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.

to enjoy it, or you wouldn’t

have something to say, Kalen, fucking say it.

want you fucking them. You earn enough without fucking them.”

way to cover

his head, going back to

into you? Have you 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

Why didn’t you say anything?”

you selling yourself. I hate

just sex. It’s no big deal,” Lycus

seems startled

rubbing his temples. He could feel

n.

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

It must be my meds,” Kalen tells him with a shake of his head, turning to leave the tents 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

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

“I’m fine,” Kalen growls.

tells him as Kalen wriggles beneath his blanket. Lycus places his torch

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

boring when you are

you go sleep with one of your whores? I am sure they will keep you

him before gripping his shoulder and flinging Kalen on his back. He

comments. Do you think I want to

or you wouldn’t

to say, Kalen, fucking say it. I am sick

You earn enough without fucking

It’s the only way

them,” Kalen

went into withdrawal and

if that is what you have to do for them, no. I hate that

sex, Kalen. It means nothing to them

can’t stand knowing the person I love is their fucking

with them!” Kalen yells, blurting everything out, only realizing what he

Kalen’s face heats

know, like a bro-” his words are cut off when Lycus pounces on him, a scream bubbling up his throat. He

mumbled against his lips. Kalen says nothing, in shock that Lycus’ lips were pressed to his. He had always secretly wondered if they were as soft as they looked. But his kiss was rough as he forced his tongue into Kalen’s mouth when

When he does Lycus rocks his hips against Kalen, and he realizes Lycus had an

something,” Lycus says

away from him. “What

for me to want to want the same thing,” Lycus says, and Kalen looks at him. Kalen thought

grossed

didn’t want to act on it. Didn’t want to

be with me?” Kalen asks, confused

tells him before smiling and dipping his face closer

kiss. “Just so you know, I love you too,” Lycus whispers. That was one of the first times Kalen felt truly

aware sleeping with women hurt Kalen, he stopped, which sent 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

into it. It was a week after their 18th birthday. Both of them were sitting at the park under a tree in 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

Wraith. He will kill

they fear the demonic- Fae

are technically his mates,”

near, he would have called

called on him. Besides, I don’t see much bad stuff about Tobias in

fate couldn’t fuck us over more, so to prove me wrong they had to fate us to the two most influential families, fucking a demonic-fae King and a Vampiric Prince? Seriously,

that,” Lycus said, sending a flare of magic into his infinity mark

you done?” Kalen gasps, horrified as his mark tingles. He looked at it. Mine name was

living like this,” Lycus says, only the

wonder who rejected it,” Kalen said, a little sad. He rubbed his wrist before laying back down and resting his head on Lycus’s

They both fell asleep, and Kalen was later woken when someone kicked his

to face with Darius crouching next to him in a suit. He eyes Kalen’s mark on his neck before looking at Lycus. Darius’ brows furrow while Kalen tries to shake Lycus awake petrified, his heart pounding

Kalen behind him with strength that clearly indicates what Lycus

that called on

says while Kalen was worried Daçius would kill him for