Chapter 19: First lesson

"Ok, Alexei, make sure that there are swirling patterns in your eyes, when you stare in Ivan's eyes," Orion told him, and the younger vampire did his best to hypnotize his lover.

"Ah, this is impossible," Alexei spoke. Ivan just frowned at him.

"First you try to replace me, now you are going to skirt training with me?" The brown-haired man asked, and Alexei was sure to reassure him.

"I was just trying to mark my territory, sweetling," Alexei said.

"It didn't sound like that," Ivan grumbled, and Orion shook his head at the drama. He had been just like Alexei, once. A dick for the sake of being a dick. He needed to get the kid in hand.

"Alexei, where is your maker?" Orion asked. The older vampire had a few choice words to share with the man who would let loose his child on the world without so much as a care.

"He ran off on me. Then, I found this forest, and claimed it from another vampire," Alexei said, and then turned back to Ivan. "Sweetling, you know I love you above all else. I'd do anything for you."

"Even cleaning up your act, and actually whipping this forest into shape?" Ivan asked, and Alexei nodded.

"Orion can teach me how to turn in a profit, right, Orion?" Alexei turned to Orion, who nodded.

"You need a front of some sort. Back in my forest, I have a clothing stand. Ossilo sews there, together with a hag named Simone," Orion told the younger vampire.

"And, does it pay well?" Alexei asked, and Orion nodded.

"I have more fairy dust than I know what to do with. Surely, you have something in this forest that is worth some money? Apart from the trees?" Orion asked, and Alexei became thoughtful.

"Well, there is this dungeon that produces marble, but I don't know if I can find any markets for something as fancy," the younger vampire gave out a sigh. "I mean, those types of stones are usually used in rich houses, and the temples. The village is unlikely to get a new temple built."

"It is not going to do so, no," Orion said, and then he became thoughtful. There was always a hunger for more marble in the seaside. But how was he going to get it to there?

"I can get the marble out of your hands, if you get the goblins to mine it," Orion said, and Alexei nodded.

"What are you going to trade me for it?" Alexei asked, and Orion shrugged.

"I can buy it for fairy dust, potions, or straight up for gold. You decide," Orion told him, and Alexei became thoughtful.

"I'd like the gold," the younger vampire said. "I don't know much about trading, so I will trust you to give me a fair pay."

They shook on it, and then Orion went back to watching Alexei trying to hypnotize Ivan. The older vampire wondered if he had been this clumsy before. Surely not, Orion's maker had always called him a prodigy.

Thinking back on the woman, Orion figured she had been peaceful. In her desire to have a son, she had gotten Orion from his village, and turned him.

Lilia had been a kind mistress, and even kinder mother to an orphan who hadn't known much kindness apart from the occasional offer for a job from one of his fellow villagers.

Then, Orion had become territorial, and had begun his reign of terror. Lilia had not wanted to watch him do this to both others and himself, so she had left without so much as a note.

Orion often wondered if she was still alive. If she approved of him finally becoming peaceful. Or, would she think that his efforts came a little too late?

"I did it," Alexei's voice broke Orion out of his musings. The older vampire stared at the two men, and noticed that Ivan was looking a bit empty-eyed.

"Good job. Now, make him do something he wouldn't be too angry about doing," Orion urged, and Alexei smirked.

"Vanya, come and kiss me," Alexei said, and Ivan made a couple of steps towards Alexei, and then kissed him softly. Alexei hugged his lover close, and then chuckled into the kiss, when Ivan began to push him away.

"Pervert, there is another man looking at us," Ivan snapped, and Alexei grinned wider.

"Not my problem, sweetling," Alexei made to kiss Ivan again, only to get lightly shoved off the brown-haired man, who towered over him.

Ethinir came to Orion, followed by Ossilo, and the two stared at the bickering couple for a time.

"Were we ever like this?" Ethinir asked.

"Well, you didn't want us in the beginning," Ossilo reminded him.

"Could you blame me? A vampire and a Naga walk into my home, and they demand that I become their lover?" Ethinir told them, and Orion chuckled.

"We were a bit too blunt, weren't we?" Orion admitted, and then took his lovers into his arms. "I have been thinking, we can have the wedding in August."

"Wedding?" Ethinir squeaked, and Ossilo grinned.

"Swan Song, you don't want to live with us in sin forever, do you?" The Naga asked, and then wiggled his eyebrows. "Not that we have done much together."

"I need time," Ethinir insisted. When Ossilo placed an arm around the elf's waist, he didn't fight it.

"I can't imagine a life where the two of you are not by my side," Orion began, and the two turned to stare at him. "It would be a crime against my soul, if we don't get married."

"See, why can't you say something as nice?" Ivan asked, clearly listening in.

"Sweetling, you know that I am not well-versed in the art of flowery words," Alexei defended himself.

"Don't sweetling me. You better learn from Orion, or I will not let you sleep with me tonight," Ivan then stormed off, and Alexei turned to the older vampire.

"Master, please teach me how to get back in the good graces of my lover," Alexei said, and he bowed. Orion wisely decided to leave this to Ossilo and Ethinir, as they were the ones with the most experience when it came to dating a vampire.