Somewhere In Between

Title: Somewhere In Between
Author: MakaiKitty
Rating (this chapter): PG-13/R
Category: Original Fantasy, "Fate" storyline
Pairing: Victor/Blaine, Victor/Caspian, Victor/Sorrel/Victor, North/Victor, Victor/Tamara, Sorrel/Tamara
Warnings: Slash and Het, Vampire Sex, M/M, M/F, F/F, Violence, Language
Distribution: My website, My LJ and any LJs I choose to post at, AFF.net, FicWad, and DeviantArt. All of my accounts are under the user name MakaiKitty. If you'd like to use it just let me know.
Disclaimer: The characters, daemon realms, and situations in this story are all original and belong solely to MakaiKitty. Please don't steal, borrow, take, or otherwise use anything from my fics.
Updates: Just join my YahooGroup to be informed of any updates to this or any of my other fics - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/makaikittyfics
Status: Complete
Story Notes: This story contains characters that were first introduced in "Fate". However, it is not really necessary to have read "Fate" to understand this story. In fact, you may like Victor better if you haven't read "Fate". As for those of you who have read "Fate"? No, Shayne and Lexi will not be showing up in this fic. Maybe in later stories (Victor has a long back story), but not this one. Also, I have a general outline for this story, but everything isn't set in stone yet. Just like with "Perceived Perceptions", I'm sure that some things will not go as planned. So, the warning lable above is just a general guide, I really don't know for sure where this fic will go. Just a warning, if you're squicky about some stuff (don't worry, there won't be beastiality or scat or anything too extreme) then read the warnings at the start of each chapter. However, I know from experiance, that most of my regular readers can handle anything that I throw at them, so I'm not too worried about any of you. Either way, I hope you enjoy the fic...

Chapter Notes: Well, again, I'm not sure how this chapter turned out. Please let me know if it doesn't flow. Things needed to be said, so this was the chapter for that. Although, next up is the lemon that I've promised you. It's of the North/Victor variety. Hope you all like it.

Somewhere In Between

Chapter Seven: Baying at the Moon

"Sorrel!"

At first it looked like the other vampire wasn't planning on stopping, the sound of her boot-heals clicking along on the floor at a steady pace as she made her way swiftly down the hallway and away from Victor and Tamara, but as Victor rushed to catch up with her Sorrel finally slowed her pace and waited for Victor to catch up to her. She still didn't speak, but Victor figured it must be an improvement over the silent escape she had been attempting.

"Sorrel." He said again, fighting to keep his voice steady despite the desire to shout. Victor knew from experience that yelling would only put the sorceress on the defensive, and once that happened all hopes of getting an answer out of her would be lost. Patience was the best course of action when dealing with Sorrel's more temperamental moods. "Would you please talk to me? What was that all about? What is a kokkonor?"

"So many questions." Sorrel finally answered, turning at last to face Victor with a charming smile on her face. The smile was more frightening to Victor than anger would have been, and he involuntarily took a step back before he could stop himself and force his body to remain in place. "Why so many questions so soon after your coming of age? You should be off enjoying your night, preferably with a lovely young noble, not bothering me with so many pointless questions."

"Yes, well, I would gladly choose a different way to spend my time if only you would answer my questions."

"Victor," Sorrel purred, draping her body around Victor's and whispering hotly in his ear, "I already told you that it was nothing. Now, if you don't want to go and find a playmate yourself... perhaps you should come with me."

The offer was tempting, especially since his body was still hot and hard from his encounter with Tamara, but the bubbling anger that still lay just below the surface of his calm facade was more than enough to allow Victor to put his hands on Sorrel's upper arms and gently push her away. He would not fall for her tricks, and he knew that a trick was exactly what this was. Not that Sorrel wouldn't bed him, he was certain that she would, but it was all just a way of distracting him from his current line of questioning. Victor would not allow that to happen.

"Tell me what a kokkonor is." Victor repeated flatly, his voice showing none of his inner turmoil. He had learned to be cold and relentless from the best.

Sorrel all but growled as she shook off Victor's grip, stepping back from him and raising her chin in a defiant gesture. She was not used to being denied, and the fact that her young charge was the one to do it was more than her pride could stand. The sorceress didn't even attempt to hide the sudden furry in her dark grey eyes, her shoulders going back and her lip raising at one corner to show the tip of a fang. "I have already told you that it. Is. Nothing." She bit out each word with precision as she glared at Victor. "It was nothing more than a slip of the tongue by a peasant. How in the hells should I know what some ridiculous human term means?"

"If you didn't know what it meant, then why did you get so upset the moment that the word left Tamara's lips?" Victor pressed, refusing to be intimidated by Sorrel's attitude, or the power that rested behind her angry eyes.

"You are impossible!" Sorrel shouted, throwing up her hands and giving a harsh and humorless bark of laughter. "I refuse to continue with this pointless conversation any longer."

Victor watched her leave down the hall without protest. He knew that she meant every word. He would get no further answers from the sorceress tonight. If ever. He shook his head in frustration, the whole night having gone down a completely unexpected path, and made his way towards the outer door. He needed some fresh air to clear his head.

***

"What ever is the matter, M'Lord?" Victor knew that mocking voice, had known it all his life, and he turned instantly to face the smirking werewolf who lounged against a tree in the outer courtyard. He reclined casually against the old ash, the very picture of relaxation, but there was an unmistakable air of anticipation in the tightly coiled muscles that covered the other immortal's body. Like a wolf preparing for the hunt. And Victor had the unsettling impression that he was the prey.

"North."

"None other." North answered with a slight nod of his head, his golden eyes never leaving Victor's dark visage. "So, what's got you in such a foul mood?"

"Who says I'm in a foul mood?" Victor answered defensively.

"The scowl on your face, for one," North considered, looking over Victor as he spoke, "And the aura of darkness that's coming off of you in waves."

"Sorrel is treating me like a child!" Victor exploded. He didn't care if the werewolf thought that he was acting like a fool, the control that he had shown with Sorrel moments before had taken everything that he had in him, and now he simply couldn't hold it in any longer. He knew that North would forgive him his outburst, and so he finally let his anger have free reign. "A fucking child!"

Golden eyes that were speckled with shots of obsidian watched his every move intently as Victor stormed over to the far side of the tree, plopping himself down on the ground with a huff of irritation.

"And, of course, you're nothing of the sort."

"Damn right!"

Were it anyone else North would have sworn that he saw a pout forming on ruby lips, but since it was Victor he knew that it had to be a trick of the moonlight. However, the werewolf had to shake his sandy head and laugh at the absurdity of the situation none the less.

"I talked to your little princess earlier." North began, knowing that he'd need to work around the other man's foul mood if he were to achieve his goals for the evening. A cranky vampire was not a receptive vampire. "I think he was worried about you."

"My little princess?" Victor questioned, his anger momentarily replaced with confusion. Then, through the haze of his now rapidly cooling fury, he realized what North meant and he had to stifle a chuckle as he replied. "You mean Caspian?"

"Who else." North asked, as though the answer should have been obvious.

"You know, he really hates it when you call him my little princess."

"I know." North smirked, looking down at Victor with playful humor in his glittering eyes. "Aren't I a right nasty bastard?"

That did succeed in making him laugh, and North was pleased to see that Victor's ill mood was not so deep seated that he was totally unresponsive to a little fun.

"So, what was Cass supposedly so upset about?"

"He wasn't exactly worried, per say, but your shadow did seem to be more than a little nervous about your upcoming feed." Taking a seat on the ground beside Victor, North attempted to elaborate. "I think he may have just been excited for you. Who knows."

Victor just nodded, easily picturing Caspian and North gossiping about him while he was off feeding on Tamara. It brought a fond smile to his lips. Caspian did have a tendency of worrying over him, something like a mother hen some would say, despite the relatively small age difference. Victor secretly thought that it was sweet.

"So, did you fuck her or not?"

"What?!" Victor's tender memories were interrupted by the lycanthrope's blunt question, and he turned to fully face the other immortal with drawn brows and a renewed anger in his eyes.

"No need to shout." North took the glare directed at him in stride, smiling on the inside but giving a serious face to the other. It wouldn't do to have Victor too mad at him. "It was just an honest question. I'm curious."

"Well, they say that curiosity killed the cat." Victor spat out.

"Good thing I'm a wolf then, isn't it?"

Victor couldn't help but stare in awe at the other man. Did nothing faze him? Sorrel had taught him well, and Victor knew from experience that most other men would at least pale at his heated gaze, if nothing else. Yet Victor had very little doubt that he was being laughed at!

After a moment of silence where both men stared at each other, gold meeting black unflinchingly, North at last spoke again. "So, did you?"

"I can not believe you." Victor answered with a sigh, giving up on any hopes of quelling the other man's current line of questioning.

"I get that a lot." North answered without apology.

Shaking his head with resignation, Victor finally answered, "No. For your information, I did not sleep with Tamara." There was the tiniest hint of regret in his voice, which did not go unnoticed by the ever perceptive werewolf. "I fed from her and nothing else."

"Good." Was North's only answer.

"What, exactly, is that supposed to mean?" Victor asked with a questioning glance towards his current companion. "I don't see where it would be any of your concern, either way."

"Oh, but you're wrong there, Vampire." North said, his voice dropping an octave as he leaned forward and rested his weight on his hands, moving his body closer to Victor's as he spoke. "It's very much my concern."

"How so?" Victor inquired, refusing to be intimidated by the slightly larger man's sudden invasion of his personal space. He had wanted to move back the moment the werewolf's heat had come closer to him, the notoriously unpredictable man surprising him to say the least, but his pride would not allow him to move. Besides, he was curious as to where this was all going. Who knew, it could be fun.

"Well, to put it simply," North continued, pleased to see that Victor was holding his place and hadn't moved back yet, "unlike some people, I don't balk at the thought of taking your virginity."

"Excuse me?!" Victor sputtered, a look of total disbelief on his handsome features. He had always known that North enjoyed messing with him, but this was too much. Had he completely taken leave of his senses?

"I'm more than up to the challenge." North reassured Victor with a sly smile and a wink.

"Are you completely mad?!" Victor shouted, still unable to believe what the werewolf had just said to him. He had a moment to wonder if he had perhaps passed out during the extreme sensory overload of his coming of age feed, and if he wasn't in fact laying on the bed beside Tamara completely unconscious at that very moment. It made more sense than what was currently happening.

"Depends on who you ask." North answered with a shrug of his broad shoulders, laughter finally spilling out from him as he watched the vampire in front of him shake his head in denial. This was turning out to be more fun than he had expected.

"What, in all the realms, possessed you to say what you just said?" Victor finally asked, still unable to believe the absurdity of the situation. "Even for you this is..."

"Is what, Victor?" North wondered. "You should know me well enough by now to know that if I see something that I want then I go after it with abandon. This isn't any different."

"This just is not my night." Victor sighed, feeling suddenly very tired despite the fresh blood still flowing hotly through his veins.

"And what's so wrong with being offered my company for the night?" North replied with mock pain in his deep voice. "It's not everyday, after all, that a handsome, experienced, and virile werewolf volunteers to take you as a lover. You should be honored."

"Honored?" Victor scoffed. "You certainly think highly of yourself."

"With good reason." North said with an arched brown and a knowing smile.

"And what makes you think that I would want you to be my first?" Victor challenged. "Maybe I have plans for tonight, with someone other than you, and that is why I chose not to bed Tamara after I fed. Have you ever considered that?"

"Not really." North answered confidently.

It was true that Victor had always found North quite attractive, and although he could be infuriatingly annoying at times, he also considered him a rather good friend as well. Not that he was about to admit such a thing to the cocky werewolf, thus inflating his already oversized ego, but it was true all the same. And, despite his attempts to deny it, Victor's body was showing a decided interest. His earlier erection, which had finally been waning as they talked, was now back in full force and making it's opinions of North's proposition known.

"Don't lie to me, Victor." North spoke into the silence that had grown around them as Victor had been contemplating North's words. "Not only is it painfully obvious what your body thinks of my offer," his golden eyes darted down to the noticeable bulge in Victor's pants, smiling confidently as he did so, "But I've known you your entire life. I know when you're interested in something."

"Oh, really?" Victor huffed, annoyed at how well the older man thought that he could read him. Then a moment of inspiration struck him, and Victor all but forgot what they were arguing about in favor of his earlier argument. "North? You're much older than I am."

Victor had made it a statement, so North gave no answer, simply nodding and wondering where the vampire was going with his questions.

"Have you ever heard of a kokkonor?"

North thought for a moment, thinking back over his travels, wondering if he'd ever come across such a word before. It sounded vaguely familiar, but he wasn't sure exactly why. Even though he was very eager to get the handsome immortal before him into bed as soon as possible, North still felt that he owed it to the other man to give him an honest answer. Not that he had much to say on the subject.

"Can't say that I have." North finally answered, even though a fragment of a memory scratched at the back of his mind even as he denied any knowledge. At Victor's crestfallen expression he amended his answer a little. "I suppose I could ask a few of my contacts, and maybe some friends down in the village, if that would make you feel any better?"

"Well, no one will ever accuse you of not working hard to get me into bed." Victor laughed bitterly. North traveled extensively, knew people of all types in both the mortal and immortal circles, and if anyone would have known what a kokkonor was it should have been the other man. Victor felt more than a little disappointed.

"Hey," North bristled a little, looking directly into Victor's dark eyes and daring him to disbelieve him, "I'm not saying that I'll help you just to get a chance to fuck you."

"I know." Victor answered, honestly ashamed to have even jokingly accused the other man of such a thing. It really just wasn't his night. "I really am sorry North, I didn't mean it like that."

"I know." All hints of anger were already gone from North's face, a lustful expression replacing the previous look. Victor wasn't at all certain that it was an improvement. The feeling that he had had earlier of being prey returned ten-fold, and Victor shuddered involuntarily as golden eyes watched him intently.

A movement to their right provided Victor with a welcomed distraction. He was used to being the one in control, and this unexpected roll reversal was more than a little unsettling. When he saw Sorrel watching them from the torch-lit arch, a frown on her beautiful face as North leaned closer to Victor, the vampire couldn't help but smile. She had said that he should find someone to warm his bed for the night. Somehow, from the expression on the sorceress' face, he suspected that she hadn't meant North.

TBC ...

Review Responses:

Moonstar:
Oooh, some very lush feminine description in this chapter. I think I've gotten far too used to everything being male.......or maybe that's just how I like it. ANYway, Tamara sounds like that rare desert flower, no? Beautiful to look at, grown in a harsh world, but possibly deadly to touch if you got on her bad side. Still, a lovely piece of work, indeed. And interesting to see that hint of a relationship that goes beyond apprenticeship between her and Sorrel, though, I'm wondering now what that sorceress is going to do to her. It makes me very curious indeed about what exactly a Kokkonor is. Apparently, Sorrel didn't want Victor knowing he was one? -quirks eyebrow-

I guess I figured I had to have some females in my fics *LOL* Although I'll try to keep the estrogen to a minimum. I think I may end up with a slight Sorrel/Tamara lemon at some point (or at least a lime), so I'm glad you picked up on it. You get a cookie! As for what a kokkonor is? Wouldn't we all like to know *evil laughter* You'll find out when Victor does. That's all I'm saying.

Regardless, I don't think you have to worry about this chapter. At least in my mind, it didn't feel rushed at all. Quite a lovely job in fact, and I probably would have found myself drooling if females were more my thing. As it is, I simply enjoyed the chapter for its style and colorful description. I look forward to whatever you have next, and you're promising a smut scene soon? Yay! Even if it does mean you'll be gone for awhile... -sigh-

Thanks. Makes me feel all better. Hope this newest chapter didn't have the same problems that I worried about in the last one either. And, yes, smut is up next. Of the North/Victor variety!

Good luck though. Happy writing, and I hope to see you again at least sometime not too drastically far off into the future. Until then, farewell for now!

-Moonstar

Won't be too long, promise. And I hope to keep building up chapters while I'm offline so that I'll have something new to post as soon as I'm back. Anyway, at least you get one more chapter before I go ^-^ I'll miss my favorite reviewer while I'm gone *sobs*

Kaz-kun:
Oh GOD that was such a sexy chapter, het or no. And by the way, gotta love the side characters. I think Caspian needs more love, poor thing. (North and Cas have some ten--sion *wink*) Also, it'd be so hot if Tamara got some alone time with Sorrel. I like yaoi first and foremost, but yuri is refreshing now and again. I love your writing style, so decriptive and sensual, just draws me into your world like a deadly venus flytrap... Haha. I'd love to RP sometime on AIM if you have it, contact me if you'd like via mail or AIM. Great work, see ya around!

Oh, a new reviewer. Much love! Glad you like my cast of characters. I'll let you in on a little secret: Cas will get plenty of lovin' in the future. Probably not in this fic (well, maybe a little *LOL*) but I promise to give him his own fic with his own love interest at some point. Cross my heart X As for North, I think you'll enjoy the next chapter if you like him. Sorrel/Tamara could probably be arranged too. You'll have to let me know how I do though, because I've never done yuri before. Thanks for all the complements, btw. I won't be able to IM much since I'm leaving in two weeks for a move to Vegas, but maybe when I get settled? Either way, thanks for reviewing!