The Hour

"This is going to sound ridiculous."

"You have to tell him, it's only fair."

"Sawyer should know too, before they-"

"I'm telling!" Bennet watched the quick conversation between his father and two closest- associates. They didn't seem like friends, not quite.

"Bennet, it is probably just the ramblings of a sweet but slightly mad old lady." Bennet nodded, his father wasn't one to stall, so he braced himself for another dose of crazy. "But at your birth, your great-grandmother said a prophesy over you. According to her the magic of the past will breathe life through you and into you." Bennet frowned.

"Say the whole thing." Sawyer spoke quietly. Prophecies were usually nothing good, and that was just a bit to neutral to be the whole thing.

"It is rather long-"

"Say it." Daire shrugged his shoulders, straightened his cufflinks, and began.

"She said: To the one born in winter, to the one born today, the magic of the past will breath life through you, and into the world. The magic of the past will choose you as its vessel and your love as its ladle. Your greatest joy will fade with knowing what it brings to the earth. Pain will be your companion in your quest. A challenge that will take moments to begin, and hours to complete. It is a quest that will end only with your life. Well, that is how I remember it."

Bennet shivered. The whole thing was infinitely disturbing. Nothing good could come from something like that.

"What is that supposed to mean, minutes plus hours is way shorter than my life. And I don't like pain. And I don't get it."

"That's the thing about prophecies. The tend to be a mystery until they come to pass, and sometimes don't become clear for generations." Sawyer was watching Bennet closely as if the answers would appear on his face. Bennet shivered.

"Is there any other crazy shit you want to unload on me?" He figured he could use all the curse words he wanted in this sort of situation.

"There isn't anything else that you need to know at the moment. You aren't a member of the Hour, so there are still things I can't tell you."

"Dad, after all this, you are still going to keep secrets? If I ask you the right questions will you answer them?" Daire shrugged. Bennet tried to think what his most pressing question was.

"Okay, can someone explain this bond thing?" There was silence around the room. A few of the men even shrank down in their chairs.

"Really it can't be that bad, can it?" One of the men nodded and the rest laughed. Bennet scowled.

"Well, Bennet, son, it isn't something that one discusses in front of company."

"I don't care tell me." Bennet ignored the flinches and the hint of color on Sawyer's cheeks. Daire took a deep breath and began to speak. The other men seemed to suddenly find their drinks, the lawn outside, or the bookcases infinitely interesting.

"The is between a man and a woman- or a man and a man. If they are mates, true mates the bond is almost impossible to resist. Once it is acknowledged, it becomes even harder to resist. The biological imperative-" Daire began to speak slower and slower, and swirled his scotch, "the urge to mate becomes unbearable and when the relationship is- consummated and body fluids-"

"Basically you find your soul mate, then you fuck- really hard and loudly- then you have babies and can't cheat." One of the less familiar men had cracked under the awkward stillness.

"Oh." Bennet blushed harder than he thought possible. "I see." He looked at the lawn and found it just as engaging as the other men had.

**

Ryder looked up from his book when he heard Tove's car in the driveway. He looked quickly back when Tove entered the room. Ryder hated it when Tove was away, but he didn't want to look too eager, or like a spoiled brat.

"Anything interesting today?" Ryder asked after he counted to 100, the amount of time he had decided wouldn't make him sound too needy.

"Yes actually. Bennet had a bit of a tough morning, ended up all right, then asked his father- in front of the counsel- all about the bond. And Daire, being he, answered in the most clinical way he could think of. Then Lacour clarified." Ryder laughed.

"I wish I had been there!"

"You don't really. It was awful, that poor boy. Plus the meeting after was really boring and difficult. And you wouldn't have been able to witness." Ryder pouted and let himself roll off the couch. He considered crawling to Tove, but decided that would fit into the too needy category. He settled to walking into Tove's arms and nuzzling his neck.

"I always miss you." Tove murmured as he cupped the back of Ryder's head and kissed the top of his head. After standing for a moment the two separated.

*

"We may have to move away for a bit, until this is all resolved." Tove had pushed his plate away and crossed his arms. "Hopefully not for long, but I don't want you in the middle of this. It seems the Day and Night really can't work it out this time. The night plan on being in town in a week."

"Tove" Ryder could hear the whine in his own voice and tried to moderate it. "Tove, I don't want to leave. How bad can it be? They only have a few people and we have lots. We can just avoid them till they wear themselves out, or run out of food or whatever happens in a siege." Tove laughed.

"Babe, this is why you aren't on the counsel. They won't get tired and sieges are from the Middle Ages, it is the 21st century, they won't run out of food." Ryder frowned and tried not to pout.

"I'm not stupid, don't patronize me." He pushed away from the table and flopped on the couch picking up his book. "Siege or not they will run out of resources. You would stay if it weren't for me. I'm not completely defenseless. And if you go it is an advantage for them. Fucking Bennet is probably staying and he is a total virgin." Ryder paused and thought about his last words, his lips twitched into a small smirk. He could never stay angry with Tove for long.

"You dirty boy. I can believe you would say that, but I wish you wouldn't. Though- he probably won't be for long."

Ryder giggled.

"Just imagine it." Tove shook his head.

"I'd rather not."

After a few moments of mutual imagination Tove broke the mood.

"I know that you want to stay, but if this gets bad you will go to a safe house." Tove's voice left no room for argument and Ryder conceded with as much grace as he could muster.

"If I have to go, you have to explain what is happening." Tove frowned, but settled down next to Ryder, pulled the smaller man into his lap and began to speak.

"You know that there are groups in the Hour, almost like political parties, and they usually get along, but sometimes they clash. Through the years the sizes of the groups and their motives change. Now the Day is the larger group. That's the group Daire and his followers are in."

"That is ridiculous, its like calling it the good guys and the bad guys, couldn't they come up with anything better?" Tove put a gently hand over Ryder's mouth and continued.

"It will make sense if you will listen. The day is in power, Daire is the chancellor, the night does not like this, they have a leader, but they will not say who it is. They have not met with the counsel for many months. But now they want to come back and 'talk'. They left because there have been whispers of scientist that are on our trail, people who want to learn, not dissect. The day wants us to cooperate, to reveal ourselves to them and help them use our genes to help people. The day wants to do it on our own terms, to bring our existence into the light of day. It is corny but it works." Ryder moved to speak, but Tove's hand tightened.

"The night want to hold out till the bitter end, then fight the scientists, and if necessary all the humans. They would do anything to keep us out of their eye, even kill us, all that want to bring science forward. To help people." Finally Ryder's mouth was freed.

"So the good guys and the bad guys. Like I said." Tove laughed and pinched one of Ryder's nipples.

"Cheeky brat." Ryder only moaned.

**

"What is it? Am I leaving or not?" Ian looked at Luke. The other man was watching him with a look of fear, caring, and just a bit of lust.

"You are staying, I don't know how, but you are definitely staying."

*

Ian took the news of shifters rather easily. He had loved fantasy as a kid before his tastes had shifted to the more scientific, and had always felt there was something else in the world, he had almost given up, and now all his wishes were coming true. His father had always told the best stories before he died, stories that weren't in books, ones that you had to see to believe, see to recall, and now Ian was going to have the chance to see it all.

"So you turn into a massive wolf whenever. That's cool. And you suddenly love me forever. That's cool. No one has ever loved me forever before." Ian smiled Luke stared.

"That's all?"

"I always had a feeling this would happen. Maybe that why I've never dated..." Ian paused remembering how he came to be here. "I feel like I should apologies. I'm sure mates are supposed to be some pure innocent thing-" Ian ran a hand over his face and felt the bruises. "Just a few days ago and you would have got it-"

"No."

"No?" Ian looked up.

"You are perfect, and as pure as ever. Assault is assault. You didn't do anything wrong, and you didn't really do anything at all. Pure white silk would still suit you." Luke paused for a moment. "Actually it would really suit you. Amazingly, not just metaphorically." Ian blushed.

"I don't know, I'm not really that angelic."

"I don't mind at all." Luke smiled as he spoke, Ian took a step back. He knew what was going to happen next and he wasn't sure he was ready for it.

"What?" Luke took another step forward.

"You are going to kiss me. I don't think I deserve it." Ian brushed his hair back again. "Plus I don't look very good." It was a good excuse. He took another step back.

"You look perfect to me, you deserve everything. I don't deserve you. You are so clean of everything. My whole world is full of death and fear and you are so clean. My very touch will dirty you, I can't resist, and that is why I am so much worse than you." Ian paused when he felt the door behind him. It was open, but he didn't want to continue to run away.

"I've never kissed someone. What if I am bad at it?"

"You can't be bad, you are my mate, and you are perfect."

"But I don't even know where the prostate is." Ian couldn't believe he had just said that. His face flamed and he hung his head. "I'll help you find it, I would love to help you-"

"I can't flirt, I can't have normal conversations, my family is crazy, I believe in angels, I-" his words stopped when his lips brushed Luke's and suddenly it didn't matter.

Ian gasped as Luke's hands wound through his hair to support his neck. He moaned when he felt the moisture of Luke's tongue against his lips, then in his mouth. After a moment Ian got the courage to thread one of his hands through Luke's hair. It was just as soft as he remembered. The silky strands tickled his wrists. Every tugged a place behind his belly button. His pants grew tight and he rubbed himself against Luke's thigh, the soft fabric rubbing softly against his quickly hardening length. Ian felt he could come just from this, it was better than anything he could remember, better because he could feel the love in every touch.

Just as Ian was tottering at the edge of a huge climax a sound cut through the sound of his heartbeat. Luke paused. Then pulled away. Ian whimpered.

"Poor baby, sweet little one just a sec." Luke petted Ian as he searched for his phone. "It's the urgent ring, just one minute babe, just a minute." Ian couldn't see, he was so close, he thrust at the air. His hands were still in Luke's hair, he wanted release, but he didn't want to let go. Ian held back a dry sob, and Luke answered the phone.

"Yes, what." He paused, Ian whimpered louder, he could feel his heartbeat in his whole body.

"Please" Ian whispered and tugged at Luke's hair.

"That was today? Sorry."

"Luke, Luke, Luke" Ian chanted.

"I'm a bit busy- I'll tell you later- I don't care right now. Later!" Luke threw the phone. "Sorry baby stupid counsel, I know poor baby!"

Ian gasped as Luke's hand slipped into his borrowed pants. It took only a kiss and a few light tugs before Ian shattered. He held onto Luke desperately. He came almost silently, he only sounds his soft gasps for air and the soft swish of Luke's hair.

Ian opened his eyes to look right into Ian's.

"I love you." He whispered. Luke kissed him and smiled.

"Tell me in five minutes and I'll believe you." But in five minutes Ian was asleep.

**

Bennet looked around him, the restaurant was lit with candles of all shapes and sizes. It should have been tacky but managed to be devastatingly romantic. The mood was only ruined by the rather conspicuous others watching. Bennet couldn't concentrate on his menu with them all watching. He should have known that a date his father agreed to wouldn't include any privacy.

"Do they all have to be in here?" Bennet asked from behind his menu. "It can't be that dangerous. In the meeting they said there is a week!" Sawyer shrugged.

"Daire is very protective of you, I think you are just going to have to accept that." But with his words Sawyer winked. "Just order something. Everything here is good." Bennet frowned harder, but tried to find something on the menu that sounded acceptable.

*

"Where are we now?" Sawyer seemed to have knowledge of every hidden spot in the city, this one was even more secluded and underground than the restaurant, in fact it was literally underground.

"This used to be a wine cellar, and huge one at that. It was built as a catacomb-" Bennet flinched and looked around for piles of skulls "-but the Hour decided that would take away from the individual deeds of its members, and it was converted before it was even finished." The cave like area was also lit by candles, the air smelled like cool damp earth and growing things. Bennet felt safe there, even though it was underground.

"Where did the watchers go?" Bennet reached out and took Sawyer's hand. He couldn't look at him when he did it, but he didn't want the distance he could feel building between them to grow. Sawyer had seemed to steer clear of Bennet since the unfortunate meeting of the morning. Bennet had been surprised when Sawyer appeared to pick him up for dinner.

"They don't know of this place. I'm sure they will be searching all the clubs they can think of now. I told them we were going dancing." Bennet frowned, dancing? He couldn't dance, and surely not like he guessed they did in pubs.

"But, I don't know how to dance, and there is no music."

"We don't need any." Bennet found himself in Sawyer's arms, his head rested in the crook of Sawyer's neck. They fit together like puzzle pieces. Bennet sighed and closed his eyes as they began to sway, and Sawyer began to hum in his ears. It sounded like the most perfect lullaby. Bennet melted into Sawyer's arms and imagined what it would be like to remain there forever, and he realized, there was nothing he wanted more. Bennet felt a few tears of release slip from beneath his closed eyelids. Finally he knew where he belonged.

After the melody of Sawyer's songs shifted several times Sawyer stopped swaying and pulled back to look at Bennet. Ocean blue eyes looked into caramel, time paused, the candle flames ceased to flicker and the breath stopped in Bennet's lungs, and after a moment of eternity their lips met.

Bennet felt like he was in a fairy tale, kisses like this couldn't exist in real life, they were something to dream about and long for- not something to experience. Kind of like having a boyfriend that turned into a lion. With that thought Bennet smiled, then let out a soft giggle. He had a boyfriend something he had never expected- and one that turned into a giant fuzzy cat.

"What's so funny?" Sawyer smiled back at Bennet.

"You turn into a giant lion, and you are mine. I've never had a cat- or a boyfriend." Bennet giggled again and pressed his cheek against Sawyer's, happy he could reach only lifting slightly onto his toes. Bennet felt more than heard Sawyer's growling laugh and felt his lips against his own again.

Bennet was inching his hands under Sawyer's shirt when a rumble shook the earth beneath their feet.

"What?" It came again and clumps of soil began to fall from the ceiling.

"We need to go, now!" Sawyer began to pull a stunned Bennet toward the earthen staircase. Bennet stumbled as another, louder rumble pulled more soil from above them. He fell to his knees and a large rock cut a gash at his temple. He froze, unable to process moving forward. Sawyer hauled him to his feet and dragged him up the stairs as larger and larger stones and clumps began to fill the tunnel. Finally in the night air the two could see the earth bowing. Sawyer hurried Bennet to the car and buckled him in.

"It has begun. Your father was right to worry." Bennet didn't respond, he was too busy watching the blood from his face stain his blue shirt violet.

**

"This is Ian, he has to stay here." Luke sat in a chair and pulled Ian down onto his lap. Ian flinched but didn't move.

"So this is why you missed yesterday?" Daire looked on with a knowing half smile. Luke just glared. He resented having to attend the meetings, no matter how important. And now that he had found his mate there was nowhere he wanted to be less.

"I still don't see why you can't just discuss it. Daire, why can't you just explain to them why they are so insane. I mean how is killing people better than helping heal some of their diseases. I just don't get it-" Ryder entered the room talking, Tove scowling right behind him.

"I've told you it won't work. This has been going on for longer than you think."

"Well you could have told me."

"Don't talk back." Again Daire looked on with laughter in his eyes. No matter the cost those closest to him remained the same. He was still smiling when his own son and Sawyer entered the room.

"It has begun." Was all Sawyer said as he helped a still bleeding and shell-shocked Bennet lie on the floor.

The group waited as the others entered the room, called from all corners from the world.

Details of the attack were collaborated, the watchers were reprimanded and a plan of defense was begun.

"We should all remain close. There is enough room in the house for the main counsel and family to stay for a short time." Daire looked around at the ten members and assorted others. "Some may have to share rooms, but there are enough beds to go around. Those with mates all groaned at the prospect of sharing. Daire looked on without sympathy.

"Your safety means more to me than your temporary happiness." Daire looked at the variety of grudging agreement.

"We should increase our arsenal, and make sure everyone is in shape. We should bring our personal guards here, and also the reserves." Lacour spoke next. He was the unofficial general, and had many years of strategy under his belt.

"Have you tried to talk, really tried?" Ryder couldn't believe anyone would fight to the death over such a seemingly simple dispute. "One of you should study conflict resolution, it is a really valuable skill." Tove was getting really tired of Ryder's insistence.

"This is the reason you were not told until now, this is the reason I wanted you to leave- you just cannot understand what is happening. What is at stake."

"Lives, hundreds of ours, thousands if not millions of humans' lives. I think I understand better than you. You are just so ready to start firing and killing. I just want to know if you have tried alternatives." Ryder had pushed off Tove's lap and was now glaring at him, at the end of his rope. "You think I don't understand anything but I do. And I'm sick of you and all your shit. I can take care of myself. I have ideas. I am not a stupid child you can boss around." With that Ryder turned and stalked out of the room. The others watched after him, stunned. It was a well-known fact that Ryder had a temper- but none of them had heard him steak to Tove like that. No one spoke to Tove that way.