Dark Hunger

Daryn's brows furrowed. His muscles were bulging and he was obviously furious. "Before you tell me the work, tell me about Elize's magic." 

Caleb sighed. He looked at Elize wantonly. She smiled at her husband and then got up. She walked to him and sat in his lap. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her temple. The act was so natural and he didn't feel embarrassed in front of Daryn. Now he realized why Daryn never left an opportunity to kiss or touch his mate. It was the basic need the wolves were born with. "My wife drinks my blood," he replied. "And after I defeated Edyrm, things… changed." Once again Caleb went to explain what all happened and how Elize ended up having Edyrm's magic. 

At the end of it, Daryn's eyes were wide with amazement. "You mean to say that she has the demon king's magic?" 

Caleb nodded as he gathered Elize closer to his chest. He exhaled heavily and then rested his forehead on her shoulder. "I am sorry Liz, for putting you in so much danger." 

"Shut up!" Elize scolded him. "You did what was necessary and you didn't know this would happen. Even if you had known that you would imbibe Edyrm's magic, would you have not helped Ileus?

Caleb pursed his lips. He didn't have the answer to her question. He just squeezed her tightly. 

Suddenly, Daryn said, "You never hugged me so tightly!" And he was very serious in his expression and tone. 

Caleb raised his eyebrow. He cocked his head to look at his jealous sibling while Elize laughed. "Let me know when you want me to crush you, and I will."

"What do you mean by that? It should be natural and not forced!"

Caleb didn't know how to react to his jealous little brother. It was as if they had traveled back in time when he was just a five year kid and vying for Caleb's attention. Seeing how befuddled Caleb was, Elize couldn't help but laugh out loud. 

Daryn grunted. "He has always been like this with me. Crude!"

"Can we focus on the topic right now?" Caleb scolded him. 

Daryn pursed his lips and scowled. 

Caleb continued, "You have to keep a watch in Ixoviya." 

--- 

Auril was sitting in his tent, listening to the cheery whoops of Cole. The way he shouted at other men, the way he snatched the ball and then made them run after him—it was crazy. Now that he knew how the vow to the Lore acted, he reacted accordingly. He snapped his fingers and went to sit on a branch of the tree where he met Cole. Well covered with the golden leaves that reflected sun rays making a perfect hiding place, he watched Cole from a distance. He cheered them and Cole didn't notice because his voice was mingled with the others. For the next one hour, he watched Cole fondly. The purpose of his visit was over and he decided to leave tonight. He didn't want to keep his mother in the dark anymore. 

An hour later, Daryn and Caleb emerged from the tent. They saw Cole playing and joined him for a while. Auril wished that even he was there with them. It had been so long since he had spent his time so cheerfully. But he remained seated in his place, astride a branch… 

Caleb took Daryn to have food and while they were having food, Caleb pointed towards Auril's tent. Daryn nodded slowly. Auril couldn't hear them, but when Daryn got up, he came back to his tent. Caleb introduced them. Auril felt… anxious. 

"I heard that you are great with medicines," Daryn said as he shook hands with Auril, trying to make him comfortable. 

Auril's ice blue eyes twinkled. Daryn had accepted him. With a smile, he said, "Caleb speaks too highly of me for no reason. As a druid that is one of the things that we are taught. You can say that we are taught this in our cradle." The brothers laughed at the joke. 

When they settled, Daryn offered him a position in his pharma business. "I am sure my people will benefit from your knowledge." 

Auril's smile widened. "Thank you for offering me the job, Daryn, but I have to refuse it. I have to assist my mother in running the kingdom. I can't abandon her for my personal interests." 

Daryn was totally taken aback. He thought that Auril would want to stay close to Cole. "But it's a good offer! You will get a great salary, a house to live in for free and all other standard perks." 

Auril chuckled. "I know that with you one can't expect any less. But I can't accept it. I have my duties." He turned his face to Caleb and said, "I am planning to leave tonight. Now that I have achieved what I came for, I have to go and talk to my mother." 

Caleb jerked his head back. "Wh—what? Why?"

Auril lowered his head. "I can't keep my mother in the dark anymore. She should know about me." 

"But I explained to you that your life is in danger. You are safest with us right now!" Caleb reiterated. 

"I know, Caleb, but I don't know how long this situation will continue. I have stayed away from my mother and my kingdom for a long time. I need to go back." 

"Go back when you have a hoard of demons on your back?" Caleb gritted his teeth. "You have pissed Edyrm in every possible way by allying with me. If you step your foot as much as an inch out of this area, your life will be in serious danger! Can't you get that in your thick head? Not only that, if you go to Zelena, you will put the lives of your people in danger!" 

Auril blinked his eyes once, then twice. His thoughts had never gone in that direction. 

"You have to wait for a few more days till this all settles down. Once the threat is uprooted, you can leave." 

Auril's mind went into deep consideration of the situation. "I— I didn't know it would turn so serious!" 

"It has only started, Auril," said Caleb. "You have to stay with us till we find a solution." 

Daryn and Cole left half an hour later with Cole scanning the entire area once more to catch a glimpse of the man he had noticed earlier. "I might come again," he said aloud as if trying to shout out to him. Auril chuckled. The boy was adorable and he was going to wait for him for the next two years. 

Caleb took his wife back to the cave even as Elize teased him for becoming a Neanderthal. He didn't care. 

--- 

The day disappeared into the night and Auril was lying on his bed with his arms cradling his head, with a silly smile on his face. "Cole…" he murmured. He wondered how he would look at eighteen. Suddenly a sharp screech from the darkness came. His head whipped to the right and he saw a bright white like breaching the spells. "Fuck!" he shot out of his bed.. The light sizzled at first and then it started cutting in the spell.