A Starless Existence {boyxboy}

Chapter 8

"I see now why you like to come up here so often," Ambrose smirked, eyeing a couple of men who walked past shirtless as Kyree threw a stick for Endwin. Kyree chuckled, glancing at the men then at Ambrose.

"I've seen better, I'm looking at better right now," with Kyree in a seemingly good mood, Ambrose couldn't resist wrapping his arms around his waist. Kyree's back fit so well against Ambrose's chest as if they were moulded to go together like pieces of a puzzle.

"Who would have thought I would be stood in the human world, holding a demon and throwing a stick for a dog? It's amazingly domestic," Ambrose's breath tickled Kyree's ear, causing his grin to widen. Kyree rested his hands over Ambrose's, kissing his cheek as he felt his chin rest on his shoulder.

"Too domestic for the prince of hell?" Kyree responded, keeping his voice low to ensure no passing humans caught any of their conversation.

"No, I think I quite like it up here. I do often wonder why we are no longer allowed to roam freely on this plane," Ambrose let go of Kyree for a second, leaning down to throw the stick for Endwin then returning to his position immediately.

"Because of what happened to Alexander," Kyree's voice didn't falter, although he still felt the gentle tug of pain when Alexander's name touched his lips. He was getting better, which pleased him.

"Really?"

"I assume so. It was only a few days after Alexander's death that your father announced the ban and there were no other acts as heinous around that time," sadness swirled in Ambrose as he opened his mouth to say something, "please, I'm OK, you don't need to make any sort of apology about it. Being around you up here has helped significantly. At least I don't start throwing punches the minute anyone mentions his name," a compassionate smile spread over Ambrose's face as he tightened his grip on Kyree, pressing a few kisses on his shoulder.

Scoffs and loud grumbling nearby ruined the moment between Kyree and Ambrose. Two other men around the same age as Kyree looked were scowling at Ambrose embracing Kyree, disgust plastered across their faces.

"Scum," one of them spat, igniting an anger in Kyree that he hadn't felt since Alexander was alive. Anger fuelled by the discrimination of who he chose to love.

"What did you say?" Kyree growled, glaring right back at the men, fixed in his place by Ambrose's strong grip.

"I said, fuckin' scum," the taller man who had spoken before repeated, venom in his tone, "you're sinnin', lyin' with another man, it's fuckin' disgustin'," the man grunted, his thick accent revealing Southern American ties in his bloodline. Kyree's blood was boiling, every fibre in his body screaming at him to rip the two men apart, but he was in public, it would reveal what he was.

"I advise walking away, whilst your legs are still attached to your body," Kyree threatened, the sensation of Ambrose's hands on his hips the only thing keeping him grounded at that moment. Fear flickered across the men's faces as a low snarl rippled through the peaceful atmosphere of the park. Kyree knew it was Edwin and he so desperately wanted to allow his hellhound to attack. But he knew that soon enough Endwin would grow to be the size of a grizzly bear and there would be no explanation for that.

"Endwin, down," Kyree commanded, a glimmer of pride crossing his face as Endwin instantly sat, silent.

"That mutt should be on a Goddamn leash," the other, smaller man spoke that time, venom also in his tone, but more so directed at Endwin.

"I thought I told you to leave. If you find us so disgraceful to your backwards ideologies then go elsewhere," Kyree snapped, drawing the attention back to Ambrose and himself.

"It's you two that should leave. We don't except scum like you around these parts," the taller man spoke again, if you could call his string of grunts and growls speech. Ambrose had loosened his grip for just a second, giving Kyree the chance to slip out of it. And out came Kyree's anger. An anger, a beast, that hadn't risen from its slumber for almost half a decade.

Kyree didn't even realise what he had done until it was too late. By the time the clouds of fury rolled away from his eyes, both men were lying limp on the grass. Kyree was knelt on the taller man's chest and he could feel the shattered ribs under his knees. Blood was everywhere. Spattered on Kyree's face, his knuckles, across his white shirt.

"Ky," Ambrose was at his side in an instant, holding him as he stared at his dirty work, "they deserved it, Ky, they weren't innocent. They're alive, you didn't kill them. But you sure as hell taught them a lesson. It's OK, let's go home," Ambrose helped Kyree to his feet, cupping his cheeks, "Kyree, don't you dare feel bad for this. First, you're a demon, you have every right to want to kill, to have an uncontrollable anger that you let out every so often. Second, people like those men are not the ones you should be feeling remorse for. It was self-defence, OK, they provoked you. Come on, we need to get home before someone sees something."

For hours, Kyree simply laid and stared at the ceiling in his bedroom. His anger was growing, despite thinking he was getting better, nothing changed regarding Kyree's temper. He was a timebomb.

"Ky," Ambrose's soft voice soothed Kyree, yet he still remained still, "Ky, I think we should go back down to the underworld," Kyree's gazed snapped to Ambrose stood in the doorway, a frown mirroring his.

"What? Why? You were the one that wanted to stay up here, why go back now?" Kyree sat up, sighing, "whatever, Ambrose, go back then. But I'm staying up here, I still don't want to anger my father," Kyree hung his head in his hands, so many thoughts rushing through his mind. Ambrose knelt in front of Kyree, resting his hands on Kyree's knees gently.

"Ky, please come back with me, I don't like the thought of leaving you up here alone," with every word that Ambrose spoke, Kyree felt a part of him relax, Ambrose truly could tame his anger.

"What's the point? I'll just hurt you, or my father will kick me out for flirting with you or-" Kyree was silenced by Ambrose's mouth covering his. It was gentle, soft, something Kyree didn't often experience. He responded instantly, lacing his fingers into Ambrose's hair and tugging him closer, wanting to feel more and more.

Suddenly a sharp pain jolted through Kyree's back, gradually flowing through his chest. His movements ceased, catching Ambrose's attention too, the pain growing to an insurmountable sensation. He could barely breathe, all air knocked from his lungs.

"Fuck, Kyree, oh my God," Ambrose gasped as he pulled away and saw the blood seeping through Kyree's already ruined white shirt. Kyree stared at him with worry in his eyes, his grip on Ambrose's arms being the only thing holding him upright.

Osiris and Anubis joined Ambrose, helping him lower Kyree to the ground as he whispered over and over that he was gonna be OK. The metallic taste of blood had already invaded his mouth and his vision was beginning to cloud. He wasn't so sure Ambrose was right.

"S-Sorry..." Kyree managed to choke out, just as the lights flickered off in his mind.