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Uther's blade sliced clean through the heathen's armor, his bright sword Caledfwlch charged with holy might and magic. He knew he had no time for words as the ritual could be taking place at that very moment; every second wasted was another soul potentially lost to corruption and evil. The king had failed to heed his warnings, so he had come here with only a handful of his most trusted warriors. Yet now only he stood, most lost to daemonic traps or separated from the rest of the group. The only chance any of them stood was if Uther could-

A knocking sound snapped him awake. Disoriented, he looked around the room he was in before another set of knocks caused him to leap to his feet and put on a pair of pants. Sighing, he looked in the mirror to solidify who he was at that moment. He wasn't the Uther of years long gone; it was just another dream from another dead man in his mind. Leaving the room, he navigated the apartment until he was opening the door and peering outside into the bright light of the sun.

"...Hello, Davin," he said, gritting his teeth instinctively. He couldn't help it; every time he was in the presence of a daemon he had to fight the urge to bring forth the sword. But this one had been kind to him. He'd been helping him with no expectation of reward. He was more human than quite a few of the humans he'd met here. And the mortals called 'anthros' as well... some had once been human, some had been born as they were. It boggled his mind that they weren't the slaves of daemons but people of free will, yet he'd known his whole life. It was always disorienting when memories clashed like this.

"Afternoon, Uther. May I come in?" Davin asked, smiling. He was in his human form, and was dressed fairly modestly in his business suit... though Uther noted the casual details such as the top buttons of his dress shirt being unbuttoned, or the smell of cologne. He still appreciated the effort, and nodded before opening the door wide open.

"I haven't really... 'moved in' fully," Uther said, shrugging. "Then again I don't have anything to really move in besides myself. Thanks for letting me use the furniture and everything."

"I'm glad to see someone finally make use of it," Davin said, smiling as he closed the door behind him. "But how have you been holding up mentally? It's been a few days, and you don't seem to have left since you came here."

"I meant to call. But it's just been nice for me to relax and recharge, I suppose," Uther sighed, going to the kitchen and grabbing a plate. Hesitating, he opened the fridge and quickly retrieved some ingredients before quickly shutting it. "And I... don't like the cold. For obvious reasons."

"Right. Everyone deserves a break at some point anyway," Davin said, changing the subject. "I was wondering if you wanted to come to the bar tonight. You don't have to drink of course. There's going to be a private party for one of my employees, and I figured you could use some socialization. If you're willing."

"A party, huh?" Uther said, continuing to make his sandwich. One or two layers...? Two. He took out three pieces of bread and began placing the deli meats on. "Is that really a good idea for me? What if I freak out?"

"Even if you did, Dylann will be there along with some other mortals I would trust my life with... if I had a mortal life anyway," Davin said, smirking. "Your blade's magic only works on daemons and daemonic powers, and you won't be able to manifest it physically at the party unless you go out of your way to break the wards. I know, that must make you nervous... but it also dampens most of the powers of daemons there. We want it to be a somewhat normal party, you know?"

"If I'm being completely honest, even knowing I can do this makes me nervous," Uther said, reaching out into the air as a small pocket of light formed. Pulling out the sword halfway to prove his point, he sheathed it back into wherever it came from and the pocket closed. "It might be nice to just be a normal mortal for a while. Sounds like even if I did use my magic you'd have to have a mortal stop me, so I'll still be able to defend myself... even if it did come to that. I don't fully trust you, Davin, but I do owe you. I'll come, then."

"Trust is earned, but don't do this because you feel like you owe me," Davin sighed, a small smile on his face. "I just want you to have some fun. Who knows, might even jog your memory if you do 'normal' things instead of 'Uther' things, right? I'll tell Dylann you're coming, though. Would you like him to pick you up, or...?"

"I'll walk. I need some fresh air, even if it is cold outside," sighed Uther, finished his sandwich's construction. "I really am grateful to you, by the way. Even if it doesn't seem like it."

"Hey, no problem," Davin said, dismissing it. "Oh, it's a birthday party, so don't feel pressured to dress formally. But if you want to, I have a few suits in the back of my wardrobe here you can use. I made sure they all fit you beforehand, when I was retrieving some... toys..."

"I don't want to think about what you mean there," Uther said, having learned the hard way when he had asked Davin to clarify something last time. "But I'll take a look. What time should I show up?"

"Oh it's later in the evening. Just come after you've had some dinner," Davin said, handing out his business card. "Not that I think you'll get lost, but this will help you find the bar no matter what. Just in case your desire to find the place dwindles or something happens."

"I'll keep it on me," Uther said, pocketing the card before taking a bite of his sandwich. "...this is good... mmf..."

"Do you need anything from me while I'm here, Uther?"

"Um... maybe you could help me pick something out, actually," sighed Uther, not looking forward to the task of looking through the outfits upstairs. "I need a shower before anything else, and you know more about fashion than I do."

"Only where it pertains to attracting a man, but... yes, I could pick something out that 'suits' you," Davin chuckled, and Uther groaned at the pun. "You sure you want a lust daemon in the house while you shower though?"

"If you peek, I'll cut you," threatened Uther, though he was only half-joking. "I'm still mortal anyway. You can't do anything to me according to these new rules you daemons go by... though I suppose in my case, only if I don't attack you first."

"Attack, defend, it's always so serious with you," Davin sighed, smirking. "I'll pick something out for you, then I'll get out of your hair. Enjoy your shower. I think you and all your past lives have earned it by this point."

"I'm sure if they were still alive, they'd be grateful too," Uther said, still wrapping his head around the idea of what he was. He was part warrior, part time capsule. Historians wished they could have what he did. Finishing his sandwich, he placed the plate in the sink before going upstairs with Davin, leaving the daemon in the bedroom before entering the bathroom itself. He could only guess what the rent was like, considering this place could fit a few more people with the extra rooms... putting it from his mind, he stripped naked before he turned the water on to warm it up. Looking in the mirror, he was still amazed by how good he looked. It was less about vanity and more that he had not seen himself look so healthy and rested in such a long time. Why had he been homeless, though? He'd only been dead a minute before that sword had come to him; his soul hadn't even properly left his body yet. But he'd grabbed it all the same, and now he could feel it was somehow part of who he was. Several names came to him, but all of them seemed equally as likely to be his other than "Uther". He decided he'd just keep up the tradition until he learned more about who he used to be. Seeing the steam rising from the shower, he finally entered it and shuddered with relief as his muscles began to unknot from the heat of the water running down his chest and abs. Was he really so tense still?

"...How long has it been?" he asked himself, only a little surprised when he felt himself getting hard. He had mixed memories of this sort of thing. In some, he had sworn himself to be chaste... those had been challenging days for him as a young man, but he supposed religious influences had helped. Other memories ranged from laying down with men and women, sometimes both. He had even been a father several times, or at least his pasts had. It was a confusing mess of feelings and emotions, but he wondered what he personally felt about it all. As he closed his eyes and absent-mindedly stroked his shaft up and down, he realized he'd done this quite a bit before when he'd had a place of his own once.

"Ah!" he gasped, feeling a wave of pleasure as he remembered a particularly strange memory that filled him with both desire and shame. For as many victories as he'd had, he had also fallen in more than one way. He couldn't help but keep remembering and fantasizing as the memory played by itself, a continuation of the dream he'd been having that morning. He was trying to save them, but once he had been left all alone he'd had to fight on until he'd reached the ritual chamber. He'd been too late, though; instead of interrupting a bunch of cultists and saving those they had taken, he had instead found himself intruding upon a newly created dimension with them worshiping their 'god'. He'd been expecting some lesser daemon, but as they fought he'd realized he was quickly losing to his own desires as much as the attacks he was enduring. He was too late to notice that he'd been being toyed with by none other than Lust himself. By the time he was worn down and too horny to care anymore, he had been given a choice: destroy Lust or abandon the blade and serve him. Moaning, he snapped his eyes open as he orgasmed, his seed coating his chest as his memory was interrupted. A knock on the door caused him to blush with shame with the realization of what he'd done.

"You okay in there?" he heard Davin ask him. Reaching for a bar of soap, he simply sighed.

"I'm... fine. Bad memories is all," Uther called back. It wasn't a lie, but he didn't feel like getting into it with someone who had probably just fed from him by mistake.

"...If you're sure, then I'll leave you to it," Davin said. "Clothes are on the bed when you're ready. Oh, but remember one thing Uther: whatever other memories are in that head of yours, you are who you choose to be."

"I'll keep it in mind," Uther yelled, continuing to clean himself up. "I'll see you at the party!"

"See you later," Davin said, and Uther only breathed a sigh of relief when he heard him walking away from the door. It was only when he heard him heading down the stairs that he finally allowed himself to relax fully.

"...So I'm into guys," he muttered, realizing his own response to the memory was from himself and not whatever he had experienced. He smiled at the revelation, even if it had come to him through something not so pleasant. But he had learned a lesson as well; no matter how powerful the blade might make him, he was still as vulnerable and flawed as any mortal. No wonder many of his past lives had sought guidance from Dylann. Maybe... maybe he would do the same, later. For now, he simply continued with his shower uninterrupted. When he was finally done and had dried off, he pulled the card from his pants pocket and headed back into the bedroom to see the outfit Davin had picked out for him. He had half-expected leather or some weird rubber suit, but when he felt the material he was surprised to find it was soft and pleasant to the touch. Reading the label, he realized it was all cashmere.

"Is it really okay to wear this?" he asked himself, but he soon realized he would wear it anyway. Mostly because he'd asked Davin to pick it out, so it would be rude not to wear it now. But he had to admit, he was curious how it would look and feel on him. It was less of a business suit and more something casual one might wear, but it still had that 'professional' look to it as he examined himself in the mirror. The shirt was a combination of dress shirt and jacket somehow, but there were no buttons at the top leaving his chest hair exposed. Yet it wasn't overly suggestive either, despite how form-fitting it all was. The colors were all fairly neutral, but what really stood out to him was the necklace that had been laid out with the rest of the clothes. He recognized his crest when he saw it; how on earth did Davin get one of these? Placing it on his neck, he realized it was the exact same one as from his memories. Sighing, he placed the business card into one of his pockets, but realized something else was there... pulling it out, he found a note from Davin.

"I hope you don't mind the late return of your crest," Uther said, reading it aloud. "I found it among the trophies of the Lust before me, and decided to keep it just in case I found you again. Keep it and the outfit. I insist. Davin."

As he stared at himself in the mirror he wasn't sure what to feel, but he knew now that he had perhaps misjudged Davin more than he had realized. The crest meant nothing besides the sentimental value it had, though he had once used it as a symbol of who and what he was. It had no power otherwise... yet, Davin had seen fit to return it to him instead of throwing it away or lording it over him. Maybe they couldn't be friends, but he was starting to at least respect him. Only time would really tell if he could trust him or not.

*******

"Ohhhhh, fuck..." Seth said, finally able to have the release he had been craving for... how long had it been? As his cock pulsed, he realized he wasn't impaling the rat anymore... Chase. Right, his name was Chase. Still dazed as he grunted in pleasure and relief, he could feel his head being turned by someone.

"Hello, sleepyhead," Orias said, giving him a deep kiss. "How do you feel?"

"...G-good," Seth said, looking down at his body. Whatever had been covering him was completely gone now, but he still felt like he couldn't quite move. It wasn't that he was unable to, but... statues didn't move or think or...

"Still feeling it, are we? Let me help," Orias said, and those eyes became Seth's entire world as they filled his vision once more, though it wasn't long before he heard the snap of those fingers bringing him back to reality. "Better?"

"I can think at least," Seth said, shaking his head. "How long...?"

"It's Saturday, if that's any indication," Orias said, causing Seth's heart to leap up into his throat. "Oh, it's afternoon as well. You have a party to go to tonight; I hope you don't mind, but I used your phone when your boss asked what you had planned for your birthday. Seems they wanted to give you a proper sendoff. A last hurrah... so I helped with the party plans just a little bit."

"...Sounds fun," Seth said, smiling. "I was thinking of going soon anyway. I wanted to look at those apples that Stellan has been bugging me about for a while. Maybe apologize, too; I sorta blew him off a few too many times this week, and not in the way you're thinking."

"I was about to say," chuckled Orias, tweaking his nipple. Seth moaned, his entire body feeling like a cock with how sensitive he was now.

"Where's Chase?" Seth asked, once he'd recovered. "He's not still..."

"I sent him home much earlier, though not without some difficulty since he was into it much more than you. He'll need time to recover from our little sessions with him, and he has work besides. I kept you a statue a bit longer since you don't work this weekend, so I do hope you enjoyed the little 'vacation' you were on."

"More than I realized I would," Seth said, readjusting his package as he pulled his thong and pants up. "Did you?"

"I did. The energy you two generated together was absolutely delicious," Orias said, bringing a smile to Seth's face. "If you were the type to stay that way forever, you'd be lining one of the halls by now. Maybe I'd even have made you a fountain. I had a moment of inspiration while you were out, as you can see."

"Are those windows? And a garden?" Seth asked, looking where Orias had pointed. He had the sense of daylight, yet everything was tinted with the same red light as everywhere else. Just looking at it filled his head with all kinds of ideas and fantasies.

"It is a garden, though I don't have anything planted right now. It's also not very elegant," Orias said, a bit of a sullen look on his face. "It was enough energy just to make an 'outside' to this realm, so by the time I got to designing plants or crops I just decided to wait until you were awake. If you have any ideas later then let me know, but for tonight I want you to just have fun. It's your last day as a mortal, after all. Better make the most of it."

"I have somewhere I have to be before the bar, now that I think about it..." Seth sighed, looking for his phone before he saw Orias handing it back to him. "Oh, right. Thanks."

"Do what you need to do," Orias encouraged, walking towards the doors to the garden. "I'll see you at the party later, beautiful. For now, I'm going to brainstorm about what else I'd like to add once I have some more energy that I won't miss later. Creating is always much more taxing than maintaining... but you'll learn about that later."

"I suppose I will. See ya babe," Seth said, kissing Orias on the cheek before heading toward the entrance. Focusing on his magic, he went through the door connecting this reality and Earth. Walking down the hall, he came to the apartment entrance by the time Orias' smaller realm had faded completely. Exiting, he looked down at his phone and sighed again, putting in the number he knew all too well before placing it to his ear.

"...Hello?" he heard, after a few rings.

"...Hey, Dad," Seth sighed. "Can we talk? I'll understand if you don't want to, though."

"...I'll be at the spot I used to take you when you were a boy," Ron said, sighing. "If that's really you Seth, you'll know where exactly I am... and then we'll talk. Though if you're going to just curse and yell..."

"I'm not. I really just want to talk and get some things off my chest," Seth said, biting his lip. "I'll see you there. Bye."

"See you there," Ron said, before hanging up. Seth was pretty sure he wasn't fully convinced it was him; even if he'd gotten used to his voice when he'd first become a wolf anthro, his voice had gotten deeper and rougher lately. He considered changing his clothes but scrapped the idea just as quickly as it had come to him; if he couldn't be himself when dealing with his father, then what was the point of leaving it all behind in the first place? Walking out into the alley, he made sure he had everything before climbing onto his motorcycle. Before long, he was out on the road and heading toward the church.

"Been a while since you were there," Mirror-Seth said to him, literally reflecting his thoughts back to him. "You sure you don't want to tear the place up a bit?"

"Nah. Much as it pisses me off, I'm not like that. Even if it would feel good. Besides, jail time on my birthday?"

"Fuck that," Mirror-Seth said in unison with himself, causing Seth to laugh. "Yeah. You're better than that anyway."

"Damn right I am," Seth said, a wild grin on his face as he sped up just a bit more. With a few close calls from random police cars on patrol - he'd slowed down in time and pretended not to see them even as he felt their eyes on him - he eventually pulled up behind the church and parked his cycle. Instead of heading toward the building, however, he headed toward the trail in the back that lead to the park. It wasn't very far from here, and there was a small secluded area one could only reach from this spot. Before he knew it, there was a break in the trees and he saw that lone bench overlooking the lake itself. It was going to be too small for him to sit unless it was by himself, so he simply kept standing as he stood by the bench and pulled out a cigarette. Lighting his, he offered one to the human next to him.

"You know I don't smoke, Seth," Ron said, remaining seated. His mostly gray hair was well-groomed, though it mostly showed in his well-kept beard. He was dressed in his suit as usual, exuding the authority of a pastor of the church. Though he looked a little less rested these days, no doubt in part due to Seth's actions.

"How's Mom?" Seth asked, pocketing his cigs.

"You'd know if you visited, or at least called once in a while," Ron said, though his voice sounded more tired than bitter. "I don't want to fight, though. Sorry. It's good to see you, even if you're not quite what I expected to see. You're really you're own man, now... even if I don't agree with your decisions."

"That's a surprise, coming from you," Seth said, his voice also tired. "But I may have... overdone it. When I made that video, I mean. Truth is I do still love you and Mom. I just... can't forget what I went through. Eh... I guess it doesn't matter, now."

"If I'd known you were under that kind of pressure..." Ron sighed, shaking his head. "No wonder you rebelled like that. I should really thank you, though. After the fallout of that video, I spent a long time searching my soul. Where did I go wrong with you? What could I have done differently? Truth is, I knew the entire time. I was scared of letting go of what I'd built up. So... I live as I should now. As a pastor or priest should."

"As long as you're honest from now on, I don't really care how you live your life," Seth said, exhaling smoke as he did so. "Do you hate me? Knowing this was my choice, and not some trap I fell into?"

"Why would I ever hate you, son?" Ron said, amazed to hear those words. "...Though I suppose I gave you no choice but to think that. I was on the war path for a while, but... after you became this... wolf person... I remembered some of the things you'd say to me. I've had to confront a lot of my inner demons, son. A lot of biases my father and his father had before him. But no, I've never hated you, even if I didn't fully understand why you did what you did. I just wanted my son back."

"...I see," Seth said, choking up a little before steeling his resolve. "I can't forget everything, Dad. Do you know what it's like for a child to fear hell, to cry out for his soul in the middle of the night because he is so afraid that his stomach hurts? The fire and brimstone you put me through was worse than that, even if that wasn't your intention. But... I can begin to forgive you, if this is how you really feel. It's going to take me some time, though. You understand, I hope."

"We'll get through it one step at a time," Ron said, staring out over the lake. "Will you at least call from time to time? Your mother does worry about whether you're doing well on your own or not. You know how she is. She's convinced you're starving in a ditch somewhere."

"I'll have to apologize to her later," sighed Seth, smiling a bit. "I'd do it tonight, but my boss wants to throw me a party. It's more for a kind of promotion than my birthday, but you know. I'm doing well enough for myself, so she doesn't have to worry. But depending on how my promotion goes, I may have to go away for a while..."

"I won't ask. Your life is your own," Ron said, clearly curious but not wanting to risk angering Seth. "It always was. I'm sorry if I didn't make that clearer to you. Even if I don't agree with your choices, I do love you."

"I love you too, it's just there's a lot to sort out still," Seth said, scratching his chin. "Oh, and I know that look you're giving me. I'm not in a gang or anything. I've just learned to ride a motorcycle recently is all. It was a gift from my boyfriend."

"...I hope he treats you well, then," Ron said, picking up on the emphasis the wolf had put on that last word. "Will you be leaving now?"

"I have some time to kill," Seth said. "But I can leave if you're cold out here."

"It'll take a lot more than a little winter air to take me down, son," Ron chuckled, crossing his arms. "How has life been treating you? I'd like to know the kind of man my son is now, if that's alright."

Seth nodded, before he began telling him some of the things he had been up to. He decided to leave some details out, like how he was probably older than his father now due to his time in Atlantis or that this was his last day as a mortal, but even without all that he still had more than enough to say. Ron simply listened, though Seth sometimes thought he could see him smile a bit more or nod his head as he kept talking. After a small break, he checked the time on his phone before realizing an hour had already passed.

"I'm going to go now," Seth said, noting how his father was trying not to shiver now. "You should go inside and warm up as well. You don't have fur like I do, you know?"

"Perhaps I'll have some coffee while I write my sermon for tomorrow," Ron said, rising from his seat. Holding out his hand, he looked Seth in the eye as the wolf hesitantly shook his hand, careful not to crush the human's fingers in his grip. "Happy birthday, Seth. Now go have fun at your party. But don't go too crazy, okay?"

"No promises," Seth smiled, nodding as he turned to leave. "But... this was good. I needed this. I'll... call you sometime next week, maybe. Okay?"

"I'll look forward to it," Ron said, a genuine smile on his face. "Stay safe out there."

Waving goodbye, Seth walked back toward the church and was soon at his motorcycle again. Crushing his spent cigarette beneath his boot, he sat down and looked through his contacts until he found Stellan's. The daemon had given it to him before Seth had just... flaked out completely. Mentally rehearsing the apology in advance, he dialed the number and waited. He had to wait a bit more patiently than he wanted to, but eventually he picked up.

"Hello...? Seth?" Stellan said, a sleepy tone to his voice.

"Yeah. I uh... I'd like to see those apples, now. And well, sorry for-"

"Hey, no problem. You've been busy. I'm curious what you'll think anyway, so if you want to make it up to me... just come look at these things. I'll be over there when I'm sure I won't fall asleep at the wheel. Same door I showed you before."

"See you," Seth said, before hanging up. As his bike roared to life, he couldn't help but feel good as he peeled away, though perhaps a bit more carefully this time. He wasn't worried, but he didn't want to worry his father about him. He was sure they wouldn't agree on everything, but... it was a start.

*******

"Hey," Stellan said, greeting Seth as the wolf walked up to him. Taking a sip from his coffee, he reached out with his other hand and dispelled the ward over the door. "Just stay close, alright? We don't want you going all tree monkey again on your birthday."

"I'll do my best," Seth joked, but Stellan merely smirked as he beckoned for the wolf to follow him. Closing the door, he made sure it was warded again so no one would wander in by mistake while he did his research. "It smells good in here."

"Yes, it does," Stellan said, noticing the smell was even more enticing than before. Placing his coffee at his workplace, he picked up his notes and jotted down that observation, though he kept his eye on Seth while he did so. "How do you feel?"

"I feel alright. Why?" Seth asked, scratching his chin. "Should I be feeling different or something? I mean I'm a little hungry sure, but I haven't had any lunch... and I'm saving room for the party. Is this what I made, though?"

Stellan tried to stop Seth but before he could react, the wolf had already picked up three of them and began juggling as his eyes glowed. He could only watch now, sighing in irritation at the wolf's carelessness. Yet, he didn't seem to even once try to take a bite. It was like he was just handling normal apples.

"Maybe they don't affect you?" Stellan asked, curious about what he was seeing. "You don't feel any urges, do you?"

"I mean, I'm always horny lately, but if you mean magically induced urges from these apples... nah. Nothing," Seth chuckled, catching each apple as he stopped. "I mean, I can sort of feel them like they're an extension of my own magic, but the thought of eating one is just weird for me. I can't explain why, exactly."

"Interesting, interesting..." Stellan said, jotting down even more notes. "It could be it's because you were the original tree they fell from. Just a theory, but still it's more than I've had to go on for a while."

"You know, for Sloth... you're a busybody," Seth said, before flinching. "Ah. Sorry, that was rude."

"Oh I get that all the time," Stellan said, yawning as he put his notes back down. "This sort of thing fascinates me, so that's why I do it. Your apples were delicious when you were growing, so I can only imagine how they taste now..."

"So eat one," Seth said, shrugging. "What's the harm?"

"The 'harm' is it'll probably turn me into a tree, just like you were," Stellan said, though as he took another sip of his coffee he could feel his mouth salivating. That wouldn't do. He was about to strengthen his wards when he saw Seth pick up an apple and place it in front of his face.

"But you don't know for sure?" Seth said, and Stellan shook his head as the scent filled his nostrils. "Aren't you curious? I know I am."

"Of course I'm curious," Stellan said, shaking his head as he grabbed the apple. Yet, as much as he wanted to put it back down, he wanted to hold it more. Just for a little while longer.

"You've been working very hard lately, haven't you?" Seth asked. "At least, as much as a Sloth daemon can work hard, anyway. Don't you think you've earned a bit of a rest by now?"

"I suppose," sighed Stellan, looking at the apple. "You just want to see me turn into a tree, don't you?"

"I kinda do," Seth chuckled, looking away in embarrassment. "I'm kind of curious. If you wanted to see what it was like for me, maybe we could run an experiment? Plus you could just relax and grow."

"What about your party?" Stellan asked, bringing the apple up to his nose again. It smelled so good...

"Then we can try it afterwards. It'd be a nice present though, watching you become a nice, relaxed fruit tree. You'd also get the answers you're searching for, so it's a win-win right?"

"Yeah, you're gonna flip Lust," sighed Stellan, smiling. "Alright. But only because I've been wanting to do this for a while. We should probably go somewhere I can, well, put down roots. So to speak."

"Oh, true," Seth said, grabbing another apple. When Stellan gave him a quizzical look, he shrugged. "In case the first one isn't enough. If nothing else it'll be a nice snack for me. I can't fully explain it, but holding this... I know it won't do anything to me unless I really want it to. It's still weird, though."

Stellan nodded, before they left the room. Warding the door again, it was all Stellan could do to not bite into the apple right then and there as they both headed down the hall. Eventually they found the door they were looking for and went through, being greeted by the summer garden that Seth had spent time in as a tree.

"There's no telling exactly how this will affect me, since I'm a daemon," Stellan said, shedding his human form and any clothing with it. Finding a proper place for him to grow, he turned to face Seth. "But if this does go sideways, don't hesitate to call Davin or something. I'll take the heat for this, even if it is technically your idea. Got the notes?"

"Hey, I'm sure it'll be fine," Seth said, smiling as he held up the note pad. "Go ahead. I'll stand back here, just in case..."

Stellan felt his heart racing as he brought the apple back up to his lips, before taking a bite. The taste made his head swim immediately, and he moaned as the juice dribbled past his tongue and down his throat. Taking a moment to savor it, he realized his fur was already starting to sprout leaves here and there.

"How's it taste?" Seth asked, holding a pencil at the ready.

"It's the best apple I've ever had," Stellan said, smiling. "I feel drunk, kind of."

"You're also getting hard," Seth said, gesturing downward. Stellan didn't have to look to know he was already harder and longer than he'd ever been. Smiling, he simply started stroking as he kept eating the apple. The more he ate, the hornier he felt and the less he felt like actually moving. He was already halfway done eating it when he was overcome with a wave of fatigue, almost dropping the apple before he caught himself.

"I'm so tired..." Stellan sighed, trying his best to keep Seth updated with how he was feeling. Taking another bite, he smiled as he felt his tail growing longer. At the same time, he could feel his wings shrinking into his back, adding to his muscle mass instead. "Ook..."

"Almost done, though," Seth said, smiling at him. "You're going to make a good tree monkey, Stellan."

"Yeah, ook..." Stellan agreed, taking an even bigger bite than before. He realized everything about this apple was edible, even the stem. The seeds looked odd though. Instead of the black glossy seeds of an apple, they were a glowing purple that had tinged the flesh around them. They were probably why the apple was this way in the first place. He was about to tell Seth this when he realized he didn't want to speak anymore, save for the occasional 'ook'. Despite himself, he set the seeds he found aside and held them in his other hand, protecting them as if they were his own children. Before long, he was licking his fingers as the last bite of apple passed his lips. He saw Seth come up to him and take the seeds from him, but before he could protest he felt the other apple being pressed into his hands. Without any delay, he began to eat again as his transformation accelerated with each additional bite.

"Ready to call it quits?" Seth asked, and the sound of a pen on paper could be heard as the wolf jotted down more notes for Stellan. He shook his head, not wanting this to end. It was easier and easier to bite into the apple as his mouth grew along with the rest of his body, and in record time he had finished the apple even as he set the seeds aside. Closing his fist around it, he could feel them absorb into his body as the sun began making him feel drowsy and good. He smelled a sweet appealing scent, and looking down he realized it was the purple sap leaking from his enlarged cock. His legs had already fused together as his fur became more bark-like, though he knew if he were to run a hand through it that it would be soft to the touch. His roots finally began digging into the ground as his balls and cock swelled to massive proportions, and before long he was already five times taller than Seth. Sunlight. Growth. Produce. His thoughts had slowed down to a trickle as he began to think more like a tree now. He felt something cool in the soil around him, and as his roots absorbed it he realized it was water. It felt so good to be watered...

"Ook," he said, another pulse of sap leaking from his oversized cock. Looking down, he saw a small wolf with a hose... Seth. Right, it was Seth. How long had he been napping for? If one could call this a nap.

"Finally awake, huh?" Seth chuckled, patting his thick trunk body. "You grew even faster than I did the first time. It's been an hour and you're already flowering. I got all the notes I needed, so do you want me to get Davin and turn you back to normal?"

"No," Stellan said, smiling as he felt each flower on him. They would make good apples when they were ready. "Like... being a tree."

"I'll take care of these seeds for you, then," Seth said, holding up a plastic bag holding the glowing seeds from his first apple. "You just focus on being a good tree and producing nice, tasty fruit for a while. Who knows, maybe you'll do an even better job than I did my first time!"

Smiling at the praise, Stellan straightened his back and raised his arms up like tree branches as more and more leaves and vines grew from him. One of his last thoughts before he completely focused on being a tree was whether this counted as work or leisure, his eyes closing as his conscious mind fell deeply asleep. His vines reached out instinctively for the mortal he sensed, but they were already out of reach before they left him alone. Grow, produce...

*******

"I'm sorry, Uther. I thought I mentioned that when I invited you," Seth heard Davin say as he entered the room. It was almost time for the party; he'd been wandering around after the experiment with Stellan just enjoying his last night as a mortal, but now he was intrigued by the conversation nearby. Who was this guy?

"A daemon? Really?!" Uther said, before wincing. "I know it's his choice, but still... you have no idea how many dead men are screaming in my head right now, so to speak. It's hard to focus."

"Dead men?" Seth asked despite himself, causing Davin to turn and sigh. "What's he talking about?"

"I suppose you two would have to meet eventually," Davin said, smiling. "This is Uther Pendragon, the latest bearer of the 'holy' blade, Caledfwlch. Uther, this is the birthday boy, Seth Taggart."

"...Charmed," Uther said, his suspicious gaze putting Seth off as he shook his hand. "You have powerful magic in you. Davin wasn't kidding."

"You can sense it?" Seth asked, just as surprised by the magical aura surrounding Uther. "But what sort of blade is Caledfwlch that you have this much power?"

"I'll tell you all about it later, Seth. Just know he's a very powerful mortal with a very powerful sword that has tasted as much daemon blood as it has mortal lives. He's a legend among our kind. But we're here for your party, not a history lesson."

"Well... it's good to meet you, regardless. Thanks for coming," Seth said, genuinely meaning it. "Oh... and Davin? Stellan and I ran an experiment on those apples so... might want to keep an eye on him at the summer garden room. He's already pretty big..."

"Oh goddammit," Davin sighed, shrugging. "I'll be sure to keep people out of that room, unless their particular thing is becoming a tree, I guess. Liam was pretty sore about the last time this happened with you."

"It's not permanent, is it?" Uther asked, a note of warning in his voice.

"No, nothing like that. But if I don't keep an eye on it then it'll be a pain in the ass to clean up later," Davin said, bowing his head. "You go ahead and mingle, Seth. I'm going to go make sure no one's already wandered inside."

"Keep away from the vines," Seth warned, before Davin left the room. Turning back to Uther, he was suddenly very aware of how he looked. "Would you believe I was human before all this?"

"I'm having trouble accepting that people can be bipedal animals and still live normal lives," Uther said, shrugging. "My many lives did not prepare me for this. Oh... and if I say anything strange like that, just ignore it. Just part of what I have to deal with."

"Sounds rough, buddy," Seth said, genuine sympathy on his face. "Want me to introduce you to Pride? I think I see him over there..."

"He's your sponsor, and yes we've met before. Though... I suppose reintroducing myself can't hurt. Besides... I remember I like cake. Let's go get some, yes?"

"Alright," Seth said, confused but happy to make a new acquaintance. "Actually if it's the flavor I think it is, I really want some too."

After they both got cake, and after leaving Uther to chat with Lucian, Seth sat by himself at one of the tables set up in the large room. It was a room obviously meant for more innocent gatherings, but he looked around at all the various decorations. Purple and black balloons, rainbow streamers... it really did look like a party meant for him. He was so distracted that he nearly jumped when a hand enveloped his, but when he realized who it was he simply smiled and held it to his face.

"Hey beautiful," Orias said, smiling as he sat down next to him. "Enjoying your party?"

"I can't believe you helped set this up, even if it was through my phone pretending to be me..." Seth said, jabbing at the air with his fork. "But I love it. Kind of makes things final though, doesn't it? This is my last real birthday."

"As a mortal, but yes... if daemons had anything like a birthday, most of us have forgotten it or not cared to count the years in some time," Orias said, caressing his cheek before withdrawing his hand. "You can still change your mind, though. Nobody will think less of you."

"I've made up my mind," Seth said, shaking his head. "But you're right. It's not over until it's actually over. Besides, I didn't mean to sound so depressing. I'm more excited than nervous, you know?"

"Oh, I know. The anticipation is part of the experience," Orias said. "But you seem more powerful than normal, Seth. Something about you or around you... I'm not sure what."

"That's probably because of this," Seth said, pulling out the warded plastic bag. "I'm surprised you can feel it. I thought I'd warded it properly but yeah. They're the seeds of one of my apples."

"I did hear someone mention something about a tree before entering here," Orias said, looking at the seeds with interest. "What do you intend to do with it? They're technically yours, so..."

"I think I want you to try and grow these in your garden," Seth said, handing it to him. Surprised, Orias smiled as if he'd been given the best gift in the world. "I'm not sure if it will work that way, but you'll probably be able to figure it out."

"Thank you. There's more than enough here to experiment a bit, at least. See what sort of soil they might grow in, or if I need something extra. Too bad I gave you your present ahead of time... now I feel bad for not bringing a present."

"You are the present, babe," Seth smiled, pecking him on the cheek. "Just being here with me? Better than anything else I can think of. Want some of my cake?"

"I don't really eat, but I'll take a bite for the flavor sure," Orias said, shrugging. He let Seth feed him a bite, and the wolf smiled as he licked his fangs free of the frosting. "Hm. This is good. Perhaps I should eat more often."

"Might help your energy if you did," Seth said, knowing at least that much about daemon biology. "It's going to be weird not needing to eat or sleep though. The last good sleep I had was what you did with me and Chase. Speaking of which, is that him over there?"

Seth watched as Chase made eye contact with him and awkwardly wave. Before he knew it, the rat had made his way over to him.

"Is... this seat taken?" he asked, averting his gaze as he smiled. When Seth motioned for him to sit right next to him, he simply nodded as he placed his own plate down in front of him. "You back to normal too?"

"Yeah, for the most part. Though seeing you now makes me remember what we did..." Seth said, smirking. "Sure you don't want to be my full-time butler?"

"Ah... honestly, I'm not sure," Chase said, surprising Seth. "But no, I've wanted to be a personal trainer for a long, long time. I can't just throw that away, you know? Even if it's very appealing..."

"You're probably still suffering some 'withdrawals' from our experience," Orias chimed in, causing Chase to nod. "It's perfectly natural to have those feelings so soon after what you went through. Give it a week."

"Yes sir... ah, I mean... Onyx," Chase said, shaking his head. "Yeah. I should give it a week at least. Still enjoyed myself though. Thanks."

"You're welcome," Orias said, winking as Chase took a bite of his cake in embarrassment.

"Cheat day, huh?" Seth asked, shifting the subject. "Well, if you can't have a cheat day on a birthday then what can you have?"

"I know, right?" Chase laughed, smiling more confidently. "This is honestly the first bit of 'unhealthy' food I've had since I became this way. But it's damn delicious. I'll just have to work it off tomorrow."

"Maybe I'll help you with that later," Seth winked, before getting up from the table. "But for now I think I'm going to 'mingle'. Like Davin said. You coming with me babe?"

"I think I'll stay here for a bit," Orias said, much to Seth's disappointment. "Oh, but I'll be here watching you. You shouldn't spend your entire night with just me. We'll have plenty of time once you're a daemon, yes?"

"Oh, so it's true," Chase said, taking another bite of cake. "Wonder how that works..."

"Well, it's not a very common practice, but..." Orias began, as Seth walked away. He'd heard it all before, so he let them be as he headed toward Dylann, Zale and Mark. They were all chatting together as Seth came up, and Mark instantly hugged him tightly as they all took notice of him. Seth blushed a bit as that huge bulge of Mark's rubbed against his own, though the lion didn't seem to notice as he let go of him. God, he was still so much bigger than he was...

"So you're going to become a daemon, are you?" Dylann asked, noticing his arousal and discomfort. "Let me welcome you in advance then, 'brother'. Are you nervous?"

"Extremely. How goes the, uh... fish tank thingie," Seth said, spacing out for a moment on what the word actually was.

"It's going well," Dylann chuckled, taking out his phone and navigating to his gallery. "See? Got a few new fish just today. They don't have names yet, though."

"Oh, nice!" Seth said, taking the phone to get a closer look. "Any other pictures you got? This looks cool and- Oh! Woops..."

Seth got an eyeful of a more compromising photo, and Dylann quickly took it from him and turned it off before shoving it in his pocket. Zale was laughing his ass off as he wrapped an arm around Dylann's smaller frame, the sea god's cheeks about as red as what Seth imagined his would look like if he had his human form still. Yet the sight of Zale bending Dylann over like that... who'd have thought? And who had taken the picture?

"Anyway," Mark said, clearing his throat as he winked at Seth. "Been a bit lonely here without you on stage, Seth. The other dancers keep asking me when you'll be back. Seems like more than a few look up to you."

"I really don't have an answer to that," Seth said, gesturing to himself and his body. "Ask me again when I can change this on command."

"That won't be for a while yet, though I think Liam will help you out until you can," Dylann said, grateful for the change in topic. "I wouldn't worry about it until you have to. Who's the, ah... cobra over there?"

"Onyx. My boyfriend," Seth said. "Open relationship, though. We like to keep it simple."

"Ah yes, the daemon Davin mentioned," Dylann said, nodding. "I thought so. Does he make you happy?"

"I thought you'd disapprove, to be honest," Seth said, smirking a bit. "But yeah. He does."

"I'm not really in any position to 'disapprove' of anything right now," Dylann said, blushing again. "Besides, you seem more confident than usual. I know Prudentia thinks he's a bad influence on you, and I know Davin worries about you, but I think maybe he'll be good for you so long as he knows where to draw the line. How does he feel about all this though?"

"He's happy for me," Seth said, smiling lewdly. "Turns me on thinking I'll be like him..."

"I told you," Mark said to Zale, smiling. "Didn't I?"

"I know. It's still weird though," Zale said, suddenly a bit flustered. "I mean, that a mortal can even become a daemon, not that you're doing it Seth. Ah..."

"I know what you mean. It's weird to me too, though for a few different reasons," Seth said, putting the merlion at ease. "I'll worry about it when I have to, though. Having fun?"

"Well, we were mostly waiting for you to show up. Is the cake any good? I should go try some..." Mark said, leaning over to whisper in Seth's ear. "I wouldn't mind some of that cake you have, either..."

Seth simply watched him saunter off, winking as he walked away toward the refreshments table. The wolf excused himself as he decided to take a walk to cool down from that, doing everything in his power to focus on the party instead. He saw Davin walking toward him eventually, a slightly exasperated look in his eyes despite the smile.

"That bad, huh?" Seth asked, causing Davin to chuckle a bit.

"You weren't kidding about the vines," Davin said, sighing. "But it's properly warded off now. No one should wander in by mistake like last time... I think he tried to shove me in his-"

"Anyway, thanks for the party Davin. Where's Liam? I haven't seen him all night."

"He's busy, but he did tell me to wish you good luck on his behalf. I'm not sure what he's doing exactly but I'm pretty sure it's something related to the realm. I'm really proud of him."

"Ah well. I'm sure I'll see him more than enough after tomorrow," Seth said, slightly disappointed. "I'm kind of feeling a bit antsy right now, though. Is this non-smoking, or..."

"Since when do you smoke? But well... over here then," Davin said, leading Seth through a door. It seemed to be part of the room, a false wall that could be folded up if needed. How big was this room in reality?

"Want one?" Seth said, offering Davin a cigarette after he placed his own in his mouth.

"What the hell," Davin said, taking one before snapping his fingers. A flame lit the end of his thumb as he leaned in close to Seth and lighting both of theirs at once before extinguishing it. It was darker over here, but the sounds of the party and guests were muffled just enough to put Seth at ease. Instead of questions, Davin spent the moment in silence with Seth.

"Are you mad at me?" Seth asked, causing Davin to laugh.

"You have an active imagination if you think I'm mad," Davin said, smirking. "Are you having second thoughts?"

"Hell no," Seth said, smiling. "I guess I just value your opinion. We're friends, right? Especially after..."

"Yes. I'd like to think we are," Davin said, nodding. "Do you ever miss those days in the ocean, when you were just a scholarly advisor?"

"Sometimes," Seth said. "But if I ever do go back to serve, it'll be as a daemon now. I don't think that'll happen for a very long time, though."

"No, I imagine not. You don't strike me as someone who will flip Temperance, or any Virtue really. Will you become a daemon of Lust? Pride? Envy? Maeryn thinks you'll be Envy, at least, though Mammon's got money against it."

"I'm not that envious," Seth said, laughing. "I don't think I have any more regrets clouding my judgment though. I was worried I'd flip Wrath before, but I don't think that'll be a problem now."

"That's good, then. You shouldn't have any doubts about this. I won't be able to be there for you when it happens. But in case you don't retain a physical form, do you want me to take care of your things?"

"Like my apartment and whatnot? If it's not too much trouble. I'll pay you back even."

"I'd do it for free," Davin said, shaking his head. "You're going to be paying a huge price as it is. So don't worry about it, okay? Just relax for now."

"Wanna head back in, then?" Seth asked, wondering where to put his spent cigarette. Davin simply took it from him, and in a flash his and Seth's cigarettes were gone.

"Might as well. We can always head to the dance floor too, if you want. This is more of a meet and greet kind of party," Davin said, opening the door for him.

"I've had enough dancing for a while," Seth said, walking back into the room. "I'm fine with this. What time is it, anyway?"

"Almost midnight," Davin said, sighing. "Almost time. I was hoping you could wait a while longer, but here he comes."

"Lucian," Seth said, confused for a moment as the dragon walked up to them. "What's up?"

"We've an appointment to keep," Lucian said, holding his hand out to him. "Are you ready?"

"We're doing this now, huh? I guess it'll be Sunday technically..." Seth said, sighing. "Might as well get this over with then. I'm ready."

"Good," Lucian said, smiling despite the almost cruel look in his eyes. "You're going to need that resolve."

Grabbing his wrist, Seth felt the world collapse around him as light swirled around them. It was different than the last time, and when he came to from the sudden transit he realized he was in a dark chamber of some kind. Lucian was slightly behind and to the side of him as he stood back up. When had he fallen in the first place?

"It's time," a disembodied voice around him said. It reminded him of Rose, but it sounded... more otherworldly. Terrifying yet soothing.

"Is this truly just?" another commanding voice said, clearly arguing. "To let Pride do this?"

"It all will depend on the mortal and what he can truly endure," a third unfamiliar voice said. He couldn't see any of them, but he felt their eyes and the deep thrum of some kind of power.

"Are you both ready to proceed?" he heard Dylann ask, though he was clearly not in his human form. But then, that meant they were not on Earth for this, as Seth suspected.

"Ready as we'll ever be," Lucian said, his voice grim as Seth merely nodded. "Lady Prudentia, if you would?"

Instead of a verbal response, Seth could feel a great power suddenly upon him... no, it was inside him too. The force of it took his breath away, and he began to feel a burning sensation from deep within. No, not quite burning... it was worse.

"Focus," Lucian encouraged, gripping his somehow bare shoulder with his clawed hand and drawing blood. The normalcy of that pain was enough to snap him out of his rising panic. "Remember who you are. The pain will try to make you forget the reasons you're doing this. Do not succumb to it."

Seth wanted to say or do anything to respond to him, but even his mind was on fire. He was paralyzed with the pain, unable to even describe in words what he was feeling as it reached a new level. His body began breaking down into dust bit by bit, and as his soul rushed to fill in the gaps... it was like he was dying over and over again, but without the grace or mercy of being able to stay dead. Even passing out would have been a blessing, but instead of everything growing darker it only became more and more clear to him. The only tether he had to keep his sanity in check was the power he felt flowing from Lucian into himself throughout the entire process, feeling like wings surrounding him and keeping him intact where it mattered. Was he screaming? He didn't even know if he could scream anymore, if he had been. Every memory he'd ever experienced was clear as day, along with every mistake and every triumph. He felt full and hollow, hot and cold, living and dead. Nothing made sense, yet for a brief moment everything did. After what felt like ages, he began to realize the pain was subsiding. His mind slowly came back to him, and he felt himself forming as he was reborn.

"I knew you were strong," Lucian said, once he had ears to hear him with once again. "Keep going. Don't stop."

"Ifafgghh..." Seth said, trying to form words before his mouth was completely set. He felt like he'd break apart again at any moment, but instead of panicking he doubled his resolve and imagined himself as he wished to be. He knew who he was. He knew what he was now. Growling, the rest of his body obeyed his commands as he once again became the wolf anthro named Seth. But he knew he had a new name, now. His true name; gasping for breath, he knew the full extent of why he would need to keep it secret. It was everything he was, and so much more.

"...That... that sucked," Seth said, laughing as he composed himself mentally. "But thank you, for everything. All of you."

"You're welcome," Lucian said, withdrawing his hand. He sounded very tired. "Don't disappoint me, little daemon. Bring us back; I'll lend you enough of my energy to do it."

"If that's your wish, Lucian," Seth chuckled, also sounding tired. He was so weak right now, but as enough power flowed into him he began to get an idea of just how much more powerful the dragon was compared to himself. It turned him on more than it should have, but instead of focusing on that he decided to focus. He already knew how to travel, but it was just... so much easier now, he realized. None of the spells or magic he'd learned mattered when he could simply just... reach out and do it. Yet as quickly as he had felt empowered, it left him again as Earth formed around them. Not long after, he felt another daemon appearing nearby... Dylann had returned.

"Feeling solid enough?" Dylann asked, once they'd all recovered enough. "Not going to fall apart, are you?"

"I'm good, but thanks," Seth said, feeling a little sick. He needed to feed. The energy... he could feel it out there waiting for him. "Excuse me."

He stumbled without waiting for a response from either Dylann or Lucian, moving toward where he knew the dance floor would be. Where the bar was. Where his sustenance and life force existed. He was clothed at least, but it was the farthest thing from his mind as he finally entered the main area. Moaning, he felt the energy all around him begin flowing into him as his instincts took over. So many mortals. So much energy... so many souls. It would be so easy just to reach out and... but no. He would never do that. Especially not after everything the other daemons had done for him just to be like this. Instead, he chose to make his way to the bar and sit down.

"...What'll you have? The usual?"

Looking up, he smiled weakly at Davin as he nodded. He didn't want to do anything except sit there for a while. A lot of energy to create, but not as much to maintain, huh? He realized just how right Orias had been. It had taken everything he had almost to form this body, and Lucian had given him plenty of it.

"There's a bit of my energy in there, too," Davin said, handing him his drink. "I won't take no for an answer. You need it right now, brother, so drink up."

He looked down to see his drink, but with a straw in it as well. Instead of saying anything, he just drank through the straw. Davin was right; there was energy in this, too... but far more condensed. Why did it taste so good? It reminded him of so many of his own kinks, and he felt his need to be dominant coming to the foreground.

"What is this stuff?" he managed to ask, finally feeling his sickness subside.

"Something that would normally make you lose your form completely, unless you're as powerful as me or Liam," Davin said, not giving any other answer. "If you weren't almost breaking apart, I would have resorted to just giving you energy directly. Enough to last you for a few days at least while you grow more accustomed to this form. I'm surprised you're not floating around among them, though. Did you notice them yet?"

Looking at the dance floor, Seth realized he could see other shapes if he focused hard enough. They didn't make sense to his physical sight, but he knew what they were just at a glance. Other lust daemons like himself, but without a physical form. Some were powerful, some were not. He also saw other daemons he didn't quite recognize, but they weren't as numerous. Relaxing his focus, he went back to only seeing those with physical bodies as he turned back to Davin.

"Gods that's weird," Seth said, taking another sip of his drink. There wasn't much left of it, but it was like heaven with every drop. "It's all weird. I thought being a mortal had its moments but this? Wow. Not exactly what I expected it to feel like, and yet I'm not surprised."

"You seem better now, at least," Davin said, shrugging. Taking the rest of Seth's drink away, he merely shook his head before Seth could protest. "If you have another drop of that stuff you're likely to burst. I took a risk in even offering it to you. I've never done it before with a lesser daemon, but I had a feeling it would work with you. A mortal genesis is quite unique for a daemon, as far as origins go... after all, it's the only one that can't occur naturally."

"I would thank Lucian, but I know he hates that. I could feel it as my body ripped apart, though. He gave me more energy than he needed to."

"He likes you," Davin said, smiling. "He just won't admit it, short of going 'make me proud boy' or 'don't disappoint me, boy'. He's just like that. Won't stop him from kicking your ass if you break our rules, though. Do you know what those are?"

"...Yeah, oddly enough," Seth said, realizing he had the knowledge in him already. "I guess they just thought it'd be easier to give it to me instead of telling me, huh?"

"Well that way you can't say you misunderstood or didn't hear them right," Davin said, chuckling. "There's no room for doubt now. But I think you'll be fine. It's not too difficult to follow them really, so long as you're not a complete fucking moron. But enough of that. What's your true name? I assume you learned it when you reformed."

"Nice try. You know I can't tell you that," Seth laughed, and Davin simply nodded. "Not even an hour into my new life and you're trying to control me, huh?"

"It was a test. Glad you're not stupid," Davin said, smiling. "Though if you had slipped up I would have told you mine. Not many other daemons will give you that courtesy, so guard it well. Not even your boyfriend should know it, understand?"

"No, I get it," Seth said, touched at his concern. "Oh god do I get it. To think one little thing could control me so completely... it scares me."

"If you ever do decide to give it to someone, just know that those floating about you won't be able to hear or understand it. Only those daemons you tell directly will hear it. But mortals can overhear it, so you should still be careful not to say it around anyone you don't want to know it. But hey, you don't need me lecturing you right now. What do you want to do, now that you don't need to sleep? The night never grows too old for our kind."

"Think I'll head back into the party, actually," Seth said, rising more steadily this time. "Thanks, Davin. Really."

"Your public awaits," Davin chuckled, waving him off. Heading back, he ran into Orias on the way. Confused but pleased, he allowed the cobra to embrace him. Before he could say a word, they were locked in a passionate kiss.

"What was that for?" Seth asked, breathless.

"Do I need a reason?" Orias said, smiling. "But I can tell you're different now. You really are a daemon, aren't you?"

"Yeah," Seth said, leaning against him as they entered the room. A round of applause erupted around him, preventing further conversation for a moment. He simply waved; Dylann must have told them what had happened. Lucian walked up to him, crossing his arms as he usually did... but he could tell he was proud of him. Like some sort of father or mentor who was proud of their charge.

"I'm like you now," Seth said, and Lucian nodded.

"Not quite like me, but well on your way," Lucian said, a wide grin on his face. "Don't disappoint me; I invested quite a bit in you."

"That is so you, Lucian," Seth laughed, nuzzling against Orias. "Don't make me start thanking you."

"Enjoy the rest of your night," Lucian said, dismissing himself quickly. Laughing, Orias and Seth found a corner table and just sat there, enjoying each others' company and occasionally chatting to the odd guest that walked by. It was a good night, and Seth knew he would have many more nights to come.