A/N

Some of you have read about the first 5 pages of this, so don't be surprised if it sounds familiar at first! P-please excuse any mistakes, I was very tired when I edited this!

(Pssst, let me know if you'd like to see more.)

l

l

Daniel awoke suddenly, eyes snapping open to greet nothing but the darkness. He gasped for breath, finding that the air chilled his lungs, and he moved to sit up. Overcome by a spinning sensation in his head, the Englishman quickly lay back down with a groan. Lifting one hand to his forehead, he discovered the cut there had almost healed; the wound from the expedition. His hip itched where it had been cut by that… creature's bladed hand, and his injured foot felt as if it was wrapped in a woolen sock. His wrists and ankles were all bandaged up tightly as well, and they felt suffocating.

The long white nightgown that he wore clung to his skin in some places, damp with sweat. His skin felt slightly clammy from head to toe, and he shifted in was when he came to the realization that he was laying on something comfortable. A bed to be precise, Daniel realized as his eyes begun to adjust to the dim light. Four thick wooden posts jutted up from the corners, and drapes of heavy curtains were tied to each of them.

Glancing to the side, he could see there was a window there. Taller than it was wide, its glass panes slightly rippled, the dying light of day was what cast the little light the room still held. Wait, it was evening? Daniel wanted to sit up again, but his body just felt so heavy… Both hands rising to his face, he tried hard to calm the rising panic inside his gut. His heart was racing, and there was something off about that too. He felt thirsty, his body was sore all over, and his head was aching. How long had he been sleeping?

"Awake this time, are you?" A rich voice spoke from the shadows. Daniel jumped, giving a small sound of surprise as he ignored his pains to press up to his elbows. There, just a few feet from the foot of the bed stood the man he wanted to see least of all. Holding a candle, the sphere of light that it gave off encompassed the Other from the waist up clearly. The older man was dressed in a fresh pair of clothes, untouched by dust or dirt like his others had been in the temple. A similar red coat, a white shirt with an ascot, an embroidered golden vest, and dark pants. That long white hair had not a touch of silver-gray as normal age would bring, he could see that now. Though it seemed strangely enough, Alexander's features were just slightly younger than before. But then, perhaps it had just been the lighting from the temple.

"Where," Daniel coughed; his throat dry and scratchy. "Where am I?" He tried again.

"You're in my home, so to speak. It is the place I have dwelled in for many years, at the very least. I was almost concerned that you wouldn't wake at all." With those words the Other moved around to the side of the bed, setting the candle onto the nightstand. Daniel scooted away a little, heart hammering behind his ribcage. "Calm yourself, Daniel, I'm not going to bite you… again. Not now, at least." Standing again, Alexander moved away to a small desk in the room. Daniel's hand rose to his neck, finding that it was bandaged as well.

"How am I… alive? How long have I been asleep?" He asked as he watched the older man lift a pitcher from the desk, filling a mug with water. Daniel swallowed on instinct, wanting that drink badly. To his surprise it was brought right over to him, though he regarded that outreached hand with distrust. Only when it started to pull away did he reach out to snatch it. A few drops spilled over the side, wetting his fingers, but he brought it to his lips fast enough not to spill it completely. He drank it down quickly, nearly choking on it once or twice. When at last it was empty, only then did he let the cup come away, gasping for breath.

"There you are, isn't that better? Here, let me get you some more." Alexander reached out for the cup, but Daniel held it tightly.

"Answer my questions first." Daniel demanded. He quickly paled at the sharp expression that he received, physically recoiling from the Other. "P-please." The Englishman added in a much more submissive tone. Alexander gave a small sigh, moving to sit on the side of the bed. Daniel tensed, unaware that his hands holding the cup had started trembling.

"You are alive because I chose to let you live. It's as simple as that, really. Had I wanted you to die I would have easily drained you completely. And you've only been asleep for a day, but your fever quickly became unlike any I have ever seen. Your skin was practically on fire, and you groaned so loudly that I could hear you from all the way down the hall. I came each time I heard you, but you couldn't be woken." Daniel frowned to hear this, though he remembered how he had woken up.

"I… had a nightmare. A very long nightmare. It was so real… At least, it felt so at the time." He brought one hand up to brush his hair behind his ear. "I can't quite remember."

"Vivid dreams are often a symptom of a high fever. It seems to have broken now, thankfully for you."

"Thankfully?" Daniel repeated, and his eyes began to sting as he blinked away the tears that were rising. "Oh God," His voice shook, and he dropped the cup to lie onto his back again. "What have I done?" He moaned in despair as he covered his face with his hands. Alexander only sighed, reaching up to rub at his own temple. "Why is this happening to me?"

"Happenstance? Bad luck? The will of the Gods? I have heard all excuses known to man, though I sincerely doubt that any of them will make you feel better." Alexander's voice was toneless, bored.

"This wasn't supposed to happen! I was only passing through town!"

"Well then, perhaps 'Wrong place, wrong time.' would do?"

"I just want to go home! I thought this was what I wanted, to travel the world, but I was wrong." The Englishman was wiping the tears from his eyes stubbornly, and that was when Alexander gave a sigh. He turned his amber-colored eyes to the darkening window, hands clasped in front of him.

"I'm sorry to say that will never be possible, Daniel." This would earn the Other a look of pure hopeless and fear.

"Wh…why?"

"You are my blood sacrifice. Do you not remember my words from before? The moment you were laid out on that altar, you became my…" The corner of Alexander's lips tilted up. "My bride, they used to say." Daniel's face would have flushed if he wasn't so pale right now. "More than that, I accepted you. I broke a seal when I took your virginity, and when I took your blood into me we became… connected."

"C-connected?"

"Yes. I will always be able to find you, where ever you may go. It is the very reason that I kill all of my 'brides', you see. It would be such a hassle to leave them running about when I am through with them. A cruelty too. If they are not accepted by me, the humans of the nearby villages become… upset. They fear my wrath, and…" Alexander led off, and Daniel couldn't see that the Other's hands were trembling, clasped together tightly enough for his knuckles to turn white. Daniel swallowed, spitting out the next question that came to mind. Turning his head, he focused his gaze on the silhouette of Alexander's back.

"Why virgins?" There came a chuckle from that question, and the older man recovered.

"That was not my choice, but theirs. Humans are very superstitious creatures. I suppose it could be the fault of some of my own kin, I do not know for certain. For hundreds of years they have believed it was necessary to pray to a higher power, you know this. Some of us came to answer. It was a game at first, but some of my kin got carried away. We became Gods and Demons to your kind. However, why would we turn away a virgin? And it seems a shame to die like that, so think of it as a kindness." Daniel's body tensed, and he sat up fully now, though he gave a grunt of pain when he felt an ache...there.

"You call this a kindness?" The Englishman muttered harshly, gesturing to his body. He touched his hip, and then his neck, glancing to one of his bandaged wrists. "What you did to me was no kindness! I wish you had killed me." Alexander slowly glanced over his shoulder, and Daniel swallowed. The Other was smiling.

"That is why I allowed you to live, Daniel. Your shame, your despair, I wanted to see it. When you woke to find yourself defiled and helpless, I made sure to be here. I do not take sacrifices for my own personal pleasure, not anymore. I do it to punish the arrogance of your kind. To keep them fearful of the monsters in the woods, of the Demon-God who would smite them and ruin their harvests if they angered him." There was a tinge of anger to that otherwise righteous voice, and it gripped Daniel's chest with anxiety. He had no idea what to say to any of that, so he simply looked away, laying back down slowly. A silence fell over the two men, leaving only the sound of the softly sputtering candle and their own quiet breaths. Finally, Alexander broke it. "Do you remember anything at all about your nightmare?"

"Why? Will you enjoy that too?" The Englishman asked, though when he received no answer he gave a sigh. "It's... coming back to me in pieces." Daniel said, barely audible. Alexander raised one eyebrow in amusement, a little curious. "It was dark, and I couldn't see… I had sand in my mouth, in my clothes, and the dust was so thick that I could barely breathe without coughing up a lung. And then… I felt something wet." Daniel swallowed, rubbing his hand onto the blanket around him, as if he could rid himself of the feeling. "It was warm, and it had a pulse. It squished when I rest my hand on it and it made me feel sick." Alexander was frowning slightly, but Daniel wasn't paying attention to him anymore. His eyes were up on the dark canopy above the bed. "And then there was a light." Something sparked in the Other's expression, and he bent his knee as he turned towards the Englishman on the bed.

"Blue?" He asked quickly. Daniel glanced over again, giving a small nod.

"Y-yes, I think it was blue… I tried to approach the light; I thought it was a way out. But my feet became stuck in the stuff on the floor, and I couldn't move." Daniel jumped as Alexander reached out to grasp his shoulder.

"The light, Daniel. What happened to it?" The Other asked quickly, and Daniel swallowed.

"I-I don't know. I felt something hit my head, but then I woke up—ow!" The Englishman protested as those bony fingers dug into his shoulder.

"Where do you come from, Daniel?"

"E-England!"

"Where did you come here from? Why did you come to Prussia?" Alexander demanded, and Daniel's heart began to race with fear. He was sweating again, terrified of the man above him.

"A-Algeria! I-I was told to go to Brennenburg—"

"Did you bring anything with you?"

"S-some journals from the Professor and—"

"What else? What did Professor Herbert give you?" At that, Daniel's eyes widened a little.

"How do you know the Profess—O-ow!" Again his shoulder was squeezed, and Daniel swore something was going to break. "That hurts!"

"What else!?" Alexander's voice had changed considerably, become much lower, rougher somehow. Daniel's lower lip was trembling, and he dared not try and grasp the hand gripping his shoulder.

"A… a sphere!" At once Daniel's shoulder was released, and the Englishman brought his hand over it. Just another ache to torment his already abused body. Alexander was on his knees now, and he sat back with an expression of disbelief.

"What did it look like?" His voice had gone back to normal, but it wasn't much of a comfort. That grip had been as inhuman as Alexander's previous tone!

"About the size of an apple, and blue… it felt like glass, and it was smooth, but you couldn't see through it." Daniel paused. "…I suppose it looked like the light in my nightmare." Alexander was smiling now.

"I don't believe it. That old fool actually found one. Where is it, boy? Tell me quickly."

"Th-the villagers took my bag from me. They rifled through it before they drug me out to the forest." Alexander's expression soured a little again. "M-my nightmare… was that a memory? There was an accident…"

"Without a doubt. Well Daniel, this certainly changes things." Alexander moved from the bed then, standing and crossing his arms.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that you might have a chance at going home. Ah-ah," The Other's finger rose, "Before you get too excited, know we have a lot of work to do. If I'm going to get the Orb back from the villagers, I need to do it fast, before they realize what it is that they have."

"What kind of work? Why can't we just go and get the… the Orb?"

"You're full of questions, boy." Alexander's expression contained a bit of irritation, but he seemed too excited to do much about it. "I won't lie; you're going to find the work very unpleasant. Just keep in mind that it's all for your freedom. And we can't exactly waltz into town because they know me, Daniel. And now, they know you."

"But you're a—"

"One more word out of you and I just might throttle you, Daniel." Alexander finally snapped at the Englishman, whose jaw shut fast enough that his teeth clicked. "Better. Now you'll have to excuse me, I have to get the preparations underway. There's water in the pitcher, and I'll bring more later if you wish to bathe and change. Oh, and Daniel." The Other's amber eyes flashed golden when they caught the light of the candle just right. "Do stay in your room. My servants are not yet accustomed to a guest, and they can be quite… hostile to intruders." Daniel swallowed hard and nodded. Alexander turned to leave, bending to pick up the candle from the bedside table, but he was surprised when he was stopped by a desperate voice.

"Please!" The Englishman begged. When Alexander turned back, Daniel averted his eyes. "…The dark. Don't leave me in the dark."

"Then I will return before the candle is out. You have my word…my bride." Alexander's smile was thin and wide, and Daniel caught the hint of sharp teeth behind it when he glanced back. He shuddered, though his face was burning in humiliation. And with that, the Other left him alone in the strange room with a single lit candle.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Daniel had fallen back into a semi-fitful sleep as soon as Alexander had gone. His body had been tired as it was from all the traveling, and now he seemed to be suffering blood loss on top of his otherwise superficial wounds. He was dreaming again. Darkness crept in from all sides, and he could taste the dirt and sand in his mouth. There would come a pressure on his chest, making it difficult to breathe, though no matter how he panted the air was just too thin to get enough oxygen. He woke from the reoccurring nightmare several times, sweating and breathing heavily, tangled in the sheets of the large bed. When this occurred for the fourth time, Daniel woke to only the dimmest of light. His head ached from laying down for much too long, and it only added to the general misery of his body.

The candle sitting on the bedside table was sputtering, threatening to send the room into darkness at any moment now. Shadows stretched and danced on the walls, twisting on the ceiling in places. For a few terrifying moments, the Englishman was unsure if he was still trapped within a dream! His skin itched all over as he watched those shadows move, listening to the spitting candle with a growing anxiety. He rubbed at his bandaged wrists, shifting in the bed, and licking his dry lips as he prepared to call out for someone. His throat tightened even as he parted his lips to speak. Who would he call for? He didn't want one of those creatures coming in! He swallowed, pushing himself to sit up slowly, pressing his back against the ornate wooden headboard.

He could call for Alexander. If the man was some sort of God or whatever he fashioned himself to be, would he hear? But then if he really was a God, he would hear thoughts as well, right? Daniel was almost sure that the man was nothing but a demon, playing God for small-minded heathens. What kind of people practiced sacrifices other than Satanists or ancient pagan cultures? There were dark cults in England too, but you never actually saw any evidence, merely heard the whispered rumors. But even demons had rules. If he could just learn them, Daniel was sure he could somehow get out of this alive. Return home to write about this experience perhaps! That thought only brought up the events of the previous night, and his face began to burn with a shameful heat.

Daniel wouldn't write about everything that had happened. How good the creature's hands and mouth had felt on his body, and how easily he had been manipulated into writhing in pleasure. He had even begged Alexander in the end; first for release, and then for death. Right now, death was the very last thing on Daniel's list of things that he wanted to accomplish! How could it be that his inhibitions have been so low? With one last, loud sputter, the candle went out. Even as Daniel grit his teeth and took in the breath for a whine of despair, he heard the click and creak of the door opening. With it came a light, much brighter than the candle had been! Even so, Daniel's heart raced just as much as the white-haired man came into view. The man was holding a lantern in one hand, and a small bowl in the other. Daniel's stomach growled all on its own, and he placed his hand over it as if to chide it. The Other wore a neutral expression as he approached the bed, setting the lantern down beside the dead candle.

"I do hope it wasn't out for too long." He said without the slightest inflection of emotion. Daniel shook his head, though his eyes had settled on the bowl. It contained a milky yellow liquid, and he could smell the broth from where he was.

"J-just went out, actually. Is that… is that for me?" He inquired, lifting one hand to gesture to the bowl. Alexander chuckled, taking his seat on the side of the bed and offering it out.

"Of course it is. Do you think that I would be so cruel as to eat in front of you? Careful now, it's hot." He warned as Daniel reached for it. Taking it into his hands, the warmth seeped into his cold fingers through the china, and he gave a small sigh of relief. He accepted the silver spoon next—genuine silver! Stirring at the soup, he noticed that there were pieces of vegetables as well.

"Do you have other servants?"

"You could say I do. But the ones that stay are none other than the kind that brought you to me."

"Then… did you make this?" Daniel asked curiously, glancing up from the tempting soup and to the other man. Alexander raised one pale brow.

"Do you think I've poisoned it? Why would I waste my time with that, when there are many more interesting ways that I could kill you?" Daniel felt his face drain of color once again, and he shook his head quickly.

"N-no! I-I only meant to s-say, it's… That a demon would know how to cook! It's strange, that's all." Dropping his eyes back to the soup, he scooped up a spoonful, lifting it to his lips to blow on it before he slipped it into his mouth as a sign of good intentions. The excellent taste surprised him somewhat, and he let it saturate his tongue before he swallowed. "I-it's good." The smallest of smiles crept its way onto Daniel's face, glancing up to Alexander again. The expression that the other wore now was unreadable, but it was a step up from being angry. Daniel returned his attentions to the soup, blowing on one spoonful at a time and savoring the taste with each of them. After a while of quiet between them, Alexander turned his gaze to the window.

"I was quite fond of this world's delicacies, once. Before I learned to resent your kind, I used to wander among you. I thought it was endearing, how much work you put into the little offerings that you left out at the altars. Keepsakes, money, and most often food." Alexander's voice was calm now, and he seemed lost in his reminiscence. Daniel found himself listening intently, even if the voice inside of him was begging him to ignore everything about the demon but how to escape! He had gone to Algeria to learn of ancient sociology and the Gods they worshipped, but never had he thought he would find himself face to face with one! "They sacrificed animals first, of course. They would butcher them and smoke them over the fire, leaving things like the heart and the organs untouched. Somewhere along the line, they began to sacrifice each other." Daniel swallowed particularly hard, giving a small cough that drew Alexander's attention to him. The Englishman only tapped his throat a bit sheepishly.

"P…Please, may I have a drink of water?" At this the older man rose up, moving over to the pitcher of water. He filled the cup that Daniel had used earlier, returning to hand it over to the grateful young man, and carrying the pitcher with him this time. Bringing the cup to his lips, the Englishman drank slowly this time, letting the moisture return to his parched throat. Lowering the cup again, Daniel breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Alexander returned to his place on the edge of the bed, refilling the cup without a word. Daniel murmured a small 'thank you', having decided that being polite to this demon of a man was his best option for now. But curiosity nagged at him. "Do you… Does your kind always ra…" He felt his throat tighten, tongue tripping over the word, "…Sleep with their sacrifices?" Alexander only frowned, looking quite offended.

"Of course not. There are many ways to give sacrifice. Drowning, hanging, burning, or cutting out the still-beating heart." The older man gave a casual motion of his hand, and Daniel felt the soup that he had just eaten threaten to rise back up into his throat. Covering his mouth, he took a few careful breaths through his nose. Finally he lowered it again, focusing his attention on the soup that he was stirring slowly with the silver spoon.

"Then… You said we were connected now? Why bother to sleep with your sacrifices if you're going to kill them? It seems inconvenient to connect yourself to them in the first place, if you ask me." Daniel muttered that last part under his breath, though he caught sight of Alexander's squared shoulders from the corner of his eye.

"I don't believe I asked for your opinion." The self-proclaimed Other snapped. Daniel recoiled a little, hunching his shoulders defensively, but he didn't quite back down yet.

"Do you always kill them by… Drinking their blood?" Even mentioning it made the bandage around his throat itch.

"Usually, yes." Alexander seemed to be holding something back, but Daniel knew he would get nowhere fast if he pushed too much.

"Will you kill me, when I am boring?" He asked finally, though his voice trembled. Glancing up from the now room temperature soup, he locked eyes with the older man. "You said that you let me live so that you could enjoy my despair. What if I become happy?" Daniel frowned when his question was met with laugher from the Other. It was rich and smooth; so charming that he hated it.

"Do you really think that you can become happy here with me?" Alexander questioned. "You're an Englishman and a Catholic, Daniel. You were born to suffer."

"H-how did you know I'm a Catholic?"

"One can always tell these things. And a man as repressed as you are…" Alexander reached forth, resting his hand onto Daniel's thigh and letting his fingers curl around to the inside of it.

"D-don't!" The Englishman cried out, dropping the cup of water as he scooted away to the side. The yellow liquid spilled from the bowl in his lap as well, and Alexander pulled his hand back with a stern frown. Both eyes dropped to the comforter, which was now quite soaked in soup and water. Daniel swallowed hard, feeling panic creeping up along his spine. "Y-you surprised me!" He cringed when Alexander reached out, though when he felt the bowl lifted from the bed he opened his eyes, watching as the older man simply picked up the cup as well. Setting it into the bowl, he collected the spoon, setting all three items on the nightstand. Next he took a hold of the sheet, pulling it back and off of the young man who was half-covered by it. Suddenly exposed to the cool air, Daniel shivered as he drew his knees up to his chest, back still against the headboard. His nightgown had come up about his thighs, and he pulled it over his knees as much as he could.

"We need to see about changing the sheets and your bandages anyway. You've been sweating all day, and to be honest, you reek of it." Even though Alexander's voice held no mockery or spite, Daniel felt his face burn with shame. He hadn't even noticed! Pulling the stained sheets from the bed, Alexander picked up the dishes again. "Undress; I'll bring back water and towels along with the bandages and bed sheets when I return." The words were spoken with the kind of confidence that any man might use when no one dared to contradict him. Just as he headed for the door however, Daniel found his voice. It was quiet, hesitant, but he spoke up.

"M…May I at least have some proper clothing?" He asked as he curled his toes so that they would fit under the edge of the nightgown he wore. Alexander's steps never slowed, his voice a touch amused once more as he answered.

"Perhaps when you're feeling a little better. It's not as if you'll be going outside for a while." Just as Daniel drew in the breath to question that answer, the door creaked open, and he was distracted by the stark blackness that existed outside of the room. He couldn't even see the hall! Were no other lights on? Where exactly was he anyway? And before he knew it, Alexander was gone. At least he had left the lantern behind. Daniel gave a heavy sigh, allowing his legs to slip out from under the nightgown as he got up to his knees. There was no way that he was going to let Alexander try and bathe or re-bandage him! He scooted to the edge of the bed, sliding his legs over the side and moving to stand.

The pain didn't register quite as fast as the blurring of his vision as he fell to his knees, right hand tangled desperately in the bed sheets, though it hadn't saved him any. Just seconds after he had stopped moving, the wave of nausea and anguish swept over him. Daniel coughed as he freed his hand from the sheets, covering his mouth with it hand as the other pressed flat against the carpet. His ankles throbbed, and his injured left foot protested at the squatting position that he had dropped into. The carpet hadn't been thick enough to spare him the pain of hitting the solid floor below it, and so his knees reverberated with pain from the fall. He felt his skin grow a little damp with sweat from all the strain, and he could do naught but give a quiet, miserable whine as his nightgown began cling to it once more.

Even with this, Daniel knew he should consider himself lucky. Alexander seemed to be a bitter and strict man, or… Demon God, Other, whatever he called himself! Yet the Englishman had spoken freely with him for some time, and even spilled his soup that Alexander himself had made for him onto the expensive bed sheets while trying to get away from his touch, and he had not been reprimanded. In fact the man had gone to fetch things so that Daniel could clean up and change the sheets! None of that apparent kindness could make up for what had been done to him, of course. And Alexander had purposefully avoided the question as to whether or not he was intending to kill Daniel when he was through with him! The thought that he could only be alive as long as he was suffering wasn't comforting in the least. To Daniel it was akin to being trapped in limbo; suffering too much to live and yet not happy enough to die.

Slowly he lowered himself to lay out the floor, curling up on his side and focusing on how much colder it was down there as opposed to on the bed. Resting his cheek onto the old, roughly textured rug, Daniel closed his eyes and breathed in through his mouth, resisting the urge to cry. If ever there were a time that tears would be called for, this was undoubtedly it! Yet for the Englishman, tears meant defeat. They meant that he had given up and accepted his fate as a victim soul. To willingly suffer in order to appease this wrathful and confusing God of a man was the last thing that he would ever do!

Reaching up with his right hand, Daniel grabbed a hold of the thin sheet still on the bed. With one good yank, accompanied by a whine of pain as his bandaged wrist was strained, he pulled it half off of the bed. Wrapping up in what he could, the Englishman simply closed his eyes and let his exhausted body take over, letting the dull aches lull him back in to a deep sleep.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The sensation of being weightless was the first thing that Daniel became aware of. It was brief, lasting only a moment before he felt the chill of the air on his skin, and his back met something soft. The fabric was cool and smooth, worlds better than the scratchy blankets of the rock-hard beds he had been sleeping on while traveling to and from Algeria. Even better than his bed at home in England! Something warm and wet brushed his cheek, and Daniel was pulled from his more peaceful state quite suddenly. Heart leaping into his throat, his hand shot up to grasp at the source of that touch, fingers closing over one slender wrist. His eyes blinked, stinging from the bright light of the lantern as he tried to focus on the blurry shape above him. Rubbing his eyes with his left had seemed to help, revealing the seemingly amused expression of Alexander. "So that woke you up, did it?"

The older man glanced to his wrist, which Daniel still held on to. In it there was a white towel, damp with warm water. It dripped onto Daniel's arm, tickling as it slipped down along his skin. The young man released his hold, only then realizing that his own wrist was now lacking a bandage. The skin was raw in several places from the chafe of those metal manacles, but it seemed to have been cleaned while he was asleep somehow. Turning his attention to the left wrist, he saw that it was much the same. Truthfully the damage wasn't as bad as he had feared initially. All that he had known was that they had hurt terribly when he struggled, but it wasn't as if it was easy to stop in such a situation! Fight or flight, right?

"Satisfied?" Alexander asked, raising one white brow. "It was easy with you asleep. I do hope that you make a habit of sleeping any time that I need to tend to your wounds or bathe you."

"Bathe me?" Daniel's face was flushed with heat in an instant, and he suddenly became very aware that his nightgown was missing. "H-ah!" His yelp of embarrassment was almost as shameful as his current state of undress, turning onto his side with his back towards Alexander. It seems he'd been laid atop the new bed sheets, and so there was nothing to cover himself with. "You bathed me while I slept?" He gasped, as if surprised that he could be any more scandalized than he already was.

"To my credit, I did try to wake you. Besides, I've already seen every inch of you Daniel." The Englishman jumped when he felt two damp fingers press between his shoulder blades. His back arched away from them as they began to slide down along his spine, prompting a shudder of something that wasn't quite repulsion. "You wiggled and groaned under the cloth as I wiped away the last traces of fever from your skin. At this rate, I went through the trouble of heating the water for you to no avail. Even if I only did so because I knew you would complain if it was cold." Alexander added offhand. He dropped the cloth from the side of the bed, and it plunked into the bucket of water on the floor.

"C-could I p-possibly… get some clothing?" Daniel stammered, shivering increasing the longer that his damp and naked skin was exposed to the air.

"Soon." Alexander sighed. "But first, we must treat those wounds of yours. Give me your hand." Glancing over his shoulder, he could see that the older man was holding out his hand expectantly. Deciding that the last thing he needed was an infection, Daniel slowly turned halfway onto his back, still modestly trying to keep certain parts of his anatomy out of sight. Daniel's eyes widened with alarm when his hand was suddenly lifted up to the Other's mouth, giving a gasp of shock as he caught a glimpse of teeth as it opened.

"Don't—!" Daniel whined, wincing as he closed his hand into a fist, bracing for the pain. However what touched his open wounds was not teeth at all, but a warm, wet tongue. It stung as bad as any disinfectant, prompting a hiss of pain as he opened his eyes. The Englishman honestly wasn't sure whether he had begun to tremble with relief, or if he had started the moment that he became afraid. "W-why are you…?" His voice quaked as he spoke, not daring to even attempt to pull his arm free. Alexander's tongue swept deftly over each open wound and raw patch of skin, and it wasn't long before Daniel's wrist was tingling with pins and needles as the air cooled the saliva left behind. When at last his arm was released, Daniel pulled it back to his chest, cradling it gingerly. Alexander only reached up to wipe the corner of his lips, sighing heavily as if all of this was such a chore for him.

"It's better than any anesthetic, I assure you. Give it a moment and you won't feel a thing. Now give me your other hand." Those long fingers curled impatiently as he held his hand palm up. Daniel hesitated for a moment but it was hard to ignore the fact that, just as Alexander had promised, his wrist had ceased to sting or ache at all. With a hard swallow, he turned onto his back, then onto his side again, facing Alexander this time. He bent his knees up to his chest even as he offered up his other wrist. The Other took his arm gently, holding Daniel's elbow and hand as he bent down.

"Mmh." Daniel bit his lower lip to hold back another hiss as the wet muscle slid over the worst of the lacerations on his wrist. Any deeper and he really would have been in trouble with that one, but he'd hardly felt the pain because of the adrenaline coursing through him at the time. "Aha, ow!" He protested when those silken lips sealed over that cut for a light suck. "That hurts!" Daniel pulled at his arm now, sitting up with assistance of his free hand. Though his arm was released, he didn't miss the slight change in Alexander's countenance. The squared shoulders and calculated, alert gaze that fell over the smaller man was enough to make Daniel cringe. "I-I think that's enou—" The sudden grasp of two strong hands on his shoulders was enough to cut that statement short, and Daniel could only give a yelp of fear as he was pushed to lay back onto the mattress. His left shoulder was already bruised from Alexander's earlier show of power when he had questioned Daniel about the Orb, so there wasn't much that he could do in the ways of resistance.

"I'll tell you when I've had enough, Daniel." Alexander stated hotly. Those amber eyes hovering above his own were narrow, and they seemed to reflect the light strangely once more, creating the illusion that they were glowing. It was an illusion, right? Just his eyes playing tricks on him? Alexander lifted his right hand from Daniel's shoulder, though the relief of having the pressure off of that bruise wasn't enough to keep his teeth from chattering from the force of his trembling. The Other ran the back of his knuckles over Daniel's cheek gently. "What will it take to make you understand? Your body is…" He chuckled. "It is my temple, now. A house of worship and a resting place for my holy essence." Daniel's brows drew together, his expression caught between fear and anger, turning his head away from that stroking hand.

"Blasphemy!"

"Gospel truth." Alexander countered. He leaned down quickly, pressing his clothed chest against Daniel's naked one, moving his hands to grasp the Englishman just under the injuries on his wrists. Nuzzling in to the once-bitten side of the young man's neck prompted an arch of his captive's back. "It's been so long for me. You can't even imagine the depths of my hunger…"

"Don't!" Daniel gulped, bending his knees to press at Alexander's back, as it was the only thing that he could do from this position. Alexander's breath was hot and humid as it flowed across that tender skin with a laugh.

"Don't what?"

"Don't… bite!" Daniel nearly sobbed, twisting as much as he could under that firm grip and heavy body. His lips parted for a shuddering intake of breath as Alexander's tongue slipped forth to bathe the marks his teeth had left behind.

"Just last night, you begged me to consume you." The Other reminded him, and Daniel grew still at the brush of sharpened fangs across his skin. "Are you telling me now that you do not wish to die?" Daniel's breath was fast and shallow, and he was growing lightheaded because of his racing heart. Before he could make up his mind, he felt a sharp pinch on his neck. It wasn't hard enough to draw blood, just a warning that he would!

"No! Y-yes! I mean, I don't want to die!" Daniel whimpered, tensing from head to toe as he felt those lips seal over old wounds for a soft, wet suck. "Pl-ease…" His voice quaked, breaking in the middle as tears stung at his eyes.

"Sshhh, now." Alexander whispered, placing a soft kiss to that slender neck before he pulled back. Releasing Daniel's wrists, he gazed down at the young man once more. A lock of his white hair slipped over his shoulder, brushing Daniel's cheek, soft as a silk scarf. "You don't have to die, Daniel. There are other ways to sate my hunger."

"Th-there are?" The Englishman murmured, both brows moving upwards in hope, blinking away his tears as best as he could.

"Oh yes, of course there are. But right now I need you to do one thing for me." Alexander's voice was soothing now, a tone that Daniel hadn't quite heard before. He swallowed heavily, nodding quickly.

"Y-yes, anything!" He knew he should have been wary when he saw the Other smile again, but he waited impatiently to be told what to do.

"I need you to lie perfectly still for a moment." Came the order, weighing heavily on Daniel's already anxiety-ridden chest. "Can you do that for me?" The Englishman drew in another deep breath, holding it for a moment before he nodded.

"Yes." He breathed quietly. Alexander leaned down once more, his soft lips placing a kiss to the middle of Daniel's forehead.

"Now that's my obedient bride." The older man chuckled, and though Daniel was far from amused, he didn't do any more than frown. Alexander picked himself up off of the other then, moving down so that he could slide his hands in-between Daniel's thighs, urging them to part. The young man tensed up, biting his lower lip and tangling his fingers into the sheets. It was either this or death, that was how he had understood it. And so he turned his face away, closing his eyes tightly as he slowly spread his legs for the Other, whom he was more sure than ever was really a demon. Alexander wasted no time in sliding in between them, and Daniel held his breath as the older man bent to kiss one pale thigh. Daniel's skin was chilled by now, damp skin exposed to the cold air until it dried and all! Alexander's ever so useful tongue felt hot when it touched, tracing one purple red bruise left behind by his sucking lips the previous night.

"Haa…" Daniel's fingers clenched into the blankets, unable to resist a nervous shift of his hips. He knew exactly what that mouth could do now; it could bite! Having the dangerous demon of a man anywhere near there wasn't very comforting; no matter how good it felt! Alexander didn't waste much time, kissing or licking his way up, and then over the top of Daniel's hip. "Ow…" He winced when he felt the first swipe of a tongue over the cut on his hip. Though it was shallow, he'd reopened it with all of his moving around it seemed. Alexander lapped at that open cut gently, but more thoroughly than he really should have needed if he was just taking care of any pain there as he said. That long white hair fell free to tickle his skin again, just another pleasant but unwanted sensation for the troubled young man. "Mmmnn…" Daniel whined, finally working up the courage to open his eyes and glance down to what Alexander was doing.

Alexander's hands rested on Daniel's thigh and right hip, keeping him gently pinned should he go back on his word to stay still. His pink tongue ran the length of the cut again and again, though when the Other realized that the younger man was watching, he gave a smile. Those pale lips sealed over the middle of the cut, giving a small suck, which incidentally produced quite a sting. "H-hey," Daniel gasped, attempting to press his hips into the bed and away from that unpleasant sensation. Alexander's fingers squeezed enough to intent the supple thigh that he held, and his nails bit into the hip he had his other hand on.

"Ah ah," Alexander warned, pulling back just enough to glance upwards with those reflective amber eyes. "It was just a taste. But if you're so eager, I suppose we could move on…" His hands left the Englishman's body for just a moment, the left pressing into the mattress beside his hip, while the right slid up between Daniel's thighs.

"N-no wait!" Daniel pushed himself up to his elbows, scooting up and away from that hand by a good few inches. He cringed at the look of irritation that he received, stammering as he tried to explain. "It's… I'm rather sore!" The sudden grin from the elder only made him worry more, knees bending slightly to press his heels into the mattress, just in case he needed to escape again.

"Sore? Perhaps I should lick you there as well?" To this Daniel's eyes widened, and his blush spread from his cheeks to his ears, and even down his neck!

"God, no!" He exclaimed, bringing his knees up high enough that he could press his thighs together, forcing the Other to sit back on his heels.

"Though calling me 'God' is a nice change, I do not like being told 'no'." Alexander remarked, earning the most baffled expression from the young man that he had seen on anyone for a hundred years or more! Before Daniel could protest that he wasn't calling Alexander by that name, the older man chuckled, proving he knew that very well. "I do believe you've broken your word, my dear bride." Despite his amusement, Alexander's voice had become rather serious. Daniel swallowed hard, and what blush he had gained, he could feel slowly leaving his face as it drained of color.

"I-I… didn't mean to…" He nearly whispered, voice trembling.

"I suppose this is where I show you that I can be merciful as well as wrathful." Alexander brushed his hair behind his ear, moving to the edge of the bed and sliding his legs off over the side. "I'll forgive you this time, if you promise you'll be more agreeable to me come morning. If I can regain my strength, I have no reason to end your life. If I am to regain my strength, I have to feed. For that I will require a great deal of your assistance. And in return, I can do more than just allowing you to live. I can teach you, Daniel."

"T-teach me?"

"All in good time, my sinful little sacrifice." Alexander stood from the bed, adjusting his cravat and tugging his sleeves back into place. "I brought you some candles instead of the lantern. Can't have you wasting oil all night. Do be careful though, fire is a hazard either way." Reaching for the bedside table, Alexander opened the lantern, picking up a candle and lighting it with the flame. Slipping it into the candle holder, he lifted the lantern away in one hand. He fixed his gaze on Daniel then, his expression firm enough to make the young man hunch his shoulders. "You will not disappoint me a second time. Understood?" Everything inside of Daniel screamed for him to refuse, to rebel! His soul would surely be damned if he gave in. This demon of a man had outright told him that he wanted him to suffer earlier! Was it all to make him fight to live? It couldn't be! Alexander's anger towards humanity was too genuine. He had no way of knowing what Alexander had planned for him, only that it wouldn't be pleasant. On the other hand, Daniel was afraid. No, he was petrified! Not only was Alexander willing to kill him, but he was sure it would be a horrible death! Swallowing hard, Daniel failed to keep his voice from breaking.

"Yes." He gulped. "Yes, I-I un… understand."

"Good." That razor-thin smile was back, and Alexander turned his back on the cowering Englishman, his footsteps heavy as he headed for the door. "I've left the bandages on the desk. Wrap your wrists, at least. The rest of you should be fine." Daniel remained quiet, curling up a bit tighter on the bed, turning his eyes to the candle. He heard the door creak open, and then close with a quiet click. He had to escape somehow! For the sake of his soul!

It was only then that he realized he was still naked, and that he hadn't been brought any new clothes. That was one way to keep him inside this prison of a room! The bride of a demon indeed…