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Living in the Shadows [Kaname Takashi & CharlotteV]

Zane's tongue continued to move, licking and sucking as Genesis lay shivering in frustration. When the younger man turned off the vibrator though, the changeling could only think that his torture was being prolonged. Then is lover's fingers were moving over his cock and slowly removing the ring. Blue eyes watched Zane intently, wondering what exactly the pureblood had in mind next. Genesis wasn't sure if he'd be able to take much more of anything really.

Then small kisses were being placed on his body, the warm mouth of his lover taking his time as he crawled over the smaller vampire. Genesis' legs opened wider, to accommodate Zane's movements. The minute the pureblood touched his face, Genesis sighed. Fingers through his hair then wiping away tears, it allowed the changeling to calm a bit. Genesis looked tiredly into his lovers eyes as the other man asked him questions, promising to do what he wanted.

Genesis' hands moved to cup Zane's cheeks, thumbs rubbing over the defined bones there. The changeling was exhausted, so much so that he was unsure if he'd be able to walk after their last round finished. One hand remained on his lover's face as the other moved down Zane's neck, touching his broad shoulders, over firm pecks and abs, before finally touching his cock. Genesis wrapped his fingers loosely around the other man's shaft, pumping slowly in the process. "I want this…inside of me."

Leaning up just the slightest, Genesis pressed his lips to the pureblood's. "I want you to do it soft, slow…I want to feel your cum fill me." Zane liked description and the changeling knew this. "Then I'm gonna need you to help me take a bath, cause I don't know if I'll be able to move on my own." He finished with a laugh, closing his eyes as he let out a deep breath.
 
Zane had been so focused on Genesis, on getting to touch him, that he almost forgot how good his lovers touch was. He tilted his face slightly into one of the hands on his cheeks, loving the feeling of soft skin rolling over his gently. Every touch after that he was super aware of, from his neck to his shoulders, across his chest and down his stomach, until those long fingers wrapped around his cock, causing his breath to hitch. He'd known he'd been hard, obviously, but he'd been so locked in he hadn't realized how hard until just then.

The words didn't help either. Zane was a visual person, always had been, and Gen was never greedy with his descriptions. It made phone sex a fairly fantastic adventure. He chuckled softly at the ending request and nodded before leaning down for one more quick kiss. "I can do that," he promised.

He moved his weight around easily, getting more comfortable, then dropped a hand down to lift one of Genesis' legs up over his hips before lining himself up to push inside. He went slow just as requested, braced his arms on either side of the changelings head, and then leaned down to seal their mouths together. After that he found a good rhythm, gently rolling his hips forward, fingers twisting softly in the changelings hair, deep, slow kisses never stopping.
 
With another simple kiss the two were moving again. Genesis barely watched as Zane adjusted himself, only perking up when he felt the younger male grab his thigh. As his lover moved his leg to hook it over one hip, Genesis made sure it stayed there. He quite literally felt like jello, but he cold feel enough to make sure his heel stayed pressing against Zane's lower back.

Between the rimming, Zane's rough intrusion before, as well as the vibrator, there was no resistance when the younger vampire entered. Genesis let out one long sigh as every inch of his lover moved in and just as Zane filled him completely, the pureblood pressed their mouths together.

Both their tongues and Zane's thrusts were slow. Genesis appreciated the other man for being gentle, he was actually starting to feel dull pangs from both his ass and lower back. That may have been a sign that they were a little more rough than they should have been, but the changeling would worry about that later.

The sex they were having now wasn't necessarily for completion. No, this was a different more intimate kind. The two vampires had had a series of orgasms all night, had been rough and hard on one another, but at the moment it was about just being connected. To enjoy the feeling of simple touch.

Genesis' orgasm hit him slowly. He sucked on Zane's tongue, hands gently grasping his lover's side, as his cock released what little cum it could. The muscles in his ass worked his lover's cock and with a few more thrusts, Genesis felt Zane cum as well. They continued to kiss though, all moving tongues and nibbling lips. The changeling wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, but eventually a sharp pain made the changeling jerk his hips, causing Zane's spent cock to slip out of him.

"May have overdone it before, love." He said, moving in for another kiss. One of the changeling's hands moved up, tenderly touching Zane's injured ear. Pulling away, Genesis spoke. "How're you feeling?"
 
There was never sex with Genesis that Zane didn't like. They could be playful and teasing, hard and rough, or slow and loving. There was something about that last one though...something about what they were doing now...that was special. It was the kind of thing he could only do with Gen. That level of intimacy...it went passed just sex. It was connection. It was literally making love.

When he came it was slow, relieving, flowed through his entire body. He rode it out before he just focused on kissing, on tasting Genesis and everything he had to offer. When they pulled apart he frowned slightly until he really understood what the changeling said. The touch to his ear made him wince slightly, want to protect it even though he knew his lover was being nothing but gentle. "I'm okay," he answered. "Just a little...fuzzy."

When they were home, with the serenity of safety around them and not a lot of noises, he hardly noticed the injury. It kind of threw his sense off balance, but he'd been so keyed into Genesis that it wasn't really that important. "What about you?" He asked, dropping apologetic little kisses across his partners jawline. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to push you so far."
 
Genesis was relieved that his lover was healing. While sounds may have been fuzzy, at least the pureblood was able to make out something in his injured ear. The changeling continued to rub gently behind Zane's ear, trying to sooth any discomfort that the other vampire might have been feeling.

In the mean time, Genesis mulled over his lover's words. Zane was placing kisses along his jaw, causing the older male to sigh in relaxation. The pureblood's apology was unnecessary, they both knew that if Genesis didn't want to do something he wouldn't do it. He had been enjoying everything Zane had done to him, every rough and mean action. He had known he'd be sore in the end, but that was a price he was willing to pay for their earlier fun.

"You didn't push me," Genesis said, running his fingers through his lover's hair. "I was having as much fun as you." He smiled, gently pulling the pureblood's head up so he could peck him on the lips. "And I'm glad you enjoyed it, I want you to do everything you want when it comes to us." Even if that meant it took a tiny toll on the changeling's body.

Groaning softly, the older male nudged his lover to the side. He needed to try and move himself, to test the waters and see what his body could do for the time being. With Zane off from on top of him, Genesis rolled over onto his stomach. A whimper left the changeling at the sharp pain he was feeling, his forehead pressing down into the mattress while he waited for the ache to subside. He lifted up onto his hands and knees, slight relief coming from nothing pressing against his backside. Genesis stayed like that for a few moments, taking slow even breaths, but slightly enjoying the feeling of Zane's cum slowly running down his thighs. Yup, he was in definite need of a bath.

He took his time in moving to the edge of the bed, pressing one foot down against the floor and then the other. He kept his hands planted firmly on the mattress, gauging how well his legs would hold him. They were shaking a bit, still feeling like jello and Genesis gave Zane a small pout as he looked at his lover. "You did this to me, now help me." He replied childishly with a grin.
 
Zane was quiet for awhile, enjoying the rubbing behind his ear, then nodded a little bit. The two of them had really good communication when it came to their bedroom, they said no to each other without a problem, so he knew it wasn't really his fault but he still felt a little bad, even if it had been worth it.

He rolled off his lover easily when he was pushed, propped himself up on his elbow and watched the changeling a little worriedly. He always wanted to be extra caring after sex, attentive, but he knew when they went that hard that Genesis had to work himself out. It was slow going, and while he waited he noticed the state their room was in. Cum soaked sheets, tears, sweat...cum on the wall. It smelled like sex, almost at an overpowering level, and that brought a grin to Zane's face when he leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to Genesis' lips before easily rolling himself off the bed and going to lift the changeling up.

He got them both to the bathroom, started the bath water and made sure it was nice and warm before helping Gen in and rinse off so he could plug the water and let it fill up.
 
Zane was definitely an attentive partner during and after sex. Genesis was more than grateful for that. He was sore, yet his lover carried him and wiped him down before allowing him a little alone time in the hot water of the tub. Head leaning back against the tub's edge, the changeling closed his eyes. The heat ebbed away at his soreness.

Zane came back a while later and helped Genesis wash his hair, washed over his skin gently with a washcloth. The changeling did the same to his lover once he insisted the other man join him. At the very end of their bath together, Zane cleaned his ass thoroughly, which Genesis believed he took a little too much pleasure in doing. If the older vampire hadn't been so sore, he was sure things would have escalated.

In the end though, Zane dried him off with one of their plush white towels and carried him to bed. Genesis wasn't surprised to see that mainly everything was cleaned up. Sheets changed, wall wiped down, and new pillowcases on their pillows. Their toys had been put away, but the room still smelled of sex, which wasn't a bad thing.

When he was finally placed on their bed, he rolled onto his stomach, telling his lover to not even bother placing a blanket on him. Genesis was being spoiled, requesting another cup of blood to which Zane happily obliged. Their room was silent as the seconds ticked by, the changeling moving so his head was nestled on his arms. Just as he was about to drift off, his phone rang, the sound echoing off the walls.

Reluctantly and with a unhappy groan, the changeling reached for the device. He checked the caller ID, it was not a number he knew. So he let it ring until his voicemail would pick it up. When the thing went silent, he closed his eyes once more only to have it start ringing again.

It was the same number and cautiously Genesis sat up and pressed the answer button. He made sure to keep the phone in front of him instead of pressing it to his ear. "Hello?" He asked, waiting for an answer. Time ticked by and after a few moments of silence, just when he was about to end the call, someone spoke from the other end.

"Un jouet une fois de plus à un maître de sang pur?" A toy once more to a pureblood master? The voice asked in French. Genesis froze, not sure what to say or who he was speaking with, but before he could reply the line went dead.
 
Zane actually kind of loved taking care of Genesis. He was almost certain it was something that ha spurred from early on in their relationship. Back when Zane had been nothing more than a mess of stress and emotions, and Gen had held his hand and talked him through it even when he didn't deserve it. He wasn't sure if it was age or just because his life was so much calmer, but now...Zane just wanted to pamper his lover. Almost constantly, and while he enjoyed doing it he was pretty sure it helped ease the guilty memories of being a young adult. Their relationship had always been give and take though, even if it was a decade or so late on the return. However, the two of them were also independent and capable, so that side of him only really showed after work or after sex, when it was needed.

Taking care of their room, however, was just habit. With Genesis' work schedule, Zane had just kind of picked it up. It was kind of odd, given how messy he was personally, but he knew how to clean. It was something his father had (sometimes literally) beaten into him with his OCD. Which was probably the reason why Zane preferred clutter - which his art studio could speak to - but within their home...he liked things to be nice for when Genesis got off work. Still, a stranger could probably easily tell which things were his and which were his lovers if they looked behind closed doors.

Zane was down stairs, plaid pajama pants hanging low on his hips, filling up mugs of blood when he heard the ringing. It was faded from upstairs, and the one good ear, but it still made him tense up. He had to breathe, remind himself that it was fine. The imprint of pain would probably last for a little while though. It rang twice though, which caused Zane to arch an eyebrow as he fished the mugs out of the microwave. He went upstairs slowly, unable to make out the words on the other line. At first he thought it was because of the minimal hearing, but then he realized it wasn't English. French, if he had to guess. He'd been working on his languages, mostly because he had the time and lots of ancestry in him, but it was slow work. He wanted to learn Blackfoot mostly, given that he could remember his mother speaking it, but that would mean talking to Clarence and well...

"That was a short call," he mentioned when he walked into the room, one eyebrow raised in concern. Mind reading wasn't appreciated in the home, but he knew Gen well enough to not really need it.
 
Genesis set his jaw, something uneasy settling in his stomach. There was a twinge of fear settling in the back of his mind, he knew from simple instinct that none of this could be a good sign. It made his body rigid, all that Zane had done earlier to relax the changeling gone in an instant. He looked over the number once more, memorizing so he'd know if they were to call a different line in the future

The changeling could hear the younger male approaching though, his head turning towards their bedroom door. Genesis could tell that his lover was concerned, it was obvious after the previous nights phone 'attack'. So the older man set the device aside on his nightstand and gave the pureblood a smile as he graciously took his designated mug.

Genesis had spent centuries hiding behind well kept masks and while he never wanted to do that in front of Zane, he also didn't want to worry his lover. Zane was also not the first telepath the changeling had come across in his long life, so he was pretty good at also hiding his thoughts. Not that he thought Zane would read them without his permission.

"Wrong number, one of my business partners was trying to get ahold of my accountant to talk stocks. It happens." Genesis replied without missing a beat as he took a sip of his meal. Swallow after swallow, he finished off the blood quickly. It was both from nerves as well as a hope that the pain in his backside would soon subside.

He settled back onto his stomach, hand reaching out to take Zane's free one. Genesis twined their fingers together, bringing the pureblood's knuckles to his mouth and kissing them. "I love you…" It was true and the changeling was worried about the one thing he held so close to his heart. Whomever was harassing them knew exactly what to say and do to set the ancient vampire on edge. Still, hand gripping his lover's own tightly, Genesis was able to fall into a restless sleep as he tried to relax once more.
 
Zane slept hard that night, cuddled into Genesis' side as comfortably as he could get without dragging his partner on top of him, or vise versa. The next week brought with it the return of work. While Zane's was easy, Genesis was back on council duty, which meant long hours and stressful nights back home. Zane himself was calling his days early, especially with the advance healing on his ear. The better it got, the more he could actually hear things piecing back together and that got hard listen to.

So he went home a lot, watched movies or made food on occasion. He was honestly contemplating selling some of it. He wasn't sure how good it would taste but...they were pretty. He could probably at least take them down to the gallery. It was an interesting thought.

He was attentive when Genesis got home, as always. Either ready with a warm mug of blood or a massage. For the most part, that was what his time consisted of. He wasn't really bored, per say, it was just kind of...basic. But it was good. Life was good. He was happy.

The end of the week found him in his studio, canvas sized papers down on the ground, sketching out an addition to his gallery. He was honestly contemplating the idea of putting his mothers work up. It made his heart hurt sometimes, and he had to get up and walk away from it more than once, but he figured making the plans wouldn't hurt anything. He didn't have to commit asap.
 
Gregory was a busy man, since his employer wasn't exactly the most punctual or work detailed. Sure the young vampire had gotten better over the years since Genesis had hired him to help, but Zane was most definitely a free spirit who seemed to be allergic to paper work. He supposed that was fine though, his job could have been much worse and honestly there was probably no one better than him at taking care of every aspect of the art gallery.

That was why when a busty, tall, and scantily clad woman (in his opinion) he greeted her with a smile instead of a gawk. She had been yelling at one of the gallery employees, demanding that she speak with the owner. So many people wanted to talk with Zane, but that didn't mean they necessarily got to do it.

"How may I help you miss?" Gregory asked, allowing his employee freedom from the pushy woman. The blonde rolled her eyes and scoffed in a very unladylike fashion.

"I need to speak with Zane Kostantine." She replied haughtily, moving into her back to search for something. It was a piece of paper to which she held in front of Gregory. "You can let him know that Veronica is here on some business."

Smile still in place, Gregory slowly took the letter, ignoring everything else the Veronica woman had said. That wasn't a name he was familiar with. The letter was from an art dealer in Europe, had come into a piece that he felt would wonderfully add to their galleries ambiance. Many people thought that, but it wasn't always true.

So the changeling smiled after reading and signaled for her to take a seat. As was customary he'd bring Zane, have him look over the piece, and the two would probably send Veronica on her way back to whatever hidey-hole she crawled out from. "Please, wait a few moments as I get the owner." He replied professionally, watching as a few men walked a rather large covered canvas into the gallery. It was closed at the moment, they were prepping for a future show in a few days, so the foot traffic wouldn't be a problem.

It took him a few moments to make his way to Zane's gallery. He knocked, waited a minute, and then pushed the door open when he heard a reply. Zane was, of course painting, and Gregory hated disturbing him while he was doing so. "Mr. Kostantine, there is someone who wishes to speak to you about a potential new buy. She's insisting she knows you…a vampire by the name of Veronica I believe?"
 
Zane was a particularly bad worker, and he was well aware of it, but he also owned everything and had enough money he could basically do whatever he wanted. Between how rich he and Genesis were - one from actual dedication and the other from pure inheritance - he kind of figured they were one of those power couples. So, needles to say, Zane didn't actually need the money his gallery brought in. Most of it went to charities or more art, kind of self sustaining itself, though a small cut went into investments, 'just in case'.

Still, he knew every one of his employees, down to his cleaning crew, and if everyone did a good job - which basically mean leaving him alone - they often left with a bigger pay check than they were supposed to. Gregory, however, was an addition Genesis had brought it. At the time being Zane had said he didn't need him, but, well, the man was quickly becoming his favorite out of his workers. Mostly because he didn't take any bullshit. And anything that ever needed Zane's attention went through him first. Which cut down even more of the almost nonexistent stress in the young vampires life.

Still, that meant he didn't see the man much, so when his door open Zane arched an eyebrow and looked up slowly. There was instrumental music in the background, a trait he'd picked up from his mother, but instead of the traditional Beethoven or Bach, it sounded more like a score one would hear on an action movie. He was also kind of a mess, paint splattered clothes, barefoot, hair sticking up in odd directions. He wasn't really in the mood to see anyone, but figured on an off day it might actually be important.

He got vampire and human traffic on any given night, sometimes a lycanthrope, occasionally other races but rarely. Still, most people left both names - first and last. Purebloods never lost them because surnames held their power, lycans usually used pack names at the least, an humans always used them. Changelings sometimes dropped them, but usually it was vampires like Genesis and Alastair who didn't...because they were either born before the use of said names, or were too old to remember them. So it kind of irritated him to only get one. Veronica who? What the hell made her so special? Why did she get to walk around with just one name?

And somehow...he answered the question himself. Roni. Leggy, busty, beautiful Roni. The ability to ruin his life wrapped up in blonde hair and red lipstick. Indonesia was almost eleven years ago at this point, but it still held a painful pin in the timeline of his relationship. His jaw clenched a little tightly as he shook his head, went back to his work. "No."

He was silent for a moment, then looked up. "I don't want anything she has to offer. I don't care if it's her work, or someone else's. I don't want anything to do with anyone she's associated with. Tell her to get out."

In retrospect, it may have been a little harsh. It'd been a literal decade since Zane had seen her. He was older, more mature, and ten years into a happy, healthy relationship instead of just a few months. Zane took full responsibility for his slip with her. But he'd never forget how she'd chased him. And he'd probably never forgive her. At the very least, he didn't want her in his life.
 
Gregory had know Zane to be both childish and professional, the latter of which was the main persona the pureblood had exuded as the gallery grew over the years. Despite that, the younger vampire also held the impression that all art should be looked at, both new and old. It had made them money, it had opened up their variety. So the changeling was completely surprised that Zane was so resistant to meeting this Veronica woman.

The older male simple stared as his boss for a few moments, jaw set in slight annoyance. Gregory was business oriented, that was the main reason Genesis had put him into this position. His job was to bring money in and keep the gallery running at the top of its game, to make sure that Zane's dream was kept alive or so his ancient vampire had told him. Passing on one good piece could lose them millions potentially.

"As you wish." He replied flatly, nodding his head curtly at the younger male. He'd see the pice himself, asses it's potential worth regardless of his not so art savy eyes, and deem whether or not Zane really should look at it.

He left the room in silence, making his way back to the blonde vampire. The minute he returned alone, it was obvious Veronica was not happy. She droned on and on stating that despite their apparent 'past' it was unprofessional of Zane not to greet her when she was brining him something worth his while. Gregory did his best to appease her, nodding along and apologizing, stating that Zane was quite busy with his own work at the moment.

The two changelings moved into one of the closed off areas, the large covered canvas that housed Veronica's art piece leaning against one of the walls. The piece took up a large section of the wall length wise, but it also had a decent height. If the last few years had taught Gregory anything it would be something rather old, maybe medieval or victorian error, like the large portraits that rulers used to have of themselves during those times.

One of the crewman began to remove the parchment paper, cutting the loose rope that kept it in place. Inch by inch gave way to beautiful colors blending together to create a rather erotic scene. Their was a particular aspect of the painting that made the changeling freeze though.

The scene showed a large imposing male, attractive as most purebloods could be, having sex with another man. The smaller man was on his hands and knees, head being pulled back by one of the purebood's hands to look towards to painter. Blue eyes were made to look hazy with lust as the vampire fucking him bit into his shoulder.

Laughter sounded to his right, his gaze traveling over to the blonde woman as she pressed a hand to her chest. "Isn't that Zane's boyfriend?" She asked, taking a step closer to examine the picture. Apparently he hadn't been the only one to recognize Genesis. Gregory was beginning to feel uncomfortable as the female changeling began to study every detail of the painting. It was an intimate scene, but Gregory was sure that the details weren't as accurate to the real life experience. "I need to make a phone call." Veronica announced, a chuckle escaping her perfectly painted lips.

He gave her a smile and nodded, but the moment her back was turned he was off. Back down the hallways, moving straight towards Zane's workshop. He didn't even knock. instead opting to almost slam open the door. "You need to get your ass out there now." There was no room for polite chitchat, Gregory needed the younger man to put on his bog boy pants and handle the situation because the changeling wasn't sure what the hell he should do.
 
Zane knew Gregory didn't approve of his decision. It was very rare for the two not to see eye to eye. Gregory was all business and Zane was all taste, they often at least agreed on things. There were very, very few people that came through their doors that Zane turned down. He'd even seen people who came off the streets with nothing but the clothes on their back and a canvas under their arm. But he wasn't even going to try and explain himself. It'd drag up too much shit.

It already was. The mere idea of Veronica in his gallery was frustrating him enough that he took it out on his work. That'd been such a particularly dark period in his life that the reminder was irritating him. He ended up trashing what he was doing, and was throwing it all out when his door slammed open. If Zane had been surprised before, the new development definitely shocked him. He frowned and grabbed one of his rags off the rack, trying to rub paint off his hands as they walked down the hallways to one of the private rooms. He knew something was off simply by Gregory's reaction, but he couldn't tell what. At first glance, the pairing was a large one. Probably old, most likely spectacular. It could be some lost piece and Zane still wouldn't give a fuck. Until he turned the corner.

Zane was no stranger to erotic art. He made it, he displayed it, he loved it. He had a whole section of the gallery roped off for it, so no one would be unprepared, but...he recognized the problem almost immediately. Genesis. At first he kind of thought he imagined it, but on closer inspection...he knew better. It was kind of surreal, seeing Gen pained from someone else's point of view. Zane painted his lover a lot, and while he thought he did a damned good job of getting the details perfect, he felt like the images were different. That or perhaps it was just a bit of jealousy. "Well," Zane muttered, stuffing his rag in his back pocket and crossing his arms. It was a good piece, artistically speaking, but he couldn't really place how he...felt about it. Besides highly uncomfortable. "Didn't expect this."
 
"I see you finished with your work." A voice announced to their right. Apparently Veronica was finished with her phone call. Tight, red dress hugging ever inch of her body she walked straight up to Zane and hugged him. It was brief, but Gregory didn't like the way she pressed ever inch of her being against his employer. "Then again, it seems whenever matters involve Genesis you become free." The blonde said as she pulled away. Her high heels clacked loudly as she walked back over to the painting. "I can see why you chose him over me though, he seems to be very obedient in bed." She laughed unkindly as her eyes swept over the painting once more.

The room was silent, Gregory waiting to see how things would advance. "So, my boss would like to have this piece showed in your next exhibition." Her smile was a professional one, but the hand she placed on the pureblood's arm appeared anything but. Veronica gave Zane a squeeze before stepping away and pointing to the painting. "I'm sure that there are plenty of people who have seen him in this kind of situation though." She replied condescendingly, her lips curving into a smile. "It won't shock many."

Gregory set his jaw, he was getting why Zane hadn't want to see the woman. She was rude and pompous, words at the ready to pull down when she saw someone as a potential threat. Veronica got quiet for a moment though, fingers ghosting over the details in the painting without actually touching it. "You can see it though, that intimacy beyond the scene. The one that involves the painter more so than the subject." Gregory couldn't see it, it was pretty sure, but art didn't make him feel like things beyond the initial appearance.

"Lust, love…you can see it in every stroke. I imagine those aren't Genesis' eyes, but the painters' instead." Silence met her hypothesis. Her words made Gregory lift a brow in confusion. "My boss wants it shown and I have specific instruction to show it at this gallery or the next." That smile was back on her face, the one that annoyed Gregory to no end.
 
She sounded the same. She looked the same. As someone who had grown up a vampire, he should have expected that. But for some reason...it still shocked him. Looking at her felt like looking into a mirror that showed him the past. She was still so beautiful it almost hurt to look at her, but...it didn't stir him the way it used to. It was age, probably. His body was still wired like an eighteen year old but his mind wasn't. At least on most days. The hug surprised him a bit, but he took it with stride. He'd learned over the years to pick his battles, and that one he could deal with.

He hummed mostly in acknowledgment of her mentioning his lover, drawing his gaze back towards the painting. The obedient comment almost made him laugh, but then it kind of stirred something uneasy in his stomach. There was a lot about Genesis' past Zane didn't know...either because he didn't need to know, or there were just too many years to follow. But he knew his history. He knew how Changelings and Purebloods interacted in the past.

Zane stepped up a little closer, his expert eyes trailing over the work. The thing was, with vampire art, it was always difficult to tell how old it was. Changelings didn't age, so with the lack of clothing that wasn't any help. Sometimes one could tell from the paints used or the framing, but there were a lot of vampire artists who didn't change and grow with the times. He'd guess it was fairly old, but again, could be wrong. He was silent while he let Veronica talk.

He looked down a little angrily at the hand that touched his arm, and he kind of wished he'd still been covered in wet paint when she'd hugged him. It was petty, but she had a tendency to bring that side of him out. He glanced at the painting again when she started talking about it. Normally, Zane could see through art. He had a good eye for it, and as an artist himself he generally had a pretty good grasp on any feelings someone put into their art. But this? He was probably biased, probably had some kind of mental block. But it was...just a painting.

Zane was quiet for a long moment, debating. He actually had a clause in his contract about real subjects in art, for the sole reason that he didn't want his paintings of Genesis on the gallery walls, so legally...he didn't have to show it. On the other hand, he knew she'd take it to another gallery...

"Does you're boss want to sell, or just show?" He asked finally.
 
"For now, just a showing." Veronica replied, pulling out her phone once more. She scrolled through her screen, probably looking over some texts before she spoke again. "Prices can be discussed at a later date, but he wants to make sure he gets the amount that the painting is worth." Her blue eyes looked back up, straight at the pureblood. "I'll be in town for a while, so there's no need to rush."

She stashed her phone into her purse, her fingers sifting through the many things in the tiny bag. Veronica pulled out a card and moved closer to Zane, putting the tiny piece of custom paper into one of his pants pockets. "I look forward to a future meeting." One that Gregory was sure she was hoping to be private. Luckily, he would be along with Zane if any further interaction with the woman was needed.

Veronica turned on her heels, flipping locks of blonde hair over one of her shoulders. "I'll leave the painting here fore now, I'm sure you'd like to mull things over." She called from over her shoulder. Just as she was about to leave the room though, she looked back over at the other two vampires. "I should also let you know that my boss has acquired quite of few other works with…the same subject. I haven't seen them, but I'm sure they are just as stunning." Another laugh left her lips as she finally took her leave of them.

Gregory remained silent once more, not exactly sure what to say or do. Zane seemed…odd, but calm. It made the changeling a little apprehensive to be honest. "Do you…want me to get it covered up?"
 
Zane didn't show paintings he didn't own. Plenty of galleries around the city did, which kept them fresh and new, always transferring art every few months. He was just too...sentimental for that, which was odd coming from a man who used to burn everything he made. If he didn't own something, it was either on his wall thanks to a hefty donation or because he was selling it for someone else. Which was yet another reason he didn't need the piece. But again...it had Genesis on it.

He nodded at her words, but he didn't like them. He'd give probably just about any number he was asked for. Simple as that. However, the fact that he didn't have to rush was helping his nerves. He glared a little again when she touched him to slide that card in his pocket, but he was glad to see her go. Or, rather hear it, because he was still looking at the painting.

Her parting, however, irritated him so much he didn't even realize he'd clinched his hands until he smelt fresh blood, and heard it drip against the floor. His head shot up when Gregory spoke, and he slowly pealed his fist apart, bringing the moon shaped wounds up to his mouth to lick the blood off.

"Please," he answered, before fishing his phone out of his pocket. He pulled up Genesis name quickly, sent off a text that read I need you to stop by the gallery on your way home tonight. It's important. Love you. He hated not being home before his lover, ready to pamper him after a hard day at work. But this...deserved some attention. "Not to much, I need to be able to get to it." He stared at the painting for a little longer before turning and going back to his studio.
 
It was late, about three in the morning to be exact, and Genesis was tired. He'd had a rough week. No trace evidence had come back on either Zane's phone or his own, meaning that they still had no face or name to the person disturbing the couple. Since the message in French, Genesis had received a few others of a similar nature in various languages. Each an every time their signal trace was bounced across the globe, eventually becoming lost in some foreign country. It disturbed him. He was becoming so paranoid that he had Bruce and his associates comb through his home when Zane was away. So far, two top to bottom searches hadn't yielded anything, but Genesis still wasn't convinced. There was just something too convenient about the messages being sent just after he and Zane finished having sex.

So there the changeling was, pushing through the doors of his lover's gallery when they should be home in bed. The changeling had to wonder, what was so important that Zane would want to meet there. The last time something 'important' had come up at the gallery, he and the pureblood had tried making a painting while fucking. Zane had reasoned it to be artistic interest, but Genesis had obliged regardless. It had been ridiculously messy, but fun none the less. After the event the older male had spent the better portion of a week cleaning paint from…sensitive places.

Genesis locked the door behind him once he was inside. At the current hour time there would be no one at the gallery, even the human cleaning crew had no reason to be roaming the halls. He moved through the halls with practiced ease, making his way straight for Zane's studio. There was no need for him to knock, so he headed straight inside.

His lover was perched on a chair in the corner of his studio. There was a pencil in his hand and a sketchpad on the desk in front of him. Genesis wrapped his arms around the younger's neck, hugging the other man from behind. From what he could see, the page Zane was using was blank, probably a sign that the pureblood had been too caught up in his own thoughts to do anything else.

The changeling placed kisses along the side of Zane's face, one hand moving down to press at his lover's chest. "Hello love." He greeted with a tired sigh. Genesis grinned for a moment before continuing. "Did we need to have another session with body paint?" The changeling was always one for teasing, tired and stressed or not.
 
With the way Zane's mind worked, it wasn't unusual for him to get stuck in his own head. Certain things could trigger it, repetitive motions like the snow on an empty tv channel or the ripples dripping water made...or a blank sheet of paper. With the emotions warring inside of him, the moment he looked down at his sketch pad, he zoned out. The extreme he took it to was a trait from his mother. He could lose entire days staring at something, his heightened senses drawn closed in focus. So he didn't notice the time, didn't even hear his lover enter, until there were arms wrapping around him.

He smiled a little, reaching a hand up to clasp around Genesis' that was pressed against his chest, for a moment just enjoying the kisses. "Eventually," he muttered about the mention of body paint. It had been a really fun adventure, and he had that particular painting hanging up in his studio at home.

Zane twisted around just enough to get a kiss, slow and sweet, before leaning his head back on one of the changelings arms. "I know you're tired and over worked...and this probably could have waited until at least tomorrow or something...but I have something I have to show you."

He stood up then, took Gen's hand in his own, and started walking. He didn't turn on any of they lights until they got to the room he needed, which he left his partner standing in as he went to remove the cover from the painting. "So, someone brought this to me today. Along with the very strong implication that there are more." Gregory had covered it back easily enough that all he had to do was slide some stuff, and then the painting was revealed again.
 
Genesis loved kissing, in some aspects it almost seemed more intimate than sex. A kiss from Zane, was one thing the changeling never turned down, so he just enjoyed the feeling of the younger male's mouth on his own. He had almost missed what Zane was saying, but soon he was being pulled from the room.

Walking hand in hand, Genesis relaxed a bit. Just touching his lover seemed to relieve his stress. He listened intently, wondering why Zane was bringing this particular matter to his attention. A collection always boded well for business, renewed interest in people to come and see, so Genesis supposed the painting was a potential exhibit to boost sales. As the tarp was pulled away though, he took a sharp intake of breath.

His body was frozen, eyes wide as he stared at the painting. Genesis recognized both himself and the other vampire in the picture. Antonio Drago. The minute the name fluttered through his mind the changeling had to turn away. He soon remembered that Zane was there though, Genesis' attention immediately shooting to his younger lover.

The changeling moved without really thinking, grabbing Zane by the arm and heading out of the room. All he could think about was that the other vampire had seen the picture. There was so much in Genesis' past that he wished Zane would never know, so many things he didn't want to remember. The older male stopped in his tracks as he remembered Zane saying that there were others. "Did you see them?" He asked, voice frantic as he gripped both of the pureblood's arms roughly.
 
Zane couldn't even really say what the painting meant to him. It bothered him, obviously. It would bother anyone to see an image like that of someone they loved. Fuck, Genesis had spiraled into a mild depression over seeing pictures of Zane kissing someone else. Fully clothed. But there were also parts of him that were well aware of Genesis age. There was no way he was the mans only partner, only pureblood, probably even only love. Not to mention, Genesis was a sensual being, sex with others was to be expected. Zane just never thought he'd have to see it so up close and personal, but it still kind of...numbed away the shock.

The painting also made him want to metaphorically stick his chest out and assert dominance. To be told his stuff was better, more detailed, more...meaningful. But he pushed that thought aside as, most likely, petty jealousy. And then of course there was paranoia and anger because...he knew how Roni played. Dangling this in front of his face was not the main goal. It was a warm up.

He'd wanted to tell Genesis ASAP for three reasons. One - he was a horrible secret keeper, and the stress would have most likely cracked him; Two - Zane always felt as if people should know if their faces were plastered all over something; and Three - he kind of wanted to see the changelings reaction. In a way, he got what he expected. The sharp intake, the wide eyes, the freeze. It was beyond just surprise, it went deeper than that. When he was grabbed he went easily, the frantic question only cementing his earlier thoughts. "No," he answered softly, calmly, which was so very unlike him. "I was just assured that they exist."
 
"That think should have been burned!" Genesis yelled, eyes impossibly wide. The changeling started to pace, mind racing to think how the painting was still in one piece. He fidgeted with his hands, clenching and unclenching his fists periodically. Genesis could easily recall the very night that he had set his prison at the time ablaze. The flames ate away at everything, or at least he had believed them too.

And there were more, or so Zane had hinted. Really, there shouldn't have been, most of those kinds of paintings had been burned over the years, once Genesis had been able to find and catch hold of them. Then again, they were almost impossible to fake. Every detail was as vivid as the original, every stroke appearing the same. These weren't portraits that his previous owners were sharing around either, even they had the decency to keep private things private.

Antonio had been…bad. One of the worst to keep the changeling in his possession and one of the longest because of that ruthlessness. Genesis had been cursed from the day he was born with the way he was able to attract the attention of vampires, obsession struck many. It was almost like it was a power, like Zane's telepathy, but so much more unwanted.

He had to think. Genesis tried to calm his mind, take deep breaths to slow down his thoughts, but nothing was working. His eyes kept wondering to the room that held the painting, making out the slightest hint of bright paint on the canvas peeking out from behind the wall. It made unpleasant things stir, memories of terrible times and his stomach ached at remembering instances.
 
Zane let him pace for a moment, let him work out whatever he was feeling. Usually, the pureblood was the more emotional of the two, but at that moment...he couldn't even pin down what Genesis was dealing with. Anger? Disgust? Both? More? It was something he just...couldn't quite put his finger on. But it settled the feeling that had been stirring in his guy ever since Gregory had showed it to him. The situation was bad.

Finally, he walked across the room and caught Genesis in his stride, pulling the shorter male into his body, wrapping around him as much as possible. He whispered loving words, ran his hand down his lovers back trying to ease the tension there. "We can burn it, if you want. Accidents happen. But..." If Veronica was right, and there were more, then they would never get their hands on the rest of them for destroying the one.

He wanted to say more, lay out plans and options, but Gen obviously wasn't okay. Zane was regretting springing it on him like that, but the past had proven that keeping bad information to himself didn't end well. "Come on," he mentioned. "Let's go home. It's not going anywhere for awhile."
 
Genesis remained silent as Zane escorted him out. They made their way to the younger's car and got in. There was tension between them, or so Genesis felt there to be. That painting was humiliating, more so because it was a lie. All he could recall was the expression painted on his face, that certainly hadn't been the sight that greater Antonio at any point in their….relationship.

The drive continued without the two talking, the changeling eyeing his lover from the corner of his sight. He felt that he needed to clear things up, to explain the matter. It was potentially opening up a can of worms, but Genesis needed to let Zane know the truth. He had to make sure that the younger understood how things were back then. It was hard to talk it out with someone who had no idea what that period of time was like in their society.

"I…"He began, clearing his throat the minute they were safe behind the closed doors of their home. "The Draco family of norther Italy died out in the late sixteen hundreds." Genesis felt like he was voicing a history lesson, but groundwork had to be laid. "The man in that painting was Antonio Draco…and he was the last of their line."

"He was a feared man, good at waging war and taking things he wanted. He killed the pureblood who owned me and took me as the prize." Genesis had already garnered a long reputation. An amazing bedmate as well as a charm for luck, unfortunately it was both the bad and good kind that followed him.

He sighed, running a hand freely through his hair. The next details were the unpleasant ones, ones that he was sure would cause his lover some discomfort. "Antonio had certain tastes when it came to sex. Getting me prepared was never a concern for him and he liked getting more than sexually physical." Genesis shook his head. "Over twenty years stuck with him and I don't think I ever felt good having sex with him."

He took a moment to think, articulate his words. "The first few years were like most, parading me around and making me a pretty decoration for his gatherings. He started to become obsessive, crazy obsessive. Beatings increased, public humiliation to display his dominance and possession over me." Genesis laughed bitterly. "He killed three purebloods and countless changelings who he believed I was having affairs with. Eventually, I spent over a decade collared and chained to his bed. I wasn't allowed to leave that room once."

"And then the council came, as they usually do when purebloods are killed. Antonio knew he was losing ground, his power, and so he decided the best course of action was for me to be killed. He'd be my last and he could tell the council the problem was solved without actually having to give me to someone." The changeling bit his lip, recalling how he felt. "I actually thought I was going to die. "

"Antonio's is where I had met Alexander actually. I was lucky because he got me free and we…" He left the words trail off. They had set everything ablaze, including their pureblood master. Genesis could never actually say the words though, theoretically he could still be tried for murder. As far as history was concerned, Antonio had gone insane and set everything he owned on fire so no one else could have it, killing himself in the process.
 
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