The picture up what I imagine the castle to look like underground. Though in my head, it's muchhhhhhh bigger and there's more light. I have a few other pictures on my Master Pinterest Board, link in bio.

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Lincoln's P.O.V

"Okay Master, close your eyes!" Kalem says from the bathroom, his excitement making his words rushed.

"They're closed," I reply with a growing smile.

"You have to close them super tight," Kalem demands making me chuckle with amusement.

There wasn't a thing Kalem could do that wouldn't succeed in enamouring me completely.

"They are closed super tight, I promise love," I raise my hands to cover my eyes for good measure so that Kalem wouldn't doubt me once he came out.

"Alright," Kalem says, his voice coming from directly in front of me now. He was getting really good at popping about now, time rarely stopped unless he willed it to.

Aias had explained to us that Kalem's powers, or rather, his magic, would be at it's strongest when he was at his highest or lowest.

His angel side fed off of his happier emotions; excitement, joy, peace, contentment and comfort.
While his demon side would feed off of the darker emotions; anger, sadness, fear, disappointment, pain.

Kalem had been nothing but smiles since we returned from the pixie festival, and though I couldn't say I felt the same about all that happened on that particular night, I was happy that he was still riding the high of it.

"You can only open your eyes on the count of three," Kalem instructs seriously so I nod. "Okay. Oneeeee. Twooooo. Threeeeeee. Open! Open! Open!"

Pulling my hands away, I open my eyes with a large smile already stretching across my lips before I find Kalem twisting from side-to-side in his little outfit.

It wasn't the same servant's attire he'd been so in love with in his earliest days with me, he'd gotten rid of that one a few weeks ago. He'd said that even though he loved the outfit very much, it was something he thought were meant for slaves when he'd worn it before. And now he didn't feel right wearing it when he knew that that wasn't what he was, or what he even wanted to be.

But even as it'd been a good decision to make on his part, he'd been a little pouty since he threw it out and Malcolm had sought to resolve the problem on his own accord. He'd gotten this new getup for Kalem as a gift that was similar in some aspects, but much more... Kalem.

The main colour scheme was still black and white, with tight, black slacks and soft fitting dress shoes that were black as well. His shirt was a white overhead top, with a low-hanging v-neck and short sleeves. The top resembled the elf's clothing with its looseness that suited Kalem beautifully, as all things tended to.

The 'Kalem' parts of the little outfit were the little highlights of yellow that popped out subtly enough.

The handkerchief that Kalem had tucked in his back pocket was a soft yellow, the bottom outline of his shirt was yellow and the little bow he'd clipped into his hair was yellow as well. I was sure there was also a jacket to add to this ensemble but Kalem had opted not to wear it now for this showcasing.

Even so, the outfit was like a combination of every form of Kalem there was, all wrapped up into one enamouring bundle.

"Master, say something!" Kalem whines as he twists in front of me. Doing a twirl and then another to give me the full picture. At my dropped gaze, Kalem giggles while still bouncing around on his toes. "Tell me how good I look."

With a chuckle, I pull Kalem in by his waist so that he's standing between my legs. As he slides his hands over my shoulder and to my neck, I look up to him with a matching grin. His hazel eyes were bright and wanting, a little nervous too but there was no need for nerves with me, not when I loved him so very much.

"You look absolutely gorgeous my love," I declare, my heart was stagnant and withered inside but it felt so whole now as I looked up at everything that was right and good in my world. If I had one, I knew it'd be racing as hard and furiously as Kalem's was against me. 

Kalem beams at me before he bites into his lip in a failed effort to quiet his joyous sounds. He struggles to hold my gaze as he climbs on top of me, straddling me with a shy smile that was more than a little suggestive.

When Kalem felt shy, he had a tendency to try and distract me in any way he could so he could make the feeling go away. But I was determined to have him hear my words since he'd asked for them, there would plenty of time to enjoy his body afterwards. 

"You look beautiful, like the angel you are, and sinfully sexy like your demon side as well." Kalem's cheeks heat and his eyes dart away from mine, but his smile doesn't diminish in the slightest. "You look stunning baby, stunning."

"Lincoln," Kalem whines in a high pitched squeal, his eyes trying and failing to hold my gaze.

"You are perfect, Kalem." I finish as I lock my fingers together at the dip in his back.

Blushing profusely now, Kalem wraps his arms around me and takes us both down onto the bed with another squeal, while he tries to hide in my shoulder.

Kalem loved compliments, especially on the days like today where he was 'feeling himself', a little more than usual. But he was also terribly shy at receiving them, he grew embarrassed and giggly, like he couldn't believe so many pretty words could be used to describe him.

But that was alright, for now, we had eternity to spend together, so I knew that I had plenty of time to make him grow accustomed to them.

"I'm glad that you like it," Kalem mumbles against me.

"I more than like it, love," I promise while running a hand through his hair, carefully not to disturb the bow.

The bow was the only part of the outfit that was a piece from me, and it had been a complete gamble that, thankfully, had been the right choice.

When we were raiding the elf's closet for pixie attire, Kalem had wondered off into Malcolm's massive closet and in there, he'd spotted a bow for what I imagined was the first time.
It had been tied to the back of one of Malcolm's more elaborate outfits from centuries ago, and was disturbingly massive, tied in the perfect knot that sat where his butt would be.

I had watched quietly as Kalem had marvelled at it with wide eyes, wanting it so desperately without allowing himself to say so.

When we'd returned home, I'd scoured the internet for bowed accessories that I hoped would please him as much. Then I'd gone out to buy as many as I could for him.

I would never forget Kalem's reaction for as long as I lived.

Words became impossible for him to form when he laid eyes on all the clips, rings, necklaces and much more I'd gotten for him. He'd stammered about himself while tears streamed down his face, unable to stop himself from popping in and out, and all around his room while he screamed with joy.

But when he eventually remembered how to use words again, it was only a continuous stream of my favourite three.

Yeah, I would never forget that.

"I hope everyone else likes it too, Master," Kalem says nervously as he draws himself back to look at me, "I hope they like me."

"They'll have no choice but to like you, it's a universal thing, love," I reply which makes Kalem's cheeks heat again.

Today, the first of the Anouk Clan were arriving at the castle.

It had taken much preparation and planning on our end, and continuous nights of travelling on their part. But the day had finally come, and we were ready to welcome our first clan mates.

In truth, I wasn't dreading it nearly as much as I thought I'd be. I thought I'd resent the thought of living with other vampires far more, but my displeasure had remained at a moderate level, one I could bare.

Kalem, on the other hand, was a bundle of nerves ready to, well, pop.

In the coming days to their arrival, Kalem had cleaned every square inch of the wing of the castle that we'd designated to the clan members. 

It had been tiresome, hard work and had taken him hours upon hours each day that went beyond his permitted cleaning times, but I didn't bother trying to stop him. He was a man on a mission and I didn't dare take it away from him.

As much as Kalem wanted those in the clan to like him, he wanted them to be happy and comfortable too. And to quote my young lover exactly, 'everyone deserves a nice, clean room for their first night in. Just like you gave me.'

So yes, an exception to the rules was made.

But now that every inch of their space was clean from ceiling to floors, and columns to tapestry, Kalem had nothing else to do but face his building fears of rejection. I tried my best to soothe them, but there wasn't much I could say to make them truly go away.

After all, this would be Kalem's first time meeting a group of people in a normal way.

All his past experiences were tainted by his enslavement, and so they were all wrong. The only friend he'd ever made had been in shackles as well and that friendship had been built upon fearfully shared whispers from what Kalem had told me. But this was an opportunity for Kalem to make friends, to meet and talk to people who wouldn't hurt him.

It was the chance at something new and special for him, and the thought of it going the complete opposite way was what scared Kalem.

In truth, I expected him to be scared to meet other vampires that weren't Malcolm or me, and at such large numbers, but that didn't even seem to cross his mind. And since he didn't notice it, I purposefully didn't mention anything about that, he didn't need any more worries piled on to the ones already there.

"They'll love you Kalem," I assure him once more. "There's not a thing about you to dislike, not a single thing."

"What if they don't like my voice," Kalem hazards making me frown.

"Your voice?" I repeat and Kalem nods his head vigorously.

"W-What if they think it's weird and not low enough. Everyone I know has super low voices; you, Aias, Aias' Malcolm." He explains, "what if they think mine is too high and they don't like me because of it?"

"Your voice is not too high or too low, it's just fine. And Wequie doesn't have a low voice either," I point out.

"Mr.W is different," Kalem whines frustratedly, "everyone likes Mr.W no matter what he says or how he says it, because he looks so good."

Dear Gods...

"They will not think about you any differently because of your voice Kalem," I reply slowly with the shake of my head.

"What about my eyes?" Kalem tries next, his breathing picking up now with his anxiety. "I've not seen anyone who has eyes like mine."

"In this world, there are many different races and ethnicities love," I explain gently, "they're many people born of Asian descent, just like you, some of which will be in the clan too."

"Really?" Kalem asks doubtfully.

"Yes, really," I confirm. Kalem opens his mouth to voice another worry but I press my lips to his to silence them before they had the chance to form. "You are worrying about useless things Kalem. They will all adore you, as all who meet you do. You're a kind, sweet boy Kalem, they will warm to you immediately."

Kalem smiles a little at that, I lean forward to press another kiss to his cheek and when his smile grows even more, I give him another.

"Master," Kalem says in a fit of giggles as he tightens his arms around my neck. "That tickles!"

"Do not tempt me Kalem," I warn as I trail my finger lightly under his arms where I knew he was sensitive.

Kalem squirms in my lap, his giggles coming louder now as he pulls himself even closer to me as if I weren't the culprit. I squeeze his thighs and sides to make him squeal and tickle under his neck and arms to hear more.

"No!" Kalem cries out with a stern glare that didn't match the giggles escaping his beaming face. "No more tickles!"

"Alright, alright," I concede with raised hands of surrender. 

If there weren't hundreds of vampires arriving soon, I wouldn't have shown Kalem any mercy, no matter how hard he pleaded. But I couldn't have him working up a sweat and ruining the outfit he loved so much.

Catching his breath, Kalem continues to glare harshly at me, his blame set on its target and he wasn't wavering. But I could see from the twinkle in his eye that he was just playing, and when his lips found mine again, I welcomed them readily.

Sliding his fingers around my neck, Kalem holds me close while he lets his lips caress mine softly. A low moan escapes him and I take it in greedily, already wanting to hear more.
With my hands under his thighs, I bring Kalem flush against me before I roll us over so that I was pressing him into the mattress.

"Mhmm," Kalem moans into our kiss as he wraps his legs around my waist and tugs me down.

Our kiss is a lazy one, but a perfect one too, our lips by now more than familiar with each other as we leisurely enjoy one another. Kalem gives me his most precious sounds in soft hums and moans, and I give him my sounds as well, letting the pleasured rumble build in my chest for him to feel throughout his entire body while he laid beneath me. 

It was perfect in all the ways that made me feel whole with so much love I didn't know what to do with. And like with all the moments like this one now, I asked myself how I'd gone on for so long without Kalem's light in my life.

"More," Kalem demands with a frown when I try to pull away, his strong hands already bringing me back down, "I want more kisses."

So we kiss more, and more, and more. With stretched smiles and the odd chuckle breaking between while we lay on the bed, tangled so perfectly in one another.

Eternity would be far too short for our love.

---

"You are not still pouting," Malcolm deadpans from beside me.

I keep my eyes forward on the stagnant trees through the thick darkness that surrounded the castle, and my ears alert for sounds of vampires that actually mattered.

"It's been two weeks already," Malcolm states but I ignore him. "The silent treatment still, really Linc?" He continues disbelievingly.

When I don't reply, he groans and turns himself to face me but I carry on looking ahead of me.

"You're acting as if you've never seen me naked before," Malcolm continues and I barely hold in a childish gag, "we've spent more than six millenniums in one another's company Linc. You've seen my black ass and balls, and you've seen me use them to fuck plenty of times before."

Kalem tenses beside me a little, his eyes growing narrow as he looks to Malcolm and then to me. I stifle a sigh, knowing that I'd have some explaining to do when we were next alone. 

"It was a prank," Malcolm continues.

"It was scarring," I reply, glancing at him with reddening eyes. I catch a glimpse of the elf standing dutifully on the other side of Malcolm wearing the same satisfied smirk as always, the one that made me click my teeth with rage now before I looked away. The elf hadn't let that smirk fade from his lips since the festival. 

How I wished Kalem wasn't as bad at picking friends as I was.

"You are not scarred," Malcolm grumbles with a wave of his hand. "You're just being dramatic now."

"Am I?" I ask through my teeth.

"Yes. Yes, you are," Malcolm replies with outstretched hands. "I've seen you fuck a hundred times before and you've seen me do the same. With Wequie even. And we've al-"

Covering his mouth with my hand, I glare at him for even trying to remind me of what happened that dreadful night when I knew well enough exactly what had taken place. A shudder runs through me at the remind and not for the first time, I pray to anyone who would listen to remove the vivid detailings of that particular adventure from my mind.

Just the thought made me want to soak in another tub of bleach to cleanse myself.

"We don't speak of that day," I grind out slowly, my eyes blazing red now.

Despite my rage, Malcolm's grey eyes fill with amusement as he smiles behind my hand and holds my gaze.

"Forwive me anwd I wwunt," He says from behind my palm. In a silent threat, he glances over my shoulder to Kalem who was watching us suspiciously.

I truly hated my choice of lifetime friends.

"That goes both ways Malcolm," I say with a slight nod to the other elf in our presence who was watching us without the smirk this time.

Malcolm's amusement immediately evaporates as he looks back at me and nods, an agreement already made.

I release him and step back into my place beside Kalem. I pointedly ignore his eyes boring into me, and Malcolm does the same on his side, the matter lost to us now as we looked out for the Anouk Clan.

We had considered meeting only Alexander and her advisers in the throne room but had discarded that idea quickly enough. Doing something of that nature in our first meeting in almost a month would only serve the further alienate Malcolm and me from the clan, when we were supposed to be nurturing our new connections to it.

I expected Alexander to lead the clan in most of the ways she always has, but as part of my clan, her actions would now fall under me by name and for that to happen, I needed every clan member to respect me the same way they did her.

The first step of accomplishing that was being respectful enough to meet all of them at the door.

The corners of my ears twitch at the sound of incoming footsteps through the rich woodlands that thrived underground, even with the little sunlight it received. My eyes allowed me to see clearly as if the place was in open daylight, but Kalem had made it obvious to me that he couldn't see much while outside which was something I'd have to fix soon.

The moment the first vampires break through the forest's edge, my eyes snag onto them, counting all I could see to ensure that they matched the numbers I could hear. Nothing was out of place as the many vampires walked towards us, carrying with them many bags and pieces of luggage that they hauled between them all.

At the front of them all was Alexander, striding forth with the posture of a war general despite the large travel bag she had slung over her back that seemed to be as large as she was. Though the others seemed tired, she seemed energized as if they hadn't made a long journey across two countries. 

The only thing they had in common was the way they all stared wide-eyed at the castle before them.

I take a moment to look at my land from an outsider's perspective. I suppose it would be hard to comprehend at first, the enormous, black castle that spread so wide and far that at some points it merged with the rockface underground. There were parts of the castle which were carved entirely out of rock that it wasn't so much part of the castle as it was part of the earth. 

Then there was the rich forest that grew wildly in front of the castle, on the other side of the bridge where fog made it hard to see every little detail there was out there. The entire property was hard to understand at first, and there were still many mysteries to it I doubted I'd figure out. 

But it was my castle, my home, and it was one of the few things in my life that I was very proud to own.

When Alexander comes to a stop a few paces before me, my eyes look over the five hundred vampires who stood behind her, the grassroots to what would become the new society for vampires.

This was our beginning.

As expected, most eyes linger on Kalem and Aias who who were unfamiliar faces, Kalem was trying not to squirm but all the attention wasn't doing any good for his nerves and after a few brave seconds, he hides himself behind me with his hands tightly clenching the bottom of my shirt.

Any interest paid to Kalem quickly deferred to Aias next who was already receiving the bulk of the attention as the obvious elf of the two. His pointed ears gave him away in any way his confident, 'I'm above all of you' posture and attitude didn't. It'd be annoying if all the attention wasn't making Malcolm frown deeply with jealously.

That was rewarding enough.

Stepping towards Alexander, with Kalem still close behind me, I extend my arm and she takes it readily. Clasping me at my elbow as I do hers, keeping the hold firm in a proper clan's greeting bestoyd only to those in your clan. 

It was an act I'd witnessed time and time again over the years, but one I'd never been able to partake in without a clan of my own. I'd always thought the act was like shaking hands, nothing special or significant, but it wasn't. It ran a little deeper, in my bones as if her fingertips had touched the core of me and it felt right.

It felt like it should be.

"It's good to see you," Alexander greets with an honest smile before she dips her head in respect, "Pylen."

All the other vampires quickly follow, bowing their heads in respect with a whispered 'pylen', all acknowledging me as they leader. As their Pylen.

"Wow," Kalem whispers awestruck beside me and I glance behind me to find him looking forth with wide, stunned eyes.

To him and everyone else, this power may be mine. But I knew as perhaps no other would understand, that it was Kalem's as it was all for him. This was all for him.

"It's good to see you too Alexander," I reply as I release her arm allowing her to raise her head, "I thought perhaps you might reconsider after you failed so spectacularly at catching me."

Smirking, Alexander leans back with a huff, "strange, I seem to remember doing just that in one of the last rounds."

The newborns let their stiff posturing face as they pipe up to vouch for her, while others declared it all blasphemy. After the many games of tag, like Wequie had predicted, the newborns had quickly warmed to both Malcolm and I with many questions for the pair of us that all had answers dating back before their time.

I usually preferred the quiet so I expected to put an end to the conversations quickly enough, but to my surprise, I'd actually enjoyed it a little. It wasn't that bad being around newvampires, their ignorance and inexperience was humouring and their ridiculous questions even more so.

By the time we'd left the next day, we'd formed quite the comradery with the clan and I was happy to see that it carried on even now.

As the chatter settles down, Alexander looks at Kalem who was now risking a glance from behind my back. She offers him a small smile though her confusion was clear, and Kalem shyly reciprocates it before hiding back behind me.

"This is Kalem," I announce to her and all the others, "my lover and my to-be pair mate."

I'm not too shocked at the surprised reactions I receive, pairing with another wasn't a common practice amongst our kind. Despite the particular bite that allowed one to link their life to another, most avoided it like the plague because of the level of commitment it entailed as well as the unwavering devotion it casted on the pair.

But it was something I wanted with Kalem, very much. And though we weren't at that stage in our relationship yet, I wasn't deluded enough to think that it wasn't exactly where we'd end up eventually. Letting them know now what Kalem meant to me would ensure that they knew just how important he was to me.

"It is an honour to meet you Kalem," Alexander says, quickly filling the silence that follows. She bows for Kalem and the others quickly follow making Kalem squeak as his entire face grows red.

"N-No," He tries in a rushed stammer, "i-i-it's o-okay."

They rise hesistantly and Kalem sends me a pleading look, I only smile, enjoying this show far more than I really should be. He looks back to Malcolm and Aias next, and the pair take that as their cue to make an entrance while saving Kalem from his misery.

"Lincoln, stop torturing Kalem," Malcolm says with a light shove, "and I'm sure you've all been on your feet for far too long, lets get you settled inside. It'll take some time to get you all situated, so we should get started now."

Grateful smiles extend to Malcolm and I roll my eyes, not upset at his wisdom but at him for spoling my entrainment. I was interested in seeing what Kalem would say next if no one saved him.

Perhaps that was a little too sadistic...

"Oo!" Kalem exclaims with excitement that seemed to wash away the cold, "can I help?! I cleaned the rooms and made them all pretty for everyone. Can I please help?"

I nod with a smile and Kalem beams widely at me before he tackles me in a hug. He lets go of me only when I kiss his head, and the races up the steps, gesturing for everyone to follow after him. They look to me unsurely, but with my nod, one by one they start to file up the stairs to follow after Kalem and Aias who was already next to him to ensure he wasn't left alone.

"What a happy human," Alexander comments as she climbs the stairs between Malcolm and I.

Neither of us correct her, we'd already decided with Kalem and the elf that we would continue to treat Kalem as if he were a human until it came time for him to 'take another form' as Aias put it. We knew that Kalem as he was now, appearing human, was not his true form and that elves had the power to make many with the right training. 

Aias had allocated himself as Kalem's teacher and had promised to teach Kalem how to take a new form, one that would be crafted in a vampire's skin to protect him best. In a clan full of vampires, no one would think to question it if he was able to convincingly take that form while controlling his elven powers.

There was a long road ahead for Kalem, but it was one we wouldn't let him face on his own.

"You just wait until you see him with a mop," Malcolm comments with a snort of amusement.

"He loves to clean," I fill in for Alexander who clearly did not understand the humour in that at all. "He was so excited to have you all here and he wanted you all to be comfortable, so he cleaned the entire wing where you'll be staying in."

Alexander's mouth drops open as she looks around the hallway we were currently walking through at the back of the clan, the ceilings was at least thirty metres from the floor and like the rest of the castle, massive in all the ways other holdings weren't. 

To even imagine that Kalem cleaned an entire wing of the place was daunting.

I'd already prepared a lovely surprise for him as a reward, and though I didn't support the idles of rewarding him as a slave. I did support rewarding him as my boy for doing something so kind and considerate for people he'd never met, he deserved a treat for that and I had just the thing for him.

But that was for a later date, when the clan was properly settled in.

"Everyone's been in high spirits since you two left," Alexander shares, speaking a little quieter now, "our clan has never had it easy, especially in recent years, we're a target for bigger clans and for those who disapprove with our beliefs."

Their beliefs being the appropriate, human ones - to disapprove of slavery in every entity.

"Through it all, we've always tried to enjoy what we could of what we had, but as you can imagine, it's been hard," she says honestly, "especially for the younger ones," she looks between us both, "but you gave them hope."

"Hope," I repeat and she nods.

"That things could be better," She says with a smile, "you gave us older ones hope too, and now you welcome us into your home," she scoffs, "you've already proven yourself ten times better a man than Diablos ever could be."

As always, a frown hardens my features at the mention of Diablos and all the chaos he'd helped insight amongst our kind that was now a scorn to the supernatural world. And as always, guilt quickly fills in, guilt for not acting when I had the chance to take over before he could settle his claws in.

"Stop with that look," Malcolm snaps bringing my eyes up to his knowing ones, "no use feeling guilty about things that have come and gone. The past is just that, the past. Future's all that matters now, and we're making steps to create a better one. So stop looking so fucking pitiful."

Alexander chuckles but bites back any further comments as we reach the entrance of the west  wing where we find Kalem running around from room to room with a big smile, his hands full of the blueprints he'd made himself of this area of the castle. Aias stood at a higher perch with several lines formed before him, in his hands the logs I'd made with where each vampire would be allocated. 

The system seemed to be that a vampire told Aias their name or rank, Aias found where they would go and Kalem directed them to where exactly that was. While Aias stuck to performing his task and his task alone, Kalem was chattering happily to every vampire he directed, telling them his name and all about the many nice places in the castle he'd cleaned for them.

He looked so happy, so beyond happy that my chest grew so tight with joy I couldn't help the grin that broke across my face as I looked at my boy.

Kalem catches me eyes, and he pauses to wave at me with a brilliant smile while he jumped up and down. I wave back at him, and he squeals before looking back to the vampire he was leading before he got distracted.

There'd been a small part of me that had worried that Kalem wouldn't have been able to adjust to this change, even with time and patience, I'd worried that he wouldn't have wanted anything to do with anyone who wasn't Aias, Malcolm or me.

But as I watched him now, working hard to make everyone he met happy and smile, I knew that it would be alright. Even as the clan grew, which it would, and our power in this world and every other realm expanded, Kalem would be okay in it all.

This clan, this plan, this journey we were setting on... it would work. 

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Why am I so hyped? Someone explain to my why this got me so hype looool

Thoughts????????

When I tell you guys I missed my baby Kalem, the joy I get when I write about him and Lincoln is really like no other. I love these two so much ughhh, that first scene almost had be crying.

And then Kalem running around like a tour guide, pleaseeeeeeeee.

I really hope you guys liked the chapter, things will be getting more action-y now, so more vampire world stuff and Aias teaching Kalem about himself. Should be fun and interesting. 

If you liked the chapter, comment and vote up for me please. 

I update my writing situation most frequently on my Instagram, so if you want to know more info about my next update as the days go, the link is in my bio but my username is Tippy446_

Until next time,
Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Humanssssssssss