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"Corruption" - Part 3

Theo set down his pen and closed his journal with a soft sigh of resignation. It was hard to believe that it had been almost a month since that fateful day, the day Ax had given him the kiss that changed his life forever. He glanced behind him - the wolf was still wrapped up in his goose feather comforter, snoring ever so gently - and he couldn't help but smile. Under any other circumstance, 'cute' would be the last word the fox would use to describe him, but when he was asleep, in a rare position of vulnerability, Ax was downright adorable.

Sliding out of his chair, the fox stretched out with a wide yawn, smacked his lips idly, and then got up and made his way out of the bedroom down to the kitchen. This was normally Ax's domain - among his many talents, he was a highly skilled chef - and he usually butted out, but he was only down here to put on a pot of coffee. Though its dark aroma invariably roused the wolf from his slumber, the fox didn't mind the prospect of company at the moment. In the meantime, he stared out a broad window out onto the vast ocean spread out before him, the endless blue-green expanse speckled with the foamy crests of its gentle currents. A slight color shift at the horizon line demarcated the sea from the sky above, which was just starting to clear as the morning fog rolled away. With nothing but the ocean to the west, a thick deciduous forest to the east, and rocky outcroppings in between, Ax's clifftop mansion seemed to exist on a plane all its own, presiding over its earthly realm below as though suspended in midair. Theo cracked open a window and took a deep breath as the crisp, salty, sea air streamed in, and then sighed contentedly. He loved it here. It was quiet, out of the way, and a pleasant calm pervaded the air - the perfect place to live in peace without the destabilizing influence of the outside world. He supposed that's why Ax had picked it in the first place.

Living completely off the grid had been a bit of a shock for him at first, because the wolf shunned most forms of modern communication. Aside from a limited amount of web browsing on a prepaid cell phone, Ax kept his distance from the internet. He didn't have cable. The electricity required to run the estate's few lights and appliances was provided by an array of solar panels on the roof, and he got his fresh water from a well deep underground. He'd even devised his own sanitation system, making use of his close proximity to the ocean. Aside from going into town once a week to get groceries and to check a PO box - he apparently had a few contacts who tolerated his eccentricities enough to correspond by post - Ax was entirely self-sufficient. Dependency on others, he said, was 'ideologically abhorrent' to him. Theo suspected the wolf was simply paranoid, but he had to concede that he had legitimate reasons to shut the rest of the world out. He had a very dangerous lifestyle.

Regardless of Ax's reasons for living in near-total isolation, it made for a very quiet existence. Time began to lose its meaning, the hours and the days and the weeks all blurring together to form a shapeless stream of 'Past'. Boredom was a constant struggle for the first few days; there were several times when he had simply stared at the clock and counted the minutes before Ax finished whatever it was that he was doing. Gradually, though, he picked up hobbies, some which had been discarded years ago and others that were entirely new to him. He revitalized his love of reading, voraciously tearing through everything he could get his hands on: novels, philosophical treatises, biographies, historical accounts, and even textbooks. Without the outside pressures of exams quashing any genuine curiosity in the subjects they tested, Theo found his latent pursuit of knowledge and was all too eager to make up for lost time. To his surprise, he also discovered an interest in writing, particularly poetry. He'd taken to writing down his thoughts and musings every morning and evening; according to Ax, he had a talent for it. Maybe the wolf was encouraging him just to be nice, but Ax wasn't often shy about being bluntly honest with him and he was well read enough that his opinion warranted consideration, if his extensive library was any indication. He'd hoarded away literally thousands of books, some over 100 years old - it made him question just how old Ax was. There was still so much he didn't know about him...

The quiet 'beep' from the coffee machine interrupted his tranquil state of mind; fetching two mugs, the fox poured himself a cup and clasped around the smooth porcelain, the heat flowing into his palms and slowly diffusing throughout his body. As he glanced down and allowed the steam to waft past his nostrils, he was again reminded of their first night together. He'd spent a lot of time staring into a coffee mug then as well, half-listening as Ax told him all he wanted to hear and then some, cozied up in a dimly lit corner of a hole-in-the-wall café. The history of their race, the details about inner workings of their secret society, how they managed to live under the radar - it all came tumbling out in such a rapid jumble that he'd had trouble keeping everything straight, especially with all that had transpired in the hours before buzzing around in his mind. By the end of it all, though, Ax had managed to convince him of one thing: there wouldn't have been any chance at all that he could have survived on his own.

The only way vampires ('Though there are significant differences between us and the canonical vampires of European folklore, we adopted the moniker for lack of a better term,' Ax had clarified) could coexist with the rest of the population was through near-total secrecy; that required having protection from the inside. No matter how well he could have managed his own impulses nor how carefully he covered his tracks, they would have eventually found him. Until then, he would have been living on the run, in constant fear of being caught, and what kind of a life was that? But, when you had connections with the police that would make attacks 'disappear'; when you had higher-ups in companies siphoning off inordinate amounts money for the brotherhood; when you had the controlling interest in a private blood bank to minimize actual bloodshed, living out of the public eye and living well were much, much easier.

Theo's thoughts were again interrupted as he heard Ax's characteristically soft footsteps as he padded downstairs, and he smirked. Coffee always did the trick. By the time he filled the wolf's mug, Ax had already slipped his arms around Theo's waist from behind, pressing his sculpted torso against the fox's bare back in a warm embrace. He couldn't help but let out a soft purr of pleasure at the wolf's touch - something Ax found endlessly amusing - and he wormed around in the larger canid's grasp so that he could press his muzzle to the dark wolf's lips and give him a tight hug in return. The kiss was intimate if not deep, and their lips parted after a only few seconds with a soft 'pop', leaving the two with twin smiles on their faces as they stared into each other's eyes. "Good morning, love," Ax said softly, and Theo's ears tipped back slightly bashfully before he replied with a tiny lick to the wolf's cheek.

The fox would have been quite content to keep on looking the wolf in the eyes, their amethystine glow as enrapturing as ever, but when he noticed that the wolf's gaze had shifted to the steaming cup of coffee, he smiled inwardly and freed himself from Ax's grasp so that he could hand it to him. Letting out a self-conscious giggle, the fox mumbled a quiet apology. "Sorry, hon...here's your coffee."

Ax laughed aloud and ruffled Theo's headfur as he took a sip. "What on earth are you apologizing for, fox? Since I awoke, I've been treated to a strong cup of coffee, a lovely kiss, and the sight of your beautiful face. I've not been slighted in the least!" His paw slipped a touch lower as he began to rub and scratch behind the vulpine's dark-furred ears.

"I just meant--" Theo started to reply, but was cut off as the wolf hit an especially tender spot with his dull claws. Doing his best to stifle his coos of pleasure, the fox nestled the crown of his head against Ax's paw as he stared absently into the black coat of his chest through half-lidded eyes. After weeks of internally battling his sense of dignity as he was continually assaulted by Ax's gestures of affection, he'd learned it was best to simply ignore the possibility that he was making an utter fool of himself. The wolf was just too good. Ax, in turn, seemed content enough to pleasure him so; he had certainly made a habit of exploiting his many weak spots whenever he had the chance. Fortunately, Theo had also learned about a few of the wolf's vulnerabilities. Stretching out his paw, the fox started to lightly rake his claws through the smooth fur of Ax's stomach. He seemed to catch him off-guard, the wolf's abs suddenly clenching as his body shuddered against his paw, and he indulged in a triumphant smirk before digging in deeper. He heard a low rumble emanating from above - a lupine analog to a cat's purr, he'd come to discover - and Theo slipped his head out from underneath the wolf's paw; free at last! Now all he had to do was seize his moment of victory. Letting out a playful growl, the fox parted his lips and clenched his jaws around Ax's neck.

"All right, all right! You win this time, fox. Next time I won't go so easy on you, though," the wolf chuckled, patting the fox on the head fondly.

Theo released his neck hold and smiled up at Ax, unable to keep his tail from swaying back and forth slowly. He felt like gloating, since he very rarely managed to get the better of Ax in this little game they played, but instead he slipped out of the wolf's arms and onto one of the kitchen stools. After taking another swig of coffee, the fox asked, "So, what are you planning on doing today?"

"Oh, I was thinking about practicing violin for a couple of hours this morning, if you don't mind. It's been a few days since I last touched it. Then we have some time to ourselves this afternoon before the hunt tonight. You haven't forgotten, have you?" Ax's eyes glinted as he gazed at Theo expectantly, pulling up a seat next to him.

"No...I didn't forget, Ax."

The wolf smiled and clapped Theo on the shoulder. "Wunderbar! It should prove to be most fruitful," he exclaimed. "Don't be nervous. I will be beside you the whole way. There's little chance this one will go wrong, anyway. An easy first mark for you, for sure."

"If you say so. You're the one who's been tracking him this whole time," the fox replied dryly.

Ax paused, giving Theo a long stare. The fox tried to meet his gaze in return, but he just...couldn't. He just tucked his head against his chest and folded his ears back timidly.

Finally, the wolf asked, "Is that what's bothering you? That I've done most of the work already? Don't worry," - he chuckled - "I'll let you handle the next one entirely on your own. You have to crawl before you walk, you know." Letting out a lazy yawn and stretching, the wolf got up, coffee mug in paw, and made his way out of the kitchen, leaving Theo staring after him with his mouth agape.

Was he really that thick? It seemed impossible that someone as perceptive as Ax wouldn't have already picked up on the fact that he absolutely did not want to go through with this 'hunt'; then again, Ax himself was a living paradox. As the sweet sounds of his violin carried throughout the mansion and reached the fox's ears, Theo reflected on how such beautiful music could be produced by someone so cold-blooded. Someone who insisted on living in the 'old way', murdering innocents to slake his thirst for blood, when he could just as easily subsist off of blood obtained through nonviolent means. Hell, the wolf had even stockpiled _gallons_of it as an emergency supply; why not live entirely off of that?

'They betray their own kind, those who live like that,' he'd explained. 'Their setup is not nearly as secure as they believe it is. When this scheme is unearthed - and believe me, it will be - we will be the hunted ones. Not only do they risk the exposure of our entire order, but their complacency has made them weak. They will not survive. We will.' On the other hand, even if there was a pill that could eliminate the need for blood entirely (and efforts were already underway to isolate the necessary blood factors in the hopes that they could be produced synthetically), Theo doubted Ax would go for that solution, either. He was too addicted to the chase to let it go.

'It isn't the same,' he'd insisted when the fox had pressed him further. That much, though Theo was loath to admit it, was true. Drinking the blood from a freshly exsanguinated victim was an entirely different experience from sipping at a blood bag that had been frozen for several weeks. Until now, the fox had mostly accompanied Ax in scouting and tracking ventures, where the wolf would teach him the ins and outs of being discreet. Only once had he witnessed Ax slaughter someone else, and it was a mercifully clean kill, nothing like the way...he'd...

Theo clenched his fists and shook his head violently, trying to block the intrusive images from entering his mind. It didn't help. Even now, the memory of Mike's death was painfully fresh; he rarely went a day without it crossing his mind. The acute nausea he felt every time it resurfaced wasn't fading, either. That night, though, while the rabbit's murder had stirred up that palpable guilt, the alluring scent of the blood dripping down his snow-white pelt had been more than enough to overpower it. And then, the sensation of having the hot blood pour into his mouth, its taste sending shockwaves of ecstasy throughout his body...the experience was nothing less than sublime. Blood was his cocaine, and, like an addict, he couldn't live without it. In the haze of his euphoria, even with the rabbit choking out his last breaths right in front of him, it had been easy to rationalize away any remorse: 'Ax would have killed him for himself, anyway.'

By that reasoning, of course, tonight was no different from any other; whether this victim died by his own hand or Ax's, she would still be sacrificed. And yet, that made all the difference in the world.

Letting out a sigh, Theo vacantly stared at his reflection in the polished marble counter top, idly wishing the fox staring back at him felt the verve he perpetually seemed to exude. The truth was, for the first time in his entire life, he was happy. Ax _made_him happy. For all the mistrust he'd felt towards the wolf the first day they'd met, Ax's behavior since then had given him no reason to question his motives. If anything, the only uncomfortable aspect of living with Ax was a lingering sense of self-doubt; that he wasn't worth the wolf's doting. He still didn't understand why he'd been chosen in the first place; however, what he _had_come to understand was that he didn't need to be depressed, or alone. In hindsight, Theo realized his miserable college experience was mostly a result of his attitude, not a lack of empathy from his peers. He had been arrogant, cold, and detached, his insistence on isolating himself and remaining aloof probably a deterrent that made him appear unapproachable. The barricade he'd erected to protect himself had done its job all too well. Sure, there had been little that he had in common with Mike, or Zack, or any of the other people he was living with, but on a campus of thousands of students, surely he could have found someone worthwhile...if only he'd bothered to look. Ironically, his preemptive measures to keep others from being able to hurt him had merely twisted his mind to the point where he had just been hurting himself. And they hadn't wrought only emotional pain...

Theo shook his head again and took a long swig of his now-lukewarm coffee. How long was he going to allow himself to dwell on the past? That 'Theo' was just a phantom lurking in the dark recesses of his mind; he was entirely different now...wasn't he?

He downed the rest of his coffee with a grimace and glanced over at the clock on the wall; it was almost eleven. Ax was still going through scales and finger exercises, so he doubted he'd be able to pull the wolf away from the violin before noon; unfortunate timing, since loneliness had reared its ugly head again. Refilling his coffee mug, Theo headed upstairs, hoping Ax wouldn't be self-conscious about his playing today. He could be touchy. As he opened the door to the den, though, the wolf merely acknowledged him with a grin before going back to hammering out the kinks in a particularly nasty run. Even at his worst, Ax was still a lovely violinist - the result of decades of practice, he supposed - and when the wolf would allow it, the fox would sprawl out on the antique divan against the far wall of the room and read, write, or simply close his eyes and enjoy the music. Today, he felt like writing some more; grabbing his journal, he took his usual spot on the couch and opened up to a fresh page.

Starting was always the toughest part. His usual process for finding his muse, if it wasn't already fresh in his mind, was to glance around the room for no more than five minutes, carefully analyzing every facet of every fixture until a feature jumped out at him. That would be the spark, the initial source of inspiration; even if he strayed significantly from whatever had piqued his interest, it was often enough to get him moving. Today, though, despite his best efforts to follow his typical procedure, his attention was constantly diverted to the wolf standing just a few feet away, his eyes closed as he worked his way through some concerto or another. He'd never taken to classical music before meeting Ax, but now that he'd been exposed to a considerable amount of the standard violin and piano repertoire, he found it completely entrancing. It was strange that he so suddenly developed this interest; then again, maybe it had less to do with the music itself and more with the medium channeling it...

As Theo continued to gaze at him, the tightness in his chest kept growing until he could actually feel his heart beating. Ax was...well, it was difficult to describe what the wolf meant to him. Over the past month, he'd stirred up such a complex mixture of emotions, many of which Theo had never experienced before in this way. He felt love, anger, passion, joy, calm, frustration, and euphoria, to name a few, and it took only the slightest nudge - a smile, a tone of voice, a change in body language - to flip from one to another. Many times he'd feel several at once, often in paradoxical combinations. It was almost as if he was in a perpetual state of delirium when Ax was around. Above all, though, he felt immensely grateful: grateful for taking him under his wing; grateful for his company; grateful for rescuing him from his environment...and himself. Ax had given him the only thing he'd ever wanted: companionship.

The fox picked up his pen and began to write:

Winter's bane, the purple iris

The start of Spring is close at hand.

Like a meadow's verdant hue

Or its morning cloak of dew,

The tinge of Sun's warmth hugs the land.

As I sit and gaze across

The sprawl of Nature's smiling face,

Impossible to keep within

Is my long-lost childish grin;

My heart glows with love's sweet embrace.

I pluck up the nascent bud

My bleary eyes swim in bliss.

For all this flower's done for me

And what my future's meant to be,

I give it my first true kiss.

_ _

"Ahem..." Theo suddenly heard Ax clear his throat behind him and he whirled around, only to meet that all-too-familiar grin. He protectively slammed his journal shut and clutched it to his chest, but the wolf merely shook his head and chuckled, "I've read the whole thing already, babe. I've been hovering behind you for a good five minutes now; you didn't notice that I'd stopped playing?"

Come to think of it, he had noticed the room becoming quieter earlier, but he was too caught up in his writing to acknowledge it. Blushing furiously, the fox stammered, "W-why were you reading over my shoulder? You know I-I'm self-conscious about that sort of thing."

Ax simply shrugged and replied, "Call it idle curiosity. I'm always interested in what my fox is doing. However, I hadn't expected your writing to be so thoroughly entertaining!" He laughed again.

"It's that obvious, huh..." Theo said, ears drooping dejectedly. "Is it...bad?"

Ax rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Well...hrm. It's a good effort, a clear attempt to maintain the rhyme and rhythm throughout. Mm..."

"What?" he asked, raising an eyebrow skeptically. "Come on, tell me what you really think."

"Complete and utter rubbish."

Theo's heart sank like a stone. He didn't like it? Was it too forced? Just as he was about to spin down into the doldrums again, though, the fox glanced up at Ax and noticed his lips curling up in a surreptitious grin. They stared at each other for a moment, Theo sizing the wolf up, and then he suddenly flung his journal at him. "You big jerk! Criticizing me when you can't write a lick of poetry to save your life!" The fox tried to appear cross, but he couldn't keep himself from laughing.

Ax let the book hit him, smiling broadly now as it bounced harmlessly off his bare chest. Crawling onto the divan and looming over the fox, he purred, "So, you really like my eyes that much, eh?"

Theo took a hard gulp as he gazed back up at Ax. Consciously, he knew the wolf meant him no harm, but being beneath him like this was triggering a more primal fear, the fear of a cornered animal meeting the eyes of its predator. Ears folded back, he replied meekly, "U-um, well, t-they are one of your more, erm, defining features, you know."

"Is that so?" Ax smirked, ever so slowly lowering his relatively larger body on top of the fox. Before sprawling out fully, though, the wolf suddenly reached down and lightly cupped his boxer-clad sheath, espousing a soft gasp from the fox. "I don't have any other features worth a love poem from you?"

Theo was already panting as he felt the rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins. Ax was tenderly licking his neck, not unlike the way he teased his victims before ripping their throats out, and his mounting fear reached a new peak. Letting out a low moan, he coughed out, "A-Ax..." but the wolf merely growled and started to bite around his jugular, though not quite hard enough to break the skin. He silenced himself immediately, instead focusing on trying to keep his body still and his breathing steady. If he made any sudden moves, or made any sounds Ax didn't like...

There was no denying how incredibly arousing this was.

As if on cue, Ax stripped Theo's underwear off and fondled his swollen sheath, coaxing his pink member to slip out. It didn't take much. Sidling up alongside him and hugging him from behind, the wolf began to grind his fully erect cock between his rump cheeks (When did he get naked?), its tip occasionally grazing the ring of flesh hidden beneath his tail. Ax's crude but well-honed ministrations made Theo want to squirm so badly, but he didn't dare risk it; the wolf's jaws were still firmly clamped around his neck, so much so that he was finding it difficult to breathe. His chest heaved and he began to pant as he struggled for air, yet his own erection pulsated and throbbed ever more insistently at the sensual touch of the wolf's palm. Just as Theo began to feel lightheaded and his pressing need for climax reached almost intolerable heights, Ax nudged him over the precipice with one finger as he gently slipped it inside. With a gasp, the fox came, and came hard; he could feel the sticky gobs streaming from the tip of his member and all over Ax's paw. "Ungh..."

Even as his physiological urges were blissfully slaked, Theo couldn't help but feel a tad disappointed. It wasn't even his dismal performance and lack of staying power that bothered him, though; it was Ax's callous disregard of his tendency to come prematurely. They'd had enough experience in bed together (more than enough...) to learn the subtle nuances of each other's susceptibilities. Why would he push him so far so soon? Clearly the wolf hadn't satisfied his own physical needs. Was it just a power trip, the pleasure of exerting complete control? Didn't the wolf know how inadequate he already felt in his shadow without being purposefully reminded of his myriad shortcomings? All he wanted (all I've ever wanted) was acknowledgement. A sign that he mattered to someone else; and, he'd come to realize, the chance to make that person feel the same. Why couldn't he give Ax that same visceral pleasure in sex; that same tingle he felt at the wolf's touch; that same swelling in his chest when their eyes met? He was taking everything away, leaving him empty.

Perhaps another person, a lesser person, wouldn't know to acknowledge him this way. Ax, though...Ax did know. He knew it all, inside and out, and yet he willfully chose to make the fox suffer. Perhaps that was the real reason behind it all, Theo simply another vehicle to satisfy the wolf's sadistic tendencies.

Ax gave the fox a breathy kiss on his neck over the twin indents in his downy scruff, and then sat up. "Why so down, love?" He stroked Theo's side reassuringly as he continued, "Don't go and ruin the mood for me now."

Turning his head to the side, Theo looked over at Ax dolefully. Before he could respond, though, the wolf's eyes flashed in comprehension and he gave the fox a wry smile. "I see. You're a silly fox, you know...did you honestly think I'd let you off that easy? I just didn't feel like getting up and looking for the lube. I don't even know where we last put it." His grin widened. "I thought I'd improvise a little instead."

With a dry chuckle, the wolf started to coat his thick, black length with the ample come Theo had just provided him, slickening it up and giving it a dull shine in the dimly lit room. Meanwhile, he nestled his other paw between the fox's rump cheeks and slipped two fingers inside, espousing a soft gasp from Theo and cutting off any chance for him to voice a reply. "Mm...I just have to stretch you out just a bit first, though I hardly need to at this point. You've already been thoroughly stretched; isn't that right, my slutty little fox?"

All the fox could muster in response was a soft whine of protest, which was quickly silenced with the insertion of another finger. "Oh, don't you think about contradicting me, Theo," Ax drawled, spreading his three fingers as far apart as his vulpine tail hole would give. "You think I haven't noticed how constantly needful you are, even with all the sex I'm giving you? Yes, I know how much you want me, need me inside you. You're just begging to be claimed, aren't you? Don't worry, my whorish fox," - Ax chuckled again - "I'll make you mine again. As he slid his fingers out with a low-pitched grunt of satisfaction, the wolf commanded, "Now roll over onto your front."

If he hadn't been panting so hard, Theo might have attempted a retort, but even if he had, his cheeks would have been burning just as guiltily as they were now. Scarcely four weeks ago he had been completely celibate, and now he was having more sex than he'd feel comfortable admitting. That kernel of truth, along with the pang of arousal each of the wolf's taunts triggered within him, caused the fox to comply with Ax's demand with little more than a soft whimper. When he flicked his tail up expectantly, the wolf actually laughed aloud. "My, my, my...I have you so well-trained that I don't even need to tell you what to do anymore! Maybe there isn't a need for me to keep at this, after all. You're making it too easy!"

Theo felt the thin mattress shift beneath him as Ax started to get up and let out a sharp yip of protest. Before he could say any more, though, the wolf was on him again and he felt a low growl rumbling behind his right ear. "All right, all right," he whispered gruffly, curling a paw around the fox's already-stiff member. "But if you want me so badly, I need you to say it." Theo gasped as the wolf gave his bare rear a hard prod, his anus reflexively clinging around the head of Ax's cock. "Say it!"

It would have been easier if the wolf wasn't already teasing him, his thumb gently rubbing up and down the underside of his penis. Biting his lip, Theo choked out, "A-Ax, please..."

"'Please' what?" A strong push of Ax's hips forced his slick cock more than halfway inside the fox's pre-stretched depths.

"Please...take me..."

Ax managed to coax out a thin trickle of pre - and consequently a breathy vulpine moan - as he continued to massage his lover's cock, and he chortled in satisfaction. Shoving his way forward until he was balls-deep inside the fox, he panted, "With pleasure, m'love."

The wolf's makeshift lube and the 'warm-up' stretching weren't enough to prevent the initial discomfort as Theo was forced to accommodate Ax's full length, and the first few thrusts were so hard that the fox clenched his toes in pain. As tender as he often was with him, when it came down to satisfying his own needs, Ax could be a bit of a brute. Once the wolf had muscled his way over the initial hurdle and into a steady rhythm, though, the rippling waves of pleasure accentuating each thrust overwhelmed what little pain he still felt. Ax knew exactly where to go with all that raw power, and his aim was impeccable; as he was rammed right in that sensitive spot again and again and again, gripping into the bed was all he could do to keep himself from collapsing. Not only that, but somehow that paw was still kneading along his own throbbing length in teasingly long strokes, albeit a bit more clumsily than before. As much as he longed to hold on until the end, once again Ax was proving to be more than a match for his pitiful resolve. He climaxed for a second time and allowed his head to sink into a pillow, eyes closed in bliss and panting heavily.

Even though his body felt impossibly heavy, Theo put all of his remaining energy into maintaining his position for Ax's benefit. He had to. Maybe he would never match the wolf's endurance; maybe he would never hone his technique keenly enough to pleasure another as Ax pleasured him; maybe he would never be able to show his depth of feeling for his lover in a physical way - all these thoughts were trying to swarm in and diminish the foggy bliss of afterglow and the visceral satisfaction as Ax continued to pound away at his rear, but he shook them off. As little a contribution as simply staying on his hands and knees was to their love-making, this was something he could do. If he did, then Ax just might be able to get the faintest inkling of the sense of connection he so desperately wished to share with him.

Just as the pain from his achingly erect cock was starting to become noticeable, the wolf let out a resonant howl - Theo was reminded of their first meeting and how eerily beautiful Ax's howl had sounded then - and plunged his knot past the fox's well-stretched tail hole. If the wolf hadn't been clutching around his thighs for support, though, the fox _would_have been bowled over by the sheer force of that final thrust. With his rear clenched tightly around Ax's full length as it pulsated and pumped warm seed deep within his bowels, Theo finally allowed himself to relax. He slowly sank into the welcoming cushion beneath him with a boyish grin spread across his face even as he continued to pant in exhaustion. Ax wasn't long in following, and the fox soon found himself fully wrapped up in the soft heat of a heavy lupine blanket.

For a few minutes, all the fox could hear were their labored breaths and the syncopated pounding of their twin heartbeats. Theo didn't think he could possibly feel any happier.

Eventually, they rolled over onto their sides, Ax warmly embracing Theo from behind. It would be some time before their copulatory tie broke, but he was so spent that he doubted he'd be able to get up even without that hindrance. Besides, he'd do anything to milk this perfect moment as long as he could. With little else to do other than wait, the fox let out a deep, contented sigh and closed his eyes...a light nap would be a fitting cap to their mid-afternoon romp. Just as he was about to drift off, though, he heard the wolf's chocolate baritone roll out from behind him: "It's okay for us to sleep for a short while, but we can't take the midday siesta I'm sure you're craving." He chuckled. "Remember that the hunt will start tonight just before sundown. We will need a couple hours to prepare."

Theo's eyes immediately snapped open and a sharp pang of alarm surged throughout his body like lightning, even as the wolf delivered a sensual kiss to the top of his head. "Sleep well, my darling fox."

Theo did not sleep that afternoon.