Counting Stars at Dawn

10: Satisfying Dark Appetites

"I don't have time nor conditions to stay locked up in my room with you, so we need a solution to your problem." Artemis said as he stood up and started to dress himself.

"Hm, I presume that means I should go home." Hades pondered as he laid on his stomach on Artemis's bed.

"No, just stay here."

Hades tilted his head as he looked at Artemis. He wanted to press on and ask why he wanted him to stay, but he held back for the sake of his own mental stability and Artemis's too.

"What should I do then?" Hades sat up. "I really don't think jerking off all day is gonna cut it at this rate."

"First of all, I didn't need to know that. Second of all, that is why you will follow me to my lab right now, I have a solution. And third of all, just how horny are you??"

"I'd rather not answer that. I'm not shuddering right now from cold or nervousness, let's leave it at that."

Artemis shook his head to not think about that further and finally finished dressing in his silky pearl colored harem pants and a matching, tight long sleeve. He tried fixing his hair as best as he could and tied it into a simple ponytail.

By the time he finished, Hades had stood up and he gently nuzzled Artemis's face. Artemis's heart fluttered at the gesture, since now he knew what the possible reason why Hades did that was. Although, it did bring certain conflict to his mind. He dismissed his negative thoughts as he turned to Hades and warned:

"It's broad daylight, Hades, so no wondering around or doing weird things. I need you to please just hide in the shadows or stay here until I finish my duties for the day."

"Alrighty, your majesty." Hades smiled.

Artemis slowly opened the door of his room to peek outside. The corridor was empty and dark, he had completely lost track of time and it was actually fully nighttime now.

He motioned for Hades to follow him and he took him into his potion lab. Hades entered and bumped his head on the door frame, he was too tall for it. Elves were at most five feet tall and Hades was six feet, so it was an issue for him to deal with all the different measurements of everything in the castle.

He watched as Artemis waved his hand and said "et erit lux". He figured that was the incantation phrase for lighting the candles around the room.

The candlelight revealed the assorted books in the shelves and several glass jars containing herbs of all kinds. A long L shaped desk extended along the farthest walls and that's where Artemis's cauldrons and instruments laid.

Artemis picked out a slim emerald book and flipped through the pages until he found the recipe he needed.

"Is this your meth lab?" Hades joked.

"Meth is a lot easier to make than you think." Artemis replied as he picked up some ingredients.

"You're--actually never mind I'm not gonna ask."

Artemis turned on the burner at the bottom of a globe-like flask and poured a black liquid in it. The liquid turned purple and began bubbling, and Artemis threw in buds of a white colored flower. The potion hissed and turned a lilac color.

Hades was silently fascinated at watching Artemis expertly add ingredients and modify the potion.

"What are you brewing anyway?" Hades wondered.

"This, is a suppressing potion. It can temporarily suppress the effects of your heat for a few hours. It's better you're able to be asymptomatic for most of the day, and the rest of the time I'll try my best to satisfy you, but please refrain for breaking me each time." Artemis explained as the potion was almost ready.

"Uh huh, why do you have a suppressing potion recipe though? Do elves have anything they need suppressed?"

"Elves have breeding periods too, but on a much more civilized and lesser amount. Not male elves though, only female ones get those, so don't get your hopes up."

"Such a shame, some nice rough sex between an in-heat vampire and elf sounds mouth-watering."

"You're into some freaky shit, Hades."

Artemis turned away from his desk and went up to Hades. He pulled his head down by the scruff of his shirt and Hades reacted with confusion and rising arousal. However, that reaction was replaced by pain when Artemis pulled a hair out of his head.

"Ow! The hell?!" Hades winced.

"Thought vampires healed fast." Artemis smirked.

"We can heal fast, doesn't mean we don't feel pain! A warning would've been nice, elf prick."

Artemis added Hades' hair into the potion, turning it crimson, and it passed through a spiral glass tube before emptying into a glass cup at the bottom. Lastly, Artemis added a spoonful of honey and pressed the glass to Hades.

"Drink it." Artemis ordered.

"Hold up, your majesty." Hades held up his hands. "It's nighttime, you won't be busy now. You can be a dear and satisfy me all night can't you?"

Artemis moved his mouth to the side in thought. He could do that but at the same time, he was exhausted. It was a tough thing keeping up with a nocturnal creature and acting normally in the daytime. Artemis came to a compromise and offered:

"How about this? Drink a few sips from it, so it won't stop your heat it will just make it less intense. We'll have one or two gentle rounds because someone broke my ass earlier, and then you'll drink the rest so I can sleep. Unlike you, I do need to sleep to function."

"M'kay sounds good to me." Hades agreed and took two sips of the potion. "Oh by the way, my heat lasts three days."

"THREE DAYS?!"

"Oh, sweetie, this is just day one."

Hades took Artemis's hand and led his still-shocked-self to his bedroom. The two males stripped from their clothes once again, and Hades set Artemis's hair lose. Artemis was surprised, but pleased, at the fact that Hades was actually being gentle with him.

He caressed his body with his finger tips and peppered his shoulders with kisses. The feeling of Hades' strong hands cupping his face to kiss him passionately made his skin burn with desire.

None of Hades' previous sexual partners gave him the satisfaction and pleasure Artemis did, there was more than just carnal arousal to what he felt when he was with Artemis in this position.

In addition, Hades found himself just waiting for the day to pass so he could come see him at night. Spending the next three days with him would be the most blissful ones, but they would also tax his mental state. Hades was set on never choosing a mate, but it all crumbled down when he met Artemis.

"Hades." Artemis sighed as he pressed their bodies together, trying to generate friction.

The sound of Artemis's airy voice brought Hades back from his thoughts and he looked at him on a completely different light. Those beautiful pale blue eyes took his breath away and made his heart race. The way he clung so tightly to his body and begged to be filled by him made him embrace him lovingly. He didn't want to part from his warmth.

Indeed, perhaps Hades was still in heat now, but the way he carried on in their sex was different. He wasn't seeking physical satisfaction nor amusement for himself anymore, he simply wanted to please Artemis and have him call out his name more. He embraced him tightly on both their rounds, until Artemis could carry on no more.

At that point, Hades gently caressed his cheek and untangled his white locks. He breathed in that sweet peach scent he had and smiled softly.

He said he wasn't sure if he was in love with Artemis yet, but the truth was that he didn't know how Artemis would take it if he confessed the reality of things. By now, the vampire king was hopelessly in love with the elf prince.