Cold...
Taylor blinked open heavy eyelids as his mind began to awaken. He felt a faint kiss press against his forehead at the same time warm arms tugged him closer.
This isn't my room.
He was a little surprised, at first, but when his memories of the previous day began to return, he gave a tired sigh of relief and looked up into Cadon's watching eye.
"Good morning," he rasped, then shivered.
He probably should have taken the ring off since the danger had passed, but after what had almost happened, he couldn't find it in himself to do it.
I do not want to return to it yet, came Nikolai's voice inside his mind. It was quiet, almost seeming as tired as he, himself.
Taylor felt lips press against his own and blinked out of his thought communication with Nikolai. He would have returned the kiss, and he technically did, but as soon as he stopped paying attention to Nikolai, the darn banshee took his body!
He felt his right hand reach forward and entwine itself in Cadon's hair, pressing their mouths painfully closer together. Even Cadon seemed a bit shocked by the abrupt force as his eyes jerked open after having closed.
Taylor felt Nikolai move his body overtop Cadon's, then sit on the man's lower abdomen once he rolled onto his back.
"Niko?" Cadon asked as he tilted his head on the pillow slightly.
He seemed to pause at hearing his name, then tilted his lips up into a curious, yet awkward grin.
"You are truly alive now," he finally said as he pressed his palm to the side of Cadon's face.
Taylor could feel the excitement and relief coursing through his system from Nikolai. He couldn't imagine how much his brother had worried since they'd been murdered. He might not have been able to verbally say anything, but just the fact that he'd guarded his brother's corpse for so many years, diligently watching and protecting... no words were needed.
"I'm alive, Niko," Cadon said as he sat up, then leaned forward.
To Taylor's surprise, Nikolai leaned backward, preventing the kiss that Cadon had tried to press to his lips.
Weren't you kissing him a minute ago with me?
Brother... Didn't know before.
Taylor felt Nikolai's control slip and quickly took it back in confusion.
"Your step brother?" Taylor asked, though already knew the answer to his question.
A light chuckle from Cadon drew their focus to him again.
"I think that kiss he pursued was more because of Adon than Caleb."
Oh, that makes sense.
"Wait a minute. Nikolai likes Adon?" Taylor asked in disbelief. "I thought he just possessed him."
Cadon grinned and leaned forward again, and immediately, Nikolai took control and leaned back.
Okay, this is kind of cute.
Nikolai grumbled from between his lips and gave Taylor his body back, but was still clearly uncomfortable with the idea of kissing his step brother.
"Niko, I want to do things with Taylor," Cadon said, Caleb's cheekiness shining through.
Taylor blinked, his face warming at the other man's words.
Feeling Nikolai take control back again, he noticed him reaching over to remove the ring on his finger that held his soul, but right before he could, Taylor pushed him back out of control.
"You two are adorable," Cadon mused right before his cell phone rang on the bed beside him.
Taylor quickly scrambled out of his lap, but before he could climb off the bed he felt an arm slip around his waist and tug him to sit beside Cadon.
"Hello officer," Cadon said as he lifted his phone between them both, allowing Taylor to easily hear the conversation without needing to put it on speaker.
"Good afternoon, I'd like to report that with the exorcist's testimony, we have arrested not only the officer involved in this case, but also the parents of the two deceased boys. They are all being held at our high security prison."
Cadon nodded and smiled at Taylor as he replied, "that's great. I know that we spoke earlier this morning, but are there any issues with what was explained?" Cadon asked, making Taylor's brow furrow.
They had spoken while I was asleep?
"While your story does seem farfetched, the exorcist that was involved in this case is extremely powerful and highly sought after to deal with dangerous cases. He has confirmed that both spirits are still present in this world. You said that one has now been permanently fused to your own body, as well. The wraith, Caleb, if I remember correctly?"
Cadon leaned over and settled his head against Taylor's shoulder, moving the phone to his left ear but still easily within audible range for them both.
"Yes, he asked me if he could use my body permanently, and I agreed. As of right now, though, Nikolai is confined to a small ring that the exorcist had put him in."
The officer made an acknowledging sound, then replied, "we have decided to consider awarding their parent's assets to them, but it will be a bit of a procedure. Because of the severity of this type of case, and how infrequent it is in our town, or in general, their trial will be pushed forward to begin next month. We've already collected a lot of evidence and taken statements from everyone involved except for you two, but we can get those later today when you're available."
Taylor leaned over slightly, settling his chin on top of Cadon's soft hair so that his mouth could be closer to the speaker.
"We would be glad to give statements. I currently have Nikolai with me, as a partial possession."
There were a few sounds on the other end of the call before the officer replied, "the exorcist did warn us about him. Are you doing alright?"
"Yeah, I'm okay. He's calmed down a lot since we've been able to communicate. I think we will be able to work with him," Taylor said, honestly feeling like they might have a chance to really get through to Nikolai now.
It definitely helped that they found his one weakness. Well, Caleb had always been his weakness, but now it was Caleb's affection for Taylor that was making the banshee nervous and less aggressive.
"That's good. Please give me a call if there are any issues."
They hung up after agreeing, but before the phone was even lowered back to the bed, Taylor felt something warm and wet brush against his throat.
He fumbled backwards, falling right off the bed and onto the floor with a grunt.
"Oops, I didn't think that would startle you so much," Cadon said as he dropped his phone onto the bed and stood up, licking his lips twice.
Taylor rubbed his right shoulder as he glared up at the man leaning down and offering his hand to him.
"I'm sorry. I need to get better control of myself," Cadon said as Taylor hesitantly took his hand, accepting the help as he got back to his feet.
Glancing at man a few times in between looking away, Taylor eventually inched his way toward the bathroom, picking up his small backpack he'd brought with him.
"I'm just going to take a quick shower," he said, getting an eyebrow raise from Cadon.
Nikolai slipped into control at that moment, turning Taylor's expression into a scowl as he pointed at him.
"You're not invited."
Thankfully, Cadon didn't even try to argue and simply sat down on the bed to make a few more phone calls. Taylor took his time in the shower to try and relax, as well as speak with Nikolai.
"I wonder what we should do about this situation. I know that I can't just keep wearing your ring without some bad side effects, but do you have any other, safer way of possessing me?"
Nikolai took over his body as he finished speaking, and since he couldn't feel any kind of malicious intent, he didn't put up a fight. The first thing he did was turn his head into the warm spray of the water and close his eyes, sighing as the warmth heated their chilled body.
"Safer... no," Nikolai replied stoically.
Not safer, but there is a way? Why is it not safer? Do you have to to kill me?
He was partially joking, but when Nikolai simply nodded into the spray of water, Taylor felt his heart shiver.
"If I can consume your blood from the inside to the point where your heart stops beating, I can meld myself to your body... but I refuse to try."
Refuse? That doesn't sound like the Nikolai I know.
Not that he was upset. He didn't exactly want to be bled to death.
"You might not die from it, if I can keep your heart pumping long enough for you to receive appropriate medical care, but I will not risk Caleb's lover for my wants."
Lover?
He felt Nikolai tilt up the edges of his lips as he began calmly washing their shared body.
"Several people have entered our home after our death. Some, Caleb ignored, some, he scared off... but there was only ever one that he intentionally tried to contact, again and again."
His dreams?
"I tried to stop him, because I didn't want him to get hurt again. We were already dead and had no emotions, but he somehow still got attached to you."
He really did. Looking back at our interactions, he was actually following me around the house quite often, and even wrote on the chalkboard to talk with me a lot.
"I'm not surprised that he has your friend eager to touch you after they became one, and I am not as opposed as I thought I would be, but with me in this body as well..."
Do you not like Adoni?
Nikolai scoffed as he began scrubbing their hair.
"He is my human."
That's... not really a valid answer.
"I am not human now, unlike my brother. My emotions are extremely limited."
Oh, right. I guess I've just forgotten since you've calmed down so much.
"Most of the hatred that has been clouding my mind for years has dissipated, but that alone cannot bring back who I was," Nikolai replied, his voice sounding surprisingly tired. "It is best that you remove my ring for the time being, as well. I have no ill will toward you, and at this time, I can only cause you harm."
Taylor nearly stumbled when Nikolai suddenly shoved him back into control, then retreated to the back of his mind.
"Nikolai?"
When he got no response, Taylor shook his head and finished his shower, then stepped out to dry himself off and wrap a towel around his waist.
He moved over to the mirror and nearly tripped when he saw the dark circles under his eyes and the fatigue in his features.
Wow, he really has drained me. No wonder I'm so tired and cold.
Looking down at as he raised his right hand, Taylor hesitated for a few moments, but eventually removed the little pink ring. The second it left his finger he felt all of the cold within his body vanish, leaving him staring at the little plastic item.
"To willingly go back so that I could rest... You've changed more than you think, even with limited emotions. I'll find a way to bring you back, Nikolai."
"We both will," came Cadon's response from the other side of the door.
Taylor carefully opened it to see his friend smiling on the other side, his arms crossed over his chest and a warm smile on his face. He'd changed his clothes and was now wearing a dark red shirt, black jacket and blue jeans.
He looks really good...
"Feel free to stare as long as you'd like," Cadon said, his smile widening as Taylor quickly grunted and shut the door so that he could get dressed in peace.
"We'll head down to give our statements and sort things out once you're ready," Cadon said from the other side of the door before Taylor heard him walk away.
Looks like it's time to finally end this.
Staring at the ring still in his hand, he carefully slipped it into the bottom of his backpack, then got changed. By the time he was ready and out of the bathroom, Cadon had returned their few items to the car and was waiting in it with a couple breakfast sandwiches.
Taylor didn't hesitate to take the ones meant for him and give his thanks. He was nervous, but definitely hungry, too. They had a big day ahead of them, and he had no doubt that the officers would want to talk to Nikolai, too, so he needed to keep his strength up for when he had to put the ring back on.
"Don't worry. I'll be here the whole time, just like I've always been. I'm not going anywhere, Tay."
Taylor glanced up at him, but instead of replying, he simply nibbled at his second sandwich. He couldn't argue with the man, though. He'd been there from the beginning, and he hadn't hesitated, even once, to step up and help him when thing got bad.
Thank you, Adoni, and Caleb. You both have come to mean the world to me.
(This was going to be the last chapter, but I guess it wasn't done yet lol)