Hey, everyone. :) I've done LOADS of revision to this beautiful little short (cough) story of mine. I may or may not elaborate on it further, but... here it is. :) I hope you enjoy it.

Just a WARNING -- This story contains hints at male/male love. You have been warned.

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Valyn sighed, the gaze of his olive eyes falling to rest on the Elven boy that sat in the corner of the pub. He had been watching him for some time now; He'd examined his manner of speech, every curve on his statuesque face, and the entrancing liquidity of his movements. In all his years, Valyn had never been so fascinated by another being. He'd never wanted to hold, converse with, or touch anyone as much as he wanted to this angelic beauty. An evening spent simply watching him would be an evening considered well spent, regardless of the various duties he may have been obligated to perform.

For a brief moment, he caught the Elf's gaze and it seemed as though every fiber of his being sprung into life, drowning out the pain caused by a weeks worth of self-inflicted starvation. He quickly looked elsewhere as he felt uncertainty and embarrassment set in, crossing one leg over its companion as he rubbed nervously at his right temple. They had met several times before–they'd even formed quite a strong friendship, but Valyn never failed to feel so... odd around him. It was slightly irritating, now that he thought of it.

No more than two minutes later, the boy of his affections had seated himself at the opposite end of the small rounded table. Hesitantly, he glanced up at him and forced a smile. "It's been a while, Sen," his cool voice rang out softly over the loud, chattering voices of the tavern, "I have been looking forward to another meeting."

Sen canted his head to the side, exhibiting an expression of pure worry. "You're much paler than usual, Valyn. You have been for a few days now, and I'm not about to play stupid and act as though I don't know what you're doing." He lowered his head and adjusted his vest, sighing heavily as snow white hair fell over his shoulders. "You must feed, Valyn. I've offered you my blood many times, I–"

"And I will continue to refuse!" Valyn snapped, startling the boy at the other end of the table. "Your very presence is even too much a tease–have you no idea what I'm capable of? What I do?" His senses were driving him mad. The smell of blood, both immortal and mortal, was wafting though the air and teasing his hungry veins. It was all he could do to keep from taking Sen up on his offer, to refuse to indulge in the sweet blood that haunted his every waking moment.

He wanted it–no, he wanted Sen, wanted his companionship and love. He wanted him as much as he wanted to drink fine wines and witness the sun rise once more, for the first time in hundreds of years. No, he wanted him more than that; he wanted him in ways he knew he couldn't have him. To take from him the very force that gave him life would be a sin against all Valyn loved, and there wasn't much the Damned wouldn't do.

"I must insist that you take it, Valyn! I refuse to allow you to deteriorate in front of my very eyes!" Sen's eyes were wet with tears as he called out to him, attempting with all his might to win him over.

"I can NOT! You know not what you ask!" Valyn threw both fists onto the table as he rose from his chair. They were starting to draw attention; Valyn could hear the questioning whispers and feel the gazes on his back. Unwilling to draw any more attention to them, he leaned in towards him and said softly, "I would take it all until I was sure you would die and as you tempt me now, then would I tempt you to take back what I took and make you my fledgling." Without another word, he moved away from the table and meandered through the crowded building, exiting the tavern with an overwhelming feeling of loss.

"Ah, Valyn," a voice rang out in the darkness, pulling the vampire from his thoughts. He looked up to spot huddled shadows in the alley across the street. Ancients. He picked up his step and soon joined them, managing to greet the three of them with a relatively pleasant disposition. "Rare for me to see the likes of you three hanging around alleys," he commented quietly as he smoothed his cape and poet's blouse, gazing at the eldest of the three, Avarealus, who scoffed and brushed curly black hair over his shoulders.

"We've found the last threat to our people, Valyn," Avarealus spoke, "the time is coming to rid ourselves of the danger."

"Yes, yes," the second chimed in as she rubbed her hands together, her doll-like face glowing with childish happiness. "He's the heir to an Elven throne and has the blood of the Hunter coursing freely through his veins." Her large, blue eyes seemed to glisten as she spoke; Valyn was amused by her enthusiasm. "We've planned the perfect fate for the boy! Yes, perfect–by means of a most potent poison."

Avarealus waved a dismissive hand at the girl. "Now, Saena, there's no need to get too excited over this." He glanced at Loen, a pretty blonde boy who had remained silent, and turned his attention back to Valyn. "I assume you'll be present? You are, after all, our leader."

Valyn quickly felt his disappointment over earlier events fading away. Never, in his wildest dreams, had he thought they'd succeed in weeding out the last of the threats to the Vampiric race. "I wouldn't miss it for the world, Avarealus." He paused for a moment, curiosity tugging at his thoughts. "But, tell me, who is the boy?"

"Sen Iim de'Sae."

It seemed the world suddenly jolted to a complete stop.

---

Perhaps it was madness that drove him to betray his people, that caused him to set the lair of the Ancients aflame and condemn those he cared for to an unpleasant, fiery death. Perhaps it was madness, again, that caused him to feel no remorse for what he'd done, even as he stood atop a hill and watched the flames dance in the darkness of the night, their cloak of smoke obscuring the moon's light. Madness? No. But what it was, he wasn't sure. All he knew was that he was relieved; he'd saved the one person he cared for most, and he had done it without a second thought.

It was only moments before dawn when Valyn returned home, the only thoughts on his mind consisting of much needed rest. The first rays of the sun were already lighting the floor just in front of the large opened windows in the main hall, so Valyn was careful as he tip-toed through the palace, remaining in the shadows as he moved down the corridor. He smiled briefly as he entered his pitch-black bedroom, and he pulled the doors shut behind him before he slid over to the bed, kicking off his shoes before he crawled under the thick blankets. For the moment, his dirtied clothes and blood-stained hands would be ignored. For now, he wanted only to concern himself with sleep.

However, a peaceful sleep, however much it was wanted, was to elude the vampire this day. Instead of visions of beauty and fantasy, he was plagued with images of the burning lair and the thrashing bodies of the Ancients, screaming in agony and calling for the aid of their leader. He saw the faces of Avarealus, Saena, and Loen with bouquets of roses held firmly withing their grasps. One by one, each of them tossed their roses on to the bloodied body of the Elven heir, their black gown shifting in soft breezes.

For the innocent. For the dead.

The three turned to him with wide smiles on their faces.

A union of blood and roses.

Valyn abruptly sat up and a hand rose to brush the blood-tinted sweat from his forehead. His gaze bounced feverishly from wall to wall before it fell to rest on his lap, his mind racing with hundreds of jagged, irregular thoughts. No matter how vivid the images were, no matter how strong the scent of fragrant roses, what he had seen nothing more than a figment of his imagination–or so he was trying to convince himself.

He calmly turned to place his feet upon the cold surface of the floor, toes tapping gently on the stone before he pushed himself up and proceeded to his door. Fingers rubbed at throbbing temples as he leaned forward to rest his head against the large door. If he returned to bed now, he was sure he'd see them again... Avarealus, Saena, Loen… He'd see them again, his loyal subjects, his people–his fledglings.

What a beautiful rose we found among a stem of thorns.

What a beautiful star twinkling against the velvet sky.

What a beautiful dew-drop hanging from the tip of a ripe green leaf.

What was this? His thoughts–they were not his own. The echoed in his head, dancing around images of the trio as they pointed and laughed, paralyzing him with fear.

Come.

Come see the angel that's fallen from grace.

A hand reached clumsily for the door knob and soon Valyn found himself stumbling out into the hallway, shaking and disoriented. Laughing. Pointing. They wouldn't stop. Their voices rang within his head, like unforgiving fingers prodding at his sanity. Laughing. Laughing. They wouldn't stop laughing!

"Stop it." He pleaded, his voice pathetic and small.

They laughed.

"Stop. Please stop it."

Still, they laughed.

He tumbled into the main hall, his face twisted in confusion and anguish as a chorus of voices poured from every corner of the room. His thoughts, once full of laugher, were now bombarded with accusations of betrayal and murder. His brows furrowed in frustration, slender fingers curled around and pulled on ebony filaments as he tried desperately to calm himself. But the laughing never stopped. The accusing never faded. The images never left him in peace.

He would take no notice to the two who took firm grasp of his arms and led him into the center of the room, but soon became aware that he was not alone. There were others here, many more than the two that had hold of his arms. Vampires–the young ones who had been no more than students to the Ancients. Olive eyes were now welling with rosy tears as he cautiously glanced each over, noting the hatred etched into every expression on their faces. Their eyes were gleaming with hatred, their lips pursed and angry.

He was hopeless.

You know you are.

A boy stepped from the crowd and Valyn glanced over at him, his lips parting as he prepared to speak, but words failed to flow and only fell to crumbled at his feet. Sweet, unspoken works. His apparent loss of words was well-received by group, who almost immediately erupted into mocking laughter. Even so, his gaze on the boy who had stepped forward was unfaltering.

"Have you forgotten, Valyn, to cover up your tracks?" The boy's tone was menacing and silky, seductive and sure. The sound of it caused Valyn's legs to give in and he fell to his knees on the cold marble floor. "We know full well that only a fellow Ancient can enter the lair. They were all killed–reduced to piles of ashes. All of them. All but you." The boy paused to brush a few stray strands of auburn from his face before he continued; "so we know full well that you are to blame. You even have reasons for it, don't you? We know what those are, as well." A snap echoed, bouncing off the walls before falling abruptly into silence and two others appeared, a frightened and most upset Sen held within their arms. "Is this not your reason?" the boy asked, his young face twisted in sadistic pleasure as the Elf was thrown to the floor. "This angel," he continued, a hint of mockery in that sugar-sweet voice of his, "this blooming rose."

Valyn immediately shot to his feet and was immediately held back by the two who had held him earlier. Infuriated, he shot a glare at the auburn-haired vampire, his thrashing in the arms of those at his side ultimately futile. "Let him go!" he screamed in frustration, his words dripping with anger as he continued to fight against the two and win his freedom. The mocking laughter only grew louder and Valyn eventually gave up, too malnourished and weak to take on his captors.

The female of the pair who brought Sen into view now held the Elf's hair firmly in her fist, a smug grim on her pouting lips as she pulled him up to his knees and pushed him forward.. "You betrayed the Ancients because of this boy. No," she corrected herself as her pale blue eyes fell to rest on Sen. "No…… you betrayed all of us because of him."

Sen was horror-stricken, those beautiful gold-rimmed eyes wide as crystal clear tears streamed down his ivory cheeks to collect beneath his chin. His hair was knotted in various places and hung messily over his shoulders and down his back to rest upon the floor, obscuring the hands bound harshly behind his back. He choked back his tears and glanced once at Valyn, then at the floor. He had never wanted this.

It was all Valyn's fault.

The girl produced a small vial containing liquid, pulling it from her gown as the boy on her opposite side unsheathed a dagger. The auburn-haired boy smiled at his puppets as they circled their prisoner. "We looked up to you, Valyn," he spoke softly as he turned back to the distressed vampire. "You were the leader of the Ancients. We wanted to be like you, we wanted to treat our people with as much love and care as you seemed to. You even cared for the people of your kingdom after they began to spread those nasty rumors. Ah," he tilted his head to the side, looking pleased, "but now they know those rumors are true. They know what you are, and they hate you for it." Valyn winced, unable to take his gaze off of Sen, and lowered his head slightly. "You killed those who trusted and loved you," the boy continued. "You killed your sons and your daughters–your very fledglings. You killed our makers."

"No... I–"

"And now you must pay the price."

The girl, as if on queue, pressed the glass capsule against the shaking lips of Sen and tipped it until the clear liquid poured into his mouth and he was forced to swallow, an action that signed his fate and condemned him to death. She knelt to rest her head on his shoulder, a small hand rising to caress his cheek as she cooed softly into his ear. Sen seemed completely detached from reality, as emotionless and captivating as a statue carved from the finest of stones. Not a word escaped his parted lips and not a tear fell to rest on his lap. He sat in silence, his gaze fixed on the floor.

Once more, Valyn attempted to break away from the two holding him back, blood-stained tears running paths down his cheeks as he cried out for Sen. For now, the laughter was quiet, the only sounds being those of Valyn's sobbing and hopeless screams as he reached out desperately toward the Elven heir. His cries silenced as a stream of blood spilled from the corner of Sen's mouth and the Elf tilted his head toward the marble floor. The young girl resting her head on Sen's shoulder began to stroke his hair and planted a kiss on his temple.

Slowly, Sen's gaze rose and he stared directly at Valyn, his pale skin and dull eyes void of the unearthly glow that once made them so beautiful. "Why?" he cried silently, his voice so soft and small it could barely be heard in the silence. The girl kissed his temple once more and cast a mischievous gaze up at Valyn as she and the dagger-wielding boy moved away from Sen to rejoin their leader, leaving the Elf in a heap in the middle of the floor.

Once released by his own captors, Valyn crawled toward Sen and spooned him carefully into his arms, the pads of his fingers softly tracing his lips. He whispered sweet nothings to the Elf as he traced the contours of his face, knowing all to well the sudden lack of meaning any of the words held. There was nothing he could say to bring his Sen back to him now, and nothing he could do to ease the breaking of his heart.

"Why?" Sen managed to whisper once more through sharp intakes of air as he stared blankly up at Valyn, his veins coursing with burning liquid that felt as though it was melting his very flesh. He was barely managing to hand on to the last strings of his life; One by one they snapped as each second passed, threatening to put an inevitable end to all of the dreams and hopes he'd ever had. His limbs were feeling so heavy now and his breathing only continued to slow, accented by a soft wheezing. Swallowing the lump in his throat, his dead eyes focused on Valyn's blurred form one more and he continued, with every ounce of strength he had left, "why… did you have… to love me?"

Valyn only held him tighter, unable to control his tears. He felt as if the world were collapsing onto him, as if all that he had worked hard for crumbled beneath the soft touch of his fingertips. He had risked everything in order to save this boy, and had only wound up condemning him to death. He continued to weep, brushing Sen's hair from his face as he rocked slowly back and forth, wracked with guilt and heartbreak. As he felt Sen's chest rise and fall for the last time, he doubled over his lifeless body, his fingers entangled in the Elf's hair as he sobbed freely onto the other's cold cheeks.

He wanted to go back and change everything he'd done. He didn't want to live with this guilt and with the knowledge that the last words of the one he had loved were tinted with such hatred. Redemption was something he'd never be worthy of, and remorse wasn't even enough to save his soul. He was damned. Perhaps he always had been.

I'm so sorry...

He leaned forward to press a single kiss upon Sen's cool lips, fingers now raking gently through the snow white filaments as he mouthed silent apologies and pleas for forgiveness to his beloved departed. His rose had bloomed and now laid, withering, in his arms, stripped of life, but ever as beautiful as before. Through his red-tinted vision, Valyn gazed upon the Elf, wanting nothing more than to be with him, and then looked up at the Devil's child at his side, who held a vial of that same poison that had torn his love from his hands.

For the innocent. For the dead.

He took the vial in a shaking hand and unscrewed the tiny cap before downing the poison, and all thoughts of anger quickly washed away as he lay beside his wingless angel to drift away into the forgiving arms of his heaven and his hell in search of what it was he had lost–in search of his love, his sanity, his pride and respect, in search of a new beginning.

"The union of blood and roses."