Ari tilted his head back to look at Auovin with furrowed brows. "Finish what we began? Do you not mean continue?"

"Do not pick at my words. They mean the same."

"They do not," Ari whispered as his eyes lowered. He was letting his lust get in the way of his thinking. Something was amiss, as it always was, and Auovin was not telling him a thing which was nothing new. What was bothering him was Auovin's words and his actions. Ari did not know what they meant or what he was trying to do.

"You tried to push me away for a while and now, with just a few words, you finally lessen your resolve... Why?" Ari said. His eyes lingered at Auovin's lips for a moment before looking at anything and everything but him. He did not want to become a slave to his desires, but he was fighting a losing battle.

Auovin lowered his head close enough to kiss him causing Ari's breath to hitch in the back of his throat. Ari licked his lips and trained his eyes on Auovin's hair. Water was still dripping from his ends. As they trailed down his neck, Ari had to fixate himself on something less tempting like the fire crackling nearby.

"Knowing will not change a thing," Auovin said, filling the silence.

"That is not why I want to know."

"You failed to listen to me many times." Auovin caressed his cheek. "Listen to me in this."

"Auovin," Ari mumbled. He loved how warm Auovin's hands were now. How soft they were. Ari fought the need to snuggle into his hand. Ari did not want to argue and ruin a moment he had been pining for the longest time. However, he wanted answers.

"You are difficult and frustrating," Ari began, "You make no sense— the things you do— and I suppose I have learned to accept that or ignore it. I cannot be certain."

"I can say the same for you—"

"Because you misunderstand me," Ari interjected.

"As you misunderstand me," Auovin said drawing closer to his lips. Ari could see his own reflection in his eyes, he was so close. He had such pretty eyes and pretty lips. Ari sighed trying to look elsewhere, but Auovin turned his head back to face him. When he did, Auovin parted Ari's lips and kissed him. Ari sighed into him not expecting a soft kiss to come from him. A pair of yellow narrowed eyes peered into his as he opened them.

Auovin's hair was still wet from the rain. Drops of water trailed down his cheek. Ari wanted to wipe them away just to have an excuse to feel the smoothness of his skin. He pressed a hand to Auovin's cheek, wiping away the water. Auovin was a growing temptation by the second. There was not a single thing about him that Ari could dislike at that moment.

No, no, no, no. Ari shook his head and pushed away from him. He wanted to know what was going on around him. The memories had served no greater purpose but making him even more confused than before. Ari walked away from him and kept his back turned until he could put himself back together again. Every time he tried, he would think about Auovin's smile which warmed his cheeks at the thought.

"I have not been as honest with you as you would have liked for me to be," Auovin whispered near his ear, causing Ari to notice the closeness between them. Ari did not even sense his movement until now.

"I will admit," Auovin continued, "but I had my reasons as you may have had yours. However, I still have them." Auovin leaned in closer and murmured. Ari closed his eyes, loving the sound of his voice near his ear. His accent bled into each word which was like an aphrodisiac to his ears. "I will not lie."

Auovin's lashes tickled his cheek with how close he was. He tried to move his head away but when he did Auovin's breath on his neck sent shivers down his spine. "You want this," Auovin said. Ari bit down on his lip to hold back his voice but it was not enough once Auovin's hand traveled down his torso and into his shirt. They traced all along his lower abdomen before venturing further, leaving no place left unexplored. Auovin's hand threatened to enter his pants but stopped midway. It filled Ari with want. Ari trembled at the slightest touch which caused Auovin to smile against his cheek. Ari knew he was failing at distancing himself from Auovin. He no longer cared. He wanted Auovin to touch him— badly.

Auovin's hand gripped his chin and turned it to face him. "Admit it." Auovin's warm breath touched his lips which made Ari pine for another kiss. All of Ari's resolve melted away once he stared into his eyes. He wanted Auovin to touch him more. To hold him just as tight as he was holding his chin.

"You are gorgeous," Ari murmured before he could stop himself. Auovin smiled, showing him all of his teeth. Ari reached out and touched his cheek. He could not help it. Ari wanted to touch Auovin as much as he wanted Auovin to touch him. His skin was warm and soft just as he remembered it to be. That thought made his brows furrow and fill with a weariness that made his heart ache.

Before he could retract his hand, Auovin took it and kissed his knuckles. He licked up his finger and took it in his mouth. Ari was quick to take his hand back and back away but there was no room left for him to back into. There was nowhere for him to run. It was not as if he wanted to but some part of him was telling him to stop. Ari wanted this, though. He wanted Auovin to not wait for an answer from him and to continue.

Auovin pressed him up against the wall causing Ari to let out a shaky sigh. He licked up the side of Ari's neck and scathed his teeth across the front of it. Ari wanted him to sink his teeth into his neck even though it would bring him pain. Cyrus would have been noticed and bit him, but, Auovin, no. Ari knew he knew, but Auovin had a way about him. He liked to tease and taunt until finally, one would surrender to his request. Hot lips pressed upon his neck traveling up to his cheek. Ari turned his head to meet his lips.

"Admit it," Auovin said.

Ari stared into his honeyed eyes wanting to close what little distance set between them with his lips. When Ari did not give him an answer, Auovin leaned more into him causing his back to press deeper into the wall. It dug into his back, taking Ari's mind away from the closeness between them. However, it was short lived. Auovin put his arm up above Ari's head, bringing Ari's attention back towards him. Auovin moved closer, lingering at his lips until he was just breathes away from touching them.

"Why is it that you must hear me say it when you very well know what I want?" Ari breathed.

Auovin licked his lips and loomed a little closer. "Because it is the only way of me knowing that I have you wrapped around my finger and not the other way around..." Auovin pressed down on Ari's bottom lip with his thumb, coaxing Ari's lips apart.

"The other way... " Ari lowered his eyes and shook his head. "You have it wrong—" The look in Auovin's eyes sent a shudder down his body. It was the same look he had given him that made him so weary once before but now all it was doing was filling him with anticipation.

"Let me taste you." Ari tasted his breath. Auovin was close enough that it entered his mouth. "All of you. All that can be had," Auovin murmured.

When Ari met his eyes once more he was overcome with desire— so much of it he did not know what to do with it. Ari covered Auovin's lips with his own before he registered what he was doing. He clutched a handful of Auovin's hair in his hands, bringing him closer until nothing but their clothes were separating them. Although Auovin's hair was wet, it was soft and silky like Cyrus' but thicker. Ari loved the feel of it almost as much as how hot and wet his mouth was. He loved the way it tasted— how his tongue felt against his. Auovin's body pushed up against his drawing more breath away from him. The pain in his back melded in with the pleasure which caused a tightness in his groin.

Auovin uncovered his lips from his, giving Ari much needed air. However, his hand continued down its path to Ari's hips drawing his shirt up. Auovin's fingers brushed along his skin allowing Ari to feel every bit of his touch. From just a single kiss Ari was reeling and wanting more. Auovin did not stop there. He pressed his lips upon the nape of Ari's neck before licking up the side of it. Ari's voice gave way from the tingling sensation it caused. It was too sudden for Ari to stop it. His face became flushed with embarrassment. There was no way he could possibly keep to Auovin's rhythm but, by the gods, he would try.

"I do not want just your body, Ari," Auovin whispered. Auovin brought his thumb back and forth along Ari's jawline. "Do you know what that means?"

"I do not."

"Shall I tell you then?" Auovin stopped lifting up his shirt and gazed into his eyes.

"Truth be told, I do not care for your words. I can hardly focus with you being as close as is."

Auovin began speaking, but Ari put a finger to his lips.

"Right now, I cannot help but want to press my lips to yours, to feel your touch upon me, for you to bite me, lick me— taste me. I will admit to it all if only if you would continue."

"I am not Cyrus." Ari stared back at him, knowing the meaning behind his words.

Auovin took hold of his finger and bit it until it drew blood. He sucked the blood from Ari's finger causing Ari to flinch and pull back due to the increasing pain trickling through him. "I do not want just bits and pieces, no." Auovin loomed over him and pressed his nose into his cheek. His nose slid down to Ari's neck as he began saying, "I want to devour you whole."

Ari turned to look at Auovin but stopped when Auovin's fangs pressed against his skin. His groin tightened as Auovin pushed himself further into him.

"Until nothing is left."

"Enough!" Kaval barged through the opening where Cyrus left into and stormed towards them. He grabbed Ari by his forearm and yanked Ari behind him.

"Do not attempt to do what you had done before," Kaval growled.

Auovin smiled and licked his thumb across his lips. "As if you are any better than me." Ari pressed a wary hand to his neck feeling his own blood oozing from the bites. He did not feel a thing. "You brought him here not because it would help him but because you could not stand the thought of him not remembering you and everything you once shared together. You nearly killed him due to your own selfishness."

Kaval's grip on Ari tightened as he tugged him towards the entrance to the other room. Ari resisted and freed himself from his grasp. Instead of moving away from Kaval, Ari furrowed his brows and looked up at him. Was that the reason for his dislike of Auovin so much and Auovin's dislike of him?

"Kaval, I know... I know you have every good intention when you do these things, but these are my choices, not yours." When Ari met his darkening gray eyes, Ari could recognize the facial expression he was displaying well. He did not like it. The marks on his neck. The closeness between him and Auovin. His scent even. Kaval was jealous. That was all it was. Ari was sure of it.

"Shall we have this talk later?" Ari said as he smiled.

Kaval frowned in return. He put his hand in Ari's and continued to take him out the makeshift door.

"Later is never in your mind," Kaval said.

"Not now, Kaval." Ari tried to tug away from him again, but Kaval's grip only tightened to the point to where it caused Ari pain.

"You do not know what you are doing. What he is!" Kaval hissed.

"I very well know what he is."

Kaval took him into a dark room that seemed to go on forever. When Ari noticed his grip lessening Ari freed himself once more and glared.

"Do not think to do what has been unto to me for decades. I will make my own choices for now on."

"If you do this, Ari, you will regret it. You will regret it for the rest of your life."

Ari stared up at Kaval with wide eyes. "What is it that you are not telling me?"

"You are neither a Great or a blood demon. I lied to you thinking, hoping it would not come to this. That is why the Greats here both fear and resent you. They know now. What you are. What he is. There are only three like you."

"Kaval... "

"Harun was one such person. For so long you pretended to be him. I knew you would become confused when your memories returned. You almost forgot yourself but, Ari, you are here now. I do not want to lose you again."

"You will not. I promise you, I will not do anything to make myself disappear from you."

"I see you do not remember everything... but you have promised me."

"Yes, I have," Ari said as he stared into his eyes. "Now you must promise me something in return."

Kaval nodded.

"Tell me everything."