| Title: Cherished Authors: Jo & Brenda Series: Claimed Pairings: Karl Urban/Orlando Bloom/Harry Sinclair Rating: NC17 Summary: Vampires and pets and sex, oh my. Yeah, it's an AU. Disclaimer: As far as we know, vampires don't exist. Cha. Author's Notes: *Brenda points to Jo* It was all her fault. I just went along with it. *Jo points back at Brenda* Her Karl had designs on my Orli. She liked the idea so we let them play. This is what happened. *mwah* *Brenda & Jo look around, then whisper* But it's really *all* Harry's fault and if he says otherwise, it's a lie! For the other 1/2 of the Quartet. *mwah*
Karl stopped the car in front of the house, twisted to face Orlando. And Orlando was struck once again by beauty, by art. Karl seemed to be made for moonlight, his perfectly sculpted features only enhanced by the ivory glow. Karl's eyes burned into him, and Orlando's pleasant hum turned into an opera of need as Karl bent to him, closer, closer, those full lips almost in kissing distance, arm now wrapped around him, reaching to...unbuckle his seat belt? Orlando looked at Karl in silent confusion as Karl straightened, placed a small kiss on his cheek. "Come, little one, to bed with you. You've got a big day ahead tomorrow." And, saying that, opened the car door and got out. Orlando leaned back into the leather seat, now more confused than ever. Off to bed? Surely Karl hadn't been talking about sleeping? His car door opened, and Karl leaned down, picked him up in strong arms, held Orlando tight against his muscled chest. Orlando wrapped his arms around Karl's shoulders and it was lovely. It was pleasant, it was nice. But he wanted more. He squirmed a bit in Karl's arms, started placing light kisses on the patch of creamy skin peeking from the vee of Karl's shirt. The rich, exotic, clove taste burned his tongue -- yes, much better. Karl started walking up the steps to the front door, seemingly oblivious to Orlando's ministrations. What in the world was going on? Why wasn't Karl responding? "Karl?" He moved up to the column of Karl's throat, licking and nibbling. "What is it?" That low, sexy voice vibrated through Orlando's body. He wanted. He ached. "Why aren't you kissing me?" He knew he sounded petulant. Didn't care. Karl said nothing, continued to walk through the house, cradling Orlando in his arms like he weighed nothing. Which, Orlando supposed, he probably didn't. "Karl, talk to me." Karl still said nothing, walked down the basement steps, into the darkened chamber, closed the door. He set Orlando on his feet in the middle of the room. Orlando stood, swaying a bit, disoriented, tried to peer through the blackness. He heard Karl move around the room, and light flooded the chamber as Karl lit the bracers of candles on the walls. "Karl. Speak to me. Please." Orlando started shivering, even thought the air in the room was warm. Something was wrong. He didn't know how to fix it. With a sigh, Karl turned. And the look of raw hunger on that beautiful face was enough to make Orlando gasp, breath lost in awed lungs. "Not tonight. I can't," Karl said, gaze open and direct, letting Orlando see all his turmoil and fierce need. It staggered him. Jesus. "I wouldn't be gentle." "Maybe I don't want gentle." Orlando could scarcely believe the words coming out of his mouth. But he meant them. Anything to bring Karl peace, to erase the shadows in those eyes. Karl smiled, and it was tinged with regret. "No, you don't want this. You aren't physically able to handle me right now. And I will not hurt you." "Oh." It was the only sound Orlando was able to make. "Vy ochen' krasivy," Karl stated, eyes raking over Orlando's slim, trembling body. "Ti nuzhna mne. Lyublyu tebya vsem sertsem, vsey dushoyu." The language rolled off of Karl's tongue like baroque music -- dark, rhythmic, hypnotic. "Is that Russian?" Orlando asked, softly, still aching so much it hurt. He didn't have the courage to ask what Karl was saying. Karl nodded, and stood on the other side of the room for a long, charged moment, looking at Orlando. Just looking. And the next instant, hard lips were on his, sucking, raping, ravishing. A vice-like grip snared him, yanked him against a muscled body that trembled with need. Karl plundered, sucked Orlando's tongue, fangs grazing hard enough that Orlando whimpered in pain but didn't care. The taste of copper and sin surrounded him, swamped him. Karl's need was a living, ravenous monster that demolished, and all Orlando could do was hang on with tight fingers to Karl's shoulders and drown. With a soft growl, Karl tore his mouth away from Orlando's, stepped back from seeking hands. Orlando blinked, dropped to the sofa in a graceless heap, his legs unable to support him. "Christ," he breathed, holding a hand to his heart. He looked up at Karl, who was back on the other side of the room. That lush, lean body was coiled, ready to spring, but Karl stayed absolutely still as his eyes burned Orlando's soul into cinders. "I'll see you tomorrow," Karl stated, and left the room in a silent, swift motion. "Christ," Orlando muttered again, staring into empty space. Was he even going to survive tomorrow night? + + + "Harry, I thought I was going to kill him. I am so fucking hard right now I could...need to get inside him. Can't...I'd kill the child." Harry watched in silent amusement as Karl muttered and paced the floor of his library, long strides eating the carpet. He'd shown up about twenty minutes ago, shaking, swearing, ranting, cursing in Russian, French and English...the old man had it bad. Bet he didn't even realize it. Harry raised his glass of Scotch to his lips, sipped slowly. "You can not imagine how badly I want to be at home with him." Karl continued to pace, adding wild hand gestures to the pacing and muttering. "It was all I could do to not throw him down on the floor and take him right there. Fuck!" "Good thing you didn't," Harry observed, biting his lip to keep from smirking when Karl whipped his head around. Harry wondered if Karl had forgotten he was even there. "If you kill him, I'll never get the chance to meet him, will I?" "You'll meet him tomorrow night." Karl threw himself down on the sofa, looked over at Harry. "I can wait that long. If I'm here with you, I can't be there touching him." "What, I'm a consolation prize now?" "Oh, please." Karl snorted in amusement. "You're anything but, and you know it." Harry set his glass down on the side table, studied his nails, choosing his next words with care. Provoking Karl on purpose was something Harry did very rarely. "Don't know that I believe you," he said, raising bland eyes. "It'll be kinda hard for us to share him if you avoid me the way you've been doing the last couple of days." "Avoid you?" Karl blinked, stared at Harry. "I've been trying to get him settled in so we can share him." "And how long is that going to take?" Harry smiled, allowed no warmth in it. "A week, a month, a year? Several? How long before you realize that you prefer youth to experience, him to me?" Every word was relentless, hard as steel. "We should just quit now while we're ahead." Karl's mouth fell open in shock. "What the hell are you talking about? This isn't about preferring one of you over the other, damn it." His eyes narrowed and he studied Harry. "Orlando will be fine once he meets you tomorrow." "See, it's already all about him, isn't it?" Harry stood, gestured to Karl with a careless wave. Almost there... "You couldn't even let me in on the decision. Just have the balls to tell me you don't want me. Don't fuck me around. I deserve better." "We've had the discussion about my goddamn decision," Karl growled, standing himself. He caught Harry's wrist and yanked hard, pulling Harry towards him. "It's over, it's done, and I'm not changing my mind. And don't ever think I don't want you. You, of all people, should know better." He brought his face to within mere inches of Harry's. "Do I have to prove it? Is that what you want?" Ah, yes...there it was. Just the slightest nudge... Harry narrowed his eyes, stance arrogant. "You think you've got the balls to take me on, old man?" "The day I can't take you on," Karl said, bringing his free hand up to tangle in Harry's hair, "is the day I'm dead." With that, he brought his mouth down on Harry's in a kiss that had nothing gentle, nothing soft in it, a kiss that ravaged, marked and claimed. Harry held nothing back, leaned into the bruising lips, the hard body against his, rough hands digging into Karl's back. This was exactly what he'd wanted. Karl pissed and aroused and focusing all that raw energy on something productive. //Is this what you want?// Karl's tongue dueled with Harry's as he pushed Harry backwards, moving with him, moving over him. Hands shoved, tearing at clothing, ripping garments in the haste to get them off. The back of Harry's knees hit the sofa and he fell, yanked Karl down with him, bit Karl's tongue hard enough to draw blood. //Not even close.// Karl pulled his mouth away and grinned, blood coating his teeth and lips. His tongue snaked out, licked at the crimson stain. "No?" His grin shifted, transformed into something darker and he lowered his mouth to Harry's shoulder, sinking his fangs into the firm muscle just enough to break the skin. Sharp nails raked down Karl's back, leaving thin trails of blood. "You're not even trying." Harry's voice was only slightly breathless. Karl laughed, caught Harry's wrists and pulled them over his head, holding them there with one hand. His lips fastened on Harry's throat, sucking hard, fangs scraping, as his free hand reached down and ripped Harry's belt off before tearing his trousers from his body. //Not trying?// His hand closed around Harry's cock and began to move, stroking roughly, squeezing, wrist twisting as teeth bit down again and a knee insinuated itself between Harry's thighs, shoving them apart. Harry fought back, struggled against the weight on him, the hands holding his wrists, the knee between his legs. He flipped them off the sofa, and they rolled on the carpet, ripping off the rest of unneeded clothes, mouths and tongues fused together in an all-out war. //Now who's not trying?// Karl smirked, rolled Harry to his back and straddled him, catching Harry's wrists again and pinning them to the floor. He leaned forward and licked a path up Harry's sternum before raking his fangs across Harry's broad chest. //I think I like you like this, puppy.// Karl ground his hips against Harry, tongue flickering over a nipple before teeth closed on the tight nub. //Do you now?// Harry arched his back up off the floor, jerked vainly to free his hands, moved his hips against Karl's, rubbing their erections together. Karl lifted his head, looked around, hands still pinning Harry's wrists to the carpet. "Lube?" he asked, voice harsh. Harry tilted his head toward the side table. "There," he panted, surging up, raping Karl's mouth with his tongue. Karl fumbled, managing to continue the kiss and hold Harry's wrists as he grabbed the bottle. Then he sat back on his heels and took one of Harry's hands, curled his fingers around the bottle. "Get me ready," he ordered, voice soft, firm. Harry spared a fleeting thought about fighting it...decided the extra skirmish, while fun, wouldn't be worth it. Karl poured lube on Harry's hand, spilling it everywhere, and immediately Harry fisted Karl's length, hand brutally sliding up and down. "Fuck!" Karl threw his head back, closed his eyes. His hips moved, thrusting into Harry's hand. "Enough," he gasped a moment later, grabbing Harry's wrist. He slid back, scooping up some of the spilled lube and slipping his hand between Harry's thighs, finger seeking and finding, pushing into the tight opening. Another furious kiss, this one even more vicious than the last, accompanied Karl's movement. Harry growled, body already aching for more. This wasn't enough. He wanted Karl, thick and hard in him, wanted to be fucked, wanted to watch Karl drive him into oblivion. "Now, old man." He scraped his teeth and fangs along Karl's jaw, almost frantic in his need to break free of Karl's hand, to pull Karl to him. "Right the fuck now." "Yes, now." Karl's voice was almost a hiss. He held tight to Harry's wrist, hooked his free arm under a leg and pulled it up. He leaned forward, caught Harry's mouth in a bruising kiss and slammed into his body, taking a bare second to breathe before beginning to move. Harry surged up into him, pushed his hips into Karl's. Wanted fast, wanted furious, wanted no control. //Best you can do?// He wiggled one hand free, clamped down on Karl's ass, forced his cock in deeper. //I don't think you mean it.// //Harry...// Karl's mental voice was a deep growl. He released Harry's other hand to grab the hips beneath him, fingers digging into muscle and bone, leaving bruises. He threw his head back and pounded into Harry, hips pistoning, shoving Harry across the carpet with the force of his thrusts. Karl bent forward, fastened his mouth to Harry's throat, licking and biting and sucking hard at the damp flesh. Harry came groaning Karl's name, hands gripping Karl's sweat-dampened back, anchoring himself as his world exploded, fractured around him. Mindless, mind-numbing pleasure coursed through him, left him weak, boneless. Karl gave one last thrust and came, Harry's name on his lips, fingers clutching reflexively on Harry's waist. //Christ...// Even the thought was weak, tired, as Karl collapsed on top of him. Harry lay still, got used to breathing again -- oxygen, wonderful thing -- felt awareness seep back into his brain. "Get it all out of your system?" he asked, when he could trust himself to speak, tracing lazy circles across Karl's back. "Mmm." Karl turned his face to nuzzle Harry's throat. "I'll let you know when I can move again." "Take your time. I don't think I could move right now if your life depended on it." Karl chuckled, tilted his head so that he could kiss the underside of Harry's jaw. "Thank you," he murmured, shifting until he was comfortably draped across Harry. "For what?" "For deliberately provoking me." Karl smiled and closed his eyes, resting his head on Harry's chest. "Caught that, did you?" Harry asked, amused. "Well," Karl said as he rolled off Harry and propped himself up on an elbow, a smile lurking at the corner of his mouth, "you were a little obvious about it. What was it you said?" He paused, pretended to think. "Oh, yes...it's all about Orlando now, I prefer youth to experience, we should quit while we're ahead, I don't have the balls to tell you that or to take you on...you want me to continue?" "Hey, it worked." Harry was smiling when he raised his head to Karl's lips, the kiss unhurried. "Got you to redirect." "Yes, it did, and it felt fucking great," Karl agreed, leaning in for another kiss. "And you probably saved our soon-to-be pet's life in the process." "I'm such a humanitarian." Harry stretched, content and sated. "You only say that because you haven't seen him yet." Karl smirked, smacked Harry's hip. "Get any rug burn?" "A bit," Harry admitted. "How's your back?" "Stings, now that you mention it." Karl grinned. "You've done worse." "So have you." They both smiled at each other for a long moment... And the easy silence was broken by the sound of the phone ringing. "Fuck," Harry swore, softly, already knowing who was on the other end of the line. Karl followed Harry to the phone, offering silent comfort as he slid his arms around Harry's waist and leaned against his back. //I'm here for you.// Harry grabbed one of Karl's hands in a vise-like grip, held on, as he listened to the words he'd been dreading, yet anticipating, for weeks. Neither one said anything for a long moment after Harry hung up the phone. Harry simply turned in Karl's arms, into the comforting embrace, the tight arms around him. "I'm sorry," Karl whispered. Harry felt the soft words, the softer kiss, along his neck. Needed to be strong. But he couldn't let go of Karl just yet. "I know. Me, too. It's just...ah...lousy timing." "That's one way of putting it." Karl pulled back just far enough to see Harry's face. "I can't put off the ceremony, Harry, you know that. I would, but..." "No, I know." Harry knew his poor attempt at a smile failed. "I'll, um...try to wrap up things, be there for the party. Not like she left a lot for me to do." Karl leaned in, brushed a soft kiss across Harry's mouth. "If you need anything..." "You know I don't." Harry allowed himself one more moment in Karl's arms before stepping back, reaching down for his pants. "We've been expecting this, right?" "Doesn't make it any easier," Karl replied, voice soft, as he moved to gather up his clothes. "I know." Harry finished buckling his belt and slumped into his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I didn't think this would be easy. You'll...could you explain to Vig and Sean, let them know?" Karl shrugged into his shirt and nodded. "Of course. You don't even have to ask." He watched Harry with sympathetic eyes and finally moved to stand beside him, fingers stroking the back of Harry's neck. "Don't." Harry brought Karl's hand around to his lips, placed a gentle kiss to his palm before letting go. "I can't do this if you touch me." Karl hesitated for a moment before shoving his hands into his pockets. "Very well. I'm here if you need me." Harry looked up, saw the compassion and love in Karl's eyes, had to bite his lower lip to keep from going to him. "I know. I'll be okay." "You sure?" Karl paused. "I can stay." "No, I need to call my pilot, schedule the flight out." Harry exhaled slowly, gathered his thoughts, focused. "I'll be fine. Go home. Cuddle with the young mortal." "Thanks to you, I can." Karl smile was faint, his eyes worried as he continued to watch Harry. Then he bent and pressed his lips to Harry's forehead. "I love you, puppy. If you need me..." Harry nodded, almost undone by the simple touch. "I love you, too. And I'll need you more later," he said. He waited until Karl was at the door before he spoke up. "Blessings upon you and yours tomorrow, old man." //On you as well.// Karl didn't turn. //And he's ours.// //Yes, but he doesn't know that yet.// Harry smiled, watched the door shut, listening to Karl's fading footsteps before standing and going to the bar for an unopened bottle of Scotch. He could drink it on the plane. |