| Title: Consorted Authors: Jo & Brenda Series: Claimed, part 3 Pairings: Karl Urban/Orlando Bloom/Harry Sinclair/David Wenham; (Sean Bean/Dominic Monaghan; Viggo Mortensen/??) Rating: NC17 Summary: New vamps, new pets...and, yeah. All of the old fave vamps & pets, too. Plus, Elijah goes on a date. *grins* Disclaimer: Vampires still don't exist. And we doubt any of these things ever happened. But, you never know. Author's Notes: As ever, you guys all rock. We are humbled & thankful that so many of you love these guys as much as we do. We hope this last part entertains. *mwah*
"I don't know." Karl's reply was soft. He kept Orlando's hand in his, even though the fingers had gone slack. "You were out for almost a half hour, but you were also weak from blood loss and injuries." "Vig said I was only out for ten minutes." Dave stated, went back to looking at Orlando's pale, lifeless body sprawled across his lap. His hands trembled as they brushed a curl from Orlando's forehead. "I wonder if he took the time to appreciate the sunset today." "Actually, his allergy won't be as bad as yours," Karl said, glad to have something to take his mind off of...things. "Because he's got my pure blood in him, as well as a bit of Viggo's through you, he'll be able to go out in sunset and twilight." "Am I going to get that, when I bond with you two?" Harry shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. Don't know why not." "Cool. It would be nice to see the sunset again." The three of them grew silent, watching for any signs of life in the body stretched over them. Long minutes passed -- no one was sure how many -- before fingers twitched in Karl's grasp. As one, they held their breath, and then Orlando groaned softly. "That," he mumbled, voice rough, "fucking hurt. A lot." He opened his eyes and looked up at them. "You lot look somebody just died...oh. Right." Karl simply dropped his head, kissed Orlando's fingers. "How do you feel?" "Like somebody took my skin off and turned it inside out," Orlando grumbled. "My whole body hurts, especially my mouth." "You'll be sore for a couple of days," Harry told him, kissing his jaw. "Your mouth, especially, until the fangs finish growing in." "Gargle warm salt water." Dave smiled helpfully, more relieved than he could possibly say. If anything had gone wrong... He didn't even want to think further than that. "Ugh." Orlando sat up and dropped his head into his hands. "Can someone make the room stop spinning?" Karl laughed. "Give it a minute, or you'll pass out." Orlando made a non-committal noise as he ran his tongue over his teeth. Nothing. Of course, he hadn't really expected there to be, but it didn't hurt to check. He turned his head just enough to see Dave's face. "This is weird," he said softly, voice filling with wonder. "I can feel you now, but...it's not like them. Not really." Dave smiled. "Yeah, it's..." "More there," Harry finished softly, looking at Karl. "Immediate. Thorough," Karl supplied. "Yeah, that's it. But, damn...it fucking hurt." Orlando dropped his hands and looked at them. "And now I'm starving. Is that normal?" His forehead wrinkled in confusion. Then he looked down at the floor, swung his legs off the sofa, and started to stand. "Whoa, little one, easy there." Karl caught Orlando when he swayed. "Yeah, it's normal. You'll be pretty ravenous for the next few hours. I imagine we'll have a nice big check at dinner tonight." Harry smiled. "And Dave will need to be with you the first few times you feed, show you what to do." "Why me?" Karl shrugged, holding Orlando in his arms. "You're his Creator. It's your job." "Lovely," Dave sighed. "You two have all the experience, and I'm the one stuck taking him through everything. If I fuck up, I'm blaming the both of you." "Dave..." Orlando looked up, still leaning against Karl, hands twisted in Karl's shirt. "I'll try not to make any mistakes. Ask them...I'm a fast learner." "So I've heard." Dave gave Orlando a reassuring smile. "This is going to be a learning experience for both of us. One which I'm sure is going to amuse some people." "Can't imagine who you mean," Harry said, grinning. "Yeah, uh huh." Orlando laughed a little, then shook his head. He stood a little straighter, still clinging tightly to Karl. "So can we go eat now? I'm really hungry." "Of course we can." Karl slipped one arm around him, but Harry shook his head. "Hold on." Orlando yelped a bit when Harry swung him up in strong arms, carried him out of the room. "He's such a show-off," Karl muttered, holding his hand out to Dave. "Like I'm not capable of carrying him." "Yes, but it gives us a minute," Dave smiled, pulling Karl down to his lap. "Hi, there." "Hi." Karl was still smiling when he lowered his lips to Dave's. Dave flicked his tongue across Karl's lower lip, slid it along Karl's tongue and over his fangs. He fisted his hands in Karl's hair, lost himself in the kiss for a few minutes. When they parted, he licked his lips and smiled. "I think I might get tired of that in a few thousand years or so. Maybe." "Lucky for you I've got the time." "Lucky for both of us, I'd say." + + + Orlando curled his arms around Harry's neck and looked back at the door he'd just been carried through. "Um...they're not coming." "Give them a few minutes, and I'm sure that won't be a problem." "Wha...oh yeah, you're funny." Orlando rolled his eyes when Harry laughed, smiling as the sound vibrated through his body from Harry's chest. "I'm starving, and they're in there making out." "They're relieving stress." Harry's grin was particularly smug when he settled Orlando in the Viper. "Guess this means Karl's taking the bike." "Stress?" Orlando looked over as Harry slid into the car. Whoa. Harry made the inside of the Viper feel...snug. Very snug. "You were dead for a good fifteen minutes." Harry leaned over, fastened Orlando's seat belt, moving back just far enough so Orlando could see the play of emotions on Harry's face. "It was...well, let's just say it was difficult." "I was?" Orlando tried to remember, wasn't surprised that he couldn't. After all, dead was dead. "It was...bad, then?" He slumped down in his seat, took several deep breaths, resisted the urge to call out to Karl. "If it was that bad, why'd we leave? Shouldn't we be in there with them?" "They need the time to themselves." Harry placed tiny kisses along Orlando's jaw, throat. "Just the two of them." "Oh." Orlando tilted his head back to allow Harry better access. Felt nice. His eyes closed, and he slid one hand up Harry's arm. "Sort of a bonding thing for them?" He felt...lost. But not. Orlando wasn't sure to describe it. Confused maybe. A little overwhelmed. The bond with Dave was much stronger than he'd imagined it would be. He was trying his best to adjust to that, not wanting them to think he needed a babysitter. He realized that it might be a good idea to ask about all the rules they kept joking about. Soon. "A reaffirmation, yeah." Harry placed a last, quick kiss on his lips, settled in his own seat. "Now, let's see if I remember how to shift gears with my feet..." "I'd offer to drive, but I don't think that's such a good idea right now." Orlando grinned and straightened up in his seat. Then his grin faded a bit, and he watched as Harry navigated the driveway. "So...if I should ask Dave if I have any questions? Or what?" "Dave is the primary person in charge of your education, but you can always ask Karl or me." Harry turned out onto the street, shifting gears smoothly. "Hmmph, not as difficult as I remember it being." Orlando leaned forward and started playing with the radio, trying to find a decent song. He glanced at Harry. "So is there anything I should know before we walk into the restaurant? Can't imagine it'll reflect good on Dave if I fuck up, and I don't want to make him look bad." "Would you stop worrying about Dave for a minute? How do you feel?" "Honestly?" Orlando shrugged when Harry nodded. He turned off the radio and sat back in his seat. "Nervous. Hungry. Sore...my mouth hurts like hell." He grimaced, tapped his fingers against his thigh. "A little dizzy still, but I guess I'm good for a guy who was dead just a little while ago." "Alright...first things first. There's no need to be nervous. You've got me and Karl and Dave...hell, you've got Sean and Vig. We're not going to leave you to go through this on your own." Harry squeezed his knee briefly. "Second, we're on our way to get you some food. And the dizziness will pass once you eat." Harry abruptly started laughing. "Oh, God..." "What?" Orlando gave him a wary look, wondering what was so funny. "Vegetarian vampire." Harry barely got the words out before he started laughing again, the sound filling the small car. Orlando blinked. Oh shit. He hadn't thought of that. "That's um...I'm not going to have to eat meat, am I?" "No..." Harry chuckled. "Just blood." The word sent him into fresh spasms of laughter. "I'm getting used to that." Orlando made a face and leaned against the door to watch Harry. "Did it twice now." He grinned as a thought occurred to him. "In fact...you're the only one who hasn't donated to the OB Blood Bank yet." Harry parked the car on the side of the street, twisted a bit. "Didn't need to," he said. "You made a vow to me, and I fed from you, and I feel you through Karl's bond. But, if you insist..." He bit the inside of his wrist and held it out to Orlando. "Go for it." Orlando looked at Harry's wrist for several seconds. "Are you serious?" he asked, slowly wrapping one hand around Harry's arm. "I was just teasing..." "You're going to have to hurry," Harry reminded him, wrist still steady. Orlando kept his eyes locked on Harry's as he leaned forward to fasten his mouth over the wound. It felt like the world exploded around him the second Harry's blood hit his tongue. He wasn't sure if it was Harry or the fact that he himself was no longer mortal or what. He wasn't sure of anything but the taste filling his mouth and Harry in his mind...along with Karl and Dave. Orlando found himself shaking when Harry pulled his arm back and licked the wound to seal it. "Feel better?" Harry asked, twining one of Orlando's curls around his finger. "Um...." Orlando blinked several times, curled his hands into fists, and licked his lips. "That was...yeah. Still hungry though." He peeked at Harry and smiled. "Well, we're here. Come on." Orlando crawled out of the car and leaned against it, waiting for Harry to come around and join him. He rubbed his hands down the side of his thighs. "I'm nervous again," he said with a tiny laugh, then wrapped his arms around Harry's neck, stepped into the warmth and love. "I've got you," Harry murmured, and placed a soft kiss on his lips, then his neck. "You'll be fine." "You know," Orlando said as Harry guided him into the restaurant, "they've left you to face the fallout on your own." He paused, his eyes searching Harry's face. "There is going to be fallout, isn't there? I got the impression that, well..." Harry stopped, looked at him with patient eyes. "What is it?" "Well," Orlando replied, smiling, "I was under the impression that what Dave did wasn't something you just...do. Not a spur of the moment type thing." "That's because it's not. Karl's the only other vampire who's ever done it without a meeting of the Council being called." Harry started pushing him forward, gave their name to the maitre-d'. "Then Dave's in good company." Orlando followed the maitre-d', glanced over his shoulder at Harry. "Looks like I am, too. How pissed is Vig going to be?" "We're getting ready to find out... Hey, Vig." |