Dark Hunger

"Ah gods!" Elize said and came all around his finger. 

Caleb licked her to his heart's content with a growl. She became limp after her second release for the day. Caleb picked her up and then carried her to the soft grass where he set her down. He crawled over her and then drove inside her all over again. He came with a bellow arc upon arc. Totally satisfied and feeling wonderful, he collapsed beside her. Then he turned her back to his chest and pulled her against him. "Sleep love," he said. Elize had already closed her eyes as a smile tugged her lips up. 

He didn't know how much time had passed but he shot up, drenched in sweat and heart racing like a wild horse in his ribcage. 

He had dreamed of the night when Laurel had called Vaden to strike the deal. It was the night when things could awry had he not emulated her magic and put a glamor on her so that she looked like Elize. Everything would have been ruined. Elize could have ended up dead and the Amber Moonstone stolen. 

Caleb could feel the anger and frustration building inside him when he was sleeping and dreaming. Rage and disbelief twisted inside him. In his dream he saw his spells breaking and then Vaden taking Elize away and slicing her neck with his claws. He shuddered, with the sickening feeling of Vaden's claws in her flesh. He could see her pale face as blood bubbled out of her mouth as she tried to scream but couldn't. He saw her slumping in Vaden's arms and then saw Laurel giving him a look filled with pleasure and pity. 

Caleb blinked down and was surprised to find his mate next to him on the cool grass. This time she was wrapped in a dry towel and curled against him. It was evening and the sunlight was slanted on the walls. Her skin was like a healthy rose, her lips were parted and her eyelashes were thick against her cheeks. A riot of golden hair was fanning over his arm and chest. Caleb picked up a strand of her hair and worried it between his fingers and thumb. His eyes went to her beautiful face and he recalled how bravely she had encountered the demon and how confidently she had managed to drive them all out of danger. He recalled how Elize had talked and talked to him while she was giving him a bath and then stayed up all the while till his fever subsided. He was not sure of the questions she asked him, but he was going to get out that secret soon. In fact, it worried him if she had asked him about his past. 

Caleb was very proud of his wee little vampire. She had taken everything in her stride so nicely. She was slowly and steadily falling into her new life with him. He took a deep sigh and then rose up. He traced a finger over her thigh, kissed her bare skin over there and then got up to look at his reflection in the water. He had healed up completely. He dressed in his pants and a shirt and then with a languid look at his mate, he walked out of the cave. When he saw the waterfall that acted like a curtain to the cave, he waved his hand and the waterfall parted for him to go. 

He took a winding path down the cave and then walked towards where Auril's tent was. Before coming here, he had arranged for all this. There were two tents and a dozen guards and a load of spells to keep their presence under wraps. It was his brother, Daryn, who he had informed that he would be coming to Yelgra and Daryn had sprung into action. 

The tangle of wood, golden soil, stone and moss loomed, as the green, silver and golden leaves of Yelgra trees rustled in soft wind. Somewhere in the distance a swollen brook gurgled. He heard the birds chirping noisily, flapping their wings to settle in their nests. 

Auril was in his tent relaxing in his bed. He had slept for the entire day and was feeling refreshed. After Caleb had taken his wife to a location he didn't know about, he had taken a long bath, eaten lots of food and slept. 

"Can we talk?" Caleb said as he lifted the flap of the tent, waking him up. 

"Ah gods!" Auril shot up, his magic sizzling around his fingers. 

"Calm down!" said Caleb as he pulled a chair and perched himself on it. 

Auril shook his head. "Sure," he breathed. 

"I wanted to talk to you about going to Bainsburgh." By saying that he had caught Auril's wavering attention. "I think it would not be safe for you to go to Bainsburgh now. After the chaos that occurred yesterday night, with all the magic showing up everywhere, I am sure that humans would have noticed it." He crossed his leg over his knee. "Moreover, now we have demons on our tail. Edrym will come to know about Laurel soon enough and then he would do his best to come to us. Laurel is Urhan's sister and Urhan is the head priest in Ixoviya. When I will go to Ixoviya, I am extremely sure that Urhan will notice his sister's absence and obviously ask for her." 

"That is going to be one interesting conversation!" Auril said. He got out of bed and poured a glass of water for himself from the pitcher on the table. "Don't you think Urhan would know about Laurel before you tell him?" 

Caleb tilted his head and scratched his stubble. "It is possible and it is not. What I mean is that Laurel said that some councilmen had sent her to be with him and Urhan had come to Fulshire with her to drop her. The brother and sister seem close. Daryn had chosen Urhan after the old priest of Ixoviya betrayed us. He was our mother's spy." He pursed his lips when he recalled how the old priest had tried to toast them in fire. "I don't want to take chances and I would prefer if you stay here in Yelgra with us. We are going to be in hiding for as long as it takes to clear the whole mess of Ixoviya." 

Auril listened to him carefully and poked his tongue in his cheek. He hadn't seen Cole in so long and he was craving to take one look at the boy. Caleb had made him take a vow to the Lore to stay away from Cole.  Auril had vowed in a heartbeat when he came to know that Caleb was related to Cole. The knowledge was like a blast of icy surprise. He had laughed and laughed at the irony of it. All this while he was with Caleb and Elize without knowing it. He was planning on going to Wick, Scotland, to take a flight to Bainsburgh. And then Caleb revealed about Cole. "You can't meet him or talk to him till he turns eighteen," Caleb had said. "However, you can see him from distance without his knowledge."

Auril had agreed to his conditions in the blink of an eye. Caleb had assured him to send him to Bainsburgh with Daryn.

"No!" Auril growled.