Chapter Selection

Zelgadiss woke slowly, becoming aware of each body part only as they began to scream their agony. He finally gave up the attempt to slip back into unconsciousness and opened his eyes; he was in complete darkness. Sitting up stiffly, he summoned a light spell and looked around as the soft blue glow illuminated the area around him.

It appeared that he had fallen into an underground cavern when the mazoku they had been fighting blasted the ground underneath his feet. So why wasn't he dead? Logically, he should have been buried in the landslide that had followed. An examination of the ceiling of the cavern provided his answer. The rocks above had been fused together by a powerful shield spell, creating a solid dome around him. He was trapped, but he was safe. Someone must have followed him into the pit in order to cast the spell, so who was his saviour?

He stood up, trying to get a better look around the cavern, and was pleased when it didn't prove to be as painful as he expected. It still hurt, but he would be able to move all right. There were rocks from the landslide all over the cavern, creating shadows in the soft blue light. It would take a while to find whoever else was down here. He wondered briefly if the others had defeated the mazoku yet, but then focused on his search since there was nothing he could do if they hadn't.

A splash of colour drew his attention, he looked closer and discovered a crumpled figure lying between the rubble. Recognition caused his breath to catch in his throat. Xellos? It was. The priest had been injured earlier, the shield spell must have exhausted him, so why had he done it? Zelgadiss walked carefully, picking his way through the rocks until he reached Xellos' still form. He turned the mazoku over and was relieved to find him still breathing. Xellos was unconscious, there was nothing Zelgadiss could do about that, but the mazoku was also badly injured, and that was something Zelgadiss could take care of.

Xellos began to stir just as he was completing the healing spell. The mazoku opened his beautiful violet eyes and stared up at the glowing light with an uncharacteristically serious expression. It wasn't present long, however, and he was soon smiling up at Zelgadiss, his mask of cheerfulness present once again.

"Thank you Zelgadiss-san." He said, and the chimera scoffed,

"I should probably be thanking you. I should be buried under a ton of rock right now."

"Then I suppose we can call it even." He replied and sat up slowly, looking around. "But we do have a problem."

"You can't get out either?"

"No, something is blocking my ability to teleport."

"So we can't help them finish the fight." Zelgadiss said, looking up at the ground above their heads, where the battle was almost certainly still taking place.

"No, but I'm certain they'll be fine."

"Why are you so sure?"

"Because they're the heroes."

Zelgadiss groaned, then asked, "What do we do now?"

Xellos smiled suggestively at that question, the odd expression made Zelgadiss feel strangely excited and nervous, all at the same time. There appeared to be no reason for his reaction, however. The answer Xellos gave was simply, "We wait."

The two stumbled through the rubble-strewn cavern until they found a reasonably clear area. Zelgadiss sat down, his back to the cavern wall, and began to heal his own injuries. Between those sustained in the fight and those received in the fall, it was a long task. The aches and stiffness in his body did finally recede, leaving him tired, but generally feeling better.

He looked up after finishing the spell, only to find Xellos watching him intently from the rock he had perched on. Zelgadiss held the steady violet gaze, nervous excitement running through him yet again. This was twice in one day, twice in one hour, that he had seen the mazoku's eyes. Such an occurrence was a rarity. He tried to read the thoughts behind the mysterious gaze, but he could discern nothing and was finally forced to look away.

Silence stretched between them, becoming strained as Xellos continued to watch the nervous chimera, making him increasingly more uncomfortable. Finally Zelgadiss spoke, saying what came to his mind first in order to break the charged silence,

"Why did you save me?"

"Sore wa himitsu desu." Xellos responded with a wink, causing Zelgadiss to groan again.

"I should have known."

"Yes Zelgadiss-san, by now you should have. Unless, of course, you really haven't been paying attention."

The strange comment left Zelgadiss unsure how to respond, so he said nothing, allowing silence to stretch between them again. He began to shiver, the underground cavern was cold, but he wouldn't have dared to light a fire, even if he had fuel to keep it going. The cavern was reasonably large, but the smoke would still choke the life out of him in a very short time.

He was considering this problem when Xellos suddenly jumped off the rock, and walked over to where Zelgadiss was sitting, unclasping his cloak as he came.

"What are you doing?" Zelgadiss asked as Xellos sat down beside him.

"It's going to get colder in here," the mazoku answered, "It must be night now. Since we are unable to light a fire, we shall have to stay warm in," he gave the same, suggestive smile again, "other ways."

The silky tone in his voice caused Zelgadiss to shiver, and he was suddenly glad for the cold as he could pretend that it was the reason. He unclasped his own cloak, slipping it behind Xellos as the mazoku slid closer, allowing the fabric to create a barrier between them and the stone wall. Xellos arranged his own cloak over them like a blanket and then leaned back against Zelgadiss, the heat from his body covering the chimera like a spell.

It was intoxicating, Xellos' nearness, and Zelgadiss felt like he was drowning, very nearly gasping to draw breath. How long had he been imagining a situation like this? Alone, with Xellos, no chance of anyone else walking in? Now here they were, and he was going to do nothing. He would regret it certainly, but even in his most private fantasies, he had always known that he would be unable to make the first move. He could not bring himself to risk rejection, especially not with Xellos; the mazoku would not hesitate to use such overtures to humiliate him at a later time. He made no movements, deciding instead to quietly savour Xellos' nearness, his warmth, and the low sound of his soft breathing.

He was beginning to fall asleep when Xellos began to move against him. Assuming that he was merely trying to get into a more comfortable position, Zelgadiss didn't pay much attention. When Xellos rested his head against the chimera's shoulder, however, Zelgadiss came fully awake, shocked at the feeling of the mazoku's hot breath against his neck.

"Zelgadiss?" Xellos whispered, his soft voice sounding strangely loud in the silence of the cavern. Zelgadiss felt his mind reeling, what game was the mazoku playing this time? He forced himself to respond in a normal voice,

"Yes?"

"Zelgadiss?" Xellos merely repeated, and then kissed the chimera's neck softly, moving his lips slowly up towards the edge of his jaw. In a flash of understanding, Zelgadiss realized that Xellos was asking his permission. Hardly able to find his voice, the chimera whispered his answer,

"Yes."

Xellos slowly brushed his hand down Zelgadiss' cheek, then turned the chimera's face to meet his own, and pressed their lips together in a deep, coaxing kiss. Zelgadiss wrapped his arms around the mazoku's lean body, pulling Xellos against him, tracing the arch of the mazoku's spine and teaching his hands the form of his body. He could feel Xellos' hands working at his clothing and pulled away briefly to help him remove it. He watched Xellos' approving glance as he lay bare before him, and felt his skin warming under the hunger he saw there.

"Magnificent." Xellos whispered, running his hands over Zelgadiss' stone body. "Better than I imagined."

His words sent the blood soaring through Zelgadiss' veins, as though a dam of desire burst within him. He turned his attention to Xellos' clothing, wanting to see his lover's body, to touch him as thoroughly as the mazoku was now touching him. It proved to be a more difficult task than he would have imagined. Xellos' simply looking clothing was quite deceptive and complex to remove. Zelgadiss struggled with it in vain, and looked up to find Xellos smiling, laughter shining in his eyes.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Zelgadiss growled at him in frustration.

"Immensely," came the cheerful, guilt-free reply.

"We're never going to get anywhere like this."

"Tsk, tsk, you're so impatient Zel-chan." Xellos scolded.

"Stop laughing and help me or I'll cut them off with a dagger."

The comment only increased Xellos' amusement, but he did relent, and showed Zelgadiss the secret to removing his clothing.

"Better?" He asked, pressing his body against Zelgadiss', the warmth from his skin intense now that the cloth barrier was removed from between them. Instead of answering, Zelgadiss captured his still-smiling mouth in a kiss, coaxing his lipsapart to allow his tongue entrance. Xellos sighed deeply, sucking on Zelgadiss' exploring tongue, then smiled slightly and closed his teeth, biting the chimera none-to-gently.

Zelgadiss hissed at the sharp, sudden pain, but it only hurt for a second, and then Xellos was caressing the chimera's tongue with his own, easing the pain and allowing it to be temporarily forgotten.

Xellos pressed himself tightly against Zelgadiss, allowing the chimera to feel the exciting pressure of the mazoku's arousal against his leg. With gentle force, Zelgadiss pushed Xellos onto his back among their tangled cloaks, then lay down beside him, slowly sliding his hand down the mazoku's slender body to encircle his throbbing rod.

Xellos gasped in surprise, his head tilting back as he raised himself to his elbows and rocked his pelvis forward into Zelgadiss' touch. "And here I thought," he said in broken phrases as Zelgadiss began to slowly pump his hand, "that I would have to take the lead." He broke off and groaned as Zelgadiss changed his rhythm and brushed his thumb against the tip of Xellos' shaft. "What a pleasant surprise."

Zelgadiss just smiled to himself as he watched the mazoku's reactions to his changing caress. It was strange, having such power over Xellos, he couldn't help but enjoy it. He experimented with different paces, pressures, urged on by every sound the mazoku made in response. A new idea reached him, he kissed Xellos' neck, moving down along his soft skin, stopping briefly to lick, then bite a nipple, earning both revenge and a rewarding moan. He continued lower, looking up as he settled himself between Xellos' legs, and found the mazoku watching him intently, still raised on his elbows, hands clenched in the cloaks he was lying upon. Zelgadiss smiled and held the mazoku's gazer as he slowly took the tip of his shaft in his mouth and sucked hard.

Xellos' head tilted back once again as he groaned with pleasure, hips arching forward to silently urge Zelgadiss to continue. The chimera was more than happy to oblige, taking Xellos' entire length into his mouth and then sliding back to the tip once again, letting his tongue drift in random patterns as he repeated the motion. One of Xellos' hands left the cloaks as he buried it in Zelgadiss' hair, trying to increase the rhythm. Zelgadiss had absolutely no intention of relinquishing control yet, he pulled his mouth away and murmured,

"Now who's the impatient one?"

Xellos' response was a strangled laugh that turned into a soundless exclamation as Zelgadiss ran his teeth along the length of the mazoku's shaft before taking it into his mouth once again. He played for a few moments more, then set a deep rhythm, teasing no longer. It wasn't long before Xellos cried out and released into his lover's mouth, his hand clenching painfully in Zelgadiss' hair.

When he had swallowed all Xellos had to offer, Zelgadiss slid back up to lie beside the breathless mazoku. Xellos finally released his hair and Zelgadiss looked at the crumpled mass of wires ruefully.

"This is going to take forever to straighten out," Zelgadiss complained, but Xellos just smiled up at him; he hadn't expected anything else. The mazoku recovered a few moments later and rolled closer to Zelgadiss once again, sliding his slender hand down to brush against the chimera's now painfully hard erection.

"Shall I do the same for you Zel-chan?" He whispered against Zelgadiss' throat, closing his hand deliciously around him.

"I want," Zelgadiss broke off momentarily as Xellos tightened his hand, "something else." He finished when his voice returned.

Xellos looked up at him, his hand still making those teasing caresses, understanding and excitement bright in his eyes. "You surprise me again Zel-chan. Perhaps that's part of your charm."

Zelgadiss just smiled, and Xellos kissed him deeply once more, tugging gently on his shaft, then rolled over onto his belly. His desire was burning inside him now, Zelgadiss positioned himself on top of Xellos, kissed his lover's back between the shoulder blades and then entered him as gently as he could. Xellos gasped, his hands once again twisted in the cloaks, but Zelgadiss was almost beyond noticing. He moved himself within Xellos' body, feeling the tight muscles surrounding him, clenching down as he pulled outwards and then pushed in again. The feeling was incredible, and, at this stage, more than he could bear for very long. He drove into Xellos deeply, and then a shuddering release broke over him, sharp and swift, intense but regretfully short. He collapsed next to Xellos on the cloaks and tried to pull the mazoku closer to him. He resisted however, shifting away. Zelgadiss was momentarily distraught, but then he felt fabric brush over his oddly sensitive skin, Xellos was covering them again. The task completed, Xellos returned to his lover's embrace, pressing tightly against Zelgadiss' chest as sleep overcame them.

When he woke later, Zelgadiss found himself alone in the cloaks. He opened his eyes and saw Xellos sitting beside him, almost fully dressed. Not knowing why, Zelgadiss closed his eyes before Xellos noticed he was awake, and pretended that he was still sleeping. There was a long moment of near silence as Xellos finished dressing, then Zelgadiss heard a deep sigh. A hand, the touch warm, he hadn't put on his gloves yet, brushed gently down the chimera's cheek, and then Xellos kissed him tenderly. His lips were gentle and remained against his for mere seconds before he withdrew and Zelgadiss could hear him walking away.

He pretended to wake then, sitting up in the cloaks and looking around for Xellos.

"You're finally awake," the mazoku said from across the clear area where he had resumed his perch on the rock. "I was beginning to think you'd sleep forever."

"I didn't realize there was a rush." Zelgadiss replied, standing and walking towards his clothes.

"I suppose not," Xellos replied, and Zelgadiss turned to find the mazoku watching him with a slight smile and a knowing expression. He would have blushed, but he could see desire in that gaze as well, and, possessiveness? He finished dressing quickly as he scoffed,

"Where are we going to go anyway?"

Xellos leapt off the stone and walked over to collect his cloak. "We can leave whenever we like." He said as he brushed the material off and put it around his shoulders.

"What?" Zelgadiss turned as he finished replacing his sword belt.

"I can teleport us out whenever you're ready." Xellos dusted off Zelgadiss' cloak and handed it towards the stunned chimera.

"How long have you been able to do that?" he asked, taking the cloak and putting it around it on without consciously realizing he was doing it.

"The block was removed while you were healing your injuries." He replied, eyes closed and his familiar smile on his face yet again.

"What!?" Zelgadiss said, stunned, "Then why didn't you --" he broke off, there was no point in even asking. The mazoku probably wouldn't answer, and if he did, Zelgadiss wasn't sure he wanted to hear it. "Forget it." He growled, "Let's just go then."

Xellos' eyes opened for the briefest of seconds, a strange expression flickering in their depths, then they closed as he smiled again and turned away. Zelgadiss found himself thinking of the tender kiss the mazoku had given him while he was pretending to sleep.

"Wait," he said, and Xellos turned to look at him, curious. Zelgadiss stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Xellos, pulling the started mazoku against his chest and kissed him deeply, dragging it out until he felt Xellos sigh and lean against him. He broke off the kiss, stepped back, and nodded, "All right, we can go now."

He was rewarded by the sight of Xellos taking a moment to catch his breath, and then the cavern around them faded as the mazoku transported them above ground to where their worried friends were waiting.