Vermillion: Learning

Sirus looked at Neimos "I'll allow it if it takes care of the huntsman. But my nurse has to come too."

"Deal." Neimos breathed "That was easier than I thought it would be."

"Who the hell's a nurse?" Iris slapped Sirus' shoulder, the vibration went down his back causing him to shudder "Oops."

"I should have known better." Sirus hissed.

"Yes, you should, give me a location and we're off." Iris announced.

"Haxir." Alex smiled "As soon as possible."

Iris walked towards a fuschia tree and knocked on it, her entire body was in a white glow "Lets get to it." She pushed her hand into the tree and watched it disappear, then she did with the rest of the traveling group including one reluctant incubus groaning all the way.

The tree led out into a dark field where there was an inn a few feet away. Luna looked around seeing that Haxir was deeper in tone, almost dead, the tree they exited had no leaves and was stark white like the rest of the trees in the area. The ground itself was reddish orange, the grass was a black green.

"This is where I tracked her too."

Iris raised her hand up and her body was coveted in mist, when she stepped out her hair was back to being sky blue locks of hair, her eyes was a deep purple, and her skin was pale and creamy. She was wearing a dress like the one she'd wore in Romus, except this one was a pearl hue with a velvety texture.

"Now that you're done playing dress up." Sirus walked off to the inn, opening the door. Everyone followed him inside. It was empty, there were a bunch of oak tables and chairs, no one was at the front desk, but there was one person there. She was laying her head down on a table, her emerald hair was her only marker.

Alex was the first to approach the figure, she was in a dark blue shirt with a black jacket and dark blue jeans, and black boots. Alex hesitantly held his hand out. He tapped her shoulder lightly and all the warmth he had felt before re-entered him as she looked up. Her russet eyes were still full of flame.

"Alex..." Her voice was weak, Lynx looked around "What the hell is this?"

"Your rescue party." Sirus clarified "Your wounds?"

"And now you care...Patched up, but the poison is another thing. Friend."

"I didn't exactly have a chance in saving your ass-

"My ass?!" Lynx stood up abruptly "I saved your ass a thousand times! I don't owe you shit! I barely own you my words!"

"Right, because you didn't get into trouble those other times." Sirus said "Not everything is on me!"

"You were the cause." Lynx sneered "Fuck you and your oblivious, arrogant, above my kind attitude. You're a bastard if you can't see what you did."

"And you're a bitch all on your own." Sirus smirked. The energy in the room was starting to feel volatile, so Iris and the others stepped back a little.

"I should have killed you after it happened." Lynx started to run at him and ended up punching Sirus in the side, he fell down and quickly got up and elbowed her in the gut. Lynx coughed to get her breath before kicking him in the leg and punching him in the face, Sirus kneed her in the leg and Lynx fell. Lynx swung her foot at his feet causing him to fall and Lynx jumped on top of him choking him.

"Get her off!" Sirus gasped, his strength was still coming back slowly.

Neimos pulled her off with Lynx twisting away, both competitors were covered in one another's blood.

"Are you two finished?" Neimos took a seat at one of the tables.

"Not even close." Lynx eyes flashed bronze at Sirus who helped himself up.

"I'm sorry." Sirus held his hands open in a large gesture "I didn't know-

"It doesn't matter, she's dead!"

"I know." Sirus rubbed his face "It may be on me, but I can't bring her back Lynx. I could kill Caldric."

"But for your revenge, not mine." She gritted her teeth which were growing into fangs.

"What would you like for me to do?"

Lynx looked at Sirus, something about him had changed. Her body radiated with hatred for Caldric and rage for Sirus' ignorance, but he wasn't anymore. "Back me for once."

"Fine."

"And don't break your word. You knew what this meant to me, and you wanted to claim it for yourself."

"I'm selfish."

"You're a prick."

"I agree." Iris said raising her hand.

"I apologize if I was oblivious to your...feelings." Sirus swallowed feelings roughly, he was surprised that Lynx had any. But he accepted it, he had been ignoring Lynx's own desires for so many years that he had gotten used to it.

"Don't be disgusting." Lynx said "You're forgiven for now. But if you cross me again, I'll slit your throat open and devour your windpipe."

Sirus smiled "That's fair."

"Great, Iris." Lynx nodded at her "What is this?"

Iris gave her the run down with Lynx hanging onto every word.

"I see." Lynx sat back down rubbing her wounds "I portaled here to keep him off my trail for now. I nearly passed out from the poison he coated those arrows in. The owner of the inn found me and gave me a potion that cleansed the poison out, he's a sorcerer of some caliber. His uncle came to visit, so they're in the back catching up while I'm supposed to be resting."

"You're just as stubborn as your friend." Alex told her.

"Maybe. It's hard to believe that you're related to Luna though. But I guess it's not that big of a stretch..."

"No, are the wounds healing?"

"Yes, it'll take a couple of hours until they completely heal. How's your shoulder?"

"Better, but I want to know about your revenge." Alex said this seriously without a smile or hint of one "Because you can be very reckless."

"As are you."

"But I know my own strengths and weaknesses. I can help speed up the healing process, I just need elderberry."

"There's some in a bush in the forest. The sorcerer uses it to make healing tonics for the winter."

"Should I get some for Sirus too?" Alex wondered out loud.

"Yeah, Alex we need him to be of actual use." Luna said half joking.

"He is pretty useless right now...it's kind of sad. Okay lets go, we can bring back other herbs too." Alex told Lynx who groaned getting up.

"Fine."

They both walked out together with Neimos knowing better, going berry picking without a bucket or basket, just their hands. He smiled to himself, because it reminded him of his time with Areya. Everyone eventually took a seat and waited, the owner came finally. He had brown skin, bluish purple eyes, and black hair. He offered up a discount on breakfast and everyone took the offer, except Sirus who wasn't very hungry, just troubled.

The trees of the small forest were like lone white stalks hanging above the heads of Lynx and Alex as they made their way to the middle of the forest where the elderberry bush was. Lynx leaned against a tree and watched Alex.

"Sorry."

"It wasn't your fault." Alex said picking the berries, he summoned a small pail and dropped them in.

"I wanted to stay...to talk." Lynx bit her lip awkwardly.

"So, did I. I...missed you." Alex just came out with it "I wanted to see you, but every time we meet, you're gone. Lynx?"

Lynx looked into Alex's eyes, she had to admit that she wanted to see him again, tell him all her complaints, lean on him. "Same. I don't know why, but in your weird way you get me."

"Then will you tell me who she is?"

"My sister." Lynx began explaining her story and how she got to the place where body counts didn't matter to her, how her sister came back for her.

After awhile neither spoke "I've never lost anyone apparently, just been lied too. But I couldn't hang onto the anger, and I wanted to. But if I did it would overtake me and store the pain. You don't want to be in pain, anymore do you?" Alex frowned.

Lynx shook her head "Pain will always exist for me, for everyone. I can't dismiss it-

"No, but you can release it. I don't want to see you destroyed by it." Alex walked closer to her "I may have been protected all my life, but I've seen people who couldn't take it, wanted what they wanted and ended up causing their own self-destruction."

"I can't, I care about you. But I'm giving up my pain, my hatred, not until I kill Caldric." Lynx's eyes bore a warning, but Alex wasn't afraid. He leaned in and whispered.

"Will you kill me if I try to rid you of it?"

Lynx felt her chest drop "I wouldn't try to k-

"Then tell me why you wouldn't? Lynx look at me." Alex demanded, his eyes glittered in the sunlight and singed Lynx with his stare. "I don't just like you."

"You didn't just like Sable either." Alex pressed his lips against her shoulder, such a tender touch had her quivering in pain. She missed more than Alex's complex personality, but the way she felt when he touched her body. His lips traveled up the length of her neck slowly and agonizingly.

"I thought. I loved. Sable." Alex punctuated the words with each kiss "I love you."

Lynx looked down at Alex who looked up at her "Do you doubt me?"

"No."

"Then can you tell me what you feel? Not about the sex or about the crazy shit that's happening in our lives, or the lies, the betrayals, the chaos. What do you feel for me?"

Lynx breathed in then out blushing "Love." It was why her heart was heavy and the reason she felt a pang inside when she saw him, the need to see him, speak with him. He had been on her mind as she was on his along their journey. And right now, what she wanted was for him to show his love, his physical form of the four letter word.

Alex smiled taking her lips with his as he pressed his chest against hers against the tree.

Alex began pealing off her jacket and top with Lynx's help as they feverishly made out, then she helped him out of his shirt. Lynx tugged at his pants which Alex slid down quickly, taking every article off his body then doing the same to Lynx. He let his fingers travel down her arm to her waist, tracing her navel, then up to her breasts. He petted her small nipples with one hand, teasing her, then he let his other hand go down to feel between her legs. He pressed the tip of his index finger against the warm hole rubbing it softly, feeling her warmth spill out. Lynx wasn't the patient type and bit down on Alex's lip to hurry him along.

But Alex responded by grasping one mound fully in his hand and squeezing it, rolling her nipple in between his fingers. Lynx moaned against his lips with aggravation, all his teasing was making her want him more. Eventually Alex gave into her want, pressing the head of his cock into her gate. Lynx made a sound of relief as she felt his erection start to fill her. Alex slowly let himself be engulfed in the flame of her cove, it tugged him in at first, before closing in around him. Alex felt himself stop, unable to move from the tightness of her canal.

So, he picked Lynx up by her thighs, and she wrapped her legs around him to keep upright, sinking down onto his entire rod. Her muscles constricted in response, Lynx had to pull away for a second to breathe, but that didn't stop Alex from beginning his own march. He gave small thrusts at first, watching Lynx's face relax, feeling her start to spread wide for his girth. Lynx leaned her head back against the tree feeling every bit of Alex's manhood grate against her walls in slow hard pumps. She could feel her own juices squirt out each time he moved deep inside her.

After regaining her breath, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, her nipples circled his chest as he rocked his hips forward and back. She moved her own hips back, to really feel his shaft, every detail of it ingrained inside her. Alex could feel himself heat up from his own desires, he wanted the love and pleasure. Then Lynx felt it again, this energy exuding off Alex, something that she couldn't see, but feel. It made her body feel more sensitive to his touch, especially when he started to speed up. He was bouncing her up and down onto his pole, feeling her body soften each time she landed.

Lynx held on tighter as her body began tightening around him once more and a tickle ran up her spine. She didn't know what it was, but she felt as if Alex was giving her his own warmth, his love, maybe even his happiness. Because her body began feeling lighter, tighter, and her mind was starting to drift away from all her worries. Alex knew he was almost out of energy, and it took some technique and physical prowess to have sex against a tree even with Lynx clinging to him.

He carefully pulled her up and placed her onto the ground where he felt more comfortable. He pulled her legs from around his waist until her knees were high on the ground. He pushed one knee back and plunged into depths he had never felt before, the blistering heat would surely roast him. Lynx bit her tongue trying not to shout, but the deeper he went the harder it was to contain herself. Alex placed one of his hands on the ground, pawing his hand into the dirt as he shook Lynx's body to keep her in place. Soon he released her knee and let his fingers rub against her clit, it was just as solid as he was when surfing through Alex's ocean.

He rubbed it at first, watching her arch her back in surprise, then he twisted the small flesh as he had the last time causing a shockwave through her. Lynx had never had or thought that she could have such a wondrous mix of pain and pleasure. Alex felt his body ache from releasing so much of his own delight and gave longer harder strokes against Lynx's flesh, feeling it swell and water. Lynx's tongue was dancing with Alex's, when she began to feel the quake inside her body, she thought she would burst.

A large wave hit both Alex and Lynx simultaneously. Lynx felt her knees shake as she came, the ground around them began to crack a little, and the trees were splitting themselves down the center before falling to the ground. Alex's hot seed had pushed into her crevice and push out again, giving her a pleasant warmth. Alex laid down against her chest breathing out.

"Sorry about the trees."

Lynx smiled "I'll forgive you since none fell on us."

Alex leaned his head up and looked down at her "Then thank you for forgiving me."

Lynx hit his chest "Don't start that crap."

"Whatever you say." Alex pulled himself off of Lynx and laid next to her on his back on the ground "If I died trying to help you with your Caldric problem I hope you remember me as something other than that cat loving weirdo you met in a magic shop."

"You're not going to die, Alex. Or most likely, I'm to die."

"Nope."

Lynx turned to him to see him grinning wildly.

"I don't see death in the cards for you."

"A premonition?"

"A hope, a wish, a prayer, call it what you want. I'm not going to let you die. So, don't be silly and say you're most likely to die. It's not only rude telling your lover that, but selfish."

"Ha, and selfish isn't tracking me down solely to tell me all of this?"

"What can I say? I'm as selfish as the rest of the world."

"Finally, something normal about you." Lynx smirked.

"Normal is overrated at times. Normal to me is living with the one you love, in a house with just you two, living in isolation, but not too far from friends and family. Starting a family, doing your own thing, beginning a new chapter in life."

Lynx frowned "Don't tell me that's what you want for us."

"What I want for us is to live." Alex said sitting up, Lynx joined him not understanding what he was trying to say. "I'd want you to live with me, Lynx, not out of pity or obligation, but because you want to. Where I can use my powers, mix up brews, start my own magic shop or outlet or whatever. You could use your powers in a positive light."

"And then what? We get married? Have children?"

"No, we do what we want, we decide what we want. If you want children and marriage, I'm game. If you want them in that order fine, I was never one to think on them much up until now. I just want you."

Lynx stood up and went over to the tree where her clothes were tossed to the ground, she threw Alex's back at him and the two began to dress. Once clothed again Alex said this:

"Your name is Lynx that rhymes with sphinx and I have a question for you." Lynx froze up, but turned back to him.

"What question?"

"If we can get past all of this, will you consider being with me?"

Lynx's face turned red as she looked at the ground "I'm already with you."

"But will you stay with me?"

"Maybe." Lynx smiled at him "I'll let you know when I do."

"Okay." Alex said, that was the best answer he was going to get, so he got the bucket of elderberries.

Then a thought hit Lynx, she hadn't been in pain the entire time during their tryst, her wounds were either almost healed and she blocked the small pain out or they were healed completely.

"Hey, what's with you the sphinx rhyme?" Alex asked as he started walking back. Lynx joined him and shrugged.

"It reminds me of the riddle of the sphinx and how easily men can prevail, or crumble given how and what they say." And Alex had prevailed, but that was something Lynx would keep to herself. Their journey wasn't over yet.

Back at the inn with everyone fed, a man appeared, one similar looking to the owner. He had the same hazelnut skin color, azure eyes, and frost colored hair. He stopped and stared at the sorceress, Areya, who was too surprised for words. Then the owner came out.

"Oh uncle, these are some new guests. Everyone this is my uncle, Dramus Vlasar, he's helping me a bit, first by watching the inn for a few hours. I'll be back as soon as I can." Then the owner dashed out leaving them in awkward silence.

As soon as he left Alex and Lynx returned "Did someone die?" Lynx questioned sitting at a table near Dominic, Luna, and Nick. Alex joined her holding up the small pail triumphantly.

"Mother, what's wrong?" Alex asked Areya.

"Mother..." Dramus didn't seem angry or even sad when he heard Alex say the words "It's been too long Areya."

"Yes, it has." Areya sat back in her chair as Neimos looked from her to the man. "This is Dramus, the man I was to marry back in Vracix."

"Fate is a funny thing." Neimos smiled coldly at her "And things always come back full circle."

"Spare me the fate and destiny nonsense, Neimos." Areya then directed her attention back on Dramus "You have a nephew."

"And you have a son. We all thought you had passed long ago."

"I hadn't."

"That's clear. I'm guessing your illness wasn't as life threatening."

"If you count a baby as life threatening, then no."

Dramus face started to cloud in sorrow "I see, and this is the father?"

"The demon I was too banish before our nuptials; he became...my companion."

"Ohh fancy word..." Neimos murmured.

"Hm, well that explains why I never felt your light die within the spirit tree."

"You went to the spirit tree for me?" Areya asked.

"I prayed for your safety in the afterlife, but my prayers never seemed to go through. Every day, Areya...but I see your life has taken new flight. A mother, a sorcerer, a friend."

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to-

"Say no more." Dramus got a chair and placed it before her, taking his own seat "If you had stayed things would have no been well for you or your son. To be with a demon is the greatest sin, that is what we were taught. It was worse than being controlled by them or killed by them. But losing your heart to one was forbidden."

"And now?"

"It's still the same, witches and warlocks who've given themselves to what is qualified as sin are sterilized after the children are born."

"That's beyond cruel." Iris wrinkled her nose "It's not as if they're hurting anyone."

"Then maybe you haven't been in love." Dramus said smiling drearily "Before now there would be a debate on if one of us ever fell for or had a child by a demon, whether the child should be aborted or not. And that is even crueler, but that is the way we were raised."

"You still reside in Vracix?"