Xellos healed his wounds and glared about the room at nothing. He was mad. Very mad. (Happens a lot in my fics, huh?) How dare that stupid little mortal actually enchant her blade! He didn't know that spell was even in use anymore. And she just rammed him through with it…rrrrrg…

To top all that off, Zellas had even told him that he wasn't allowed to hurt her. Damn. Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn. This was NOT fair. Even if she was female, she should be punished. But nooooo, Zellas wanted to see the little magic user rise to power in the human's stupidly male-dominated society. It just wasn't fair.

"Dammit!"

"What's wrong, Darlin'?" Xellos' head snapped up at the deep, husky voice emanating from his bed. "What's bothering my big, strong general?"

Valgaav lay sprawled over Xellos' bed in a pose that just screamed 'take me I'm yours.' He rolled over and stared at Xellos with his large, cat-slitted, golden eyes, teasing him softly. "Did Xellos get his clock cleaned?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. By a stupid little bitch that Zellas won't let me touch." Xellos grumbled, slumping against the table he was sitting at in the middle of his quarters. Usually he wouldn't even pause before leaping into bed with Val, but he was sulking right now.

The green haired mazoku lifted himself from the bed and padded his way over to Xellos. His tight, muscular body, while blockier than Zelgadis' lithe form, was still quite enough to make you drool. Besides, that wasn't his main appeal. "Perhaps I could… cheer you up?" He said softly, trailing a clawed finger down Xellos' neck, evoking a shiver from the higher mazoku.

Valgaav wanted power. He hungered after it like a starving man wants food. He had risen phenomenally in the lower incubus ranks for just that reason; he wanted it and he would do anything to get it. He went straight to Xellos' bed, and was even working his way into Zellas' good graces. He had been waiting for the minute, the second Zelgadis was out of the way, if only for a moment, to steal his position out from under him.

Because he wasn't an incubus.

A while ago, the baby mazoku got switched around. Obviously, the incubus child didn't survive the start of his training, but Val worked hard to stay ahead in his. Warrior mazoku have deep urges for power; they have to, to fight properly. Therefore, Valgaav had clawed his way to the top without thinking twice.

And that was what made him so appealing, so dangerous. Val never stopped training himself for battle at the same time. If you weren't careful, he could rip you to shreds, and you never knew if it was in his best interests or not. Danger adds such a thrill to anything, and Val played it up to it's fullest.

"Awwww, poor darlin'… lemme help you forget aaaaall about it…" He whispered, draping himself over the sulking Xellos and letting his hands wander. Xellos smiled and let his own hands wander over Val, who let his face split into a grin. "ohh, good, I wuz afraid you were tired of me…"

"Never, deadly one," Xellos whispered softly, grinning. "I'm simply preoccupied right now."

"With that Inverse girl?" Val asked, dragging Xellos' chair over to the bed. Xellos laughed aloud at how obvious the youth's advances were. "Why do you care about her? She's only a mortal."

"Yes, but she's taken the interest of Zellas. I can't do anything to her."

Val dragged Xellos right into the bed. Xellos grinned. Don't let anyone say I wasn't open to suggestion… "So what's new? She's always been off limits," Val growled as he pounced Xellos, kissing him hungrily.

"She stole my Zel today."

Val stopped immediately and sat up. "Your who?" He growled, this time in annoyance. Xellos groaned at his own blunder and sat up.

"I'm sorry Val, I didn't mean it.." He trailed off. Damn, this kid was good. Xellos wanted him badly enough to apologize…

"Sure." Val sulked, glaring at him. Xellos swallowed.

"Look, Val, my deadly beauty, I'm mad because he was going to be mine. As soon as Zellas tired of him he would be mine to do with as I liked, and I want him because he's mine. Surely you understand?" He said softly, pulling Val to him. Val didn't put up much resistance.

"Am I only that? your possession?"

Xellos grinned. "Oh, no, beauty, you're not. You're far too dangerous to keep as a possession." He kissed him, and Val relaxed into his arms. "You're a thrill, and one I never tire of."

* * *

"Xellos," Val whispered as they lay coiled together in bed. "What do you want?"

This was something Zelgadis had never done. He never wanted to be with Xellos more than was required, more than Xellos told him to be. That was something else he liked about Val; Val would attempt to drag him into bed no matter what. Zel would be gone when they finished, Val curled up with him.

"Hmm?"

"What is your greatest desire?"

Xellos grinned ferally. "Why you, beauty!" He said cheerfully. He knew better than that.

Control is simple. Find out what a person wants, and give it to him.

Then create another need, and fulfill that. Then create another, and fulfill that.

And so on, and so on…

"Nothing I'll tell you, dangerous one." He chided, moving to face him. Val grinned. "what do you want?"

"I'll tell you, I think." The young mazoku mused, "Because I'm sure you've thought of it already."

"Really?"

"Power." Val's eyes shone evilly, and his lips curved into grin of complete rapture. You could sense is yearning like a blanket. "I want it all. I want Shaburandigo himself to beg me into his bed. I want Zellas to plead with him to get me into hers. I want all those damn incubi in their hellpits looking up at me, at how much better I am than them. I want that all. I want everything."

Xellos laughed. "Quite a goal."

Val shrugged, used to taunting of that nature. "Yeah, well. You asked what I want."

"I think I'd like to help you have that," Xellos smiled as Val arched an eyebrow. "You do know that Zellas has someone very near and dear to her heart-- or something-- at the moment?"

Val growled slightly, his grip on Xellos' shoulders tightening painfully. Xellos sighed happily. "Zelgadis."

"Yes, the most skilled so far, I hear. Don't you think he should be out of the way?"

"What?" Val stared at him.

"I said," Xellos pulled Val back down on top of him, "Shouldn't he be gotten rid of? I can distract Zellas long enough, and I want him hurt as much as you do." Xellos smiled, showing his sharp incisors.

Val snorted, kissing him. "I don't trust you, fruitcake."

"Nor would I, were I you. But you must admit, you've never been told not to touch him, just not Lina. Go for it. And I promise to help you rise to power all I can."

Val's eyes shone like molten gold. "Simply say when," He whispered.

* * *

Lina stumbled down the stairs, looking all the world like a bedridden red mop. Zelgadis laughed and pointed, rewarding him with a boot in his gut.

"Shut up, slut." Lina said grouchily. Zelgadis made a cat noise. Lina kicked him in the shin and sat down.

Zelgadis had eaten plenty over the last week, and had come out of the deal about twenty hundred gold richer. Therefore, they'd gotten an inn that was very high notch. And Zel was having fun.

"Ow… Did I tell you about the lady I slept with last night? She seemed very expe--"

"I do NOT want to hear about it." Lina grumbled, ordering a coffee. "Just like I didn't want to hear about the blonde, or the brunette, or the redhead you said looked just like me but more built." She growled at this.

Zelgadis sighed. "My, aren’t we miss personality this morning?" he mocked, sipping his own coffee. "Jealous, Lina darling?"

Lina snorted. "I think not. I have better things to wish after than dragging you into bed."

"Like?"

I'll think of some… later. "None of your business," She snapped, concentrating on her coffee. She hadn't slept well all night. Zelgadis had been in her room half of it, the second half, and he had been moaning in his sleep. Lina didn't like this any more than when he purred at her, for the same reasons. "And…what… are you doing?"

"Getting you comfortable!" he said cheerfully, pulling her into his lap and holding her tightly about the waist. "You obviously didn't sleep well last night and--"

"LET ME GO!!!" She screamed, tossing him at the wall and sitting down in a huff. "Don't touch me!!!!"

Zelgadis pouted.

* * *

Crickets chirped in the stilled darkness. The stars twinkled like diamonds out of a cerulean sky, and the lush green foliage pulled back to reveal a tiny glen covered with plush grass, starred with tiny white flowers. Two travelers lay sprawled out on the carpet of green, not wanting or needing blankets in the cool summer night.

The young man is flopped out on the grass as one might see a centerfold sprawled on a bed, while the young woman looks as though she fell down and just stayed there. Funnily enough, they seem to match. Her entire being seems to be centered on fire, stubborn and careless, while his is the languid, flowing beauty of pure water. They compliment each other perfectly.

The young man seems to be considering something. Finally he reaches out to touch the spill of fire-red hair the girl has let fall about her.

"YIPE!" Zelgadis yanked back his hand as a fist smashed into the ground where it had been. "Jeez, what was that for?"

"I don't want you to touch me."

"Why?" Zelgadis rolled over, close as possible without touching her. Lina shuddered and rolled over, ignoring him.

"Because I don't. Get away."

"Why?"

"I told you, you'll stunt my magic." She snorted. "I can't loose my virginity until I'm seventeen, or I loose half my potential power."

"But why can't I touch you?" Zelgadis said softly, materializing in front of her. To her credit, she didn't jump, or freak out, or scream; she just glared at him.

"Because I don't trust you."

"After all we've been through?" Zelgadis asked pitifully.

Lina glared. "EXACTLY!" She huffed, and turned over again.

Zelgadis sighed and watched Lina fall asleep.

I want to touch her, but I don’t… I don’t want her touched by... something like me… Zelgadis paused mid-thought. What? Of course I do! I was her panntng and sweating under me, just like every woman I have ever wanted, moaning and begging me for more—

Do you really want her reduced to that? Came a small voice deep inside of him. You want her as nothing more than another woman you’ve managed to drag into bed? She’s sixteen, that’s a bit young. Don’t you love her for what she is right now, not for sex?

I don’t love her!! Zelgadis groaned inwardly. Great. Just great. He was arguing with himself and spouting nonsense again. Sometimes he wondered if he was sane.

Nope! Not if you don’t admit your own feelings! Zelgadis told himself to shove it and tried to concentrate on something else. Unfortunately, Lina was lying asleep right beside him, and he was having trouble getting his thoughts anywhere else.

I don’t love her. I’m an incubus, that’s why I want her in bed.

Zelgadis reached out and stroked her hair slightly. As already shown, had Lina been awake, Zelgadis would have been in pain. But instead she rolled over moved her face a bit into his palm, smiling softly. Zelgadis felt his breath catch and yelled at himself to behave. She looked so innocent, so lovely… perfect and angelic. She looked demonic when she was awake, but sleep softened her bright, hard features. Zelgadis frowned slightly.

No. I don’t want to ruin this perfection. Not only that, I’d ruin her future. I don’t want that. I couldn’t do that to…

Shut up. Zelgadis closed is eyes stubbornly and fell asleep.