A Simple Shadow Pt. 10

"What are you called," he demanded. It won him another peace-filled laugh.

"My, my...You finally got curious, hmm?" Shadow wondered if he could see his blush of embarrassment. "Ra'bast Ar'lin," he drawled in answer. Shadow frowned trying to work the words through his brain for a meaning. Something about sunlight, that was the 'Ra'bast' part, but what was the other? Without knowing the half-dragon creature better personally, it was impossible to interpret. "You know I am not a dragon," he informed him suddenly, "At least, not by blood ties."

"Damn, you are a psychic, too." The man laughed delighted by his irritation. It was nice to be so ridiculously easy to amuse, Shadow thought scathingly.

"Oh, come now, Shadow'kin...I am alive and free! I didn't expect that." The angel frowned evaluating his wording. "Or I should say," he corrected with a sigh not content with partial truths, "I had not expected to be saved by a creature of total darkness." Had the Light Bearer part of his blood forced him to clarify? Was a half truth too much of a lie to them?

Well, Shade damn well wasn't going to call the man Sunlight; it was stupid and cliché! He looked back from the tree line to catch an amused smile on the angel's cherubic, perfectly innocent, devilish face. Those oddly, cat-like eyes glittered with suppressed laughter ruining the charming facade. His golden hair was a bit feline, too, he noticed. The illusionary skin texture was as confusing on the eye as his old illusion had been. Many people had once thought him a god in far-off, strange lands for that alone. Focusing on one part of his name, he decided it fit the angel perfectly...Bast. Truly he had spent too long on Earth, if he was naming a Light Bearer after an Egyptian Cat God, he thought to himself wryly. He heard more laughter behind him. "You may not like to talk to me much, but to a psychic," the man stated considering his word choices, "you are irresistible, Shadow'kin." The vampire stood still as the taller man wrapped his arms around him and pulled. He let his body lean back into him, wondering what was wrong with him. He never acted like this!

"You are too innocent to be in the middle of this feud, vampire. You should go away. Somewhere," he suggested fondly, "but not here..." Bast parted Shadow's cloak. He made a soft sound as the creature's hand touched his bare flesh beneath it. Bast moved his hand over the vampire's heart while Shadow writhed uncertain if it hurt, or if it was a deadlier form of pleasure. "They say our kinds can become addicted to one another, Sha'da limn. Touching you makes me believe them. I am charged to destroy evil where I find it, but a shadow is not necessarily evil, you see. It is simply the opposite of fire and light. A thing that is created by the very light I possess in my blood," he whispered hotly in his ear. Shade moaned wishing if he had a point he would just state it! "I am, you silly creature," he teased brushing his ear with his cheek. Bast's hand slid down along Shadow's stomach. The effect was ten times more powerful than it should have been! He wanted him to keep going farther! A pleased chuckle reminded him that this was a highly, volatile game. "My blood calls to you..."

Oddly, he could feel the sensation he was talking about; he nodded distracted. "Your flesh calls to mine, vampire. The light in my skin wants to roll in your darkness. It wants to shine on your body until you are forced to shadow yourself for protection! It wants to spark your powers until you can completely engulf me in darkness, Sha'da limn!" His hand slid past his waistline and Shadow cried out in severe pain and pleasure as he lightly drug his fingertips over him. His skin began to darken as power rose up unbidden. It gathered, eating along his body, until the leather couldn't hide the darkness any longer. He tensed as the void began to engulf both of them, hiding them from the forest's many eyes. Bast's arms tightened holding him closer as Shadow screamed! The hand on him was beginning to scorch the delicate flesh he held.

A wind blasted into them forcing the pair apart! "Shade," he heard as he looked up to see Tarkin'ton leaning down over where he had fallen. Tears streamed down Shadow's face, and it broke his companion's heart to see his little, shadow cry. Tarkin turned and glared at the one responsible. Bast's eyes flashed as he paced restlessly nearby watching the apparition warily.

"You hurt him," the angel accused irritably. Tarkin'ton flinched. "His bitterness runs so deep, and over half of it bears your name, Mage!" The Light Bearer stopped pacing. "What do you want from him? He is still innocent and pure of heart! You kill him! Do you want him to die, Mage? If he stays here, like this, he will..."

"You have no business in this," Tarkin'ton hissed at him.

The angel's smile was cold indeed. "Oh, I do..." His words grew soft and threatening. "Be careful what you pray for, Shadow Master! We angels must answer the prayers of those in dire need...even yours."

Tar mouthed silently, "I should have killed you."

"No doubt," Bast agreed. What stilled your hand? A last shred of hope..."

"I cannot stay here!" Shadow screamed disgusted by them both, "Gods, It is always the same! Every second," he hissed. He flinched away when Tar tried to touch him. "I can't live like this. Please, understand," he begged desperately. Tarkin nodded and looked away. "I am sorry," Shadow whispered, "forgive me." He bolted into the trees the moment he managed to get his feet beneath him. A scarred, snow leopard that raced away unable to deal with the fighting, the arguments, and the betrayals that lay behind him, yet even as he ran he felt the crippling pain that his desertion caused his old love. He ran blindly unable to see past the emotions and grief that fogged over his eyes! It was a familiar feeling. He stumbled and forced himself to run even faster!

Shadow heard the whisper of the angel's voice in his ear, and knew it was speaking to Tar. "You have lost him, but you have not yet lost this deadly game you play. Let me help you, Mage! You begged our help, now trust in me. Your companion is not young, but he remains simple and innocent by staying as a beast. If he had stayed here, his brother would have killed him. Surely you have figured that out by now? He has to run! It is the only way he will become who he needs to be. Let him run free; end this game; finish what you started; and let him rediscover who he is meant to be!" The seductive voice urged using a great deal of compulsion to force his cooperation, "Trust us! Sha'da limn will do fine. Let him go, Mage!"

Tarkin's voice in his head caused the cat to wail as he fled. "Shade," he whispered, "I love you. Please, be safe, my love." Then, the animal screamed in agony stumbling to his chest in the forest as he was thrust away firmly from his companion for the second time, being shut out entirely and left alone. The cat breathed heavily feeling lost momentarily from the sudden lack of emotions and thoughts. Then, the animalistic consciousness took over lifting him to his feet to race away obliviously into the trees. A portal fluxed ahead and the cat darted into it. Whoever had called it was knocked back as he passed. The jungles beyond were wide and dense and taller than the ones he had just left. The fertile earth was moist so he ran and ran and forgot himself in the easy mind of the beast. The jungle sounds filled his ears and the scents ran in his nose comfortingly.

He flattened his lean body along a thick branch in a tree stalking a bird creature nearby. His body grew tense as he focused down on the hunt and nothing else. As he stalked the creature, the greens began to take the shape of leaves signaling the return of his eyesight. His eyes cleared to watch the lovely blue and iridescent green bird of paradise several yards ahead of him on a lower limb. The cat growled at it, sprang, and caught the fragile neck between his teeth! Its shrill cry startled the other animals into a frenzy motion and sound. The cat listened to them in pleased abandon as it ate...

(To be continued under the title of the second chapter: 'A Shade of the Past')