Fic: The Other Side of Every Fear
Title: The Other Side of Every Fear
Author: a8c_sock
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Vampirism. And fluff.
Disclaimer: I don't own them but if I did they'd never get out of bed.
Beta: hobnailedboots
Summary: For so long Arthur has been alone, leading a cursed life. Now fate has brought Merlin to his door.
Author's Notes (A/N): Written for merlinxarthur's fanfic challenge #5. I used pictures 02, 11, 13, 14, 15.
The Other Side of Every Fear
It wasn't often that Arthur woke early. His body was tuned to the rhythms of the night and day to a precision few could match. It was rare that he awoke before it was time for him to do so. Tonight though it was different; something had brought him out of his rest.
He decided to consult the mirror, the only real window he had onto the world outside. Of course he left his home to feed, but the world beyond the walls of his home wasn't one Arthur felt he belonged in. He was cursed, had been since birth. By all rights he should have perished with his mother but the witch Nimueh had offered him a life - a cursed life, but a life.
His father had banished him before he'd even come of age, too afraid of what his son had become.
Arthur had spent years in various castles, each time trapped in rooms with only the mirror to entertain himself. He used it to see Camelot, his father and the life he'd left behind. Through it he saw his father grow old and weak. Eventually his father had died and Camelot had fallen.
That had been centuries ago. Since then Arthur had seen men rise to power and fall from it. He'd seen war, famine and disease yet had been oddly disconnected from all. The human world, the world he saw through the mirror, was not where he was welcome.
He wondered what the mirror would show him this time. He pulled off the cover and revealed its murky face. Arthur never saw himself in it: he couldn't even have said that was the purpose of it as the mirror didn't reflect what faced it like metal or water. Instead, like a fog, the surface shifted and coalesced. Then it parted to reveal an image of a young man, wandering through rain and looking lost.
Arthur was puzzled. Why was the mirror showing him one man?
Intrigued, Arthur looked closer. He didn't recognise him, but then everyone he would recognise was long dead. The man was young, Arthur thought perhaps early twenties, although as he didn’t really age himself it was hard to tell.
The stranger had dark hair, so wet it was plastered to his forehead. Arthur didn’t think the man looked like anyone he had seen before. There was something about his full lips and cheekbones; Arthur was fascinated and found himself feeling very odd. He looked down at himself and saw a bulge in his trousers, but that was supposed to have been impossible.
Then he felt his fangs descend. They never did that except when he was feeding and even then he had to physically elongate them. He tried to retract them but he couldn't. Turning away from the mirror, he pressed his nails into the palms of this hands, concentrating on the feeling until most of his urges dissolved and he felt more in control.
He looked back at the mirror. He could see from the landmarks the human was not far from Arthur's home. Who was this man and why had he had such an effect on Arthur?
********************************************************************************
Merlin hated the rain. This wasn't just any rain either. This was bitterly cold, driving rain that had him soaked to the skin. He wished he'd brought his coat, but then when he'd set out a few hours earlier it had been bright sunshine with not a cloud in the sky. The weather had turned so quickly Merlin had lost his bearings.
All he knew was he was roaming about the English countryside and was likely to be miles away from his camp site. Camping out in the summer had seemed a brilliant idea, a chance for Merlin to go out on his own and be a bit more independent. Now it was seeming more like a death wish. Merlin's phone battery was dead and he was lost.
He just wanted a bit of freedom. His mother worried about him because of his 'gifts' and much of his childhood had been spent with Merlin feeling on edge. Gradually his mother had let him leave the house, do things normal children his age did, but she still worried. This was the first time she'd waved him off with a smile.
Now what good were his gifts? He couldn't even conjure up an umbrella, let alone stop the deluge. What would his mother think of him?
In the distance he could see what looked like a farmhouse. With turrets. Who had a farmhouse with turrets? It was more like a French châteaux than a house but Merlin didn’t care when it held the promise of warmth, shelter and help. He walked toward it, blinking against the strong rain.
********************************************************************************
The mirror showed the young man coming closer, stumbling down a track near the fields where Arthur fed. He was surprised as the house was so isolated few humans ever came near. Luckily there were plenty of sheep and the odd cow that grazed on the farmland around the house, enough for Arthur to survive on. Arthur avoided humans and none had ever come near to his home. Yet this man had.
He was obviously suffering in the weather. The sky was dark and the rain showed no sign of easing. Arthur saw wind whip around, blowing the rain into the face of the stranger. Still he kept walking.
Arthur began to panic. What if the stranger came to his home seeking shelter? There was no way that Arthur could let him in. His fangs descended again at the thought of the stranger in his home and he was still hard. He was in no fit state to see the human. He wasn't sure if he wanted to feed from him or get him naked and have sex with him. Or both.
Arthur's decision was taken out of his hands as he heard a knock on the door.
********************************************************************************
Merlin put his arms around himself to stop himself from shivering. He was feeling cold and his teeth were chattering. He hoped someone was in, he hadn't seen any lights on. He knocked again, to make sure. The door was thick and wooden but there was no door knocker nor a door bell.
“Please be in,” Merlin muttered.
Looking around, he could see it was a big place. There was a courtyard with an old well in it that looked like it hadn't been touched in years. There was the big house with the turrets and another building that looked big enough to be another house, or a large cottage. It was an impressive house but it seemed deserted.
Knocking a third time Merlin was glad that at least on the porch he was out of the worst of the rain. He wondered if perhaps he was at he back door. If there was no answer this time he thought he might go and walk around to see if there was another door.
Merlin was about to do so when the door opened a pale blonde man stood in front of him, staring.
“Hello,” Merlin said. “Erm...it's really cold and wet out here, could I come in?”
********************************************************************************
Arthur wasn't sure why he'd answered the door. It was stupid. He should have covered up the mirror and gone back to his rest as soon as he'd had the odd reaction to the stranger but he hadn't and now he was staring at the stranger, trying not to let his fangs show. A stranger who wanted to come into his home.
“Yes,” he said, quietly. The words felt odd; his throat felt stiff and underused. He couldn’t remember the last time he had spoken. He stepped back and allowed the stranger in.
The stranger didn't seem at all afraid or bothered about where he was, but then he had little idea about what the man sanding in front of him actually was. Arthur watched him stand there and shake off some of the rain water. He was hard, and he still wasn't sure what that meant, his fangs were painfully elongated and he wanted to bite the young man in front of him, bruise him, drain him to within a mouthful, but always staying a gulp away from ending his life.
“Are you all right?” the stranger asked, putting a hand on Arthur's shoulder.
Arthur hadn't been touched since he was a child. He'd long forgotten what the sensation felt like. He shuddered under the stranger's touch. “Fine,” he said, closing his eyes and breathing deeply to calm himself down.
“You don't look fine,” the stranger said.
“Sorry,” Arthur said. “I didn’t sleep well.”
That was true; he had been awoken before he should have been.
“Oh, okay,” the stranger said. “I'm Merlin.”
Arthur opened his eyes. He felt a little more in control although the urge to strip the stranger, Merlin, naked and have his wicked way with him was still there. “Arthur,” he replied.
He saw Merlin shiver and suddenly his own thoughts seemed immaterial. A surge of protectiveness came over him. “You're wet,” he said “and cold.”
“It's raining outside,” Merlin said. “Do you have any towels?”
“Yes,” Arthur said. He still liked to keep himself clean. It was one of the few human luxuries he allowed himself. “Come with me.”
He led Merlin into the living room. It was big but barely used, there was a minimum of furniture, Arthur usually stayed in his own bedroom where the mirror was and where his bed was. He had no need to spend any time in the living room.
“It's...nice,” Merlin said, looking around. He was still shivering.
Realising this Arthur went over and lit the fire. He used a couple of flints and though the method was old it worked. He threw a few more logs on and watched them burn. He never really had a need for fire; he should have feared it when he remembered how his father had used it against sorcery, but the skill to light one was one he had not lost.
“Come here,” Arthur said.
“You're demanding, aren't you?” Merlin said, although he came close to the fire.
Arthur moved a chair close to the fire. “Sit,” he said.
Merlin frowned. “You know you could use some manners,” he said. “Like saying please.”
The nuances of human behaviour were not ones he was used to. All Arthur wanted to do was make sure Merlin was warm and comfortable. Still, perhaps he should try to take on board the things Merlin said so as not to startle him.
“Please sit down, Merlin,” he said.
Merlin smiled and seated himself. “Thank you, Arthur.”
Arthur picked up a candle and used the flames from the fire to light it. He didn’t need light to see but he thought it would make Merlin comfortable. Why he was interested in providing the human comfort he wasn't really sure.
He finished lighting the candles. “Better?” he asked.
Merlin nodded. “Yes, thank you.”
Leaving Merlin to warm by the fire Arthur headed to get some clean towels and dry clothing for him. His mind was still reeling with the emotion he was feeling. There was something about Merlin. Arthur might not have met a human for a long time but he'd never had this kind of reaction.
He wasn’t quite sure what was happening to him.
********************************************************************************
With the fire roaring Merlin was beginning to feel better already. He was dry and warm and he relaxed in the chair. Looking about the room Merlin was surprised it had so little furniture in it. The room was huge and yet a few chairs and a sofa were the entire contents.
Perhaps Arthur couldn’t afford much furniture, Merlin thought. A house this big must cost a lot just to upkeep Merlin imagined. Merlin wondered how Arthur had come by it; had he inherited it? Bought it? Merlin decided to ask his host when he returned.
He was intrigued by Arthur. He seemed quiet, almost shy, as if he hadn't talked to anyone for a long time. Merlin wondered if Arthur lived alone. He didn’t look that old; surely he would have a family? Friends? The questions Merlin wanted to ask were piling up.
Then there were his clothes. They looked old-fashioned, in terms of the collar style and trouser cut. Arthur could probably walk down a Victorian street and no-one would give him a second glance, not like Merlin in his hoodie and trainers. Arthur didn't dress his age and that was another odd thing about him.
Still it wasn't everyday he ended up in the home of a handsome stranger. Merlin shook his head. Yes, Arthur was attractive but he'd read too many of his mother's romance novels. People like Merlin didn't end up with handsome mysterious handsome princes. Even if Merlin was a sucker for a blonde haired stranger with no manners.
Arthur seemed to be taking a long time. Merlin was starting to get worried. He should have been worrying that perhaps he stepped into the home of an crazed cannibal killer and Arthur was heating up the oven as Merlin sat there. It wasn't for himself he was worried though; he was worried that Arthur was all right.
“Of course he's all right,” Merlin muttered to himself. “He lives here.”
********************************************************************************
It had been easy to locate the towels and the spare clothes but Arthur had realised that Merlin would need food. Arthur didn’t eat so he'd had no need to have any food in the house. He'd never expected a human visitor. Arthur did occasionally visit the farmhouses and the village nearby for things like soap and towels, always leaving some coins for payment, but he didn't want to have to travel that far.
Quickly he went out into the nearby fields where he knew were some vegetable crops. The storm provided enough cover from the sun and Arthur gathered what he could. He wasn't sure how much or what to take but he hoped it was enough.
When he entered the house again Merlin was where he'd left him. Arthur was partly relieved but he was still worried about having Merlin in close proximity. He was still feeling confused by the feelings he was experiencing, He hadn't felt anything in centuries. He believed it was part of his curse. Now though he could feel emotions churning inside him.
“Here,” he said. He handed over the towels and fresh clothes and stood back.
“You're not going to watch?” Merlin asked.
“Of course not,” Arthur said. He knew it wouldn’t be wise for him to watch but he wanted to. He wanted to see Merlin peel his clothes off and reveal his skin.
“You're still staring,” Merlin said.
“Yes,” Arthur replied. “I'm sorry.”
Merlin frowned. “It's all right,” he said. “Could you give me some privacy?”
“Yes.” Arthur reluctantly left the room.
He stayed outside the door, listening to the sound of wet clothes being removed. He could hear the fibres of the towels rubbing against Merlin's skin and he wanted to be the one to touch it. He wanted to wrap Merlin in his arms and feel him with nothing between the two of them.
Then he heard Merlin finish putting the spare clothes on. The shirt slid across Merlin's skin and Arthur wished he could have slid his hand across it. It was maddening to be so close and yet unable to touch. Arthur found himself groaning.
“Arthur?”
Realising Merlin had heard him Arthur froze.
“You can come in now,” Merlin called.
Arthur made sure his fangs weren’t visible and opened the door.
********************************************************************************
Merlin was sure that Arthur had been watching him. He just had a feeling that maybe he'd been peeking through the keyhole. He thought he'd heard Arthur groan and Merlin wondered if Arthur hadn't hurt himself as he tried to peep in, maybe he'd stubbed his toe on the door.
Merlin would have said it served Arthur right but he didn't. He quite liked the idea of Arthur watching him. That worried him. For all he knew Arthur was a serial killer and Merlin his next victim. Nice people didn’t watch strangers get changed.
Yet Arthur wasn't even blushing.
“You're dry,” Arthur said.
“Yes, I am,” Merlin said. “You're not.”
Arthur looked down at himself. “No, I'm wet.”
“Do you keep your towels outside?” Merlin asked.
Arthur was pulling at his clothes. “No. I went to get you food.”
“Oh,” Merlin said. He hadn't asked for anything to eat but Arthur had gone out to get him something anyway? Merlin got a nice warm feeling inside. “Thank you.”
“You should eat now,” Arthur said.
“Bossy, aren't you?” Merlin said, smiling. He didn't think Arthur was being intentionally rude. He just seemed unpractised.
“I am?” Arthur looked puzzled.
“Shouldn’t you get dry first?” Merlin asked, picking up a towel. He'd draped the used towels over the chair to dry and handed Arthur one.
Arthur stared at it. “I need to take my clothes off,” he said.
Merlin was about to suggest he leave Arthur and give him some privacy but it seemed Arthur had no sense of needing it as he pulled his wet shirt off with Merlin still looking at him. Really Merlin should have said something but he was too busy staring at Arthur. He was still looking too pale but the way he was built was as if Merlin’s fantasies had come to life.
He watched as Arthur rubbed his chest with the towel. Arthur's chest was broad and his arms were muscled. He was everything Merlin found appealing in the male form. Merlin couldn't help staring as Arthur appeared oblivious.
It was only when Arthur began removing his trousers that Merlin got some sense into himself and turned around. He was very tempted to turn around a little and peek but he wasn't sure what Arthur would think if he caught his guest staring at him. Merlin knew he was getting hard and the last thing he wanted was for Arthur to feel uncomfortable.
Finally Arthur spoke. “I'm ready,” he said.
Merlin turned around half expecting, and perhaps hoping, to see Arthur naked but he was wearing his clothes again and they were dry.
“How did you do that?” Merlin asked.
“I got dressed, Merlin, obviously,” Arthur replied. “Now come and eat.”
“Arthur, you need to say please, remember?” Merlin said. Arthur might not be aware of manners but Merlin was determined to teach him.
“Please come and eat, Merlin,” Arthur said.
Merlin smiled. “That's better.”
********************************************************************************
Arthur led the way to the dining room, or what he thought was the dining room. That was another room he had no use for. He could feel Merlin's eyes on him again. He'd noticed that Merlin had watched him undress, at least to a certain point. He wondered if somehow he held the same fascination Merlin seemed to have for him.
He entered the room and led Merlin to the table. It was small but Arthur kept it clean. In the middle he'd left a vase of black roses. They'd been red and full of life once but gradually over time they had turned black and withered. Arthur had just left them there, a reminder of what he had missed all his life.
“Do you often eat in here?” Merlin asked.
“No. I never have,” Arthur said.
Merlin frowned. “Oh.”
“Please sit down,” Arthur said, pulling the chair out.
“You remembered the word then?” Merlin said, sitting down. “This is...nice. Dark but nice.”
Forgetting Merlin’s eyesight wasn’t as good as his Arthur went back into the living room and brought a few of the candles through to bring light to the room.
“What's for dinner?” Merlin asked.
“Food,” Arthur said. “What else would there be?”
“I meant what sort of food,” Merlin said.
Arthur hadn't really thought about that. To him human food was all the same. “I'll get it,” he said.
********************************************************************************
Sitting at the table Merlin wondered why the room didn’t appear to have been used. Arthur apparently never ate in it which was strange but at least his manners had improved. Merlin shook his head. Arthur was just being polite thought I seemed there was nothing more to it than that.
In the dim light Merlin reached over and rubbed one of the rose petals between his thumb and forefinger. The roses were black and felt dry, as if the life had been sucked out of them. They weren't like any rose he'd ever touched. He picked one out of the vase and examined the stem. It was also black and dry but oddly not withered. He held it in his hand but then he felt one of the sharp thorns prick him.
He dropped the rose and saw a single drop of blood well up. He was about to lock it when he noticed Arthur standing in the doorway, staring. It seemed as if his eyes were glowing. Arthur's mouth was slightly open and Merlin could see two fangs. His heart was pounding.
“Arthur?”
“You're bleeding,” Arthur said.
Merlin was about to take his finger out of Arthur's view as his mind screamed vampire when Arthur came over and took hold of Merlin's wrist. Merlin could have struggled but Arthur's grip was strong, although it wasn't hurting him. Merlin thought he should have been screaming but he didn't. He didn’t feel a sense of impending horror.
Perhaps that was part of the vampire’s ploy, he thought - part of Arthur's ploy. Then Arthur brought Merlin's outstretched finger close to his lips. A single drop of Merlin’s blood dropped onto the floor before Arthur opened his mouth and Merlin felt his finger being engulfed inside the vampire's mouth.
At once he could feel the warmth of Arthur's mouth, the slight graze of his fangs against his skin. Arthur's tongue was wrapped around his finger and he could feel Arthur sucking on it. Merlin should have been pulling his finger out and yelling but instead he let out a small moan. It was as if his finger was being touched, caressed and kissed all at once.
Then suddenly Arthur stopped and pulled Merlin’s finger out of his his mouth, leaving it cold and bereft. Arthur looked afraid and confused but his gaze was still on Merlin's finger. Glancing down Merlin could see there was no sign of any cut or abrasion but hi finger tingled and his stomach felt light.
He looked up at the vampire slowly backing away from him. “Arthur?”
“I shouldn't have...” Arthur said, swallowing hard. “I couldn't stop myself. I'm sorry.”
As he saw Arthur backing further away Merlin reached out and grabbed his shirt. He knew that Arthur wasn't about to suck him dry, wasn't about to kill him or hurt him. It seemed Arthur was more concerned than Merlin was. Maybe they could talk. Merlin still had questions.
“I should go,” Arthur said.
Merlin pulled him closer. “I'm not afraid,” he said.
“You should be. I'm cursed.”
“You're a vampire?”
Arthur nodded and stopped trying to move away.
“How long?” Merlin asked.
“I'm not sure,” Arthur said. “After the first thousand years I stopped counting but I know it's been centuries after that.”
“That's...a long time,” Merlin said. “And you've been on your own all this time.”
“Yes.”
“Well, that explains the lack of manners,” Merlin said. “You've been lonely?”
“I deserve to be lonely,” Arthur replied. “I deserve this curse.”
“No-one deserves to be lonely.” Merlin couldn’t even imagine living for over a thousand yeas without human company. He was so close to his mother he struggled to imagine life without her in it. “And no-one deserves a curse.”
“I do,” Arthur said. “I killed my mother.”
Merlin tried not to look shocked. He couldn’t imagine anyone doing such a thing, though he knew it happened. He just couldn't imagine Arthur doing it. “You killed your own mother?”
“When I was born. My birth caused her to die,” Arthur paused. “I should have died with her but my father wanted me to live so I became this.”
This being a vampire Merlin presumed. “You were a baby,” he said. “You were innocent.”
Arthur looked up with hope in his eyes. It seemed no-one had mentioned the idea to him before. “You think I was?”
Merlin nodded. “You've not killed me,” he said.
Arthur's fangs were still visible. “No but I....” Arthur stopped.
“What about your family?”
“My father didn’t want a vampire for a son,” Arthur said. “I tried to make him proud but I couldn't even go out in the sunlight.”
“That must have been hard,” Merlin said.
“I deserved it.”
“No!” Merlin said. “You didn't. None of this you deserved, Arthur.”
Arthur came closer. “Why aren't you afraid of me?”
“I'm different too,” Merlin said. “I'm special.”
His gifts were supposed to be kept a secret. He counted the number of people who knew about him on three fingers but somehow he felt Arthur deserved to know. Deserved to know he wasn't the only one who was different. He let his magic flow to the surface, cupping one hand and conjuring a small flame. He uncurled his fingers to reveal it dancing in his palm.
“I have magic,” Merlin said.
Arthur reached out and touched the flame, letting it flow over his skin. “It doesn’t hurt,” he said.
Merlin smiled. Arthur seemed so vulnerable, so lacking in self esteem, quite different to the vampires of legend. “It's magic,” he said.
“Your blood,” Arthur said. “It tasted different.”
“A good different?”
“Yes, Merlin, a good different.”
Merlin found himself smiling again. Then he sensed a change in atmosphere, like there had been before Arthur had sucked his finger. Arthur leaned forward, coming closer. Somehow Merlin knew Arthur wanted to kiss him and despite the fangs and the slight glowing eyes he welcomed the urge as Arthur's lips touched his.
********************************************************************************
Arthur had never kissed another person before, he never wanted to touch a human like that but Merlin was different. Merlin wasn't quite human, not really. He was different, like Arthur was. Arthur bit Merlin's lip, drawing a little blood and flicked his tongue to taste it. Merlin's mouth opened and Arthur pushed his tongue across Merlin's lips and then inside.
There was something different about the taste of Merlin's blood. It filled Arthur with something different. Maybe it was the magic in it but it gave Arthur a renewed energy. He wanted more, he wanted to get Merlin naked and press their bodies together. He wanted to explore the odd turmoil of feelings he was experiencing.
He pulled away from Merlin's mouth and began pulling at the shirt Merlin was wearing. Merlin stopped him with a gentle hand on his.
“Arthur, if we're going to do what I think you want to do we should move somewhere more comfortable. Like a bed?”
Arthur was torn. On the one hand he wanted to keep touching Merlin but on the other hand a bed would be better. He took hold of Merlin's hands and pulled him to his feet. Then he took hold of Merlin's hand and pulled him through the house and up the stairs.
No-one except Arthur had ever been in his bedroom but Merlin had seen what he was and hadn't been disgusted or afraid. He could trust Merlin so it was only right that he led Merlin into his inner sanctum; a place no-one else was welcome in.
He tugged and pulled at Merlin's clothing, wanting to touch the bare skin. He kissed Merlin's collarbone when it became visible, nipping it lightly so it bled before licking the wound to heal it. He pressed himself against Merlin, pulling his own clothes off to feel his skin against Merlin's. Merlin was warm, a source of heat that brought warmth to Arthur's perpetually cold body.
For the first time in his life Arthur knew what it was like to feel his heart beating. He wrapped his arms around Merlin and brought him close. He could feel his body react even more to the closeness they were sharing. He pushed Merlin down onto the bed.
In his mind he had a vague idea of what he wanted to do. He wanted to touch Merlin, kiss him, caress him, be close to him but beyond that he didn’t know what to do.
“Merlin?” he said.
Merlin pulled Arthur down beside him. “You haven't done this before?”
“No. I...” Arthur couldn’t say the words, not even to Merlin, the first person to not look at him with disgust.
“What do you want?” Merlin asked, running a finger along Arthur's hard cock.
“Everything,” Arthur said.
“Do you want to be inside me? Or me inside you?”
The idea of having their bodies joined together caused Arthur to moan. “Yes.”
“Which one?” Merlin asked, whispering in Arthur’s ear so he shivered.
“Both but you inside me first,” Arthur said. Merlin seemed to know what he was doing. Arthur didn’t want to hurt Merlin through his lack of experience. “Please,” he added as an after thought.
Merlin laughed and the sound made Arthur smile. He hadn't smiled in a long time and the expression felt strange but he knew it was was right. He felt like smiling.
“Have you got anything we can use?” Merlin asked.
Arthur frowned. “Use?”
“Something to make it easier. Something slippery,” Merlin said.
Arthur had very little in his home, just the bare minimum. “Soap?” he asked.
Merlin shook his head. “Not unless you want it to feel like you're skin is burning.”
Arthur thought for a moment. He did keep a small bottle of oil which he used as part of his cleansing routine. “Oil?” he suggested.
“Yeah, that'll work,” Merlin said. “Where is it?”
Arthur pointed to the dresser where he kept the bottle of oil next to the soap. He watched as Merlin reached out his hand and the soap flew across the room so he could catch it.
“Magic,” Merlin said.
Carefully Merlin poured out some of the oil onto his fingers. He directed Arthur to lie on his back with his legs apart and slightly raised.
“This might feel strange,” Merlin said. “It might hurt a little.”
Arthur didn’t really care. He prepared himself but he still flinched a little when Merlin touched a finger around his hole, teasing it gently. Then he felt Merlin's finger push in a little. It was odd to feel the intrusion there but not too unpleasant. Merlin spent time moving it in and out and Arthur relaxed, resting his legs on Merlin's shoulders.
He tensed a little when a second finger was added and then again when the third went in. It wasn't very pleasant but his erection was still strong. Obviously his body trusted Merlin as much as he did. Then the fingers were withdrawn and he could feel Merlin's cock nudge his entrance.
“Arthur, just relax and push out a bit when you feel me,” Merlin said.
Arthur nodded. He felt the head of Merlin's cock push inside. It hurt more than the fingers and he would have tensed up except he remembered to trust Merlin. He pushed out and tried to relax as Merlin slowly pushed inside. Arthur's cock wasn’t as hard now sand Arthur could feel a little pain yet somehow he didn’t mind. Feeling at all was a miracle to him.
“You're tight,” Merlin said.
More out of instinct than direction Arthur wrapped his legs around Merlin's waist. “Come on, Merlin,” he said.
Finally Merlin was all the way in and the two of them were joined. Merlin leaned down and gave Arthur a kiss, claiming his mouth . Arthur's fangs were still fully out and they grazed Merlin's tongue, his own quickly wrapping around it to heal it whilst the taste of drops of Merlin’s blood danced in Arthur's mouth.
“Move,” Arthur said, whispering against Merlin's mouth.
“Bossy for a virgin,” Merlin said, but there was no malice.
Slowly he pulled out and and then pushed in. Over and over he did so at first slowly but then with increasing speed. Arthur felt Merlin's hard length leave and enter him and each time it got easier. Merlin stroked Arthur’s cock and it became hard again as they began to move together, Arthur thrusting toward Merlin was he pushed in.
Merlin bent his head down and rubbed his neck near to Arthur's mouth. Instinctively Arthur licked it, letting his fangs graze the surface.
“Merlin, I want to... need to...”
Arthur desperately needed to bite Merlin, the feel the blood flow between them as their bodies moved together.
“Yes,” Merlin whispered.
Taking this as permission Arthur plunged his fangs into Merlin’s neck. Despite the shock Merlin kept moving in and out of Arthur’s body. Arthur tasted Merlin’s blood and felt the magic flow into him, between them. It closed a circle of connection between then and Arthur tasted magic passing from Merlin into himself.
He could feel Merlin, physically, mentally, emotionally. Merlin was there, a strong presence, a light presence hat Arthur felt himself being pulled toward. He let himself be enveloped in Merlin's light.
Merlin's thrusts grew urgent and Arthur sucked Merlin's neck harder. At that moment he felt Merlin shudder and come, filling Arthur up with warmth. Arthur pulled his fangs away from Merlin’s neck, licked enough to stop it bleeding and then he himself came, the taste of Merlin and magic flowing through him.
********************************************************************************
If anyone had told Merlin that morning that by the end of the day he would have had mind-blowing sex with a vampire he wouldn’t have believed them. Yet that was exactly what had happened. Now he was lying in the vampire's bed with the vampire sleeping beside him and he wasn't scared or afraid.
He hadn't been scared even when Arthur’s fangs had sank into his neck. He felt something between them; he'd felt Arthur. Merlin suspected his magic had played a role in protecting him but perhaps it had protected Arthur as well.
In rest Arthur looked so peaceful. His fangs were gone from sight and even his skin looked healthier. Obviously the sex had done him good. Merlin couldn’t imagine the life Arthur had led.
The outside world intruded on his thoughts. What was he going to do? He couldn’t just leave Arthur but the vampire couldn't survive in the outside world, the human world. There had to be a way, something he could do. Merlin was not prepared to leave Arthur to a life of loneliness. In a way Arthur had become his responsibility no-one had cared about Arthur for centuries, longer and Merlin felt it was time he had someone to care for him.
Yawning, Merlin wondered what time it was. Arthur had no clocks in his house but then maybe he didn't need them. Arthur was still fast asleep and Merlin saw no need to wake him. All he had to do was take a look outside. That would tell him how close dawn was.
He got out of the bed and padded over to the window. They were covered with thick, heavy black curtains, obviously to keep out the sunlight. Merlin pulled them back to take in the night sky only to find that bright daylight spilled into the room.
“Arthur!” he yelled, turning toward the bed. The light would reach Arthur and if it did Arthur would die.
For a moment Merlin pictured Arthur burnt up, turned to ash through Merlin’s foolish unthinking mistake but Arthur was still lying there. He was still alive, whole, and well; even though the daylight was streaming across his skin.
Slowly Arthur stretched and blinked. He screwed his eyes shut. “Merlin?” he asked. “What's going on?”
Merlin ran over to the bed and leapt on it, kneeling next to Arthur. “It's daytime, Arthur.”
“Then I should be asleep,” Arthur said.
Merlin shook Arthur's shoulder. “No, Arthur, it's daylight and you're alive. You're not turning to ash.”
Arthur opened his eyes, but was still squinting. He looked at Merlin. “I'm in the sunlight,” he said, looking at his skin.
“Yeah,” Merlin replied, grinning. He'd never felt this happy to see someone in daylight before.
“I can't be,” Arthur said.
“You are and you can. Look,” Merlin said, angling Arthur toward the window.
The light was obviously too bright still and Arthur shut his eyes. “But the curse...” he said.
“Isn't killing you in the daylight,” Merlin said. “Maybe you're cured.”
Arthur shook his head and opened his mouth, allowing two fangs to descend. That part of the curse still existed. “Not cured,” Arthur said. He closed his mouth. “But better.”
“How?” Merlin asked.
“Your blood,” Arthur replied. “I drank your blood.”
“And the magic my blood partly cured you?”
Arthur nodded. “It makes sense, Merlin.”
It did make sense, crazy as that was. “Maybe if you drink some more you'll be completely cured?”
“No, the curse let me live,” Arthur said. “I don’t think I can be cured completely but this is enough.”
“We can go out together in the daylight,” Merlin said.
“Together, Merlin?” Arthur sounded hopeful.
Merlin leaned in and kissed Arthur gently on the lips. “Together.”
Arthur smiled and then tackled Merlin onto the bed. “Later,” he said, giving Merlin a kiss.
“Much later,” Merlin replied.
The next day Arthur walked down a country lane holding hands with Merlin, walking in daylight for the first time in his life. His curse would always be part of him but now he was with Merlin it no longer felt like a curse but a gift.
FIN
Author: a8c_sock
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Vampirism. And fluff.
Disclaimer: I don't own them but if I did they'd never get out of bed.
Beta: hobnailedboots
Summary: For so long Arthur has been alone, leading a cursed life. Now fate has brought Merlin to his door.
Author's Notes (A/N): Written for merlinxarthur's fanfic challenge #5. I used pictures 02, 11, 13, 14, 15.
The Other Side of Every Fear
It wasn't often that Arthur woke early. His body was tuned to the rhythms of the night and day to a precision few could match. It was rare that he awoke before it was time for him to do so. Tonight though it was different; something had brought him out of his rest.
He decided to consult the mirror, the only real window he had onto the world outside. Of course he left his home to feed, but the world beyond the walls of his home wasn't one Arthur felt he belonged in. He was cursed, had been since birth. By all rights he should have perished with his mother but the witch Nimueh had offered him a life - a cursed life, but a life.
His father had banished him before he'd even come of age, too afraid of what his son had become.
Arthur had spent years in various castles, each time trapped in rooms with only the mirror to entertain himself. He used it to see Camelot, his father and the life he'd left behind. Through it he saw his father grow old and weak. Eventually his father had died and Camelot had fallen.
That had been centuries ago. Since then Arthur had seen men rise to power and fall from it. He'd seen war, famine and disease yet had been oddly disconnected from all. The human world, the world he saw through the mirror, was not where he was welcome.
He wondered what the mirror would show him this time. He pulled off the cover and revealed its murky face. Arthur never saw himself in it: he couldn't even have said that was the purpose of it as the mirror didn't reflect what faced it like metal or water. Instead, like a fog, the surface shifted and coalesced. Then it parted to reveal an image of a young man, wandering through rain and looking lost.
Arthur was puzzled. Why was the mirror showing him one man?
Intrigued, Arthur looked closer. He didn't recognise him, but then everyone he would recognise was long dead. The man was young, Arthur thought perhaps early twenties, although as he didn’t really age himself it was hard to tell.
The stranger had dark hair, so wet it was plastered to his forehead. Arthur didn’t think the man looked like anyone he had seen before. There was something about his full lips and cheekbones; Arthur was fascinated and found himself feeling very odd. He looked down at himself and saw a bulge in his trousers, but that was supposed to have been impossible.
Then he felt his fangs descend. They never did that except when he was feeding and even then he had to physically elongate them. He tried to retract them but he couldn't. Turning away from the mirror, he pressed his nails into the palms of this hands, concentrating on the feeling until most of his urges dissolved and he felt more in control.
He looked back at the mirror. He could see from the landmarks the human was not far from Arthur's home. Who was this man and why had he had such an effect on Arthur?
********************************************************************************
Merlin hated the rain. This wasn't just any rain either. This was bitterly cold, driving rain that had him soaked to the skin. He wished he'd brought his coat, but then when he'd set out a few hours earlier it had been bright sunshine with not a cloud in the sky. The weather had turned so quickly Merlin had lost his bearings.
All he knew was he was roaming about the English countryside and was likely to be miles away from his camp site. Camping out in the summer had seemed a brilliant idea, a chance for Merlin to go out on his own and be a bit more independent. Now it was seeming more like a death wish. Merlin's phone battery was dead and he was lost.
He just wanted a bit of freedom. His mother worried about him because of his 'gifts' and much of his childhood had been spent with Merlin feeling on edge. Gradually his mother had let him leave the house, do things normal children his age did, but she still worried. This was the first time she'd waved him off with a smile.
Now what good were his gifts? He couldn't even conjure up an umbrella, let alone stop the deluge. What would his mother think of him?
In the distance he could see what looked like a farmhouse. With turrets. Who had a farmhouse with turrets? It was more like a French châteaux than a house but Merlin didn’t care when it held the promise of warmth, shelter and help. He walked toward it, blinking against the strong rain.
********************************************************************************
The mirror showed the young man coming closer, stumbling down a track near the fields where Arthur fed. He was surprised as the house was so isolated few humans ever came near. Luckily there were plenty of sheep and the odd cow that grazed on the farmland around the house, enough for Arthur to survive on. Arthur avoided humans and none had ever come near to his home. Yet this man had.
He was obviously suffering in the weather. The sky was dark and the rain showed no sign of easing. Arthur saw wind whip around, blowing the rain into the face of the stranger. Still he kept walking.
Arthur began to panic. What if the stranger came to his home seeking shelter? There was no way that Arthur could let him in. His fangs descended again at the thought of the stranger in his home and he was still hard. He was in no fit state to see the human. He wasn't sure if he wanted to feed from him or get him naked and have sex with him. Or both.
Arthur's decision was taken out of his hands as he heard a knock on the door.
********************************************************************************
Merlin put his arms around himself to stop himself from shivering. He was feeling cold and his teeth were chattering. He hoped someone was in, he hadn't seen any lights on. He knocked again, to make sure. The door was thick and wooden but there was no door knocker nor a door bell.
“Please be in,” Merlin muttered.
Looking around, he could see it was a big place. There was a courtyard with an old well in it that looked like it hadn't been touched in years. There was the big house with the turrets and another building that looked big enough to be another house, or a large cottage. It was an impressive house but it seemed deserted.
Knocking a third time Merlin was glad that at least on the porch he was out of the worst of the rain. He wondered if perhaps he was at he back door. If there was no answer this time he thought he might go and walk around to see if there was another door.
Merlin was about to do so when the door opened a pale blonde man stood in front of him, staring.
“Hello,” Merlin said. “Erm...it's really cold and wet out here, could I come in?”
********************************************************************************
Arthur wasn't sure why he'd answered the door. It was stupid. He should have covered up the mirror and gone back to his rest as soon as he'd had the odd reaction to the stranger but he hadn't and now he was staring at the stranger, trying not to let his fangs show. A stranger who wanted to come into his home.
“Yes,” he said, quietly. The words felt odd; his throat felt stiff and underused. He couldn’t remember the last time he had spoken. He stepped back and allowed the stranger in.
The stranger didn't seem at all afraid or bothered about where he was, but then he had little idea about what the man sanding in front of him actually was. Arthur watched him stand there and shake off some of the rain water. He was hard, and he still wasn't sure what that meant, his fangs were painfully elongated and he wanted to bite the young man in front of him, bruise him, drain him to within a mouthful, but always staying a gulp away from ending his life.
“Are you all right?” the stranger asked, putting a hand on Arthur's shoulder.
Arthur hadn't been touched since he was a child. He'd long forgotten what the sensation felt like. He shuddered under the stranger's touch. “Fine,” he said, closing his eyes and breathing deeply to calm himself down.
“You don't look fine,” the stranger said.
“Sorry,” Arthur said. “I didn’t sleep well.”
That was true; he had been awoken before he should have been.
“Oh, okay,” the stranger said. “I'm Merlin.”
Arthur opened his eyes. He felt a little more in control although the urge to strip the stranger, Merlin, naked and have his wicked way with him was still there. “Arthur,” he replied.
He saw Merlin shiver and suddenly his own thoughts seemed immaterial. A surge of protectiveness came over him. “You're wet,” he said “and cold.”
“It's raining outside,” Merlin said. “Do you have any towels?”
“Yes,” Arthur said. He still liked to keep himself clean. It was one of the few human luxuries he allowed himself. “Come with me.”
He led Merlin into the living room. It was big but barely used, there was a minimum of furniture, Arthur usually stayed in his own bedroom where the mirror was and where his bed was. He had no need to spend any time in the living room.
“It's...nice,” Merlin said, looking around. He was still shivering.
Realising this Arthur went over and lit the fire. He used a couple of flints and though the method was old it worked. He threw a few more logs on and watched them burn. He never really had a need for fire; he should have feared it when he remembered how his father had used it against sorcery, but the skill to light one was one he had not lost.
“Come here,” Arthur said.
“You're demanding, aren't you?” Merlin said, although he came close to the fire.
Arthur moved a chair close to the fire. “Sit,” he said.
Merlin frowned. “You know you could use some manners,” he said. “Like saying please.”
The nuances of human behaviour were not ones he was used to. All Arthur wanted to do was make sure Merlin was warm and comfortable. Still, perhaps he should try to take on board the things Merlin said so as not to startle him.
“Please sit down, Merlin,” he said.
Merlin smiled and seated himself. “Thank you, Arthur.”
Arthur picked up a candle and used the flames from the fire to light it. He didn’t need light to see but he thought it would make Merlin comfortable. Why he was interested in providing the human comfort he wasn't really sure.
He finished lighting the candles. “Better?” he asked.
Merlin nodded. “Yes, thank you.”
Leaving Merlin to warm by the fire Arthur headed to get some clean towels and dry clothing for him. His mind was still reeling with the emotion he was feeling. There was something about Merlin. Arthur might not have met a human for a long time but he'd never had this kind of reaction.
He wasn’t quite sure what was happening to him.
********************************************************************************
With the fire roaring Merlin was beginning to feel better already. He was dry and warm and he relaxed in the chair. Looking about the room Merlin was surprised it had so little furniture in it. The room was huge and yet a few chairs and a sofa were the entire contents.
Perhaps Arthur couldn’t afford much furniture, Merlin thought. A house this big must cost a lot just to upkeep Merlin imagined. Merlin wondered how Arthur had come by it; had he inherited it? Bought it? Merlin decided to ask his host when he returned.
He was intrigued by Arthur. He seemed quiet, almost shy, as if he hadn't talked to anyone for a long time. Merlin wondered if Arthur lived alone. He didn’t look that old; surely he would have a family? Friends? The questions Merlin wanted to ask were piling up.
Then there were his clothes. They looked old-fashioned, in terms of the collar style and trouser cut. Arthur could probably walk down a Victorian street and no-one would give him a second glance, not like Merlin in his hoodie and trainers. Arthur didn't dress his age and that was another odd thing about him.
Still it wasn't everyday he ended up in the home of a handsome stranger. Merlin shook his head. Yes, Arthur was attractive but he'd read too many of his mother's romance novels. People like Merlin didn't end up with handsome mysterious handsome princes. Even if Merlin was a sucker for a blonde haired stranger with no manners.
Arthur seemed to be taking a long time. Merlin was starting to get worried. He should have been worrying that perhaps he stepped into the home of an crazed cannibal killer and Arthur was heating up the oven as Merlin sat there. It wasn't for himself he was worried though; he was worried that Arthur was all right.
“Of course he's all right,” Merlin muttered to himself. “He lives here.”
********************************************************************************
It had been easy to locate the towels and the spare clothes but Arthur had realised that Merlin would need food. Arthur didn’t eat so he'd had no need to have any food in the house. He'd never expected a human visitor. Arthur did occasionally visit the farmhouses and the village nearby for things like soap and towels, always leaving some coins for payment, but he didn't want to have to travel that far.
Quickly he went out into the nearby fields where he knew were some vegetable crops. The storm provided enough cover from the sun and Arthur gathered what he could. He wasn't sure how much or what to take but he hoped it was enough.
When he entered the house again Merlin was where he'd left him. Arthur was partly relieved but he was still worried about having Merlin in close proximity. He was still feeling confused by the feelings he was experiencing, He hadn't felt anything in centuries. He believed it was part of his curse. Now though he could feel emotions churning inside him.
“Here,” he said. He handed over the towels and fresh clothes and stood back.
“You're not going to watch?” Merlin asked.
“Of course not,” Arthur said. He knew it wouldn’t be wise for him to watch but he wanted to. He wanted to see Merlin peel his clothes off and reveal his skin.
“You're still staring,” Merlin said.
“Yes,” Arthur replied. “I'm sorry.”
Merlin frowned. “It's all right,” he said. “Could you give me some privacy?”
“Yes.” Arthur reluctantly left the room.
He stayed outside the door, listening to the sound of wet clothes being removed. He could hear the fibres of the towels rubbing against Merlin's skin and he wanted to be the one to touch it. He wanted to wrap Merlin in his arms and feel him with nothing between the two of them.
Then he heard Merlin finish putting the spare clothes on. The shirt slid across Merlin's skin and Arthur wished he could have slid his hand across it. It was maddening to be so close and yet unable to touch. Arthur found himself groaning.
“Arthur?”
Realising Merlin had heard him Arthur froze.
“You can come in now,” Merlin called.
Arthur made sure his fangs weren’t visible and opened the door.
********************************************************************************
Merlin was sure that Arthur had been watching him. He just had a feeling that maybe he'd been peeking through the keyhole. He thought he'd heard Arthur groan and Merlin wondered if Arthur hadn't hurt himself as he tried to peep in, maybe he'd stubbed his toe on the door.
Merlin would have said it served Arthur right but he didn't. He quite liked the idea of Arthur watching him. That worried him. For all he knew Arthur was a serial killer and Merlin his next victim. Nice people didn’t watch strangers get changed.
Yet Arthur wasn't even blushing.
“You're dry,” Arthur said.
“Yes, I am,” Merlin said. “You're not.”
Arthur looked down at himself. “No, I'm wet.”
“Do you keep your towels outside?” Merlin asked.
Arthur was pulling at his clothes. “No. I went to get you food.”
“Oh,” Merlin said. He hadn't asked for anything to eat but Arthur had gone out to get him something anyway? Merlin got a nice warm feeling inside. “Thank you.”
“You should eat now,” Arthur said.
“Bossy, aren't you?” Merlin said, smiling. He didn't think Arthur was being intentionally rude. He just seemed unpractised.
“I am?” Arthur looked puzzled.
“Shouldn’t you get dry first?” Merlin asked, picking up a towel. He'd draped the used towels over the chair to dry and handed Arthur one.
Arthur stared at it. “I need to take my clothes off,” he said.
Merlin was about to suggest he leave Arthur and give him some privacy but it seemed Arthur had no sense of needing it as he pulled his wet shirt off with Merlin still looking at him. Really Merlin should have said something but he was too busy staring at Arthur. He was still looking too pale but the way he was built was as if Merlin’s fantasies had come to life.
He watched as Arthur rubbed his chest with the towel. Arthur's chest was broad and his arms were muscled. He was everything Merlin found appealing in the male form. Merlin couldn't help staring as Arthur appeared oblivious.
It was only when Arthur began removing his trousers that Merlin got some sense into himself and turned around. He was very tempted to turn around a little and peek but he wasn't sure what Arthur would think if he caught his guest staring at him. Merlin knew he was getting hard and the last thing he wanted was for Arthur to feel uncomfortable.
Finally Arthur spoke. “I'm ready,” he said.
Merlin turned around half expecting, and perhaps hoping, to see Arthur naked but he was wearing his clothes again and they were dry.
“How did you do that?” Merlin asked.
“I got dressed, Merlin, obviously,” Arthur replied. “Now come and eat.”
“Arthur, you need to say please, remember?” Merlin said. Arthur might not be aware of manners but Merlin was determined to teach him.
“Please come and eat, Merlin,” Arthur said.
Merlin smiled. “That's better.”
********************************************************************************
Arthur led the way to the dining room, or what he thought was the dining room. That was another room he had no use for. He could feel Merlin's eyes on him again. He'd noticed that Merlin had watched him undress, at least to a certain point. He wondered if somehow he held the same fascination Merlin seemed to have for him.
He entered the room and led Merlin to the table. It was small but Arthur kept it clean. In the middle he'd left a vase of black roses. They'd been red and full of life once but gradually over time they had turned black and withered. Arthur had just left them there, a reminder of what he had missed all his life.
“Do you often eat in here?” Merlin asked.
“No. I never have,” Arthur said.
Merlin frowned. “Oh.”
“Please sit down,” Arthur said, pulling the chair out.
“You remembered the word then?” Merlin said, sitting down. “This is...nice. Dark but nice.”
Forgetting Merlin’s eyesight wasn’t as good as his Arthur went back into the living room and brought a few of the candles through to bring light to the room.
“What's for dinner?” Merlin asked.
“Food,” Arthur said. “What else would there be?”
“I meant what sort of food,” Merlin said.
Arthur hadn't really thought about that. To him human food was all the same. “I'll get it,” he said.
********************************************************************************
Sitting at the table Merlin wondered why the room didn’t appear to have been used. Arthur apparently never ate in it which was strange but at least his manners had improved. Merlin shook his head. Arthur was just being polite thought I seemed there was nothing more to it than that.
In the dim light Merlin reached over and rubbed one of the rose petals between his thumb and forefinger. The roses were black and felt dry, as if the life had been sucked out of them. They weren't like any rose he'd ever touched. He picked one out of the vase and examined the stem. It was also black and dry but oddly not withered. He held it in his hand but then he felt one of the sharp thorns prick him.
He dropped the rose and saw a single drop of blood well up. He was about to lock it when he noticed Arthur standing in the doorway, staring. It seemed as if his eyes were glowing. Arthur's mouth was slightly open and Merlin could see two fangs. His heart was pounding.
“Arthur?”
“You're bleeding,” Arthur said.
Merlin was about to take his finger out of Arthur's view as his mind screamed vampire when Arthur came over and took hold of Merlin's wrist. Merlin could have struggled but Arthur's grip was strong, although it wasn't hurting him. Merlin thought he should have been screaming but he didn't. He didn’t feel a sense of impending horror.
Perhaps that was part of the vampire’s ploy, he thought - part of Arthur's ploy. Then Arthur brought Merlin's outstretched finger close to his lips. A single drop of Merlin’s blood dropped onto the floor before Arthur opened his mouth and Merlin felt his finger being engulfed inside the vampire's mouth.
At once he could feel the warmth of Arthur's mouth, the slight graze of his fangs against his skin. Arthur's tongue was wrapped around his finger and he could feel Arthur sucking on it. Merlin should have been pulling his finger out and yelling but instead he let out a small moan. It was as if his finger was being touched, caressed and kissed all at once.
Then suddenly Arthur stopped and pulled Merlin’s finger out of his his mouth, leaving it cold and bereft. Arthur looked afraid and confused but his gaze was still on Merlin's finger. Glancing down Merlin could see there was no sign of any cut or abrasion but hi finger tingled and his stomach felt light.
He looked up at the vampire slowly backing away from him. “Arthur?”
“I shouldn't have...” Arthur said, swallowing hard. “I couldn't stop myself. I'm sorry.”
As he saw Arthur backing further away Merlin reached out and grabbed his shirt. He knew that Arthur wasn't about to suck him dry, wasn't about to kill him or hurt him. It seemed Arthur was more concerned than Merlin was. Maybe they could talk. Merlin still had questions.
“I should go,” Arthur said.
Merlin pulled him closer. “I'm not afraid,” he said.
“You should be. I'm cursed.”
“You're a vampire?”
Arthur nodded and stopped trying to move away.
“How long?” Merlin asked.
“I'm not sure,” Arthur said. “After the first thousand years I stopped counting but I know it's been centuries after that.”
“That's...a long time,” Merlin said. “And you've been on your own all this time.”
“Yes.”
“Well, that explains the lack of manners,” Merlin said. “You've been lonely?”
“I deserve to be lonely,” Arthur replied. “I deserve this curse.”
“No-one deserves to be lonely.” Merlin couldn’t even imagine living for over a thousand yeas without human company. He was so close to his mother he struggled to imagine life without her in it. “And no-one deserves a curse.”
“I do,” Arthur said. “I killed my mother.”
Merlin tried not to look shocked. He couldn’t imagine anyone doing such a thing, though he knew it happened. He just couldn't imagine Arthur doing it. “You killed your own mother?”
“When I was born. My birth caused her to die,” Arthur paused. “I should have died with her but my father wanted me to live so I became this.”
This being a vampire Merlin presumed. “You were a baby,” he said. “You were innocent.”
Arthur looked up with hope in his eyes. It seemed no-one had mentioned the idea to him before. “You think I was?”
Merlin nodded. “You've not killed me,” he said.
Arthur's fangs were still visible. “No but I....” Arthur stopped.
“What about your family?”
“My father didn’t want a vampire for a son,” Arthur said. “I tried to make him proud but I couldn't even go out in the sunlight.”
“That must have been hard,” Merlin said.
“I deserved it.”
“No!” Merlin said. “You didn't. None of this you deserved, Arthur.”
Arthur came closer. “Why aren't you afraid of me?”
“I'm different too,” Merlin said. “I'm special.”
His gifts were supposed to be kept a secret. He counted the number of people who knew about him on three fingers but somehow he felt Arthur deserved to know. Deserved to know he wasn't the only one who was different. He let his magic flow to the surface, cupping one hand and conjuring a small flame. He uncurled his fingers to reveal it dancing in his palm.
“I have magic,” Merlin said.
Arthur reached out and touched the flame, letting it flow over his skin. “It doesn’t hurt,” he said.
Merlin smiled. Arthur seemed so vulnerable, so lacking in self esteem, quite different to the vampires of legend. “It's magic,” he said.
“Your blood,” Arthur said. “It tasted different.”
“A good different?”
“Yes, Merlin, a good different.”
Merlin found himself smiling again. Then he sensed a change in atmosphere, like there had been before Arthur had sucked his finger. Arthur leaned forward, coming closer. Somehow Merlin knew Arthur wanted to kiss him and despite the fangs and the slight glowing eyes he welcomed the urge as Arthur's lips touched his.
********************************************************************************
Arthur had never kissed another person before, he never wanted to touch a human like that but Merlin was different. Merlin wasn't quite human, not really. He was different, like Arthur was. Arthur bit Merlin's lip, drawing a little blood and flicked his tongue to taste it. Merlin's mouth opened and Arthur pushed his tongue across Merlin's lips and then inside.
There was something different about the taste of Merlin's blood. It filled Arthur with something different. Maybe it was the magic in it but it gave Arthur a renewed energy. He wanted more, he wanted to get Merlin naked and press their bodies together. He wanted to explore the odd turmoil of feelings he was experiencing.
He pulled away from Merlin's mouth and began pulling at the shirt Merlin was wearing. Merlin stopped him with a gentle hand on his.
“Arthur, if we're going to do what I think you want to do we should move somewhere more comfortable. Like a bed?”
Arthur was torn. On the one hand he wanted to keep touching Merlin but on the other hand a bed would be better. He took hold of Merlin's hands and pulled him to his feet. Then he took hold of Merlin's hand and pulled him through the house and up the stairs.
No-one except Arthur had ever been in his bedroom but Merlin had seen what he was and hadn't been disgusted or afraid. He could trust Merlin so it was only right that he led Merlin into his inner sanctum; a place no-one else was welcome in.
He tugged and pulled at Merlin's clothing, wanting to touch the bare skin. He kissed Merlin's collarbone when it became visible, nipping it lightly so it bled before licking the wound to heal it. He pressed himself against Merlin, pulling his own clothes off to feel his skin against Merlin's. Merlin was warm, a source of heat that brought warmth to Arthur's perpetually cold body.
For the first time in his life Arthur knew what it was like to feel his heart beating. He wrapped his arms around Merlin and brought him close. He could feel his body react even more to the closeness they were sharing. He pushed Merlin down onto the bed.
In his mind he had a vague idea of what he wanted to do. He wanted to touch Merlin, kiss him, caress him, be close to him but beyond that he didn’t know what to do.
“Merlin?” he said.
Merlin pulled Arthur down beside him. “You haven't done this before?”
“No. I...” Arthur couldn’t say the words, not even to Merlin, the first person to not look at him with disgust.
“What do you want?” Merlin asked, running a finger along Arthur's hard cock.
“Everything,” Arthur said.
“Do you want to be inside me? Or me inside you?”
The idea of having their bodies joined together caused Arthur to moan. “Yes.”
“Which one?” Merlin asked, whispering in Arthur’s ear so he shivered.
“Both but you inside me first,” Arthur said. Merlin seemed to know what he was doing. Arthur didn’t want to hurt Merlin through his lack of experience. “Please,” he added as an after thought.
Merlin laughed and the sound made Arthur smile. He hadn't smiled in a long time and the expression felt strange but he knew it was was right. He felt like smiling.
“Have you got anything we can use?” Merlin asked.
Arthur frowned. “Use?”
“Something to make it easier. Something slippery,” Merlin said.
Arthur had very little in his home, just the bare minimum. “Soap?” he asked.
Merlin shook his head. “Not unless you want it to feel like you're skin is burning.”
Arthur thought for a moment. He did keep a small bottle of oil which he used as part of his cleansing routine. “Oil?” he suggested.
“Yeah, that'll work,” Merlin said. “Where is it?”
Arthur pointed to the dresser where he kept the bottle of oil next to the soap. He watched as Merlin reached out his hand and the soap flew across the room so he could catch it.
“Magic,” Merlin said.
Carefully Merlin poured out some of the oil onto his fingers. He directed Arthur to lie on his back with his legs apart and slightly raised.
“This might feel strange,” Merlin said. “It might hurt a little.”
Arthur didn’t really care. He prepared himself but he still flinched a little when Merlin touched a finger around his hole, teasing it gently. Then he felt Merlin's finger push in a little. It was odd to feel the intrusion there but not too unpleasant. Merlin spent time moving it in and out and Arthur relaxed, resting his legs on Merlin's shoulders.
He tensed a little when a second finger was added and then again when the third went in. It wasn't very pleasant but his erection was still strong. Obviously his body trusted Merlin as much as he did. Then the fingers were withdrawn and he could feel Merlin's cock nudge his entrance.
“Arthur, just relax and push out a bit when you feel me,” Merlin said.
Arthur nodded. He felt the head of Merlin's cock push inside. It hurt more than the fingers and he would have tensed up except he remembered to trust Merlin. He pushed out and tried to relax as Merlin slowly pushed inside. Arthur's cock wasn’t as hard now sand Arthur could feel a little pain yet somehow he didn’t mind. Feeling at all was a miracle to him.
“You're tight,” Merlin said.
More out of instinct than direction Arthur wrapped his legs around Merlin's waist. “Come on, Merlin,” he said.
Finally Merlin was all the way in and the two of them were joined. Merlin leaned down and gave Arthur a kiss, claiming his mouth . Arthur's fangs were still fully out and they grazed Merlin's tongue, his own quickly wrapping around it to heal it whilst the taste of drops of Merlin’s blood danced in Arthur's mouth.
“Move,” Arthur said, whispering against Merlin's mouth.
“Bossy for a virgin,” Merlin said, but there was no malice.
Slowly he pulled out and and then pushed in. Over and over he did so at first slowly but then with increasing speed. Arthur felt Merlin's hard length leave and enter him and each time it got easier. Merlin stroked Arthur’s cock and it became hard again as they began to move together, Arthur thrusting toward Merlin was he pushed in.
Merlin bent his head down and rubbed his neck near to Arthur's mouth. Instinctively Arthur licked it, letting his fangs graze the surface.
“Merlin, I want to... need to...”
Arthur desperately needed to bite Merlin, the feel the blood flow between them as their bodies moved together.
“Yes,” Merlin whispered.
Taking this as permission Arthur plunged his fangs into Merlin’s neck. Despite the shock Merlin kept moving in and out of Arthur’s body. Arthur tasted Merlin’s blood and felt the magic flow into him, between them. It closed a circle of connection between then and Arthur tasted magic passing from Merlin into himself.
He could feel Merlin, physically, mentally, emotionally. Merlin was there, a strong presence, a light presence hat Arthur felt himself being pulled toward. He let himself be enveloped in Merlin's light.
Merlin's thrusts grew urgent and Arthur sucked Merlin's neck harder. At that moment he felt Merlin shudder and come, filling Arthur up with warmth. Arthur pulled his fangs away from Merlin’s neck, licked enough to stop it bleeding and then he himself came, the taste of Merlin and magic flowing through him.
********************************************************************************
If anyone had told Merlin that morning that by the end of the day he would have had mind-blowing sex with a vampire he wouldn’t have believed them. Yet that was exactly what had happened. Now he was lying in the vampire's bed with the vampire sleeping beside him and he wasn't scared or afraid.
He hadn't been scared even when Arthur’s fangs had sank into his neck. He felt something between them; he'd felt Arthur. Merlin suspected his magic had played a role in protecting him but perhaps it had protected Arthur as well.
In rest Arthur looked so peaceful. His fangs were gone from sight and even his skin looked healthier. Obviously the sex had done him good. Merlin couldn’t imagine the life Arthur had led.
The outside world intruded on his thoughts. What was he going to do? He couldn’t just leave Arthur but the vampire couldn't survive in the outside world, the human world. There had to be a way, something he could do. Merlin was not prepared to leave Arthur to a life of loneliness. In a way Arthur had become his responsibility no-one had cared about Arthur for centuries, longer and Merlin felt it was time he had someone to care for him.
Yawning, Merlin wondered what time it was. Arthur had no clocks in his house but then maybe he didn't need them. Arthur was still fast asleep and Merlin saw no need to wake him. All he had to do was take a look outside. That would tell him how close dawn was.
He got out of the bed and padded over to the window. They were covered with thick, heavy black curtains, obviously to keep out the sunlight. Merlin pulled them back to take in the night sky only to find that bright daylight spilled into the room.
“Arthur!” he yelled, turning toward the bed. The light would reach Arthur and if it did Arthur would die.
For a moment Merlin pictured Arthur burnt up, turned to ash through Merlin’s foolish unthinking mistake but Arthur was still lying there. He was still alive, whole, and well; even though the daylight was streaming across his skin.
Slowly Arthur stretched and blinked. He screwed his eyes shut. “Merlin?” he asked. “What's going on?”
Merlin ran over to the bed and leapt on it, kneeling next to Arthur. “It's daytime, Arthur.”
“Then I should be asleep,” Arthur said.
Merlin shook Arthur's shoulder. “No, Arthur, it's daylight and you're alive. You're not turning to ash.”
Arthur opened his eyes, but was still squinting. He looked at Merlin. “I'm in the sunlight,” he said, looking at his skin.
“Yeah,” Merlin replied, grinning. He'd never felt this happy to see someone in daylight before.
“I can't be,” Arthur said.
“You are and you can. Look,” Merlin said, angling Arthur toward the window.
The light was obviously too bright still and Arthur shut his eyes. “But the curse...” he said.
“Isn't killing you in the daylight,” Merlin said. “Maybe you're cured.”
Arthur shook his head and opened his mouth, allowing two fangs to descend. That part of the curse still existed. “Not cured,” Arthur said. He closed his mouth. “But better.”
“How?” Merlin asked.
“Your blood,” Arthur replied. “I drank your blood.”
“And the magic my blood partly cured you?”
Arthur nodded. “It makes sense, Merlin.”
It did make sense, crazy as that was. “Maybe if you drink some more you'll be completely cured?”
“No, the curse let me live,” Arthur said. “I don’t think I can be cured completely but this is enough.”
“We can go out together in the daylight,” Merlin said.
“Together, Merlin?” Arthur sounded hopeful.
Merlin leaned in and kissed Arthur gently on the lips. “Together.”
Arthur smiled and then tackled Merlin onto the bed. “Later,” he said, giving Merlin a kiss.
“Much later,” Merlin replied.
The next day Arthur walked down a country lane holding hands with Merlin, walking in daylight for the first time in his life. His curse would always be part of him but now he was with Merlin it no longer felt like a curse but a gift.
FIN