Archive of Our Own

The scene of rambunctious teenagers wandering through the museum gallery was a nostalgic sight for Xie Lian. 

The brunette watched as the group passed, observing the blatant raging hormones as a few members of the group threw flirtatious glances and teased one another. It was easy to pick out who was interested in whom by the flushed cheeks and nervous giggles. It reminded Xie Lian of his days of youth sneaking stolen kisses among library shelves; the memory itself still preserved with enough passion to make the man’s heart flutter although the exact details were a bit hazy. 

How many years had passed since then? Time blurred in the spanse following his stint in university, events seemed out of sequence and indistinguishable if they’d occurred only a few days ago or a matter of years. 

The man was abruptly pulled from his thoughts when he saw the tentative hand of one of the teenagers reaching beyond the partition rope, seeking fingers stretched outward to touch an artifact. 

“Excuse me!” Xie Lian raced from his spot in the gallery’s corner to stand alongside the troublemaker within an instant. “Please don’t touch any of the exhibits and please stay behind the rope.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” That hand retracted immediately, a look of embarrassment crossing the boy’s face as his friends snickered. 

A dare no doubt.

“Our collection is very old and delicate. It may seem harmless but the oils in your hands can actually damage the pieces.” Xie Lian frowned, speaking to the rest of the group rather than the boy. The brunette’s cool gaze was enough to wipe their cocky smirks into sheepish grins. “If you would like to know more about any of the items, you can simply ask. I’d be more than happy to tell you about the history behind it.”

“T-that’s okay. Sorry.” Someone from the group answered and they departed soon after. 

Satisfied that he’d likely deterred them from attempting such a move for the duration of their visit, Xie Lian quietly inspected the piece; checking to see that the artifact was as it should be. Of all items in this gallery, the boy had attempted to touch one of the many limestone coffins.

In his role as a guard, Xie Lian was tasked with answering questions about the exhibit but to also keep a watchful eye to ensure guests didn’t get too close to any of the artifacts. It was an occupation that spoke to Xie Lian’s infatuation with items from the past and also allowed him to occupy himself during the day. 

Within the museum, Xie Lian was specifically stationed in the Medieval art and armory wing. The section was dark, primarily to preserve the relics, but also to create an air of seriousness to the centuries old memorabilia on display for the modern viewer. Each piece was meticulously laid out to tell a story from ages long ago and to tour patrons through the splendors gifted by various spiritual institutions. 

The weight of the space made Xie Lian feel small with its looming domed ceilings, affixed with marble corbels and glazed glass spotlights. 

Sculptures by artists of sometimes unknown origin flanked the walls of the galleries, stone coffins of great craftsmanship perched atop podiums at the heart of the exhibit, as heavy faded tapestries hung overhead. Large paintings in overpowering gilded frames adorned the walls depicting scenes of persecuted martyrs and the demons that tormented them. 

The murmurs of the crowd as they shuffled around the space echoed in a low drone as Xie Lian resumed his post in the corner. 

As things settled back down and the remainder of his shift went on without any further incidents, Xie Lian drowned himself in thought; counting the time until he could return home. The museum closed at dusk and as the man stared up at the imagery of men and women who had come centuries before him, forever captured in time, he could not shake a slight air of melancholy; wondering to himself if he would be forgotten with the ages.

It was a thought that had been creeping at the back of Xie Lian’s mind for quite some time now and it was one that he continued to ponder when he closed up for the evening.

The journey home had become darker as of recent with the changing of the seasons and an earlier sunset. 

A distinct chill hung in the air and despite wearing his warmest jacket, Xie Lian found himself cold. He tugged his coat collar a bit higher around his neck and strode forwards through an icy wall of wind, stray leaves scattering on the ground around him. The streetlamp’s glow did little to illuminate the otherwise pitch black street on which, save for a scurrying rat, Xie Lian was the only soul. 

It was like the herald of winter had caused the city to simply shut itself in and had sucked vibrance out of these streets. Xie Lian strolled past shuttered businesses and over odd bits of trash in the street, frowning at his reflection in darkened storefront windows. 

The hour was late but not so much so that there would be no one else about. The air held an edge of uneasiness to it.

Something felt wrong.

This neighborhood was not known to be particularly dangerous but still, it was a city, and danger could lurk at any unexpected corner. Xie Lian didn’t like walking by himself for long periods in the dark. 

Again, he gazed at his reflection, staring back at the young man with tousled hair and lips rosy with cold; a shiver rippled through him. 

Perhaps it was paranoia but he felt he was being followed. 

Xie Lian shoved his hands into his coat pockets, tightly fisting his apartment keys, as he walked a bit faster. The heel to his boots rang proudly along the cobblestone as he hurried, infrequently glancing over his shoulder to warily watch the shifting shadows along the buildings. Overhead, a few dimly lit windows signified tenants were home, but Xie Lian could not be sure that someone would spot him were something to happen. 

He tried to dissuade himself that anything was wrong but that sinking feeling in his stomach would not stop. 

Surely, he was overthinking things. He was being childish. How many times had he walked this exact route home without any trouble? Just because it was a bit dark outside did not mean that he was in threat of any danger. 

As the wind blew, it carried with it a strange scent. It was a putridly sweet smell, like rotten fruit with metallic undertones. It brought on a curious reaction from Xie Lian as his blood began to pump faster and his mouth ran dry.

He cast another look over his shoulder. 

This time, he spotted a man a few paces back, simply standing on the sidewalk facing Xie Lian’s way.

At this distance, it was too difficult to make out any distinguishable features; the poorly lit street doing well in obscuring this stranger’s identity. The other simply stood there, unmoving, face cast in shadow as Xie Lian’s senses screamed in alarm.

“H-hello, sir?” Xie Lian called in the man’s direction, his voice cracking with the cold. 

The man made no sign of acknowledgement, his form still as a statue as Xie Lian felt unseen eyes bore into him. It was illogical but he felt that gaze run up and down his form; appraising him, as if he were something to be eaten. 

Xie Lian’s mind whirled, his feet feeling like they were stuck in concrete, as his body broke out in an involuntary tremor. 

The brunette stood there, unblinking, unsure and growing increasingly anxious as the stranger and he faced off. The streetlamps hummed lowly, the wind sounding the faintest howl as it raced between buildings.

“What do you want?” Xie Lian tried to drop his tone, to appear firm and seem more threatening but it came out weak.

At this distance, Xie Lian could not clearly hear the other but he swore he heard the other man chuckle. 

That response itself was enough to cause Xie Lian to break out into a run. 

Xie Lian turned heel and broke into a sprint, trying to put as much distance between him and the other man as possible. Xie Lian wasn’t exactly the most athletic but he had a decent enough head start; he hoped it would be enough.

He quickly changed course to take a side street that he knew would lead in the direction of his apartment with the intention of losing the other. He knew this neighborhood well and knew the shortest path home; he was only a few minutes away. 

His throat slightly stung from how harshly he was panting but the feeling of fear was enough for him to gasp through the discomfort. He could hear his blood pounding in his ears and feel the way his legs shook; like his mind was urging his body to move faster than it could keep up. 

He zigged and he zagged through the narrow side alleys, unable to tell if the other man was pursuing him or not, but Xie Lian didn’t want to look back. He wanted to be inside the safety of his building, behind his dead-bolted door, and to call his boyfriend who would likely tell him that he was overreacting. 

But Xie Lian would rather overreact than deal with the consequences of being too trusting in strangers. 

At last he slipped through the back alley that dumped him out onto the main street his building faced. It was a dilapidated structure, six stories high in which Xie Lian inhabited the top floor. As he prepared to enter his building, anxiety continued to mount within him.

He’d spent the past several minutes running, his adrenaline at an all time high, but now was the moment of danger; the moment he had to unlock the front door. 

“Come on, come on.” Xie Lian whispered, fumbling with his keys to locate the correct one. He tried the one that looked right, restlessly scanning the street in both directions, when the lock mechanism did not budge. He tried turning it once, then twice, to no avail. 

Wrong key.

“Fuck!” Xie Lian cursed and began uselessly pulling on the door handle, rattling the door in its frame, as he willed it to open.

Panic reached a breaking point within him as the brunette felt a wave of nausea wash over him. The hairs stood tall on the back of his neck, his pulse quickened, as he found it increasingly difficult to concentrate.

“Please, please.” He pleaded as he tried to select a different key off his keyring only to drop it. 

The heavy metal gave out a loud clang as it clattered on the stone steps and fell between Xie Lian’s feet. The man was quick to bend down to retrieve it but by the time he’d stood back up, he felt someone lingering behind him in the threshold.

As if appearing out of thin air, a new presence loomed head and shoulders taller behind Xie Lian. The night air was deathly silent, he could not even hear this newcomer breathe, but Xie Lian did not need to turn around to know that this person was directly behind him. His body could sense it.

Whomever, whatever, stood behind him possessed a crushing otherworldly aura. 

Petrified, Xie Lian froze in the doorway; staring wide-eyed at his own hand which no longer obeyed him. His palms were clammy, his stomach in knots, as his shaking hand held the key before the keyhole. He couldn’t help it, it was a primal response, his body too stunned to move forwards but also too scared to turn around. 

Ever so gently, a deathly pale hand came to rest atop Xie Lian’s, taking hold of his trembling hand to guide the key into the lock. Xie Lian held his breath, frozen stiff and mesmerized, as elegant fingers adorned with black varnish enclosed around his. That hand guided his own, steadying and twisting Xie Lian’s wrist, until the lock gave way with a heavy click. 

The weathered iron door slowly opened with a low creak, revealing a darkened hallway and steep iron stairs. The depths of the building provided an outlet for escape but still Xie Lian remained rooted in the doorway. 

Time seemed to slow down in that moment as Xie Lian’s ears attuned to the rapid steady beating of his heart and his skin prickled beneath the touch of the other. This person was making no attempt to stop Xie Lian—he could easily run into the sanctuary of his building—but instead the brunette kept staring at that fine alabaster hand atop his own.

“…”

Testing the limits of his compliance, the stranger moved closer; coming to crowd Xie Lian until their forms were pressed front to back. From how closely they were standing, the brunette could feel the chiseled physique of the other; feel the hard lines and mounded muscle even through the wool of his coat. This man was strong, strong enough to easily overpower Xie Lian.

The brunette said nothing, his shuddering breath the only sounds passing between them as that pale hand danced from the back of Xie Lian’s hand to the underside of his wrist. A long finger traced the pronounced tendon there, teasingly scratching, as Xie Lian made a small sound. 

Once more, the stranger chuckled; his laughter deep and strangely sensual. Xie Lian could not help but to shiver, jumping in surprise when the other began to nose into his hair. 

“W-what…” The words died in his throat as he felt soft lips ghost the shell of his ear. The temperature of the other’s body was cold as ice as that teasing hand began to fuss with the many buttons of Xie Lian’s coat.

Xie Lian flushed, his knees weak, his feet refusing to budge, his mind racing a million thoughts a minute. In spite of his fear, he felt the flickers of arousal beginning to pool in his loins. He pressed his legs together, ashamed at his growing erection, as this stranger toyed with him in the doorway.

Still, the building’s door remained open; as if mocking Xie Lian to enter. While his instincts screamed that he flee, his body was quickly becoming pliant from the pleasure. 

“A-ah!” Xie Lian sniveled, his pants growing ever more tight.

A voice, low and sultry, asked in his ear, “Can I come in?”

Xie Lian’s body was racked with a violent shudder, his heart going into overdrive, as that person continued to nose into his hair; inhaling the brunette’s scent deeply in a charade of learned human behavior. 

But Xie Lian knew better, knew what the being standing behind him really was.

“You already know you have permission to.” Xie Lian spoke softly, gasping when he felt two arms come to lock around his waist. 

He was pulled tightly back into the other’s embrace, smiling lips near his ear humming, “Yes, but I like to hear you say it.”

Xie Lian spun around in the doorway to face this stranger head-on. 

Standing before him was a man far taller than himself. With even the quickest glance it was evident how handsomely attractive this man was. But upon closer look, something was not quite right. Beyond his sharp jawline and fine brows, his eyes held a frightening appearance. His irises were blood red as they seemed to emanate an eerie glow. 

The man’s skin held an unnatural pallor further played up by the stark contrast of his striking black hair. It fell in length half-way down his back, silky and glistening, with wavy tresses framing his high cheekbones. His broad form was dressed in a long black overcoat that reached to his ankles, its shoulders were padded, with a silver chain belt to cinch the garment at the waist.

He was beautiful. He was scary. He was…

“San Lang.” Xie Lian fisted the front of the man’s coat and buried his face into the man’s chest. “You scared me.”

The taller man soothed Xie Lian by stroking his hair and pressing a kiss to the top of his head. He let Xie Lian nuzzle into him, unable to restrain his fanged smile when he answered, “You were so thrilling to hunt.” 

“You didn’t tell me you needed to feed today.” Xie Lian frowned, annoyance soon giving way to forgiveness as the other began to pepper his face with kisses. 

“Forgive me,” Hua Cheng asked, his voice dripping with honey, as he left kiss after butterfly kiss to Xie Lian’s face where it was cradled in his hands, “I couldn’t stop thinking of you all day. I simply wanted to follow you home but then…”

“Oh!” Xie Lian whimpered when Hua Cheng’s leg grazed his crotch. The shorter man curled in on himself, knuckles turning white from how tightly he was gripping Hua Cheng’s coat. He crushed his cheek to the man’s chest and panted harshly, his body showing no signs of calming down. 

Especially not now that he was in the arms of his lover. 

Noticing this reaction, Hua Cheng chuckled. In one fluid movement, he caught Xie Lian behind the knees and swept the smaller man into his arms. 

He held Xie Lian close, looking every bit like a cat who caught the canary, when he purred, “Why don’t we continue this upstairs?”

Xie Lian couldn’t help but release an unfettered moan when he felt the sharp pin prick of Hua Cheng’s fangs sink into his neck. They pierced his flesh like a knife through butter and lodged deep into his jugular, hearty slurps drowned out by the dizzying euphoria that erupted across Xie Lian’s sensory system. His legs buckled, his hands uselessly grabbing at the strong arms that immediately caught him as he swooned. He could only gasp, pupils dilated wide, heart hammering in his chest, as he felt the powerful form of his lover enwrap him. 

Xie Lian would never get used to this feeling; this sensation of pure bliss. It’s equal parts carnal and cerebral, it was the most intense and the most soft moment all encapsulated into one feeling that overtook Xie Lian each time. While part of him now understood that the feeding was meant to be like this, so that it’s pleasurable to the prey and thereby an easier meal, Xie Lian can’t help but feel that Hua Cheng made the effort to make it more meaningful.

His body became limp in the taller man’s arms, his mouth mewling and making all manner of simpering sounds, as Hua Cheng stroked his hair gently. Cool thin lips pressed against his bared throat, kissing in small pecks as he fed. 

“S-San Lang…” Xie Lian managed, his legs pressing tightly together as the erection in his pants swelled.

Without even batting an eye, Hua Cheng slipped a hand down Xie Lian’s front and began to boldly fondle the man through his pants. He grabbed Xie Lian’s privates in a meaty handful and began to stroke, tracing the shape of the brunette’s cock as it strained to be released from the confines of the latter’s trousers. 

“Nhhh!” Xie Lian wailed, legs twisting and sliding in desperation as he was dually assaulted by the physical pleasure brought on from the stimulation and from his feeding induced high. He arched his hips, pressing himself harder into the man’s hand; begging for release. “Oh please, please, San Lang!”

Hua Cheng found the power within himself to take a momentary pause, pulling free from Xie Lian’s neck to whisper with blood-spattered lips, “Be a good boy and let me finish.”

Xie Lian whined at the authoritative tone in the other's voice and nodded frantically, hands splayed out against the glass.

The pair had not even taken a moment to properly undress before Hua Cheng had pinned Xie Lian against the closest surface within the apartment. They stood back to front before a window with Hua Cheng latched onto Xie Lian’s neck as he frantically fed. 

The feeding was not normally this aggressive, this desperate, but Xie Lian knew with the approaching Blood Moon that Hua Cheng was not quite himself. With the closure of the tenth month brought the one evening a year that vampires were driven into a frenzy. It’s a night where covens come together to feast and hold the ability to turn mortals into one of their own kin.  

Xie Lian had been with Hua Cheng long enough to understand that he needed an outlet for this voracious hunger. 

“I want to come.” Xie Lian sobbed, he attempted to undo the front of his pants but Hua Cheng was too persistent; unyielding in his ministrations as Xie Lian dirtied his underwear. His boxers became sticky with his precum, the fabric wet and clinging as he was touched through the soiled garment. 

Xie Lian was beginning to grow light-headed, his impending orgasm pooling as a tingly flutter. He closed his eyes and begged his lover for release, his hips jumping without any rhythm or coordination as he chased after his climax. 

“Please, San Lang! Please, I want to— nghh!”

“So sweet.” Hua Cheng groaned, pulling free his fangs, and finally slipping a hand beneath the waistband of Xie Lian’s clothing to fully seize the latter’s naked cock. He briefly dug his thumb against Xie Lian’s weeping slit before he began to pump him with such speed and intention that the brunette saw stars. 

“W-wait! Wait, San Lang!” The sensation of the man’s cold hand on his hot length sent sparks of electricity through Xie Lian’s body. His neck burned in pained pleasure at the site where he’d been bitten, his mind fogged with lust when his legs gave out. 

He hunched over, caught by the vampire’s other arm across his stomach, as he was milked of his orgasm. 

“San Lang!” Xie Lian screeched, lips parted, eyes screwed shut, as he shot his release. He came hard, his ejaculate spurting from his cock to land on the windowpane, as Hua Cheng continued to jack him through his climax. He came in several waves, each growing thinner, until he was entirely spent. 

Exhausted, Xie Lian collapsed in his lover’s embrace; his forehead sheen with sweat as his softening cock hung out from the front of his pants. He panted harshly, his vision still spinning, as he was gently led over to the living room couch. 

With the careful guidance of Hua Cheng’s hands, he reclined backwards; throwing an arm over his eyes as he struggled in his recovery. His climax had been intense, his body spent of energy as he heard his lover tinker in the kitchen.

“San-” Xie Lian coughed, his throat sore.

“I’m here.” The other man’s voice called from a distance. Xie Lian could hear various cabinets being opened and the light ping of something being stirred in a glass. The weary floorboards of the building creaked beneath the man’s weight as he made his way back over to the couch. 

Something cold was pressed into Xie Lian’s hand as something wet was wiped across his groin. 

“W-what?” Xie Lian looked through blurry eyes to see Hua Cheng cleaning his privates with a dampened towel. In his hand was a drink, a vitamin concoction of some kind. 

“Drink it.” Hua Cheng urged, red eyes—no longer aglow—flicking to Xie Lian’s face before returning to pay attention to the task at hand. The man was gentle, softly patting at Xie Lian’s manhood, before coming to tug at the brunette’s pants. “Let’s get you out of these and into the bath, hmm?”

Xie Lian nodded, sipping at his drink and trying not to make a face at the strong powdery taste. “What service.”

The vampire smiled at the comment, “I have to keep you healthy don't I?”

“Stop.” Xie Lian dragged out the word and playfully shoved the man’s shoulder. “It makes me feel like a blood bag.”

“I’d never think that of you.” Hua Cheng skimmed his hands up and down the length of Xie Lian’s bare legs before coming to straddle the smaller man on the couch. “You’re my life source, my reason to keep living.”

Xie Lian raised an eyebrow, setting his drink down on a nearby table as he watched the dark haired man start to undress over him. 

The man shed his heavy coat, grabbing at the hem of an equally black sweater to pull the article up. He yanked it over his head and flung it to some far corner of the room, his sculpted torso now on display. His body was pale like marble, his stomach rippled with muscle, and his chest well defined. Two dusky nipples stood hard with the temperature of the room, each sporting a barbell piercing. 

“I thought you were taking me to the bath?” Xie Lian asked slowly, noting the tent at the front of the man’s jeans. 

“I decided I’m still hungry.” Hua Cheng licked his lips when he spoke, tonguing the sharp end of one fang.

“Oh?” The brunette felt a flash of renewed arousal course through him, his member already half hard as it pressed up against Hua Cheng’s bottom. 

“Would you like to eat first tonight or shall I?” 

Xie Lian became sure the vampire was no longer talking about blood. 

“Dear, are you alright?”

Xie Lian turned to the voice calling him, smiling weakly at the elderly woman making her way towards him. He recognized her to be one of the museum’s regulars; a kind old soul who frequently spoke with Xie Lian while he was on duty and whom the latter felt comfortable enough to chat with on regular occasion. 

“I’m alright. Just slept weird on my back.” Xie Lian laughed, rubbing at his lower back while sitting up a bit more straight in his chair. 

Surely, he wasn’t going to share that Hua Cheng had blown out his back the night prior. 

“You need to take better care of yourself.” The woman scolded lightly, hobbling a bit closer and rapped her cane on the floor. “If you don’t mind your back now, what will happen when you’re my age?”

“Really, I’m alright!” Xie Lian waved a hand in dismissal. “How are you doing? It’s been awhile since I’ve seen you.”

“Oh, well let me tell you…” The woman began to prattle off, catching Xie Lian up on any major updates or the various bits of gossip involved in her life. She recounted how her children were doing, and then their children after that, sparing no nuanced detail as if Xie Lian were an extension of her own family. 

Xie Lian thought it was nice to have some semblance of a relationship like this. It had been years, maybe even decades, since he’d seen his own family. These were sacrifices that came with being in a relationship with someone like Hua Cheng. It wasn’t safe to have close friends or family members poking about. While Xie Lian had certainly aged since first starting his relationship with Hua Cheng, his body did not show the signs of aging that would be expected of someone born in his year. 

In fact, for the very first time, Xie Lian had found a grey hair upon his head. A worrying development and clear sign that his body was not immortal, no matter what short-term benefits he reaped from being entangled with a supernatural being. 

“What about that boyfriend of yours?” Her last question broke Xie Lian of his thoughts.

“We’re still together and he’s doing well.” Xie Lian left it at that, not wanting to divulge into greater detail. He was happy to let her dominate the majority of the conversation while not getting too personal with details of himself. 

“I had assumed so. You two have been together for as long as I can remember first meeting you. How many years has it been now?” The woman scrunched her face in thought. 

“... not that many.” Xie Lian answered after a moment, hoping that the subject would be dropped. “Why don’t you tell me more–” 

“No, no, that’s not right.” The woman shook her head, “Fifteen years? Twenty? But I know you had been working here for some time before we became acquainted.”

“It’s not been that long.” Xie Lian’s mouth twitched, his smile tight as he tried to get a handle on the conversation. “You must be confused. I’ve only worked here for the past few years. This month will be year five. I know there was a guard that looked like me prior but he was gone by the time I started.”

“Oh, is that it?” The woman still seemed confused, eyeing Xie Lian only to be met with the brunette’s serene smile. She opened her mouth once more, as if to share one final thought, before shaking her head again. “You’re right. I must be getting my faces confused. It gets harder to remember things the older you get.”

“That’s alright.” Xie Lian unclenched his jaw and rose from his chair with a wince, “Why don’t I show you the new collection of chess pieces that we’ve put on exhibit?”

He gingerly guided the woman over towards a large glass showcase cabinet and launched into a long-winded explanation of why these small chunks of stone were so significant. 

He made sure to steer clear of the topic of age. 

If one were to enter the spacious penthouse apartment that was Hua Cheng’s residence, they’d might think that the grandiose unit actually belonged to Xie Lian rather than the reclusive man. 

Row after row, picture frame after picture frame, sported various photographs of Xie Lian all throughout the home. 

Pictures of Xie Lian dressed in a romper and wide brimmed hat on holiday in the tropics, Xie Lian bundled up in an itchy woolen sweater on a camping trip, Xie Lian dressed to the nines in a custom suit at the opera, and many more snapshots from their adventures over the years. The subject matter of the photos was always the same, whether originally taken on an old polaroid camera or now freshly printed out from a smartphone, it was always just Xie Lian. 

The brunette had never thought much on it but it was a bizarre scene to any outsider. One would think that Xie Lian was perhaps narcissistic, or maybe that Hua Cheng was a bit obsessive, all without knowing the real reason was as simple as the fact that Hua Cheng did not show up in pictures.

But now that Xie Lian was looking at it, halted before a grand piano littered with picture frames, it bothered him. 

“That was a fun trip.” A gravelly voice murmured as Hua Cheng came to rest his chin on Xie Lian’s shoulder. He peeked down at the picture closest to the brunette, smiling in fond remembrance. “You were so scared at first.”

“Cave diving is not necessarily fun for someone who is afraid of dark places.” Xie Lian snorted, reaching behind himself to run his fingers through his lover’s hair. He cupped the base of the other’s head, tilting his neck to the side when the man began to nibble at his throat playfully. 

“You ended up liking it though.” Hua Cheng kissed up the expanse of Xie Lian’s neck, inhaling the scent of the smaller man. “You always underestimate how brave you can be.”

“Hmm,” Xie Lian hummed, eyelashes fluttering as spidery hands stroked up his sides, “It’s crazy to think how long ago that trip was. I can even notice how much younger I look there.”

“Not that long,” Hua Cheng slowly spun Xie Lian around so that he could get a better look at the other, “And you look the same as you do now, the same as when I first met you.”

“San Lang.” Xie Lian frowned but the man was busy caressing the brunette’s cheek, rubbing his thumb across Xie Lian’s lips in admiration. “I’m getting old.”

“You are not.”

“I am.” Xie Lian pressed, meeting his lover’s eye with a look of knowing. They’d had this very conversation time and time before. “Before this next Blood Moon, I want to talk about–”

“No.” The vampire immediately distanced himself, moving across the room within the blink of an eye so that he was seated in an armchair. His movement was sudden, faster than the human eye could capture without even raising so much as a breeze, but Xie Lian was used to such behavior. For being centuries old, Hua Cheng could be quite immature when he wanted to be.

“San Lang,” The brunette gave chase, crossing the room to rejoin the vampire, “I want to have a proper conversation about this.”

“What more is there to talk about? You already know how I feel about this.”

“Yes but what about me? What about my feelings?” Xie Lian held his hand to his heart as he spoke, his frustration building. 

“Xie Lian–”

“I want us to be together…forever.”

Hua Cheng’s face darkened, it was a sensitive subject but Xie Lian was tired of keeping his worries to himself. 

“Others in the coven have been turned already.” 

“Xie Lian, I’m not talking about this tonight.” The vampire retreated to the next room, his shoulders rising as Xie Lian stalked after him.

The pair made their way into the apartment’s bedroom. Xie Lian spent most of his nights at Hua Cheng’s place, only maintaining a separate residence at the insistence of the other so that Xie Lian could have a place to retreat to. Or, how Xie Lian sometimes secretly felt, somewhere that Hua Cheng could watch Xie Lian play house; play at being a normal human. 

“It makes me feel like we aren’t equals.” Xie Lian raised his voice, grabbing onto the other’s sleeve and pulling hard to get the vampire’s attention. 

“I’m not going to turn you into some kind of a monster!” Hua Cheng thundered, throwing Xie Lian’s grip from him while the lights flickered erratically. He turned on the brunette, his eyes shimmering and holding the intensity of crackling fireworks, “Do you really want to be like this?”

As he spoke, Hua Cheng’s form seemed to grow larger; his fingers resembling closer to claws as his fangs became more apparent. The air became heavy as the space around him began to warp and bend, making his figure blurred and unstable. His handsomeness gave way to features that would scare most people…

But Xie Lian was not most people. 

“You know that I don’t think that of you.” Xie Lian whispered, the energy to fight leaving him. He crossed his arms and said wryly, “I don’t care what I have to turn into if it means that we can be together.”

It was the look of disappointment and the wetness brimming in Xie Lian’s eyes that had Hua Cheng returning to his usual form. 

“Why can’t we remain as we are now?”

“I don’t want there to be a time where we can’t be together because of the physical limitations of this body.” The brunette looked down at his feet as he spoke, trembling hands splaying over his stomach. “When my body gives out.”

“Xie Lian, please.” Hua Cheng’s sigh was heavy as he took a tentative step towards the man, a hand outstretched in offering. “You feel this way now but will you feel the same after a few decades? A few centuries? When everyone you know is long dead and the world keeps moving forward? It’s not my place to take that choice away from you.”

“I’ve made my choice. It won’t change plus a few additional years, plus a few additional however long.” Xie Lian didn’t take the man’s hand, instead he came to rub at his eyes. He swallowed against the lump rising in his throat, embarrassed when a stray tear slipped down his cheek, “Why can’t you respect my choice?”

“I…” Hua Cheng trailed off, unsure how to respond.

He wanted to hold Xie Lian in that moment, to tell him that everything was going to be okay, but he didn’t think Xie Lian wanted to be consoled. Instead, he simply watched as the beautiful man kept rubbing at his face; turning skin red as he wiped tear after tear from his cheeks. 

They never fought as a couple until the topic of immortality came into question. 

In the early years of their relationship, Xie Lian had not questioned why his appearance had seemingly stopped changing the very first time Hua Cheng had drunk from him. They’d been teenagers back then, or rather Xie Lian was in the conventional sense, while Hua Cheng was in outward appearance. It was not expected for Xie Lian’s looks to be rapidly changing but after a few years of their romance, the brunette had finally asked about it. 

It had been explained that while Xie Lian was not immortal, his physicality had been altered as part of his symbiotic relationship with a vampire. Just as Hua Cheng was able to regularly feed, Xie Lian reaped the benefits of slowed aging and an extended lifespan. 

Extended but not infinite. 

That would only happen if Hua Cheng would agree to the transformation rite on the last night of the tenth month. They would have to exchange blood with the one doing the turning speaking the ancient words of transformation to the one being turned. 

It was something that Xie Lian could not undergo without Hua Cheng’s help. 

While such change would make Xie Lian immortal and ready to stand the test of time with Hua Cheng, the latter would never get the chance to see Xie Lian grow old; to live a full life and pass on without any regrets. 

It’s this point that tore a hole in whatever shriveled vestige of a heart was still contained within Hua Cheng’s chest: the knowledge that he would be taking away mortal life from the one whom he loved most in this world. 

Hua Cheng’s silence was enough of an answer for Xie Lian. 

“I’m going to stay at my place for a few nights.” Xie Lian sniffed and gathered himself the best that he could. “I think we both need some space to cool our heads.” 

“Xie Lian, wait.” Hua Cheng did grab Xie Lian then, mouthing wordlessly his internal struggle to convey all that he wanted to say in that moment: his own personal regret, his love of the human, his warning of this life, and his apology for being unable to give Xie Lian what he wanted. 

He pulled the other into his arms, cradling him to his chest, and hugged Xie Lian fiercely. “Don’t go.”

“I need to be by myself for a while.” Xie Lian bit his lip and momentarily returned the embrace with equal vigor. “Now let me go.”

Xie Lian was not one to actively seek the company of other members of Hua Cheng’s coven but he was at his wits end on where to go for advice. 

Vampiric covens took many forms depending on the size of the nest and biodiversity of the hunting grounds. Some covens were covens only in name; normally typical among vampire groupings who lived scattered in rural areas. In such locations, one could easily live an isolated existence without ever having to worry about encroaching on others. 

For Hua Cheng’s coven, a more complex hierarchical system was required. The heart of their nest was the city center; its hunting grounds consisted of a human population in the millions as its ranks numbered to a couple hundred. They were by far the largest coven in the region with a history dating back to when humans first came to colonize these lands. 

Such a multitude of mouths to feed meant there were strict rules in place. These rules ranged from mundane guidelines like regularly checking in with the coven’s governing body to more tactical pieces like imposing a monthly limit on the number of hunts allowed. 

Many vampires in the coven had a human familiar, some mortal willing to serve as a blood bag either by coercion or trickery. Many vampires dangled a carrot in the form of promising to turn a faithful familiar after so many years of servitude, though few ever upheld their end of the deal. 

To be in a relationship the way that Xie Lian and Hua Cheng were, for both parties to regard one another as a romantic partner, was highly unusual. 

“So you want to ask me about the Blood Moon rite?” A man, no older in appearance than Xie Lian, asked as he slowly poured a decanter of red liquid into a glass. The thick substance gushed forth, leaving viscous trails of residue within the vessel, as a steady stream filled a crystal cup. 

Unsure who to turn to with his problems, Xie Lian had contacted the one vampire who’d known Hua Cheng the longest. 

“Yes. Jun Wu, thank you again for speaking with me on such short notice.” Xie Lian watched as the man took a deep sip from his glass, his back tensing when the other man let out a sigh of elation. It was always strange for him to watch others feed. 

And Jun Wu, notably, was a vampire who did not keep a familiar; instead preferring to procure his meals the old fashioned way. 

“Not at all. Anything for a fellow member of the coven.” The man grinned, his lips stained from his drink as he took a seat near Xie Lian before the fireplace. He dabbed at his mouth with a handkerchief before tucking the cloth back into his jacket’s breast pocket. 

Jun Wu was a vampire who always took a more forward approach with his immortality. While many vampires within their coven lived quite lavishly—a  perk of living long enough to accumulate wealth and learn from generations of human greed—Jun Wu took this to excess. He enjoyed masquerading as a businessman among humans and even headed up a corporate enterprise, much against the coven’s advice. 

The vampire did not care to maintain a low profile and he habitually wore a rotation of finely tailored suits regardless of the occasion. 

Even now, in his own home, the man was dressed as if he’d just walked out of a business meeting despite it already nearing midnight. His apartment was close to Hua Cheng’s. In fact, their buildings faced opposite of each other across the grand park at the center of the cityscape. Both high-rise towers were architectural feats whose builders’ rivalry was embodied through how the buildings mirrored each other, towering floors above the milling pedestrians below. 

“Ah.” Xie Lian smoothed the creases in his pants and fidgeted in his chair. He felt slightly nervous being alone with Jun Wu. Hua Cheng always forbade him from being with other vampires without his supervision, let alone to enter one’s home unaccompanied. 

Sensing his guest’s tension, Jun Wu put his fangs away. “I must say, I am surprised that you’ve come to me of all people. Hasn’t Hua Cheng explained this to you?”

“He explained the concept…” Xie Lian wondered how honest he should be. “But he keeps saying that I’m not ready yet and we need to wait until the next rite. I don’t understand why.”

“Oh?” The man lifted a brow and took another sip from his drink, a sly smile tugging at his lips. “Do I sense strife in paradise?” 

The vampire’s taunting tone was enough to make Xie Lian flush with embarrassment.

“He won’t turn you, will he?” Jun Wu’s words were like cold water washing over him. 

The brunette tensed as Jun Wu’s eyes began to emanate a soft silver glow. It was a sign the other was excited, hungry, or even aroused by this news. 

“Xie Lian, my dear Xie Lian. I thought you two weren’t like that? I thought you were afforded a special status.” The vampire leaned forwards in his seat to rest a hand on Xie Lian’s knee. His touch was featherlight but Xie Lian could feel the raw power balanced behind his hand. Maybe it was a mistake seeking the counsel of another. 

“I-I am.” The place where Jun Wu touched Xie Lian made his skin crawl but he allowed the touch to continue. “But Hua Cheng seems… reluctant to turn me and I want to understand why. You’ve known him long before we met. Has he ever said anything that would be an indicator?”

“You will forgive me if I say it’s selfishness.” Jun Wu offered with a small shrug. 

“How do you mean?”

“Think of it.” Jun Wu moved closer, his silver eyes flickering with the reflection of the flames in the fireplace. “You are his food source. If he were to turn you, he would be forced to hunt again. Or worse, take up a familiar.”

Xie Lian’s heart gave an unusual start then. He’d never thought about how—or what—Hua Cheng would eat if Xie Lian were turned. Until an idea occurred to him. 

“Could we not… feed each other?” Xie Lian asked innocently when Jun Wu threw his head back with laughter.

“Xie Lian! Dear me, what kinds of things is Hua Cheng doing with you behind closed doors? Vampires drinking from one another? How kinky.” The man made a show of wiping at his eyes, as if he was even capable of shedding tears, before calming down some. “No! A vampire needs blood, blood of the living, to survive. Our blood is stale and without nutrients.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know it was frowned upon.” Xie Lian’s face flamed beet red, his shame burning the tops of his ears. There was still so much he didn’t know of the vampire world. All of his knowledge was dependent on Hua Cheng but the latter didn’t like to speak of things in much detail to Xie Lian. “The coven provides rations, what of those?”

“Donated blood.” Jun Wu sneered, baring his fangs at the idea. “It tastes pitiful, without any richness. It’s better to hunt. The blood always tastes the most fresh when a prey’s heart is thumping.” 

The lewd look that the vampire gave Xie Lian was lost upon the brunette as he mulled over this information. 

“So what will you do?” Jun Wu released Xie Lian’s knee to drain the last of his drink, tracing a pointed fingernail along the cup’s rim.

“I guess…”

What could Xie Lian do? The power imbalance in his situation was too great. Hua Cheng had been adamant about Xie Lian remaining mortal, claiming it was for his own good. But what good was that if Xie Lian were to eventually fade away? Even supernatural powers had its limits when it came to something as powerful as death. 

Xie Lian would have to keep trying to convince Hua Cheng, maybe at next year’s Blood Moon he could—

“There is another way.” 

“How?” 

This was the first that Xie Lian had ever heard there could be other methods. 

“You don’t necessarily need Hua Cheng to be the one to turn you. Any member of our coven could do it. You’re bonded to the organism of the group, not the individual.” Jun Wu explained slowly, setting his cup aside. He turned his body towards Xie Lian and took the brunette’s hands in his own. “Why, even I could do it.”

“W-what?” Xie Lian gaped. “I’d never heard of this.”

He didn’t know much of vampire customs but the Blood Moon rite had always been made out to seem like a pact between two parties, like a sacred vow. Occasionally, Hua Cheng would vaguely reference his own turning but he’d never portrayed it as being able to be done by just anyone. 

“Vampires love traditions and old stuffy ways of going about things. There is no rule in who is allowed to turn whom, just the process to follow to ensure it works.” Jun Wu squeezed Xie Lian’s hands tightly, the many silvered rings adorning his fingers pinching Xie Lian. “This could be your solution.”

“I don’t…”

“Hmm?”

“I don’t know.” Xie Lian shook his head and gently pulled his hands free from Jun Wu’s grip. “I’m sure San Lang will eventually come around.” 

Something didn’t feel right, as if by accepting this proposal he’d be going behind Hua Cheng’s back. 

“Think of it, is it better to leave it up to chance?” The vampire scoffed, silver eyes flashing in what Xie Lian interpreted to be disappointment and disgust. “I pity you two. Two broken souls destined to meet, only to be divided by chaotic eternity. It’s so tragic, you could write a novel.”

Jun Wu’s comment stung but Xie Lian wasn’t sure what else he could do. He trusted Hua Cheng, there had to be a reason this fact had never arisen in their conversations. Unless Hua Cheng had simply chosen to omit this? The vampire seemed intent on keeping Xie Lian mortal so maybe he wouldn’t volunteer such information out of worry with what Xie Lian would do with it. 

Jun Wu had been around for as long as Hua Cheng had been. They’d both spent centuries in this form so he must know what he was speaking of. 

“I’m just worried what Hua Cheng would say when he finds out.”

“What could he do if it’s already done?” Jun Wu asked, snorting at the notion. “Once turned, you are turned. He’ll get over it quick enough.”

“How would this work? If we are to go through with it?” Xie Lian rubbed at his arm and stared into the fireplace, his stomach churning. 

It felt wrong to go against Hua Cheng’s wishes like this but if he didn’t do this, then what? Would he be doomed with pestering Hua Cheng for the rest of his days asking to be turned? 

Time was precious, even if it was moving at a significantly reduced speed for the brunette.

“Hmm but what would you do for me?” Jun Wu smiled, his gaze roaming Xie Lian’s form once more. 

“Sorry?”

“What’s in it for me?” The vampire cocked a brow, “Surely you don’t expect me to give you eternal life without something in return. So what have you to offer?”

“Oh.” Xie Lian immediately reached into his coat pockets, rummaging for his wallet. “I have some money with me now and I get paid next week. I can offer you that if you think it’s enough.”

“I don’t want mortal money. For an exchange like this, I would expect something of greater value. Something more significant.” Jun Wu fluttered his hand as if in thought, making a rolling motion as he listed off his desires. “Something more special.”

“I’m not sure what to offer you.” Xie Lian fiddled with his coat sleeve, racking his brain of anything of value he had to his name.

Xie Lian preferred to collect items that had sentimental value rather than associated material wealth. The most expensive things he owned were all likely gifts from Hua Cheng that the vampire had forced on Xie Lian. But Xie Lian did not want to necessarily part with any of those out of remembrance. 

What did he have that a vampire could possibly want? 

Except for…

“Your blood perhaps?” Jun Wu threw it out there, as if he’d only thought of it now. “That would be a fair exchange in my eyes.”

“H-how much of my blood?” Xie Lian frowned. He didn’t like the idea of another feeding from him but he quickly understood this was likely his most valuable asset. 

“Not a lot, only enough for a nice meal.” Jun Wu shrugged, “It’s not like you’ll be needing it soon if you were to agree.”

“…”

Xie Lian remained silent, weighing the offer put before him. 

He wanted to be with Hua Cheng until the end of days but was this the manner to do so? 

“Our coven has that gathering the eve of the Blood Moon. You can tell me your decision then.” The vampire rose to his feet, signaling Xie Lian’s welcome had ended. “I’ll see you out.”

The hour was late and Xie Lian still needed to catch a train back to his apartment. 

“I will consider your very generous offer. Thank you, Jun Wu.”  Xie Lian nodded, thanking the vampire as he was escorted towards the door. He did not expect for the man to follow him out and shut the door after him. 

Under the fluorescent lights of the hallway, Jun Wu’s features revealed his true nature. His skin shined with a deathly pallor, his silver eyes sharp and ominous, as he laced his fingers above his head to stretch out his back. 

His body gave an awful cracking sound, enough to make Xie Lian squirm. When the man stopped, he sighed contentedly and slapped Xie Lian on the shoulder, ushering the shorter man towards the elevators. 

“All this talk of turning has whet my appetite.” The man laughed with a fanged grin. “I think I’ll pop out for a midnight treat.” 

Time had passed quickly with the approach of the coven gathering coming before Xie Lian could come to terms with the choice placed before him.

In the weeks leading up to the eve of the Blood Moon, Xie Lian and Hua Cheng had little contact. The latter was trying to be respectful of Xie Lian’s wishes for space, attempting to check in on Xie Lian when the other would allow but generally keeping a distance. 

Xie Lian was not blind, he could sense the lurking presence of the other when he would walk home from work in the evenings, carefully watching him from afar. He didn’t even raise a fuss when he would find the occasional bag of groceries on his doorstep either. 

There would never be a note or any symbol of apology. Hua Cheng was not this way but Xie Lian knew this time part was having an equal toll on the vampire. 

On the eve of the Blood Moon, Xie Lian had found himself climbing the steps of a fine marble building situated among the equally fine townhomes in the ritzy part of the city. Before he’d even walked through the door, he could hear the muffled music and laughter from inside. 

The atmosphere of the coven gathering was overwhelming in its magnitude of bacchanalian behavior and boisterousness. Vampires in all manner of dazzling dress filled each room with chattering delight, many of them toasting with champagne flutes overpouring with sustenance while others had striking red stains down the fronts of their shirts from spilt gluttony. 

A few vampires had taken to simply drinking from their familiars, clutching their humans close as they reclined back against lavish fainting couches. It was an erotic sight emphasized by the soft moans of those being drunk from.

Xie Lian averted his eyes and walked faster through the halls, dodging vampire couples making out against the walls and various items of discarded clothing that littered the floor. 

He needed to find Jun Wu and tell the vampire that he’d made his decision. 

But before he could venture further into the house, he found his path blocked by two others. They stood shoulder-to-shoulder, taking up the full width of the hallway and preventing Xie Lian from advancing any further into the coven’s nest.

“You there.” One of them spoke, his features as bland as the other who stood beside him. “What are you doing here?”

Xie Lian did not recognize either man; not that he knew everyone in the coven, but he was familiar enough with the various faces.  

“I belong to this coven. I am here for the gathering, same as you.” Xie Lian frowned, trying to figure out if he could simply push between the two when the one who had not spoken yet hissed. 

“You belong to the coven? Where is your vampire then?” He mocked as both took a step closer to square up with Xie Lian. “You don’t look like you’ve been bitten in weeks.”

“Yeah, he doesn’t. What are you really doing here?” The other added, green irises glowing. 

“I told you.” Xie Lian didn’t waiver, pushing down the tremor of fear that shot through him when one of them began to eye him from head to toe. “My partner is inside, I’m trying to find him.”

His choice of words resulted in both vampires sharing a look of disbelief. They didn’t believe him and Xie Lian did not like the air of smugness about them.

“Partner? You think too highly of yourself, blood bag.” One of the vampires spat, sniggering as he nudged his companion. “How do you know that your master isn’t in there enjoying another human?”

Xie Lian stood there, hands clenched at his sides, as the two laughed. This was the only hall that led to the back staircase to access the rest of the house. He would have to find his way around these two somehow.

“Excuse me but I really need to find my partner now.” Xie Lian spotted an opening, attempting to sidestep around them when they blocked his path once more.

“You’re not going anywhere, not a discarded pet like you. If you’re so desperate for a vampire’s company, why don’t you let us take care of you?” 

“Double the pleasure, double the fun. We give as good as we take.” The other leered, reaching out as if to touch Xie Lian. 

The brunette quickly hopped backwards, threatened by that menacing hand. It was a mistake, a natural instinct from his biological reaction of fight or flight, and it greatly stirred the two. There was nothing more thrilling than the chase of the hunt. The more the prey resisted, the better. He was just about to turn heel and run when a sudden presence came up from behind him.

“Do not touch what is not yours.” A cool voice hissed, intercepting that seeking hand in a vice grip and twisting the vampire’s arm. 

There was the audible sound of bone cracking as the vampire hollered out in pain, falling to his knees when the person gripping him continued to twist until the arm was at an unnatural angle. 

A man, dressed in a black satin tuxedo and vermillion shirt, stood over the pained vampire. The man’s long hair was gathered into a low ponytail at his neck, a red pearl ring on one finger, with his fangs bared as he hissed at his victim. 

“Ow! Ow, fuck! Let go of me!” The kneeling vampire wailed, trying to pry the other’s grip from him. Instead, that man only sunk his fingers in deeper, twisting the arm more as he snarled cruelly.  

There was murderous look in Hua Cheng’s eyes. 

“San Lang, stop!” Xie Lian shouted, watching in horror as his lover seemed intent on twisting that arm until it popped off. “I’m fine, please!”

“We didn’t know this was your human!” The other’s companion pleaded, watching as his friend struggled. “We wouldn’t have touched him had we known!”

“Is that your excuse?” Hua Cheng laughed darkly, crimson eyes simmering with rage. He glowered down at the one he’d trapped, as if evaluating what he wanted to do next when a new voice called to diffuse the situation.   

“Hua Cheng, compose yourself.” Jun Wu appeared from one of the side rooms, stalking down the hallway to the scene. 

He seized Hua Cheng by the arm and snarled at the other, both men’s gazes burning as they faced off. They bared their fangs at each other, neither backing down for a few moments. Energy fizzled and cracked between them, manifesting in red and silver jolts of electricity, as they tested one another. 

Xie Lian had only seen his lover this upset a few times before, all of which involved Xie Lian being placed in some form of danger. Hua Cheng was not one to pick fights with others but tensions were high this close to the Blood Moon. Each vampire’s limits would be tested as the urge to fuck, feed, and fight roared within them. 

Then, finally, Hua Cheng released the injured man’s arm. 

He raised one endless leg and gave the man a good kick to the side, snapping before he stepped away, “Get out of my sight if you want to keep your head.”

The kneeling vampire looked petrified, hugging his arm to himself where it hung limply at his side, while his companion helped him to his feet. They muttered some half-hearted apology before quickly retreating into the darkness of the house, pushing through the throng of onlookers who had taken pause from their festivities to voyeuristically view the scene. 

It was not in a vampire’s nature to help others. No one would have intervened had Jun Wu not stepped in. 

“Go back to your fun, everyone.” Jun Wu smiled, eyes like slits, as he clapped his hands. “Show’s over.”

There was a soft grumbling among the crowd, wicked smiles and hushed giggles, as the coven returned to their vices. Within a matter of moments, the three men were left to themselves in the hallway; each waiting for the other to speak first in this strange quandary. 

“Um…” Xie Lian started first, feeling it fell to him, “Thank you both. I’m sorry to cause any trouble.”

“Oh, Xie Lian–” Jun Wu began when Hua Cheng sharply interjected.

“You don’t need to apologize.” His brow furrowed, his disappointment with himself evident. “You did nothing wrong. I’m sorry that I wasn’t here sooner.”

“O-okay.” Jun Wu looked between both men. The awkward tension was palpable and it was offsetting the vampire’s feeding high. He clucked his tongue and said to Xie Lian, “Why don’t you two catch up and we can chat later, hmm?”

“Oh!” Xie Lian blushed. “Right.”

That was right. He still needed to give Jun Wu an answer, tell the vampire if he was accepting his offer or not. 

Hua Cheng said nothing of this exchange, studying his lover as he bid farewell to the other vampire. 

Xie Lian had come appropriately outfitted as a human companion. Tonight was a night of debauchery and decadence as the dress code required black tie attire. To complement his partner, Xie Lian wore a cream colored dinner jacket that emphasized his lithe frame. It was a double-breasted piece with black lapels accented with a single red carnation. His hair was parted at the center, cascading his jaw-length locks to fan out alluringly around his oval face. 

The man looked breathtaking and after keeping a distance for so long, Hua Cheng found it difficult to keep his hands to himself. All he wanted to do was take Xie Lian into his arms but he had to be mindful this would be the first time in weeks the two would be afforded time to speak like this. 

“Xie Lian,” He spoke hesitantly, “You’re sure that you’re alright?”

Hua Cheng appeared gaunt, his eyes rimmed with dark shadows, as his fangs protruded over his lip. It was clear that the vampire had not fed in weeks. 

“I’m fine.” Xie Lian stepped closer, inspecting the taller man’s features. “What about you? It looks like you’ve been starving yourself.”

“You know I don’t like to drink from anyone other than you.” Hua Cheng reminded. 

He looked so uncharacteristically fragile and the sight made Xie Lian’s heart ache.

“I’ve missed you.” The brunette confessed, “It’s been hard not seeing you for these past few weeks.”

Hua Cheng sighed heavily and backed Xie Lian up against the wall, crowding closer so that they could speak more privately in the darkness of the hallway. Around, the sounds of merriment and music carried from nearby rooms but they were utterly alone. He rested his weight in his forearm against the wall above Xie Lian’s head, boxing the other in as he confessed. “It has been hell for me. I can’t think, I can’t rest, I can’t function knowing how upset that I’ve made you.”

“San Lang…” Xie Lian whispered softly. 

“I don’t want us to fight about this anymore.” The vampire continued, “It’s not worth losing you over.”

“I don’t want us to fight either.”

“But please, don’t let it be Jun Wu.” Hua Cheng gritted his teeth, his handsome features twisting with a pained expression. “I’ll do it. Let it be me.”

“W-what?” Xie Lian blinked. 

“I know.” Hua Cheng said morosely, “I know that Jun Wu has offered to change you.”

Hua Cheng knew. 

He knew of Xie Lian’s talk with Jun Wu, his proposal to turn the human behind Hua Cheng’s back. 

Xie Lian felt a twist in the pit of his stomach. He needed to explain himself before his lover misunderstood.

“He did offer. But I was going to decline.” Xie Lian shook his head. “I know how against it you feel and I wouldn’t want to be turned if it wasn’t by you. I know you don’t want me to become a vampire so I’ve come to accept that. I’m happy if I can spend the rest of my mortal life with you.”

“It’s more complicated than that.” Hua Cheng laughed bitterly, lifting a hand to gently caress Xie Lian’s cheek. “I want us to be together until the end of time but you need to understand what you’re giving up. I wasn’t given a choice when I was turned. I was on the brink of death on the battlefield when my sire turned me. I thought I wanted eternal life until I realized what a trapped hell it is… that is until I met you.”

“Oh San Lang.” Xie Lian wrapped his arms around the man’s waist and hugged him. He’d never heard the vampire’s story of turning until now. “I want it, I really do. I’m ready to take this step with you.”

“If it really means that much to you.” Hua Cheng sighed, admitting his defeat. “I will change you tomorrow by the Blood Moon rite.”

“You mean that much to me.” Xie Lian breathed, burying his face into the other’s chest as he sniffed back his tears. “You are my reason for living, my reason for eternity.”

“Xie Lian,” The dark haired man kissed the top of his head, hands stroking his back, “I will spend every minute of it cherishing you so that you won’t regret it.”

“I could never regret it if it means being with you.” Xie Lian tipped his chin up to look at his lover’s face. 

“Let’s go home.” Hua Cheng whispered, his voice like honey while his touch was like fire against Xie Lian’s skin. 

Hua Cheng languidly pumped his hips, thrusting deep and sharp into Xie Lian. 

They’d barely made it through the doors home to Hua Cheng’s apartment when the dark haired man had stripped Xie Lian bare and tossed him onto the bed. 

“Nhh! San Lang!”

The brunette gasped, tossing his head to the side to rasp through the mind numbing pleasure, while Hua Cheng gazed admiringly down at him. 

The man looked like a scene of licentious sin; his eyes glazed with wanton lust, his bottom lip ruddy from being dragged under his teeth, his most intimate area flushed and spread wide around Hua Cheng’s cock.

Hua Cheng squeezed Xie Lian’s thighs, getting a firmer grasp on where it was the most meaty for better leverage, before he rolled his body and pumped into the strewn man once more. 

“A-ah!” Xie Lian cried out, his back arching off the bed in both discomfort and pleasure as he felt Hua Cheng bury to hilt within him. His body felt full, his stomach bulging slightly below his navel, as the curve of Hua Cheng’s length pressed up against his insides. 

His lover was quite well endowed and rare was the occasion that he’d fully enter Xie Lian like this. The meaning was not lost upon Xie Lian that Hua Cheng had chosen to push him to his utmost limit tonight. 

“Does it hurt?” Hua Cheng asked through a mess of inky hair, long bangs falling around his angular jaw, crimson eyes glowing softly with his aroused state. He knew how Xie Lian would answer but he asked regardless. 

“No.” The man, beautiful in his fair skin and blushing cheeks, returned. The vampire eyed him, his partner and his prey, studying the delicate line of his collar bones and his heaving chest. Beads of sweat slicked his lithe body, his heartbeat audible to Hua Cheng’s inhuman hearing, as the brunette shyly raised a hand to caress the other’s face. “You could never hurt me.”

Hua Cheng caught that hand and pressed a quick kiss to Xie Lian’s wrist; licking across supple skin before he sank his fangs in. 

“San Lang!” Xie Lian moaned weakly, his own slender cock twitching where it lay against his stomach. His body sang in aphrodisiac-induced orgasmic bliss while Hua Cheng drank deeply from him. The larger man gripped the other’s hand, their fingers threaded tightly together, glowing eyes watching Xie Lian’s pleasured expression as he fed. 

With each suck, Xie Lian could feel the blood surge through his veins towards Hua Cheng’s waiting mouth. The vampire was careful to not spill even a drop, suckling on the bite, and laving at the two pinpoint holes when he was finished. 

“Fuck, you taste so good.” Hua Cheng groaned, his fangs fully visible between parted bloodied lips, as he dipped his head backwards. The dark haired man shuddered, his cock pulsating within Xie Lian’s warm body, as he felt the brunette’s blood flow through him. 

There was no sweeter taste in the world. He’d spent a millennia sustaining on the tasteless or tangy sustenance of the poor fools that dared cross his path, convinced that this was the only way. Finding Xie Lian, drinking from him that very first time, had startled Hua Cheng awake from a life void of excitement. For the first time since his turning, he felt true elation and the beginnings of an insatiable hunger. From that moment on, he knew that nothing would ever compare to this…

Compare to his sweet little human. 

It was Xie Lian’s soft whimpering that pulled Hua Cheng from his reverie; the being looking like the true apex predator that he was as he stared down his muscled abdomen to where Xie Lian was skewered on his length. 

“San Lang,” The brunette moaned, his entrance flexing and contracting around the other, “Please…”

Seeing this sight, this feast laid out before and begging to be taken, made Hua Cheng growl. The man inched his hips forwards, pressing into what little space remained within the brunette’s inner cavities, and smirked, “You want me to fuck you?”

“Nhh!” Xie Lian blushed, hands coming to cover his eyes in embarrassment, as his dick leaked messily on his stomach. 

“Hmm?” Hua Cheng teased, grinding in small circles as Xie Lian whimpered with the stimulation. 

He pried open Xie Lian’s legs, holding them out and wide, as to get a better look to where their bodies were connected. With this new position, it also allowed him to lock Xie Lian’s body flush to his own; even in spite of the brunette’s attempts to rock against him for friction. 

“San Lang, please, don’t tease me.” Xie Lian begged, tears welling in the corner of his eyes, as he tried to little avail to move his hips. Hua Cheng held firm, fingers digging into the tops of Xie Lian’s thighs, holding him still as Xie Lian squirmed. 

“I want to hear you say it.” The vampire returned, a hint of begging in his own voice, as those crimson eyes met Xie Lian’s. Behind a heavy fan of dark eyelashes and irises glowing like wildfire, there was a touch of insecurity. 

Xie Lian struggled to prop himself up on his elbows, grunting softly as this bowed angle now further pushed his weight further down onto Hua Cheng, to trail a soft kiss to the man’s chin. 

“I want you to show me that I’m yours.” Xie Lian said breathlessly, clenching around Hua Cheng for emphasis. 

Those words were enough to drive Hua Cheng feral. 

The man drew his hips back, pulling out of Xie Lian until only the flared head of his cock remained sheathed, before slamming forwards in one deep thrust. The sound of their slapping skin echoed throughout the bedroom, Xie Lian’s high pitched shriek accompanying it, as the vampire’s length hit something deep inside him. 

Xie Lian panted, shoulders trembling, as he tucked his chin to his chest and closed his eyes tight. He bit into his lower lip hard, hard enough to draw blood. 

“Like this? You want me to fuck you hard like this?” Hua Cheng rumbled, pleased at the reaction he’d pulled from the other. “I was planning on being gentle with you but this works too.”

He watched as a rubied droplet of blood bled from the plumpness of Xie Lian’s lip and deeply inhaled the scent of iron in the air. He was already stirred up enough as it was from his earlier feeding and he wasn’t sure he could maintain control if Xie Lian insisted on egging him on like this.

Their lovemaking was passionate, fervent, but not dangerous. Even at his most aroused, Hua Cheng always managed to keep some level of decorum. But tonight, with it being so close to the Blood Moon, his restraint would be tested.

“Hah… nhh…” Xie Lian was not even afforded a moment to answer before Hua Cheng was pulling back his hips and spearing through him again. “A-ahn!”

This time, Xie Lian fell back into the bedding; his long elegant neck bared as he threw his head back to moan out in ecstasy. His hands found purchase among the pillows, his eyes squeezed shut, as he felt Hua Cheng’s hot girth open up his insides with each inward thrust. 

Hua Cheng hissed, clenching the muscles in his rear before snapping sharply back into Xie Lian’s quivering body again. The brunette’s rim fluttered around the vampire, erratically contracting in a failed attempt to keep Hua Cheng buried within him.

Hua Cheng’s pistoning hips were rewarded with a loud wail from Xie Lian each time as the brunette’s hands fisted the pillows around his head. 

“Xie Lian,” The dark haired man chanted, tightening his core muscles so that he could snap faster and harder into the warm pliant body beneath him, “Xie Lian, you feel so good.”

His thrusts carried enough force that would have sent Xie Lian sliding up the bed if not for the bruising hold on the latter’s thighs. Hua Cheng descended upon the other, absolutely wrecking him, like this was the last time they’d ever make love; and in a way it is. 

It would be the last time that Xie Lian would gasp for breath like this—and need it, it would be the last time that Xie Lian’s heart would feel like it was about to burst from his chest, and it would be the last time that Hua Cheng would need to remain mindful of how roughly he handled the brunette.

Hua Cheng pushed down the conflict still swirling within him and redirected that restless energy into tumbling Xie Lian even more passionately. He worshiped every inch of skin that he could get his hands or mouth on, leaving a trail of lovemarks in his wake as he sucked and nibbled on Xie Lian’s delicate flesh from head to toe. He savored the warmth of the lithe man’s body in his icy clutches and wallowed at the loss of never again seeing the beautiful full blush across the other’s cheeks. 

He wanted to commit every reaction, every sensation of touch to memory; to burn this version of Xie Lian into his mind as he knew after tomorrow evening, the brunette would never exist like this again. 

“S-San Lang!” Xie Lian mewled, pawing at the other man’s arms; leaving claw marks in his wake. 

Hua Cheng’s larger form rutted above him; his hips keeping a punishing and inhuman pace as Xie Lian’s body convulsed in overstimulation. The brunette didn’t know what to focus on, whether to pay attention to his neglected reddened cock or to try and attempt to meet the vampire’s thrusts in time. The man kept alternating his pace from short deep jolts to long plundering rams that rendered Xie Lian incapable of a coherent sentence. 

“W-wait— ngh! S-San— oh fuck!” Tears beaded at the corners of Xie Lian’s eyes, his mind jumping from one thought to the next as his body sang each time Hua Cheng nailed that bundle of nerves within him. 

He’d never been taken this roughly before, this desperately by Hua Cheng. His vision danced with dots as he felt stomach tighten with each inward plunge, as if his organs were rearranging themselves around the intrusion. 

All he could do was take it.

“You’re so beautiful.” The man maneuvered their forms so Xie Lian’s legs were thrown over his shoulder and he could bend the brunette in half. This new position pushed Hua Cheng to his deepest yet within the human and Xie Lian briefly wondered if this would finally be the time he blacked out during their sex. 

Between sandwiched milky thighs, Xie Lian’s cock gave an involuntary twitch; emotions rushed through him as the folded man released onto his chest.

“Ah—nhh!” He came with a cry, his toes curling, as cum landed everywhere from his sternum to his neck. He whipped his chin to the side and quivered, his body clenching down powerfully around where Hua Cheng was still buried within him.  

Xie Lian could barely catch his breath with how awestruck he was left from his orgasm. Every inch of his body buzzed with sizzling energy as his ears rang. The brunette swallowed, glazed eyes crossing when he felt Hua Cheng nudge a bit closer. 

“Ngh!”

He was entirely too full and his body too sensitive for another round but his libido yearned for more. This burning desire running like fire through his veins wouldn’t die that easily. The vampire’s saliva, clinging to his skin and entering his bloodstream at the bite site, had set off a chemical reaction in Xie Lian’s brain that demanded the vampire keep using him until he was done. 

And judging from how rock hard the other was and the wild look in his eyes at the sight of Xie Lian’s unraveling, Hua Cheng was far from done. 

“We will be together forever.” The vampire vowed, his hair dark and untamed, as he leaned downwards to press a kiss to Xie Lian’s sputtering lips. He made a point of licking at the dried blood leftover from when Xie Lian had bitten his lip earlier. He dragged his tongue slowly over the wound, groaning in deep satisfaction at the sweet taste of his lover in his mouth. 

“Yes,” Xie Lian sobbed, his heart squeezing in his chest from how happy those words made him, “Forever.”

Xie Lian gazed up at him, this dangerously handsome man, and sank his teeth into the fullness of his lower lip again. He bit down hard, hard enough to reopen old wounds, so that he was bleeding once more. 

Blood trickled from his savaged flesh, pooling at the corner of his mouth before slipping down his chin. 

“Xie Lian…” Hua Cheng murmured softly, his eyes becoming ablaze in crimson fury as they glowed with their strongest intensity yet. 

This was the final straw in breaking Hua Cheng’s resolve. It was one thing to be able to feed during their lovemaking but it was an entirely different matter for Xie Lian to be offering himself up like this, maiming himself to entice the vampire to take another bite. 

Hua Cheng’s cock throbbed within Xie Lian as he inhaled sharply, watching in fascination as the trickling path dripped a few droplets from Xie Lian’s lip.

“My love for you is eternal.” The man pressed a soft kiss to Xie Lian’s bloodied lips. 

“As is mine for you.”

“No matter your form.”

He sucked at the brunette’s mouth softly, a surprisingly tender and heartfelt moment considering how fevered he’d been with Xie Lian earlier. As they kissed, Xie Lian’s length tingled with arousal, quickly reviving from its softened state as Hua Cheng moaned lowly as their mouths met. 

He paid special attention to the gash in Xie Lian’s lip, trading off between sucking the fullness of the man’s lower lip to licking boldly across it. As Hua Cheng kissed him, Xie Lian could begin to feel the points of the vampire’s fangs starting to catch increasingly more as he nipped playfully. 

“Mmm.” The vampire groaned, lightly running Xie Lian’s lip between his teeth to a renewed wave of blood. He sloppily drank it up, peppering the brunette’s face with kitten licks when some spilled from his hungry mouth. 

“S-San Lang…”

Between their pressed bodies, Xie Lian worked to open his legs so that the other could rest between them. He gently brought his leg across Hua Cheng’s chest, gasping softly when a cold hand seized him by the knee to fully open up his form. Hua Cheng sank home, slating their forms together, as his forearms came to rest on either side besides Xie Lian’s head. 

This new angle granted him deeper access to Xie Lian’s mouth… and body. 

His kisses began to pick up in passion, delving his tongue into Xie Lian’s mouth, as he began to slowly rock into the brunette’s body. 

“Ohh.” Xie Lian whimpered into their kiss, able to clearly taste the tart bitterness of blood shared between their melding mouths. 

Their tongues danced with blood tainted kisses as Hua Cheng rolled his hips into Xie Lian’s form, purposely pressing upwards and grinding himself in a circular motion where he was buried within the other.

Xie Lian’s eyes fluttered, his mouth chasing after Hua Cheng’s when the latter ducked his face into the crook of Xie Lian’s neck. 

“So beautiful.” Hua Cheng huffed against his shoulder, leaving one last hot kiss to his sweaty skin before the vampire sank his fangs into the flesh there.

“Ngh! San Lang!” Xie Lian jolted, equally surprised and aroused as Hua Cheng greedily drank from him. The vampire latched deep and hard into the brunette’s shoulder before resuming his conquest.

He thrust sharply into Xie Lian, his back slightly hunched so that he could continue to feed as he moved in and out. Xie Lian’s hole had become so softened from their lovemaking that it easily swallowed Hua Cheng back in, his body emitting squelching sounds as the vampire moved.

Xie Lian’s length was already fully hard once again, bobbing and slapping up against his abdomen as he lifted his hips off the bed to provide Hua Cheng a better angle. He tightened his core muscles and moaned loudly, looping his arms around Hua Cheng’s neck as the vampire deliciously filled him.

He craved the feeling of the other’s length sliding through him as Hua Cheng took him with long deep thrusts, his cock jumping each time the vampire snapped forwards. 

“San Lang, San Lang, San Lang.” Xie Lian fussed with the man’s long silky hair, brushing it away from the broad muscular back that Xie Lian clung so desperately too. He tipped his chin up and moaned brokenly, locking his legs around Hua Cheng’s waist to encourage the man to increase his pace. “S-so good!”

Hua Cheng hummed in acknowledgment, pulling from Xie Lian’s neck with a throaty moan as blood slipped down his bared fangs. 

“You want me to make you feel really good?” The dark haired man licked at his lips, swiping through the residue there as he took in Xie Lian’s dazed expression.

The brunette was flushed red, his hair fanned around his head among bloodied pillowcases, as his skin blossomed with purple bruising from where Hua Cheng had handled him too roughly. Come tomorrow night, those spots would be gone and Xie Lian’s skin would be able to remain virtually unmarred for all of time. But for tonight, those spots made Hua Cheng feel a deep-seated sense of pride and possessiveness. 

He cupped Xie Lian’s waist in his hands, able to almost make his thumbs touch where the brunette was the most slight near his navel. All sorts of dirty thoughts raced through his mind seeing that slim waist. 

“Yes,” Xie Lian croaked, he’d be reaching his limit soon, “I want you to make me feel good.”

“Hmm, I’m going to turn you around.” Hua Cheng flipped Xie Lian over, maneuvering the man to come to rest on his hands and knees. He spat on Xie Lian’s entrance and slipped his cock back into the man before the brunette could complain.

Xie Lian squeaked, his arms shaking as he was suddenly forced to support his own weight. 

It had been much easier when he’d been spread out amongst the pillows. He dug his knees into the bedding as he readjusted to the feeling of Hua Cheng buried within him, his slender cock hanging down between his legs. 

“There.” Hua Cheng rumbled, admiring the fine curve of Xie Lian’s back and how the blades of his narrow shoulders shifted as he prepared himself to take all that Hua Cheng planned to give. 

His beautiful, beautiful human. So delicate and fair like porcelain. 

“San Lang, I want to come.” Xie Lian hung his head and shook his hips, upturning his bottom and pressing further down onto Hua Cheng’s searing cock. He fisted the sheets and moaned a little, eyes rolling back in his head. 

Xie Lian’s body was sensitive enough that he had to be careful. His mind was abuzz with arousal, his every pore crying out for the itching need to climax to end. His earlier release had only granted him temporary release but now he could feel that hunger building within him again. 

He took a few moments to fuck himself back onto Hua Cheng’s length, making small noises of ecstasy as the vampire stoically observed his human use him like a toy for pleasure. 

The dark haired man watched as the plumpness of Xie Lian’s rear rippled each time his bottom came to kiss Hua Cheng’s hips, smirking when Xie Lian increased his pace and the resulting motion became accompanied by a sharp slapping sound. 

“Oh!” Xie Lian closed his eyes, his body finding the right rhythm as he sank himself back onto Hua Cheng again and again. 

Each time, he was able to push back a little further but soon the sensation of being filled was not enough. He tried dipping his back more, hoping the position would alleviate his desire but it only made him crave more. 

“San Lang.” Xie Lian whined, his elbows locked as he pushed all of his weight backwards. He could feel the head of Hua Cheng’s cock filling him, stuffing him, and he squeezed powerfully around the base. “You said…”

“Shh.” The vampire hushed, seizing Xie Lian by his wrists to take hold of the smaller man.

Xie Lian pitched forwards into the bedding with a yelp, his body naturally bowing forwards as Hua Cheng held the brunette’s arms extended behind him. Xie Lian managed to peek over his shoulder, his stomach flipping in excitement at the dark glint in the vampire’s eye. 

“I’m going to make you feel good now.” The man shook some stray hair from his face and grinned, white tips of his fangs peeking out between thin curved lips. The vampire’s form was backlit against the pale moonlight streaking through the apartment windows, the dulled glow of the city skyline in the distance, as the shadows highlighted every dip and hollow to the man’s muscled physique. 

He looked haunting in his beauty and for this man, Xie Lian would willingly sacrifice his humanity a hundred times over.

“Let’s make sure you remember well your last time being fucked by me while human.” Hua Cheng’s taunting words would have made Xie Lian gasp if not for the loud wail the vampire earned from him when he snapped forwards. 

The vampire used his leverage on Xie Lian’s wrists to pull the brunette’s body back against him, meeting the man’s bottom sharply when he thrust forward. 

“A-ah— San Lang! Nhh!” Xie Lian shrieked, his head hanging forwards as a bit of spittle flew from his mouth with his shout. 

Hua Cheng had nailed his prostate dead-on. All of their earlier tumbling was mere foreplay to the vampire. Now he meant business, now was the part where his lover would reduce him to a sniveling mess. 

“You’re so deep!” Xie Lian sobbed, his throat felt full from how deeply Hua Cheng was seated within him. 

“Fuck, you still have one hell of a bite.” Hua Cheng hissed, watching as Xie Lian’s reddened rim puckered and stretched around him where their bodies were connected. Even he was amazed at the admirable manner Xie Lian’s body was able to take every torturous inch of cock, swallowing him whole. 

A single bead of sweat raced down the brunette’s bowed back, sliding between the two dimples above the brunette’s delicious ass.  

Hua Cheng adjusted his hold on Xie Lian and repeated the action, smirking as the symphony of their connecting bodies echoed throughout the bedroom while Xie Lian drooled. 

“Ah! Ngh, San Lang.” Xie Lian dug his knees deeper into the bed, spreading himself wider so that he could brace himself when Hua Cheng nailed that spot again. He bit his lip and whimpered, his cock bouncing from the force of when their hips connected as he dribbled precum across the sheets. 

He relaxed into Hua Cheng’s hold, allowing himself to go slack so that the vampire was supporting his weight, his shoulder sockets burning slightly as Hua Cheng continued fucking into him like a ragdoll. Each thrust had the vampire’s cock pressing against all the right places as Xie Lian urged him on.

“So good! Right there—oh! You feel so good.”

Hua Cheng’s hips picked up momentum, his balls slapping against the brunette’s ass as he rode Xie Lian hard. Judging from the hissing and snarling sounds falling past his lover’s lips, Hua Cheng was far gone. 

“I want to come! Make me come, San Lang!” Xie Lian begged, his voice punctured by thrusts as his hands desperately scraped from something to hold onto. Hua Cheng rotated his grip, both men grabbing onto each other’s wrists for a more secure hold, as the vampire’s length speared in and out of him. 

“Let’s come together.” Hua Cheng barely managed the words, dragging Xie Lian back against him as he bucked wildly.

“I’m going to come. Oh fuck, San Lang, San Lang!” 

Xie Lian choked, his orgasm rocking through him with a sheer magnitude that would have rendered him unconscious if not for the way Hua Cheng suddenly yanked him upright. The man held Xie Lian to his chest, sinking his fangs into the side of Xie Lian’s neck while the brunette shot out across the sheets.

“A-ah! No, San Lang! San Lang— Mmm!” 

A rush of emotions exploded within Xie Lian, his form twitching in his lover’s strong hold as his cock continued spurting out cum in arcs, along with an additional clear fluid. He squeezed his eyes shut and moaned, contracting around Hua Cheng as the man jerked up into him.

The vampire made a strangled sound, holding Xie Lian tight, biting down harder into his neck as Xie Lian felt the other pulse within him. A powerful warmth coated his insides, filling him in a way that made him feel impossibly full. 

Hua Cheng’s cock throbbed, wave after wave of cum surging into him until it began to seep back out.

“Oh,” Xie Lian huffed, his eyes still closed from the intensity of it all, “San Lang, wow.”

He sagged, mindless and depleted, in his lover’s arms as the vampire lightly eased him from his lap. The dark haired man scooped Xie Lian beneath his armpits, gingerly lifting the man off his cock when a rush of cum gushed loose. 

Xie Lian groaned softly, his hole winking now that it was no longer filled.

The brunette was thoroughly debauched—his hair a mess, a string of cum dangling from his cock—as Hua Cheng gently laid him down on the bed. 

“There we go.” Hua Cheng murmured, petting Xie Lian’s head as the winded man panted shallowly. “Just breathe.”

“A-are you trying to kill me?” Xie Lian laughed, his cheek squished against the mattress. He laughed shakily, coughing when his throat caught. It felt sore from how vocal he’d been during their romp.

Hua Cheng laughed, a genuine warm sound that made Xie Lian’s toes curl, as the man began to soothingly stroke Xie Lian’s sweaty back. 

It was a sound that brought a smile to Xie Lian’s face; that made him feel safe, loved.

It was a sound that Xie Lian was looking forward to hearing for the rest of eternity. 

“Should we really be out in the daylight like this?” Xie Lian asked, eyeing his lover in worry as they strolled down the sunlit path.

Elm trees, hundreds of years old, loomed overhead with their barren branches slowly rustling in the crisp breeze. The park was relatively empty at this hour, only entertained by a few joggers and dog walkers. 

After their tumble the evening prior, Xie Lian would have been happy to rest in bed all day until the time of the turning. But Hua Cheng had risen early, forcing Xie Lian to join him for a walk for some withheld reason. 

“It’ll be fine.” The sun was a mere annoyance to a vampire of Hua Cheng’s age, like a grit of sand in an eye, but it posed no real danger. 

The pair walked hand in hand, meandering down stone walkways and passing slumbering planting beds when Xie Lian spotted another presence in their path ahead. 

A young gentleman sat before an art easel, a paintbrush and palette in hand, with his back to the couple. Before him was a large canvas but without a stroke of paint on it.

Xie Lian did not think much of it until Hua Cheng suddenly called to the man.

“Yin Yu!” 

Xie Lian blinked, not expecting for his lover to know the man when Hua Cheng pulled him over towards the painter. “San Lang?”

The dark haired winked, actually winked at Xie Lian, as he greeted the other. “Yin Yu, you have everything you need for today?”

The young man spun about on his stool, looking the couple over with a demure smile, his head bowed. “Yes, Hua Cheng. All I am missing are the subjects.”

The painter gestured towards them, pointing them towards the nearest bench with his brush. 

“Come,” Hua Cheng nodded, “Take a seat so that we can begin.”

“San Lang,” The brunette said slowly, glancing between them, “What is this?”

“I thought that you’d like to have something with both of us in it.” Hua Cheng sat down on the bench, one hand still tightly clasping Xie Lian’s as he gently tugged for the other to sit. “For us to look back on.”

Xie Lian’s eyes welled, his mind quickly putting two and two together but he had to ask. “W-what?”

“A painting.” The man called Yin Yu offered. 

“Unless you don’t want one.” Hua Cheng chimed in, a hint of self-doubt evident in his tone, despite his ever radiant grin.

Xie Lian quickly joined Hua Cheng on the bench, scooting close to capture the man’s face in his hands, not caring they had company when he planted a soft kiss to the vampire’s lips. 

The vampire made a sound of surprise, his eyes open wide. Xie Lian held the other there, lingering for a moment, before drawing back with a dreamy smile. 

“It’s perfect.”