stopped short when she saw Elorien, her thinly plucked eyebrows registering surprise. “Hello. What are you still doing here?”

  “What are you -- and Ash -- doing here?” Dario countered with a frown, trying to ignore Ash who eyed him with his usual smarmy interest.

  “Ash just picked out my outfit. I have to look good for the cameras.” Zinnah twirled herself before him. “Whaddaya think? Am I gonna make album sales or what?”

  “You look like a demon’s whore.” Elorien’s tone was matter-of-fact. Ash let out a gasp of surprised laughter. Zinnah clamped her hand on her hip and stared at him, lip curled, all attitude.

  “So what’s he still doing here? I thought you would have got rid of your fuck buddy by now.”

  “He’s not my fuck buddy,” Dario snarled, thoroughly pissed. “He’s my boyfriend. And he’s staying. It’s you who’s leaving.”

  Elorien stared at Dario in surprise. Boyfriend? He was Dario’s boyfriend? The thought made him grin.

  Zinnah gave a hard laugh. “I don’t think so. Not after we went to so much trouble. Man, my sales are gonna skyrocket with all this publicity. I’m gonna blow that stupid bitch Lola right off the charts.”

  Dario’s eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about?”

  But Zinnah was eyeing Elorien with interest. “Geez, he sure looks like you. You’re kinda self-obsessed, Dario.” She giggled. “We could still go for that three-way, you know. But those pointy ears have got to come off while we’re doing it. I hate that geeky Trekkie stuff.”

  As Zinnah reached out to touch his ears, Elorien’s hand shot out and grabbed her tightly around the wrist, jerking her arm away. Zinnah squealed in shock. “Ow! Lemme go! You can’t treat me like this.” She glared at Dario. “Doesn’t he know who I am? I didn’t set this all up for dick brain here to give me bruises for the cameras.”

  Elorien’s eyes narrowed. “What did you arrange?”

  Her meaning suddenly dawned on Dario. Fury washed over him and he stormed up to her. “Are you telling me you set those piranhas on me on purpose?”

  A red-faced Zinnah struggled to loosen herself from Elorien’s iron grip. She stopped and glared at Dario. “Man, you’re slow on the uptake. Soon as Ash told me you were holed up here with this Spock freak I got Derek and Jimmy to come round and check it out. Boy, did they get the scoop.” Her voice dripped with contempt. “You really are a loser, Dario. If you’re gonna fuck some geeky hunk, make sure you keep it under wraps next time ’stead of parading your dicks on Malibu beach.”

  “Be quiet, demon whore.” Elorien’s voice was full of quiet menace.

  Zinnah glared at him before turning slyly to Dario. “Don’t worry, sunshine. I’ll play the hard-done-by girlfriend for a bit, make a bunch of money, and then we can kiss and make up. You go into detox -- ’cause we’re blaming all this on the drugs due to stress, OK? -- you come out and kiss some major tabloid ass, say sorry to Oprah, and we’re all rich. More rich.” She giggled.

  “You’ve got it all planned out, haven’t you?” Dario’s lips twisted bitterly. “Seems like everyone’s got plans for me but me.”

  Elorien let go of Zinnah. She snatched her hand away, rubbing at her wrist. She threw Dario a scornful look. “Don’t be a tool. If you’re too dumb to play the system the system’ll play you. Fuck, what planet did you come from?”

  Dario looked sick with disgust. Elorien caught his gaze for a moment and motioned with his head toward the door. Dario nodded. “Get the fuck out,” Dario said wearily.

  “Don’t be like that -- oowww!” Elorien had caught a handful of Zinnah’s hair extensions and dragged her by them to the front door.

  “Get him offa me!” she screeched, holding her hands to her head to keep the hair from pulling out of her scalp.

  Zinnah’s feet barely touched the ground as Elorien moved with supernatural speed. He threw open the front door and pushed her out savagely. Zinnah gave an off-balanced twirl, stumbled down the steps to the footpath and fell flat on her ass in a flower bed.

  Outside the front gates, camera flashes went off furiously.

  Elorien turned to look at Ash and continued to hold the door open. Ash giggled self-consciously before turning puce and making a fearful dash for the exit. At the last moment, Elorien stuck out his foot. Ash gave a thin cry as he tripped down the steps and fell, sprawled on top of Zinnah, knocking her flat. As her legs flailed, the cameras flashed, eager to capture the unexpected angle of Zinnah’s pink panties.

  Supremely satisfied, Elorien slammed the door shut after them.

  Chapter Six

  Checkmate

  Dario paced about the living room with his back to Elorien, his shoulders shaking with anger. He could happily have punched Zinnah and was glad Elorien had taken the initiative and had thrown her out -- together with that nasty creep, Ash. If he never saw them again, it would be too soon.

  God, he wished he could leave this place. He was trapped now, trapped in his own house, trapped by Elorien’s indiscretion. Not that he blamed Elorien. He should have understood that the elf would have no idea about the workings of Hollywood, wouldn’t have known how hungry the tabloids were for scandal. He felt guilty that he had been so self-absorbed all day, forgetting how it might have affected the elf. Elorien had been pretty damned patient with him, all things considered.

  “Don’t cry,” Elorien said softly, his arms coming around him from behind.

  Dario turned to him, burying his face in the elf’s strong shoulder. “I’m not crying,” he lied, voice muffled in Elorien’s velvet doublet.

  Elorien stroked his hair until he had control of himself again. Eventually Da
rio pulled away, wiping his eyes quickly with the back of his hand. “I’m so sorry,” he said. “I’m sorry I’ve been such a prick to you today. You deserved more from me.”

  Elorien smiled sadly. “I cannot tell how I would have reacted under similar circumstances. You have every right to be angry with me.”

  Dario held him firmly by the shoulders and shook his head. “No, I have no right. You shouldn’t have been exposed to all of this. I should have been more vigilant because I knew you weren’t --”

  “-- from your world,” Elorien finished for him, shaking his long, glossy hair. “It’s true I don’t know the rules you live by.” He paused, then continued softly, “It’s also true I have no wish to learn them.”

  Dario stepped back and stared at the elf. They’d been naked for most of the time since Elorien had appeared at the party two days ago, and it had only sunk in that he was fully clothed before Zinnah arrived like the demon whore Elorien had so aptly called her, distracting him from making further commentary. Now he realised that Elorien had dressed for a reason. He was leaving.

  “You’re going,” he said, suddenly feeling awkward. “Of course. I have no right to keep you here.”

  “I must return to Faerie,” Elorien said gently. “There is no place for me here.”

  Dario took a deep shuddering breath. “Of course not. This is no place for any sane person, if you really think about it.” He laughed mirthlessly. “I don’t blame you for wanting to leave. I’d leave here myself if I could.”

  Dario turned away, feeling his heart beginning to break. He’d driven off the only person he ever loved. How could he expect him to stay after today’s degrading spectacle? Elorien had put up with enough as it was.

  “Do you love me, Dario?” the elf asked softly.

  Dario shrugged his shoulders, barely listening to him, burying himself deep in his grief. One more abandonment in a long line of abandonments. Why had he taken his time with Elorien so lightly? Why hadn’t he even protected his heart from the inevitable end? He couldn’t even imagine the world without Elorien now.

  Elorien caught his shoulders and firmly turned him around. “Look at me.” Dario turned his grief-stricken eyes to meet Elorien’s. The elf’s face was blazing with excitement. “I need to know, Dario. Do you love me?”

  “You know I do,” Dario whispered.

  “Say it, then.” Elorien stared at him with intensity. “Say you love me as I love you.”

  “You love me?” Dario’s heart skipped a beat in surprise.

  “Do you doubt it?”

  Dario looked into the elf’s eyes and saw it was true. Relief and joy flooded his being, softening the hardness in his shoulders.

  Elorien caught the back of his head and pulled him close, his mouth closing hungrily over Dario’s, tongue probing insistently, possessively, demanding a response. Dario opened to him, pressing his mouth to his eagerly. Their tongues plunged and swirled. Dario caught Elorien’s bottom lip with his teeth, nibbling and sucking on the fleshy firmness as his cock jumped to attention. He could feel Elorien’s responsive bulge against his thigh and stroked it through the hose. It hardened and lengthened beneath his touch.

  Elorien came up for air and growled, “Enough.”

  Dario groaned, rubbing the bulge in his jeans against Elorien’s matching bulge. “I can’t seem to get enough of you,” he muttered, frantically undoing the buttons on the front of his jeans.

  He pulled his cock out from his boxer shorts, exposing the engorged head so that it jutted out like a missile ready to explode. Elorien brushed away his hand, grasping the hot flesh in his own cool hand. As Elorien began pumping his cock, Dario delved into the elf’s hose and brought out his rock-hard staff, holding it firmly as he stroked the long length.

  Their mouths devoured each other as they caressed each other’s cocks. Dario came suddenly into Elorien’s cupped hand. He looked at the elf apologetically, but Elorien’s face was intent as he turned Dario around and pushed him over the back of the couch. Dario felt the elf pull his jeans down, spread his legs wide, and smear his own cum over his puckered hole, lubricating the entrance.

  Dario gasped as Elorien filled his back passage with a firm, swift push. As the elf began to move with steady strokes inside of him, Dario could feel another orgasm beginning to rise like hot molten lava at his core.

  Elorien bent over him, nibbling his neck and then probing his ear with a flick of his tongue.

  Dario cried out, “I love you.” His breath coming short and hard, Dario turned so his lips could meet Elorien’s. He felt Elorien’s sudden release inside him and arched back, calling out Elorien’s name as he shook with the force of his own orgasm.

  Spent, Dario lay exhausted over the back of the couch. Elorien nibbled again at his ear. “I think I have no doubt now that you love me.” There was humour in Elorien’s voice.

  Dario shifted and groaned. “I don’t think I’ll be able to move for a few days.”

  Elorien suddenly withdrew and slipped his cock into his hose. “There’s no choice. You’ll have to move if you want to come with me.”

  Dario turned around slowly, leaning his hip back again the couch, his arms grasping along the top of the couch to hold himself up. He saw Elorien’s eyes twinkling. “Go with you?” His heart began to pound hard against his ribcage. “Where are you going?”

  “Back to Faerie.” Elorien lifted Dario’s boxer shorts gently over his limp cock and began to button up his jeans.

  “I can’t go there.” Dario felt bemused. “If you’re a fish out of water here, won’t I be the same in -- Faerie?”

  Elorien smiled and shrugged. “Perhaps. We can only try it and see. All I know is that there is no danger of paparazzi there. No one will know -- or care -- who you are.”

  Dario cheered up at that. “It sounds good already.” Rising to his feet, he adjusted his cock inside his jeans. “I just don’t know why you’re in such a hurry to get back. I’m starving and we could --”

  Elorien held up his hand to cut him off. “No more food! Time for you to taste the delights of Faerie.”

  “Now?” Dario looked uncertain.

  “Now,” Elorien confirmed. “There is someone waiting for me. A matter of some unfinished business.”

  * * *

  The Elven Court was assembled at the Circle. Elucinara sat regally in her silver chair, ladies-in-waiting standing behind her. Guntoras stood a few feet away.

  The elves turned as Elorien came into the Circle, moving easily in a purposeful stride. He came before Elucinara and bowed low. “My Lady, I humbly apologize,” Elorien said as he straightened. “I was inexcusably rude to my queen and for that I am truly sorry.”

  Elucinara raised an eyebrow. “You are? My dear Elorien, you seem remarkably changed.”

  Elorien beamed, giving everyone the full benefit of his wonderful smile. The ladies-in-waiting sighed. Even Elucinara found herself stirred. It was not often they saw a smile from the most beautiful and most arrogant Elorien.

  “I am, my Lady,” he said. He looked at Guntoras, smiled, and gave him a small bow. “Greetings to my friend Guntoras.”

  Guntoras looked shocked. In all his life, he had never seen Elorien bow to anyone.

  “Come now,” Elucinara said silkily. “Your good humor is much appreciated, Elorien. Nevertheless, you were sent on a quest and I fully expect an answer. Your apology, rare as it is, will not serve to keep you from providing it.”

  Elorien nodded. “I am aware of that, my Lady.”

  “So,” continued Elucinara, “the question remains: Is it possible that more beauty exists in the World than here in Faerie?”

  Elorien turned and held out his arm toward the crowd behind him. The elves looked at each other, puzzled. Then the crowd parted and a beautiful boy walked up between the elves and faeries toward Elorien.

  Elucinara leaned forward. The boy looked exactly like Elorien and yet different. Human. She frowned as Elorien brought Dario before Elucinara.


  “This is the boy?” Elucinara asked, turning to Guntoras. He nodded, eyes unblinking as he stared at Dario. “You bring him here?” Elucinara demanded of Elorien. “You bring a human to Faerie? Why?”

  Elorien smiled and took Dario’s hand.

  “So you can judge for yourself, my Lady.”

  The End

  Cassandra Kane

  Cassandra Kane grew up in Australia and now resides in the UK. A graduate of the University of Sydney, Cassandra divides her time between the day job and her writing. She enjoys good food, interesting conversation and exotic travel, not necessarily in that order.

  Find out more at www.cassandrakane.com