| 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'm not nervous. That was you." Harry shrugged when Karl raised an eyebrow. "I'm not. I'm impatient. Fucking Viggo...he's doing this on purpose." Karl just managed not to roll his eyes. "Yes, I imagine he deliberately caused a crash on the PCH so he'd be late." Harry dropped down on the sofa next to Karl. "So keep me entertained, then, or something." "I'm relegated to entertainment now?" Karl laughed, lounging back in the corner of the sofa. "Shall I tell you jokes? Break out the cards and we'll play poker?" "Last time we played poker you were naked inside three hands," Harry reminded him, settling against Karl's shoulder. "I was losing on purpose," Karl said in a lofty tone, unable to hide his grin. "Be a bit tacky, don't you think, to be summoned to your own binding ceremony in the midst of a game of strip poker? Of course, Dave would probably appreciate the humor in it." "Hell, Dave would join in. Sometimes I think he's more impatient to bond with you than he is me," Harry joked. "Watching the two of you is like watching a lightning storm." "Welcome to my world." Karl lifted Harry's hand, laced their fingers together. "Now you know how I feel watching you and Orlando. Only with the two of you, it's more like watching a little tornado and a big one wrap around each other." Harry nodded, thumb caressing Karl's knuckles. "Still wonder how the hell we got here. Christ, what are the odds, anyway?" He grew a bit thoughtful. "It wasn't like my life wasn't full with just you, or you and Lauren. But now..." "I know what you mean...now it's overflowing." Karl brought Harry's hand to his mouth and brushed his lips across the fingers. "They balance us out. It's almost scary how perfect they are for us, isn't it?" He paused, their joined hands still touching his lips, and laughed softly. "I think this whole quadruple bond we've got has scandalized the entire vampire population more than all the things we've done over the last 800 years combined." "Of that I have no doubt. I'm sure we'll be all the buzz for the next century or so. Karl and Harry, at it again." "Oh, definitely." Karl grinned, a touch of wickedness in it. "And now they've got two more to gossip about. Because I'm pretty sure that Orli and Dave together are going to terrorize everyone if we let them." Harry placed a lingering kiss on Karl's nape. "If you let them, you mean." "Oh, sure, blame it all on me." Karl rolled his eyes, but tilted his head forward in a blatant invitation. "It's not my fault they have no concept of tact." "But it is your fault if you encourage them." Harry breathed the words along Karl's neck and jaw. "Dave didn't need my encouragement; he's been doing it for years," Karl pointed out. "And Orli needed some more backbone. You're the bad influence on him, not me." He smiled, turning his head enough to press a kiss to the corner of Harry's mouth. Harry slid his mouth over Karl's easily, played with Karl's tongue and fangs before easing back. "And proud of it, old man." He grazed his teeth along Karl's bottom lip. //If Sean and Vig don't get here soon, they'll find us in a compromising position anyway.// //They're used to it by now.// Karl smiled against Harry's mouth, his tongue darting out to tease Harry's. "Should have known I'd find the two of you like this," Sean said from the doorway, grinning when they turned to look at him "Some things will never change, Sean," Harry replied, giving Karl a last, thorough kiss. "I take it Vig's here now? Or will be momentarily?" Sean strolled into the room and dropped into a chair. "Momentarily, I expect. Not my night to keep tabs on him." "Well, it's certainly not my night." Karl stood, stretched before moving to the bar. "Care to join me in a last toast to Harry as a single vampire?" "He's never been a single vampire," Sean pointed out. "But yes, a toast would be lovely." Karl set about pouring drinks, giving Harry a sly look in the process. "Yes, but now he gets to enter the wonderful world of having a pet and all the attendant headaches that come with it." Harry looked mystified when Karl handed him his drink. "How much headache can he be? Not like he's mortal or anything." Sean smothered his grin. "Harry, love, you have no idea." "No, but," Karl grinned, raised his glass, "he'll find out soon enough." "It's actually not all bad," Sean added, trying not to laugh. "There are some good points." "A few, yes." Karl nodded with a sober expression, eyes twinkling gleefully. "Honestly, the two of you must think I'm new or something," Harry grumbled, raising his own glass. "Orli's been mine from practically the start. And what the hell are we drinking to, again? Besides the fact that Karl and I can finally fuck Dave?" "We're drinking to you and young David." Karl bent to drop a swift kiss on Harry's lips. "I still say that's a fucked up situation." Sean shook his head and laughed as he clinked his glass against Harry's and Karl's. Harry and Karl simply smiled as they drained their glasses. "Do I have time for one before we get started?" They all turned as one toward the door. Viggo strolled in, faintly bored expression on his face. "'Bout goddamn time," Harry stated, but he got up to pour Viggo a glass of champagne. "You'd have time for several if you'd been here on time," Karl teased, grinning at the bland look Viggo turned on him. "Even I can't control the traffic." "First time I've ever heard Vig admit he couldn't control something. Write that down," Sean said, waving his hand towards Harry. "Should've ridden with me, Gramps. Then you could have been witness to clothes about to fly off as usual." "Ah, and what a joy that would have been to watch," Viggo stated dryly. "Well, you're here now. Finish your drink so I can go get laid." Harry's smile was beyond wicked. "Christ, and people say I've got a one track mind," Karl said. Sean's rejoinder was swift. "You do." "No need to be jealous just because I'm going to be getting laid three times as much as you." Karl's voice was haughty, but he was grinning. "No," Sean said, eyes wide in feigned horror. "I look at who you're sleeping with, and I like my nice, quiet, insane little life just fine, thank you." "If you children can stop for a minute, we have a ceremony to perform." Viggo drained his glass, set it down on the bar. Harry set down his glass, gestured to the door. "After you." + + + Orlando sprawled in a chair, watching Dave maneuver around the piles of things scattered around the library. "If you knock anything over or mess something up, I'm not going to be there when you tell Harry." "He said I couldn't straighten up in here," Dave replied. "Didn't say shit about messing things up more." Orlando just grinned. He almost burst out laughing when he caught Elijah watching Dave pace, those blue eyes moving as if he were a spectator watching a tennis match from center court. "Was I that bad?" Orlando asked, leaning towards Dom. "You were so much worse," Dom cheerfully stated. "Big bundle of twitchiness." "I'm not nervous," Dave stated, barely dodging a leaning pile of books. "Sure you're not." Elijah rolled his eyes, drawing chuckles from Orlando and Dom. "And Orli's always twitchy. It's a trademark." "I had an excuse. I was -- watch those papers, Dave, I think Harry needs them -- mortal at the time," Orlando commented as he watched Dave catch the papers just before they slid to the floor. "Fuck!" Dave dropped to the floor where he was, ran his fingers through his hair. "This is stupid. I've wanted this for over 80 years." "Precisely why you're nervous," Dom said. He got up, sprawled next to Dave on the floor. "Add to the fact that you're getting both the eternal idiots." "Thanks, Dominicus, you're making me feel a lot better." Orlando slid out of his chair and crawled across the floor, ending up in Dave's lap. "They're not bad." He caught Dom's look and quickly amended his words. "Okay, they're not that bad. Most of the time." "And you get the twitchy dork, too," Elijah threw in with a grin. Then he looked at Dom. "Why do I have the urge to refer to Dave as Orli's dad now?" "Ignore them," Orlando advised as Dom collapsed against them, laughing loudly. "Ouch." Dave buried his head in Orlando's shoulder. "Can I gag the bratling? Please?" "If you can make him shut up, you'll be doing better than I've managed in all the time I've known him." Orlando wrapped his arms around Dave's shoulders and nuzzled his hair. "He doesn't even shut up for Karl." "I'll just sic Vig on him next time he mouths off." Dave stroked Orlando's back, grinning widely at the look of horror that crossed Elijah's face. Dom just went into spasms of laughter again, choking and coughing. "Ouch." Dom sat up, holding his stomach. "God, you guys crack me up." Elijah's eyes darted from Dom to Orlando and back again. "He wouldn't really...would he?" "It's a good possibility." Orlando grinned at his friend from the circle of Dave's arms. He stifled a laugh at the sound that escaped Elijah's lips. He cradled Dave's jaw in his hands, turning back to him. "So tell me...did Harry say how he's going to mark you?" Dave shook his head, leaned in for a quick kiss. "Not a word. How're the teeth growing in?" Orlando couldn't resist the urge to steal another kiss before Dave pulled back. "You tell me," he said with a smug grin, and tipped his head back a little, opening his mouth. "Oh, Christ, get a fucking room already," Elijah groaned, finally joining them on the floor. "I think you two might be worse than Karl and Harry." "You've never seen Harry and Karl truly in action," Dom said. Dave nodded, still checking out Orlando's teeth. "Growing in quite well. Yeah, the two of them...it's amazing what they get up to in front of the Council." "Right." Orlando bit Dave's thumb before it was pulled back, smiling the entire time. "I've heard about that kiss you laid on Harry at the meeting that night. Karl said he could practically see the smoke rising off the two of you." "I don't want to see Harry and Karl truly in action." Elijah held up a hand in protest, then nudged Dave's leg with his foot. "Or Dave and Orli either, for that matter. You'd think I was the only fucking straight guy left on the planet." "Nah, Marcus is straight," Dave said, grinning. "His pet's a sweet young thing, too. All big eyes and huge..." "Dave!" Dom waved his hands, laughing helplessly again. "Angela's a good friend of mine." "Mine, too. Doesn't mean I'm not going to notice her very visible assets," Dave replied. "Never seen the attraction in it myself," Orlando commented as he fell backwards, lying on the floor between Dave's legs, his arm wrapped loosely around Dave's waist. "That's because you're gay." Elijah laughed when Orlando stuck out his tongue. "Don't make me bite you," Orlando threatened with a mock growl. "Oh, please. With those wussy fangs?" Elijah snorted, as Dom fell over laughing and Dave tried not to grin. "The two of you argue like an old married couple; anyone ever tell you that?" Dave joked, fingers worming through Orlando's dress-shirt to play with his ring. "My mom does all the time," Elijah told him. "His, too. She even told me it was a shame I wasn't gay. Can you imagine?" "Um, yeah, actually I can," Dom remarked. Elijah blinked, his mouth falling open. He stared at Dom. "You can?" "Yeah," Dom replied, grinning. "You two make a cute couple." "Oh, fuck off," Elijah muttered. Orlando hissed between his teeth, tried to slither away from Dave's fingers. "Stop that. You know what that does to me and I don't have another pair of dress pants here, damn it." Dave flicked over the ring one last time before pulling away. "You're going to have to let me try that one day, you know." "Let you? I don't let them, they just do it." Orlando clapped a hand over his mouth as soon as the words were out, staring up at Dave with wide eyes. "Forget I said that," he mumbled around his fingers. "You can try it, um, after the ceremony. Sometime." "I'll look forward to it," Dave leered, looked up sharply. "Oh fuck...Vig's here." He placed his hand over his stomach, exhaled. "Jesus." Orlando sat up, gracefully folding his body and pulling Dave into his arms. "Deep breaths," he whispered into Dave's ear, hands stroking his back. "This is what you want, remember? You can do this." "Right." Dave took a few deep breaths, held onto Orlando tightly. "I'm just...I'm wondering when the hell I'm going to wake up," he murmured. "Well, I could pinch you," Orlando offered, pulling back far enough to place a soft kiss on Dave's lips. "Or bite you. I think I might like that myself." Elijah rolled his eyes and leaned towards Dom. "Here they go again." "Eh, let them." Dom wrapped a friendly arm around Elijah's shoulders, steered him toward the door. "Let's just give them a moment, shall we?" "Good idea." Elijah was only too happy to leave. Dave just stood there for a minute, clutching Orlando's waist. "Okay...I'll be okay. I want this. This is ridiculous." "It's normal." Orlando hugged Dave tight, nuzzled the side of his neck. "You love Harry. That's why you're doing this. And Harry loves you." A brief kiss was pressed to Dave's jaw. "Karl loves you. And I love you. We all do." "How do you know Karl loves me?" Dave mumbled, catching Orlando's lips with his own. "And I love you, too. All of you. In my wildest dreams, I never thought..." "Because I know Karl," Orlando murmured against Dave's lips. "He trusted you with my life." "Yeah, I guess," Dave said. He placed a last, swift kiss on Orlando's lips before pulling back. "Come on," he said, grabbing Orlando's hand. "I'm as ready as I'll ever be." "Lead on. Wouldn't want to keep Harry and Karl waiting." |