Arcanus 13

[catriana_fiction]

Title: Arcanus (Previously known as Demon King)
Series: Original
Genre: Fantasy/Drama/Romance
Rating: M
Chapters: 16/??(WIP)
Summary: He is the Demon King of the West, one of the few true immortals of the western lands. When his kingdom is frozen by 'Olde Magick' he goes out into the world to find clues and answers. Along the way he binds himself to a young vampire, encounters a half-elf that is more than what he seems and quickly begins to realize that freezing his kingdom was only the beginning.

 

13

xxxxx

Crossing his arms, Rioran regarded the female. She looked in her late twenties and he could tell she had a very strong personality. How Naliel ended up being so passive he had no idea, maybe he got it from Lavern.

“All I want to know is why you lied to him for so long. If you had known all that time that you were half dragon –“

“For your information, demon,” Lavern’s wife snapped “I didn’t know initially. My parents had died when I was but a baby, I only discovered it when an item my mother had left for me unlocked around my thirty-fifth birthday. I had believed I had been human and I had held no magical abilities or traits. I had found it strange that I hadn’t been aging much but I had given it little thought until then. What the item itself was is none of your damn business; just know it had information written by my mother about who I truly was and what I could do to ‘unlock’ my powers. I had also had a suppression spell on me, similar to Naliel’s.”

Grinning at her, the redhead turned to Naliel “I can see you don’t take after your mother, half-elf.” Naliel gave him a look that implied he didn’t appreciate the humor.

“Sarnaiel took after me,” she said and she did actually look amused “even though he was not of my blood. In any case, when I learned of this my mother had also mentioned that under no circumstances should I reveal myself. It was not clear why, only that the humans –“

“Humans have always been suspicious of the other races.” Rioran cut in, understanding where she was going “And dragons have always been highly reclusive creatures. They’re not like demons, whereas we don’t care so much about race concerning mating, dragons tend to mate with dragons, although gender doesn’t matter. They’re as suspicious of the other races as they are of them. With you being the daughter of nobility I suppose I get why your mother was so adamant about it. So then, you faked your death and since Naliel had completed the alliance by marrying that girl you didn’t want it to get leaked out that you were still alive. So you continued to play dead.”

“Dragons and demons were considered one in the same to humans,” Naliel’s mother continued to explain “If I had been exposed the alliance would have been broken and Naliel’s life could have been in danger. The only person who knew the truth was Lavern, we told no one else.”

“Must have been a lonely few centuries.”

Her smile was wry “Demon, you have no idea.” Her gaze shifted to her son although he was not looking at her “Naliel, tell me, what would you have done differently in my shoes?”

A bittersweet smile emerged on his face and he raised his head “Nothing.” He answered honestly “Just as I did what I had to do to complete the alliance even though it pained me to leave Sarna, you did what you needed to do to protect me and everyone else. I am stunned, surprised, and slightly hurt, but I understand it. What happens now? Will another suppression spell be placed upon me? Will you continue to hide your identity?”

The demon king sat down in an empty chair and leaned back “No, she won’t.” when Liari and Naliel looked at him in confusion he smirked at the woman “That’s the other reason Lavern sent you, Naliel. What human kingdom is truly going to screw around with elven territory that’s protected by a demon king, especially the western one? There are very few of them that do not know of me or Gladian and demon kings hold alliances of protection. We are immortal and powerful, so for that we protect the mortals who are not foolish enough to shun us. We give back to society, I suppose you could say.” He closed his eyes briefly “Alright, I understand why you did what you did. I am not pleased with the fact that you two forced me to figure it out, however. Be glad I am actually fond of your son, otherwise I’d be a little more irritable.”

She smiled “Naliel has that affect on people.” The smile disappeared “So then you will honor the alliance?”

Rioran waved a hand dismissively “I told Naliel years ago that the Liunos had the west on their side, I meant that. The twelve southern demons in your lands are currently under me, use them as you see fit. Southern demons are sturdy and natural protectors. They will be more than capable of protecting your village from the humans should they react unfavorably…which I have no doubt they will if this Order of the Crimson Tides sect is truly growing as powerful as I believe. When I finally free my kingdom I will send out the usual force to protect all of Liunos lands, as I did before.”

“We thank you, demon king.”

“Oh? Now you want to be polite you obstinate and infuriating woman?” he chuckled “I pity Lavern, you must have given him absolute hell upon first meeting.”

Naliel’s mother laughed “I might have a little bit.” The expression shifted “Now then, we have given you what you wanted to know, now tell us, how does our eldest fare?” she looked at Naliel “Does Veciel truly have him?”

The half-elf frowned “That is what the spirits told me and he confirmed it. He has Sarna in the Bavarian kingdom, which is where we are headed. And yes, Veciel is truly undead. How Sarna fares I do not know, all I know is that Veciel has him. He told me Sarna was safe but ‘safe’ and ‘well’ is not always the same thing. He hated Sarna…and it was Sarna who killed him.” He looked away “I do not…want to think about what Veciel could have done to him. He wants me to help him – with what I know not – so I want to hope against the odds and believe that he has not harmed him.”

That seemed to placate the woman but her smile was still sad “Naliel. Come back home with Sarna.”

He gave her a matching smile and there was no mistaking that appearance-wise, he had taken after her “He is my lifemate, one way or the other we will be reunited.” The image in the stone began to flicker and Naliel stood “There is much I wish to say and much I wish to ask, but not here. When I return with Sarna, we will speak then. All of us.” He paused “It is…good seeing you again mother.”

Even though it was only an image one could see the tears shining in her eyes “And it is wonderful to see you, my Naliel.”

xxxxx

Being a demon, Rioran did not need to sleep if he did not desire to. As an immortal he did not get tired or fatigued and he did not need to eat either although the latter wasn’t so true anymore. With Liari taking blood from him he did actually need to eat to replenish his strength. In any case, the demon king could do all of those things and did, especially when he was bored.

His lifemate did need to sleep, however, and he found himself not really enjoying just lying there for hours watching her – it made him feel like some sort of old pervert. So instead he would shut his mind down and lie with her until the sun set and she rose for the night. While doing this he was in a state of half-awareness and did not dream.

So when Liari awakened earlier than normal he had noticed but did not immediately force himself to awaken. He could hear her shift around a bit on the bed although she made no verbal noise or moved to awaken him. Perhaps she thought he was truly asleep and did not wish to bother him. Cute, but unnecessary.

It was when he had been dragging himself out of his half aware state that a warm, soft body slid on top of him. Hair tickled his arms and he could feel warm breath at his neck. Surprised, he could only lie stunned as a warm wet tongue trailed along the pulse of his neck just before fangs sunk into flesh.

Emerald eyes snapped open and immediately became hooded with heavy desire and lust. Heat went straight from his neck to his groin and he arched his back “Liari.” It came out as a hard moan, his hands snapping up to grip her shoulders in an almost painful grip. She was wearing one of the gifts he had gotten her at the shop in the airship; a long golden gown to sleep in. He had brought her other feminine type clothes that were similar to the types of clothes she had worn before in his efforts to continue spoiling her. As his hands moved to slide up her back, all he could think of was how good silk felt on her, how good she felt on top of him, drinking from his neck.

Because he had been completely unaware he didn’t even try to stop the low moans of pleasure she was eliciting from him. His mind was hazy; when he rocked his hips against hers she responded and he growled. So much pleasure, so much tension that craved release.

Then he had her pinned underneath him and claimed her mouth, the taste of his blood on her lips driving him even wilder. He wanted more; it wasn’t enough, he had to have her. Now. His mouth trailed hot kisses down her neck and this time he doesn’t even hesitate, the lustful haze of his mind discarding all logical thought as he sank his own fangs into her neck, finally marking her as his. Demons were not vampires but her blood tasted sweet on his lips and she felt so good underneath him as he grinded against her, needing the relief the friction was giving him. If she had cried out he hadn’t heard it and didn’t care. She was his and he was going to finally have her, fully bind her to him.

He let out a sharp noise when nails raked up his back and it took every shred of willpower he had not to just lose it, rip off her clothes and take her hard. He bit at her neck, nipping this time and his hands were everywhere.

He had to have her. He needed to have her. He wanted her so bad it hurt, the intense sensation of her bite still moving through him. She was gasping and writhing beneath him and when she wrapped her legs around his waist his hands began to shift into claws. There was the sound of ripping fabric as one sharp claw sliced through the center of her gown slowly.

Liari.

Something began to peek through the lusty haze. A question was popping up in the back of his mind and the logical part of him that had been pushed back into the far reaches desperately to lock onto it.

Liari.

Why wasn’t she responding? Physically, her lips were all over him and gods if she moved her hips like that one more time…

Liari… finally, the haze was drifting along enough for him to somewhat think straight Liari, what are you doing?

Still no response. Now he was drifting out of the haze with a bit more force. It was hard; whenever she bit his wrist it was highly arousing, when she bit his neck, however, it was all but impossible to control the urge to pin her down and take what his body was telling him was his. But regardless, he was a demon king and had lived for two millennia. While her biting his neck gave him the biggest hard-on he’d ever experienced in his entire life, he still had an enormous amount of willpower and self-control.

An animalistic growl left his throat and this time his claws were ripping apart the sheets and mattress. Having self-control didn’t mean it was easy to exercise it. Once more he tried to beseech her mentally and it was then that he sensed the foreign presence in her mind while hers lay dormant.

Another very animalistic growl/snarl ripped from his throat. There was more shredding of fabric and it took everything he had to pull himself up and off of her, his body painfully hard. He knew what was going on but he needed to get out of the room and away from her for a few hours. If he didn’t, he’d be unable to control himself for much longer.

A shiver went through him as he managed to drag himself off of the bed. He took a deep breath, let it out, and turned towards the two slender blades off to the other side of the wall. Claws still extended he all but bared his teeth at them, eyes narrowing. Enraged wasn’t even the word to use to describe how he was feeling at the moment.

“Listen to me very carefully you manipulative bastards,” he growled “while it’s admirable that you really like Liari and want her to wield you forever, forcing us to bond is not acceptable. If you do it again I swear to the gods I will melt you fuckers down, turn you into jewelry and sell you. Do we have an understanding? I decide when I will bond with my lifemate, not you.”

Immediately the hold the blades had on Liari’s mind lifted but he didn’t look at her, couldn’t. Despite his warning he really just wanted to toss the damn things overboard. The amount of frustration, irritation, and anger he was feeling was enough to make him want to go break something. A lot of somethings.

Damnit. He raked a hand through his thick hair, and began to pace the room like a caged animal. He needed to leave the room but where would he go? He wasn’t about to walk around the halls obviously aroused and he was too irritable to try and keep an illusion spell up to hide it. On top of that he had marked her, something he really hadn’t wanted to do.

Briefly, he glanced at her neck and winced. Vampires had rapid healing abilities; when a demon marked its mate it was more than just a bite. The person would forever have the demon’s scent on them, no one would be able to come close to her without knowing that she belonged to another. The entire right side of her neck was a huge bruise due to her body trying to fight off the effects of his marking. It was going to be painful for her when she finally awakened and guilt hit him hard. He should have been more in control; he should have tried harder.

Another growl escaped him. He had to get out of the room, he had to get away from her, he needed to put some distance between them until he could calm his body down.

Naliel. While he wasn’t pleased with himself for acting like a jealous ass and then forcing the man to reveal that terrible part of his past, Naliel wasn’t one to hold grudges and he was normally a calm individual. The half-elf would give him shit but Rioran didn’t really care about that and had never minded the jokes anyway, regardless of the threats he would make. He had always valued and enjoyed the half-elf’s company.

Thankfully, the other male’s room was only a few doors down. Because he didn’t trust himself he didn’t even bother to pull any blankets over Liari’s still resting form, he just walked out.

xxxxx

Naliel had just barely managed to wring out his hair as he jumped out of the shower, wrapped a towel around his waist and rushed to the door. Someone was pounding on it as if their life depended on it. Was it Rioran? Liari? Had something happened?

Alarmed, he ripped open the door, blue eyes wide, one hand on his hip to keep the towel secured. It was definitely Rioran but he looked…off. His face was flushed, his eyes dilated and the moment those green eyes took in his form he snarled savagely at him.

“Why are you naked?!” he actually shouted it at him and Naliel, completely lost and confused, just stared at the enraged redhead, eyes wide.

“I…” he paused as he continued to take in the demon king. A familiar and slightly uncomfortable heat moved through him when his guest’s eyes roved over his body; he wasn’t even trying to conceal the lust in his gaze. Now his face was heating and he took a step back. This snapped Rioran out of it but he still looked very pissed.

“Go.” His voice sounded something close to an animal’s “Put on clothes. Now. Or horrible things will happen to you. Horrible, horrible things. Between you and Liari I swear to the gods…” he muttered the last part and Naliel hurriedly moved away from the door, snatching a pair of loose pants from his bed and walking back into the bathroom.

Properly drying himself off he turned off the shower and pulled on the pants, still stunned. What…what had just happened there? He had never seen Rioran so frazzled and frustrated before and he had definitely never seen the demon king look at him like that. Not that he didn’t think Rioran was attractive, but that wasn’t exactly the point. Was it even possible to be sexually attracted to another when one had a lifemate? And what the hell happened that he would come to his room anyway in that sort of state?

When he exited the bathroom the demon king was standing at the window on the far side of the room. His entire presence filled the area, the air thick with tension. Rioran was very agitated and all Naliel could discern from all of that was it more than likely had to do with Liari and something sexual in nature. Since the redhead hadn’t forced himself on him Naliel concluded that he probably hadn’t done the same to Liari. So he had come here to seek refuge? Why?

“Would…you care to talk about it, my friend?” he asked, walking over to his dresser to pull out a long sleeved shirt. It was then that he felt eyes on him and he fought the urge to shiver under the scrutiny. It was times like this that he was reminded that Rioran was a demon king and he was insanely powerful. It was intimidating at times.

When he stood up straight his body automatically tensed when he felt fingers gently move down his back. The hand immediately dropped.

“He really did slice you up.” Rioran’s voice was a little deeper than normal, huskier, which he was sure had everything to do with whatever had happened prior to him pounding on his door. Fingers brushed along the scarred arm but he didn’t move, didn’t dare when Rioran was in a capricious mood like this. They were roughly the same height and he could feel the heat of the other male’s body behind him. He was very close and it was a little unnerving “How did your lifemate kill him?”

Quickly pulling on the shirt he turned and found himself surprised when Rioran was practically on the other side of the room now, back facing him. Naliel let out a shaky breath “Sarna had been taught how to fight and use his affinity for shadow magic by an old hermit. We found out that he had been an assassin once, one of the best, and had retired in elven lands. Anyway, Sarnaiel slid both of his swords into Veciel’s body, he didn’t die peacefully.”

He made a thoughtful sound “Speaking of swords, Liari’s swords just tried to have her rape me to complete the bond.”

He couldn’t even help the chuckle that emerged “I was unaware that you could rape the willing, Rioran.”

Rioran growled at him. “Fuck you, Naliel.”

The half-elf decided not to push his luck. Rioran had sounded slightly amused, however, which had been the intention “Apologies. What exactly did Liari do that has brought you to such a state?”

Turning slightly towards him Rioran sighed “Do you remember what I told you about how it feels when Liari takes my blood?” he nodded and the redhead continued “Well, if it’s from my wrist it’s controllable. It feels incredible and arousing but I can shake it off. When she bites my neck…it’s too much and I can’t control myself. The blades had her awaken early and bite me. The mattress has been half destroyed, I almost shredded the gown I had brought her off of her body and…” he shook his head “That is not something I wish to go through again…I do not…enjoy losing control like that. Liari is an innocent and I care for her.” He sounded very distraught and Naliel’s heart went out to his friend.

“You claimed they were enchanted right? Were they trying to hurt her or –“

“No.” he put a hand through his hair “They were trying to get me to complete the bond. I don’t want to do that to her, it’s too painful and I don’t want to rush her.”

Curious, Naliel sat down on his bed, leaning back on his arms “You said Liari only had to take your blood, what do you have to take?”

The smile was wry “Her soul.” After a moment of stunned silence he sighed “Not her entire soul but a small part of it. It’s extremely painful so we demons compensate for it through pleasure, or if you want to be blunt about it, sex. It’s one of the reasons humans fear us so badly; they think we’re soul suckers.” He snorted “They’re not entirely incorrect; before Rias came into power the eastern king and his brood before her had screwed around with humans. This was well before I was born, obviously, but demons don’t need to take in food to live, not like mortal races. We enjoy food, we enjoy the taste. ‘Eating’ someone’s spirit, or soul is…it’s on par with taking a highly addictive drug. Because Humans couldn’t fight back the eastern king was absolutely ridiculous about it, vampirism on a different scale. Gladian had to interfere but by then it was too late. Because of the eastern king humans fear and abhor demons, and with good reason if you think about it. Succubus, incubus, we were branded with those names and more due to that guy’s escapades.”

“I…never knew that about demons.” He smiled thinly “Is this another one of your well-kept demon secrets?”

A shrug “I suppose. In any case, I don’t really want to go that route at the moment although I know she’d do it without hesitation.”

“Because she loves you.”

“Yes.”

Naliel sighed “I am sorry for your situation, Rioran. I am sure it must be difficult to desire someone who is yours but you cannot yet have.”

Once again he felt uncomfortable under Rioran’s gaze “It’s not a matter that I cannot have her, but I’d like to see her as more than just a very attractive friend. I become jealous because of the bond, I do rather foolish things because of it, but when I am in my right mind I…” he shook his head “Liari is beautiful, intelligent, and kind. I have known her all of her life and she is my lifemate, but I do not love her and I am not entirely sure if I can.”

“Don’t be a fool.” A red brow raised and he smirked “Yes, you have known her all of her life and because you have watched her grow from a child to an adult you cannot give her your heart just yet. However, you have only had Liari truly in your life for less than a month. As an immortal you should know better than anyone the necessity of patience.”

 A fond smile graced his lips “When Sarna and I finally got our feelings out he had been enraged at the fact that I was already engaged and that I had no intentions of breaking it off to be with him. He left for eight months and it was only after his return that we came together. It was not easy…” blue eyes shifted to the side “It took me a while to fully recover mentally from my encounter with Veciel. We argued often and more than a few times we stopped speaking for a while. When Maya had been born he had wanted to continue to be with me until she came of age. When I did not wish to do that it…” he sighed “In any case, what I am saying is that love is not instantaneous. Just because she is your lifemate does not mean you will automatically fall in love with her.”

“I understand all that.” The demon king frowned “Don’t worry about it. Let me just stay here until I can calm myself; between her biting my neck and you prancing around in a towel I am at my wits end for a while.”

“I am not taking blame for this one, demon.” The brunette gave the demon a level stare “You were the one pounding on my door as if something was hot on your heels.” He chuckled lightly “Besides, you have seen me now, almost half of my body is covered in hideous scars from Veciel, I cannot be that appealing.”

There it was again, that strange look “Your lifemate did not seem to mind it.”

“Y-yes…I suppose you have a point.” He really wished Rioran would calm down, did the man not know how oppressive his aura was at times? Naliel was beginning to feel extremely overwhelmed; there was too much emotion rolling off the demon that he didn’t quite understand. Logically, he had a few suspicions concerning Rioran’s behavior towards him but they were not thoughts he truly wished to entertain. “You are more than welcome to stay here until you calm down, if you’d like me to leave I will.”

“It’s your room, I’m not going to kick you out.” Now the redhead was guarded and he turned his back to him, looking out towards the night sky “Just explain to Liari if she comes looking for me.”

“Of course.” Awkward silence filled the air and the half-elf sat up, confused and unsure of what to do. He had mostly recovered from the events of last night; although learning his mother was truly alive still had his mind reeling. He had been rather infuriated with Rioran and his father for making him feel as if he had to talk about that night but his anger had quelled when the demon king had looked at him with surprise and guilt in his eyes. He had not apologized, Naliel didn’t think Rioran sincerely apologized about anything - especially if he was wrong - but he had backed off of him. He now had the demon king’s full trust, which he was content with. He enjoyed being loose friends with Rioran, he was a good person and they got along well.

Learning that he was immortal had been rather devastating. It didn’t mean that he couldn’t die, because he could, but knowing that he and Sarna could truly remain together for eternity was…amazing. And he would get Sarna back; he’d do anything to accomplish that goal. He would have to ask his mother how she had bonded with his father; Rioran didn’t know how it worked for dragons. He had never bitten Sarnaiel – well not hard enough to draw blood anyway – and he didn’t think he had taken his soul although they had definitely been intimate. There was a chance that they hadn’t yet ‘bonded’ but Rioran seemed to believe otherwise.

His friend was still tense so Naliel decided he would try and lighten the mood “Rioran, I am curious; is the reason you’ve been spending so much money these past two days because of Liari? You wish to spoil her, yes?”

A small nod “She’s been feeling insecure around us because she’s so young. She is not a vain person but she’s also not incredibly confident either. Being the lifemate of someone like me must feel intimidating.”

“You are intimidating, Rioran.” He agreed “You are very powerful and while you do not always broadcast it, when you do it is a sharp reminder.” He sighed “Spoiling is one way to go about it, I suppose, but I am sure you realize it will only go so far with someone like Liari.”

Lips twitched upward as the redhead regarded the brunette “I have considered that. Unfortunately, there is little I can do to make her feel less intimidated by my presence, I am who I am. I am hoping that by keeping her at my side and making her feel as if her opinions and inputs are valued and wanted that she will relax a bit more.”

“Under the circumstances, that is perhaps all you can do.” He smiled “Have faith, friend. Liari loves you and despite what you think you feel it is obvious from an outside point of view that you care very deeply for her.”

It seemed that the demon king had relaxed a small bit so the half-elf stood and stretched his arms out slightly “Rest on the bed for a while, or try meditating. It may help. Unless you are calmer now?”

He snorted “Hardly.” The tension in the air increased and once again Naliel found himself shuddering. He didn’t say anything for a long while. It was only when Naliel had begun to walk towards the kitchen area that Rioran spoke again.

“Naliel,” he paused, looking frustrated “about earlier…it had not been my intention to have you reveal your darkest secret. I owe you one embarrassment for another.”

“You are still dwelling on that?” the half-elf chuckled “You know I do not hold grudges Rioran, think nothing of it. It is merely best to move on from…” he was cut off when he felt something warm at his back and fingers brushed long black hair behind his ear.

“An eye for an eye.” His voice was low. “A secret for a secret.” He tensed and paused for a moment before finishing “I made you tell me yours, I will now tell you mine. You might want to sit down for this one, however, as it directly involves you.”

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