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LYKOS

Third Age

Chapter 20

(Ouroboros)

[Fifty Years Ago]

An explosion of cadmium filled the air, thin particles hanging in the sunlight like a cumulus of color while heavy particles fell to stain the ground. An eruption of safflower came in the opposite direction, cascading down to cling to hair and clothing alike. Cloud after cloud of aquamarine, indigo and emerald cast out across the wind, swirling around celebration and life and joy. Laughter hung in the air far longer than the dry pigmented powder did, dancing like raindrops on parched soil… or so Atsu imagined before his red eyes slowly opened. He blinked a few times. The sound of Delhi at night came crashing back into his ears, a chaotic orchestra out of tune until a large, bronze colored hand came down on his shoulder. Atsu's face melted into a warm smile as he tilted his head, resting his cheek on the hand of his husband.

“Still dreaming of the warm caress of the sun?" Bek asked gently in a nearly forgotten dialect of Egyptian. Atsu reached up, holding Bek's hand to his shoulder.

“You would think after all this time it was a lesson I could learn." Atsu replied in the same tongue, “But if I did, I fear I would go mad." he amended.

“Like the humans? Like the locals?" Bek asked. Atsu shook his head, reluctantly stepping forward and away from the touch on his shoulder. He looked out across the city with a tinge of red leaking into the brown of his eyes.

“It isn't the locals… It never is. The weight of this war falls on higher stations." Atsu said, still gazing across the city. Bek, however, closed his eyes.

“I wish I could see with your eyes. Every generation forgets the suffering of the previous, so they live through each and every pain all over again and invent new ones along the way. They are like a snake constantly eating its own tail, but you still see their charm and hope." Bek said. Atsu couldn't help but smile a little.

“You're right, of course, but that's not all that they are, or that we are. We were cursed for my actions, we have blighted others with that same darkness… If I let that be the end of it, we would be nothing but monsters. If we did not do what we did, the humans would be sheep slaughtered in the name of self appointed higher stations." Bek said.

“And tonight? Will we feast with the locals, or with the monsters?" Bek asked, sliding an arm around Atsu's stomach to hold him close. Atsu couldn't help but melt back against the embrace of his husband.

“I knew the Rajanya's father and grandfather. They were good men, but as you said, each generation is prone to forgetting the past. We will have to see what we see." Atsu said. When Bek's stomach gurgled and groaned, Atsu smirked, “And we're going to have to hope they like cooking their meat rare." he added. Bek grinned at that, kissing the top of Atsu's head.

****

The night air was filled with melodious, inciting sitar notes that wove their way through the gathering like reverberating curious insects. It threaded between the many guests, shrouding them in as much comfort as the richly dyed fabrics that hung from the walls or the warmth from the many lanterns. The tables groaned under the weight of a veritable feast, ranging from crispy aloo samosas full of spiced potatoes and peas to vibrantly colored goat curry. It was all a lavish display of hospitality, especially during the unfolding world events, but there was something about it all that was simply apart from time. It was almost disorienting for Atsu given that he'd attended similar, though not quite as fine, celebrations over the last few hundred years.

While Bek had remained near the food table, loading up on what few culinary masterpieces agreed with his vampiric metabolism, Atsu drifted and mingled with warm smiles. Most were dressed in fine achkans, knee length jackets with intricate embroidery and tied off with strings along the openings. A few, however, wore a much older style of angarkha which was more flexible and fluid. If anything, Atsu felt a little underdressed having not worn a head wrap like some of the other notable guests. As he approached the small dais where their host sat, he brought his hands together and bowed his head.

“Esteemed nest father Ishaan, it is my honor and privilege to be welcomed within the sacred walls of your sanctuary and granted an audience." Atsu said. The formality of the greeting, spoken in practiced hindi, brought a wide smile to the bearded man's face. His eyes were unusually dark, technically brown but almost like inky pools of black. The silk of his head wrap and angarkha were a viridian green that evoked the feelings of new growth and vitality.

“And it is my honor, in turn, to invite an ageless spirit to bless my family once more… I believe the last time you graced us was shortly after my first shedding?" Ishaan asked. Atsu smiled a little meekly and nodded.

“I think you are right, when your father found the scroll of the Ikari." Atsu said. Ishaan grinned mercurially at how sharp the memory was.

“And yet in all that time, not a new wrinkle nor a gray hair…" Ishaan mused. This time Atsu forced his smile.

“We all have our blessings and our curses, do we not?" Atsu asked. Ishaan seemed to take the hint, gesturing to the young men kneeling on pillows to his side.

“Then I must introduce you to my blessings! My three fine sons; Ayush, Rudra and Tychon." Ishaan said. The eldest boy was the spitting image of his father, his long smooth black hair pulled into a long ponytail and a chinstrap beard coming in. The middle son had shorter hair and his best attempt at a mustache, but the youngest seemed the shyest, his face smooth and his hair thicker and wavier than his brothers, surrounding his head like a dark aura. Atsu's eyes instantly were drawn to him.

“Tychon is Greek, is it not?" Atsu asked.

“It is, it means lucky." Ishaan smiled.

“Lucky to be alive…" Ayush murmured. Ishaan's face instantly soured and he cleared his throat, making all three young men look down all the more.

“Leave it to a polyglot to follow the breadcrumbs of language across the ages. Perhaps I was inspired by the work you and my father did together over the years. It can't be an easy path to travel from one secret society to another, gathering and trading the items that even they themselves fear to speak about." Ishaan said, reaching up to run a ringed hand down along his beard. As much as Ishaan apparently loved to speak, it seemed as if there was a bubble around them, a sphere that the other guests didn't dare intrude upon. The gravity of the space seemed to tug and weigh on the suns, anchoring them in place.

“Life is seldom easy, but you are correct that that is why we have come. If you have truly found the Prisma Claustra, it may open the door to a great many more wonders." Atsu said.

“Of course father has found it. Did his summons not tell you as much?" Rudra asked, daring to look up with greenish-black eyes that would never look at his father in such a way.

“Sssilence." Ishaan hissed, a faint greenish tinge appearing along his cheeks as he looked at his middle son. Composing himself, he took a breath and looked back at Atsu, “You must forgive my sons. They have put off their shedding for the festivities."

“No apology is needed, at least for my behalf. If anything, I must apologize to you all. I've heard the stories of what it is like for the Nagos to postpone their change, how it… tests one's focus and identity." Atsu said, trying to be delicate. Despite the attempt, he seemed to have hit a nerve as Ayush and Rudra seemed to squirm on their pillows. Tychon, however, seemed as calm and passive as ever. Atsu pursed his lips for a moment, “If I may ask a favor, esteemed nest father… May I request one of your sons to show me the relic?" he asked. Ishaan's eyebrow arched a little at that.

“Of course, Ayuush?" Ishaan asked. As the elder son started to rise, Atsu bowed his head in apology.

“I mean no disrespect, but I would like Tychon to show me. You see, we Varos have sensitivities to one's fundamental cosmic energy, one's Shakti. I believe I would have much to learn from Tychon." Atsu said. Ayuush's eyes grew wide, his lips twitching as a faint reddish hue began to creep down from where his ears joined his head and along his neck. Ishaan looked at all of his sons, noting how Ayuush was barely keeping it together.

“Of course, of course… I am proud of all of my sons, I know that Tychon will conduct you well." Ishaan said, though his dark eyes swung back to look at Atsu, “And I have no doubt you will respect his authority here in my domain, especially prior to our… negotiations for the relic." he added, his smile taking on a slightly more determined fierceness. Atsu brought his hands together and bowed his head once more in acquiescence, though his eyes did not leave those of the nest father. They were, after all, both apex predators in their own right.

****

Soft warm light slipped through layers of parchment into the reliquary like sunshine through a delicate eggshell. It was just enough to highlight the contrast between the open air and the shelves holding items. The room was set half underground, enabling the air inside to be regulated more easily. There were countless knives, swords, and spears dating back some time. There were also stacks of scrolls, ceramic pots containing parchments, and a library's worth of books. Every direction had countless items on display, all of them guarded.

Situated at the far end of the reliquary were two figures, a man and a woman, each in their prime… and each poised atop long, thick serpentine tails. The young man sported scales the color of polished wood while the woman's were a golden amber tone. Some of the scales appeared along their cheekbones and ears. There was obviously no need for pants, but each had been given a chest piece of armor that sat over a utilitarian tunic. Solid black eyes with silver slit irises watched Atsu and Tychon as they entered, their blades at the ready.

Atsu took in a great many things from where he stood. He took in the guards, of course, as well as the artifacts… but he also took in Tychons general posture. The withering gaze of his father and brothers had wilted Tychon, but without their presence he had settled into a comfortable confidence. He'd obviously spent a great deal of time down here for one reason or another. When the male guard straightened up a bit more, putting out his chest just a little while adjusting his arms, the tiniest of grins caught the corner of Atsu's eye. That was not a pose meant for intimidation. It was a display of prowess, or what some might call 'peacocking'. Atsu's attempt to avert his eyes was even more confirmation.

In a gesture of mercy, Atsu didn't press the chemistry that was blatant at the moment and chose instead to meander along the shelves, letting his eyes take in items that spanned so many lifetimes. Tychon's lips tightened a little, remembering the reason he was there in the first place.

“The item is this way, sir." Tychon said, gesturing with one of his well manicured hands, the nails all possessing the slightest of sharp points.

“Of course." Atsu said, falling into step behind the proverbial prince. Tychon took them three quarters of the way along the Eastern wall of the reliquary, crouching down to withdraw one of twenty seemingly identical boxes. The two guards stiffened a bit, rising up higher on their coiled tails. Setting the box down, Tychon unlatched two latches in the front before slipping a finger around the back of the case to depress one more hidden switch. The box popped with a faint click and the young man lifted the lid.

Resting inside, gently kissed by the timeless dust of the ages was an artifact that appeared to be halfway between stained glass and perfectly milled translucent stone. Even in the faint glow that made its way into the space, the colors shone. The dark material that segmented the colored pieces was not metal as stained glass would have, but another form of stone entirely. Tychon reached in and gently lifted the piece. As the sunlight caught it, a kaleidoscope of colors began to dance across the stone floor just in front of the tails of the naga guards.

“It is beautiful." Tychon commented. Atsu nodded, his eyes shifting from brown to red as he examined it, his lips trying in vain to force a smile.

“It is beautiful, yes." he admitted. Tycon glanced over at the vampire with a look of bemused puzzlement.

“Isn't that why you came all this way?" he asked. Atsu let out a soft, reluctant sigh.

“I came all this way for the Prisma Claustra, the cornerstone of the Lykos temple in Japan, used to bend and twist the barrier between this world and the next. What you hold is beautiful, but it is not the Prisma Claustra." Atsu said. Tychon's face played only the hint of several emotions before settling on a subdued neutral one as he returned the artifact to its case and closed the lid.

“Father will be most disappointed. He was looking very forward to the exchange." Tychon said softly. Atsu felt a little bit more weight to the comment than the words were meant to carry.

“I know times are tough with the war on, I am sure there's something here that would be worth at least part of what I brought for your father." Atsu said. Tychon nodded a little at that, exhaling slowly before he looked back up into Atsu's eyes.

“May I ask a question, sir?" he questioned with more boldness.

“Of course." Atsu replied, watching the young man.

“Why is it that you asked for me to show you the relic, rather than my brothers?" Atsu started before blushing, “The real reason…" he added, recalling Atsu's story about energies. Atsu grinned a little at that.

“You seem to be more composed than your brothers, but you've all been holding back your metamorphosis just as long?" Atsu asked. This time the blush reaching Tychon's cheeks was more visible, taking on a greenish tint.

“It is not stamina as much as adaptive thinking." Tychon explained. Atsu grinned a little wider, crossing his arms.

“Which is something even harder to come by. Go on." Atsu encouraged. Tychon looked ready to squirm away, though he compromised by returning the case to the shelf it had come from and leading Atsu out of direct earshot of the guards. Atsu was kind enough not to interfere with his strategic retreat.

“Every supernatural being has a different set of rules. If Naga do not change, they can go berserk. The change is rooted in our emotions, our feelings, our personalities. My brothers see it as a drive to perpetuate our kind, associating the change with courtship…" Tychon trailed off. Atsu's eyes widened a bit, starting to wish Bek had come with them for this particular conversation.

“Are you saying that you've found an alternative way to relieve the pressures?" Atsu asked. Tychon cleared his throat gently.

“For me, personally, yes, though it doesn't work that way for everyone. If anything, for some it would make it worse." Tychon said. Atsu smiled knowingly.

“You should see how such things affect werewolves. They're helpless to resist the call of the wild." Atsu whispered.

“Thank you, sir, it feels strange to share such details, but it is a relief." Tychon said bashfully.

“If you forgive me asking, you don't seem to get a lot of relief around your family." Atsu said. Tychon looked up, his dark eyes particularly vulnerable for a moment before his gaze fell downcast again.

“You are very observant. While I am a true son of our esteemed nest father, I am not…" Tychon hesitated, trying to summon words that he had never spoken before.

“You do not share the same mother as your brothers?" Atsu asked.

“In a manner of speaking. As such, I've never been fully accepted by my brothers. Even my father will go back and forth on presenting me as his son depending on what sort of guests he entertains. For some, the number of sons is most important. For others, it is our pedigree." he admitted ruefully.

“It took me far too many years to learn that our true value comes from within, rather than without… though it can't hurt to have both." Atsu said, tugging on his garment to straighten it up a little, “Let us return to your father. He may not have found the Prisma Claustra, but I wouldn't want him to come out of this empty handed. I think I have a deal in mind." Atsu considered. Tychon grinned brightly at that, feeling as though he had contributed to a most favorable outcome.

****

While the notes that made up the gathering still remained, the event had moved on to a new melody by the time that Atsu and Tychon ascended back to the surface. Apparently, anticipating a great bounty to be bestowed for finding such a priceless artifact, the other guests had distributed themselves to small rings of conversation, now sitting on cushions around the space. That left the honored guests the privilege of sitting with the nest father. Ishaan grinned from ear to ear as Atsu approached, though his dark eyes focused on Tychon's slightly changed posture. His youngest son was always subdued, but there was something telling about it.

Bek looked up from where he sat, taking a few puffs on a hookah before setting the stem aside as Atsu settled himself by his side. Atsu's face remained incredibly pleasant and diplomatic, but as he sat down, he rested a hand on Bek's leg for support. With a press of his ring finger twice and then his pointer, he conveyed a message that erased itself as he took his hand back into his own lap, having settled onto the cushion. Ishaan got nothing from Atsu, but as Tychon kept his gaze downward as he sat down, the host seemed poised to press.

“I trust my son conducted you through the reliquary well?" Ishaan asked. Atsu smiled.

“Quite well, he is both competent and knowledgeable." Atsu replied. Ishaan's smile grew even larger.

“Then you found everything satisfactory." Ishaan stated, a comment rather than a question. Atsu tilted his head from one side to another, a non-committal quirk of body language native to the region.

“I found your collection to be awe inspiring… The breadth and depth are both impressive." Atsu said. Ishaan's smile contracted again, his face coming to more angular features. He was normally a man whom endless flattery could be foisted on, but something was amiss and he could smell it.

“I am most pleased you enjoyed my collection, but you came all this way regarding one piece in particular, the Prisma Claustra. It was obtained at no small expense or effort, especially with one of such unique tastes in mind." Ishaan said. Atsu kept his diplomatic smile.

“The Naga have a unique advantage when it comes to collecting such things. Your… persuasive… skills rival those of the Varos." Atsu said.

“And yet, when it all comes down to it, it all loops back to us each having something the other wants." Ishaan said, hanging on the moment before he gestured a hand now tipped with short black onyx claws to Tychon. “I may not be able to read you, my old friend, but I know that something soured the deal. My sons are nothing if not proud of their family. What has changed?" he asked. This time Atsu's smile was real.

“You spoke of us each having something the other wanted. I brought the payment you requested, from every ingot to jewel to bolt of cloth. I know it will help your family survive the hard times on the horizon." Atsu began. Ishaan's face hardened.

“Then it is the Prisma Claustra? You believe it is not worth all that I have asked?" Ishaan questioned, his voice edged with the dangerous blade of wounded pride.

“If you actually had the Prisma Claustra in your possession, or any of its brothers, I would believe our deal to be fair." Atsu said. Ishaan's eyes widened in rage, the black spilling out of his irises to dominate his entire eye. He began rising upward, but Atsu raised his hand, “I found another prize worth the funds you have asked for." Atsu said. Ishaan froze, his pride and wrath and indignation curdling at the opportunity to still get what he wanted, though he was cautious by nature.

“What is this prize?" Ishaan asked dubiously.

“I would like your son, Tychon." Atsu said plainly. Ishaan lingered there, stunned for a moment before a short, sharp laugh left his lips.

“What do you mean, my son…" Ishaan murmured. Atsu feigned shock.

“Oh, no, not to drink… no, no… I want Tychon to be my familiar, to advance my goals on my behalf." Atsu said. Ishaan seemed bewildered, looking along the cushions his three suns sat on. Ayush and Rudra looked like cobras ready to strike, their eyes boring into Tychon's flushed skin.

“My son is neither sacrifice nor servant…" Ishaan glowered. This time it was Bek who cleared his throat.

“To be a vampire's familiar is a great honor. Yes, they serve, but they serve timeless beings. They are treated with the utmost respect. They wield the power and dominion of their master." Bek explained. Ishaan's lips were still twisted in disdain.

“Why my son, then? Why not some pliable human?" he questioned. Atsu shrugged.

“A human would not be worth the weight of the precious items I brought you. A human would have a limited lifespan, a human would have no inherent qualities of their own to aid or assist in what I needed them to do. Your son is smart, insightful, open minded, and talented." Atsu said. Ishaan looked back and forth between Atsu and Tychon. His brothers, however, only stared daggers at Tychon for stealing such a prestigious offer.

“My son is not some artifact to be purchased. He is a living, breathing being with an entire life ahead of him." Ishaan said. Atsu nodded at that.

“He is. Should he wish at any point to return here, I shall let him out of our agreement at any time. So long as he remains with me, however, I shall grant you a treasure equal to what you would have gotten for the Prisma Claustra every ten years." Atsu said, never breaking eye contact with the nest father. Ishaan remained there, ever so slightly rising and falling as if he had the coil of his naga tail beneath him rather than human legs. Bek's expression was a little more constrained. They had rarely had a familiar for more than a year or two at any given time. When they did, Atsu had consulted him on the selection. Many had gone on to become vampire lords in their own right, but this?

“Then it is done…" Ishaan said finally, his smile bursting forth again, “This is indeed a night of celebration! Two great visionaries, coming together, sharing food and drink as their business relationship rises to new levels!" Ishaan declared in a booming voice, commanding the cheers and jubilations of his guests. Atsu looked not at Ishaan, but at Tychon who had gently, meekly looked up into the startlingly red eyes of his new master. The fortune that his father had asked for would have made the colonial british blush, but he had just been sold all the same. Was it a saving grace that Atsu seemed to understand something about him that the others didn't? Apparently only time would tell.

****

Another distant rumble of thunder washed across the city like an unseen tsunami, crashing across the rich and poor all the same. The last tendrils of sunset had been obscured behind the storm clouds, bringing an early night. Tychon stood in the corner of the lavish apartment, mesmerized by the floor to ceiling curved window that looked out across London. Rain washed down over the glass like a curtain, turning the lights of the city into a living oil painting. Tychon couldn't help but hug his arms to himself as he gazed out at it all, feeling the coolness soaking through his skin and bones to his very soul.

The last few weeks had been astounding. Atsu had been right, of course. The moment he left his family behind in Delhi, he'd felt liberated. The freedom had brought comfort and confidence, though that had immediately been counterbalanced by the fact that he had needed to start language lessons with Bek immediately. English, German, Japanese, Cantonese… His head ached from it all, but it was a small price to pay in exchange for his new life. His lungs relished the cleaner air, his skin was swaddled in fine fabric and Bek had helped tame his wild and unruly hair into dreadlocks that seemed more elegant and natural.

Nightfall meant that a large portion of his job was about to start, but Tychon took one more moment to look across the city. He'd never been in a building this high up until Atsu brought him home. With one last breath, he turned to head towards the kitchenette. Atsu's home seemed as though it was a slice out of a museum. One wall was nothing but books and scrolls in twelve foot high shelving. Another wall had artifacts and relics, another had paintings and artwork made of ceramic and glass. If anything, it reminded Tychon of the reliquary. Perhaps that was a risk of living so long, it became far too easy to become a pack rat. Tychon opened the fridge, reaching for a jar of viscous liquid inside.

“That won't be necessary today, Tychon." Atsu said, padding out of the bedroom in bare feet, his tan body shrouded in a white shirt and baggy khaki pants. Tychon looked up at his master, unable to suppress a small smile. His smile turned into one of more bemusement as Bek emerged behind him. He wore only underwear that did nothing to hide the rather substantial erection he had each morning, his hair ruffled by sleep and his stubble encroaching from the otherwise well defined lines he kept his facial hair in.

“We're hunting tonight." Bek amended, licking his lips before he gave a big, fang filled yawn. Tychon almost shuddered.

“Are you sure, masters? It's such a wet evening, I could get more donated samples from the hospital, or in an emergency give you some of my own…" Tychon offered. Atsu shook his head.

“It is a poor Vampire who feeds on his own familiar." He said sagely.

“Even for convenience?" Tychon asked.

“Especially for convenience." Bek replied, coming up beside Tychon. Tychon couldn't help but incline his head to look at the larger man; his thick hair, his broad shoulders, his meaty pectorals, his hairy abs. Tychon felt an electric charge holting through his body. Atsu had been so quick to discover what set him apart from his brothers in the reliquary, and he was certain that was part of the reason he had been selected, but at the same time…

“Tychon, are your offers because you want to spare us the burden of going out or something else?" Atsu questioned. Tychon had to clear his throat as he recentered his focus, looking back at the elder vampire.

“I…" Tychon hesitated, “Mostly, but I do imagine what it might be like." he admitted. Atsu made a softly worried noise with his mouth.

“We have worked to try and make the process as painless as possible, as safe as possible, but… it is not something to take lightly. Many of the younger vampires-" Atsu hesitated, realizing the words weren't coming out quite right.

“It takes a long time to master the hunger, to hold back the impulses. Even after all this time, we can feel the pull. We are predators, hunters, monsters." Bek said. Tychon looked aghast.

“You are not monsters! You are both fine men, the finest I've ever known!" Tychon said. Atsu smiled softly.

“You're very sweet, and thank you. We try, but the process is never perfect." Atsu said, stretching a little., “It's still been a long period of adjustment, why don't you enjoy the evening off and relax?" Atsu said. Tychon looked surprised, shaking his head.

“You don't have to do that, it's a pleasure to serve!" Tychon said. Bek turned around, leaning back against the counter, bracing his hands on either side. Atsu looked a little stretched at that pose, admiring his husband's body.

“Trust me, you've earned it." Atsu said. Tychon bit his lip gently before he nodded.

“May I at least read up on some of the items you're trying to acquire?" Tychon asked. Ben closed his eyes, rolling his head back.

“Are you sure you didn't entrance him, my love? He is too adorable." Bek said. Atsu huffed.

“Only if it brings you some kind of joy, today is a day we should merely relax and be ourselves." Atsu said. Tychon nodded gently at that before excusing himself, heading back towards his own modest room in the apartment. Along the way he picked up one of the leatherbound books from the shelf, tucking it under his arm. While Bek didn't move his body, he did watch Tychon go with his eyes before looking back at Atsu with a grin. Keeping one hand on the counter, he reached around to tug his underwear down, letting his long, thick, uncut cock wobble free. It was heavy and thick, the flesh perfectly toned, the balls heavy and full beneath it.

“You tempt me with such carnal pleasures…" Atsu said. Bek grinned, wobbling his hips to make the cock sway back and forth.

“Who needs hypnosis?" Bek asked. Atsu ran his tongue across his fangs before he slowly lowered down to his knees. He leaned forward, drawing his nose along Bek's manhook, inhaling as he went. Bek's scent was so savory, so rich, so perfect. It was as salty as the dead sea, as musky as sage, and it was all his. Atsu gave one tender lick along the underside, then used the point of his tongue to tease the edge of Bek's foreskin, gaining access beneath. The thinner vampire's tongue plunged in and out, back and forth before he greedily took the entire head into his mouth. Bek hissed and growled, his fingernails starting to stretch and curve into claws, scraping across the countertop.

His eyes shifted from brown to red, his fangs growing longer, his ears taking on points. He looked down at Atsu, his long hair crashing across his shoulders like the surf. Bek's eyes fluttered shut as Atsu's head plunged forward, taking several inches into his mouth. Bek growled heavily as his husband started to bob back and forth, sucking him off so elegantly. Bek's lips curled into a snarl as his ears continued to grow. The thick hair on his chest began to ripple outward, turning from brown to gray. New hair sprouted across his shoulder blades, spiraling down his arms. His pits ached and throbbed as the flesh began to stretch outward, growing tougher and thinner, anchoring deep into each inch it advances as the leathery membranes of his wings formed.

Atsu continued to suck and slurp until he was three quarters of the way down his husband's cock. His clawed hand slipped up silently, taking hold of Bek's underwear before tugging them down around his knees. Sliding right back up, his hand slipped across an increasingly hairy ass cheek. His dangerously clawed ginger gently found its way to the larger vampire's hole, circling the ring, teasing the flesh before he slipped it in slowly. Bek let out more noises of delight, feeling one finger enter his ass, then two, then three. One large, clawed hand came down to grab Atsu's head, holding his husband to his groin. Bek helped Atsu's head thrust forward and back on his swelling dick even as his nose cracked and popped. The nostrils turned upward, the cartilage reshaping beneath the skin. His skull grew hot and stung as his jaw extended, stretching his nose with it. His human features melted and remolded as his muzzle formed. Facial hair softened into fur, swapping up across his nose, around his eyes and across his forehead.

More sickening pops and crackles came as Bek's feet spread outward. The arch of his feet increased while his heel broadened and widened. His toes stretched out longer, talons erupting like switchblades that began to scrape and drag across the floor. His already strong calves bloated as fur covered them. Inch by inch, his human skin was subsumed by fur. The thick bush he normally possessed became a soft, wooly crown around his fat dick and huge balls. His immense shoulders had widened by almost an entire foot as he wriggled them, stretching out his free arm to test the wing that had stretched past elbow length. His pointed ears slowly slipped up his animal shaped skull, rising high and sensitive. As they reached the tip of his head, they tilted slightly.

“My love, we have a guest…" Bek said. Atsu made a most confused, unhappy sound with his jaw full of bat dick. He slowly pulled off, a tendril of precum connecting his lips to Bek's manhood before he turned, spotting Tychon in the edge of his bedroom door, flushed and clearly engaged with himself. Atsu exhaled slightly.

“Tychon, come out here." he commanded. There was a long hesitation before the door eased open the rest of the way and Tychon emerged, his baggy pants obviously tented. There was a twitch of a smile on Atsu's lips, though Bek's muzzled face clearly turned into a smile as he adjusted his arms, only emphasizing the muscle mass on his pectorals.

“I am so sorry master, I shouldn't have given in, I-" Tychon froze as Atsu held up his hand to quiet the clearly panicking familiar.

“Have you been with anyone since we left your home?" Atsu asked. Tychon's eyes nearly bugged out of his head at the question.

“No, master!" He stated.

“You are not in trouble, Tychon… We want your well being as much as we want you to help us with ours. Expressing yourself in that way is natural. If anything, plucking you out of your home may have deprived you of the opportunity for such things." Atsu said. Tychon seemed reticent to accept the fact that he wasn't in trouble, clearly still breaking through the strict controls his father had placed on him. Atsu exhaled a bit, looking up at Bek. “Maybe you can convince him?" he asked. Bek grinned at that, his taloned toes drumming across the floor before he slipped off the counter.

In an elegant flow, like shadows slipping across the landscape at dusk, Bek was standing right before Tychon. His clawed hand reached to caress the young man's face, turning his head upwards. Tychon nearly wobbled, looking up at the larger vampire. Bek leaned down slowly, sensuously, bringing his lips to Tychon's. Tychon gasped in shock but was met with a tongue instead. Bek's lips were expository, kneading and massaging against Tychon's as his tongue darted in and out of that mouth. Bek's bat muzzle was long enough that his fang lined teeth widened, allowing his mouth to come down around the sides of Tychon's lips.

As they embraced, one of those dangerous hands slipped downward. A claw looped under Tychon's waistband, pulling the pants out and then down, revealing a furious erection. To Atsu's surprise, the mushroom shaped head tapered to a point and there seemed to be faint bumps at regular intervals along the shaft. Atsu closed his eyes and controlled his breathing, thinking back across the ages, across the continents, feeling the heat of the desert sunset on his shoulders. His ears stretched upward to points, his face began to emerge and extend forward. While Bek was large and broad, Atsu was lithe and agile. Sleek black fur rippled down from his hairline, cresting across his shoulders and down his spine.

The vampire made quick work of his clothing, unbuttoning his shirt and casting it aside as the soft velvety coating caressed his modest pectorals and spread in rivulets across his stomach. Freed of his garments, there wasn't anything stopping the unfurling flesh beneath his arms, anchoring itself as it moved, expanding the leathery membrane. Even as the transformation reached Atsu's waist, his pants puffed out and constricted across the growing limbs. Naked of fur for the moment, his feet began to crack and pop, stretching and reshaping, shedding their human proportions.

Blissfully unaware of Atsu's transformation, Tychon had melted into Bek's embrace. The bat's tongue was sliding across his own and dipping down into his throat, plumbing greater and greater depths. Every time it did, his nipples hardened and his dick spasmed. He had seen his masters in their true form twice, but only briefly and never like this. Bek continued to make out with Tychon, slurping in the masterful kiss. With his head tilted the way it was, his fangs dipped into the left side of Tychon's mouth, dangerous and forbidden. Tychon felt the hand on the back of his head, keeping him there in the kiss. He felt another sliding down the small of his back… and then a third on his hip, then his other hip, then-

“Massster!" Tychon hissed in shock, his eyes snapping back open as he felt a muzzle plunge around his dick. Atsu was apparently on the hunt and did not want to be restrained. His chiropteran skull was buffeting forward and back, his tongue coiling and curling around the alien meat and savoring the unusual musk that marinated that meat. It had a spice to it, a zing that was most alluring. Tychon fell back against Bek's hand, relying on his strength to keep him upright. The larger vampire's mouth found his again, resuming the deep kiss.

Faint, muffled pops and snaps echoed through the apartment as Bek and Atsu continued to shift. Atsu's pants strained as his fur covered ass cheeks swelled and rounded, his thighs thicker to support his much larger feet. The folds of his wings slipped expertly behind and below his arms as he held onto Tychon, suckling his cock, feeling it swell and grow inside his mouth. Daring a little risk, Atsu grazed the very surface with the tips of his fangs, knowing it would inflame the senses. He could sense the blood pumping through Tychon's veins, accelerated by everything they were doing… but he could sense something else as well.

It had started as little more than a blush, a hint of green along Tychon's cheeks and neck. The color grew more and more intense before it began to spread more rapidly. Bek sensed something as well, using his hand and claws to remove the last of their familiar's clothing until he was naked. Atsu continued to suckle from his dick, but his red eyes had diverted to a reflection of Tychon's backside in one of the glass art pieces on the wall. The pigmentation slipped downward, coming in segment after segment like domino tiles.

Instinctively, Tychon shifted his weight, his thighs brushing together and rubbing. As they touched, however, the skin began to stick and stretch, forming strings that only grew tighter and thicker. There had been a wriggling behind his ass cheeks that Atsu hadn't been able to fully grasp, but with such an up close and personal view, he saw Tychon's legs knit themselves together. It was fascinating to watch, as was the transformation werewolves underwent, but this… this smelled like fresh life and vitality. Cells divided, his anatomy was shifting and his skin was becoming something far more resilient.

Tychon nearly fell as the merging flesh passed his knees, then his ankles, his feet devolving into indistinct extensions of his lower extremities. It had seemed like the change would end there, but inch after inch of new tail continued to stretch outward from where his feet had been. It took some adjustment and some more growth before the muscle and bone inside solidified enough to keep him upright. Tychon slowly rose back into Bek's kiss, reaching up with newly clawed hands, grabbing the bearded face of the vampire that had embraced him so fully. Bek growled with surprise as a forked tongue plunged back into his mouth, combatting his own. The two held onto each other as they made out.

Grinning to himself, Atsu reached up with one hand to curl it around Bek's thick, club-like manhood. He began to stroke back and forth along its considerable length as he pushed on Tychon's, feeling the unusual shaft in his mouth bulge and grow and shift. He felt the sharp bite of iron, other tanic flavors blossoming. There was a salty brine and Atsu backed off a little as he felt an almost effervescent change along the underside of Tychon's dick. He'd always heard stories about it, even seen some sketches, but the idea that it was true was perplexing.

“No, don't hold back!" Tychon begged, throwing his head back, “I don't want either of you to hold back! I am yours, I am yours in every way, I-" Tychon gasped again as he felt two fangs suddenly plunge into the meat of his neck, sinking deeper. He looked stunned and blissful at the same time, his hand rising up to rub at the hair between Bek's tall, pointed bat ears. He moaned at that, feeling the wellspring of his life essence starting to leak into his master's mouth, “Yessss…." He hissed softly, feeling Bek begin to gently lap and suck.

Atsu's brow furrowed, sensing something had changed. Tychon's urging, however, had brought him back to his efforts to please the naga. He sucked and licked, his tongue finding that fizzing flesh, tasting flavors that he'd never experienced before. Here was a strange shift in how rubbery the manhood was, its center of mass shifting and changing until, with the sensation of shear forces pushed too far beyond their limit, the pointed cock in Atsu's mouth split into two. Tychon shivered, the flesh still sensitive, but the inside edge rapidly filled out and toughened up against the onslaught.

Tychon writhed and wriggled, his emerald tail oozing and slinking out further and further across the apartment floor. He felt vulnerable between the maws of two such powerful beasts, especially given that Bek was feeding on him. Bek licked and sucked gently, holding his own bloodlust back, keeping himself from draining his partner. It was always hard, but it was a balance they'd been practicing for so long. Atsu reached out to caress Tychon's beautiful scales, finding them a pleasant contrast to skin, feeling something more like well treated leather. Atsu continued to bob his head forward and back, but a familiar quiver in Bek's shaft brought back an old memory, a memory of one of their first converts…

Normally it would have been a challenge to swim back through so many years, to sort through countless lifetimes, to fight the mind's natural drive to purge anything inconsequential. What had his name been? That young man, that beautiful man… Dimitrios… Atsu had truly been unaware if Bek was going to kill him, drain him or turn him. His fate had been on a knife's edge, and when Bek had corrupted him into another of their sons, his body had quivered just like that. Atsu pulled back, the twin naga cocks popping free of his mouth. He looked up to see Bek's mouth not on Tychon's, but buried in his neck. A heat rose in his belly, though he had to be gentle in how he reprimanded his partner.

“Bek…" Atsu said, his voice deeper than usual. Knowing that his husband had heard him, he pressed more firmly. “Bek!" He repeated. Bek gently and tenderly withdrew his fangs from the Naga's neck, leaving two small marks that welled with blood for a moment. Licking his lips, Bek smiled despite himself. Tychon let out a small whimper, nearly draping himself back over Bek's forearm like a limp noodle.

“You can't leave him like this, my love… It seems unfair, somehow." Bek said. Atsu glowered slightly at Bek, though Tychon still seemed to be enjoying himself even if he was now a bit low on blood. Atsu inclined his chin.

“There are two of us… Be a gentleman, my husband, and make our guest comfortable." Atsu said. Bek smiled, knowing that he was going to get away with his misdeed, at least for the moment. He carefully and lovingly draped Tychon down on the floor, using an outstretched wing to knock a cushion off a nearby stool. He slid it over, placing it beneath Tychon's head. Tychon exhaled as he pooled across the floor, his tail extending a substantial distance into the apartment itself. Reluctantly, Bek slid downward to brush hips with Atsu, looking at his partner in a wordless plea for forgiveness. Atsu rolled his crimson eyes, kissed Bek's temple and then slunk down. Using his pointed, pear shaped nose, he nuzzled at Tychon's right dick, ensuring it had enough blood left to function.

Following his husband's lead, Bek leaned down, letting his muzzle part so his tongue could find its way to Tychon's left dick. He murmured a bit in surprise at the flavor. There were certain sensations that had become apparent over the years. For one, their sense of taste was quite sophisticated despite their inability to eat most things. They picked up hints and hues of the life their prey led. Tychon was fresh, vibrant, but with the tang of potential. Bek had learned that last bite usually meant someone was open to try unusual things in bed, an experiment he would be most excited to try over time.

Dizzy and lost in a mild euphoria, Tychon managed to lift his heavy head and looked down at not one but two immense furry bat beasts sucking down his cocks. They rose and fell ravenously, putting their tongues to expert work, each of them barely managing to keep their wicked fangs away from his vital members. While Tychon was most certainly turned on by their physical pleasures and prowess, he was more fixated by the fact that these… were his masters, his superiors. He lived to serve them, but they were embracing him openly and fully. He'd had to sneak around to find partners back home in secret, but here he could simply be himself? One rainy evening and the three of them could simply fuck?

More questions tried to bubble up, but they boiled away as Tychon's back arched, his tail tightened and both dicks erupted with four incredible squirts of his velvety naga semen. Atsu drank his down like a fine wine but Bek buried his face against Tychon's groin, letting the cock slide into his throat, depositing the load more directly. The clash of styles, the weight of their hands and arms against his body, all of it was perfect. When Tychon's eyes opened, the black in the center spilled outward, claiming his iris and sclera both. Only narrow crescents of silver slides marked the dark orbs as he gazed upward at the ceiling.

[Thirty-Five Years Ago]

With every passing year, every passing decade, it became clearer to Tychon why Atsu had selected him as a familiar. Time slipped by like sand through the hourglass. It seemed like everything was changing faster and faster, from fashion trends to entire governments. As much as he hated to think back to the lessons his father had tried to teach him, he did recall a lecture or too about why the Naga kept themselves off the world stage. The music of humanity might be charming for a time, but their songs are short. In all his time, in all their travels, he'd never come across a sight like this.

Atsu, Bek and Tychon stood beneath the glass and steel roof of an elaborate horticulture conservatory, far more advanced than a standard greenhouse. The light, the humidity, even the air flow were carefully controlled. Atsu and Bek had made it their life's mission to study items that guided and affected the supernatural. The conservatory was no exception. They had walked by pleasant pine cone shaped stalks of violet Acanthus and remarked on its ability to muffle the senses of werewolves and kitsune. They had remarked on just how vibrant the pink aglaophotis blossoms were and how they were used to fight infection, but Atsu had frozen before the apparent crown jewel to this botanical collection.

An ornamental tree sat in the center of the space, ringed by a raised planter bed edged with sharp, jagged stones. The tree had whimsical, flowing tilde shaped curves as some decorative trees took on. The pale green leaves looked fragile and delicate, only appearing robust due to their number in the mushroom shaped canopy. The bark of the tree looked almost as if it had weathered a forest fire and came out the other side. The outer layer was gray and black, segmented like broken scales to reveal a healthier interior of reddish-gold. It reminded Atsu of the way the molten rock had been in Sicily on one of their earliest trips.

Atsu's muscles remained motionless as he tried to dial in to what was just beyond his senses. The air flow must have been incredibly well controlled because he only caught the faintest trace of what he had expected to smell, but it was there all the same; a bitter, tart bite that betrayed the tree's killer nature. The soil beneath the tree was dark brown soil without a single trace of grass, weed or insect. Only a few stray reddish-black fruit lay where they had fallen from the tree above. The soil could grow no other living thing, and any living thing that got too close would be dissolved and reduced to constituent nutrients for the tree.

“The Umdhlebi…" A feminine voice commented with pride, pausing to let the revelation sink in before continuing, “There hasn't been a wild sample found by humans for nearly a hundred years."

“Not any that survived its wrath anyhow." a very similar, though masculine, voice jabbed as the two figures approached along the side path. They were as tall, lithe and willowy as many of their flowers but by contrast to Atsu's retinue, they looked as though they had never seen a ray of sun in their life. Their skin was paler than cream, their shoulder length blond hair holding barely a whisper of pigmentation. Their complexion combined with their red irises served to remind Atsu just how far his 'bloodline' had traveled.

“And here I thought you were but humble apothecaries." Atsu said wanly. The woman grinned, not quite betraying her fangs.

“Even the Montague's apothecary dabbled in poison." The male grinned, though his eyes narrowed slightly as he examined Tychon. He sniffed the air slightly before tilting his head.

“Allow me to introduce my familiar, Tychon. Tychon, I present to you the lady and lord Amalie and Isak Stoen." Atsu said. The woman bowed her head slightly, though the male let his gaze drift from Tychon to Bek.

“It is an honor to host such renowned guests such as yourselves in our humble abode." Amalie said.

“Only your charm is humble. I have yet to see a Varos estate that was not impressive, but yours is by far the most outstanding we've seen." Tychon said. Isak seemed to snort slightly.

“If you've lived a few hundred years and you're still living like a commoner, it may be time to step out into the sun." Isak commented. Atsu gave Bek a strained glance before looking back and putting his best showman's smile back on.

“I believe we've had business before regarding your commanding collection of plants, but you said that you had something of particular note?" Atsu asked. Isak looked at Amalie expectantly.

“Have you heard of the Seal of Solomon?" Amalie asked, brushing a long, straight strand of hair back behind her ear. Atsu's eyebrow arched, a faint glitter in his rich brown eyes.

“A signet ring made of brass and iron, used to seal commands of good and evil, controlling demons and djinn." Atsu said.

“Have you ever met a djinn, Master Atsu?" Isak asked, a slight edge to his voice. Atsu met his gaze.

“No, but I have met demons." Atsu replied. Amalie seemed a little nonplussed at the exchange, looking at her brother.

“The vault is not big enough for all of us. Remain here. Make Master Bek comfortable." She commanded. Isak seemed quite put out at the idea, though a small quirk of Bek's lips told Atsu that his husband would be able to find enough entertainment annoying the young vampire.

“May my familiar accompany us? What little I do not recall about artifacts, he has studied up on." Atsu said. Amalie considered for a moment before nodding.

“Of course, right this way." She gestured, her fingernails gilded silver and sharpened to points. She began walking with a fluid grace, her silk dress flowing and swirling around her like an aurora. Atsu gave Bek a loving smile and a slight bounce of his eyebrows to tell him not to misbehave too much before he followed Amalie. Tychon quickly fell into step behind his master, his mind already spinning through all of the things he'd ever read on King Solomon.

The group passed several more planters filled with flowers both rare and exotic, nearly reaching the farthest edge of the conservatory. The main house was visible through the large glass panels, glowing like a glittering jewel. Tychon looked up at it in wonder before realizing Amalie and Atsu were descending. He quickened his pace a little more, following after them down a set of stairs. He spared one last glance over into the corner, spotting another ornamental tree with waxy leaves and a pristine white bark. Whatever it was, it felt about as far from the umdhlebi as a plant could get.

“When did you start collecting magical artifacts?" Atsu asked as they descended down the spiral stairs, emerging into a narrow passage.

“Some time after we met you, master Atsu." Amalie commented, keeping up her fair pace, “You've had quite the influence on us. In fact, of all the Varos we've met, we think you may be the oldest." she mused. Atsu's face showed no reaction, merely retaining the expression from before. While it was true that vampires lived long lives, only he and Bek had proven to be truly immortal. It was a fact that no doubt would lead to some resentment.

“So you wish to understand the past better to understand your future?" Atsu asked. Amalie slowed as she reached a wider room. Everything had been forged out of stone, though the idea that there was a garden atop them was not lost. The narrow confines kept the space beneath the walkways above, allowing proper drainage of the various plants. If anything, the subterranean layer had likely been a utility tunnel at some point before becoming a miniature reliquary.

“More than that, Master Atsu." Amalie said, coming to a stop. She reached out to open an old box filled with a velvet insert. She withdrew an old metal ring emblazoned with a hexagram and several other symbols. Admiring it for a moment, she slipped it onto her finger, “To understand the past better is to control the future." She said before turning, her hand raised. Atsu intended merely to step back and make room but found his body was entirely frozen in place. He couldn't twitch a finger or even open his mouth to speak.

It took Tychon only a split second to sense his master's aberration from his usual movements. He went to serge forward before feeling his own body grow sluggish and slow before coming to a stop. He could feel his synapses relaying commands to his muscles, blood flowing to his ligaments, but every square inch of his body seemed to press against an unseen barrier. The effect seemed to leave enough give that Atsu's face settled into one of steely determination while Tychon's was one of outrage.

“Worth every penny…" Amalie said softly, looking down at the ring, “Though I may have to have it resized. I don't think the king had someone of my petite figure in mind when he had it made." she said, more to herself than her captive audience. The brown began to drain out of Atsu's eyes, replaced by a hot blood red. His ears stretched to points and dark hair began to trickle down the back of his neck and his cheeks. Amalie's expression tightened sharply.

“We'll have none of that, thank you." She said, focusing harder. Atsu grunted as he felt like the air around him was slowly crushing him. Rather than give into the pain and discomfort, though, he relaxed his body as much as possible. He didn't tense, he didn't fight it, letting the restriction of the ring keep him upright. As he cleared his mind, he looked not at Amalie, but at the ring. He studied the six sided star, thinking of its purpose, its significance. Atsu closed his eyes and exhaled again, thinking only of his goals, his purpose, everything that made him who he was. His body began to dip slightly before he lunged forward, knocking Amalie back.

The female vampire hissed in shock and dismay that her efforts had not only been thwarted, but thwarted so quickly. As Atsu came at her, she pounced back, sinking her fangs into his shoulder and tearing at his stomach with her claws. Atsu grunted as he felt the cool slashes and lukewarm blood beginning to welt from his stomach. The scuffle had been enough for Tychon to shudder free, stumbling into the sidewall of the passageway. He snapped his head around, looking at Amalie. All color and light drained from his eyes as they became inky black pools.

“Ssstop!" Tychon commanded. Amalie looked up, her lips bloody from where she'd torn into Atsu. As she met Tychon's gaze, her body slowed. Atsu reached out to pluck the ring from her finger. Despite Tychon's grip on her mind, her thirst for power shook her loose. She raked her fangs down Atsu's shoulder and clawed at him with renewed ferocity. Atsu hadn't wanted it to come to this, but he reached up with both hands, ending their combat with a sharp twist. The struggling rage on Amalie's face drained away, as did the crimson in her eyes. Tychon exhaled and began to pant before looking up, “Master, are you alright?" he asked. Atsu shook his head.

“Get to Bek. I've got this…" Atsu grunted, cringing from his injuries. Realizing that both of his masters were likely in danger, not just one, Tychon spun on his heels and charged back up the steps, hearing the growing percussion of his heart in his ears. His skin was boiling hot. His fight or flight instincts gaining speed. He looked around, trying to determine where the other one had gone with Bek. He took a few steps before it hit him. The air smelled of iron and sand, so familiar to Tychon, but so wrong at the same time.

“Come on… come on…" Tychon murmured to himself before he heard the sound of faintly crushing leaves. Tychon bolted forward, scales emerging along his cheeks and chin, his eyes growing dark once again. He silently wove his way between the conservatory plants, ducking under branches and around limbs, coming around a particularly thick shrub before he saw Isak hunched over Bek, his hand pressed to his master's stomach. Tychon took a step before realizing how… old… Bek looked.

The black had drained from the virile man's long hair, leaving it ashen silver. His fair tanned skin, like mahogany, had grown thin. His skin hung across bones, unsupported by muscle. His eyes… his eyes were tired, sad, reluctant, and growing glassy. None of it made any sense, but it all came rooted from the knife Isak had plunged in his stomach. The moment of hesitation fractured as Tychon surged forward again. The sound of tearing fabric came even as he smashed through the last branches and twigs, an emerald green tail slamming down into the dirt and slithering back and forth to push him that much faster.

The naga's clawed left hand coiled around the younger vampire's wrist, compressing until bones snapped. Tychon pulled the wrist back, withdrawing the knife from Bek before looking at Isak with his solid black eyes. He snarled, revealing fangs of his own before he grabbed Isak by the throat, lifting him up before slamming him down onto the ground. The impact shook Isak, but his red eyes were wild with a kind of energy he'd never tasted before. The wrist that Bek had just crushed had rapidly reformed itself, the purple and black mottling of the skin disappearing as the blood was reabsorbed into now healthy tissue. Isak grinned at his turn of fate, the expression of joy the purest affront to everything that Tychon had ever stood for.

Without thinking, Tychon took the knife from Isak's hand, spinning it across his palm before closing his grip and slamming it down. The sharp puncture finally wiped that stupid grin off of Isak's face, but it wasn't enough. It wasn't enough to make up for the pain he'd put Bek through. Tychon pulled the knife out and slammed it in again and again before twisting it suddenly. Isak silently gasped, a spurt of blood coming to his lips as his back arched somewhat. Tychon startled himself at that, the faint silver in his irises emerging for a moment. He turned his head, looking back to where Bek had fallen, seeing only a pile of clothing and a sparse scattering of dust.

“No… No! No!!" Tychon cried out. A hot tear stung his cheek, then another, but it felt wrong. This couldn't be happening, not to Bek, not to Atsu, not to the two finest people he'd ever met in his life. Tychon growled, turning his attention back to Isak. The smug, self satisfied smile had not returned to the younger vampire's lips. Whatever burst of vitality that he'd had before had faded too. The bruises returned to his wrist, his cheeks were sunken and shallow, the red fading from his eyes until they were a pale, unremarkable gray. Isak looked up at Tychon and tried to say something, though only another burst of blood stained his lips. His eyes fluttered shut and his last act was to move his injured hand to rest on Tychon's.

Tychon looked down at the vampire's hand resting on his, both clasped over the rough handle of a translucent red blade. It seemed to be made of stone, only now growing warm from exposure to the warmth of two bodies. The crimson material made it harder to see how much blood had stained it. Whatever this blade was, it had been enough to fell an immortal being. Isak had taken something from Bek but the blade had taken it back. Tychon was about to remove the blade from Isak when he suddenly felt an incredible pain ignite through his veins. The naga threw his head back and howled out in agony.

His parted lips revealed fangs that had been wicked and curved, thin and anchored into venom ducts. As his blood boiled, they became thicker and sturdier. His heartbeat slowed against his will, beat by beat, becoming uncomfortably shallow. His skin suddenly felt like crepe paper and when his eyes opened again, blood red swam around his vertical irises. His stomach seemed to pull in on itself, contracting and shifting. Tychon suddenly slumped forward, collapsing on the ground, feeling the kiss of the cold stone against his cheek grow gentler as his body heat diminished.

It was an impossible and imposing sensation. It was as if his very soul had been plunged into ice water. He was more alive than he'd ever been, and less himself than ever before. If Isak's plan had been to steal Bek's essence, to take it from another vampire… what would that energy do inside of a naga? Tychon remained there for only a few heartbeats, though that accounted for far more time now. One clawed hand pressed down against the stone, then the other. Tychon slowly pushed himself up, focusing on what had worked to suppress his naga traits before. His fangs diminished, his claws shrank back.

“I am coming Atsu…" Tychon whispered, a renewed pledge. He had failed one master, he would not fail the other. He slowly rose back to his tail and slithered back towards the stairwell, intent on retrieving Atsu and getting the hell out of there.

[Thirty-Two Years Ago]

Colorful bursts of fire and smoke explode over the London skyline, preceded by the pop-snap of the latest firework technology. The curtains had been drawn back from the large curved window in the apartment to give Atsu a view, though he didn't really look up. Atsu sat in the high backed chair as he always did in the evenings. His long black hair reached his waist now and sparse stubble covered his cheeks. His brown eyes stared into the past more than they did their surroundings. The steady tick-tick-tick of the old clock on the mantle counted the time, though a sudden increase to the density of the fireworks outside did a far better job marking the new year's arrival.

Tychon looked up at Atsu for a moment, the same sad, tender smile he always wore a mask just as his master had taught him. In many ways it was a wonder Atsu was still alive. His physical injuries had been novel to heal, but the man that had been by his side for centuries had died. Tychon often thought of how the vampire siblings had mentioned Romeo and Juliet in their brief encounter. Was Atsu merely waiting for Bek to wake up somehow, or had he accepted this as one more layer of his eternal punishment?

“What are you reading?" Atsu asked out of the blue, his voice hoarse from a lack of use. Tychon's eyes widened in shock.

“J-just… just about the Prisma Claustra." Tychon said, startled. This was the first time Atsu had spoken in nearly a year and it was such a simple question. Atsu nodded weakly.

“Tell me about it." Atsu said, trying to use his hand to push himself more upright. Tychon's heart fluttered.

“What do you want to know, master?" Tychon asked. Atsu's bony shoulders gave a faint shrug at the question.

“Tell me whatever you like. It's been too quiet around here. Bek would wan-" Atsu trailed off, his eyes starting to glisten. He took a stilted breath, putting on his weakest attempt at a smile. When he opened his lips again, there was a faint click from the wetness in his mouth, “Bek would want to liven up the place." he finished. Tychon nearly trembled but nodded rapidly, looking back at the old book in his lap. He flipped through the pages almost frantically.

“The Prisma Claustra was a fabled artifact said to bend and twist the barrier between this world and the next. The Keepers of the Lykos were said to be inspired by the way Nyctimus communicated across time with his family and knew that there must be other realms. Hypothesizing that it would take the greatest magic and understanding of nature, they gathered a member of each clan together; the Lykos, the Varos, the Cernos, Nagos, Kytos, Tanos and Lios. When all were gathered, they forged the Prisma Claustra."

“I don't know if they had all been gathered at any other point in history, before or since." Atsu said, his smile slowly gaining strength. Bolstered by the running commentary, Tychon continued, though the words spilling out of his mouth were having a secondary effect. Something was squirming in the back of his mind, slithering around.

“The Keepers used the Prisma to protect their temple in Tokyo, creating a labyrinth around it that only the blessed could pass through to its heart. The Kitsune and Tanuki returned to their own shadows, having no need for the Prisma. While the werewolves and vampires coveted the item, a guardian spirit shielded it away from misuse." Tychon said, his words trailing off. Atsu managed to raise his head enough to look at Tychon.

“If it hadn't been for that legend, we wouldn't have found you." Atsu smiled gently.

'We.' Tychon hadn' said the word out loud, but it struck him through. He had been Bek's familiar as much as Atsu's, charged with protecting him and he had failed… His master had been slain by power hungry children. They'd lured them in with tales of one ancient artifact, only to use an even older one to commit an unspeakable crime.

“Are you thirsty, master?" Tychon asked, starting to close the book. Atsu shook his head.

“Not yet… I just want to hear you speak. Tell me something else." Atsu said. Tychon reluctantly sank back into his seat. He hesitated for a long moment before turning back to another part of the book he had bookmarked, a passage he'd returned to time and time again over the last several years. For a moment he thought about reading the contents to Asu, confessing that he'd turned a blood moonstone blade on the vampire that had murdered Bek, stealing not only that vampire's powers but his former master's as well… but what peace would that bring Atsu? Unless he found a way to pierce the veil and bring Atsu's lover back to him, he would have to carry that weight alone. Tychon turned to the following page.

“The Shepherd's Staff of Nyctimus. A well guarded secret, as all secrets are for the keepers of the Lykos, this item is enshrined in the Tokyo temple. Protected for generations, this staff with a four sided crook had a humble start as an ordinary shepherd's staff. When Nyctimus was restored to life by the gods and chose to watch over his lycan brothers, he found that he could manifest kinetic force through the staff as an early form of magic. Seen both as a symbol of protection and a last line of defense, it is unknown if the user must already possess magic or if the staff itself was imbued with it." Tychon read. Atsu's smile remained on his lips, seeming to grow a little bit stronger with each passing moment.

“That's it…" Atsu said suddenly, his voice almost fully recovered. Tychon looked up.

“The staff?" he asked uncertainly. Atsu shook his head, though he winced at how sore his muscles were.

“No, the werewolves. If any of us shifters are going to be uncovered by the world at large, it is probably going to be them. They change the most often, they have more vulnerabilities, they burn so bright and fast…" Atsu murmured with concern.

“Not to mention they have the largest group of dedicated hunters." Tychon added. Atsu winced at that, shaking his head again.

“Exactly. If anyone needs a little help in this world, it is them." Atsu said with determination. His lips slowly curved into a faint frown, “Would it be too much trouble if I asked for that drink now?" he asked. Tychon grinned, closing the book and setting it down.

“Not at all, Master. I live to serve." Tychon said, springing to his feet. He moved quickly into the kitchen, opening the fridge to retrieve a bag of donated blood and prepare it for consumption. Tychon still couldn't believe how fast everything had turned. Atsu was going back on the offensive and it was a sign. He had more to live for, more to fight for. Anyone else would have surrendered to death when they lost Bek, but it was as if Atsu knew Bek was waiting for him, waiting to be found…

Even as Tychon poured the blood into a cup for Atsu, he couldn't help but hear the words from the passage on the Prisma Claustra rattling around his head. It had taken all of the different creatures to bring forth a power that could pierce through the veil. What if Atsu's instinct was right and Bek was just right there on the other side? They had been steeped in ancient and marvelous artifacts of magic, traveling the world to find them and put them to good use only to have evil and green rip them apart. Tychon couldn't allow that. He had to find a way to reunite Atsu and Bek, to bring them back together no matter the cost.