I Steal a Claim Crest

[Author Note: Little bit of a darker chapter for those of you who don't like this stuff]

Arlo entered the inn. Sho saw his downcast face and immediately tried to cheer him up.

"Oh chill even if this didn't work out we can just kidnap him next year, or find something else before then." Sho said.

Arlo glanced at him but didn't reply. How was he even supposed to reply when his mind was currently on plan Z?

Not to mention the fact hung in the air like a ghost...

[Energy 22/55]

Sho wouldn't have another year to wait and who knew how long it would take to find another potential cure or if that cure would even work. No Arlo only knew one plan that had a high potential of working and it involved a certain skill, if you could even call it that. Although would he even be able to steal right right skill? If he ended up with something else..... he didn't want to even consider that option.

The day passed slowly with neither of them talking. Arlo glanced at his chest where Sho's friendship claim crest was. It would wear off again tomorrow at midnight, Sho would want to claim him again in the morning before either of them left the inn.

Sho finally snuggled up next to him that night and Arlo felt his heart drop. Please don't hate me tomorrow.....

A few hours passed, ten minutes to midnight. Arlo slipped out of the bed and quietly across the floor to the bathroom. Once in their he slipped out the window hoping Sho wouldn't notice. He passed through the streets quietly until reaching the inn where Cyan was. He gulped. He couldn't believe he was willingly doing this. Alive and mad Sho was still far better than a dead Sho though.

"I'll do anything for you" he whispered under his breath.

"Oh and what are you doing here at this hour?" a voice asked.

Cyan was standing behind him. Now that his heal skill had been used for the year his swarm of fans had left.

"Oh um..." how to even phrase it, he had to somewhat make it Cyan's idea.

"Let's talk at my place." The demon smiled and Arlo felt sick to his stomach but nodded. He followed him back to his inn….. please don't let this end badly...

His inn room was slightly bigger than the one Arlo and Sho currently had, and it looked like Cyan had been here for awhile now. Clothes littered the floor and a few open jars of empty drinks were around.

"So have you come because of my earlier offer?" questioned Cyan.

Arlo gulped, right he had almost forgotten about that. It made this easier but at the same time harder.

"I uh…." Arlo stumbled over his words. Cyan's grin widened as if that was all the permission he was needing. He took a step closer and Arlo backed up his back now against the wall.

"Nevermind, I can't" Arlo whispered as Sho's face flashed in his mind. He turned as if the leave and found his hands pinned by Cyan.

The demon's eyes were staring into his purple contacts.

"What about a deal" Cyan stated.

"A deal?" asked Arlo stumped.

"You wanted to kidnap me before which means your friend needs healing. I can make him first on my list next year. In return though I want you for the next hour." Cyan's eyes held his.

Ten minutes were up and Arlo felt his claim on his chest disappear. Cyan's eyes widened further with a hunger.

"Friendship claim only" Arlo practically whispered, "any others and I will murder you."

Cyan's level showed 45 while Arlo was now 46. He could beat him if necessary.

Cyan nodded. A gleam filled his eyes. And Arlo wished he had of been reborn more ugly.

Cyan motioned to his bed, "We might as well get started," he smiled "Your always welcome to become one of my fans if you grow tired of your current claimer." He added.

Arlo felt stiff all over, ever part of this felt wrong. Sho was never going to forgive him and he'd be alone again. He sat on the bed and slowly removed his clothes.

"Lie down and relax, I won't bite…. Well not hard anyway." Cyan soothed.

His gentle demeanor just made it worse. Arlo trembled from fear as the demon came closer then gently pulled his legs apart. Unlike how he looked forward to being with Sho, this just was wrong in every way.

"You trembled a lot, like I said before just relax, it will be far more enjoyable for you if you do." Cyan stated.

"Just do it already" hissed Arlo, "Your hour has already started."

He didn't care if it hurt, in fact it would be better if it hurt. He deserved all the pain for cheating on Sho.

Cyan shrugged a little, "fine if you insist, I was going to warm you up nice and slowly but hey if you want to start counting now then we can skip the warm up. We will just call the claim marker the warm up instead."

He stuck his mouth around Arlo and began to treat him like a lollipop.

Cyan's teeth began to chew on him with gentle nips. Arlo yelped a little, who treats their lollipops like this? Stick to the tongue you dumb demon.

Of course he said nothing out loud and instead tried to stay as quiet as possible. Other than some involuntary flinches and yelps, he had no right to enjoy this in the slightest.

[You've been claimed by the demon Cyan Slipwater, rank: Good, status: Friend]

[You have absorbed the skill: Heal of the year]

Arlo felt a slight twinge of relief among the regret, fear, pain, and hated pleasure. He had gotten the right skill.

A claim marker formed on his chest with a symbol like a crashing wave. Cyan didn't wait for another invitation now that the claim was done. He had Arlo all to himself for the next 45 minutes.

Arlo couldn't help a small scream as Cyan shoved himself inside of him. Make it hurt more, at least with the pain he felt slightly less guilty of betraying Sho. Even if it was a human thing to only have one mate, he still considered himself human and Sho had followed the same unspoken rule.

Oh dear he was going to be so sore tomorrow...

I'm so sorry Sho…..

Arlo felt a few tears form on his face.

As soon as the one hour mark hit Arlo tried to pull away but Cyan held him close getting in one more time before finally letting him go.

Arlo wanted to curl up into a ball and cry. He wanted to scratch off the claim mark as if it had never happened.

Cyan leaned down next to him and whispered, "You know you could just stay, like I said before I'd love to add you to my following."

"Pass" said Arlo, "Don't forget to uphold your end of the deal." He said that part just so Cyan wouldn't think anything was up. He no longer needed the stupid demon.

The demon laughed, "You'd better leave or I won't be able to hold back anymore."

"You call that holding back!" yelped Arlo his body said otherwise.

Cyan smirked, "I usually prefer to add a little extra substance to my partners."

Drugs thought Arlo, not my thing, I need to get away from him. He got up his whole body protesting.

"Goodbye" he said curtly.

"Until next time," he replied, "Next time I see you I won't hold back for a second, regardless of if you want it. If I knew you tasted this good I would never have agreed to only an hour."

"There won't be a next time." Arlo said firmly.

"I always get my next times, unless you plan to literally never let me set eyes on you again." He replied.

Arlo didn't say a word and left through the window wincing a bit. Moving was hard, stupid demon.

At least now Sho would live... he couldn't not... Arlo refused to accept anything else after all that.

He mentally pulled up the tangled mess of a spell casting and started working on it. At least Sho would be alive, that would be good enough for him, even if he hated Arlo….. a few tears formed on his face and he stopped trying to hold them back. A mix of relief, fear, sadness, and regret formed. If only plan A had of worked.