Tasting Darkness

Chapter 79 

“Psst. wake up. We are leaving,” Lycus says, shaking Kalen’s shoulder and waking him. Kalen groans and rolls over to see Lycus hovering above him.

“What’s wrong?” Kalen whispers, sitting up and rubbing his eyes while yawning.

Lycus grabs Kalen’s face, that was still covered in lash marks. “We are leaving. We are better off on our own,” Lycus tells him, pulling Kalen’s pajama shirt off and dressing him. Kalen’s sleeping medication made him extra groggy and almost nonfunctioning,

“Where will we go?” Kalen mumbles, trying to lay back down when Lycus grabs him under the arms forcing him to his feet. “Anywhere they can’t touch you,” Lycus growls before chucking a bag over his shoulder

Kalen doped off his face from the medication woke up later at the bus stop, having no memory of the walk there. It was freezing cold, snow-covered the ground and Lycus was rubbing his arms, trying to warm him, who was leaning on him. The motion having woken Kalen, he peered around, confused.

“Shh, go to sleep,” Lycus murmurs, and Kalen trusts Lycus to keep him safe, so he does just that.

They lived like that for years. Living day to day. Taking any odd jobs they could find, Lycus, at one stage, even became a male stripper to get them by. His werewolf genes made him appear older than he was, and as much as Lycus hated it, he did more than just strip for the filthy old pub tarts as he called them to get them by until he realized he was hurting Kalen and I was shoved into one of Kalen’s happiest memories.

Na

Lycus had just come out to the kitchen at the back of the strip club where Kalen washed dishes, covered i n sweat with money stuffed in his briefs. Kalen hung up his apron as his shift ended before stalking off out the back.

“Kalen?” Lycus asked, chasing after him and pulling clothes on as he chased after him, but Kalen hated seeing Lycus with women and found it made him jealous. He didn’t know what to think of the strange feelings he had for him. He thought it wrong to feel that way.

Trudging home in the snow, they were currently sleeping in a tent at a nearby park, both still too young to rent a place, and neither had ID. “Kalen, did something happen?” Lycus asks him, catching up to him, but Kalen ignores him and keeps walking home. When they get to the small park at the back of the pub, Kalen unzips the tent and climbs in, sitting on his makeshift bed.

“What’s got into you?”

“Nothing?”

“Well, something is wrong,” Lycus says, sniffing himself. He shudders, he hated how they pawed at him, hated the things he had to do, but he did them so they could survive. When Kalen doesn’t answer, Lycus growls before stomping out of the tent and toward the toilets. There was a shower in there, but it only had cold water, but it was better than nothing. When he returned, Kalen continued to ignore him.

“Kalen,” Lycus said, and he looked up at Lycus. He passes Kalen a burger he must have got on his way home. Kalen sighs but takes it. Lycus sits across from him, eating his own food.

“You were in the red room,” Kalen muttered, taking a bite of his sandwich. Lycus shrugs like it is no big deal.

“Filthy whore, she was married too,” Lycus says, his eyes flicking to Kalen’s.

“What?” Lycus asks, but Kalen shakes his head, going back to eating his food.

“You have been really strange lately. What’s got into you? Have you run out of medication? I can pull a double tomorrow?” Lycus tells him. Kalen mutters under his breath, and Lycus growls at him. Kalen knew he was annoyed. They told each other everything. Well, except for one thing, he never told Lycus how he felt about him. When they finish eating, Lycus rummages through their bags, looking for Kalen’s sleepina pills, and sighs.

“You are out. Why didn’t you say anything?” Lycus asks.

“I don’t want you selling yourself. I hate the smell of them on you,”

“It’s just sex. It’s no big deal,” Lycus says before he sighs.

“To me, it’s not! They are using you!” Kalen screams, and Lycus seems startled by his outburst. Kalen hardly raised his voice, and he was quick to apologize.

“I’m sorry, forget I said anything,” Kalen mutters, rubbing his temples. He could feel a headache coming o

“I don’t mind. It is fine,” Lycus tells him. “I will speak to Bill about doing more shifts,” Lycus says, and Kalen curses, getting to his feet to storm out of the tent. Only Lycus grips his arm, tugging him back.” What did I say this time? What is wrong?” Lycus asks. This time he was becoming angry with Kalen’s lack of answers. Kalen’s face heats with embarrassment.

“I’m being stupid. It must be my meds,” Kalen tells him with a shake of his head, turning to leave the tent s o he could shower. Kalen froze in the shower, and by the time he got out and returned to the tent, he was shivering and regretting showering in the first place. His teeth chattered as he rubbed his arms, and tonight it was snowing, making it just a little chillier; Kalen hated the cold.

Lycus was reading with a torch between his teeth when he entered. Kalen falls onto the swag beside him, and Lycus looks over at him before lifting his blanket and chucking it over Kalen. Lycus would sometimes shift, knowing his fur would keep him warm and help warm Kalen.

“I’m fine,” Kalen growls.

“You’re freezing,” Lycus tells him as Kalen wriggles beneath his blanket. Lycus places his torch down before sighing and moving closer to Kalen.

“I can shift?” Lycus says, but Kalen felt guilty about their argument and believed he didn’t deserve a friend like him.

“Man, this tent is fucking boring when you are so quiet,” Lycus says, laying down.

“Why don’t you go sleep with one of your whores? I am sure they will keep you entertained,” Kalen spits bitterly, not meaning for the words to spill from his lips.

“What the fuck is your problem?” Lycus snaps at him before gripping his shoulder and flinging Kalen on his back. He glares down at him.

“Fucking answer, I am sick of your snide comments. Do you think I want to fuck them? It’s a job. It keeps u s fed,” Lycus snaps at him.

it, or you wouldn’t keep

you have something to say, Kalen, fucking say it. I

You earn enough without fucking them.” Kalen

It’s the only way to cover

shakes his head,

run out of medication? I can pull a double tomorrow?” Lycus tells him. Kalen mutters under his breath, and Lycus growis at him. Kalen knew he was annoyed. They told each

are out. Why didn’t you

don’t want you selling yourself. I hate the smell of them on

just sex. It’s no big deal,”

They are using you!” Kalen screams, and Lycus seems startled by his outburst. Kalen

rubbing his temples. He

n.

to Bill about doing more shifts,” Lycus says, and Kalen curses, getting to his feet to storm out of the tent. Only Lycus grips his arm, tugging him back.” What did I

the time he got out and returned to the tent, he was shivering and regretting showering in the first place. His teeth chattered as he rubbed his arms, and tonight it was snowing, making it just a little chillier; Kalen hated

beside him, and Lycus looks over at him before lifting

“I’m fine,” Kalen growls.

his blanket. Lycus places his torch down

can shift?” Lycus says, but Kalen felt guilty about their argument and believed

tent is fucking boring when you are so quiet,” Lycus says,

will keep you entertained,” Kalen spits bitterly, not meaning for

at him before gripping his shoulder

Do you think I want to fuck them? It’s a job. It keeps u s fed,”

you seem to enjoy it, or you wouldn’t keep doing it,”

if you have something to say, Kalen, fucking say it. I am sick of guessing where

them. You earn enough without fucking them.” Kalen tells

expensive. It’s the only way to cover it,”

don’t need them,” Kalen says, but

do, we tried that, and you went into withdrawal and had a fucking seizure,”

have to do

It means nothing to them or

that, but I can’t stand knowing the person I love is their

yells, blurting everything out, only realizing what he said when it was too late to take

love me?” Lycus asks, and Kalen’s face heats and his eyes widen in

pounces on him, a scream bubbling up his throat. He

to his. He had always secretly wondered if they were as

this what you want, Kalen? You want me?” Lycus asks, pulling back to look at him. When he does Lycus rocks his hips against Kalen, and he realizes Lycus had an erection. Kalen gasps, and Lycus is watching him breathing heavily, an unsure look on

say something,” Lycus says to

him. “What

Lycus says, and Kalen looks at him. Kalen thought Lycus was playing with him until

not grossed out?” Kalen

didn’t want to act on it. Didn’t want to lose you, in case

be with me?” Kalen asks, confused by his

Lycus tells him before

Lycus deepened the kiss. “Just so you know, I love you too,” Lycus

them back to having nothing. Lycus was okay with that as long as he had Kalen. Kalen, however, felt he was ruining Lycus’s life. Stopped him from becoming who he could become, and when their magic manifested, fear rushed through Kalen when he saw Darius and Tobias’s names appear on their wrists. The marking made more shocking when they realized they were

the sweltering summer heat. Kalen had felt faint all day from having not eaten. Neither of them had found anything much to eat, and the days were so hot now. Lycus was too weak and dehydrated to try

will

you insane? That is Darius Wraith. He will kill

fear the

that. We are technically his mates,”

he would have called on us

bad stuff

it isn’t worth the risk. And what about that reporter, Tobias killed him in front of the cameras. And I thought fate couldn’t fuck us over more, so to prove me wrong they had to fate us

sending a flare of magic into his

He looked at it.

like this,” Lycus says, only the tingling stops,

you,” Kalen mutters when they feel the mark stop.” I wonder who rejected it,” Kalen said, a

once she comes of age, they will accept us,” Lycus murmured to him. They both fell asleep, and Kalen was later woken when someone kicked his foot. He yawns, shaking his head and sitting up. He peers down at Lycus when someone clears

neck before looking at Lycus. Darius’ brows furrow while Kalen tries to shake Lycus awake petrified, his heart pounding in his

him with strength that clearly indicates what Lycus was. Darius

are the one that called on us,”

Kalen was worried Daçius would kill him for