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Ivan’s soul sang with relief. “Anything.”

“You need to keep going to those lessons with Opal. Get her to teach you everything she knows about banishing spirits, defending yourself against them, all that. Because if I ever turn into a violent ghost like one of those guys”—Eric looked up and around at the place where they had both just fought and won against several violent spectres—“you need to learn how to fight me off.”

“I will. I promise.” Ivan cupped Eric’s face and kissed him. “It won’t come to that, but I will do it.”

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Chapter Eight

Eric hoped to God that Ivan was right and that Eric wasn’t just allowing himself to give in because he no longer had the spine to resist.

When he first opened his eyes, hearing Ivan calling out his name, he’d thought he’d finally gone to heaven.

But then the confusion had set in because Ivan was not dead, and

how was it possible that the other man could have followed him into  the next life? Then he became aware of the situation and what was

truly happening, and he’d gone on the attack. He was in a place he  didn’t fully recognize, and there were so many spirits around them  both. All of which would want a piece of Ivan.

He immediately went on the attack. They were much more  determined than what was usual, but he would not allow them to take

control of Ivan’s body. He would not let them make Ivan into a ghost

like Eric!

When he heard Ivan’s scream, his insides, or whatever it was he

had as a spirit, jumped into his throat, but Ivan was not being taken

control of.

He took his attention away from the spirits he fought just enough to watch as Ivan attacked one of the spirits that Eric did not have within his sights. Ivan was attacking it head-on like a warrior, and he was doing well. Ivan was holding his own, and then he’d frightened the spirit away entirely.

The spirits Eric had been battling had seen that and then looked at  Eric. They must have determined that they were outmatched because then they, too, retreated into the night.

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Eric had never been more proud of Ivan.

Maybe it was witnessing the vampire in battle, taking care of himself and frightening away his attacker, that was the true reason for  Eric’s crumbling resolve.

When Ivan had cast him out for possessing his body, Eric had feared he would never see the other man again, yet here he was, kissing Eric’s face and pleading with him not to go.

All was forgiven then. Thank God.
 
Thank God
.

Eric was not one to let such an opportunity slip away. Especially with his body still thrumming with the adrenaline of battle.

He didn’t push Ivan down onto the soft moss so much as Ivan pulled him down on top of him. He felt Ivan’s erection immediately, and he responded to it accordingly.

Eric loved the feel of Ivan’s fingernails clawing into his back as he tore away at Ivan’s pants. Ivan would be walking back naked at the rate Eric was going, but that was hardly the issue at the moment.

“Turn around. Get on your knees,” Eric said. He spat into his hand as Ivan grinned and did as he was told.

Eric wished he was the sort of man who was able to resist the

impulse of his body and take his time preparing his lover for what was  to come. Ivan moaned so beautifully and pushed against Eric’s fingers  so wantonly that he could barely contain himself.

It was then that he noticed the strange slickness against his fingers  as he stretched out Ivan's asshole. It was slippery and wet and almost  like a lubricant.

What the hell? Was it there because Eric wanted it to be there?

Was he somehow creating the stuff to keep from hurting Ivan while they did this?

Maybe it was just ectoplasm or something like out of
 
Ghostbusters
. He didn't know if that was gross or not.

“Eric, do not stop, please do not stop,” Ivan begged. He did it so nicely, too.

He pulled his fingers out of Ivan’s pucker and lined up his cock

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with the entrance. Ivan pushed out as Eric pushed in, and when he  was completely submerged, he buckled over Ivan’s body, nearly  collapsing on top of him.

He grit his teeth, forcing himself not to move despite the pulsing  pleasure just being inside of Ivan was causing. The fact that Ivan was  trying to push back against him wasn’t helping either.

“Do it. Fuck me now,” Ivan commanded, looking over his  shoulder at Eric, as though asking,
 
What’s the hold up?

He would’ve told Ivan that he was going to be the death of him,  but Eric was already dead.

He took hold of Ivan’s hips, gripping so tightly the other man  hissed in pain, but then he began to move.

The amazing push and pull of their bodies made Eric groan low in  his throat as well as release gasping sighs. Ivan’s own noises of  pleasure heightened everything Eric was feeling.

“Yes. Yessss,” Ivan hissed, pushing back against Eric’s thrusting  hips. “Just like that.”

“You’re so fucking beautiful like that,” Eric rasped. “I’m never  leaving you behind.”

Ivan moaned at those words. He went down on his elbows,

keeping his ass in the air while Eric fucked it.

No, he wasn’t fucking Ivan. He was making love to him, and it  had been stupid of him to think he was doing anything but that all this  time.

“I love you. I love you so fucking much.”

Ivan gasped and Eric wasn’t sure if the other man heard him, so  he just kept right on going.

His balls tightened, and release was in sight. He slowed his pace,  attempting to draw out more of that amazing feeling, but he only  succeeded in heightening his pleasure.

Ivan moaned and bucked beneath him, wanting to reach the end as  quickly as possible, and then Eric opened his mouth and moaned out  loud as he came, pumping his hips until he milked himself dry inside

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the other man.

Ivan had long since grabbed a hold of his dick as was stroking himself as Eric finished off, until Ivan’s body stiffened and he shot his load into the moss beneath them.

They breathed hard for a moment, and then Eric spooned up against Ivan’s back and kissed his neck. He loved being inside of  Ivan. He would stay like this for the whole night if he could.

He only got perhaps a minute out of it before Ivan playfully nudged him. “Getting hard for me to stay up like this with you on top of me.”

Eric did not want to move. “Thought vampires were supposed to have this amazing strength.”

“Orgasm saps our strength.”

Well, it was good while it lasted. Maybe it was best if he didn’t make Ivan collapse onto a puddle of his own semen anyway.

Eric gently pulled out of his lover, losing the connection he always obtained whenever they were one like this.

He could still feel the cool breeze on his skin and hear the

chirping insects of the night, and that same warm buzz was glowing  inside of him after he’d come, but now everything had a decidedly  more shaded feel to it. He wasn’t as…alive wasn’t the word, because

he wasn’t alive at all, but with their connection broken, Eric’s senses

definitely weren’t as sharp.

At least this time he’d not possessed Ivan.

Ivan shifted a little away from the splotch he’d created on the  dark-green moss. Eric allowed himself to fall onto his back, and  warmth spread through him when Ivan curled up against him.

“Were you worried?” Ivan asked.

“About what?”

“That you would lose control.”

Maybe his relief over just that fact had shown on his face for Ivan  to be bringing it up now. “I didn’t think about it. Too busy enjoying  your company.”

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They both chuckled a little, and then Eric got serious. “I don’t know why I did that then and it didn’t happen now. I don’t know what happened.”

He looked down into Ivan’s red eyes. “You know I would never possess you on purpose, right? I swear to God it wasn’t on purpose.”

Ivan held him tighter. “I know, and I know you better than that. I think I just panicked and forgot it was you for a moment. I didn’t really want you to leave either. I think I just overreacted. I was just…”

Scared was likely the word Ivan was looking for, but Eric didn’t want to push it.

They had to keep going with this conversation, though. Better it was done now than later when it might be too late.

“If I ever take over your body again by accident, I’ll get out of it as soon as possible, I promise. I don’t want you worrying that I might try and possess you again.”

Though, he still wanted Ivan to continue on with his lessons just in case Eric accidentally possessed him and then couldn’t get out.  Ivan would have to know how to force an unresisting ghost out of his body before any permanent damage could happen.

“I was actually thinking about that,” Ivan said.

It certainly was much easier to enjoy this peace now that they both knew the spirits wouldn’t return. If only Eric required sleep. He would suggest they spend the night right here, under the black night speckled with stars and the clean scent of pine and earth all around them.

Then again, Ivan was a vampire. Not only did he not sleep during the night, but if he did, he definitely wouldn’t waking up in the morning.

Ivan pinched Eric’s nipple, hard.

Eric jumped. “What was that for?”

“For not paying attention when a prince speaks to you.”

Eric smiled, running his hands through Ivan’s pale-blond hair. It

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was getting long and would soon need a cut.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to do that. What were you saying?”

With his feathers smoothed out now, Ivan finished what he had

been talking about. “I remember when you had control of my body,  your eyes became my eyes. That is to say, my eyes were no longer  red, but they were the color you have now.”

Ivan touched Eric’s cheek, just under his left eye, as though  making his point.

Eric blinked, remembering looking at himself in the mirror and  seeing Ivan’s body staring back at him. That was right, the eyes had  been different.

Windows to the soul.

“What are you thinking?” Eric asked, knowing Ivan was planning  something.

Ivan wet his lips. They were still plump and pink from being  kissed.

“I was thinking that, if I willingly gave my body to you, you could  use it to speak with your brother. I do not know your reasons, but you  have been hesitant about being near him ever since I came here, and I  shall assume that it had been before that as well.”

Eric looked away from him. He didn’t want to come clean to Ivan about his conflicting emotions regarding Eli.

He wanted so much to be around for his brother, but at the same

time, he wanted for Eli what he had wanted for Ivan. He wanted him

to move on, forget him, and live his life as normally as possible.

But things like that weren’t possible when Eric was as selfish as  he was when it came to both people.

Eric couldn’t leave his brother behind any more than he could  leave Ivan.

“What do you think?” Ivan asked, looking at him carefully,  awaiting his answer.

“You would let me have control of your body? Look, I know you  hate that, and I’m not about to force you to—”

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“It will not be forced,” Ivan said quickly. “Perhaps it will be  different if I am giving my consent to be a vessel, and we could also  use it as an exercise. Every time I allow you control of my body, I  will then attempt to push you out. I can then determine whether or not  I am making any progress or not as we practice keeping the other  spirits out of my body.”

Eric couldn’t believe it, but it was a sound idea, and it did allow

him to finally speak to his brother.

There could be no more pussying out if Eric decided to do this. He  would finally be able to speak with Eli, and all the while it would be  helping Ivan to practice pushing the spirits who possessed him out of  his body safely.

He held Ivan closer. “All right.”

* * * *

Opal came sharply awake from a decidedly unpleasant dream.

She knew to always listen to her dreams. They told her things her own small powers otherwise would never be able to pick up.

Her spell had failed. Eric would be returning to haunt the pack some more with Ivan. How that weak vampire had ever managed to find the spirit before those ghosts could turn him into one of them,  Opal would never know.