Death's Serenity (Sequel to Luna's Revenge)

New Conflicts

Adrian woke up to an empty bed as he rubbed his eyes, stretching his arm over his head.

"Morning." He heard Valerio's raspy voice say from somewhere in the room as he blinked a few times and sat up.

That was when his breathing hitched in his throat when he saw Valerio standing in front of the long mirror in one corner of the room with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist.

Droplets of water hung from Valerio's damp raven tresses, falling onto the already glistening skin of his muscular chest as Adrian felt his mouth go dry. He was frozen in his place under the thick duvet that they had spent the night under.

Valerio's lips curled into a cruel smirk as he stared at Adrian through the mirror, watching how his brown eyes were slowly lowering to his toned torso.

That was when he turned around and Adrian's eyes snapped out of his view as he closed his mouth that was hanging open.

"My face is here, you know." Valerio said mischievously and Adrian's cheeks blushed profusely as he stared at his mate with a sheepish expression.

"Then don't parade half n***d in front of me if you don't want me to stare." Adrian mumbled, still slightly baffled by his beauty. Valerio was truly a work of art in his opinion.

Valerio's grin only widened at his words, "would you rather that I be entirely n***d, then?" He asked teasingly and Adrian's eyes widened.

The blush on his cheeks deepened and Valerio snickered, shaking his head as he walked over to Adrian, making his heart run wild in his chest before bending towards him to plant a gentle kiss on the side of his mouth.

"Hi." He whispered with a boyish grin on his lips. Adrian was quite certain that he almost stopped breathing at the sight of Valerio's face so close to his own.

That was why he responded by pulling Valerio's face to his and placing his lips on the Alpha's in a gentle and slow manner.

Valerio, instantly falling into his rhythm, sat down on the bed while his arms circles Adrian's waist and the side of his neck.

Their lips moved in slow and deliberate sync and they were both breathless when they finally pulled back.

Resting their foreheads against each other, Adrian's lips were upturned into an eased grin as he looked up to meet Valerio's eyes.

Valerio had a glazed over look on his face, almost as if he was drunk on his mate's love.

"Hi." Adrian then whispered back.

Valerio chuckled, cupping his face now as he tenderly stroked his cheek. "I don't understand why you even want to stay with me." He mumbled as a hint of doubt appeared in his eyes.

Adrian instantly pecked his lips, before he said, "because you're incredible and I wouldn't get another mate as good looking as you." He had an amused grin on his lips.

Valerio quirked an eyebrow, "is that why you're with me? Because of how I look?" He quipped, "good gods, you are materialistic Adrian!" He said feigning a dramatic hurt expression.

Adrian rolled his eyes, "yes, and about a million other reasons, but sure, go ahead and focus on that one."

His mate laughed, throwing his head back slightly while Adrian watched him with a star-studded glint in his eyes, admiring him with all his heart.

"You have no idea how much I wanted to do this since the day I first saw you." Valerio then stated in all seriousness as he looked at Adrian with a sad smile, stroking back a few of his curls which had escaped on the brunet's forehead.

Adrian closed his eyes briefly, feeling how Valerio's affectionate touch brought a wave of peace into his heart. He smiled at him when he opened his eyes again, taking his hand that was on his cheek and kissing Valerio's palm.

"I'm happy that you told me about us." He stated, "I can't explain the things that I felt when I first saw you because I still don't understand them completely....I'm sorry."

Valerio kissed his knows, the cool metal of his heavy rings was brushing Adrian's cheekbones as he smiled, "there's nothing you have to be sorry about. I'm happy that I told you about us too." He admitted.

Valerio had spent the previous night admiring Adrian and he had realized that had he not made the decision to reveal the bond to him, he wouldn't be able to watch him sleep peacefully, curled up in his arms.

Adrian then furrowed his brows as he looked at the clock on the wall. "Wait, why were you taking a bath this early in the morning?" He asked tilting his head to gesture to the clock showing that it was barely 06:30 a.m.

That was when Valerio looked at him nervously before standing back up, "let me put some clothes on, then I'll tell you." He said, kissing Adrian's brow before rushing back into the closet.

Adrian sat back, frowning slightly because he had a feeling that he wouldn't like whatever was going to happen next.

When Valerio stepped back out, he was dressed in a plain black t-shirt and a pair of faded jeans.

And that was when he came back to sit in front of Adrian on the bed, taking his hand in his own.

"I am going somewhere." Valerio said cautiously, "and you're not going to like the idea very much."

Adrian almost groaned, "oh boy, here we go." He mumbled, guessing what he was trying to say.

Valerio sighed, "I'm going back to Escalara."

Adrian's eyes widened and he started to speak again but Valerio interrupted him, "and I need you to stay here where it's safe. I'll be back in two days and—"

"Absolutely not!" The brunet snapped, snatching his hands back from Valerio's, shaking his head. "You can't charm your way into making me agree to this. I won't have you going alone on a suicide mission."

Valerio rubber his temple, "it's not a suicide mission," he said in a stressed voice, "I'll be safe, Ian. I need to find Ophelia and I need to find what the hell happened to my home."

"Val, there's a reason why you and I have been on a run for the last few weeks." Adrian pointed out in all seriousness, "you know damn well that whichever enemy is waiting for us in Escalara needs to be feared. You'll be a fool to go straight into the jaws of death."

"I've survived worse, I think." Valerio said tilting his head.

Adrian glared at him, "oh, you don't get an upper hand in surviving worse, darling." He chided.

Valerio gawked at him, "I can't believe you're bringing that up!" He snapped throwing his hands in the air.

"And I—" that was when Adrian stopped himself, "wait, why are we arguing?" He asked furrowing his brows.

"Because we're in disagreement?" Valerio said in an amused manner.

Adrian shook his head, "I don't want you to die." Valerio nodded, "and you want to keep me safe." Another nod, "then we shouldn't be arguing but figuring out a plan that does both those things."

Valerio bit his lip, giving him a thoughtful glance, "what do you suppose we should do?" He asked in a much calmer tone than before.

Adrian looked at his hands for a few moment, pouting sightly as his brows were furrowed with concentration. Valerio found the sight cute.

"Oh, wait, I know!" Adrian said with a grin.

Valerio raised his eyebrow, watching him with interest.

"Take me with you." Adrian offered.

"Absolutely not!" Valerio said raising his index finger in the air to make an assertive gesture. "Not happening at all!"

Adrian groaned, "oh, come on, don't be so glum. It'll be fun! Like the last few weeks."

Valerio fixed him with a pointed stare, "Last few weeks were not fun, and taking you with me is the opposite of keeping you safe!"

"But I'll be with you!" Adrian argued, "I mean, would you be more tense if I was miles away from you and anyone could find me and kill me or if I was right by your side."

The reasoning was sound but Valerio was having none of it. "Except," he stated tilting his head in a mock thoughtful expression, "I am going to Escalara, which is highly dangerous, especially since I know nothing about this newest enemy of ours and you staying here is safer than coming with me."

"So you agree, then?" Adrian instantly pointed out, "you agree that going to Escalara is, in fact, a suicide mission."

Valerio rolled his eyes, "is that all you understood from everything I said?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

He sighed. "This discussion is going nowhere." Valerio mumbled before looking at his mate pleadingly, "just let me leave, Ian, I promise I'll be back before two days are up. I have to find out what happened to my father and how he enemy found out about the tulip mansion in the first place." His voice broke as an image of his father's corpse flashed through his eyes. In their haste, he hadn't even gotten the chance to give his father a proper funeral that he deserved.

Adrian looked at him sadly. He knew that Valerio deserved answers for all the things that were wrong in his life at the moment; hell, he wanted some answers too. But he just could not bring himself to let his mate go away on his own. Not after finding out that all of his feelings that had developed for the noiret in front of him weren't misplaced.

He sighed, removing the duvet from over his body as he scooted closer to sit in front of Valerio and took his hand in his own while caressing his cheek with his palm.

"Val, I understand everything that you're saying." He whispered, "but the problem is that I don't want you to get in danger. I can't bear it."

Valerio nodded slowly, "I'll take care of myself, Ian, I promise."

Adrian shook his head, "it's not that I don't trust how capable of a fighter you are." He said with admiration in his eyes, smiling softly, "trust me, I've seen it." He chuckled before taking in a shaky breath, "the truth is, Val, that after Ophelia, you were the only one that I've grown close to in my entire life. And I don't know where Ophelia is....or if she's even alive," he shuddered at the possibility and Valerio's grip on his hand tightened, "and I simply cannot afford losing you, Val."

Valerio sighed, "I feel the same way, Ian. But you know that I cannot just sit here and wonder what happened to my best friend and my city. And the more time passes, I fear that we'll all be in more danger by not doing anything."

"That's why I'm asking you to take me with you, Val." He said with a soft tug at the side of his neck, "I promise you that I'll stay safe and by your side. I know I don't have enough fighting experience but I can hold up my own and you will still be there to protect me, if need be."

The fallen alpha thought over Adrian's words as he stared into his mate's eyes and knew in an instant that Adrian wouldn't back down from this.

He didn't want to keep denying him but he was afraid that something terrible would happen and Adrian would end up in captivity again.

"I wouldn't be able to forgive myself, or even live with myself if something happened to you."

Adrian smiled, leaning towards him to kiss his lips for a moment or two before he kissed his cheek and said, "nothing is going to happen to me."

♚♚♚

"Why are we stopping here?" Adrian asked as they both turned back to their human forms.

The mates had been travelling for a few hours, considering that after a few more minutes of their discussion, Valerio had finally agreed to letting Adrian come with him on their journey back to Escalara.

The truth was, the alpha didn't wish to be parted from his mate either and somehow, the emotional side of him had won over the logical side and at the moment, they were both standing in front of a small cave carved into the base of a cliff, heavily hidden under shrubs and vines. Night had already shrouded the thick vegetation around them and their enhanced vision was the only thing that had kept them going.

Valerio chuckled at Adrian's question, "because you need to rest. We'll continue the rest of the journey at dawn."

Adrian sighed before rotating his neck slightly, stretching his muscles and hissing when he felt the soreness.

"Come on, let's get you comfortable." He said taking Adrian's hand and just as the two were about to walk towards the mouth of the cave, the sound of a weapon firing at the echoed through the woods and they looked at each other, alarmed.

The sound of a g*n being c****d was heard once again and then a bullet was fired, going straight into Adrian's shoulder and a grunt escaped his lips.

"Hunters!" He gasped out through his pain, staring at Adrian as he wrapped his arm around Valerio's body to keep him standing.

"What do we do?" Adrian asked, looking around them with fear in his eyes.

This was going to be his first encounter with mortal hunters and he wasn't ready at all.

That was when figures appeared to be running through the dense treeline and even with their enhanced hearing, none of them could actually see where the hunters were.

Another round of bullets was fired and this time, the two of them tried their hardest to avoid them but Adrian screamed in pain when he felt a bullet going through his calf and that was when he realized that the bullets were laced with poison and that was the reason Valerio hadn't shifted back into his wolf form again.

The two looked at each other with tear filled eyes, knowing well that the next time they would open their eyes, they would be in exceptionally painful situations— if they opened their eyes at all.

"Forgive me...." Valerio whimpered, knowing that he was right about not wanting to bring Adrian along.

Adrian smiled sadly, feeling his eyes begin to droop as he took Valerio in his arms and both of them dropped to the ground together.

"It's alright. We'll be alright."

And that was the last thing Adrian said and the last thing Valerio heard before they lost consciousness.

Not knowing where they would end up from here.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hello, darlings! I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. Let's see what bind Adrian and Val have gotten themselves into this time.

Please don't forget to comment on this.

And also, vote for Luna's Revenge for the Stary 3rd Anniversary.

Have a good day.

With Love, Devu.