Moonlight Denial: Shades of Moonlight Book One

Hey, guys, how’s life? Well, it's the day we’ve all been waiting for. It’s Moonlight Denial’s three year anniversary! Whoohoo! Can you believe it? This story has gone on for three years straight. It’s just too amazing for words. I never thought I could hold onto for a story this long, but its still here and going strong.

Of course none of that could be possible without the help from all of you. Every reader, reviewer and rater is the reason why I still do this. Just knowing that a new chapter can bring just a small amount of joy to people keeps my fingers going. Thank you, everyone, for supporting me as I construct this world that I have put my whole heart into. It means so much to me. I have met some great people while writing this story, that I wouldn’t have had the pleasure of even knowing existed if it wasn’t for Moonlight Denial. *Uber hugs to everyone*

Well, I could keep gushing about you guys, or the story itself, but I want you to get to the chapter. Why? Because there are actually two gifts in this nugget of a chapter that you all deserve to receive. What are they? You’re just going to have to read and find out. But first, here’s the link to the replies I have made to the reviews that made it to the anniversary ^-^

http://darkness80.livejournal.com/4127.html

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Nicoli sat in his living room, flipping through the TV channels at incredible speed. Nothing good was on. He sighed and looked towards the window. The blinds were down so he couldn’t see outside, but he could hear the rain. He closed his eyes to listen to it more. The rain never failed to soothe him, but it couldn’t keep his mind from racing.

So much had happened that day that it made his head spin. The book was finally opened. They had succeeded and Deloris had been their reward. He still couldn’t believe that they had met the real thing and while it wasn’t what they were looking for, Nicoli couldn’t help but feel that they were getting closer. They would find the Heart soon. He just knew it.

He looked at the wall clock and sighed. His parents had been gone for a bit, leaving him entirely alone, except for the company of Beethoven, of course, who lay on the couch beside him, dozing. His parents had decided it was about time they started going on their dates again. Throughout Nicoli growing up they would always go on dates together to make sure that they kept their relationship strong and make them feel as if they were young again. They had stopped for a while since they had been trying to get settled in their new home, but they deemed it finally time.

Nicoli would never admit it, but he thought it was cute of them and it seemed to be working since they still acted like they were love sick teenagers, even after twenty years of marriage. He would always look forward to their dates too, because that meant he got the entire house to himself to do what he pleased until they got home. Not tonight, though. He wished beyond anything that they would walk through that door any second.

The reason being was because now he hated being alone. He was getting better with his anxieties, but he wasn’t completely cured and being alone in the house proved that. He kept having visions of Dimitri bursting through the door with that charming smile and taking him away again. The worst case scenario was if it was Seth who came through the door. A shudder skated along his skin and he felt sick. Seth.

He rubbed at his chest, batting away invisible fingers and sharp nails that cut into his skin. He shook his head. No, he had to get over this. He didn’t want to live in fear anymore. He tried to assure himself that nothing bad would happen to him in the house thanks to Cecile’s warding spell. Doubts would always creep up, though, reminding him that the spell had been put in place for his parents benefit, not his own. So there was no telling if he was safe there or not.

Before he could be consumed by his thoughts a knock cut through the air, making him jump. Beethoven was up in a heartbeat and launched himself off the couch and into the kitchen where the sound had come from. He stared into the kitchen where he could hear Beethoven whimpering and scratching at the kitchen door. Who would be at the house at this hour? Were his nightmares coming true?

He shook his head again, no that would be ridiculous. He was quite sure if Dimitri had come to kidnap him again he wouldn’t be knocking on the door politely…though it was Dimitri, so maybe he would.

Slowly and carefully he got up from the couch and made his way to the kitchen. He peeked around the doorframe and at the backdoor. Before he could make another move there was a second knock, making Beethoven’s antsy dance increase and he scratched on the door more.

The blinds were down on the door window, so Nicoli couldn’t see who his guest was. The broom was leaning against the wall near the trashcan and he grabbed it before cautiously moving towards the door. He stopped a few feet away and held the broom up, ready to strike.

“Who’s there?” he demanded and tried to make his voice strong.

“What’s with all the suspicion? It’s me, open up.”

Nicoli sighed, releasing all of his tension and he lowered the broom. Ethan. Of course.

“Jeeze, you scared the crap out of me,” he said, going to the door. “Why didn’t you tell me you were stopping by?” His hand froze just as he reached for the doorknob. Wait, what if it wasn’t Ethan? It sounded like him, but there was another man out there that had Ethan’s voice. Meier. He then had the disturbing thought that if Meier cut his hair he would look just like Ethan. What if Nicoli couldn’t tell the difference? What if it was a trap? He held the broom up again.

“Prove it,” he called.

“What?” ‘Ethan’ asked through the door.

“Prove that you’re Ethan.”

There was an exacerbated groan.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Do it!”

There was a moment of silence and then Nicoli’s brain tickled.

“Really, Kid, it’s me. Now will you please just open the door?”

Nicoli let out a second sigh of relief and set the broom against the wall. After shooing Beethoven away from the door he unlocked and opened it. Sure enough it was Ethan, standing outside with his umbrella protecting him from the rain.

“You seriously thought it wasn’t me?” he asked with that grin of his.

Nicoli didn’t return it.

“You can’t be too careful nowadays. So, what’s up? Why are you here? Did Deloris give you guys more information or something?”

“Nope, she hasn’t said anything more. She’s strutting around the house like she owns it, though, and is just driving Conrad up the wall. I’ve never seen someone who could get him more riled up than me,” he said with a laugh. “So, are you going to let me in or what?”

Nicoli thought about it, but didn’t move.

“You still haven’t told me why you’re here.”

“Since when do I need a reason?”

Nicoli still didn’t move.

“Fine, I came to check up on you, okay? I’ve felt how anxious you are tonight and I wanted to come see if you’re okay. I see why now, though, since it seems your parents are no where around.”

“They’re out.”

“Would you like some company then?”

Nicoli thought it over. He wavered between saying yes or no, but his hatred of the aloneness won out.

“Come on,” he said. “Hide your umbrella somewhere out there and wipe your feet.”

“Yes, sir.”

Ethan closed the umbrella and tossed it off into the rose bushes that lined the back of the house. He then wiped his feet on the mat and followed Nicoli inside.

“Much better,” he said as the warmth of the house hit him. “Man, rain always makes everything so dreary and gloomy. I’m fine with the clouds, but I’d be better without the rain.”

“I like the rain,” Nicoli muttered.

“Really? Well, to each their own, I guess.”

“You can go into the living room. I’m gonna get something to drink.”

“All right…” Ethan’s gaze lingered on him for a few seconds before he headed into the other room, Beethoven trotting behind him.

Nicoli put some water in the kettle on the stove and turned on the burner. He then got a mug and a packet of hot chocolate from a cabinet. It was the perfect weather for hot chocolate.

He waited and watched the flames lick at the bottom of the kettle. The way Ethan had stared at him was blazed into his mind. He supposed he wasn’t being the friendliest right now. He didn’t really welcome Ethan with open arms or speak to him even remotely kindly. It wasn’t Nicoli’s fault. He was just feeling out of sorts. Or at least that’s what he kept telling himself.

Soon the kettle whistled and he took it off the burner and poured water into his mug. After stirring his hot chocolate he was about to go into the living room, but he stopped. He looked back at the kettle that was still issuing steam. He then grabbed a second mug.

“Here,” he said when he went into the other room and handed Ethan the second mug that was filled with the heated water.

“What’s this for?” Ethan asked, staring into the mug. “You know I can’t drink this. Even if it is just water.”

Nicoli plopped down on the other end of the couch and lifted his feet to rub them into Beethoven’s fur, who had taken to lying on the floor in front of the couch.

“Yeah, but you like warm stuff, so I thought it’d be nice to hold after being outside.”

“Oh.” Ethan wrapped his hands fully around the mug and smiled. “Thanks.”

“No problem.”

There was a moment of awkward silence that Nicoli filled by taking sips of his drink. He started to wish that he had told Ethan to get lost. He’d rather deal with being alone than being not alone and uncomfortable.

“All right, this is ridiculous.” Ethan finally said, leaning forward to set his mug down on the coffee table.

“What?” Nicoli asked, lowering his mug to rest in his lap.

“Don’t you ‘What?’ me. You know exactly what I’m talking about.” Ethan leaned back and propped one foot on his knee, making himself comfortable. “Come on, let me have it.”

“…Have what? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Yes, you do. I know you’re angry with me and I would be too, so its time we stop dancing around it and you just tear into me. Come on, you know you want to.”

Nicoli looked away and took another sip.

“Still no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Nicoli, really, let’s go. You love calling me out on my shit and making sure I know when I’ve done wrong by you.” He reached over and started poking Nicoli’s side. “Come on, you know you want to yell and scream at me until your face turns blue. You’ve got anger built up, I can see it. Let it out. Come on, come on, come on.”

Ethan kept up his incessant poking and with each jab heat was rising higher and higher in Nicoli’s body until he couldn’t take it anymore.

“I just can’t believe you did that!” he shouted and smacked Ethan’s hand away. He jostled his mug and pain shot through his hand as some hot chocolate splashed onto it. He quickly set down the mug and turned on Ethan again. “I can’t believe you just held me back when Amelia tried to open the book. You just held me and even gagged me. How could you? I know Conrad had a plan all laid out, he told me, but you didn’t even clue me in on that. You didn’t tell me anything.

“You’re supposed to be on my side, Ethan. Out of everyone you’re the one that I’m supposed to depend on. I know I’m not your family or whatever, but you-your supposed to take care of me. You’re at least supposed to be my friend and you haven’t been lately.”

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and he rubbed his hand together, looking on the red mark the hot chocolate left on his skin.

“Actually, you’ve been different lately, or at least treating me different. It’s been over a week since you guys got me back and I thought things would kinda get back to the way they were, but you’ve been distant. You used to come bug me every chance you got or at least talk to me with the mind link, even if it was just to tease me, but I’ve hardly seen you and you only talk to me when it’s business related. You inviting me over today just because was actually a miracle.”

He rubbed his hand up and down his arm, as if fighting off a chill. His body trembling didn’t help matters.

“What did I do, Ethan? What did I do to make you be like this? Are you starting to hate me after you saw how vulnerable I am or something? What did I do?” He closed his eyes as the trembling go worse. What was wrong with him? Why was he saying all this? Why did it matter to him if Ethan paid attention to him or not? He didn’t know the answer. He just knew that it did matter to him. It mattered a lot.

He gasped when arms came around him and he was pulled against Ethan’s chest. He wanted to meld into it, he really did, but his stubbornness kicked in and he fought it.

“Let go! I don’t want your fucking pity hugs! Get off!” he yelled as he struggled. He kicked and flailed, but Ethan held on until Nicoli tired out and begrudgingly settled into it.

Once he was calmed Ethan started running his fingers through Nicoli’s hair and stroked his neck and cheek.

“It’s not your fault,” Ethan finally said after a minute of petting. He rested his chin on top of Nicoli’s head. “It’s not your fault, it’s mine. You did nothing wrong.” He sighed and the arm around Nicoli tightened. “I’ve been…going through some stuff.”

“What stuff?” Nicoli asked, nuzzling his face further into Ethan’s chest and rested his hands there too.

“It was after you told me what Felix showed you. It just-It brought back some memories that I had to deal with and then this fear came over me. This fear that I was making history repeat itself. I got close to Felix, I cared and loved him and he got killed. Now I’ve dragged you into this and I am getting closer to you. Don’t worry, not that close,” he said when he felt Nicoli stiffen. “I just meant that I do care about you. We are friends, but it seems the closer I get the more danger you’re in.”

He sighed and leaned back on the couch, never letting go of Nicoli as he did.

“Evan was actually the one to point it out to me.”

“What? Really?” Nicoli asked, adjusting himself so he was partially lying on Ethan.

“Yes, while I was fighting him. He said it seemed strange that I was so devastated by Felix’s death, but I brought you into this without a thought. He told me how selfish I was. He was right. I have been selfish. I thought that was what I had to do to find the Hearts. To just do whatever I wanted and use whoever I thought was useful. I have to apologize, because I was just using you when we first met.”

“I figured as much,” Nicoli muttered, and he was surprised he didn’t feel angered by that. “Why else would you have asked me to help? Because of my awesome ninja skills?”

Ethan chuckled and Nicoli pressed his ear further into Ethan’s chest to hear it.

“Yes, well, that’s changed. I don’t think I could use you anymore than I could drink that mug of water. But everything has been bothering me as of late, what with what happened to you, knowing that Felix showed you what happened…seeing Evan again. I thought maybe it was just better if I did distance myself from you. Try not to be so involved in your life and such. Maybe then things wouldn’t be so…painful, I guess. I don’t know exactly what I was trying to do, but after what happened today I knew I couldn’t keep it up. Seeing you so hurt and angry, I just couldn’t do it. I wanted to catch you before you left the house, but there was no privacy. I’m just sorry for everything. For trying to push you away and being an idiot.”

Nicoli sighed and he felt so good he could cry. He hadn’t realized how much Ethan keeping away from him had hurt. How could the man affect him so much? He didn’t know and he didn’t care. He was just happy that Ethan had come to his senses.

“You should be sorry, Punk,” Nicoli said, sitting up. “Warn me next time you have an internal, emotional struggle. I’m too fried as it is.” He turned just enough to smirk back at Ethan. “You probably only came crying back to me because you were scared I really would hate you.”

Ethan just laughed and put his hands behind his head.

“Oh, please, you could never hate me.”

“I could hate you so fast it would make your head spin.”

“I doubt that.”

“It’s true.”

“It’s not.”

“It so is.”

“Are we going to do this all night?”

“Well, I know one way to win this argument.” Without warning he turned and placed his hands on either side of Ethan. Then he leaned in and pressed their mouths together before Ethan could utter a word. Ethan was quick to comply, which was what Nicoli liked.

They kissed until it wasn’t enough for Nicoli. He wanted more. He needed more. He climbed onto Ethan’s lap like he had wanted to do in the car. Ethan wasn’t going to get away this time. Not if he had anything to say about it.

He became aggressive in his desperation. He craved and desired the contact, the intimacy. Pleasure was simple and easy. It was the only thing that made sense anymore. He attacked Ethan’s lips ravenously. He dug his fingers into golden locks and wrenched Ethan’s head back so he could make the kiss deeper. His tongue pushed its way into Ethan’s compliant mouth. The dweller of the invaded cavern didn’t seem to mind as it calmly stroked and curled around Nicoli’s tongue.

Nicoli finally had to pull back, using up so much energy on his first attack. He needed to take a breather. When their lips had unlocked he didn’t pull too far away. His panting breath rolled across Ethan’s lips that upturned with wicked delight.

“I like it when you win,” Ethan purred, slipping his hands under Nicoli’s shirt and running his fingers up the skin of Nicoli’s back.

Nicoli could feel the fingers move over the bumps and ridges of his scars. He felt he should be ashamed or embarrassed about his marred skin, but Ethan kept touching with his soft caresses. With their faces so close together Nicoli didn’t see a glimmer of disgust or revulsion in Ethan’s features. He just continued to stare at Nicoli with that smile and his eyes alight with lust. Screw it, if Ethan didn’t care then he wasn’t going to waste another thought on it.

“Good, because I plan on winning until neither of us can move,” he said with a matching smirk before he claimed Ethan’s lips again.

As they kissed Nicoli bunched his hands in Ethan’s shirt and used all of his body weight to lean to the side and turn his body until Ethan fell with him. When Nicoli’s back met the couch Ethan climbed on top of him and settled between his legs. Nicoli moaned into the other mouth as he felt Ethan’s clothed arousal press into his own and he couldn’t help but strain his hips upward into it.

Ethan broke the kiss and bent down to start nibbling and sucking on Nicoli’s neck, which got him moaning and tilting his head for more. As Ethan was busy trying to mark him Nicoli pulled Ethan’s shirt up enough to place his hands on the chiseled muscles that lay underneath. He loved running his fingers through the dips and contours of Ethan’s abs.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Ethan murmured into Nicoli’s neck.

Nicoli’s brain was so hazy it took him a moment to process the words.

“Yes, definitely yes,” he murmured when it sank in. He felt Ethan smirk into his throat.

“Are you really sure.”

“Dear God, yes. Yes, yes, yes.” Then five words slipped from his mouth that he never meant to utter out loud. “Please get him off me.”

Ethan stilled and abandoned Nicoli’s neck as he propped himself up.

“What?”

Nicoli blinked up at him in equal amount of confusion.

“What?”

“What did you just say?”

Nicoli searched his brain.

“Dear God, yes. Yes, yes, yes?”

“No, after that. Get who off you?”

Nicoli stared at him before groaning and covering his face with his hands.

“Fucking shit. I didn’t mean to say that,” he mumbled.

Ethan grabbed one of his wrists and pulled the hand away from his face.

“Well, you did, now tell me what you meant. Get who off you?” he asked again.

Nicoli let his hands fall and rest above his head on the cushion. He stared off to the side at the TV where a show was running, but was being ignored. His chest felt so tight he couldn’t breathe. He didn’t want to say it, didn’t want to talk about it, but he knew Ethan was going to make him, so he said the name of the man that had been silently tormenting him for days.

“Seth.”

Ethan’s brows shot up, but they immediately furrowed together.

“Seth?”

Nicoli nodded.

“Are you talking about how he almost…?” he trailed off, not able to say the horrible act Seth had almost committed.

Nicoli nodded again.

“Nicoli, he really didn’t succeed, right? You were telling the truth when you said he didn’t get to go through with it, right?” Ethan asked, his voice heavy in concern.

“No, Dimitri stopped him, but he was close enough,” Nicoli said, closing his eyes, but immediately opened them when flashes of the attack appeared behind his eyelids. “I guess it shouldn’t bother me, since he didn’t actually do it, but it just does. Sometimes, when I’m alone or trying to go to sleep or something I start thinking about it. I can feel his hands on me, hurting me, violating me. I hear his sickening voice as he taunts me, telling me what he’s going to do. In the darkness I can see his twisted smile and his soulless eyes and then I feel like I’m choking when I remember how it felt to have his fucking tongue down my throat.”

Nicoli fisted his hands over his eyes and he was shaking terribly, fighting off the tears as he spoke.

“He didn’t even rape me, but the fucking bastard is haunting me and I can’t get him out! He was the last person to really touch me and its poisoning all of the other experiences I’ve had.” He took his hands away and finally looked at Ethan and let himself sink into the pools of teal that he always found so comforting. “Please, Ethan, just get him off me. I know its good with you, no, it’s great with you. I just need to be reminded of how good it can be and then maybe I’ll start to forget about that monster.” He fisted his hands in Ethan’s shirt again as a couple of tears squeezed out. “Please, get him off me.”

He grunted in surprise when Ethan bent down and kissed him. Ethan’s lips were soft and gentle, nothing like Seth’s cruel, unforgiving mouth. Yes, this was what he needed. Ethan pulled back before he could lose himself in the kiss and the pad of Ethan’s thumb swept away the tears on his cheeks.

“I’m so sorry I couldn’t be there to stop him,” Ethan whispered. “I’m sorry, but I swear I will never let that bastard touch you again. If he even looks at you I will tear him apart. I swear I will.” He peppered kisses all over Nicoli’s face.

“And when you do,” Nicoli said between kisses, wrapping his arms around Ethan’s neck. “Make sure I’m there to see it.”

With muttered agreements they went back to their heated kisses. The fire and arousal that Nicoli had felt had been doused when talking about Seth, but with Ethan’s lips on him and those skilled hands touching his body he was soon moaning and begging for more.

Hands started going for clothes, but when Nicoli went for the button of Ethan’s pants Ethan pulled away from him.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Nicoli asked as Ethan climbed off the couch and stood next to it.

“I think we need to move this somewhere else incase your parents come home while we’re occupied,” Ethan answered with a wide grin.

Nicoli’s face turned red at just the thought of his parents walking in while Ethan was busy screwing him into oblivion.

“Yeah, I agree,” he said, sitting up. “I’m sure my parents still think I don’t even know what sex is and I’d rather keep it that way.”

He was just about to get up from the couch when Ethan grabbed his arm. He squeaked as he was hoisted into the air and thrown over Ethan’s shoulder.

“Ethan, what the hell are you doing?” Nicoli asked, his question mixed with an amused laugh as he grabbed onto the back of Ethan’s shirt for balance. He groaned and bit his bottom lip as Ethan groped his vulnerable backside.

“I’m collecting my prize and taking you back to my cave,” Ethan said as he started going up the stairs to Nicoli’s room.

“Technically that’s my cave, Smart one.”

“Details, details.”

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Nicoli was panting. There was not enough air in the world to keep his lungs satisfied. Sweat glistened off his bare, heated skin and he writhed on his bed, his limbs not able to stay still as they tingled.

He groaned and threw his head back as a warm, slick hand wrapped around his fully erect member and began stroking him ever so tenderly. One leg was thrown over a broad shoulder and his toes clenched and unclenched in rhythm to the moving fingers that were deep inside him.

“God, you are so sexy like this,” Ethan said breathlessly as one set of fingers pumped into Nicoli and the other set pumped the glistening cock it held.

Nicoli wondered what he must have looked like. Possibly like a sex crazed whore the way he moved, begged and pleaded for more. It bothered him little. He didn’t have enough sense in his being to be bothered by anything, except maybe the lack of cock pushing inside of him.

“Ethan, please. Now? Please, now?” he moaned. He let out a cry and his back arched as those fingers found that nub deep inside him and rubbed it incessantly. He would have came then and there, but that other hand had a tight grip at the base of his member, preventing any sort of completion.

“God, Ethan!” he yelled, his hands bent up and back, clenching the sheets near his head. “Please!”

The fingers withdrew from inside him and made him whimper in loss.

“Well, since you asked so nicely.”

Nicoli’s other leg was hoisted up off the bed and both were grabbed behind the thighs until his knees almost touched his chest, spreading him wide to welcome what he had been waiting for. He watched as the head of Ethan’s slickened cock lined up with his entrance. It nudged and caressed the spot, but didn’t venture in.

“Nicoli.”

He was barely able to tear his eyes away from the scene before him, but he managed and looked up at Ethan. Into those teal eyes that smoldered with fiery lust.

“I want you to watch me. I want you to focus on only me. Your eyes, your thoughts, let them be of only me.” He leaned down so his lips were a mere inch away from Nicoli’s and the movement caused the tip of his member to begin sinking into Nicoli’s entrance. “I’m going to make sure that lunatic is wiped from you mind and I’ll never let him back in.”

Nicoli’s mouth was captured in a kiss and he let out a muffled cry as Ethan pivoted his hips. His shaft breached Nicoli’s tight passage and sank into him. As it went deeper and deeper, he kept his eyes locked on Ethan’s and let the teal heat fill him just as much as the cock that burrowed into him.

Short huffs rolled from Nicoli’s kiss swollen lips when Ethan’s hips finally met his rear. It was so good. He was so full and hot. He loved it.

“So,” Ethan said, drawing Nicoli out of his bliss. “Do you want to switch places, like the first time?”

Flashes of their first night together raced through Nicoli’s mind. The pleasure of having Ethan under him, the thrill of riding that thick cock until his eyes rolled back, the sheer ecstasy of it all. It had been perfect, but he was in the mood for a different kind of perfection tonight.

He slipped his arms around Ethan’s neck and traced his tongue over the delectable lips in front of him.

“No, I want you just like this,” he said in a hush, throaty whisper. “I want you on top of me. I want to be smothered by your body as you take me. I want to come as you pound me into the mattress while I’m still begging for more.”

Ethan chuckled and touched his tongue to Nicoli’s lips in turn and to the other tongue that came out to play.

“How did such a sweet, innocent little mouth learn to talk so dirty?” he growled.

“Practice, lots and lots of practice.”

“Well, let’s see what else we can get it to say.”

Ethan pulled out and thrust back in so fast it made Nicoli’s breath catch in his throat. Their bodies moved together as Ethan drove into Nicoli over and over. Nicoli’s legs had been released long ago and they clenched to Ethan’s sides for dear life. His nails bit into Ethan’s shoulders, leaving angry red marks that didn’t stay long.

It was heaven and paradise all wrapped into one. It was like his entire body vibrated as he was filled with pleasure from head to foot. He kept staring at Ethan above him as he mewled and moaned. How Ethan’s powerful thrusts made the bed jolt and made his skin glide against Nicoli’s. How his beautiful, golden hair curled around his face in a tussled mess. Then the feel of the weight of Ethan’s body was just delicious. With Ethan on top of him he not only felt extreme ecstasy, but safety and security. It made all of the bad thoughts, fears and anxieties disappear. He could have cried from his bliss.

A small part of him thought he should have felt bad for the passionate encounter. He was bedding Felix’s ex-lover, after all. The rest of him soon silenced that little part, however. What he and Ethan had was completely different from what Felix and Ethan had. This was just sex, pure and simple. He wasn’t looking to steal the love that Ethan had had for the other. Felix could have Ethan’s heart, Nicoli just wanted his body.

“E-Ethan,” Nicoli moaned when Ethan’s hand found its way back to his throbbing member.

“I’m close, Nicoli. So close.” As if in response his hips sped up, making the bed rock and groan. “Do you want me to-to pull out?” he asked, not slowing his deep thrusts to do so.

Nicoli’s mind was almost completely lost at this point, but the tiny part that was still working wondered why in the world Ethan would ask such a thing. Then he remembered. The encounter in the woods. Nicoli hadn’t wanted Ethan to come inside him, but this was completely different.

“F-Fuck, no,” Nicoli said, tightening the hold of his legs to keep Ethan there. He also put his arms back around Ethan’s neck for good measure. “Come inside me. I want to feel it,” he whispered huskily into Ethan’s ear. “I want to feel you fill me up to the brim.”

The lusty words pushed Ethan right over the edge and he let out a mighty groan as he pushed into Nicoli, as deep as he could go, and came hard.

Nicoli felt his insides become warm, so warm, as he was filled with Ethan’s essence. With Ethan trembling atop him he came two heartbeats later. Fingers clawed into sweaty blond locks as the other fingers raked across Ethan’s shoulders. His legs straightened, his toes pointing towards the ceiling. His seed covered both of their bellies and Ethan’s hand, creating a wonderfully sticky mess.

When the orgasms faded they collapsed in a shuddering, sweaty heap. Nicoli gasped and huffed as feeling came back into his body. His entire being was still vibrating. He didn’t remember ever feeling so good. He hooked his ankles together and kept his arms around Ethan’s neck. Being wrapped around him was nice. It was like having a giant, fleshy body pillow.

They lay like that for several minutes, basking in the afterglow, as well as trying to get back in touch with the real world.

“You know,” Ethan finally mumbled into Nicoli’s neck. “You’re going to have to let go of me at some point.”

Nicoli responded by nuzzling the spot right under Ethan’s ear.

“No I don’t.” He then began suckling and nibbling on that spot then moved onto running his tongue along the outer shell of the ear.

Ethan groaned and Nicoli was surprised by a sudden thrust. Even though the cock in him was softening it still felt really good.

“Man, I wish I could recuperate as fast as I can heal,” Ethan growled, moving his hips in a lazy back and forth fashion, making Nicoli squirm and whimper in drained pleasure. “Or else I’d take you again right now.”

“I’m really wishing that too, at the moment,” he murmured.

“We’ll give it a few minutes. I know I can make you scream louder.” Ethan pushed himself up and Nicoli reluctantly let his arms fall away and onto the bed. Ethan pulled out, making Nicoli pout more.

With a winded sigh Ethan sat back on his hunches and his eyes looked over Nicoli’s spent form. He smirked.

“I think I lied before. You’re sexier like this.” His greedy hands began to touch and run over Nicoli’s body. One hand stayed on his chest, playing with a perked nipple while the other glided down to the neither regions. He ran two fingers down Nicoli’s limp member before they began teasing the messy entrance found just a bit lower. The digits circled the loosened pucker before slowly pressing in.

Nicoli let out a tired moan and his body tensed just a tad as those fingers recreated the act they had just completed.

“Ethan, you’re gonna kill me. You said a few minutes.”

“I meant that for me. I never said anything about you,” he replied and grinned evilly when he found that spot again, making Nicoli toss his head and writhe.

“You stop that before I kick you in the face!”

Ethan pouted.

“Oh, fine. Spoil sport,” he said and withdrew his fingers, causing Nicoli to sigh in relief. To make up for it, or possibly just to distract himself, Ethan bent down and began placing kisses along Nicoli’s stomach. He even made a game of dipping his lips into the essence that stained Nicoli’s abdomen and leaving sticky lip marks across his chest.

Nicoli watched him in amusement, lazily running his fingers through Ethan’s hair as he worked. It was such a wonderful evening. He didn’t want it to end.

“Ethan?”

“Yes?” Ethan asked, lifting his head from a nipple he was teasingly licking.

Nicoli laughed and wiped off Ethan’s mouth with his hand.

“Could you…would you spend the night here with me?” he asked, almost shyly. “The first time you left while I was sleeping. Could you stay the whole night this time, please?”

Ethan smiled and gave him a quick kiss.

“Yeah, I’d love to.”

Nicoli smiled back and pulled him down for another kiss. When it ended Ethan snorted.

“Besides, I don’t think I want to be there for Deloris’ first stay at the house. I’m pretty sure Conrad’s going to be breaking some stuff.”

They both laughed, but the laughter then turned into more kissing and petting. It was only a few more minutes before moans floated in the air and the bed started to squeak again.

************************************************************************

It was well into night by the time Amelia sprinted up the walkway to her house. She felt like she could explode. She was overflowing with excitement and energy. To burn off some of the thrill of everything that had happened that day she had gone for an extra long broom ride. It worked to quell her overabundant vigor somewhat, but she still hopped and skipped and shook her hips to a random song playing in her head.

“Mom, I’m home!” she yelled as she entered the house, doing a spin and throwing her arms up in the air in a ‘Ta-da!’ pose.

Cecile came out of the kitchen, drying a plate with an old dish towel.

“There you are,” she said with a smile as Amelia slammed the door closed. “I was wondering if you were ever going to come home. Did you enjoy your sky time? I swear, you love flying so much that one of these days you’re going to turn into a bird and fly away.”

“Awe, but I’d always come back to the nest,” Amelia replied, swooping in on her mother and kissing her cheek. “Where’s Preston and Auntie Tabby?” she asked as she followed Cecile back into the kitchen.

“Over at Roderick’s. He wanted their help on something,” Cecile said, the plate clattering as it was placed in the cupboard with the others.

“Oh.” Amelia glanced about the kitchen and noticed a plate of cookies on the table. She dove for it. She loved it when her mother baked. It made the house smell so good and feel so warm and inviting, which was nice after being out in the cold for so long.

As she munched away on an oatmeal, cinnamon, raisin cookie she didn’t notice that she had begun to do a little jig

“And what are we so happy about?” Cecile asked.

“Huh?” Amelia mumbled with half a cookie shoved in her mouth.

“You only dance like that when you’re incredibly happy. What is it?”

Amelia set down the cookie and gave an enormous smile.

“Oh, Mom, you’re never going to believe who I met today. It was so amazing. I met–” The words caught in her throat and her jaw snapped shut.

Oh no, she had almost spilled the beans. It was supposed to be a secret. Her gut twisted and the delicious cookie that settled there felt like a pin of needles. She had been keeping secrets from people all her life. She had come to terms with that. It wasn’t until that moment that she realized she would have to keep the biggest secret of her life from her mother.

Her gut twisted again. She had never kept anything from her mother. Cecile was her confidant, the one she would run to the second she found out something new, or had a problem. Now she had met her idol, was part of something only heard of in legends…and she couldn’t say one word to her mother.

“What is it, Baby?” Cecile asked when Amelia was quiet for too long. “Who did you meet that has you so excited?”

“Um, a harpy!” Amelia exclaimed, saying the first thing that came to mind. “Yeah, I ran into a harpy while flying. She was headed out of the area for the winter. She was delayed from leaving with her flock, but she was pretty cool.”

“My that is interesting. Seeing one this late in the year is a sign for good luck.” She ran her fingers through her daughter’s hair. “You always have the best luck on your side.”

Now Amelia felt absolutely sick as her mother smiled at her so sweetly and with so much trust. She never suspected that Amelia was being a big, fat liar.

“Uh, yeah. Hey, I’m gonna go change and warm up in my room real quick.”

“All right, Baby.”

Amelia sped out of the kitchen, as if fleeing the woman she loved most. She went back to the front door to hang up her coat on the hooks there then went to the stairs and began to clamber up them. Only a few had gone under her feet before her mother’s voice sounded behind her.

“When you come down you can tell me all about meeting Deloris Mary-Weather.”

Amelia froze, each foot on different steps. Her eyes were wide and her breathing had become short and shallow. No, she couldn’t have heard that right. She slowly turned to face Cecile, who stood at the bottom of the steps, a knowing smile playing on her lips.

“W-What?” she whispered, her voice shaking.

“I want you to tell me about Deloris. It must have been so wonderful for you to finally meet her. I know you’ve looked up to her for so long.”

Amelia slowly went back down the stairs. Each footstep felt heavy and was loud to her ears. It seemed forever until she was standing in front of her mother back down on the first floor.

“Mom, how-how do you know that I–” She didn’t know how to complete her question. At the moment she was forgetting how to breathe.

“I know because I just knew you would open the book. I’m so proud of you.” She brushed her fingers down Amelia’s cheek with that loving smile that she had known since she was a child.

Amelia’s mind raced. What was going on?

“Okay, I know how scary perceptive you can be sometimes, but how do you know all that?”

That loving smile crumbled into a troubled, sad frown. Cecile rarely ever had such a look, but Amelia had learned to hate it with a passion. Her mother was never meant to feel sadness. It just wasn’t her.

“I’m sorry, Baby,” she said, resting her delicate hands on Amelia’s shoulders. “I’ve wanted to tell you for so long, but I waited. Now I have lost the luxury of waiting any longer.” Fingers combed through strands of Amelia’s hair. Their eyes were locked together, the same shade of hazel passed down from mother to daughter just as a long kept secret was finally bestowed to the younger.

“Amelia, I am the Guardian of Katerina’s Heart.”

=================================== Ch. 74 End

Whoooo! Now was that a great anniversary chapter or what? You got some good sexing with Ethan and Nicoli and the Guardian has been revealed. I’m pretty sure a good few of you figured out it was Cecile who was the Guardian. I bet you guys thought you’d have to wait forever for them to find the Guardian once it was known that they had to, but Cecile decided to throw that all out the window and just give herself up, well, at least to Amelia.

Now, I just wanted to say something. I know a lot of people have voiced that the romance between Ethan and Nicoli seemed to have gone dead. I do take the blame for that since I have been more focused on other characters and plot, but all of the complaints gave me a brilliant idea! Since it seemed like Ethan and Nicoli had grown apart, I decided to make that into a reality, hence Nicoli going on about Ethan being distant and whatever. I’ve thought up that after the scene in the car, and the full gravity of what Felix had done had hit Ethan, that Ethan would be trying to distance himself from Nicoli so as not to get too close like everyone, including himself, fears.

So, either once I’m done with the story or when I have free time I will be going back and editing those few chapters, making it really seem that Ethan was pretty much avoiding Nicoli. So, thanks for giving me the little brain storm to add just a bit more angst to the story XD

So thanks again everyone for this amazing year! The coming year will prove to be even better, because the story only gets more action packed from here ^-^ So, say it with me guys, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOONLIGHT DENIAL!!! *huggies and lickies*