Are they all this lovely?
Lan took the second meal and turned away quickly. Finishing off the first one, he started on the next. It was slightly less satisfying but all the more necessary as the wound in his gut finally stopped bleeding.
As he ate slower, he tried to conjure up all his knowledge on Night Children. Most of the time, wolves avoided talking about them other than to say they were blood-sucking leeches. Monsters afraid of sunlight. Lan heard they also blended into Human society quite well and that fact alone made him jealous.
Of course, wolves could generally traverse urban spaces without being detected. They hunched their shoulders to lessen their height and wore bulky jackets to mask the obscene musculature. Nyx wouldn’t pass for Human easily though.
The real fear for Lycans was losing control. If their emotions were unstable or their physical conditions deteriorated, they would shift back into wolves. Who knew how many triggers existed in densely populated Human cities? They were masters of their bodies, but no one wanted to risk shifting in a crowd of Humans.
Alphas had less to fear purely because of their genetic superiority, but younger ones with poor breeding like Lan usually took care to stay away.
The Night Child chuckled.
Lan froze, glancing back at him and blinking.
“Don’t mind me.” He waved a careless hand across the fire. “You need the strength, don’t you?”
Turning away carefully, Lan continued his meal, unsure what to make of him. This certainly wasn’t what he imagined Night Children would act like. Weren’t they supposed to be scarier? Lan sniffed the air again after finishing off his second meal.
The Night Child didn’t smell dangerous. In fact, he smelled gentle. Safe. Nothing remotely dangerous or tense wafted through the air. At this point, Lan could also finally pick up on the stench of his meals. There was an acrid scent billowing out and a bitter taste lingering on his tongue and teeth.
Instead of going for the third one, Lan shrunk back. With the smell this strong, he was sure none of his pursuers would be able to recognize him even if he took Human form. The thick smell of his meals was simply overpowering.
Lan took a deep breath, struggling to shift. The full moon gleamed overhead but he ignored it. With his stomach full and his blood pumping calmly, he could control his body fairly well. Besides, this Night Child was giving off such a relaxing scent that he could almost convince himself to relax, too.
Minutes later, Lan could see his hands and arms where he crouched on the ground. He was still filthy beyond belief. Blood caked under his black nails. Dirty smeared every inch of flesh. Surely, he also smelled as bad as he looked.
Will he want to talk with me?
Lan reluctantly turned around to face the Night Child.
“You really are a doll.”
He cocked his head. No one had said that before. What does that even mean? “Doll?”
The Night Child smiled. “I’m just saying you’re cute.”
Heat crawled up the back of Lan’s neck. He resisted the urge to squirm. It sounded and felt different from the thinly veiled jeering of Val’s packmates. They said suggestive things. Harassed him. Tested him and drew obvious pleasure from his discomfort and retaliations.
This, though… Lan swallowed hard. “You’re a Night Child.”
“Does that mean I’m supposed to be blind?” He answered so immediately and confidently that Lan felt silly for trying to use their differing species as a counterpoint. The stranger’s grin widened. “Cute is cute. If I knew wolves could be this easy on the eyes, I would’ve paid attention sooner.”
He glanced down at himself, one hand pressing to the barely closed wound across his stomach. What exactly would be the point of flattering a dirty, half-starved wolf? More than that, what could a Night Child get out of it?
“Looks like you’re feeling a little better. Want any help washing up?”
He shook his head slowly. It was such a tempting offer. If he was clean, maybe he’d be praised more. Maybe he could sit closer. Soak up more of this stranger’s kindness. But did it make a difference? After they finished speaking, he’d just have to go get dirty again to hide his scent.
The stench of his dinner wouldn’t last more than the night. “There’s no point.”
“Well, it might make you feel better.” The Night Child sounded casual, as if they had all the time in the world. He nodded toward the river. “You wanna be Human right now, don’t you? Otherwise you wouldn’t have tried so hard to transform on a full moon of all nights.”
Lan hesitated for a long second and then reluctantly headed for the river. It was true. He wanted to talk. Converse. Do something other than cower in fear and hope for freedom. Right now in front of him, he had a kind stranger interested in sharing words. Smiles. Compassion.
The river water was refreshingly cool. He spent quite a bit of time lounging in it, scrubbing every part of him clean. There was so much dirt and grime everywhere. At some point, exhaustion began to bear down on him, and his ears, tails, and claws shifted.
It’s a blue moon after all.
Under direct moonlight, he couldn’t expect to be perfectly in control. With the stress of being hunted, he should’ve actually been far more distraught. Maybe Nyx’s brutality had helped in some ways. Made him stronger. More agile. At what cost?
Lan curled his tail around his hips, still a bit damp as he shuffled back toward the clearing. He caught the sound of metal flicking through the air. Stepping back into view, he saw the stranger juggling blades as if it were child’s play.
The handles were ornate. Beautifully crafted and clearly designed for entertainment rather than utility. Lan watched in awe as the Night Child caught all six and turned his head around to greet him.
His expression shifted and he fumbled slightly. Lan frowned curiously but didn’t comment as he inched closer. The stranger scooted over, silently inviting him to sit down.
“I think I’m still tired,” Lan rasped, toying with the large fluffy tail curled across his hips. “I can’t maintain my Human form.” He didn’t know why he wanted to explain, but it felt like the right thing to do. Let him know I’m not dangerous.
“This is fine too, isn’t it?” he murmured. “Are you always this defenseless? I’d heard wolves were ferocious.”
Lan squirmed faintly, claws bunching in his tail as if searching for protection. “I’m not a very good wolf. Sorry for taking your meal.”
He shook his head, looking fairly amused. Is he laughing? “That wasn’t a meal. I was just getting rid of scum, so you helped me out.” He leaned just a bit closer, trying to catch Lan’s eye. “I’m Adrian. What’s your name, doll?”
Adrian. Lan repeated the name on loop in his mind, burning it into his memory. Color rushed up his neck and cheeks. “Lan. I’m Lan. Doll is okay, too.”
“Glad to hear that. So? Where’s your pack?” Adrian reached out, brushing his knuckles across Lan’s too hot neck. It was such a cold touch. Colder than the river maybe. But that only made him relax more.
Lan leaned into the hand immediately, eyes wet with frustration. Anger. More sadness than he cared to admit. “I don’t have one.”
He would never acknowledge them. They held him captive. Used him. Hurt him. It was a sick excuse for living that no one else seemed to see. The other undesirables that were picked by the main family spent their good days getting fucked and tossed aside. On bad days, they probably endured just as many beatings as Lan.
In what world could that be considered a pack? Family? We’re toys for the pack. Nothing more.
Adrian nodded carefully, fingers gliding along Lan’s jaw before lingering on his cheek. “A lone wolf? Sounds scary.”
Lan shifted closer, pressing against his hand urgently. Even if this person was a Night Child, he had more heart and compassion than anyone else Lan knew. Wolves kept to their own and maybe that made him dangerously naïve, but he would prefer this mysterious kindness over well-tested pain.
Adrian’s fingers curled into his soft tufts of hair. He felt himself being tugged forward until they were nearly touching. Lan felt a rumbling purr build in his chest, tail swishing across his lap.
“You’re not scared of me?” Adrian mumbled against one perked ear.
Lan buried his face against his cold throat. “You smell kind. Safe.” It was a clean scent. Nothing malicious or heavy. He could smell the dried blood that seemed embedded under Adrian’s flesh, but that too was familiar.
“The Ringleader’s puppet is safe? Kind? I think your nose is broken, sweetheart,” Adrian mused softly.
Ringleader? The word seemed like one he should know. Had the others mentioned such a person before? Lan pressed his face harder against Adrian’s throat, getting lost in the comforting scent.
“It’s not,” Lan whispered, eyes fluttering closed. “My nose is just fine. You’re a good person.”
“Anyone can be good depending on the evaluation criteria.”
Lan’s chest rumbled with a laugh.
Adrian tapped his chin, urging him to look up. Slowly, their eyes met. Flames danced through those pretty blonde locks and Lan may have lost himself for a moment. His face was too beautiful. A ridiculously gorgeous existence that made Lan question why they were able to speak to one another.
“I know a place for misfits. Sounds like you might fit in.” Adrian spoke carefully. There was still no malice in his tone.
The intent was genuine. Or at least, Lan thought so. Wanted it to be so. Instead of jumping on the offer right away, Lan watched him silently.
“It’s a circus called Delirium.”
That sounded much more familiar now. He still had no idea why but there was a niggling at the back of his brain. A circus. A Ringleader. Delirium? In these moments, he wished he actually paid attention when wolves gossiped.
Lan’s breath caught as Adrian’s lips brushed the corner of his mouth. Immediately, his brain stuttered to a halt. The touch was almost innocent. A promise of sorts. Nothing like the violent, groping hands and mouths that surprised him in the dark. He suppressed a shudder at the recollection.
This wasn’t a battle for dominance. A kiss. Just a kiss.
Adrian sighed sweetly, lips dragging down Lan’s jaw. “The Ringleader is looking for a pet.”
Lan swallowed hard, unable to think of words. A response. Even one coherent thought.
Adrian traced the sensitive curve of one fluffy ear and Lan nearly jumped. His nerves were on fire, suddenly hyper aware that this was nothing like the vicious fucks among wolves. It wasn’t about being an available hole for a horny superior.
But why would a Night Child want anything from a Lycan? Lan couldn’t keep the thought straight in his mind though as Adrian’s relieving touch continued tracing over curves and skin.
“You cleaned very thoroughly, doll,” Adrian hummed, tongue and teeth teasing the hollow of Lan’s throat. “Any reason?”
“N-No,” he stammered, heavy claws digging harder into his tail. It flicked over his lap in agitation, just barely restrained by his hands. He hadn’t cleaned up in hopes of this, right?
In hopes of being adored?
“I just—You smell good—I didn’t—it’s wrong to be, uhm, I just wanted to be presentable—”
Adrian smiled at him patiently, almost seeming to enjoy Lan’s rambling.
The wolf jumped as cool fingers combed through the thick fur of his tail. “What—” Lan cut himself off when their eyes met again.
“So? How about joining the circus?”
Circus. Ringleader. Delirium.
He repeated the words, trying to stay focused on what they were talking about. Did Night Children merely underestimate how absolutely distracting they could be? How could Lan earnestly think about this invitation when his gut was coiling with heat and his body hummed with desire.
Had he ever wanted someone else’s touch this badly?
Adrian tilted his head softly, their noses brushing together. “I’ll be there. You’ll be presentable. And we’ll both smell delectable.” He pressed a smile to Lan’s lips.
It was like tasting winter. Cold and delicate. Refreshing.
Lan whimpered against his lips, mouths moving in time to one another. “Is that okay?” He sucked in a shaky breath as Adrian kissed him again and again and again. With each touch, he found himself getting weaker. Less guarded. Was I ever guarded?
A thick fog was forming in his brain as heat churned between his thighs.
Adrian hummed in response, long fingers curling into Lan’s hair. “The Ringleader loves chaos.” That name again. Who’s the Ringleader? Lan watched Adrian lick his lips, grinning too wide. “What could be more thrilling than inviting a wolf into Delirium?”
Lan gazed at him curiously but then slowly nodded. Whatever critical thinking abilities he had were fried for the evening. All he had on his mind were Adrian’s lips, teeth, and tongue. He wanted more of it. More of his fingers and coy smiles. Pretty eyes watching me.
“Good.” Adrian took one clawed hand.
Obediently, Lan trailed after him, allowing himself to be led toward the dark of the trees. As they passed the remaining charred creature, Adrian deftly kicked it back into the roaring fire. The faint stench of burning flesh filled the night once more.
Through the haze, Lan finally recognized the acrid scent of the creature burning. Was that a Night Child? He didn’t have the mind to question why Adrian would be burning the corpse of his own kind. Did it even really matter to him?
As the shadows thickened around them and they neared the cover of boulders and caves, Adrian tugged Lan closer. “Let’s get out of the moonlight.”
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