Ari saw how quickly Auovin's wounds healed. It amazed and frightened him all at the same time considering how deep they were. When Auovin made movements to rise, he still clutched his side and mustered down the pain as best he could.
"He took your blood... " Ari mumbled.
"As compensation for you and your questions."
Ari looked at him, seeing the fire churning in his irises now. Was he angry with him now after everything? He risked his very life for him and he was going to pay him back with such eyes?
"If you would have just waited--"
Ari slapped him across the cheek sending him back to the ground again.
"I have waited long enough. Did you expect me to happily be strung along? I am tired of it! And do not make this about me. No, this is your doing and now you must explain yourself."
Auovin pressed a hand against his cheek and looked at Ari with narrowed eyes. He kept his mouth shut and continued to stare, boring holes into him. However, Ari did not once break eye contact with him. He would hold his ground in this.
"Ylanan... My father... Who are they to you? And Oliya... Is Auovin even your real name? Why did you do the things you did for me? Why had you tried so hard to take me away from the Khaeo?"
Ari lowered himself on the ground, waiting for his answer.
"Tell me. Say something. Anything," Ari pressed, but Auovin's lips stayed sealed. "I want to know so I can understand you."
Auovin finally broke eye contact with him and lowered them to the ground, fixating his attention on Ari's moving fingers.
"Even in this moment, you are unselfish and kind. No matter how I try to rid you of these things you hold on to them tightly as if they are a part of you. Qualities like that... in this world... are not ones you would like to have. You will not survive long in our world or theirs with those traits."
"Do not worry about me."
"It is hard not to when you are like this. I will not always be around... "
"You will be."
"I will not." Auovin looked up at Ari. "I will not."
It sent a pang to Ari's heart and made it twist inside his chest. But he would not be sidetracked by such thoughts. Still, Ari was shaken by the thought of ever losing him.
"Why must you say things like this?"
"Because I have lived through many lifetimes and now I grow tired and weary."
Ari saw the tears welling in his eyes. "There is much pain here and more days than not, it can grow to be unbearable."
"Because of Ylanan?"
"Because of many things."
"Tell me. Tell me everything, so I can help ease whatever pain it is that is causing you to suffer this way." Auovin would not part with a thing. It was like pulling out teeth.
Auovin looked into his eyes as he pressed a cold hand to his cheek.
"Looking at you only reminds me of a past I tried my best to forget."
Ari pressed his hand against his cold ones, trying not to take those words to heart.
"Tell me, when you have grown so close to someone what are you to do when your ideals conflict? Do you love them still? Do you fight them or do you hate them?" Auovin stared into his eyes as he asked. "Ylanan wants to watch the world burn and in its ashes, he would start anew... "
"And you? What do you want?"
Auovin closed his eyes and removed his hand from Ari's face.
"Just to be away from the wretched things that caused me so much pain and took away things that were so very precious to me. I do not want our kind to suffer under their hands any longer."
"... When you took me in as a prisoner... "
"I meant to enlighten you on what you were and relieve you of your oppressors, but you were naive and clueless to everything. You would not even take my blood as weak as you were. I knew then too much too soon would ruin you..."
Ari sighed feeling the weight of his words on his chest.
"I did not think much of you until I saw your markings and realized the blood you carried, "Auovin continued. "When I... found out who you were, my first thoughts were to kill you. That way there would not be another one of you with that blood, but I could not. As terrible and cruel of a person I am, I could not do something that seemed so simple compared to many other things I had done."
Even as Auovin said those words, Ari saw the confliction in his eyes.
"Ylanan says I killed your father, but I did not. Harun did that to himself. He wanted to be a martyr to a cause that was lost and with his life did they take your mother's and even yours. Peace with the humans was never going to happen. They think of us as these devils that prey on their flesh when many of us do not even like the taste of their blood. They spread false stories and lies about us, garnering more hatred towards us. What use it now to be in the same land that harbors such creatures as them?"
"My father... I do not blame you... and although I feel as though I should hold him in some great reverence, I do not. Freir had raised me and been a father to me in his place."
"He is human," Auovin hissed.
"He is a father to me, and I love him. I love him dearly despite what terrible things he may have done... just as I do you. I cannot help it."
Auovin looked at him with narrowed eyes before moving further away from him.
"I know I cannot change you or your ways. I was dumb to think I could, but Auovin... I promise I will not abandon you even in this."
"Ari, go far far away from here. Do not ever come back. If you do, your choice will be made."
"What choice?"
"Waking the greats... "
"The greats?"
"Demons older and more ancient than I. Great demons that ruled over this world eons ago. They were sealed away by both humans and demons many years ago, so that we could claim this land for our own. Now the humans think to do unto us what we did to them... "
Ari was finding it hard to process all of this information. It sounded like a fairytale told to scare children.
"We will sleep?" Ari said, confused.
"No, not we... Ylanan and I. We will sleep. It is what the others want as well. Inge must already know of your origins. That is why you must leave before they come."
"Auovin, I do not understand any of this or my role in this. Is it because of my father and the blood I carry? Had he helped seal away them? He did, had he not? And Ylanan wants me to... " Ari looked at Auovin. "Is that why you wanted to be rid of me?"
As Auovin rose, Ari saw black markings speckling his arms up to the side of his face. There were hundreds and hundreds of tiny runes scrawled across his golden skin which Ari marveled at. He had never seen so much before. There were stumps at the sides of his head that looked to be from horns. Ari remembered once touching them and how sensitive Auovin grew to his touch. They were growing, Ari realized. They must have been as large as Ylanan's. So the question arose if Auovin possessed such a form as he? Ari had so many questions. He was so curious about Auovin and could not help but want to know more about him. Where did he come from? What did his markings mean? And the stumps on his head... How did he lose his horns?
Ari stayed closed lipped as Auovin walked towards the villa, holding his side.
"But I want to know more. I want to know more about where you had come from, how you lost your horns and position as a god. I would like to know how you came to know Ylanan and why he blames you for my father's death. Auovin, I want to believe in the words you tell me. Like Cyrus, you say words but your actions speak differently and it confuses me. You bring me close and then push me away, but I realize now I will not let you do that to me any longer. I will keep close to you because I cherish you and hold you close to my heart. No matter your intentions, you protected me as I will you."
"Ari, heed my words. There is nothing here for you... "
"You are here," Ari said as he caught up to Auovin grabbed one of his wrists.
"I am nothing."
"You are something."
"If you stay, you will soon learn what true beasts we can be."
"Ylanan is no beast to me. You are no beast to me. You do terrible things and you seem to show no remorse for your actions... But there, in your eyes, I see it. The pain there. You are not such an unfeeling thing and you cannot try to fool me and convince me otherwise with cruel words because I know."
Ari saw the tears coming down Auovin's cheeks.
"What terrible pain you must have lived with for so long and what wounds have festered from it... it must hurt." Ari wanted to wipe them away, but Ari did not want Auovin to pull away from him. Instead, Ari pressed his forehead against his and breathed deeply. "But you will be okay. You will be. I will make it so."
It took some coaxing, but Ari finally had Auovin in a bed resting. Auovin's markings were gradually disappearing as he slept along with his horns. There was no point in lying how intrigued Ari was by him. Ari found him fascinating since the beginning. He ran a hand through his long black hair. It was light as silk, but the texture of it was thick. As Ari brushed some of Auovin's hair away from his face, Ari saw a marking unlike any other he had seen on his body before. There were many dips and curves forming something like an insignia when all the lines were connected, but it was fading into his skin now.
He was incredibly beautiful as he was an enigma. Still, Ari could not think to be without him. He would suffer through Auovin's unwillingness to answer questions about anything related to his past. If he would not tell him, Ylanan would.
Ari touched his cheek and traced fingers along his nose and jawline before lingering at his lips. His skin felt hot, almost as if it was burning. He liked the feel of it because it matched the feeling Auovin gave him deep in his gut. He moved his finger away from Auovin's lips and decided to keep it at his cheek. His eyelashes were long and black as his hair contrasting greatly with the color of skin. Auovin was much darker compared to his much lighter complexion. As he went to lay a soft kiss on his lips, Ari became startled by Auovin waking so suddenly. Ari felt Auovin's honeyed eyes on him as he took his hand in his own. Auovin brought it to his lips and kissed it which made Ari's cheeks flush.
Auovin must know by now how smitten he is with him. That is why he does those things that tugged his heartstrings. Ari nibbled on his lip as he felt one of Auovin's hands binding around his waist and pushed him closer. There were no words spoken between the two of them, but the tension between them was growing, Ari could feel it. He saw it in his eyes and the way his lips parted. His hand still rested on his waist which Ari could hardly ignore. Auovin never truly showed much desire for him if it was not for his blood, at times, so Ari could not tell whether he wanted that or to kiss him.
He kissed his neck then causing a shudder to run through him. His teeth scratched along his skin which made Ari lower further into him. Just as he thought he would bite into him, Ari felt lips on his. It was a brief kiss, but it was one that left a tingling sensation on his lips. He kissed him again, this time a little longer but still a very soft kiss compared to the ones Ari was used to receiving from him.
"What revelations are you wanting from me, little Ari? What truth, in specific, do you want to know most?"
Ari licked his lips.
"You. Your name. Where you have come from. The past you seem so reluctant to tell and the emotions you keep hidden away."
"I have many names as I lived lifetimes. Oliya was only one such name. The one given to you is my truest name. But there is one name unique to every blood demon when said aloud can make us go into a deep slumber if we are weak enough."
Everything was piecing together it seemed. The importance of a name in their culture for one.
"The sands is where we come from. A region far far away from here lost in time... "
"And your past--- "
"I took two kisses from you and in return answered two of your questions. What will you give me for this one, I wonder."
Ari did not hesitate in pressing his lips onto his. Ari coaxed his mouth open and kissed him deeply. He liked the taste of him and how hot and wet his mouth was. His hands tangled in his hair as his legs fell into the gap between Auovin's legs. Before Ari realized it, Auovin had him flipped and pressed against the bed. He pressed his nose into the nape of Ari's neck and inhaled deeply causing Ari's eyes to close.
"You smell of Cyrus..." Auovin said.
"I did not quite get the chance to take a bath..."
"You were with him?" Ari looked at Auovin as he asked the question. There was no reproach in his voice, just curiosity. "Of course you had. I said so, did I not? He would warm to you."
"I like him."
"I like him quite a bit as well. What are we to do about that?" Auovin teased. He stared down at Ari like a hungry beast wanting to devour him, but, in time, he rose from over him laid back on the bed.
"Ylanan had taken much from me, but I am not so weak whereas the lesser ones will come, so go away now, Little Ari and let me rest."
"My question..."
"Shall be answered when I wake... I grow tired," Auovin murmured as he pressed a finger on his bottom lip. When he removed it, there was blood.
"Then let me rest here as well... so I can be here when you wake... so you can answer my question." Auovin nodded and smiled. He took Ari into his arms and held him tight against his chest before loosening his grip.
Ari listened to the sound of his heartbeat growing slower and slower as time wore on. At a certain point, Ari knew Auovin was in a deep sleep that could not be woken even if he were to shove him or yell at him. Ari did not know how he knew, he just knew which made his brows furrow. For how long would he sleep?
"Daeva." Ari looked up at the door and saw Sai leaning against the doorway. "Mark of a false god, humans used to say as their fall began. Mark of the Damned is what the humans call it now."
Ari traced a careful finger around it as it disappeared.
"When yours comes, what will you do?"
Ari's eyes widened.
"Every marking your father had will come on to you. Did you forget? So what will you do?"
"The Khaeo... they meant to use me for that purpose? For all this time, they had raised me until that marking showed?"
"No, no, no, young one. I am sure they meant to use you as bait. To lure them out and gather the rest of the old ones in one place."
Ari's face paled. He found it hard to swallow and could look at nothing but the ground.
"Leave Auovin here and go with Ra. There is not much time left now."
Ari nodded, but he had no intention of running away. He would come to understand all of this soon enough and he would not let Auovin bear this burden alone. There was an aching feeling in his chest at the thought. Cyrus could only do so much.
"And what will you do? You said you would not involve yourself in this."
"I had abandoned him once before. I will not do it again."
Sai walked further into the room and grabbed Ari tightly by the arm before taking him out the room. Ra was waiting right outside the door.Ra took Ari by the hand and dragged him out the villa, and lead him through the deserted town.
They walked in silence, but Ari knew Ra had much to say. He always did. This was fight meant for his kind, not him. Ra should be back at one of the abandoned encampments and weather out the storm there. Sai did not send Ra with him so that Ra could protect him. No, it was so that he could get him away from whatever was about to occur there.
"Ra, you should leave." Ari sensed Ylanan's presence quickly. He knew Ylanan would not let him get away so easily. Not when he was the missing piece to whatever he wanted to happen. Ari meant far too much to him. "Go to one of the abandoned encampments and stay there for a week or so."
"Why?"
"Because things will not go as planned. We will not get out of here in time. There are demons approaching and there is one old one very close to us now, so go now. And give word to Cyrus wherever he may be."
"I said three days, and you want to make it a couple hours. It matters not to me, Ari. I have much to say and much to do with very little time to say and do it in."
Ylanan stepped out the shadows of a building and approached them. He still wore his cloak that blended well with his dark hair. His red eyes were the only thing that stood out.
Ari pushed Ra back and stepped close to him.
"Where will we be going?"
"To a place lost in time. Worry not," Ylanan smirked. "Auovin soon shall follow."
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[A/N] Ah, I really liked the fact the Auovin opened up to Ari even though he did not give Ari all the answers he was looking for. He gave him some of the important ones, though. And Ari is just so caring and unselfish. I see what Auovin is getting at. Anyway, what are your thoughts on this new information? Leave me your thoughts down below! ❤️
Thank you for reading this book up to this point! It really means so much to me! And now that I'm closing in on this book, I am really thankful for the motivation and love you guys have given to me and to this book. Thank you for commenting and voting as well~❤️