Chapter 27

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

G wil had submitted their report, Hyax helping, and it had been an awkward hour or so. He'd been worried Hyax might remember the kiss and be horrified, but for now, he was still oblivious. At least he'd been able to feign being too tired to go out—that excuse wouldn't hold for long and he was relieved, for the first time ever, to be summoned to Scotland Yard, therefore avoiding Hyax pressuring him to go for dinner.

Back in his human life he'd been a police inspector. A laudanum habit had seen him drift down the wrong alley a few too many times and it made it onto his record, therefore he couldn't be considered for the modern Metropolitan police's paranormal division. After the best part of a century drifting he'd become a private detective, more to have something to do with his time than for the need for money. It was not lost on him that Detective Chief Inspector Goya thought he was little better than pond scum with legs. His own taxonomy was in question but from Goya's overbite and propensity to growl, Gwil was convinced he was at least part werewolf.

"Ah, Gwilym Hilt, glad to see you can still find your way to Scotland Yard."

"To be fair DCI Goya, back in my day it was in a different bit of the city." Politeness was his best option, and he would not make any comments about fleas or ask if Goya needed to go walkies.

"In your day the modern police force still thought stovetop hats were an acceptable form of attire."

"Those of us under six foot appreciated the extra inches."

Goya scowled. "I'm busy, Hilt. So let's cut to the chase. This report you've filed, is it true?"

"Of course it's true. Do you think I'd file a report with that sort of content as a joke?"

"I guess not even you are that much of an arsehole to falsely accuse the elves of flooding the drugs market with contaminated supply."

He supposed that was as much of a compliment as he'd ever get from Goya. "I know you're working with Hyax's family about a missing jewel. He believes the elves are involved and are using it for this side of their business."

"Seems a lot of hard work to manipulate some chemicals."

Goya was either being small-minded or deliberately obtuse. "Come off it. This is worth millions, year in year out and they can do it using a magic source that wouldn't be tracked back to them. People have done much worse for less."

"I concede you have a point there. Is Prince Hyax sure it's the elves?"

"Positive. He said from the sample of Stardust he examined the elves' signature was unmistakable."

Goya sat back in his chair. "Stardust isn't the only one of their concoctions. The contamination has caused some nasty side effects in some, but for most it just reduces their inhibitions… doesn't make them do anything that was outside of the scope of their normal behaviour. No worse than most humans and alcohol."

"So are you saying that this version of Stardust wouldn't force them to do something they didn't want to do?"

Goya sighed. "Surely that was obvious by the way I described it? The drug won't change a person's fundamental desires or needs."

They'd feared the worst, that the drug would make whoever ingested it susceptible to do anything they wouldn't normally. The thought of the kiss made his mouth go dry—that had to mean Hyax had wanted to kiss him.

"Right."

"But, as I said, it isn't the only thing the elves are possibly involved with and if they do have the Stone of Ljin then that could be problematic."

They hadn't thought Goya had known which fae jewel was missing, thinking he'd been told it was just one of the crown jewels but not the significance. His blind spot had led him to underestimate Goya, as he had either figured it out or had a better informant network that he'd given him credit for.

"Then I would say we have a problem. We've no doubt they've got it."

"The fae would not be happy with the elves connection. The loss of the stone would be bad enough."

Another understatement. "They're not. But they don't want this becoming public knowledge as it would highlight a weakness that others may try to exploit."

"Fucking fae, fucking elves, why can't they keep their issues in their own realm and leave ours out of it?" Goya growled under his breath. "So it is a matter of retrieval."

"Looks like it." It felt wrong to agree with Goya, but it couldn't be helped. "Just the little problem that no one knows where it is."

"You said Prince Hyax could sense the elves' involvement. Do you think he could track them if we lift certain limits in place?"

There were strict rules about when and how species from other realms could operate here. "Maybe, depends on what you have in mind."

"Leave this with me. I'll contact the Warlock Ruling Committee. No doubt they'll have legal options and may involve the Invigilators."

He hadn't expected the Invigilators to be dragged in. Their chief remit was neutral oversight of the Vampire Council to avoid infighting and other types of shit hitting the fan.

"So the Vampire Council is involved?"

"Only peripherally until now. But the elves fucking over the fae, and pumping out shit that has affected a couple of your sort means they'll stick their oar in properly now. Well, as much as they ever do."

Penelope asking questions was one thing but add in the warlocks and this could get messy. "I'm sure Hyax would be willing to help."

"Speak to him. Explain the situation and we'll talk again," Goya said, standing. "I'm sure I don't have to tell you to keep this strictly to a need-to-know basis. I called you in because you are already part of things due to His Highness, but with this new vamp connection they're going to want one of their own involved and we don't have bloodsuckers on the force."

"You could've if you'd have accepted my application."

Goya snorted. "Don't let me keep you, Mr Hilt."

He wasn't going to get more out of Goya, and to be honest, he was surprised he had been told as much as he had, and the sooner he got back to Hyax the better. As intrigued as he was about the vampire angle he couldn't help thinking about what Goya had said about the effects of Stardust, and once he'd realised Hyax hadn't been coerced into kissing him due to taking Stardust it had taken supreme concentration not to let his mind wander back to the topic.

He let himself into the house, wondering how he was going to tackle this. His priority was to clue Hyax in to the vamp angle, which might include a crash course in the Vampire Council, but after that he needed to address what had happened with that kiss. His mind was in two camps. The first was to ask Hyax again if he remembered the kiss. He'd said he didn't and there was a possibility he was telling the truth, in which case it might not be great to just spring it on him. The other thought was to agree to dinner, then go all-out acting like a proper date and then make his move once they got home.

Hyax was watching TV in the lounge, and the visceral feeling of want hit Gwil harder than he'd ever experienced. There was no way he could wait to wine and dine the beautiful bastard.

"Gwil, you're back. What did Goya say?"

"He tried to deflect at first, which wasn't unexpected, but he knows it's the Stone of Ljin and that the elves are involved, and there's been several other interested parties who are lending potential support."

"Elves aren't someone he'll want to deal with on his own." Hyax wrinkled his nose. "Dare I ask who else he's working with?"

"Given he deigned to have me in his presence I'm sure you can make a deduction."

"We knew the vampires had an interest, your sister insinuated as much."

"How much do you know about the echelons of the Vampire Council? I know your fae tribe don't exactly cooperate with them, especially considering the Calanti situation, so I'm guessing only the basics."

Hyax patted the sofa next to him. "I know there are four vampire houses: Hewel, Cartwright, Devereaux and Langley. Each house has three members on the Council: a duke, an earl and a viscount or the female equivalent. And basically they're Vampire nobility who keep the wheels of vampire society turning."

"There's a bit more to it than that but it's the general gist." He needed to explain the rest of it or Hyax wouldn't understand. "There's an additional control loop that the four original sires put in place to help keep order when they formed their Houses and the Council—that's the Invigilators. They are warlocks of exceptional gift who enforce the rules, smooth arguments and ensure the succession of each House is suitable, although that part is not so clear."

Hyax puffed out his cheeks. "I'd heard there were internal mechanisms but not the details."

"It's not exactly publicised… I know bits from investigations and work I've done for Penelope and Council members, but I'm too low down the pecking order to know exactly how the Invigilators work."

"I didn't know there were specific warlocks working with the vampires, as magic users there's usually a degree of information sharing. So I take it from the worried expression it's the Invigilators who are interested."

"The elves have crossed the line and once vampires started getting hurt it makes sense they'd step in to help—but not directly. Goya inferred the Warlock Ruling Committee could put something in place to make it easier for you to track the stone."

Hyax leant closer, he seemed unable to form words for a moment. "Makes sense, warlocks are the ones who cast the wards and prevent magic from being used in certain areas or by certain species. If those wards are lifted, even temporarily, then I should be able to pinpoint where in the human realm the stone is."

So that was what Goya was alluding to, he should have realised. "I guess you know what the stone should feel like, and you've a taste of the magic masking it so it would make sense that you could find it if your powers weren't limited."

"They've an oracle in Moorgate that is closely guarded—if I had access to it I'm positive I could locate the stone if it is in this realm."

He suspected that was Goya's thinking too. "I'll go back to DCI Dickface tomorrow. Explain you've been informed of the connection, and let's see how slow the wheels move. Don't expect anything soon, the warlocks do nothing quick."

Hyax bit his lip and Gwil had the urge for a nibble too. "I don't suppose you'd mind if I ask another question… about vampire hierarchy?"

He shrugged. "No skin off my fangs. Go ahead."

"I never really understood where your sire fitted in—Solivatus wasn't a dark duke, earl or viscount, yet he's highly venerated." Hyax looked uncomfortable asking and it wasn't something they'd discussed, probably because it inferred there was an element of illegitimacy, which was frowned on by both fae and the vampires.

"He was the son of Deveraux—born a vampire and not turned. His father was a vampire Deveraux had sired who wasn't a council member or her husband, plus he was the son of a warlock. So his ancestry mingled to make him rather powerful and impressive. Trouble was, he didn't belong to one of the three families in the House of Deveraux since he was a bastard child, but he was too influential to ignore, so a bit like a Fitzroy."

"I didn't realise vampires are born. I thought the bitey-bitey was a given."

"Nice descriptor, arsehole."

Hyax laughed. "Oh come on, you've said worse to me. By the sounds of it, your sire was born the wrong side of the blanket and already a bloodsucker."

"Pretty much. As far as I know, there's only a handful of instances where being a vampire was inherited through birth rather than siring. Crofton, Whetford and Marchent all sire their heirs for the House of Hewel, same with the other Houses, but the only exception I know of is the Earl of MacLove, from the House of Cartwright, who is rumoured to be born not bitten."

"King James of the Calanti is also the Dark Earl of MacLove, but I don't know much about him," Hyax said.

"I'm not sure many people do, the MacLoves are a highly secretive Scottish family. Even Penelope hasn't met him."

"I should probably dig into the MacLove situation, there's must be more I can find out but it's complicated ."

"I daresay, if it wasn't complicated your parents wouldn't have such a big issue with me." It was as good a segway into the other side of the conversation. "Vampires aren't that bad."

Hyax smiled. "Some of you aren't."

Gwil slid a little closer to Hyax on the sofa. "Hyax, can I ask you something now?"

"I'd be a bit of a shitbag if I said no after you've answered my questions."

This was far more awkward than his sire's pedigree. "It's about what happened after you snorted the Stardust… are you sure you don't remember anything after you took the hit?"

"No, I told you I don't."

"Nothing, not even an inkling?"

Hyax scowled. "I told you I didn't. Gwil, you've been acting really weird since then so I must have done something wrong. Tell me what it is and I can try to make it right."

It was now or never. "The thing is I've realised what you did isn't actually a problem but I had thought the Stardust had made you do something you didn't want to."

"Do vampires deliberately try to be as obtuse as possible?"

Hyax was impossible at times, but it didn't stop Gwil from wanting to snog him senseless. "If you would let me finish. According to Goya, taking the drug will just lower your inhibitions to do whatever it is you want to do."

Hyax's brow crumpled. "I don't understand."

He reached over and took Hyax's hand. "Don't overreact, okay?"

"That suggests I might have reason to."

"No, definitely not." He stroked the back of Hyax's hand with his thumb. "After you took the hit you got a bit flirty and you climbed into my lap and kissed me."

Hyax's jaw dropped and he tried to snatch his hand away but Gwil wouldn't let him. "I'm so sorry, Gwil. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

Now was not the time for more words, he'd waited over fifteen years and he wasn't going to wait any longer. He leant forwards, grabbed the front of Hyax's shirt and kissed him. He poured all his longing and desire into the kiss. He braced himself to be pushed away but instead Hyax's hands were in his hair and he was moaning.

It felt so good, the way Hyax deepened the kiss, as if Gwil was the only person worthy in both realms. Gwil shifted and sat astride him, not wanting to lose contact.

"Fuck, Gwil. Tell me you're not taking the piss."

"You fucking stupid sparkly twat, does it feel like I'm taking the piss?"

Hyax smiled and Gwil wanted nothing more than to kiss him again. No, that wasn't true, he wanted to do a whole lot more.

Hyax took control and Gwil found himself pinned to the sofa with Hyax kissing him as if he wanted to eat him alive. He gasped and Hyax's hands made their way under his T-shirt to the waistband of his jeans.

"Just to make this clear, Gwil. I've wanted to do this for a bloody long time, and it will not be a one-off. Understood?"

"Same. And I'd be pissed off if it was."

He'd had a lot of fantasies about having sex with Hyax but somehow it had never involved a sofa in their shared sitting room. Usually there was a bed involved, soft lighting and even music, but none of that mattered when Hyax unfastened his jeans then tugged them and his boxers off.

Hyax muttered something he didn't catch but Gwil didn't care as he couldn't remember being this hard, his erection throbbing. He hissed as Hyax's mouth descended onto his cock and he realised he'd also conjured lube when a slippery finger teased his hole. Somehow, he'd been the one to end up on his back—not that he minded—he'd be more than happy to have Hyax fuck him.

His body was on fire, the desire for Hyax had been consuming him for years. Now, having him worshipping his cock made everything coalesce into a burning flame of want. He couldn't decide what was best, the expert cock-sucking skills or the way he stretched and worked him open. Hyax knew what he was doing, and Gwil was enjoying every second. He felt a tingle in his balls, and his orgasm was beginning to build, he doubted he'd last too much longer if Hyax kept this up.

Hyax pulled back and Gwil whined. "Why did you stop?"

"Because I'm going to be buried inside you when you come."

He squawked as Hyax crawled on top of him and a ripple of magic made Gwil gasp as the rest of his clothes disappeared along with Hyax's. If he were still breathing, the sight of a naked Hyax would have robbed him of his breath. He was lean and more beautiful than anything Gwil's fevered imagination had given him credit for.

"Fuck—you're gorgeous," Hyax growled and he demanded another kiss, which Gwil was only too happy to surrender.

And surrender was probably right as he'd pretty much let Hyax do anything he liked as long as he fucked him right now.

Hyax moved away and manhandled Gwil so his legs were splayed and he settled between them. With another whisper of magic, Hyax coated his cock with lube that seemed to a have gold tint to it.

"Sparkly lube? Really?

"I thought you'd appreciate it…not silver I promise, and it will give this an extra fizz."

He wasn't sure he needed extra fizz, he already felt like a well-shaken bottle of Dom Perignon, but any smart remark he could have made was lost as Hyax inched inside. It had been far too long since he'd been laid but even so he didn't think he would have had such a thrilling reaction to any other man, with or without the sparkly lube.

He welcomed Hyax inside and the world around him reduced to nothing but the two of them. Despite his obvious excitement, Hyax didn't rush, allowing Gwil time to adjust and enjoy the stretch. He loved Hyax, had done for years. Although he'd not said the words, now he felt connected to him like never before and hoped he hadn't misread this and Hyax felt the same.

Hyax set a steady rhythm. Gwil grabbed his shoulders and enjoyed the ride. His body sang as the sparkly lube heightened every thrust. He cried out in delight when Hyax sped up, pushing them further towards their mutual pleasure. He had to hold back his fangs elongating, the usual reaction to an impending orgasm, but he wasn't sure how Hyax would react as he gasped and came, spilling between them. Hyax continued to fuck him, using Gwil for his own needs until he reached his peak and emptied his release deep inside.

For a moment he was struck dumb. As Hyax slowly withdrew, Gwil's head was spinning in delight and he felt a sense of enormous satisfaction.

Gwil stared at the ceiling, he couldn't remember the last time sex had been anywhere near that good. Hyax nuzzled and kissed his collarbone.

"Fuck, I think I died again."

Hyax rolled his eyes and waved his hand across Gwil's groin. A wonderful, playful tingle went through his arse and he no longer felt the stickiness of Hyax's cum. "I knew we were compatible but that was fucking brilliant."

"I guess we've been friends so long it was a good chance we'd make great lovers too."

Hyax's smile was dopey but no less beautiful. "No, what I meant was I could tell from your reaction to my casting that we'd have a good connection. My magic likes you—a lot. There's different types of energy used in spellcasting, including emotional so each person will get a unique experience."

"Oh, you meant in the way it felt kinda sexy?"

"Yeah, it's why my mother asked you how it felt when I put the spells on you to take us home through the portals. If there was nothing there, then there'd be no way she'd have believed we were lovers."

It was starting to make more sense, and he wished Hyax had either acted on it or said something. "Your magic wanted to get down and dirty with me… You should have listened to it earlier."

"I did listen but I didn't think you were interested. I've been pining after you for years, you unthinking git. Every time I made any sort of move you started going about how amazing our friendship was."

" Pining ?"

"Yes, you fucking twat. I've been dropping hints for what seems an eternity."

Gwil thought he was pretty perceptive and he was sure if Hyax was hitting on him he'd have noticed. "Bollocks did you. I've wanted you for ages too."

"Then again you thought I was fucking all those men I was dating so you're hardly switched on to what I was doing."

Maybe he wasn't so perceptive after all. "Least we've figured it out now."

"Let's go to bed and make sure we've both properly got the message."