Nights of Babylon

Disclaimer: Not mine

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Chapter 15 - Interlude - jealousy and love

The incubus was out of the door before Alexander could say anything, grabbing the piece of cloth he used to wear around his

hips. Cursing the king got up, dressed and followed the lewd creature in a rather stiff walk, his ass aching from the hard

and fast intrusion. Alexander felt like a young girl who had intended to allow her lover a kiss and surprisingly ended up

deflowered. The demon was a bloody but admittedly damn sexy nuisance and a dangerous rival in the fight for Hephaisiton's

love. The king wasn't used to losing and he wouldn't be defeated again. Alexander wanted to shout at the winged demon for

humilating him and stealing his dignity - in an exquisitly pleasant and highly enjoyable way, but nontheless the incubus was

guilty of all accusations.

Meanwhile Alexis had reached Hephaistion's bedchambers, crashing into the dumb doctor who ran as if death itself was on his

heels. The healer's eyes were wide in panic when he looked at the golden-eyed incubus. He opened his mouth to scream but no

sound passed his lips. Alexis shoved him aside none too gently, not caring at all for the old man, as his thoughts were too

occupied with the worry about his sister. He stepped slowly into the room, his panicstricken heart thundering in his chest.

"Please let her be alright", he thought. "Please!"

Hephaistion sat on the edge of his bed, holding Serena's hand. He looked up when the raven-haired incubus entered. "She's

alright", he greeted the demon with an assuring smile. "She woke a few minutes ago and instantly tried to seduce the

doctor."

Alexis grinned reliefed, sitting down next to Serena and Hephaistion. The prone dainty succubus looked still very pale and

her wounds hadn't healed up properly yet, her wings looked rather weird with all the splints and she wasn't a pretty sight at

all, but her breathing was easy and the naughty twinkle had returned to her amber eyes. "Well, you know, the old freak

actually wasn't my type of guy, but after what I went through I take what I get," she said in a husky whisper, her lips forming a

supposed to be smile.

Alexis placed a tender kiss on her cheek. He would have embraced her just to feel her heartbeat against his, but at her state

this wasn't a good idea at all. "Your hopeless", he chuckled, smiling happily at her. He got serious again. "Why did Tessos

attack you? Did you get any information about his and Ellestias' plans?"

Serena shook her head and regreted it at once as a horrible pain formed within her skull and blinded her. She moaned,

cursing. "He didn't talk much before he attacked me. The pack thought we were both dead and I dare say Tessos was none too

happy to see us alive."

"I shouldn't have let you go alone", Alexis said guiltily.

Serena shrugged and winced, her smile a mask of pain. "It was my decision", she managed to cough. "And it wasn't a bad plan.

Nobody could forsee that Tessos would turn completely mad."

"So we now don't know more than before", Hephaistion said, feeling sorry that Serena's painful sacrifice had been useless.

"I should have killed the hideous beast when I had a chance", Alexander said on entering the room, his face still red with

anger about his recent defeat. He sat down next to Hephaistion, putting an arm around his shoulder possessively. He shot the

golden-eyed incubus a challenging look and earned himself a naughty smirk from the demon.

Hephaistion immediately noticed the bright red cuts on the kings chest, hardly hidden by the red and golden robe he was

wearing. The young warrior suddenly felt a sick sensation in his stomach. He couldn't believe that Alexander and Alexis had

enjoyed each others touch while he had been watching over the hurt succubus. He bit his lower lip and pushed Alexander's hand

away, throwing accusing glances at both the king and the predator, while he tried to decide whether to throw a tantrum or

not.

"So should have I", Alexis growled, flexing his claws. Next time Tessos wouldn't get away. Alexis owed it to Serena. He would

present the monster's heart to her, cost what it may!

"You persuaded me to spare him", Alexander pointed out, not able to suppress a yawn. He was deadly tired and looked alike.

"One of my biggest mistakes ever", Alexis agreed. "But it can't be undone."

"Have you come to any decision what to do about the demons' assault?", Hephaistion asked coldly, trying hard to suppress the

nagging disappointment he felt boiling within him.

"Oh, well no", Alexander said. He had to find an excuse as he didn't want the handsome brunette to know about his encounter

with the incubus. He could still remember Hephaistion's unpleasant bitching relating to Bagoas. But he couldn't come up with

a proper excuse right now.

"And what have you done while you were away? It's been quite some time", Hephaistion hissed.

Alexis shot him a questioning look. "You're jealous", he stated curiously. He had managed to imitate human habits in a way

Serena found extremely creepy and absolutely loony, but he still was a demon. Jealousy was an emotion unknown to him and

although he had tried he hadn't yet understood it. It was a bit like envy, he had figured out, but got a special quality

because it was always related to love. And as love itself it was neither reasonable nor predictable. Up to now nobody had

ever felt jealous because of him and he found it quite exciting that Hephaistion did.

Hephaistion didn't share the demon's curious excitement. "Well, you two cheated on me. Of course I am jealous."

"But you betrayed me with Alexis", Alexander started but fell silent when the brunette shot him an icy look.

"Bagoas", the young warrior simply said. His tone made clear he wouldn't tolerate any contradiction, especially none of

Alexander's usual "I'm the king"-rubbish, his stare demanded an explanation - and a damn good one would be needed to soothe

his anger now.

"He started", Alexander said in a shot, blaming the perplexed incubus, pointing at him with his finger. "He grabbed me before

I could do or say anything to stop him."

"Oh, really?", said Hephaistion now looking and sounding totally pissed off. "Well I do recall that the winged demons can't

touch as long as they aren't invited!" He hated it when Alexander lied at him. It was hurting him as it showed how less

Alexander cared and it was insulting as he seemed to think Hephaistion stupid enough to believe his lame excuses.

"Oh", Alexander exclaimed. He had forgotten about that very special detail. Alexis smirked at him and shrugged. The gesture

made Alexander furious but he was in decent trouble now so he couldn't deal with the winged nuisance. "But the demons who

killed the people in the temple district certainly didn't ask for a permission before they murdered their victims", the king

pointed out triumphantly and quite happy that he had found a way to change the topic.

"Of course not. They didn't hunt", Serena snorted, sounding indignant. She found the whole cheating discussion useless and

foolish. "We want our prey to desire us as the orgasm gives the blood a special flavour and as the mating is much more fun if

the prey enjoys it as much as the demon does."

"I understand", Alexander said, pulling a face of disgust. He felt Hephaistion's blazing gaze at the back of his head. "Well

that means we should be prepared for the attacks - which includes a decent rest." He yawned, stretching as he got up and

walked towards the door quickly. "I better catch some sleep."

"You divert of the actual topic", Hephaistion hissed. His ocean blue eyes were blazing with anger, a special twinkle that

almost made them shine. He looked terribly beautiful like one of the mysterious Furies.

"Why don't you blame him?", Alexander sulked, pointing at the incubus who followed the rather unpleasant conversation

attentively, while Serena only shook her head as if to say: "They're all loony!".

"Who says I won't?", Hephaistion shot back. "Just right now I'm talking to you. Why do you think you can always get away with

cheating? Why do you think I would tolerate this behaviour?"

"I don't understand. You used to accept my - activities", Alexander said angrily.

"Well, things have changed. I always thought you were the stronger one of us and that I was only meant to follow and love you

with my heart's deepest devotion. But I have learnt that there is much more power within me, that I can overcome my own

nature and set myself free. I am no life-size doll you can play with and abandon like you want."

"And how did you come to this conclusion?", Alexander asked, getting angry. He hated to quarrel with Hephaistion and terribly

missed the submissiveness the young warrior had used to show. Things had been easier when Hephaistion still had been his old

weak self. However, Alexander couldn't deny that the new Hephaistion was disturbingly tempting, the new selfesteem adding a

good portion of naughty sex appeal. "Who brought these silly thoughts to your mind."

"Alexis did", Hephaistion hissed.

"Oh, well, who else!", the king exclaimed, throwing up his arms in a mock gesture of defeat. "He of course is perfect. Why

don't you just fly away with him?" With these words he stormed out of the room, anger boiling in his veins.

"Now this man has a temper", Serena said. She was rather impressed. She licked her lips hungrily, her eyes shiny with lust. "Is he as

wild in bed? Oh, I'd so like to find out!"

"Oh, do shut up!", Hephaistion shouted, he got up and started to pace up and down the room. Serena and Alexis exchanged

puzzled looks.

"I don't understand why you are so upset", Serena said. "Alexis and Alexander seem to go on well together. You feared they

would kill each other, instead they had a bit of fun. So what's the problem?"

"They both cheated on me!"

"Why?", Alexis asked. Like Serena he didn't understand at all what was wrong with having whoever he wanted. It was the most

natural thing to the winged demons and something not even Alexis managed to suppress - and admittedly had never even thought

about to suppress.

Hephaistion turned and looked at the two puzzled faces, two pairs of golden eyes staring back at him in wild confusion.
"Can't you see?", he asked. Both demons shook their heads. Hephaistion sighed. "You both should have been faithful to me and

you both haven't because of being with someone else", he explained to the incubus.

"But Alexis has been with me, too", Serena pointed out. "So he has cheated on you before and you weren't angry then."

"That's not the same. I have taken part when you made love to each other."

"So it isn't cheating if you take part?", Alexis asked. He wasn't sure if he got it right what this conversation was

about.

Hephaistion thought about this for a second, then nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, I guess, That's right."

"Well, honey", Serena said, pulling herself to a sitting position with a hardly suppressed whimper of pain. "You don't really

believe that we don't mate when you're not around, do you? So that's cheating again."

"That's different. I know you", Hephaistion tried to explain.

"But you know Alexander far better than Serena. And you know me", Alexis said. He once more came to the conclusion that love

couldn't be understood no matter how hard he tried. "So why is it cheating when I'm with Alexander, but no cheating when I'm

with Serena?"

"That's not what I meant. When we three were together you somehow introduced Serena to me and I somehow agreed in you having

sex with her." The young warrior could tell by another pair of puzzled glances which the demons exchanged that both didn't

understand what he was saying.

"So you're upset because the guys didn't ask for your permission?", Serena asked, the expression on her face showing clearly

that she thought the human was more than just a bit nuts.

"Yes." Hephaistion sighed when he looked at the demons. They still didn't understand.

"That's a little bit weird, don't you think?", Serena said, expressing her thoughts clearly.

"Well, maybe", Hephaistion admitted, feeling quite weird himself by now. "I can't help how I feel. It just wasn't right and

they both didn't think or care about me. I feel neglected and..." He fell silent and shrugged helplessly.

"Is there any reasonable explanation for you're behaviour?", Serena checked in an unnerved tone.

Hephaistion shook his head. "No, I don't think there is."

"Well, I have a piece of advice for you, sweetheart." Serena fluttered her eyelashes at Hephaistion and laid down again. "Do

have a rest. You look like you would fall asleep every moment. Then go and get both of them and have the fuck of your life.

And now shut up. I'm tired."

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