Three months on the road, zero ladies and, therefore, only pseudo meals. I hadn’t gotten this mistreated in over five hundred years, not that it had been necessary. Sunny days had blessed me so far, but that was about to change.

Looking up I realized it had gotten darker. Gray clouds covered the skies, looming above me menacingly. The sweet breeze that had accompanied me throughout the day had turned rough, violent. It ushered me to shelter. A storm was well on its way.

Thankfully, the path I tread started showing signs of being used more often. That meant a village of sorts had to be close by. I adjusted my satchel over my shoulder and rested my hand over my old sword’s hilt. Pulling the hood of my black trench coat over my head, I quickened my pace.

Three months ago, I departed from Scorpio, a southern city located in the country of Aquerios. My destination lay in the high peaks of the Irisian Spine, located on the ends of our world and in the country which I had entered two months ago, Geos. I was surprised I hadn’t lost my way once I got to the feet of the Spine. Two hundred years had passed since my last visit to the North. Perhaps it didn’t matter how long it had been, the North had been my home for over a thousand years.

As I suspected, the path led to a small village. Rain had already started pouring when I arrived, and the people had taken refuge inside the buildings. The one and only main street inside the village was empty and quiet. Ice-cold drops rushed down from the heavens, violent gusts pushing them towards the village and off to the higher peaks of the mountains. If the cold could bother me I would have started shivering right about now. Being wet was bothersome despite my immunity to cold, so finding somewhere dry to wait up on the storm sounded like a marvelous idea. There was a rather large and boisterous three floored building a few minutes down the road. It was labeled the “Waning Moon Spring”, a smaller sign that read “Inn” was placed by the main doors. I made my way inside and let a relieved sigh out of my lips when I felt the comfortably warm air.

“Welcome, sir!” A young lady with black cat ears and dark unruly, curly hair, spoke to me as she showed off her enormous breasts. She was a Lisitsa, probably from one of the more social tribes. “Do feel at home, may I take your coat? I’ll take it up to your room if you are to stay with us for tonight.”

I gave her a charming smile before I took the mentioned piece of clothing off and handed it to her.

“Why thank you, young lady.”

She was a real looker wearing a tight, cyan, maid outfit along with tall boots. Her bronze colored skin and bright blue eyes contrasted with her outfit, a cinnamon-like scent making her twice as alluring.

“You’re most welcome.” She came closer and giggled before she spoke again. “My name’s Bonnie, if you’re interested. I’ll be here all night, big boy.” She spoke in sing song and pressed her chest against me to stress her point.

A seductive smile adorned my face as I took my hand to her cheek. She pressed her face against my palm and allowed me to stroke it.

“In that case, I’ll look forwards to tonight.” I spoke with as much sugar on my tone as I could manage without sounding too desperate.

She bounced back to her previous position and winked at me in a playful manner.

“I’ll be waiting for you.” She mouthed, blowing a kiss my way.

Alright, with my coat safe in my possible company’s arms it was time I made my way through the crowded tables. People around me drank and spoke loudly as they enjoyed this rainy evening. Many guests at the Waning Moon also seemed to have come searching for company. Men and women spent their efforts on sweet talking other men and women dressed in skimpy clothes much like Bonnie’s. As I continued observing my surroundings I noticed a stage to my left. Southern dancers performed on it, you’d know by their style of clothing.

The dancers wore loose silk drapes, expensive, semitransparent pieces of them tied ever so cleverly around their waists to hide only their most intimate parts. Men wore these along with plenty of gold accessories, most of the items decorating their right ankles, while women used gold stringed tops over their chests. I sat by the bar located on the back and ordered a shot of Snowblaze. While I waited for the bartender to serve my drink, my eyes wondered to the stage. I got myself into watching the southern dancers, amused by their beautiful style. I took my eyes away for a moment to drink my shot and when I looked again I noticed someone that hadn’t been there two seconds ago.

The most beautiful man my eyes had ever seen stood at the center of the stage. He wore the same clothes as the southern dancers but his skin labeled him as a northerner. Said skin was fair, and despite his well-defined male body he somehow oozed some sort of feminine charm. I stared at him as he stood still and gave a bright smile to the expecting crowd. The man ran a hand over his long, pink hair tied into one braid, his alluring midnight purple eyes observing the public.

Soft music started flowing across the room and it brought the man to life. He danced, his hips swayed from side to side. His feet glided across the stage, his arms rose and fell in such a delicate manner it made him seem like a wind deity. He was bewitching. I found myself incapable of looking away and the longer I looked at him, the more I wondered how his body would feel to the touch.

“Charming…” The word left my lips in a whisper once the music stopped and the young man released the crowd from his spell.

The room erupted with applause as every guest at the Waning Moon praised the young man in awe. The man bowed, his skin glistening with sweat and his cheeks tinged a soft shade of pink. As he walked off the stage, the southern dancers took to it again and began dancing to more upbeat music.

Even when he wasn’t on stage, his walk was entrancing. This guy projected himself as royalty, his delicate motions and refined way to walk spoke of him this way. The way he moved gave more to admire to the crowd. Anyone who dared make eye contact with him received one of his charming smiles, as if inviting them to dare talk to him. I was so focused on him that when his intense, purple eyes made contact with mine I flinched in surprise. A bolt of electricity ran down my body, shaking the most intimate parts of me. He seemed a little surprised too as if whatever electricity had run down my body had also found its way to him. I looked away nervously. My heart thrummed hard against my chest while my ears buzzed. It was a new experience. I’d lived for thousands of years and this was my first time feeling anything like this. If I didn’t know better, I’d say this was rather human of me.

“Could you serve me another Snowblaze shot, miss?” I asked trying to focus on something different. The lady tending to the bar nodded before she curiously looked over to my left side.

“Make that two, Uuna.” a tender voice, smooth and velvety like silk spoke from beside me. I turned my face to see its owner, who now had his own shoulder pressed against mine. “I caught you staring back there, got me a little curious. My name is Baal.”

The pink haired man placed his elbow over the counter and rested his head on his hand. Uuna came with our drinks and placed them in front of us. I ignored my drink as I was focused on a different matter.

Now that he was up close I noticed he had many piercings. Under his plump, inviting lips he had two silver spheres, one at each corner, and a silver ring on his lower lip. He had a smaller silver ring on his nose and two spheres below the corners of each eyebrow. Staring down, he had four more silver spheres on his collarbone, two on each side, and a ring with an oval shaped ruby hanging from his right nipple. Hanging from his bellybutton he had a rather hard to describe silver piercing with intricate swirls and a single snowflake-shaped, blue jewel. He giggled, and I realized I had been staring in silence for a little too long. I forced myself to look away embarrassed by my actions. Uh, what the hell? Baal took away my confidence and made me into an awkward mess without even trying. What kind of human…? Okay, strange.

“Why so shy vampire?” He spoke placing his hand over my shoulder and gently sliding it towards my neck. His sweet touch beckoned me to look at him.

“You can tell?” Putting aside how embarrassed I was, I turned to look at him.

A second bolt of electricity ran down my body as our eyes met again. Baal flinched, and I knew he had felt it too.

“Of course I can, I’ve handled my fair number of vamps... if you know what I mean.” He gave me a mischievous smile as he fiddled with his hair. “Hmm. Do you plan to hire company for tonight, handsome?”

“I was. There’s a rather willing woman I’m interested in at the entrance.” I replied, this time my smile turning seductive.

He bit his lower lip and straightened up on his chair, he blinked twice and let out a half-drowned giggle.

“Bonnie is not a bad choice, but…” he looked at his drink sitting on the counter top before he ran his finger around the borders of the glass. “I know someone who would really enjoy your company. Someone who is a much better choice.”

“And who might that person be?” I stared at him as I smiled like an idiot. What the hell was wrong with me today?

Baal took his glass to his lips and gave the drink a whiff before he gulped it down in one go. I followed in his steps.

Once I put the glass down on the counter top, he pulled me in for a deep kiss.

An odd sensation had taken place in my mouth as well as the rest of my body. The electricity that had been making its way down my spine whenever I looked at Baal in the eyes was now running wild all over my body. It was so hot and so damn perfect. My tongue rolled over his and I noticed he also had a spherical piercing on it. Goddess, did that thing add to the already insane feelings in me. It clinked against the back of my teeth, the soft contact a pleasing sensation. The way it slid all over my mouth was teasing, and all so damn great.

He stopped, and I found my face burning fire hot as Baal observed me with amusement in his eyes.

“That felt good?”

“Yes, it did,” I admitted, once again acting like a total idiot. “Good” wasn’t the only thing my body would describe that kiss as, something odd pulsed in my chest too.

“I’m willing to give you a good time, my treat…”

“Baal—”

He stuck out his tongue, the silver piercing shining bright against the orange light inside the room, before he took my hand.

“Uuna, give him a room on the third floor, and please tell Bonnie I stole her man.” Baal spoke with a mischievous tone in his voice. The bartender threw him the keys to a room and the pink haired man caught them in his hands without looking. “Thanks, babe.”

“Have fun.” Uuna spoke with a very marked accent and Baal pulled me away from the bar.

We went up a flight of stairs at the right side of the bar, climbed all the way to the third floor, and then walked three doors down the aisle we had arrived on. Baal opened the door and pulled me inside. He closed and locked it as fast as he could before he pressed me against the wall to ravage my mouth with his own.

“What’s your name?” He spoke between short breaks as we kissed.

“Luke.”

My hands rested over his hips as he giggled and wrapped his arms around my neck. I then fully acknowledged the man was shorter than I was. He had to stand on the tip of his toes to reach me, I found it adorable.

“Luke… that’s a charming name.” He spoke and kissed my neck, shivers running wildly down my back.

“Thanks… I find yours rather charming too.”

Oh goodness, this man made me feel the weirdest set of emotions.

He drove me crazy.

I slid my hands up his back, tracing his spine. My fingers ran over eight round piercings, and when I reached his neck I found three more arranged horizontally. I melted into his bewitching touch, his kisses, and his warmth.

He smelled sweet. His sugary-like scent was easy on my nose, yet intoxicating on the long run. I no longer smelled anything other than him.

His hands undid the buttons on my blue vest and then the ones on my shirt. My top clothes fell to the floor along with my satchel and he pressed his body against mine. The difference in temperature between his warm body, his slightly colder piercings and my own, out-in-the rain cold skin, made me get goose bumps.

He stepped back while my body, craving his warmth, followed after him. He walked me to the large bed and sat down waiting for me to reach him. I pressed my lips against his and pinned him down to the bed.

“Oh, darling.” Baal moaned, his legs wrapping around my torso. Something hard pressed against my own hardened member. I let out a grunt and Baal chuckled, his hands toying with my hair. “You’re so cute.”

“… Baal.” I mumbled against his lips.