The fire had gone out some hours ago even though it was still well into the early morning. Ari watched it in silence, willing himself not to succumb to sleep. When Ari could faintly make out the light snore of Freir and the even breaths of Rein, he rose from the ground. He did it as quietly as possible without so much as a rustle from the grass surrounding them.

His body felt heavy and sore. There was a ringing in his head now accompanied by an itch in the back of his throat that would not go away.

Ari blinked a few more times, adjusting his eyes to the darkness more. After taking Auovin's blood, his vision grew clearer as well as his hearing. He could not see everything in the dark, but he could make out the outlines of trees and grass, even animals. His sense of smell was always impeccable, but it grew far much more than he could have ever imagined. He inhaled deeply catching the scent of Cyrus and Auovin's blood. Along with that, came the smell of demons. He took one last long look at Freir before heading southeast.

It was quiet and it was cold. As he breathed, he saw his breath formed small clouds, disappearing within seconds. He wrapped his arms tight around himself and clamped his mouth shut to stop his teeth from chattering. It was then he was beginning to miss Freir and his warmth. Regret and the pressing desire to go back was eating away at him, peeling off bits and pieces of his resolve.

Ari dug his fingers into his upper arm. It made him feel pain which caused his blood to circulate more through his body, warming him. He could feel his cheeks burning from the cold and his fingers stiffening. The smell of Cyrus and Auovin was still far. As he looked around in the dark, he felt a presence nearby. He swung his head left before swinging it right. It was multiplying. He bit down against his lip, preparing himself, but all that came out was a very furry looking squirrel. Two and then three more came scurrying across the forest floor and up onto a nearby oak tree.

Its branches were long like fingers curling into claws. The bark was peeling off and a stench of something dying came from it, causing Ari to back away. As he looked closer, it was oozing out a dark, thick mucous that came from all parts of the tree. He swallowed and thought to leave, but as if the tree had eyes it turned and swayed catching his attention once more.

The wind was chilling, but upon his cheek it whispered words, it seemed. They were still in demon country and many things about the place was left unknown and unexplored. Not even the Khaeo dared to venture so far north. It was with good reason, Ari figured. He stared at the tree and the tree stared back, causing Ari to shudder. Again, he looked around himself and decided to leave slowly without turning his back to it. Something about it gave him an ominous feeling, but he pushed the thought aside and left as far away as he could from it. The wind howled and the trees moaned. He could hear them now, which frightened him.

They sounded as if they were in pain and dying. Their limbs reaching closer to the ground with each turn of his head. He covered his ears and walked, but he could still hear them.

Was he hallucinating? Was this because of his lack of blood? Just the thought made Ari nauseous and his head spin. He steadied himself on a tree doing his best to keep his breath even. When he took his hand back, his palm was covered in warm sap. Sap that smelled of death and decay. He wiped it onto his pants and trudged ahead.

It was muddy and humid the further he went. A fog was creeping into the early morning along with the small bits of sunlight peaking from the east. The sky was turning blue, but darkness still lingered inside the forest. It was too dense for much light to seep through. His eyes were heavy with sleep. He made a mental note to himself to never do something like this again. He felt like he had walked for hours with each hour being longer than the last.

Ari heard a smack come from nearby, causing him to shake himself awake and run towards the sound. He heard shouting next following by a thud and strained breath.

"Cyrus," he heard Auovin growl as Cyrus sat on top of him, lifting up his shirt. Auovin twisted underneath him, but Cyrus kept him firmly in place.

"Let me put this on you."

"No, it burns."

"You like the taste of pain, but you do not like to be in pain yourself?" Cyrus leaned down and smiled. "How funny that is."

He pressed moss into a wound. Unlike he thought, Cyrus did not put it in gently. He shoved it inside, causing Auovin to hiss.

"This is your fault, after all. For trusting them," Cyrus said as he wedged another handful into his side, causing Auovin to sink his nails into his arms drawing blood. Before he could finish, Auovin pushed Cyrus off of him and pressed his hand to his side. He was scowling.

Ari took a weary step backward unsure of this. There was so much he did not understand and that they were keeping away from him, both them and Freir. He did not want to be so ignorant any longer. So he had to nestle it all down and cope. He had to or else this world would eat him alive.

"Then what would you have had me do? I am being patient. I am waiting."

"You are using him."

"And since when did you care?" Auovin barked.

"There are things that should not be remembered, Auovin, as you know this."

Auovin grinned and cocked his head to one side. "He will find out one way or another. When he does, do you want him to be with the humans then?"

"Auovin."

"What better way to remember painful things than with physical touch?" He played with his hands as if weighing one then the other. "Something bitter along with something sweet."

Cyrus only stared, unsmiling as always.

"And I am not using him. I quite like him. I sent him to you, did I not?"

Ari's throat had gone dry and his head was pounding too much for him to think much else of anything that they were saying. He smelled Auovin's blood, and like a man dying of thirst in a scorching desert, Ari wanted him badly.

"You may feign dislike and disinterest all you want, but I know you, Cyrus." Auovin rose from the ground along with Cyrus who only continued to eye him. "You have grown an interest in him after kissing him, have you not?"

Instead of answering him, Cyrus turned and gazed straight into Ari's eyes. Ari stared at him for a moment before his eyes drew to Auovin's smiling ones.

"So you have decided to come to us," Auovin said, unsurprised. His hand was still pressed against his side and his neck was littered with scratches and bites.

Ari looked at Cyrus not seeing many wounds on him. He was pretty as he ever was. With the sun rising his golden hair and green eyes seemed to sparkle.

"If you decide to come with us, you must know just what it is you are getting yourself involved with," Cyrus said with eyes never moving from his.

Ari stepped closer not so intimidated by Cyrus' stare. It still made him feel very small under his gaze, but he was not so fearful of him as he once was. Auovin was right when he said he was as kind and giving as the sun.

Cyrus took his hand covered with sticky sap and tugged him towards the lake.

"Why had you gone out by yourself?" Cyrus asked madly yanking him down until his whole arm was dipped into the cold water.

Ari lurched forward, but Cyrus only pressed him down as if he was a small child.

"This is too much too soon," Cyrus said as he turned to look at Auovin.

The water chilled him to the bone and stole away what little heat he had left. Cyrus' rubbed against his own removing the sticky substance until it was gone.

"There is no such thing as too soon any longer. It has begun and he has chosen."

Auovin came and kneeled down near him just as Cyrus let his arm go. He pushed his back against Cyrus' chest as Auovin leaned in close to him. Ari was becoming wary of him. Nothing but false truths ever seemed to come from his lips. When truths dripped from it, it was to his benefit as was everything.

"You have chosen, Little Ari, and what a fine choice you made." Auovin grinned.

"I did not choose anything," Ari murmured as his body shook from the cold.

Auovin grabbed his chin and pulled down on it until his teeth were bared.

"You have no fangs, but they will grow. For now, just eat and rest. You have a long journey ahead of you." Auovin rose, muscling down a hiss from the pain. He left further into the woods, leaving Ari alone with Cyrus.

Ari turned around to look at Cyrus. His lips were drawn tight and his eyes were like slits with specks of green peeking through the cracks.

"You should not have come," Cyrus said.

"I know. I know I should not have, but I had to. I had to," Ari breathed.

"They had warned you, had they not?"

Ari furrowed his brows before nodding. "They had." His eyes were slipping away from Cyrus' green eyes to his lips and further down to the nape of his neck.

"Why did you not listen?"

Ari purposely pressed his body against Cyrus', taking in the warmth of his body. There was a pounding in his head, but Ari ignored it. He continued to stare at Cyrus, for a moment. Soon his lips were pressed against his hot ones. Just as Cyrus was about to kiss him back, Ari pulled away.

"We live for the touch of another. It is what makes our blood run hot and are skin burn, is that not right?"

"It is, but it should not make you so ignorant to everything around you."

"Then teach me. Tell me all it is that I should know."

"There are things you should never know."

Ari frowned and looked away from him. "You are full of riddles as well."

Cyrus showed him his neck with detached eyes, unfeeling eyes that sent a shiver down his spine.

"Is this not what you want? Take it, and be gone. Do not come back."

Ari eyed his neck before looking back into his eyes.

"Auovin, he—"

"Will become a martyr to a cause that has long since been dead."

"The cause?"

"Ari—"

"The cause?" Ari asked again.

Cyrus kissed him, silencing him with his lips and tongue. Ari had to hold on to a piece of his shirt to keep himself upright. He was melting, or was he drowning? He could no longer tell. The taste of mint coated his tongue and soon he was tasting honey as Cyrus deepened the kiss. His soft hands were in his hair now gently combing through it.

Ari loved the feel of his hands and taste of his mouth. He loved his voice and the rare times he would smile. He backed away from Cyrus as he felt his cheeks flushing and his body growing warmer. Cyrus went on and turned his head bearing his neck to him again.

"Drink."

Ari bit into his neck, but Cyrus did not let out a hiss of pain or sigh. He sank his teeth down further into his neck until blood pooled in his mouth. The feeling was euphoric, almost. It tasted as good as it smelled. It was much thinner than Auovin's which made it much easier to swallow. After the third or fourth gulp, Ari felt his body burning up.

He sighed into Cyrus' neck as a strong tingling sensation spread throughout his body. His eyes were barely open due to the pleasure of it all. Cyrus turned his head back to look at him. Ari felt his hands on his cheek, pushing his head towards him. Cyrus' soft lips pressed into his cheek, dragging down to his neck lingering there until Ari moved away.

Cyrus looked at him the same way Auovin looked at him. He saw it then. The lust and want in eyes that gave nothing away. Ari swallowed, still tasting his blood, fresh in his mouth. As he breathed, he could feel Cyrus' chest, pushing up against his own. Cyrus turned his head the moment Ari was about to kiss him. It made Ari's brow furrow.

"It is good to see you both getting along so well now... " Auovin said, causing Cyrus to push Ari fully away from him.

Auovin's eyes went from his to Cyrus' as his smile grew into a grin. He walked closer to them and stopped in front of Cyrus. He stared, for a moment, before pressing his thumb against his bottom lip wiping away the blood. He kissed his lips, then and Cyrus kissed him back. A bitter feeling lodged in Ari's stomach.

"Rest now." Auovin turned to face Ari. "You will need it." He picked up his hand, turning it over before kissing his knuckles. "Do not touch those trees again. Dead souls, they are. They can infest even demons, if wicked enough."

Ari could only stare in utter confusion. With just a simple kiss as that, it made his heart beat faster. In all of his wretchedness, Ari still very much liked him. He did not understand it himself. He did not.

Auovin rose before long taking Cyrus' hand in his as he did.

"Rest, Little Ari. The journey will be long," Auovin said again just before they disappeared off into the forest.

Ari was confused with all of the feelings and emotions swimming through him. He did not know what he wanted. Not anymore. Somehow, Ari knew even if he went on and listened to Cyrus' words, there would not be enough distance to separate himself from Auovin. It was not as if he wanted the distance himself, if he were to be honest with himself.

No, Ari thought. He had to go back... And it was there that he would find some answers to his questions.