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A new update for October's been a long time coming, huh? Forgive the pun. Anyway, yeah, finally got this one written, and wound up splitting it into two parts because it's an unholy beast. Forgive the pun. Also, this way I got to leave it on a fun little cliffhanger, so, yeah. As always, thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy!

Kazama, Axel, and Gensa Created By and Belong to SkyWing

Proofread by SkyWing

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Matty slammed the front door. Swiftly locking the deadbolt, he pulled his hands up to his chest, taking several cautious steps backward. In a state of confused disbelief at the unexpected, not to mention unwelcome, arrival of his brother, he tapped his fingertips together, his mind racing with an incoherent jumble of barely formed thoughts.

"Oh no oh no oh crap oh fuck oh FUCK!" he babbled, nervously hopping up and down.

While a part of him was indeed curious as to the reason Lucas decided to show up out of the blue, without even the courtesy of a call ahead, he knew it ultimately didn't matter. At that very moment, his only conceivable concern was keeping the smug bastard out. Or, failing that, making sure he didn't witness anything best kept a secret.

Matty had long since learned from personal experience that his brother couldn't remotely be trusted with secrets. Especially if the secret in question was as juicy as demons being real. Whether out of drunken boasting, some scheme to get rich and famous, or pure spite, Lucas would be more than happy to burn his whole world to ash. If the red fox were to get in and learn the truth, sooner or later, everything he was trying to build would come crashing-

His already shaky train of thought was instantly derailed by a series of slams, shaking both of the front doors and most of the entryway's outer wall. Matty folded his ears flush against his black, red-frosted headfur. No, keeping his brother out wasn't an option. For long. Which meant he needed to act quickly, hiding any evidence of-

Snapping his fingers, his ears perked back up. Will! That was it! All he needed to do was warn Will! That would solve everything! Mostly! Probably. Hopefully...

Taking in a slow, calming breath, Matty formulated his plan. In all likelihood, the badger was still nearby in the den, still fawning over his hero. If Matty warned Will, Will could pass along the warning to everyone else, letting them know they needed to hide their more... exotic qualities. Demons were masters of hiding in plain sight, after all. And once the badger is off spreading the word, securing the rest of the mansion, Matty can return to deal with Lucas, stalling for time. With any luck, maybe he could even get him to turn around and leave right away!

There. He had his plan. Everything hinged on luck and a lot of hope, but-

Several more, far angrier, slams to the door broke what remained of his concentration, sending him on a frantic sprint down the nearest hallway, moments later finding himself arriving back in his den. Speeding through the doorway, he tripped over a beanbag chair, crashing face first to the carpet. He scrambled back to his feet, about to launch into a rambling fit when he fell silent, stunned by his first good look at the scene waiting for him.

In a sense, the badger was indeed still fawning over his hero. In a far more specific sense, he was kneeling between the lynx's legs, muzzle pressed up against his open fly, the feline's tapered, girthy cock stuffed deep down his throat. His boxers were bunched down around his crossed ankles, leaving his pink tailhole winking out from between his gray-furred cheeks, just below his puffed spade of a tail.

Startled by the fox's chaotic return, both Will and Miles stared at one another in an awkward mutual silence, broken only when the badger slightly turned his head, giving the throbbing prick and additional slow suckle as it bulged his cheek outward. Gradually, he slowed his fingering under the lynx's tail and ceased jerking himself off, slowly growing to a complete stop under the fox's strangely alarmed gaze.

"Wow... Will... that was fast, even for you. Nice..." Matty said, chuckling, idly rubbing the spot where his shoulder struck the floor. Shaking his head, he reminded himself why he was there. "Oh! No time for that! Lucas is here, outside, at the door, right now!"

Pulling his mouth off the lynx's cock, releasing his suction with a disappointed sigh, Will sat back on his heels. "THAT'S who was at the door? Shit." He wiped off some residual spittle with the back of his arm. "What does he-"

"There's no time to talk! I'm going to go back and try to get rid of him, but in the likely case I can't, you need to get moving and tell everyone else to clean up and UN-DEMON!" Matty suddenly grabbed his cheek fur in his fists. "OHMYGOD! Dax's balls! DAX'S BALLS!" he shouted, muffled through clenched teeth.

"Disco balls? Did he just say disco balls?" Miles asked, tilting his head downward at the kneeling badger.

"Dax's balls," Will calmly explained. "Dax is an incubus. And my boyfriend. He wears a cage so-"

"GO NOW AND SHOW HIM AND MAKE THEM NOT BIG NOW! GET MOVING!!!" Bending down, Matty grabbed the badger by his armpits, hauling him to his feet with a single powerful tug, unintentionally bunching his white tee-shirt up above his nipples.

"Hng! Geez, Matty! Calm down!" Will shouted, left only a touch shy of totally nude, his cock standing just a few inches from the disappointed lynx's nose. He gave an annoyed huff, yanking his shirt back down before pulling up his boxers, tucking his softening meat away under the waistband. "Okay then, come on, Miles, best to get out of his way when he gets like this. I know where Dax'll probably be, we can get him first," he said, heading for the door, gesturing for the lynx to follow.

With a bemused shrug, Miles stood up off the couch and zipped his pants, walking out after the badger. They had barely started down the hallway when they heard the fox's shout of, "GAH! THE TOY CHEST!" echo after them, followed by the sound of a large trunk slamming closed.

"So... what was all that about, exactly?" Miles asked as they walked.

"Eh, bit of a long story, I guess. Lucas is Matty's older brother."

"Ah. And I take it he doesn't know the truth about his grandfather's profession?"

"Safe money says no. He was off at college when Burr 'died', and took off shortly after. I think this is the first he's been back."

"And what's the problem, exactly? Matty doesn't think he can handle the secret? Seems like you could certainly use a few more mortals around here, by my count," Miles said, chuckling.

"Yeah... Lucas... I don't think he'd be a good fit here."

"By which you mean?"

Letting out a small sigh, Will clasped his hands behind his head. "Eh, not sure how best to put it. He's just the walking embodiment of a spoiled first child. A bully, to put it bluntly. Typical alpha jock jackass." He growled slightly, under his breath. "Anyway, from what I saw, he really got off on asserting his dominance on his younger siblings, and even me on a few unlucky occasions, but no one got it as bad as Matty. Lucas was always calling him names, picking on him, breaking his stuff, getting him in trouble. And when they got older, sometimes flat-out beating him bloody. It kinda reached its apex when Lucas kicked him down that big staircase near the entryway... It was a miracle he got through that with just a broken arm."

"Wow, damn... I cannot imagine he took Burr leaving his entire estate to Matty terribly well."

"Are you kidding? If there hadn't been a whole bunch of lawyers and witnesses there, he might've killed him."

Miles winced. "That is just... horrible... I am so sorry."

Will gave a halfhearted shrug, sighing as they continued walking. "Yeah, all that messed Matty up pretty bad for a while. I think the best thing that ever happened to him was striking whatever deal it was that sent Lucas far, far away. In any case, that's why it's probably in everyone's best interests if we get him out of here ASAP."

"Agreed, you don't need to convince me any further."

Nodding, Will's ears twitched, picking up a chorus of moans coming from Dax's playroom down the hall. "Oh, good, sounds like a bunch of them are in there. Should save us a few trips," he said, rounding the corner, through the doorway, into the room. The moment he was inside, he was struck by the overpowering aroma of pure, sweaty sex, complimented by mild hints of rubber and leather.

"Wow..." muttered Miles, stepping in after the badger, in a state of impressed awe as he viewed the small orgy.

Kazama was sitting in a sturdy black chair, a thick butt-plug mounted to the center embedded in his tailhole. The crow's feathered hands kept a tight grip on the seat, trying desperately to keep the whole thing from tipping over as Cal bounced in his lap, riding his fellow avian's cock as hard as he could. The two birds were enthusiastically making out, beak to beak while they fucked, partially obscured behind the peacock's shimmering, fanned-out tail feathers.

A short distance away, Lee was on all fours, fully decked out in latex gear, from a full hood encasing most of his head to long boots and mitted sleeves encasing his limbs. The white-furred cat was the source of most of the squealing moans filling the room, heavily drooling around a gigantic, black ball-gag. His small, silver chastity cage was dripping all over the floor, splattering wildly about due to the fierce pounding he was receiving from Gensa. The tanuki was kneeling upright behind the cat, eagerly slapping his chubby thighs against the taut feline rump, eagerly fucking it raw. While the tanuki didn't have the longest cock, it was thicker than most, more than enough to drive the bound, chaste housecat wild.

Right beside them, Dax held a leash leading to the base of the white cat's hood, keeping it taut, occasionally giving it a playful tug to keep him off balance. The poodle - wearing nothing but an open black vest - was standing bow-legged, giving his massive, beach-ball-sized balls room to sway. Extremely bottom heavy, carrying those excessively full, churning orbs, he supported most of his weight by holding onto a metal ring hanging by a reinforced chain from the ceiling. Directly behind him, Mel gripped his waist while slowly, yet powerfully grinding their bodies together, patiently thrusting his barbed cock in and out of the dog's experienced hole. Dax's cage pulsed, almost seeming to glow as it kept doing its job, holding back every drop of the demon dog's much desired release.

For a moment, Will choked on his words, both impressed and enticed by the sights, sounds, and smells. As experienced as he already was, he still had so, so much left to try. Clearing his throat, he shouted, "Hey, everybody! I hate to break this up, like, I mean, I really hate to break it up. And Dax, don't think for a moment I'm not upset about not getting invited."

"Sorry, hon," the poodle said, sheepishly smiling. He let out an annoyed huff when the black cat stuffing his rear ceased his thrusting.

"Anyway, there's a bit of a... thing. Short version, we have some unwelcome company, which means you all need to hide all the demon stuff and out-and-open sex until he's gone."

"Oh, that shouldn't be too difficult," Dax said, followed by mumbled or muffled agreements from the other members of the paused orgy.

"That also means you and I need to take you into the empty pool and do your draining a little earlier than-" A gleeful shriek from the poodle startled Will into silence, briefly making him forget his place. Shaking it off, he continued, "So, yeah, let's go, Dax. You can all go back to your fun, just make sure to either keep it here or in your bedrooms until we give the all-clear, okay?"

"Can we join you?" Mel asked, leaning to the side to see around the poodle's tall frame. "I've never seen an incubus this pent up pop, and I feel like it's something I don't want to miss."

"Sure, sure, that's fine," Will said, tapping his footpaw, "Just be quick about it."

Collectively excited about the venue change and added show, the group quickly dismantled their orgy. Cal climbed off Kazama's lap, helping him up off the chair's plug, while Gensa pulled Lee upright, onto his booted footpaws, and Mel unsheathed his throbbing length from Dax's rump. Once they were all ready to move, they followed the badger's lead and headed to the pool, quietly chatting amongst themselves along the way.

Bringing up the rear, his massive testicles jiggling and bouncing with every step, Dax waddled at a slower pace than the others, still towing the hood-blinded white cat along by his leash. Despite his plodding pace, he soon arrived at their destination with the rest of the procession, entering the massive, tiled room, joining the the others gathered at the edge of the empty indoor pool.

"Okay," Will said, standing beside the ladder, "Dax and I'll go in and get to it, the rest of you can stay up here watch from outside the splash zone.

"Come on, you really think I'd come this far NOT to get messy?" Mel incredulously asked, incredulously scoffing at the badger.

"Uh, well, we haven't actually met, so, kinda?"

"Oh, right! I'm Mel, and this is Lee!" the black cat said, indicating his bound counterpart.

"Cool, cool. Yeah, feel free to join us if you like, but you should probably take off that gear first. I've done this before to a, well, lesser degree, and trust me, it's gonna be an absolute bastard to clean all that AND your fur."

"Good catch, hon," Dax said as he stepped between Cal and Kazama, throwing his arms over their shoulders. "I don't suppose you two would mind given me a little help to the bottom?"

"Not at all," Cal replied, while Kazama simply smiled. Giving each other a brief nod, the two birds flapped their wings and stepped over the edge, helping the bottom-heavy poodle flutter safely down into the pool.

After taking a moment to discard his shirt and boxers, Will climbed down the ladder with them. Moments later, he Gensa came lumbering down after him, dropping heavily to the floor, the rotund tanuki stumbling before catching himself against the wall.

While Miles stripped off his clothes and shoes, Mel focused on removing Lee's gear, soon leaving the disappointed white cat with nothing but his sweat-matted fur and his pre-cum dripping cage. Dropping all the discarded items to the floor in a small heap, the ball-gag bouncing a couple feet away, they went down the ladder, one by one, finally rejoining the rest of their group.

With everyone present and ready to begin, the full orgy promptly resumed. Kazama dropped to all fours, getting fucked by Cal while coiling his tongue around Lee's cage; Lee knelt upright, his tail whipping side to side as his ass was pounded by Miles; Gensa was on his back, lying between Kazama's legs, sucking the avian's cherry-blossom-scented cock while Mel enthusiastically fucked his rear.

Through it all, they each did their best to keep their eyes on the main show: Dax dropping to all fours, straddling his own balls, wagging like mad as his presented his rear, giving a plump ass-cheek a teasing playful smack.

"You ready?" Will said, taking his position, kneeling behind the poodle's curvaceous, upturned rump.

"Always," Dax answered, shuddering when the badger twisted the ring to his cage, returning his ability to cum with a cheerful little click.

Already half-hard from overhearing the moaning gangbang just a few feet behind him, Will palmed the poodle's plump ass-cheeks, giving them a few playful gropes before spreading them wide open, revealing the pink, winking tailstar. He thumbed at the tremendously experienced ring, earning a giggle from the poodle as he easily pressed both digits inside. Taking a moment to adjust to the heat of his boyfriend's insides, he promptly stretched the superheated rectum into a mild gape.

Moaning loud enough to drown out all the others, Dax wiggled his butt, further enticing the badger to get things moving. Beyond excited to get his well-earned release, he braced himself, upright on his hands and knees in his favorite sexual position. His tail appeared to be little more than a breezy white blur, wagging faster than he ever would have guessed possible.

After giving the the poodle's cheeks a thorough, teasing hotdogging, stroking his growing cock over the gaping tailhole, Will drew his hips back, aiming his cock lower down, then shoved his way in down to the root in a single thrust. Letting go of the stretchy rim, he allowed it to clench shut, surrounding his long shaft was a familiar, always welcome, crushing heat.

Firmly taking hold of the poodle's waist, Will began furiously pounding the inviting rump. He held nothing back, pulverizing the beautiful ass, quickly growing fully erect inside his boyfriend's tunnel. Within the first couple minutes of thrusting, he could already feel the telltale rush of an approaching orgasm, knowing full well that the same was happening to the tremendously pent-up poodle.

Dax had been letting out one long, extended moan from the outset, punctuated occasionally by a sharp grunt when their hips made a particularly rough, slapping contact. His cage was nearly vibrating, his trapped, swelling cockflesh threatening to shatter the little prison. The onrush of his building climax after being denied for far too long was almost too much for him to take. He gyrated his lower half alongside the humping, about ready to blow, waiting for the badger to give him the final shove he needed.

Acting purely on instinct, never slowing his wild humping, Will grabbed the poodle under his armpits, pulling him upright, pressing the dog's back up against his chest. He craned his head down, engaging the thrilled poodle in a messy, passionate kiss. While their tongues wrestled against one another, the tingle of Will's cock and clenching nutsack became a full-on explosion of pleasure. He kept thrusting at full speed through his climax, refusing to break their kiss, pumping several spurts of cum deep inside his mate's fiery tunnel.

Between the symphony of moaning and slapping going on behind them, and the onset of a hazy, beautiful afterglow, Will failed to notice the sound of a loud crash, followed by frantic panting coming from up above, somewhere over the edge of the pool. A split second later, something fell to the floor in front of them, landing with a wet, sickening crunch.

Just as the badger slowed, opening his eyes to see what had happened, Dax broke the kiss, tossing his head back with a gleeful cry of, "I'M CUUUUUUMMMMMMING!" Driven over the edge by his boyfriend's climax, he was finally able to cut loose, shooting an impossibly large geyser of cum through his cage with the force of a fire hose.

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"I'M COMING!!!" Matty shouted, rounding the final corner, running at full-tilt back to the entryway. His hackles rose as he was greeted by a series of thunderous kicks to the wooden door, striking it hard enough to make the entire mansion seem like it was shaking. Stopping just before he slammed against the door himself, he tried to ignore the muffled epithets coming from the other side. He calmly breathed in and out, muttering, "Okay, Matty, you've faced down a literal nightmare, you can do this again..." under his breath as he stared at the deadbolt. Not giving himself a chance to back down, he released the deadbolt with a small, metallic click. The door immediately flew open, the force of which staggered him back several steps, making him steady himself as he watched a seething, russet-furred fox stomp his way inside.

Lucas let out a long slow growl, his eyes wide open in a unblinking death-glare. Between standing several inches taller than his little brother, and having a much larger, fit, broad-shouldered build, he had never had trouble intimidating him. He was comparatively well-dressed, wearing a navy-blue collared shirt and a pair of light blue jeans held up by a black leather belt. A pair of heavy, overly-stuffed duffel bags were hefted over his shoulder, making him lean slightly to the side. His short, dirty-brown hair was combed back, while his long, fluffy tail was bristled out, standing completely upright.

"Don't you ever-fucking-dare lock me out like that again," Lucas said, growling under his breath.

"Sorry, Lucas... I had some, uh, tidying up to do first."

Lucas narrowed his eyes to slits, scanning the nervous black fox up and down, eventually spitting out a dismissive, "...Whatever." Falling silent, he gazed about the entryway, giving a single click of his tongue. "Huh. The place looks okay. I'll admit, I figured you'd have burned it all down by now."

"What do you want, Lucas?" Matty asked, letting out an exasperated sigh. "Why are you here?"

"Oh, right. Right right right," Lucas replied, chuckling. "Funny story! So there I was, out in a bar in Europe, buying another round for everyone, and you know what happened? Turns out somebody stopped taking care of my bills! And you know what happened then? I got thrown out on my ass!" Lucas's voice dropped to a slower growl. "It got me thinking, maybe it was about time to pay my little brother a visit to remind him of our deal."

Biting his lip, Matty took in a sharp, hissing breath through his teeth. "Dammit..." he muttered under his breath. "I'm sorry, I forgot all about it, I've been busy lately and-"

"Busy doing what?" Lucas scoffed. "Couldn't find the time between the video games and masturbation?"

"I don't just... Look, I'm sorry you were... inconvenienced by this. Go ahead and get back to doing whatever it is you do. I'll go and get everything sorted out by the time you buy your next plane ticket, okay?"

"Nah." Lucas shook his head, taking a threatening step closer to his brother. "I haven't seen my home in a while. Might be nice to stick around and relax for a few day, maybe weeks while I make sure you don't forget again."

"This isn't YOUR home anymore. That was part of our agreement."

"True, so, maybe, until I'm absolutely sure you're taking care of my bills again," Lucas said, smugly grinning, "Our deal is suspended. So, yeah, I'm going to my room now. See you at dinnertime." He flashed an especially toothy grin, heading toward the main hallway.

"Wait!" Matty shouted, slipping in front of the larger fox, cutting him off. "No, Lucas, you don't live here anymore. You can't just barge in like this!"

"Like fuck I can't." Lucas tilted his head to the side, flexing his neck with the slight crackle of his joints popping. "Who's going to stop me, you? Fuck off and get out of my way before I make you regret it."

Standing resolute, Matty held his ground. "No, get out of here Lucas. I'll give you the money for a hotel, but you aren't welcome here."

Letting out a long, annoyed sigh, Lucas dropped his bags to the floor. "Alright, if you're gonna be such a little shit about this, I guess you really do need another lesson." He made a fist, punching the center of his other hand's cupped palm with a threatening crack, punctuating his statement.

Discreetly, Matty turned to his side. Remembering the training Axel had been putting him through, he braced himself for what was guaranteed to be a devastating strike.

For a moment, Lucas appeared impressed by his brother standing up to him. That brief flash passed quickly as he stepped back, wound up, and lunged forward, throwing a punch directly into the smaller fox's face.

Or rather, he intended to. Much to his own surprise, after a brief fluttering alongside a small gust of wind, he found his fist stopped - a couple of inches in front of his brother's nose - by a warm, white-furred hand.

"As entertaining as your little bitch-fight was," Valian said, staring sternly from one fox to the other, "it's over now. If Matty gets hurt, I'm the one that has to fix him, so you're done. Do as he said. Get out. Leave. Now."

"Who the fuck are YOU to tell me to get out of my own home," Lucas growled, yanking his hand away from the unimpressed white bat.

"This would be one of your brothers, then?" Valian asked, keeping the mirrored lenses of his sunglasses fixed on the red fox. "I presume this is the one you described as a 'douche', correct?"

"Watch your fuckin' mouth," Lucas said, narrowing his eyes at the bat. "Oh. Oh, wait, let me guess, you're his new tail-raiser, aren't ya? Batty got himself a sugar-daddy, huh?"

Valian bristled, his wings twitching, though he didn't let his flippant expression crack. "Something like that. Now, if you don't get out, I will remove you myself."

"Go ahead and try it. Don't think I won't hurt you just because you're a sissy."

"Perish the thought."

Finding themselves caught in a tense stand-off, they stared at each other, silently standing their ground. "Whatever," Lucas eventually grunted, breaking the tension. "Matty, go take my bags to my room and I'll forget this ever happened." Pointing down at his dropped luggage, he smugly grinned at his younger brother.

Letting out a deep sigh, Matty said, "Fine." Before he could bend down, he was stopped by the white bat's hand on his shoulder.

"Allow me," Valian said, picking the bags up off the floor. He swiftly strode up to the front door, tossed it open it, and while the confused red fox watched on, punted them out into the bushes. "Now, as I stated before: get out."

"You miserable. Little. SHIT." Lucas snarled through his teeth, charging toward the bat. The instant he was within range, he threw another lunging punch, this time hitting precisely where he intended to, right between the bat's eyes, landing with a satisfying whack.

The entryway went deathly still as the smirking red fox pulled his hand back. Matty covered his mouth, while Valian, his head turned slightly to the side by the force of the strike, slowly righted himself. A small cracking sounded out as his sunglasses split into two even pieces, each one toppling down the sides of his muzzle, clattering to the floor.

Locking eyes with the bat's newly revealed eyes, Lucas' smirk faded, noticing that the sclera, irises, and pupils of the glowing red orbs were completely jumbled and unnatural. "What... the fuck... is wrong with your eyes," he mumbled, taking a wary step back.

Giving a ferocious snarl of his own, Valian dashed forward, grabbing the terrified red fox around his throat, slamming him against the wall with one hand. "I. Liked. Those. Glasses," he said, forcefully growling each word. Tightening his grip, choking Lucas out, he brought his other hand up, menacingly brandishing his claws.

Though Lucas tried to speak, wishing to say anything that might make his attacker let go, he was unable to make anything beyond a gurgled gasp. He clawed at the bat's arm, having little to no effect on the skinny, unreasonably strong creature. His eyes went wide in abject terror when, without warning, the bat's free hand ignited in a ball of bright red flame. For a moment he thought he was hallucinating, that maybe it was a sign he was beginning to pass out. The heat of the fire was all too real, and the bat was slowly bringing it in closer. In a complete panic, he kicked out, successfully catching his attacker square in the shin, though his blind strike only made the fire burn hotter.

Running beside them, Matty finally spoke up, shakily commanding, "That's enough, Valian. Let him go."

The demonic bat shot back an irritated sneer, focusing on the vainly struggling fox in his grip. "I may not be much of a fighter," he calmly explained, the reds of his uncovered eyes glowing with unholy light, "but I will not allow an insult like that to go unanswered."

"Valian! No! Stop this!" Matty frantically shouted, shocked that the bat refused to release his grip, though he couldn't quite explain why. "Please don't kill him!"

"I'm not going to kill him. I'm going to maim him. There's a difference."

"He's had enough, please..." Matty gently placed his hand on the bat's shoulder. "I'll get you new glasses... It's alright, just... please don't hurt him..."

Holding totally still save for the ever-burning flame in his palm, Valian warily glanced at the black fox. "You hate him, don't you? Why not let me teach him a lesson?"

"...I... yes... yes, I hate him, but... but that doesn't mean I want him to get hurt... I don't want to see anyone get hurt... please..."

Staring intently at his victim, Valian finally released his grip, dropping him to the floor, flat on his ass. "Fine," he said, flicking his other wrist, snuffing out the fire. "This is boring, anyway." Folding his wings in, he knelt by the front door, picking up the remnants of his eyewear. "I'll let you know what to get me for a replacement."

Shaking off his state of paralyzed terror, Lucas grabbed at his throat, rasping out, "Oh my God... what was that... oh..." He rapidly scrambled to his feet, launching into a full, terrified panic as he put the pieces together. "No, he's a... grandpa's... grandpa's stupid, fucking stories... they're... real?... HE'S A DEMON!?! DEMONS ARE REAL!?!? HE'S A-"

"Luke, calm down," Matty said, taking a nervous step toward his brother. "It's... complicated... but yes, he's a demon. If you calm down, I..." He sighed. "I'll tell you everything."

"No. No, you stay back. You... you fucking freaks." When the black fox took another step closer, he backpedaled toward the nearest hallway. Spinning halfway around, he took off in a full sprint, disappearing around the corner.

"Lucas! Wait!" Matty called out, running after him, leaving the disinterested bat behind in the entryway.

Lucas had no idea where he was going, never having the best grasp of the mansion's layout. It hardly seemed to matter, all he wanted was distance. Seeing a pair of double doors up ahead, he recognized the sight of the rarely used indoor pool. Assuming he had found the perfect escape route, or at least hiding place, he lowered his shoulder, crashing through the doors, and despite initially stumbling, kept on running.

For a few steps.

A glance over his shoulder was enough for him to miss the discarded rubber ball sitting by the edge of the pool. He flailed his arms as he flew forward, losing control of his momentum, screaming as he tumbled over the edge into the empty pool. Landing muzzle first onto the concrete, he heard a sickening crunch from the impact, followed by a bizarre cacophony of thunderous moans, squishes, and slaps echoing from all around him.

His senses giving way to raw, throbbing pain, Lucas knew his muzzle had been broken, seeing the blurred white of several teeth scattered about the floor. His right arm and leg were no better off; if they weren't outright shattered, they were at least dislocated. In a frightened, agonized haze, he looked toward the source of the slapping noises, seeing a raccoon, a lynx, two other cats, a poodle, two birds... and a familiar badger, all in the midst of fucking each other silly. Twitching, he gurgled out a choked groan, watching as the sissy poodle in front tensed up, some kind of metal cage bouncing atop his... absolutely massive balls. "I'M CUUUUUUMMMMMMING!" the writhing dog shrieked, climaxing just from the badger pounding his ass.

Lucas' bloodshot eyes went wide as a geyser of demon-jizz rocketed forth from the dog's cage. He barely had time to close them again before he took the full impact directly to his bloodied face, sending him careening into the back wall before crashing back to the floor in a sticky heap. Coughing out a choked gurgle as the weakened, though still voluminous stream of cum continued to soak him, he slowly lost consciousness, all his pain fading into a bizarre, floating euphoria.

______________________

After the gathered orgy-goers watched the already wounded fox get utterly plastered with spooge, they all dropped everything - and everyone - they were doing, gathering around the broken, bloody, cum-soaked body. The full group launched into a ranting debate, both trying to figure out what the hell had happened and what they were going to do about it.

Moments later, Matty burst through the double doors, finally catching up to his brother. Dodging the ball-gag as he ran, he jumped onto the ladder and slid down the poles, splashing into the formerly empty pool. He stumbled, barely managing to stay standing despite landing in an ankle-deep lake of slippery goop. Carefully approaching the unconscious red fox, he arrived just in time to see the pool of concentrated incubus cum take its effect.

One after the other, the black fox's wounds began to heal before their very eyes. Cuts mended, broken bones stitched back together, dislocated joints righted themselves, new teeth grew in to replace the broken and lost, all up until Lucas looked healthier than he ever had before in his life. A small chunk of his left ear he had lost a decade ago even filled itself back in. Letting out a choked gasp once his muzzle and jaw righted themselves, he sat up, coughed out several lungfuls of swallowed spooge into his lap. He briefly looked up at Matty, his facial fur ruffled out at odd angles, his eyes showing nothing short of pure disgust and confusion. A small whine escaped his lips as he fell back down, splashing into the small lake, promptly blacking out again.

After Matty took a few seconds to explain everything, the assembled group discussed how to proceed from there. Ultimately they came to an agreement, deciding that the best course of action was to get him cleaned up and placed in a room to rest. Under guard, of course. And once Lucas was awake... that part was still somewhat open-ended.

Matty was more than happy to pass the cleaning job to Kazama and Cal, wishing to avoid seeing his brother naked. Carrying the muscular red fox to the nearby showers, the birds stripped off his soiled, bloody clothes and washed his fur clean. After Kazama used his control over wind to dry the fox's fur, they dragged him away to a vacant bedroom, heaved him onto the bed, tucked him in under the covers, and let the black fox know they were finished.

Sitting in an armchair, clutching his knees to his chest with his footpaws perched on the edge of the seat, Matty kept watch over his gently snoring brother. He relaxed slightly, showing a small smile when he was eventually joined in his vigil by Valian. The white bat silently leaned back against the wall, justifiably wary of his failed attacker. Several hours later, Axel joined them as well, having finally returned from his last hunt. From then on, the trio passed the next several hours in hushed conversation, Valian mostly remaining silent, waiting for the red fox to reawaken.

"What a damn mess..." Matty mumbled. Curling his arms up over his head, holding them over his face, he grabbed onto his headfur and groaned. He still reeked of the poodle's hickory-tinged cum, having simply rinsed his footpaws and changed into a loose white t-shirt and shorts rather than take a full shower. Tightly gripping his knees, he rocked back and forth in his chair.

"It's not the end of the world," Axel replied, shrugging. "Believe me, this kind of thing could have gone way worse."

"Ehhhh... I dunno..." Matty said, slouching back in his chair, hiding behind his knees.

"Hey, worrying isn't helping anyone." Giving the fox a reassuring smile, Axel stepped over by his side. "He doesn't have a mark left on him, and who knows what he remembers after everything that happened? If you really don't think he can handle knowing about demons and everything, maybe you can just convince him he had a bad fall."

"...and how do I explain why he was stripped naked? Or, you know..." Discreetly, Matty gestured toward the white bat leaning against the wall.

"Okay, point... Well, whatever happens, worst case scenario, I can just as easily help him forget it all." Smiling, Axel tapped a claw to the crystal embedded in his ear.

"Oh, right! You can do stuff with hypnosis! I completely forgot! That would really, like, erase his memories of the past day?"

"Mmhmm. I can make him remember whatever I want him to. Admittedly, there's always a risk of the real memories coming back if something jars them loose before the new ones are completely set."

"Wow, that... That does actually make me feel a lot better about all this." Matty sighed, slightly relaxing his posture. "Thanks. And if we're just going to blank his memory, maybe I can finally ask-"

A loud groan rumbled forth from the stirring fox at the other side of the room. Ending their conversation, they all looked over to see if he was awake yet. Lucas was still flat on his back under the covers, his mouth slightly open, only now a tenting bulge was beginning to form at his crotch. Though he was, by all outward appearances, still asleep, his hands wandered down toward the bulge, forming two ridges in the sheets. The instant they found their way to his increasingly tented groin, he began furiously pumping them up and down, flapping the sheets alongside the pounding.

"Oh my god." Matty mumbled, aghast at what he was seeing, yet unable to turn away. Axel raised an amused eyebrow while Valian simply grinned.

Gnawing on his bottom lip, his eyes screwed shut tight, Lucas began bouncing his rump on the bed, lustfully humping up into his fists. He moaned with enraptured glee, sharply gasping as he sleep-climaxed. Arching his back, he fired an impressive load directly onto the sky-blue sheets, visibly staining the fabric directly over his crotch a rich, much darker blue. Satisfied with his release, he fell back onto the bed, his arms dropping back to his sides.

"What just... did he..." Matty's jaw was nearly on the floor. "What the fuck was that? DID HE- DID I JUST WATCH-" He looked up at the black bat. "DID YOU JUST LET ME WATCH- EW! EW EW EW EWWWWWWW!"

Axel had to hide a grin of his own, more than a little amused by the fox's flabbergasted rambling. "A temporarily hyperactive libido is kind of expected when taking on gallons of concentrated incubus cum."

"I didn't think it meant he'd-" Matty paused to rub his eyes. "Oh my god. I can still see it when I close my eyes!"

"...will you idiots shut up..." Lucas grumbled, craning his head down, squinting at the pair, not recognizing the black bat. "...wait... who is... what the hell is going on.." His eyes opened a little wider. "Ugh, my head... why am I wet?" Lifting his hand out from under the sheets, he inspected the white goo coating his fingers, stopping when he noticed a glowing red pair of eyes staring from the other side of the room. "DEMON! MONSTER!" he shrieked, scrambling backward, slamming against the headboard.

Cautiously holding his hands up, Matty ran over to his brother's side, trying to calm him down. "It's alright, it's alright, Valian's not going to-ohmigod-" Getting an accidental glimpse of his brother's sloppy vulpine cock tip peeking out from under the edge of the sheets, he choked back a gagging retch. "-hurt you."

"Like fuck that THING isn't going to hurt me! It tried to fucking kill me!"

"HE only did that because YOU attacked HIM first!"

"AND THAT JUSTIFIES HIM TRYING TO STRANGLE AND BURN ME ALIVE?!?" Lucas sat forward, spitting his words. "Get rid of it, now."

"You want me to, uh..." Axel trailed off, pointing at his eyes.

"No, not yet." Matty replied, shaking his head. Turning back to face his brother, he added, "There's something I really need to ask him first."

"Fuck off, Matty, I'm not answering any fucking questions. I'm leaving now, and you better not try to stop me." Sitting up, Lucas went completely still when the white bat took a single step toward him. "Whatever, fine then," he said, crossing his arms as he slouched back against the headboard. "Get it over with."

"Alright." Taking a seat next to the bed, Matty leaned in, resting his hands on his knees. "Why... why do you hate me so much?"

Initially, Lucas seemed surprised by the question, though that reaction quickly passed. Scoffing, he sneered condescendingly at his little brother. "Are you fucking serious right now?"

"Yes. I've wanted to know for years. I never did anything to you, and you dedicated the last decade to making me miserable. Why are you such a dick to me!?!"

"You really DON'T know?" Lucas shouted back, breaking into a snarl. "THAT, right there, is why I hate you, you sniveling little shit. That obnoxious, feigned, doe-eyed innocence while stealing everything from me."

"Feigned innocence?... What."

"Don't fucking pretend you don't know what I mean. After mom and dad died, the fucking instant we moved in here, you started sucking up to grandpa to make sure you got everything when he croaked." He clasped hands, sarcastically holding them to the side of his muzzle as he raised his voice to a mocking falsetto. "Grandpa, grandpa, tell me another story!" He resumed his normal speaking voice, only with the addition of a threatening growl hidden underneath it. "And of course, just because you happened to look like him, that vain old fucker fell for it. Whenever he bothered to be around here, acting like the parent he was supposed to be, he spent every moment with you, telling those boring fucking stories. You were his golden boy, he didn't even know the rest of us existed. It was all about Matthias, Matthias, Matthias. And now, after all that, you're still sitting here acting like YOU'RE the victim! So, yeah, if you gotta know, THAT'S why I fucking hate you."

"I..." Matty began, taken aback by the tirade. "I didn't... I just liked spending time with grandpa. I LIKED sitting down to listen to his stories, I never even thought about getting the inheritance. Hell! I'm trying to share it! That's why I'm paying for Sara and Neil's college and expenses, and your... whatever it is you're doing!"

"Right, remind me again how you're so noble for tossing out table scraps while keeping everything else for yourself. Those two idiots might buy your act, but I don't. You are nothing more than a worthless, spineless, conniving little shit. You were after that inheritance from the start, and surprise surprise, you got exactly what you wanted."

Matty ground his teeth and clenched his fists, digging his claws into his palms. "And that... all that justified you kicking me down the stairs?"

"What? You're still blaming me for that? For the last time, I didn't fucking touch you! You tripped over your own damn feet!"

"You. Were holding. Your leg out. I saw you as I was falling!"

"Whatever you have to tell yourself." Lucas flippantly rolled his eyes.

Slowly exhaling through his nose, barely able to contain his rage, Matty glared at his older brother. "You conceited... No. No, you aren't worth it. I never want to see you again, Lucas," he eventually muttered, "I'll keep paying for your... travels... but after you leave here, we're done. Unless you find a way to grow the hell up, I don't ever want to see you here again."

A smug smirk crossed the red fox's muzzle. "Fine by me, but you know what? I hope you weren't a fan of privacy, because I'm gonna be telling everyone I see about your little demon sex palace here." He tossed the sheets to the side, the sight of his limp, cum smeared cock receding into his sheath causing Matty to shy away, hiding his eyes. Shuffling to the edge of the bed, he added, "I hope you have fun dealing with all the conspiracy nuts. Maybe they'll even get some news crews here. I'm sure that'll be lots of fun for you."

"I guess that's my cue," Axel said, stepping in front of the red fox, preventing him from standing. As he leaned down, the crystal embedded in his ear lit up with a violet glow and his eyes began to swirl with that same, vibrantly colorful light.

"Get the fuck out of my way," Lucas snarled, looking directly into the black bat's eyes, "or I'm gonna... gonna..." His confident, hateful sneer faded into a vacant gape, a thin stream of saliva running out from the corner of his mouth. He said nothing more that could be interpreted as words, mumbling to himself, lost in the bat's gaze.

"Hey Matty?" Axel said, making sure his eyes never left their target, "Rewriting his last day will take me a little while, you don't need to stick for it. Once I'm done, I'll get him dressed and out of here. Just go somewhere else and relax, you've had a long day."

"Yeah, you're right..." Refusing to face his brother's nudity, Matty clumsily shuffled around the bed, stumbling briefly as he made his way to the door. "Thanks for... well... everything..."

"Don't worry about it! Burr helped me out of tighter scrapes than this."

"Yeah," Matty said, a small smile creeping across his muzzle. "Oh, wait... should we really be letting him go if there's a chance his memories could come back?"

"If he stays here, they're definitely going to come back. You saw how he reacted when he saw Valian, right? He's better off going back to whatever he was doing beforehand. And I have a buddy who owes me a couple favors who can shadow your brother for a couple weeks. If it looks like anything is slipping, he'll let us know. Now run along and have some fun, alright?"

Nodding, Matty walked toward the door, noticing that Valian had left his spot by the wall. If history was any indication, the white bat had lost interest and wandered out some time ago. Running out and down the hall, he followed a faint aroma of hickory, quickly catching up to him. "Hey Valian, wait a sec!" he called out, slowing to match the bat's casual strolling once they were side by side.

"What?" Valian replied, glancing over his shoulder. He raised an eyebrow when the fox reached over, taking hold of his hand as they walked.

"I, uh..."

"If you expect me to apologize, I'm not-"

"No, no!" Matty chuckled. "No, it's not that... I just... I just wanted to say thank you."

"...for?"

"Standing up to Lucas..." Matty fell silent, giving a long sigh. "It was just... nice... to see you come to my defense like that. No one's really done anything like that for me before."

"I don't suffer idiots." The bat lowered his tall ears as he looked away from the smiling fox. "Especially smug idiots. That's all."

"Well, whatever your reason for doing what you did, it was pretty... well... hot."

"...Okay?"

"Aaaaaand, I was thinking, maybe, since, you know, it's pretty late and all, you'd like to come back to our room so I could... thank you... properly..."

Valian stopped walking, his ears perking up as he turned to face the fox, looking him up and down. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly, showing the faintest hint of a grin. "Yeah. Okay," he eventually replied before resuming his casual stroll, now heading for their shared master bedroom.

The various horrors of the day melting away with two simple words, Matty let out a delighted cheer, gleefully walking with a bouncing gait beside the bat. His bushy, black tail broke into a full wag, whooshing back and forth behind them, occasionally giving Valian's shoulder a gentle tap. He was a bit surprised - if exceptionally pleased - that the bat didn't seem to care, either willing to ignore or accept the minor irritation.

The instant he reached their bedroom, Matty dashed inside, frantically disrobing, leaving the discarded items strewn about the room. While the bat walked in behind him, calmly pulling his tank top up, over his wings, Matty secured the double-doors, giving them a measure of privacy. Holding perfectly still, he stopped to admire the sight of his boyfriend bending over, pulling his pants down to his ankles. Matty felt a sharp pang of need radiate out from his crotch, watching in rapt attention as that adorable, skinny, white-furred rump made its appearance.

Unclipping the buckles on his sandals, Valian was about to kick them off along with his pants when the fox approached him from behind, gently tapping him on the back.

"Go get on the bed," Matty said, dreamily thumbing at his sheath, flicking his emerging cock tip. "I'll take care of that for you, okay?" he said, sighing when the bat shot him a skeptical glance. "Come on, I'm trying to say thank you here!"

Shrugging, Valian shuffled up to the bed with his pants around his ankles. With nothing covering the rest of his body save for his ever-present chastity cage, he took a seat on the edge of the mattress. "Now what?" he asked, spreading his knees, putting his metal-encased genitals on display.

Saying nothing more, Matty sauntered over, proudly waggling his own swelling sheath as he stood between his boyfriend's splayed knees. Placing his hand on the bat's chest, he gently pushed him down until his back and spread wings were flush against the mattress. He then bent down, pulling the bat's ankles up by the crumpled pair of pants binding them together. Playfully wiggling his eyebrows, he pulled the left sandal off, dropping it to the floor. Without any hesitation he took a long lick of the exposed sole from the heel to the toes.

Valian clenched his fists, screwing his eyes shut, making a sound somewhere between a groan and a screeching giggle. He felt a powerful throbbing in his cage, opening an eye to see the fox smirking at him from between his splayed toes.

"I noticed how you reacted when Will played with these guys a while back." Dancing his fingerpads over the moistened footpaw, he had to laugh at the resulting stifled giggle. "He was right, like musky hickory smoke! Delicious... Regardless, I've been saving this move for a special occasion, and I think this qualifies." Chuckling, he took another long lick of the exposed footpaw, following it with a relentlessly messy tongue bath, covering every centimeter of the appendage with his saliva.

Digging his claws into the bedspread, Valian clenched his teeth, determined not to make any more undignified noises. Even so, the fox's tongue was driving him absolutely wild. Within seconds, he felt about ready to shatter his cage using nothing but the unrelenting power of his restrained cock. Aside from some blatantly obvious twitching, the little prison held fast, safely sealing away the hot flesh pressing out between the bars.

Deftly removing the other sandal, Matty switched feet, licking the freshly uncovered sole while mercilessly tickling the other. He pulled back for a moment, avoiding the bat's wildly curling toes, wishing not to take one of the long, excessively sharp claws to his face. Keeping an eye on them, he redoubled he efforts, licking and nibbling on the bat's footpaws, eventually hearing something like a grumbled squeal from down below.

Looking down at his panting mate, Matty noticed the multiple trails of shredded cotton and fabric left behind, streaking the once pristine mattress. "So I guess destroying another bed means you liked it, huh?" he asked with a wide smile.

"I didn't tell you to stop, did I?" Valian spat back through clenched teeth, peering up at the fox through a single open eye. His cage showed a thick bead of pre-cum emerging from the tip, dripping down between his heavily dangling nuts. He splayed his toes again, clearly, though indirectly, asking for more.

"Don't worry, we're going to be visiting that well a lot in the future," Matty said, licking his lips. "For now, I think I'll move on to something I already know you like. Hold your knees up, okay?"

Doing as the fox requested, Valian let go of his handfuls of shredded bedding, firmly grabbing hold under his knees. Before he had a chance to look around his legs, seeing what the fox was up to, he let out a sharp gasp, feeling a cold, slimy tongue force its way into his upturned tailhole. He quickly clamped his mouth shut, making a muffled, far more masculine groan as the probing organ squirmed about, pushing several inches inside his clenching tunnel. The fox was right. He hadn't been rimmed in some time, and he had nearly forgotten just how much he loved it.

Grinning despite himself, Valian bucked his hips, leaning back, clutching his knees tight against his chest. He squeezed and massaged his cage between his skinny thighs, thoroughly enjoying the aggressive rimjob, inching ever closer to a powerful climax.

Matty was lost in that familiar smoky taste, swirling his tongue, running it along every inch of the bat's flexing tunnel. Occasionally, he bobbed his head while keeping his slick, pink appendage straight, giving his clearly pleased mate some sporadic tongue-fucking alongside the rimjob. He broke into a fit of giggles as he worked, realizing that with his lips making repeated contact with the bat's tailhole, he was effectively, literally kissing the demon's ass.

Laughing too hard to continue, he pulled his tongue back out and hopped to his feet. Even though he had ignored his own cock up to that moment, he was already rock hard and fully erect, his knotted eight-incher bobbing in the air with every thundering heartbeat. "You ready?" he asked, excitedly jumping from foot to foot, barely able to hold himself back.

Hearing the bat's response of a terse, impatient grunt, he launched himself atop his mate, pinning him in half, straddling his waist as he knelt on the edge of the bed. Driven by pure lust, he buried his face in the crumpled pants still pinning the bat's ankles together, and thrust his hips, burying his cock up to the knot in his partner's spit-lubed, burning-hot rump.

In unison, both Matty and Valian let out a pair of hissing sighs, struck by a wave of raw pleasure. While Matty let out another slight giggle, Valian fell silent, just waiting for the fucking to get moving. Happy to oblige the silent request, Matty leaned forward, pressing his mate further in half, and held himself up by his hands on the sheets. He promptly began thrusting at a fevered pace, eager to work out the frustrations of the day, taking them all out on the bat's tight, fiery rump.

Matty lost track of time, continuously hammering his knot against the stretching tailstar, working himself into a frenzy, steadily pistoning his hips faster with each wet, smacking impact. Panting heavily, his tongue lolling out the side of his mouth, he began grunting with effort, fighting the increasingly tight tunnel milking his tapered shaft.

Crying out with joy, he leaned further down atop the bat's body, resting his chin on the still moistened footpaws, and gave an especially powerful thrust, tying with with his mate. Once his knot was firmly embedded in the bat's snug tailhole. he switched to a series of faster, shorter thrusts, the slapping of his thighs against the upturned, white-furred rump causing a visibly red tint. He gave a full-body shudder, quivering as he was sent sprawling into his climax, cumming deep inside his mate's plugged tunnel.

The slick coolness of the fox's jizz spreading throughout his insides was all Valian needed to push him over the edge into his own, much-desired orgasm. His cage gave a final, shuddering twitch as a thick stream of demon cum fired out through the tip, painting his belly a solid gray. Sighing, feeling tired, yet well-fed and absolutely satisfied, he dropped his head back against the sheets, letting a small wisp of smoke escape from his open mouth.

Falling onto his side, lying beside his freshly knotted lover, Matty hugged him close. While he waited for his cock to soften enough to slip it free of the bat's rear, he gathered up some of the ruined bedding material, using the pieces to wipe up what he could of the wildly splattered cum before tossing them into the trash.

They rested together in silence for a time, nothing filling the room but soft, steady breathing. Yawning heavily, officially ready to call it a night, Matty pulled his mostly-deflated knot free from the bat's hot, cummy hole. "Thank you," he whispered, directly into Valian's ear. Crawling to the other side of the bed, he shimmied under the covers and rolled onto his side, facing away from the bat. "See you in the morning," he added, just before another enthusiastic yawn escaped his lips.

Blinking, Valian, shrugged to himself, deciding to get some sleep himself. He kicked away his cum-spattered pants, finally freeing his legs, and climbed completely onto the bed, right on top of the shredded region. Clasping his hands over his chest, he closed his eyes, letting the rest of the world fall away around him.

Just before he faded away into a deep, much-needed sleep, a sudden realization from earlier in the day came flooding back into Matty's mind. "Valian?" he asked, rolling back over again until he was facing the bat. "Are you still awake?"

"Mm," Valian replied, barely more than a grunt.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Mm," Valian repeated.

"Back when you... attacked... my brother, how were you were able to... well... ignore a direct command from me? I mean, so long as I have my ring on, you have to do everything I say, right?"

Valian's eyes shot open. That was right. In the heat of the moment, he hadn't even noticed. The fox gave him a command, and he outright ignored it. That shouldn't have been possible...

"Wait..." Matty said, squinting at the bat's neck. The little pentagram with which he had been branded was missing. There was nothing to indicate a scar was ever there, only a dense, unmarred patch of short white fur. "What... what happened to your... your brand?"

Reaching up to feel his neck, Valian confirmed that, yes, the pentagram was missing. This was an... interesting... development. When the fox leaned up, extending his ring hand to feel for himself, Valian jumped out of bed, backing away against the wall. He said nothing, only holding a pair of fingers up, silently warning the fox to remain still. Checked himself in a nearby full-body mirror, he confirmed that, yes, however it happened, the brand was completely gone.

Rising to his knees, Matty crawled toward the bat, unsure of what was happening, and suddenly, everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. Valian, seeing the fox's approach out of the corner of his eye, frantically looked left and right. Picking out the large bay window at the other side of the room as the best possible escape route, he took off like a shot, sprinting past the confused fox. He leaped as he neared the window, stretching out into a diver's pose, and ignited his entire body into a churning mass of hellfire just before making contact with the glass. He easily crashed through the material, sending bits of molten glass and slag everywhere, and spread his wings. Flapping as he intensified his enveloping flames, he arced upward, rocketing off into the night sky like a comet. In a single moment, he vanished, nothing left of him but another in a field of twinkling dots.

Shuffling up to the broken window, his eyes wide open in uncomprehending shock, Matty stared, unblinking into the skyline. Unable to tell which of the distant stars was his supposed mate, he could do little else but mumble, "Valian?..."