Le Frère de Sang

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GENERAL DISCLAIMER - I do not own any of the characters used.

NOTES ON THE CHAPTER - Here we see Harry’s intimate relationships really be confirmed. So yes, that means another INTIMATE SCENE. Not too GRAPHIC but still enough for me to have to warn you about.

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I sighed and retired for the night leaving Julien and Percy snuggling on the sofa and reading. Percy was reading to Julien who was stroking his chest gently and staring off into space. I gave them a smile on the way out and Julien nodded while Percy wished me good night and going back to his book.

I’d been in England a week now, one whole week. I wasn’t entirely over my jet lag but since I didn’t need to get up at any point it was fine. I’d spent my time reading and walking about. I’d sold the flat in St Louis, the goblins at Gringotts had sorted that out for me and Kreacher and Dobby had packed all my stuff up so I didn’t have to return. I would be moving back in to Grimmauld house tomorrow to give Percy and Julien back their privacy.

I closed the door of my bedroom behind me and stripped off my clothes for bed. I found my pyjama bottoms and slipped them on over my underwear. I didn’t bother with a top, just slid straight in beneath the covers. I snatched my wand off the bedside table and cast a silencing charm around the room so no sound could escape or penetrate the room. The third night I’d been so tired I forgot to do the silencing charms and was woken up by what sounded like Percy screaming out an orgasm. I’ve never forgotten since then. I placed a ward on the room that also prevented me sensing the emotions of anyone outside the room then let down my mental shields.

“Mm.” I settled against the pillows and lay on my side. My bed was cold, rather lonely too. I miss having the love of…or a lover despite having never had full out sex with either Asher or Micah. The hurt of their…love for Anita had faded over the distance. I still felt abandoned and it felt like they turned from me overly quickly but then again I suppose to look at me they were abandoning Anita. I wonder if it hurt her when they left her for me? I wonder if it hurt at all when her lovers found other bed mates than her. Well, I know she got jealous of it after all she told Jean-Claude she wouldn’t be with him if he slept around or slept with Asher without her being there.

Asher…he was gorgeous, even when upset he was gorgeous. Anger made him stunning, lust made him irresistible, neutral made him beautiful. Even though he regarded himself as spoilt he was still beautiful. Then there was Micah, he was spectacular too. He was handsome, strong, graceful, athletic, masculine…he was stunning too. But they both…I don’t want to think about it.

I shut my eyes and tried to beckon sleep. I tried to imagine the ending to the book I was reading. I tried to imagine what I could have said in the situation. I tried to imagine what would have happened if I stayed. Then I tried to imagine what they were doing without me, how happy they were that I was gone and imagine that the pain in my chest didn’t exist.

I was on a bed, so much larger than my own. I was back in St Louis…in Asher’s room. His soft blankets beneath me, a pillow cushioning my head as I lay there. A cold breath made goose bumps cross over my body, my nipples hardened as the cold travelled over them. I looked down to see where the breath was from.

“Asher…” He was above me in all his naked glory. His hair tied out of the way showing both sides of him. His light blue eyes dulled slightly with an emotion that I couldn’t identify for some reason. He was over me, his body pressing against mine. I could feel an arousal there and mine jerked slightly.

“Harry.” He said gently. Gods…he said my name, does that mean he’s mad? He doesn’t look very angry but…but why can’t I sense it? Why can’t I feel his emotions? My empathy is wide open so why can’t I feel it? Was he…he blocking me?

“Asher…what‘s going on? Why are we here? Why are you here? I‘m in Percy‘s house, you can‘t be in England! You shouldn‘t be with me.” Something sparked in his eyes then before it disappeared completely.

“Oh really? And why should I not be with you? We are, after all, bound together. Is it not natural for you and I to be at each others sides?” I floundered for an answer, struggling desperately for one.

“I…bu…No it isn‘t! Not when none of us agreed to the bonding. Neither you, me or Micah intended to get stuck in a triumvirate and I know for a fact it‘s as bad as a loveless marriage and that you two are both in love with Anita so no it is not natural for me to be at your side.” Asher’s had cupped my cheek.

“What makes you think it is loveless, mon magicien?” I gritted my teeth against the tenderness in his eyes.

“You love Anita and Jean-Claude and I know how all powerful love can be. It‘s consuming. It takes you over. You don‘t have those feelings for me, nor do you have them for Micah, nor he for you or he for me! Thus it is loveless.” I raised my hands and tried to push him off me. I didn’t want him on me. He didn’t budge though, it was like trying to push away a statue. He was completely unmovable.

“But you feel that for Micah and I?” I spluttered for a moment before getting angry. How dare he?!

“Don‘t put words in my mouth!” I pushed harder, tried to call my magic but it didn’t respond and eventually just moved myself from under Asher. I didn’t make it far, just enough to get out from beneath him and sit up only to then have the naked vampire between my legs and level with me again.

“You do not deny it then?” I bit my lip and looked away, tears of anger and sadness falling down my face even as my heart chilled.

“Why bother? It‘s not like it matters. You are free of me…I don‘t know why I‘m even talking to you, this is a dream it‘s not real. Let me go damn you, you can‘t keep me…not now.” I tried to shrug off his hands, wiggle away but Asher just wrapped his arms around me and held me still.

“I do not know what I have done to upset you so mon magicien. It was not my intention to hurt you or anger you yet I have done so. It is lonely without your presence.” I shook my head and glared at him.

“I‘m sure it‘s bearable.”

“No. No it is not.” He sighed and kissed my temple keeping his lips pressed against me. “It is not bearable. You not being here is like a knife in the heart. You have no idea of how much I long for you, how much I crave you. And yet you left me, you left Micah too. He feels your absence just as much as I. You are our third, our existence is meagre without you there besides us.”

“But what about me? I would have only a meagre existence should I be with you.” Asher pulled back and gripped my face hard holding my gaze. Our faces were so close to each other.

“It would not be meagre with us. The only meagre existence is that without love.” I licked my lips.

“Exactly so it is better for me to stay away and let you love in St Louis.” Asher let out a low moan, a more pained sound than anything else and then placed small kissed all over my face. His lips barely touching but setting my nerves on fire.

“No…Why do you insist on denying the love we have for each other? Why do you reject us? Why can you not understand the depth of our feelings for you? Why do you claim to be unloved in St Louis?” He pulled away having placed a kiss on the corner of my mouth and looked at me seriously. “Were you not loved enough?”

“Ah…” I breathed, shutting my eyes to stop any more traitorous tears. I reached a hand between us and rubbed my chest, Asher moved back a little and my hand had more room to move. The rubbing helped but it didn’t sooth everything, I couldn’t touch the part that hurt. “You both bore my absence fine before I see no reason why you cannot again.”

“We do not want to.” I looked up at Asher then.

“Do not be selfish. I do not want to go back.” His grip on me got tighter. “Find somebody more worthy than me, find somebody who can love more people thus not be affected by you loving others too. Love is powerful so go and love without me.”

“Never.”

“You did before! And you will again!” I yelled at him despite him being right next to me. I turned away from him. “I want to wake up now. I don‘t want to be here again.”

“Very well Harry.” The arms released me and I felt the dream fade some. “We shall love in your absence. Until you love us we shall stay away. When you love us we shall find you.”

I jerked upright in bed. The sun was shining through the window despite the closed curtains. I looked around the room. No Asher. For some reason that though both saddened and relieved me. Stupid dream. Why was I to be tormented by thoughts of them even when I slept? Why did I have to love them both? What did Asher mean at the end of the dream? Not that it mattered, it was only a dream. Dreams only mean things to idiots and diviners.

Amusement danced through me. I frowned. It wasn’t my amusement, I had nothing to be amused about. I called up my empathy shields again and my occulumency shields. The amusement disappeared. Julien or Percy must have been amused.

I clambered out of bed, cancelled the spells on the room and grabbed my wash stuff. I went into the bathroom and showered then got dressed and set about cleaning my teeth. I caught my reflection in the mirror. My gaze lingered on my neck. I tilted my head to the side and fingered my skin just next to my pulse point. Asher bit me there, several times. He gave me more pleasure in those moments than I had ever felt before. I don’t just mean physical pleasure, I got pleasure from helping someone I cared for stay alive.

When I got to the kitchen I found a note on the table announcing that Percy and Julien had already left for work and that they’d visit me at Grimmauld place at about seven that evening. I’d promised I’d cook a dinner for them, to repay them for housing me this last week. I grabbed some cereal from the cupboard and summoned all the utensils I’d need as well as the milk. I ate breakfast quickly, cleaned up and put everything away again then went back to my room.

The suitcase was still mostly packed. Well, all my clothes and supplies had been unpacked but Blaise’s things were still in there. I set about manually packing the suitcase. I emptied drawer after drawer. I stuffed all my wash things in there, all my towels and soaps, conditioners and shampoos. Once I’d packed all my things I cast a quick summoning charm for all of my things and all of Blaise’s things and was happy to see I hadn’t missed anything. I closed the suitcase and carried it and my back pack towards the fireplace.

I stepped out of the fireplace at Grimmauld place dragging my suitcase with me. For once I didn’t fall over though it was a close thing. Kreacher and Dobby greeted me and offered to help me take all my things upstairs but I dismissed them both and said I wanted to handle things on my own for the day. I made them aware I was having guests later and to show them into the lounge.

I went out shopping to kill time and bought not only food but clothes and robes and books. I had…fun shopping. Shopping had never been a particularly satisfying activity before but for once I enjoyed myself. If I liked clothes I took them to the changing rooms and tried them on then bought them if I liked them enough. Money was no object. I bought paint for the walls too and emulsion and new carpets too. When I returned home I took each of the new carpets and paint to the rooms I was re-doing and pointed my wand at them telling them to re-decorate. The old carpets were banished and all the windows in the house were thrown wide open.

By the time seven rolled around I’d redecorated nearly all the rooms in the house and cooked a large roast dinner to thank Percy and Julien. I was around to let them in when they came and I opened the door before they even had time to knock.

“Welcome. I‘m glad you made it. How was work?”

“Rather dull actually.” Percy bemoaned.

“Speak for yourself dear. I had a good day, if a little tiring.” I grinned at Julien and ushered them straight through to the dinning room where the food was waiting. Normally I’d have had them sit in the lounge and talk for a while but there would be time for that afterwards and they always came home from work starving hungry.

Dinner was a success and they stayed for three hours after dinner just talking with me. We discussed their days and mine and bitched about various family members. At eleven o’clock they left for the night, so they could get up at a decent time the next day and, Julien had hinted about looking forwards to having Percy in the house alone. Percy had flushed such a dark red it out did his hair but hadn’t argued. I didn’t really want to think about what they’d be doing as soon as they got home. I went to the kitchen to clean up after dinner. While I did a lot of spells to clean everything up I did some of the washing up by hand. It’s therapeutic.

“Um…Master Harry Potter Sir?” I turned and gave Kreacher a small smile.

“Yes Kreacher?”

“I is doing as you asked and led your guests into the lounge sir.” I blinked. My guests? I’d already had Percy and Julien over. They’d just left. Did they forget something perhaps?

“Who are they Kreacher?”

“I isn‘t knowing Master sir. They is two men. I is just showing them to the lounge like you‘s telling me to.” I nodded still frowning. Kreacher wrung his hands nervously.

“Okay. Thank you Kreacher. Perhaps you could finish cleaning up for me?” Kreacher nodded and moved forwards taking over from me happily. I dried my hands on the tea towel and cast a spell to dry off my clothes in case I had splashed anything on them. Then I walked out of the kitchen and down the corridor to the lounge. Who had come? The newly carpeted floor creaked beneath my feet its sound echoing up the stairs. Was it Percy and Julien?

I pushed open the door to the lounge and stepped in. Just there on one of the chairs was Micah sat comfortably reclined against the softness of the chair. He wore yet another suit, this one black pinstriped. Next to him, stood up, was Asher in all his glory wearing old fashioned clothes that were the most casual I’d ever seen him wear. A simple poets shirt that was loose around him but occasionally clung to his chest, back and arms. He wore leather trousers tucked into knee high boots and his hair hung around his face.

“You…” I gasped and both Asher and Micah nodded slightly. Shock ping-ponged through my body stopping all my muscles from moving and dulling any thoughts in my brain. I couldn’t think about moving. I couldn’t grasp a single clear thought.

“Us.” Micah answered. I shook away my shock with a rough shake of my head.

“What are you doing here? Why are you here? How did you find me?” I snapped at them stamping my foot slightly. It vaguely occurred to me that stamping my foot was very childish but it was either that or thumping something.

“I told you we would leave you alone until you loved us, then we would come for you.” Asher explained and I jerked to look at him. How the…when did he say that? He only said that in my…what the hell?!

“You never said that to me! I dreamed that, it wasn‘t you!” Asher smirked.

“Oh I assure you, it was me. Do you not remember what the second mark enables me to do? It allows me to communicate with you through dreams.” I stumbled slightly and grabbed the doorframe to keep myself steady. Micah snapped upright and slid to the front of his chair ready to leap into action. Asher kept his eyes pinned on me.

“Why did you come? I told you to leave me alone.”

“And I told you that when you loved us we‘d come for you. Since you didn‘t argue my point and since you do love us we came here to retrieve you.” I shook my head, desperation clawing at my heart. My protective side urging me to run and push them away to save myself the pain. Another half of me was urging me forwards.

“No…NO! You can‘t be here! You should have just stayed in St Louis! It‘s better for everyone then! Go away! Leave me alone!” I turned to walk or run away. I made it barely three steps when one pair of arms wrapped around me and a strong lithe body pressed into me from behind restricting my movement.

“No Harry, we won‘t let you go.” Micah’s voice rumbled through the air, vibrations going through his chest and against my back. His breath moved the hair by my ear. Asher moved in front of me and took my face in his hands.

“No, we will never let you go. You shouldn‘t run from love Harry, especially not a love like this.”

“What love? You don‘t love me! You never did! I was just food and some fun! I was a time filler between sessions with Anita! Neither of you love me so let me go!” Asher and Micah’s grip became painful and I gasped and whimpered at the pain they caused in me.

“Harry you will listen and you will listen well.” Asher growled. “Yes I do love Anita but I also love you. The thought of loosing you is nearly unbearable. Knowing you were distancing yourself from me hurt me, knowing you ran from me hurt me and the knowledge that I might not see you again cause almost the same agony as the holy water that gave me this disfigurement. I love you, what do I have to do to prove it to you?”

“Let me go? If you love me let me go?” I moaned out and Asher smiled sadly and shook his head.

“No, that is not a fair thing to ask me. If you had a good reason then I would let you go out of love for you but denying this is not reason enough for me to release you.”

“Harry…you‘ve seen and you‘ve known how many love can encompass. You know one person can have enough love in them to love several people. I love you and Asher loves you and, yes, it is true we love others too but we love them no more and no less than we love you. And you love us too and that‘s the greatest gift you can ever give us. Just knowing that even though we are bound in a triumvirate accidentally we still have love between us and it is a wonderful thing.”

“But you don‘t love Asher and he doesn‘t love you and I don‘t want…I don‘t want to bind you together in a relationship you cannot have love in.” Micah held me even tighter and I felt his nose against my neck.

“I can perhaps learn to love Asher and him love me. We already appreciate and respect each other and we have a connection to you, we both love you, that brings us together further.” My heart ached and I tried to get out of the arms holding me, they just held me really strong. A whimper tore from my throat again against my will.

“You‘ll hurt me…you are hurting me!” I whispered and immediately their grips lessened and I slipped away. I moved to the other side of the hall and put my hand against the wall letting it steady me. My breathing was accelerated, my chest hurt and my eyes stung. They’d only hurt me if I gave into them wouldn’t they? Yes…yes they would. They’d have me then the minute I have to do something they’d both go running to Anita.

“Harry?” No…I couldn’t give in, they couldn’t love me. They couldn’t, they had to be lying. I’d find out…I’d find out the truth then confront them and that would get them to leave me alone. I slowly lowered my shields allowing my empathic ability to catch all the emotions in the room. The first thing that hit me was an overwhelming heat. It swept me up, wrapt around me so tightly that it’s temperature felt like it was burning me but it didn’t hurt. It heated my skin, warmed my heart and sent tingles through the whole of my body. All I could think of was red…red, red, red. It was hot and it was all consuming and it…the power from it sent me to me knees.

A hand rested on my shoulder and the coolness of concern, the undulating gentle force of concern washed through me even as the hot red, red, red heat swept in. I looked up and there were yellow-green eyes staring intently at me from an oval face. Curling brown hair dropped around and brushed against slightly tanned skin.

“Micah…” I moaned and he put a hand on my cheek. I leaned into the touch, the hot red emotion increasing in intensity. I gripped the hand and pulled it hard, pulling it off me but using the pull to push my body forwards. I pressed my head against Micah’s neck and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. He sighed and I felt something move against my skin, his lips curling into a smile. He gripped me hard and the heat and tingles increased once more. He loved me…that’s what it was…it was love.

A hand took my other hand, the one not wrapped around Micah. The touch was cool but the emotion that sparked through me was just as burning hot as the emotion coming from Micah. It flared in my mind and I pulled my head back to look at Asher. He was knelt next to Micah and me, his blue eyes watching intently. I took my hand from his hand and pushed it to his cheek. I leaned towards him and pressed my forehead against his. His eyes closed briefly then he opened them and smiled ever so slightly.

“It burns Asher.” Asher’s smile grew some more at my words and he lifted his chin pressing his lips to mine. I moaned loudly and he pressed harder against me. He kept the kiss gentle, ever so gentle but the heat that spread over my entire body kept intensifying and more red…just more of it came.

“Put your shields back up Harry or this won‘t be as…as fun.” Micah’s words flew over my ears and barely registered in my brain. When I caught the meaning I pulled back from Asher and wiggled my way away from both of them. As soon as they weren’t touching me again some of the hot red left but it was still there. I tried to summon up my shields, reaching deep inside myself and dragging them up forcing the red out. When the shields were up I felt cold. I shivered and reached out to Micah and Asher again. They swept me up and I felt the heat of their bodies warming my own, just their presence replacing the heat of their emotions.

“Do you believe us?” I nodded against Asher’s chest and Micah’s hand turned my chin. He leaned in and pressed his lips to me. He wasn’t like Asher, I’ve noted the difference before. He pushes in and teases, plays and dances mixing passion and play. I gripped him hard with one hand, my other hand clutching at Asher.

“Do you have a bed Harry?” I pulled out of Micah’s kiss and my breath hitched at Asher’s words. I looked at him and he gave me a smile pressing his lips to my forehead.

“I…yes, I do. It‘s upstairs.” I turned to go towards it only to be tugged into another kiss by Micah. My legs lost strength and it was lucky hands suddenly gripped me. Asher laughed then drew back my hair from my neck. He pressed his lips against the skin next to my pulse, the place I had been so fascinated with not so long ago.

“Come on then.” Micah grinned as he pulled out of the kiss and moved towards the stairs dragging me by my hand. Asher moved behind me, keeping his hands on my hips as I moved. Micah lead the way to my room and he held the door open for Asher and I then he closed it behind us. He moved towards the bed, throwing back the covers until they fell to the floor.

“I…um…” I stuttered and drew back slightly till I leaned against the door. What were they planning on doing in my bed? What did they have in their minds? What were they…

“Shh Harry.” Asher’s hands touched me again and drew me away from the door. He walked backwards to the bed, drawing me with him. When he reached the bed he kissed me. He conquered me immediately and I opened to him. He loved me, he could have me. I opened my mouth and danced with his tongue. His lips smiled against mine as he kissed me hard opening the playing field wide. As he kissed me he wiped away all my senses but I felt him lower himself. He lowered and lowered till he was sat on the bed and never once did he stop kissing me. He pushed a hand around my shoulders holding me in the kiss.

“My turn Asher.” Asher’s lips left mine and mine were claimed by Micah’s instead. Asher pulled away from me and shifted up the bed as Micah turned my body to face him. I sucked in air through my nose as we kissed, Micah once again overpowering me an ruling my mouth and lips. The he pulled away and gently urged me towards the bed. I climbed onto the edge and sat back on my shins.

“What‘re we doing? I mean…”

“I know what you mean Harry.” Asher said, his voice deep and rumbling. “We are just loving you. We will go no further than being close if that is your wish. I know sex isn‘t something you are ready for yet and Micah may had accepted his feelings towards you but neither is he ready to have sex. Come here, just let me hold you. It has been a very long time since I last had you in my arms.”

I climbed forwards on the bed and Asher opened his legs encouraging me to turn around and recline against him. Micah climbed on the bed and sat next to us facing us. Asher pressed his nose against my hair where it brushed my neck and inhaled. I shivered and clutched one of his hands tightly.

“Do you need to feed?” Asher made a negative sound.

“I do not however if you are offering I would gladly take some of your blood.” I nodded slightly then froze and pulled back craning my neck so I could see him.

“Isn‘t that how the third mark is made though? The exchange of blood?” Asher met my gaze before nodding slowly.

“A ritual that involves taking blood creates the third mark. Are you against the idea of being my human servant?” I flinched at the word.

“I don‘t want to be a servant.” Micah ran a hand over my chest.

“You wouldn‘t really be a servant you know. If it was anyone but Asher then you would but he‘d treat you as an equal, you wouldn‘t serve him except perhaps to feed him. Isn‘t that right Asher?”

“Yes. Micah is correct.” Asher said and I nodded again leaning back against him.

“Completing all four marks isn‘t such a big thing I suppose, especially since we are all stuck together until death anyway.” I muttered. “But I don‘t want to do it now…I can‘t complete anything now. It‘s too much, all at once. Feeding is okay though.”

“As long as you accept us Harry we can ask nothing more from you.” Micah leaned in after he spoke and I let him kiss me again. I let myself fall fully into the kiss vaguely feeling my head being steered to the side. I did feel when pain stabbed through me neck and definitely became aware. Pleasure, untainted pleasure rushed through me and my nerves sang. I pulled my lips from Micah’s and breathed out my pleasure as Asher drank. Micah grinned above me and claimed my lips again this time moving his body to press against me more.

I felt his hardness against my leg and a hand slipped to the front of my body pushing against my own rising hardness. Behind me something hardened and pressed against me. I was surrounded by…by arousals.

“Ah…” I breathed as the hand against me applied more pressure and friction. The hardness against my thigh was rubbing up and down too. The mouth against my neck pulled away with one last lick and I felt Asher move me upwards. He pushed himself from behind me and lay me down both him and Micah pressing into me. I was still lost in the sensations. Hotter and hotter, more and more pleasure.

A hand pushed up my shirt and I vaguely saw Asher’s face before there was a warm wet tongue playing with my nipples.

“Ngg…” I gritted my teeth and wiggled even as the hand worked against me. Then the hand was pressed against my flesh, skin to skin contact and it was creating more delicious friction. I gasped loudly, so loudly I could hear myself and my gasp echo in the room. Pleasure surged from me coating the inside of my trousers and the hand against me.

I looked up and saw Micah about to wipe his hand against the mattress on my bed. Asher snatched the hand though and, meeting Micah’s eyes, started licking the white substance that had come from me. Micah’s eyes became hooded and the hardness still against my leg became even more rigid. One of Asher’s hands toyed with my nipple still while the other hand gripped Micah still cleaning him off.

“Perhaps, Micah, you would allow me to give you release?” Micah froze for a moment, I could feel his heart rate increase. Then he nodded and Asher smiled, released his hand and moved it down Micah’s front. He slid it down slowly giving Micah ample time to back out. His hand went further and further down then slid underneath and inside Micah’s pants. Micah tensed, closed his eyes and panted. God he looked so…pleasured. He looked so happy. His body moved ever so slightly and I could see Asher’s hand moving up and down inside Micah’s pants.

I swallowed. Asher’s trousers had a tent in them, an obvious sign of his arousal. I didn’t have the courage to grasp him and bring him off, nor did I have the bravery to touch Micah to help bring him off. The only way I could confidently help was to call upon my magic. I focused and pushed my magic towards my two lovers trying to send all my love and all my…my lust to them. They both gasped and snapped their eyes to me before both moaning. I smiled and pushed my pleasure into them. I opened my empathy up slightly and took their pleasure and sent it between them.

“HARRY!” Micah cried out, his body tensing completely straining against something. Asher gave a muffled moan and tensed. Then they both relaxed and Asher drew back his hand. I cast a cleansing spell before he could wipe or lick the stuff and Asher rolled his eyes at me, leaned down and gave me a bright kiss. I had to pull out of it part way through to yawn and Asher kissed my jaw until it passed before claiming my lips again. Micah lay down beside me, wrapping an arm around my waist.

“Your magic really adds something doesn‘t it.” It wasn’t a question and since my lips were claimed all I could do was moan an agreement and even that was swallowed up by Asher. I pulled back and sucked in a breath only to have my lips claimed once more but this time by Micah.

“Ah…enough, I need to breathe!” I panted to them and they both chuckled slightly before relaxing to either side of me. It felt like I was inside a Harry-sandwich being pressed against by two men like this. I didn’t know who to look at and after a moment of looking between them and watching them look at me I looked up at the ceiling. A hand stroke my stomach and I felt my muscles clench. From the other side of me lips pressed against my ear and teeth gave me a very gentle nip.

“I‘m glad we found you. We missed you and everyone was so worried.” I hummed, not really committing to an answer to Micah’s statement. He shifted his body and looked down at me. “Will you come back to St Louis with us?”

I sighed and sat up moving off the bed. I rose and moved over to the window to stare out across the street. In the glass I saw Asher sit up and move to sit on the edge of the bed, crossing his legs. Micah stood up and leaned against on of the bedposts. Would I go back with them? They loved me and we were bound together. But even with all of that and…wouldn’t they just go with Anita every time I turned my back? I couldn’t stop them from loving her and it wasn’t fair to expect them to not have the intimacy that expresses that love. The only thing I could do was deny them myself and that would be unfair to me. I wanted them. Could I face the pain of them leaving me occasionally to be with others though? Was it fair to put me through it all? Could I share them with her? Should I have to? Not really, the idea of love is to be with the one person you adore and not require others but then again we were in a bond of three. How would we work the bond? How would we even handle being a married triad?

“How would this bond work between us? Would things go back to how they were before with us just visiting each other or would it be different?” I asked.

“Richard would be happy to have you back you know. Otherwise I own my own house, I suppose you could move in with me but then you‘d have to put up with the pard.”

“You could live in the circus but unless it was night time you‘d be alone.” I sighed and rubbed my forehead. If only I hadn’t sold my flat, I could have lived there. Then again I could always just buy a new one.

“It‘s alright. I‘ll talk to the goblins see if they can purchase another flat or a house for me again in St Louis. That way I won‘t tread on any toes.”

“You wouldn‘t tread on anyone‘s toes mon petit.”

“Yes I would Asher and you know I would. At the circus I‘d get frustrated at being alone during the day or argue with Jean-Claude about whether or not he has the right to be my guardian. At Richard‘s I‘d feel like the odd one out and I‘d feel guilty for putting him through so much hassle without so much as a thank you. At Micah‘s I‘d be ill all the time because of my reaction to necromancy. The only way I could come back would be to have my own house.”

“How long would it take you to come back to us in St Louis‘ then?” Micah asked and I turned around with a shrug and leaned my back against the window.

“A few days. The goblins are incredibly efficient. I could go into the bank, say I want a house in St Louis and they‘d find me several properties. From then it‘s just a case of choosing which one I want and deciding which of my vaults I should charge the house to. Then all we have to do is wait for the money to change hands and I‘m all set.”

“That is very speedy.” Micah smiled and I shrugged again.

“Goblins are always efficient and quick.”

“Come here Harry.” Asher held his hand out to me, adding to his plea for me to come closer. I stepped towards him and he placed his hand on my hip drawing me further in. I turned and sat on the bed next to him and he shifted his body around so he was looking at me. “Our love for Anita is what makes you reluctant, is it not?”

“Yes.” I said, brutally honest. “I won‘t ask you to stop loving her because it isn‘t fair to but at the same time feeling her on you is sickening. I finally understand Richard‘s anger.”

“I can feel your disgust at Anita, I can feel what you feel when you are with her.” I blinked up at him.

“How?”

“Our marks mon amour.” I closed my eyes, a warm wash of happiness cascading through me. “I can feel your disgust when you think of her and I saw how sick it made you during your very first meeting and there after. I understand it.”

“Do you? I mean it‘s not just when she‘s around. God Asher when I came to visit you after I arrived back in St Louis from London you opened the door and you were saturated in her and your room was practically dripping in her. It‘s not like a scent and it‘s not exactly me just hating Anita. Her aura reeks of death and all the things I hated and fought against. It‘s like a sludge that touches, covers and consumes anything it comes into contact with until it finally fades away. To feel that whenever she is around, to feel that on you both and know what happened to get it there…that repulses me. It makes every nerve in my body stand to attention and my instincts scream at me to get as far away as possible. Knowing that going back to St Louis is going to expose me to that over and over again is enough to put me off. If it wasn‘t a factor maybe I wouldn‘t be as bothered by it but who knows, maybe it just adds to some possessiveness and jealousy I have I don‘t know. All I know is that I loath it.”

“Ah mon petit magicien perhaps I‘d be able to understand more when we complete the third mark non?” I had thrown myself back onto the bed, lying flat against the mattress with one leg dangling over the bed and the other raised so it rested just on the edge of the mattress. I was frustrated and stressed but at the same time rather content at being so close to Asher and Micah. My magic was also pleased. I had sent it to them earlier and had yet to call it back. It was pulsing ever so slightly, twisting and twirling as it connected me to them.

“Why? What will happen then?” Asher shifted his body so that he was lying on his side next to me proper up on one elbow.

“When we complete that I get to witness all your memories and you mine. We will be completely laid bare to the other.”

“My memories are not exactly nice Asher, I‘m not sure I‘d like to be laid bare like that.” I muttered and Asher crooned to me ever so slightly.

“Neither are my memories, mon amour, but I‘d willingly release them to you. I trust you and I love you and you willingly accepting the rest of the marks would bring me more happiness than you could know.”

“I already accepted the other marks you know Asher.”

“Ah but you accepted what happened without knowing what it was. I would like for you to accept with knowledge now.” I nodded and yawned again, this time managing to cover it with my hand.

“Then when the time comes I will take the other marks but as I said not now.” Micah nodded as he drew closer, kneeling on the bed.

“Are you tired Harry?” I nodded to him and he leaned down and kissed me, I‘d had a rollercoaster of an evening not to mention the bury day I had unpacking and shopping. “Then we‘ll leave and let you get some sleep.”

“You can‘t stay?”

“No, Asher cannot go out in sunlight remember and there‘s a window right there.” I looked over to the window. I could black out this one to stop sumlight coming in. As long as the door was kept closed it would be alright for Asher to stay in the room if the windows were blacked out.

“Kreacher! Dobby!” Two pops that made both master vampire and were-leopard jump saw Dobby and Kreacher arriving with twin bows. “Could you black out all the windows from here to the lounge and close any doors so that no sunlight can enter? It‘s just my…friend here is a vampire and I‘d like to keep him safe.”

“We is doing as you asked Master Harry Potter Sir!” They popped away and immediately the window was blocked stopping any natural light from entering.

“You, mon magicien, are spectacular. I am glad you are mine.” Before I could argue the point in any way shape or form, despite the pride and happiness sloshing through me, my lips were claimed by Asher.

“Asher, he needs to breathe and he needs to sleep.” Asher pulled away, delivering one last lick to my lips before pulling back.

“Micah and I shall adjourn to the lounge while you rest.”

They left, after Micah giving me a quick kiss, and closed the door behind them. I banished my clothes to the floor and summoned my sweat-pant trousers, slipping them on before dragging the blanket up onto the bed. I snuggled into the pillow and closed my eyes.

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