Book One: Time Of The Clan

chapter 3

I looked over and the pretty little emerald I had claimed as my own was sleeping up against me. There's was a soft purr vibrating from his through throat while he was unconscious. Aamon doubted the boy knew he could do it, especially with his animosity towards the idea of his own kind. This boy was a dream demon, rare but not unheard of. They often came from fallen angels, but you did not get many of those here. Sitting there, worried that this boy did not know how to control his powers, fallen angels were not common, considering that the above ruler was thought to be loving towards everything that was his.
pleased with the little emerald he had picked up, he smiled. this kid was a diamond in the rough, a weapon of war. Dream demon's powers were not closely studied due to their rarity, but from what was known, they were powerhouses. Dream demons were not like incubi or succubi, they controlled dreams and the magic of them and in them. they make those dreams a reality and use them to fight, they were fast and dangerous, much of their power was unknown to the below. Aamon could not believe that this little emerald was his. Meredith really missed out on something special. He felt the boy shuffle around for a moment, he settled down quick enough after that though. The dream demon was curled up against the lord of the west. Aamon stroked the boys back, felling his spine and the soft, delicate skin underneath. This boy would be deadly. This boy would be cherished, a beautiful weapon of war for him and his people. He could not wait to ravish him, to break him, and to mold him to his desires.
The boy groaned quietly as he rolled against Aamon, he was startled awake when the carriage hit a rock and threw him against the front door, bruising his side, and twisting his body uncomfortably. He looked up at Aamon and sighed.
"That was...embarrassing." Atticus looked up at Aamon dejectedly, hating the smirk that was plastered on Aamons face.
"I think it was humorous my little emerald." Aamon glanced down at Atticus, amused.
"Emerald?" Atticus asked him.
"Yes, emerald. I have decided to call you an emerald, they are my favorite gemstone, and they are quite rare, just as you are." Aamon looked down at Atticus, with an almost predatory look.
"I'm...rare? How?" Atticus questioned once more, not used to being called special after his treatment from Meredith.
"My, my, emerald, you are quite curious, aren't you? Very well. You are a very special type of demon, one that we do not commonly find here. You are a dream demon, not an incubus, nor a succubus, but a dream demon. You are special and You, are mine." Aamon pulled Atticus up and into his lap, keeping him from moving, or at least trying too. Atticus twisted and turned slightly, trying to squirm out of the punishing grip.
"If you keep moving like that, little emerald, I won't be held responsible for what happens next."
That was enough to stop Atticus's movement. He feared the meaning behind Aamons words, and he did not want to see what might actually happen to him if he disobeyed. He liked Aamon, he was gentle with him, and he treated Atticus like he was something to be cherished, however Aamon seemed to have a hidden danger about him.
He had threatened Meredith, and now him. Atticus had grown to find that Aamon was quite bipolar, he had been kind, and then he had not. Atticus felt the arms tighten around him.
"We are arriving. Prepare yourself, do not embarrass me in front of my people, I would have to punish you if you did. However, I am sure you will do great." Aamon looked at Atticus expectantly.
Atticus felt warm hands circle his throat and he heard a click, when the hands retreated, he felt a weight around his neck. It felt like...a collar?
"Yes little emerald. It is exactly as your thinking. I've collared you. I can't let any of my demons feel they can touch you as if you're not claimed. You must wear the collar; I have not bed you therefore I have not scented you. My people would not understand that you were taken." Aamon grinned at Atticus, as if this were normal for him. "If you're lucky, emerald, I will actually bed you, then you will be taken care of, if you refuse to meet my standards, you will serve me, provide for me, and accompany in all I ask, being nothing more than a pitiful slave."
Aamon demanded, leaving no room for a discussion.
"Yes sir." Atticus said quietly, not up for arguing with someone like Aamon. Atticus felt the carriage pull to a sudden stop and then he heard loud cheering. He glanced around in an anxious manor, hoping that he would not have to go outside like he thought he would. Atticus looked up pleadingly to Aamon, but all he did was hold out his arm to Atticus. Atticus pulled himself off the ground dejected, he took aamons arm and braced himself as the door was open. He heard a loud oohing sound, as if the crowd was fascinated by something. Atticus hoped it was not him.
"A-Aamon? Why are they...cheering?" Atticus asked him fearfully.
"Well emerald, they are cheering for the return of their king, and for you, many of them have not seen a dream demon before did you know?" Aamon held Atticus tighter, keeping him from fleeing as he felt Atticus brace himself.
"Tsk tsk little emerald, it saddens me to think you would ever even want to run away!" Aamon said quietly under his breath, a threat.
"I warned you before emerald, don't make me punish you." Aamon muttered darkly.
Atticus shivered at his tone. He followed Aamon through the crowd. Atticus jumped and pulled away when a demon from the crowd pulled on his wings. He turned around and hissed, a sound he had not thought he could make. He stopped short when he saw the child behind him.
"I..." Atticus stuttered. "Sorry kid" he turned around and went to leave until he felt another tug on his tail, he turned around once more, Aamon watching, amused.
The kid had started to speak. "Sir...you're really pretty. Are you gonna stay with us? Are you our new queen?" The boy asked.
"Um.... well kid, I don't know." Atticus said awkwardly. He truly didn't know, why would aamin warn him? And what was a queen amount demons?
"Oh.... okay." The kid sighed, as if this was a common thing.
Atticus turned and continued to walk, hoping to get out of the crowd soon. He was happy when he saw the dark gates of a castle, and the lush gardens of plants unknown to him. He felt his tail whip back and forth, not understanding what that meant, he forced it to stop. He heard Aamon chuckle beside him.
"Your curiosity still proves itself to be potent. We will explore, later, however. For now, we have business" Aamon told Atticus.
"What business?" Atticus asked Aamon.
"You must see the castle and your room, if we have time, you will meet the other people in this castle, from my advisors to my servants, to my little playthings." He spoke.
"Okay. Then.... Shall we go in?" Atticus asked carefully, not trying to invite himself in, that would be impolite.
"Yes. You may follow me little emerald." Aamon ordered as he walked towards the large doors with beautiful designs. Atticus trailed slowly behind, unsure of the big building before him, but did he really want to try and go through that crowd again? He decided he would follow Aamon, there were plenty of other times to escape if he truly wanted too. He quickened his pace as he moved closer to Aamon's side. When he reached Aamon, he felt an arm around his waist and when he looked for the source, he found a grinning Aamon, as if he were proud of a special prize. Atticus glared up at Aamon, annoyed at the touch, even if he found himself enjoying the warmth of him once again. He decided to not remove the arm, he blamed it on the fact that he was scared of Aamon and not that he liked the warmth.
Atticus followed Aamon into a wide room, it was lavish with gemstones and a throne and many tables, littered with foods and drinks and supplies.
"What is all this?" Atticus asked Aamon.
"Well emerald, in celebration of you, the dream demon, we are holding a gathering. The truth is, I knew you were here, I knew you were with Meredith, and I knew I had to have you. When I heard of a new treaty with Meredith, I jumped at the offer to make one because I knew that with making a new treaty, I would get you as well. When I arrived you were there in all your glory and I knew then that you were mine, I took you home and now here we are, ready to celebrate you." Aamon looked proud of himself, but Atticus was scared, scared of how Aamon knew, scared of what Aamon might know.
Aamon caught the frightened look on Atticus's face and went to pull his chin up, forcing their eyes to meet.
"Oh no emerald... don't you worry, I won't use any of this against you. At least.... Not if you're good. Remember to behave and you will fit in perfectly here." Aamon told him in a threatening manner.
"Yes...um?" Atticus looked away.
"Aamon, call me by my name Atticus." Aamon told him sternly.
"Atticus blushed. This was the first time Aamon had used his name and it made Atticus warm inside, of course he would not tell Aamon, he did not want to boost the man's ego anymore.
"Aamon?" Atticus tried out the name, it felt weird on his younger, but he thought that he could get used. To it.
"Yes emerald?" Aamon asked, waiting for the question Atticus wanted to ask.
"Do I have to attend the banquet?"
"Yes. It's your banquet after all, but if you feel that uncomfortable then I will permit you to stay on the throne with me during the time, of course you will be seated on my lap, but I am sure you will like that more than being crowded by people." He said teasingly, anticipating a good response.
Atticus flushed, pleasing Aamon, the pink hue looked good on him, the tips of his ears were red, and he looked as if he were sweating, fighting back a snarky or sarcastic comment. Aamon liked how hard his emerald tried to be nice, to avoid getting punished, it stroked his ego like none before.
Atticus was unaware how his behavior effected Aamon, how it made him feel, and how much he made Aamon want to take him then and there, of course he was a gentleman, so he relented and controlled himself around his little emerald.
While Aamon was deep in thought Atticus was worried. What would the other demons think about him sitting on aamons lap, what would they think about him? He did not want those demons to get the wrong idea, however it did seem like that was what Aamon wanted. Atticus shuttled at the idea, but he could not think on it long considering Aamon had started to drag him away and up a grand flight of stairs. He had tripped on the stairs as he was dragged and when Aamon saw, he picked Atticus up and continued on, ignoring the smaller boys protesting noises.
When they got up the grand stairway Aamon carried Atticus through winding halls, lush with plants and jewels and creatures mounted on walls.
"Why are there so many dead... things?" Atticus asked Aamon.
Aamon slowed his steps.
"Those are my catches, I caught them, ate them, and then mounted them on my wall." Aamon looked proud. Atticus looked at him, he almost thought it was cute how excited Aamon was about his prizes.
"They are... cool." Atticus tried to complement him, even if it was difficult since he barely knew the man.
"Let's show you to your new room little emerald." Aamon told him.
Atticus was set down and let to a set of grand doors, Aamon threw them open, and he was met with a giant room. It was beautiful, all except the very obvious creatures, there were more of them.
"It's...lovely?" Atticus tried. Aamon could hear his displeasure.
"What don't you like emerald?" Aamon asked him.
"I don't want to hurt your feelings but... the creatures on the walls kinda creepy me out. It feels like they are watching me. Y'know?" Atticus said to Aamon.
"I will remove them then, after all, I don't want you to be uncomfortable in our room." Aamon told him.
"Our room!" Atticus exclaimed surprised.
"Well of course, where else would you stay my dear?" Aamon laughed at Atticus's fright, it was beautiful.

Word count:2205