Cupidity chapter twenty-two

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

Previous chapters here

All comments are hugely appreciated.



Angel sat on the bed and put his face in his hands. He could see the floor between his fingers, reflecting back at him. "She's crazy, isn't she," he said. "I mean, really crazy."

"Rose was never overly stable. Clearly the curse hasn't helped."

"She would really do that. Kill my family. Your mom. Marco and Mrs Benoit and everyone."

"I don't think she could kill Eos. I won't let her kill anyone else."

Angel looked up. "Oh, yeah? How exactly are you gonna stop her? She's got as much power as Alberich, doesn't she? The real thing, like you said. You can't do anything, can you?"

Robin looked away. "I'll think of something."

Angel'd already thought of something. Robin didn't like it, and it scared the shit out of him, but the thought of Rose going after his family was scarier. He wondered if he'd dream of Eos tonight. He didn't know how else to find her.

Robin came to stand over him and kissed his hair. "I promise you," he said, but he sounded just as lost as Angel felt.

"Don't worry," Angel heard himself say. "It'll be okay. We'll be all right." He wished abruptly that Jenny had told Robin's fortune, too. He hugged Robin hard around his waist and stood up. "I'm just gonna take a walk, okay? I... I need to think. I won't be long."

Robin looked like he'd rather tie him to the bed and sit on his chest all night than agree, but he nodded slowly. "Please be careful."

"I will."

Angel walked downstairs and out onto the busy, oblivious street. He stopped at the first pay phone he came to and dialed Jenny's number.

***

Jenny sat across from him in the same bar as before. They ate the same fried squid, or at least Angel tried to eat it. His stomach felt queasy.

"Something to ensure you dream of the queen. Something to attract her attention. On purpose. Are you insane?" Jenny said flatly.

"Look, it's a really long story, and I don't have a lot of time here. Can you do it or not?"

Jenny looked at him until he started to fidget and then she looked at him some more.

"Yes," she said, finally. It was a decisive yes. Angel realized he'd been hoping for a maybe, or a maybe-ish sort of yes that would leave him a little hope that he wouldn't have to do this after all until it was much too late to back out.

"Oh."

She pulled a few zip-top bags out of her backpack and held out her hand. "Give me that rune back."

He did, and she laid a sprig of silver stuff on it, and some tiny blue flowers, and some white bell-shaped flowers. She bound them all to the tile with silver wire and handed it back to him. "Wormwood, fern flowers, moon silver, and wood sorrel. Sleep with it under your pillow. If that doesn't do it, I'll be very surprised." She frowned at him. "Given the way things seem to be going for you, I'd be very surprised if you didn't see her tonight anyway. I don't know why the hell you want to encourage her."

"We've got a plan. Sorta. Thanks." He stood to go. "Wait. You just carry this stuff around with you?"

"I do when I have friends in town who I know are screwing around with things they shouldn't be and suspect I might have to go and yank their asses of the other world on short notice."

His throat felt tight as he hugged her goodbye and headed back to the hotel. He managed to slip the charm under his pillow when Robin wasn't looking.

***

Eos was there when he opened his eyes. The woods were all around them. There was soft grass under him. He lay with his head in her lap as she stroked his hair. The ragged edges of her nails caught in it and pulled. She smiled down at him.

"I knew you would come to me. They all come to me at the last."

He nodded. Her hair tumbled over her shoulders, woven through with tiny white flowers. Her dress had slipped down to bare the perfect curve of one shoulder. He looked into her eyes, and it was exactly like looking over the edge of that cliff. He could see clouds far below him.

"I had to come," he said, which was true.

"Of course you did, my love." Her voice was like a spell, like shadows wrapping around him. It made him want to give her anything. "And now you're here with me, and I will give you gold, all you could ever want."

"I don't want gold."

She frowned. "You mortals always want gold. Useless gold, so bright it hurts the eyes. I make it for you, out of your very sweat and blood. It makes things right. It balances the scales."

"I don't want it."

"Then what do you want?"

Angel hesitated. If he asked for her blood now, he had a feeling this would all go wrong, and quickly. "Something--something of yours. To remember you by, my lady. That's all."

"You would remember me?"

"I don't want to ever forget you." He didn't. It would be way too dangerous.

She touched his mouth, then leaned down to kiss him. "Sweet words," she whispered. "You sound like my Alberich."

The kiss made him shiver like Alberich's laugh had, too dark and sweet to be real. She smoothed the hair back from his face and kissed him again, licking delicately at his lips.

"God. You're so beautiful," he whispered.

She smiled, and it made her shine somehow, like the moon had chosen that second to spotlight her. Angel looked up. There was no moon in the dark sky; only stars. He could see exactly why the men Robin brought her agreed to whatever she asked. He needed to not think about Robin right now.

She made that easy. She stood and shed her clothes in one uncanny flowing movement. All around her, tiny white flowers bloomed in the darkness, letting out their sweet scent. He hardly was able to look away from her, but over her shoulder he saw the golden tips of her bow, cradled in the branches of a twisting thorn-covered tree. She moved over him, looking down at him with her sky-filled gaze, and he couldn't think about anything else.

Her nipples were hard, jutting from the soft full curve of her breasts. Her strong legs and smooth muscled arms were perfect and so was the sleek curve of her hips. He was naked, he realised, spread out for her on the soft moss, waiting. He was so hard, so ready for her. He had his fingers curled around himself already and he almost writhed with need. Words flowed; he couldn't stop them, and he wondered how many times she'd heard them before.

"Please," he said. "Don't make me wait. I need you. Let me-- Please"

"I never forget this moment," she said, and she ran her hand down over her breast, to her stomach, then lower. "You are all so beautiful to me."

She let her fingers slide between her legs as she watched him. They came away wet. She sighed and the trees around them quivered. Angel's mind shook with the force of her pleasure, as she dropped to her knees over him, arched her back and cried out and slid down onto him in one fluid motion.

"Oh. My lady of the woods," he whispered, shuddering. "Thank you," he stuttered. "Oh, yes."

She laughed, all teeth, and planted her hands flat on his chest and began to move, raising her hips and then sinking herself back onto him, so hot that he might catch on fire, or go crazy, more hot and wet and perfect than anyone, ever. Her beauty hurt his eyes. Blood pulsed in his ears till he was dizzy, but she didn't stop, not even when he came. She moaned and lowered herself onto him with slow sinuous movements of her hips, her fingers just there, working herself. Her hair hung around her shoulders, silver like cobwebs in the starlight. He tangled his hands in it and cupped her breasts and gazed at her face.

She leaned down to kiss him then, pressing her breasts to his chest so he could feel their weight and warmth. She let him push his tongue into her mouth, let him wrap his arms round her hips and fuck up into her, hard and fast, because his dick wasn't getting tired, not even a little, not even after he'd come.

This is what it must be like for Robin, he thought, and then wished he hadn't. He could see Robin's face if he closed his eyes. He'd be asleep right now, all unknowing. As if she'd guessed, she took a strand of his hair and tugged it, enough to sting.

"Stay with me, my darling," she whispered. "Don't wander away. I have you all night."

"I'm sorry," he gasped, and clung tight.

She kissed him again, sucking and licking at his mouth, pressing so hard with her kisses that it bruised his lips. He held her shoulders and rolled them over until she was underneath him, legs spread wide. Angel whimpered as she held him, hands pulling long strokes down his spine. He pressed his face to her neck because he couldn't deal with that hunger in her eyes. This was really happening. She took his shoulders and eased him back, as if he weighed nothing. Her eyes were darker now, and harder.

"Don’t hide your face from me," she said, brushing his hair from his face. "You are so lovely," she said. "I'm almost sorry." She arched up and kissed him. "I want your tongue inside me, Angel."

He licked her, sliding his tongue into her hot flesh until she wrapped her legs around his neck and screamed. It was loud and high, like the pulsing cry of a bird. She was all he could taste and feel and see and hear. He realised his thighs were wet where he'd come again and not even noticed. God. He sucked in breath and shook his head.

"Angel," she whispered, and caught his wrist with her fingers, gripping tight. "I haven't finished with you yet."

She pulled him close and lay curled against his chest, whether sleeping or just resting he wasn't sure. He drifted, holding her close. Once, he opened his eyes to see the small clearing ringed about with the pale faces of her women, all staring down. They held white flowers in their clasped hands, just as if they were bridesmaids. Or possibly mourners at a funeral, he thought. He pressed his face to Eos's hair and squeezed his eyes shut, listening to them whisper and growl to themselves. Her mouth moved on his skin, and she found his nipple and sucked, then moved lower, spreading his thighs to slide her mouth down over his stiff and aching cock. He moaned and arched and kept his eyes tight shut. When he opened them again, long after, they'd gone.

Something else was gone too. The bow. In its place lay a small silver object that he had to squint to identify. It was a gun. He abruptly wanted to laugh, and then he wanted to howl. He snapped his eyes away from the tree and back to Eos's flushed face, terrified that she'd know, or that she'd see it in his eyes or something.

"Kiss me," he said, pulling her close. "Fuck me some more." It wasn't even like he had to force himself. He was still rigid and his balls ached with wanting to fuck her, harder and longer and more. He might die anyway, once she noticed, but at least he'd die happy. "Anything you want, please. Fuck, please."

Her growl against his mouth was feral. She pushed her fingers into his mouth and his ass, sucked him and bit at his skin, fucked him until he was shaking and sweating, the night air cool on his heated skin. He tried very hard not to think of Robin, and of what he must've seen. Angel hadn't seen or heard him at all, hadn’t even thought of him for hours.

Dawn came, with grey light sky rising behind the dark branches. There was no sun though, just silvery sky. It grew pink as Eos slid from his grasp and sprawled on the moss next to him, her limbs spread and her head tipped back. She was smiling. Steam rose from her skin.

"Tell me your dreams," she said. "Your fondest wishes. Give them to me."

There was no way to deny her. Angel shivered. Words came again, and he spilled out things he hadn't even known he wanted, and some he knew he did.

"I want your son," he said. "I want him all for my own. I want him free of you," and she sighed and held him close. His head hurt and his legs and arms were heavy. His stomach knotted in fear as he met her clouded eyes.

"What would you have, my darling?" she said.

"What?" he said, and his voice was like a whisper. Looking down, he saw red teeth marks on his skin and streaks of blood on his chest from her nails. They began to sting even as he looked. A green glossy-backed beetle ran over his hand, followed by a ginger coloured ant. Somewhere in the trees near his head, a cricket sang loud and harsh.

"Your half of the bargain. I keep my promises," Eos said. She sprang to her feet and stretched. Her skin was perfect and unmarked.

Angel pushed himself up. The women were here somewhere, he could sense them. Twigs snapped now and then, close by. He rubbed at his eyes and stood, feeling his knees wobble.

"Blood," he said. "I want your blood."

Her eyes widened. "Why?"

He thought of Robin. Meeting her eyes was hard, but it wasn't impossible. "It's worth more to me than anything else."

It was the truth, in a way. Maybe she saw that. She was silent for a long time, shifting from foot to foot, narrowed eyes on his face.

"Very well. It's only fair. If that's what you want."

One of the women appeared at her side with a knife. Its blade flashed as Eos slit her palm. Dark red blood welled up and spilled through her fingers in thick streams.

"Blood for my sacrifice," she said, and looked into Angel's eyes. "How will you carry it with you, little one?"

He had nothing.

He couldn't even soak it up with his clothes. They were nowhere in sight. He stepped towards her, and it felt like he was being pulled. Darkness spotted his vision. His heart was pumping so hard his chest hurt. He dropped to his knees in front her and took her hand.

Blood fell from it without clotting, without any lessening of its flow. He pressed his lips to her palm. It tasted like honey. He drank.

It came faster than he could swallow, and it spilled down his neck and chest. A tiny rivulet rolled down his stomach over his cock, and he felt himself start to harden again. He moaned hopelessly and pulled away, scrambling to his feet. It was too much. He couldn't, not again.

Her woman watched him as he stood, swaying, wondering how he'd ever get back now. He couldn't run. He could barely walk. It almost didn't seem worth trying. He licked his lips. Her blood was so sweet. It sent warmth spreading through him, and a strange heaviness in his limbs. He took another step and stumbled.

Eos ran a finger down his spine. "You could stay with me, my love. You needn't leave. Not ever."

He closed his eyes and pressed his hands to his face. "No. I want to go home."

"Angel." That wasn't Eos. It was Robin's voice, and he sounded almost panicked.

Angel opened his eyes and saw Robin standing close, hand half-outstretched, like he was afraid to touch him. The blood, Angel thought. It must be all over him.

"I'm all right," he mumbled. He took a step forward and fell into Robin's arms.