Of Love and Culture

Chapter 5

Fire

 

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It never let up. The burning never stopped. The power that raged through Sai’s veins was nearly painful. It had been hours since the incident down at the docks, but his heart still raced and fire burned in his chest. The pain never lessened, but he found himself being able to live with its presence.

           

He waited now at the bridge, his feet dangling over the side. He waited for Bane. Why? He was still unsure. Some deep feeling in his stomach told him that the aggressive druid had something to do with the fire that raged in his chest. He would never have made that connection if he had not run into the man during his absent wanderings of the city. Bane’s presence made the fire burn hotter and more violently than before.

           

The sound of quickly approaching footsteps drew his attention; Bane had returned appearing quite frantic. “Bane,” he said softly, standing as the druid crossed the last few feet to stand at a respectable distance.

           

Again the fire surged, though this fire did not compel him to flee. It was almost thrilling, this new sense of power that threaded through his being. But like a double edged sword, Sai’s concern over this new and mysterious matter erupted into a near violent display, “What is this?! What have you done to me!?”

           

Sai tried to follow the look in Bane’s eyes, the expressions touching his face. Confusion and joy were prominent amongst the slew.

           

“I’ve not done anything, Sai.” Bane said gently.

           

“You lie! What did you do to me?”

           

Bane shook his head slowly, “Nothing. This was you, Sai. I can see it, you feel it. Tell me, please…what do you feel.”

           

Bane’s calmness, the smug look on his face just compounded on Sai’s sudden irrational fear and anger. He cried out, a roar in his own right, and threw himself at the larger druid. He did nothing to stop this, and to Sai’s surprise seemed to laugh as they both topped down. Bane continued to laugh, this only serving to make Sai even angrier.

           

“WHAT IS SO FUNNY!?” he demanded, his voice topping a shout.

           

His laughter faded and the druid only smiled up at the smaller, “Not funny, joyous.” He said, “This is a good thing Sai, this is a wonderful thing. What you feel right now, this is your Alpha. This is what I was telling you about!”

           

“This? This is anger, Bane!”

           

“You are just not in tune yet. Your Alpha is like your amplification. Everything you do, experience, feel, it’s all stronger now.”

           

“I don’t believe you! There is no such thing as an Alpha!”

           

“Then why are you so angry?”

           

Bane’s question made Sai pause for a moment. The fire had confused him, scared him even. He wanted answers. “Tell me what this is.”

           

“I did tell you Sai.” When the smaller druid looked defiant to believe the man, he just smiled and leaned up.  The fire swelled, but Sai was powerless to move. His eyes slammed shut as he felt Bane’s lips against his own, stealing his first kiss away.  The fire danced, the burn ebbed and shifted to something different. The sense of power swelled and stoked the fires, and before he realized what he was doing he was leaning down and in, kissing his beast with fervor.

           

The sense of thrill returned with more power. The anger shifted and melted away.

           

The press of Bane’s lips drew a growl from his own chest, and the one below him returned the sound with earnest. The sound made him shiver and kiss back, his mouth opening slightly to allow Bane’s tongue to invade. His fingers clenched against the Druid’s shoulders, his ears folding down. His body was submitting and he could not stop it.

           

Power and pleasure mingled together. Sai tried to deny this in an act of sheer defiance, but his struggles were futile against the rage of the fire and… He pressed himself down, flat against Bane’s chest. The larger reached up and tilted his head to the side to accommodate, his tongue sliding across Sai’s and sending near violent ripples down his spine. The fire wanted to give itself over to Bane. His power, his presence, his dominance, like a need for air itself, and the poor little Night Elf was ready to give up to this.

           

A foot nudged his side and suddenly shoved him out of the Druid’s embrace. The fire flared violently and his form shifted, Bane was instantly with him. Two snarling druids met the gaze of one very shocked guard. Sword drawn, he called for help and two more guards came running up. Bane retreated to his elven frame, knelt down he held Sai’s trembling feline body in his arms.

           

“You startled us, that’s all.” Bane spoke sternly, but the tone in his voice was one of peace. Sai’s ears perked at the sound.

           

One of the guards spat at them, “Keep your filth to a room. Animals.”

           

Sai felt Bane’s anger, his own flaring up as well. He growled and squirmed a little, but Bane held him tight. “I will be sure to keep that in mind.”

           

His temper was boiling just below the surface. Sai could feel it.

           

As the guards walked away, quite hesitant, Sai shifted and looked up at Bane. “You didn’t attack.”

           

“It would have been foolish. You would have gotten hurt.”

           

He blinked at that, realizing that Bane would have fought a suicidal battle had it not been for him. He stood suddenly in elven form, backing away from the larger Druid. “Make it stop! The fire, make it stop!”

           

“I can’t. That fire is a part of you. That is your Alpha. You’re simply not used to it yet, but your body will attune. It is a part of you now, embrace it Sai, that is pure power.”

           

“You have it then?”

           

Bane shook his head, “Mine is not a fire. But I do have the power.”

           

“It started earlier, with Ardoor! Why?”

           

“He is not your mate, so your Alpha rejected him. Since your Alpha was dormant, it had to do something drastic.” Sai held Bane’s eyes looking for any sign of deceit. He saw none. In fact, for the first time, he saw the man smiling. “Your body responds to me. Usually when you least expect it, Sai. But now…”

           

“Now what!”

           

“Now it wants me.”

           

Sai sneered, “You’re insane!”

           

“Prove me wrong then.” He challenged with a grin. “Prove me wrong.”

           

Sai cinched his jaw. He couldn’t deny that something was different about himself. The fire still burned, still made every muscle in his frame ache, but there was a brief moment where he wanted, almost needed that sensation. He growled, the fire drawing out his anger once more, “Don’t kiss me! Don’t touch me! You aren’t my mate, I decide that! I don’t know what magic you put on me, but I will not submit to you!”

           

Sai once more found only anger as he saw that Bane did not get angry as he had hoped. Instead, the druid just smiled at him…SMUG! The little druid just stepped back, “Leave me alone!” He turned and fled.

           

Bane just smiled as he watched the Druid leave.

 

***

 

I have done something right in my life, for my punishment is over. Sai kissed me, and for a moment I tasted perfection. For a moment, I had my mate willing and begging in my arms. So much elation fills me, heart and soul, that even the words of the guards cannot bring me from this dreamlike state of mind.

           

Sai’s Alpha is no longer dormant. It is almost comical to see my mate so thrown off by his newfound power. His emotions are everywhere. Many females brought into the clan start like this. The sensations are foreign, the power is frightening. But this brings hope to my heart. Things will only get better from here. Once he grows accustomed to his powers, once his Alpha starts calling for me…nothing will keep us apart.

           

I can wait… I will wait.

 

***

           

Sai was surprised to see, over the next several days, that Bane was nowhere to be found. At first, he was relieved.

           

The fire never relented. The first night he got little sleep, unable to shake the restless feeling in his body. When he awoke the next morning from fitful sleep, he ran. The fire blazed,  the feeling of working his muscles made him feel next to invincible. Training in magic, the balance of nature, was nice. The feel of this new power, like liquid energy, made him giddy.

           

He barely ate, and by the time he returned to Stormwind he was exhausted enough to get a better night’s rest. His sleep was dreamless, but he awoke again to the fire. He was beginning to accept it, like it even. He ate more meat than he was used to, devouring it before he went off running again. This time his paws took him to Duskwood, where he was quickly frightened off by the ghouls and ghasts. He then tittered off to Redridge, where he found his energy better spent scrambling along the rocks.

           

If this was the power that Bane and Altrun felt every day, then he wanted nothing else!

           

His emotions still felt touchy. Little things set him off like never before. He quickly found himself using this to his advantage. Small hits would anger him and his power doubled or tripled. Small things would relax him, pleasant things felt even nicer. For several days he experimented. He waited to see if whatever spell this was would wear off, but as the days eased by the fire showed no signs of stopping. As he got used to it, he enjoyed it.

 

***

           

“…So, you just let him leave?” Altrun’s voice is one of confusion, matching the look on his face. I have returned to his room to tell him of my news. I nod at his question. “Brother, his Alpha is no longer dormant! All it would take is some small amount of encouragement!”

           

I smile at Altrun. Nothing will wear on this joy of mine. Even my own Alpha is powerless against this. “Sai wishes to choose his mate. I wish to make him happy. Were I to seduce him to my bed with what ease that would have taken, he would not share my satisfaction. Not immediately of course. Brother. His Alpha is free, and has tasted its mate. It will hunger for more as I so hunger desperately for him. All it needs is time.”

           

“Have you not waited enough?” Altrun asks with some sense of urgency, “Your sanity has slipped so much…I do not wish to chance the time this may take.”

           

This joy that fills me… The certainty that my mate will soon come to me and beg, plead. This is the only thing that keeps my own Alpha calm. This is all I need. “I appreciate your concern, my Brother. We have been through so much together, and you have carried me beaten and broken through these years. Mother is with me. She protects me and stands with me now.” I step forward and take Altrun in an embrace. “Please, Brother. Look after him.”

           

He looks at me, confused and concerned. “Where are you to go?”

           

I smile at him, “Home.”

 

(( AN: Sorry this chapter is so short. It's really just a storyline chapter and anything else would be too pertinent to the next chapter. Anyway! I have exciting news, and I'm so happy to get to share it with you all. Love and Culture officially has a wonderful Beta who has agreed to help keep me on-track with the story. So, a big thank you to Remiska! ))