Vincent continued to kiss him, doing so deeper now, slipping his tongue into him. Feeling him, tasting him.

The figure bit him suddenly, causing Vincent to sharply draw back, hand going to his mouth.

He was glaring again, teeth bared and snarling.

Vincent stared down at him in shock, frozen for a few moments, before lowering his hand.

He pursed his lips, tasting blood, leaning back on his heels, and staring down.

After a few moments contemplating, Vincent reached forwards again, touching the figure’s chest now, lifting his black shirt up.

He began to rub the figure’s chest, caressing him, oh so tenderly, rubbing his thumbs over his nipples, doing so in little circles.

The figure beneath him shifted slightly, craning his head back. Vincent continued to touch him, continuing the circular motions.

He did this for a time, until eventually, the figure beneath him let out a sigh, a deep and heavy breath. 

Vincent glanced up towards the figures face, before looking back to his chest. He lowered his head now, placing his lips upon the figure’s skin. He kissed his skin tenderly, lovingly, moving across his chest, his tongue flicking out.

The figure beneath him shifted again, gritting his teeth.

Vincent began to lick his nipples, his tongue tickling him.

The figure let out a breath, then another, and then a moan.

Vincent glanced towards the figure’s face, continuing to play with him using his tongue. He then moved, trailing his lips further up, towards the figure’s neck and beneath his chin, continuing to kiss him.

The figure opened his eyes, gritting his teeth.

Vincent moved one hand down the figure’s body, curling around his waist and around his back.

The figure beneath him suddenly stopped moving, realising that Vincent was beginning to unbind him. He became still, simply waiting.

The moment he was free, the figure’s arms whipped around his body, reaching up towards Vincent’s throat.

He began to strangle him.

Vincent began to choke, but he did not resist, he did not defend himself. He just stared down at the man, meeting his gaze, arms hanging limply by his sides.

His eyes began to water, wheezing. He still did not resist, instead offering his life for the stranger to take.

This confused the figure, and for a moment, he loosened his grip.

Vincent began to cough violently, practically retching.

He fell forwards, leaning over the figure like a bridge, holding his body over him, arms straightened as he swallowed deeply, continuing to gasp until he eventually calmed.

The figure stared up at him, a slight crease on his brow, and an expression of confusion upon his face.

He had just put his hands around Vincent’s throat, made a move to harm him, to kill him. But still, Vincent did not defend himself.

Vincent swallowed deeply, gasping for breath, until he eventually calmed, meeting the figure’s gaze.

Vincent leant back on his heels again, reaching out to the figure beneath him, and touched him in kindness, caressing his cheeks, cupping his face with both hands tenderly.

Vincent leant forwards again, kissing the figure once more. This time, the figure did not bite him.

Vincent’s kiss deepened. The figure not only did not resist, but accepted, kissing him back.

Vincent’s hand fumbled as he fought to undress the figure from the waist downwards, throwing his clothes aside, and pulling his own trousers down, exposing himself.

The figure beneath him gasped, as Vincent pushed himself inside.

The figure began to moan as Vincent had his way with him, continuing to feel him all over, kissing him, thrusting deeper, faster and faster.

Wings erupted from his back then, lighting up the room. Vincent gasped, frozen, gazing downwards at the angel-like wings that now grew from the figure’s back.

The being beneath him was gasping, cheeks flushed, blinking slowly. He relaxed his body then, truly for the first time since being brought into the room, letting out a final deep and low moan, staring up at Vincent, eyes at last, accepting. He was smiling at Vincent.

‘….and that’s how we met’ Vincent concluded with a smile. ‘Shortly after that, I gave him his name. Alastor.’

He sat upon a large rock, Alastor by his side, gazing at him adoringly, and three figures listening eagerly, sitting on the earth before them.

‘I wish I knew his actual name’ Vincent sighed forlorn, not taking his eyes from his, ‘if he even ever had one. I wish I knew where he came from… what his story was before I found him…’ he reached towards Alastor, caressing his cheek. ‘But he has not spoken a single word, not in all this time.’

Alastor as usual said nothing, but the moment Vincent reached for him, he grabbed his hand, holding his master’s palm to his cheek and leaning into it, closing his eyes.

Vincent smiled warmly, watching as Alastor held him.

‘That is such an interesting story’ Havi sighed

‘Very unexpected’ Celeste murmured.

‘You really think so?’ Bastion asked, tilting his head.

Vincent squeezed Alastor’s hand briefly, before drawing back, turning to the others.

They were not human, just like Alastor wasn’t human. Vincent concluded that Alastor was an angel of some sort, or perhaps a demon, or maybe something else entirely.

The creatures before him were;

A snake (Havi – human from the waist-up, from the waist down, he had a scaley body, jet-black in colour, ending in a rattling tail)

A mermaid (Celeste – he was muscular, with a powerful tail, mottled dark-green in colour, and ending in a large fan-like tail)

And a chimera (Bastian – part human-part mammal, he had jaw-length russet hair that glistened red in the sunlight, dog-like ears, sharp claws, and canine teeth)

They were loyal to Vincent, like familiars, his companions. And like how he had first encountered Alastor, they had fallen within his control.

Even now Vincent didn’t know what these creatures were, or where they came from, but since he had first encountered Alastor, he had found others similar to him. Magical creatures. Strong fighters. They were rare, though seemed to exist in the wild, living solitary lives, and were incredibly hostile, until they were ‘tamed.’ Then they were calmed, and no-longer a danger to humans, unless commanded so.

Vincent had asked Havi, Celeste and Bastian about their pasts, but there was not much to tell from any of them. They couldn’t remember any parents, families, or others of their own kind. They had always been alone, living in the wild, surviving, and attacking all beings they deemed a threat. Now, they no longer had to fight to survive, living comfortable lives in comparison. Save for Alastor, they had been able to speak words, and though Alastor seemed to understand words and concepts easily, he had never been able to speak. He was able to make sounds, but had never formed any words.

Vincent wanted to find out why, and to find out more about these creatures he had found, these magical beings. They had no known name, but there was one thing that all linked them together, and that was their magical abilities, their partially human characteristics, and their willingness to be controlled.

There was only one person that Vincent knew of, that might have the answers. A well-known alchemist, and a powerful and influential man.

And that was where they were travelling to now.

Vincent lived freely, growing up an orphan, an unwanted child, he started travelling from an early age. Going from being cared for by strangers when he was young, begging when he was a teen, and finding odd jobs once he turned an adult.

He lived well enough nowadays, working mainly as a mercenary now. His creatures had become his family. Before he met them, he often worked in larger groups of burley men, doing unpleasant jobs. But since he had found his creatures, he was able to be more picky with work, only choosing jobs he found appealing, and travelling alone with his strange little family.

‘Alright’ Vincent said, rising to his feet. ‘We should get going.’

He reached into the front-pocket of his jacket, pulling out three empty vials.

‘Come on’ he told the others. ‘Time for you to get back in.’

Havi, Celeste and Bastian began to glow, turning into streaks of light, shooting towards the empty bottles, and each slipping into their own, appearing now to be nothing but a glass of liquid. Each one was a different colour, one a faded black, another pale green, and the third was red like blood.

Vincent placed them safely back on his person, turning to Alastor and smiling. He was the only one who never went inside one of these magical items, instead opting to exist freely. He lived more like a human than the other creatures of his kind.

‘Come on then’ Vincent said again, speaking to Alastor this time, extending his hand for him to take, ‘let’s get going.’

Alastor reached for him, allowing Vincent to pull him up into a stand.

Alastor tilted his head, grinning widely at Vincent, eyes shining.

‘You good?’ Vincent asked with a chuckle.

Alastor only nodded enthusiastically.

‘Alright. Let’s go get the horses.’

They walked side by side, back down the short path where the horses were tied.

Without warning, Alastor shoved Vincent into a bush, then ran away.

‘Yo what the fuck!?’

Alastor continued to run away, laughing loudly.

By the time Vincent reached Alastor, he was already mounted, waiting for Vincent to catch up.

‘I told you to stop doing that’ Vincent snapped.

Alastor only smiled widely.

‘Hm’ Vincent glowered, mounting his own horse and untying the reigns from the branch. ‘That way’ he pointed, and they began to make their way.

 [END CHAPTER 1]