“We've met, remember? I nearly tore your throat out. Maybe today I will leave out the nearly part.” It smiled. More a show of teeth than a show of pleasure, really.
“It can hurt you but Nanae and I can always heal you and Nanae would never let it kill you. He loves you, you know.”
Israel started to say that he knew that but It clamped his throat and lifted him off the ground. Izzy could still breath but the position was painful and threatening. For a being with Nanae's strength, killing a man from this hold would be nothing. A simple flick of the wrist would snap his neck. A slight application of pressure would cut off his air supply.
“I want to kill you.”
Camilla's tinkling laugh chimed. “Don't sweat it, Izzy. He wants to kill me too and I'm still here. You've obviously read this issue.” She waved the magazine at them. “Page 27 is 'How to Bring Our Your Boyfriend's Inner Bad Boy in the Bedroom'.”
It dropped Israel and backhanded him in one swoop. Izzy's head snapped to the side and he tasted blood. Camilla immediately began to remove the bruise caused by blood that didn't belong there below the surface of Izzy's face. It turned on her. “Stop helping him!”
Frightened that the beast might lay it's rage at Camilla's feet Israel choked out, “Let's just keep tonight about me, why don't we. I'm the one you want to kill, right? Tell me why.”
It was back on him. Focused hatred, it forgot the woman even existed. It even offered a hand to help Israel stand. It smiled at Izzy as it wrapped it's arms around his torso, clamping his arms at his sides and lifting him off the ground. It's teeth slid through Izzy's skin and into the flesh. It hurt and Izzy tried not to cry out. It nicked the artery. The blood came more freely and the pain lessened as it didn't have to pull on the wound to draw the flow out. It was almost pleasurable. It probably could be if Nanae could keep in control while feeding. Izzy made plans to try it out even as he felt his life draining away. Camilla said Nanae wouldn't let it kill him and Izzy believed her. Nanae loved him. Israel laughed. He must be pretty screwed up if a man had to almost kill him to prove his love.
It tore away from Izzy's neck roughly and dropped him to the floor. The pain successfully cut his laugh short. “Do not laugh!” The beast dropped down to hover over it's prey. Nanae, still not in total control exhibited enough to force it to tear it's own wrist with it's teeth and rub the two wounds together, successfully healing the wound and saving Israel's life. The spark of an idea crossed it's face. “I don't want to kill you. That is too easy on him. I am going to ruin you instead. Then, Nanae will have to kill you.” A small move brought the dripping wrist from over Izzy's neck to over his mouth.
Izzy clamped his mouth closed. If this monster wanted him to drink it's blood, Izzy didn't want to. It laughed at his resistance and the sound was cruel. With it's other hand, it pinched Israel's nose so hard that the cartilage and bone not only broke but powdered. The pain was intense and with tears streaming down his face, Izzy opened his mouth to both breathe and scream. He could do neither because hot prana dense Nephilim blood filled his throat.
It was both the most disgusting and delicious thing he'd ever tasted.
***
Izzy woke on his own bed. He sat up. Looking down he could see his body looked whole. He felt his neck and while vaguely sore, it wasn't torn or bleeding.
“How do you feel?”
Camilla's gentle voice hadn't startled him but Izzy snapped his head the direction of the sound before she finished the first word. It hurt to move that fast. Izzy rubbed his neck.
“Easy, Izzy. Try to move with marked slowness. You have a share of my strength and speed and it will take time to grow accustomed to the change. Pretend you're swimming in molasses, that should temper your movements enough to appear human still.”
Israel could see only Nanae standing in the doorway to what he hoped would become their bedroom instead of just his. He couldn't see Camilla, with Nanae filling the doorway as he was, but he could sense she was there right behind the Nephilim. He could feel that she was concerned and wanted him to be okay. He could feel the same in Nanae, though it was more reserved. They both loved and desired him. Izzy could actually feel it radiating off of the pair.
“Appear human?! Great. What the hell did your blood do to me? What am I if I'm not human?” He swung his legs over the side of the bed, using Nanae's advise to normalize the move. It worked but it took a lot of concentration.
“I am honestly not sure what it has made you. Our blood makes a number of creatures depending on the relationship between Nephilim or Akhkharu and progeny. The outcome can also be effected by words spoken at the time of turning.”
“You don't know? Is that why you're keeping Camilla out?” Israel stood slowly and stretched. He noticed that he was only wearing boxers and his hair was wet. He ran his hands through the moist mop. He closed his eyes and turned away from them. He put one hand on the bed for support. The blood was making him feel high. He slid to lay face down on the bed, the cool sheets soothing him. He rolled to face up after a moment and threw his hands over his head. “You're scared of what I might do?”
“Yes, that is exactly why.” Nanae let Camilla push past him then. Whatever moment he had feared the most was clearly past. The danger not completely gone, Nanae grabbed Camilla's arm to stop her from going to Israel.
She fussed, “Nanae, he's obviously not dead!”
Nanae did not capitulate. “No but there are other things...”
He trailed off and Israel jumped in with a snort, “You were worried about me waking up as a zombie?”
“He calls them 'zambie'. Izzy, do you want brains? No? See, Nanae, he's not a zambie. The sooner we figure out what he is, the sooner you can stop acting like this. Izzy, tell him you don't want to hurt me, so he'll let me go.”
“Yes, tell me. Do you hunger for Camilla's tender flesh or thirst for her quenching blood?”
“Eww. No. 'Course not.”
Nanae continued questioning. ”Our sister Annu, the moon, has risen. Can you feel her?” Izzy thought about it for a moment and then shook his head. “You are not hungry for anything?”
Izzy crossed his arms behind his head so he could see his favorite people in the world. “The only thing I feel is horny Just admitting it gave me wood. I want to bury my cock inside her while you fuck my face. I want to feel her orgasm around my dick and taste your cum at the same time.”
Camilla laughed. “Just what I wanted to hear. Sounds like he's back to normal to me.”
Nanae leaned his head back on the door jam and muttered, “Impossible”.
She ran to Izzy when Nanae released her. She laid down on one side and Izzy turned to kiss her. It turned her to goo and left her gasping. Izzy pulled away and sat up. Camilla writhed on the sheets from his simple kiss.
“Please.”
Her simple one word pleading set his nerves afire. Izzy, seeing her milky skin through a gap in the side of her dress and wanting to feel that smooth skin against his, grasped either side of the torn seam and pulled. The thread was obliterated and Israel thought Camilla's naked body had never looked so tempting as it did like this: round with his child and slick with arousal. He stood beside the bed watching her, feeling her desire grow. Her need fed his and when he couldn't wait a minute more, Izzy tore off his own boxer briefs. He dropped the destroyed undergarment on the floor and leaned over Camilla. “Spread your legs,” he commanded. “I'm going to fuck you stupid.”
She did, powerless to ignore a man who loved her when he told her what he wanted, what he planned. “Yes. Please Izzy.”
“No,” was all Nanae said but his hand on Israel's shoulder made the word law.
Camilla whimpered but said nothing to the contrary. Her men would work it out so that she got what she needed. Israel was less sure. “Why the fuck not, Nanae?”
“Because you are made Lilitu and it could kill her if you did.”
***
The three lay across Izzy's king sized bed. Camilla slept be
tween her two men who faced each other by propping themselves up on their elbows. They had stared at her and listened to her songbird voice until she'd fallen asleep. She had been exhausted; she fell asleep in mid-verse. Izzy was not tired. He felt like he might not ever be tired again.
They had made love but it was careful and guarded and Nanae had been very specific about what Izzy could and couldn't do where Camilla was concerned. All their needs had been met and Nanae had promised it would get easier with practice. Neither of his beauties had any objection to more 'practice' in that area of expertise.
“So what's a Lilitu?” Israel asked.
“I am truly sorry, my beauty, for what the beast did to you. I would never have wished this for you.” Nanae looked tired for the first time since Israel had met him. Ereshkigal's law forbade the making of progeny. Nanae would not only have to protect his Sinnis, but now had Izzy to watch over. If Ereshkigal found out what he was, she would kill Israel.
Izzy could feel the exhaustion rising from the Nephilim. It was not a physical exhaustion, but an emotional one. He reached over Camilla to put his hand on Nanae's shoulder in support. “Don't worry about it. Seriously, there's no reason to beat yourself up about it. I'm alive. Let's just focus on how to move forward.” His hand dropped to rest on Camilla's shoulder and slid down to unconsciously caress her breast.
Nanae took a deep breath and visibly pushed the stress from his body. He smiled at Izzy and, with incisors retracted, it was beautiful without the tinge of frightening. Israel couldn't help but return the grin. Nanae kept his voice soft as not to disturb Camilla. The two men had much to talk about. “I should have known but it didn't occur to me that a male Lilitu could be created. We Nephilim and all the progeny our blood creates from humans live on prana or 'filling life'. Prana is found in all living things. Animals contain it, but when cooked the amount in their flesh is diminished. Plants too contain life but the less sentient a being the less prana. Humans contain the most prana of any creature save Nephilim in this world. Sufficient levels can be found in humans to keep us satisfied but there are few sources that do not kill them. Organs such as the heart, liver, brain, ovaries and testicles are extremely satisfying but obtaining those kill. Creatures created with the tainted blood of a betrayer Akhkharu most often obtain their nutrients in this fashion. They are violent and bloodthirsty and are destroyed upon discovery. Zambie are made if the human dies during conversion.”
A small sound of pleasure came from the sleeping woman between them and they looked down at her. Izzy's lazy hand had rubbed and tugged at her upturned titties, whipping her unconscious body into an stimulated but incognizant mania. He moved his hand to rest on her rounded belly in a protective gesture and she stilled. “That's what you worried would happen to me?”
Nanae nodded. “It is the worst possible outcome because zambie must be destroyed immediately. All Nephilim agree on that. They are mindless reanimated dead, a shell of the human they were before, who only exist to feed. They crave...”
Izzy rolled his eyes back so that only the bloodshot whites showed and used his most zombie horror movie voice, “Braaainzzz”.
Nanae was grateful that Israel was making this easy on him. This wasn't a comfortable conversation and not one he'd had to make often. “Correct. Killing them is mercy. They are vacant of prana and getting it is their only thought. I am glad the beast did not kill you before giving you my blood. I would not relish reducing your beautiful body to ash.” He reached to tenderly cup Izzy's face, trailing his thumb over the man's jawline and lips, plump and reddened by their time together. “I feared you had become vitala when it was clear you were no zambie.” He lifted Izzy's lips to examine the normal incisors there.
Izzy loved the giant's touch and reached out with his tongue to trace the sizable finger suggestively. “You were worried I'd be what, a vampire?”
A single dip of the chin told Izzy vitala and vampire were, if not the same, very similar. There was something growing in Nanae's eyes and Izzy feared it could be the beast rising again. Izzy still was not sure what he'd become, not sure he could survive the beast's attack.
“If I was, would you have to kill me then too?”
“No. A vitala lives on blood but it takes centuries to learn the control needed to feed without killing. A vitala made with the blood of a betrayer Akhkharu can never learn, indeed never wants to learn, and forever kills with it's feedings. They must be killed. A child of the light, made by an untainted Nephilim, can be allowed to live if the maker is willing to take on the responsibility of providing for the needs of that progeny.”
A new need grew in Nanae. Israel could feel that the Nephilim at least partially wanted him to be a vitala. A change was happening in Izzy. He could feel himself mold to match Nanae's desires. His eyes widened in shock as his K-9s elongated. He opened his mouth to show Nanae the sharpened pointed teeth. The sight forced Nanae's own incisors to burst into view.
“Is this what you wanted?” Israel asked. The reshaping of his mouth giving his words a peculiar lisp. Nanae didn't have to say anything to answer the question and Israel slid over the sleeping mother of their child. Nanae turned so that he was flat on his back and Israel could lay on top of the much larger man. Israel dipped his head to whisper in Nanae's ear, his breath tickling and tempting. “You want me to bite you, drink your blood.”
It wasn't a question but Nanae answered anyway. “Yes.”
Israel nibbled Nanae's earlobe before working his way down the giant's neck. Nanae wrapped his tree limb sized arms around Israel and pressed their bodies together. Izzy felt Nanae's arousal growing between them as he played with the pulse he found where the neck met the shoulder. He applied the slightest of pressure and the skin there gave, allowing his teeth to slid through.
Hot spicy ancient blood filled his mouth. It was delicious and filled with emotions. When Nanae pierced the skin of Izzy's neck, completing the circle, they both moaned in pleasure. Israel had ever felt so connected to another being. He pulled at the wound he'd made in Nanae's throat until he felt the pricks close up. He kissed the area and skated over the quickly healing scar with his tongue. He knew it felt good because Nanae was doing it to him at the same time.
Israel felt shaky and Nanae turned them so they lay on their sides, Camilla at his back. He used his bicep as a pillow for the newly turned man. “So I am a vitala?”, Izzy asked as Nanae smoothed his brow with a gentle touch.
“Vitala make excellent companions for us and I admit that is what I hoped for, thinking that was the best of all outcomes. But none are as good as what you are. A Lilitu is a child of light who can take prana from love. It is easiest for you to take through sex but you must be careful. You will find your hunger almost insatiable with anyone but your maker. It is easy to take too much at first and kill a human partner.”
“Why did I grow fangs, then?” A wave of pleasure washed over Israel at the mere memory of exchanging blood. “I wanted, still want, to taste your blood. Fangs and drinking blood, that and not being able to stand sunlight, are kinda the definition of vampire.”
“I took much from you but I did not take the sun. Because I can walk in Ud's rays, so can my children. As to the fangs and blood, you did what I wanted. A Lilitu is endowed with the ability to sense the desires of those around her. Sorry. Of those around him or her. You also have the ability to change yourself to supply the fulfillment of those desires.”
Israel sat up. “Whoa, hold up. I can shapeshift?”
“In a way. You can only reflect the desires of those closest to you. The only control you can exercise over it is here at the beginning. You can keep yourself from changing with great effort.”
“Why would I want to? This is awesome!” When Israel looked back at Nanae, he could see shame in the man's face. Whatever Nanae answered his question with was the thing about Lilitu nature that worried him.
Nanae sat up on the edge of the bed next to his new progeny. “The longer you can keep from using your ability the lo
nger you can pass for human. You have a century at the most to live among humans undetected.”
“A century?! Just how long will I live?”
Nanae shrugged. “As long as we. A Nephilim has yet to die of old age so be assured your life will stretch out until the end of time.”
“Shit. Forever, huh? Okay, so this isn't all bad news, in fact none of it has been. What happens after the first hundred years that has you so scared for me?”
Nanae took a breath, his shoulders tense with the returning stress. “You will not be able to retain your form. You will not be able to recall how your human self looked. You will shift constantly, taking on the shape of the desire of every human that passes. Your skin will take on the glow that you saw in me earlier, but it will grow with every passing year. Your feet will no longer touch the great mother earth, Ki. Most Lilitu become bitter and begin to take the lives of their partners out of jealously even if they have mastered the restraint it takes to keep from it.”
Israel put his arm around the bigger man's shoulders in a sign of support. “We'll deal with that when it gets here. Let's concentrate on my training. Maybe I can keep shifting from becoming automatic. I mean, I didn't shift or change tonight with you and Camilla.”
Nanae lifted Izzy's arm off his shoulders and held the Lilitu's hand between his much larger ones. “No, and that is what is what gives me hope that you will last longer in this form than your Lilitu predecessors.” He looked his progeny in the eyes. He wanted to tell Izzy that a Lilitu could only be made if the Nephilim truly loved the human. Even if Nanae wished to deny loving the man, he could not. Even so, Nanae could not trust his beast enough to make declarations. He love Israel, every bit as much as he loved his Sinnis Camilla. Israel might be immortal now, but he could experience pain. “For the time being, we both want you as you. The more time we spend together, the longer you will be able to withstand using your ability, the longer you will be you.”
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