Jared had heard stories of the demon-worshippers of the neighboring country since he had been a toddler. Honestly speaking, he had a little expected to fight monsters and people twisted beyond recognition by their dark masters. But there had been no monsters, and the people felled by the Empire's army had certainly bled and died like regular mortals. The resistance had been non-existent, the city clearly not prepared for invasion.

No, not invasion. A purge. Their orders were simple enough. Kill all the men. Women and children were free for taking as spoils of war. Then take everything of value and burn the city.

He cast a disdainful look at the huge statue of a woman with two snakes coiled around her. All for the better if the worship of that venomous demoness disappeared from earth.

"Hurry up, Jared!" a fellow soldier urged him on. "Boss said that whoever kills the high priest gets first pick."

Jared snorted quietly. Their unit had gotten the questionable honor of attacking the local leader's palace first. If stories were to be believed, all the guards and the "high priest" himself were powerful warlocks. So, to boost the morale, the Emperor had promised that each and every one of them could take as a wife anyone they captured within. And the spies had said that the palace was filled with beautiful women. Unfortunately women didn't interest him in the least. "Coming."

Strangely, the palace seemed deserted. His unit very quickly became distracted with the jewelry and other valuables they found in the empty rooms. Being a second-in-command, he did his best to resist joining the chaos – although he did swipe a few trinkets in passing. With a combination of yelling and reminders of the ladies waiting for them, Boss somehow managed to keep a dozen or so men with him.

After breaking through yet another locked door, they came to a gigantic lounge-like room filled with divans, small tables and several small pools filled with water. Jared guessed that this was the high priest's harem. It certainly looked like a space belonging to women with refined tastes. But everything was overlaid with hints of sudden, panicked departure. Small items left to lie on the floor, even a few tables knocked over.

Suddenly a half-circle of flames sprang up in front of them as they moved further into the room.

A man dressed in finest fabrics stepped forward behind the curtains covering the back of the room, followed by middle-aged women wielding spears decorated with snake motif. Slightly less than their own current numbers, unless there were more still hidden.

The flames between them died down almost as quickly as they had appeared.

"Stay back," the man warned them in their own language. How he had learned it, Jared did not know.

He seemed both young and ageless at the same time. He had pale, smooth skin in sharp contrast to everybody else's brown tones, light blue eyes and short, curly hair like moonlight.

Jared was mesmerized. His heart was beating wildly and his hands were sweating so much that his grip on his sword almost slipped.

He had been attracted to many men before, most of who had not returned his feelings, but this felt like so much more. Of all the people to fall for, his heart's choice was an enemy. A warlock commanding demonic magic.

And right now he didn't even care.

~*~*~

Shiran tried to maintain the threatening appearance and somehow to keep his hands from shaking. His mother and sisters were safe. That was what was important. Maybe...just maybe he could buy some more time for others to escape. But he would never get out of here alive. Someone had to keep the portal open, and he was the only one remaining who could. "I will only warn you once more. Stay back and nobody needs to get hurt."

"Are you the High Priest?" one of the soldiers asked.

"What?" He couldn't even fathom where these intruders had gotten the idea that there even was a high priest. "I'm the Consort of Dafete, the Serpent Goddess."

"You are the only man we have seen here."

Shiran inhaled slowly. That's right, just keep talking. "That's correct. I am the only man here. All of Dafete's priests are women."

The soldiers were laughing and throwing lewd comments to each other. The one talking to him actually seemed intelligent in comparison, although they all looked pretty much the same. Burly brutes dressed in leather armor and carrying swords and shields. None of them probably even knew how to read.

He nodded barely noticeably to the guards still accompanying him to go and gathered his magical energy. The intruders were wary of magic. Maybe he could scare them away, if only for a moment.

A startled gasp escaped his lips as a small dart buried itself to his shoulder. On instinct he jerked it free. What kind of a weapon...? Then a violent shudder ran through his body, leaving him light-headed and fighting just to draw breath.

Someone grabbed him and pulled him close, a knife held at his throat. He was dimly aware of the guards calling his name. He squeezed his eyes shut and forced his breathing to even out. The dizziness passed. But his magic...it was like all his magic had been drained away. Slowly he opened his eyes again.

"You can kill him now, Jared," one of the soldiers spoke to the man holding him still.

Shiran couldn't help but silently agree. All around him, these...monsters were assaulting the women he had spent his whole life with. Women who had laid down their arms for his sake. He should have protected them. Even though it was -their- duty to protect him and his sisters, he still should have.

At least end it quickly, he pleaded quietly. Don't make me watch.

"Hey, you. Shiran," Jared said instead. "If the High Priest is also a woman...where is she?"

He had no obligation to answer. But as petty as it was, he wanted to somehow ruin their perfect victory. "Far beyond your reach. She and my sisters were the first to escape. You will never catch them."

"That's that then." The other soldier shrugged. "Better just say he's the one. We can take the spoils and go home."

"No," Jared stated firmly. "I claim him as my wife."

"That's ridiculous! I'm ordering you to kill him."

"Sorry, Boss. But the promise was 'anyone captured in the palace'. He's the one I want."

The man sighed in a very exaggerated way, grasping his helmeted head with one hand. "I always knew you were queer, but you could have chosen a better time for it." Then he slammed Jared on the shoulder. "But if you insist on lying with a serpent, who am I to tell you otherwise?"

Jared snorted, a buff of hot air on Shiran's ear. "You're not any different."

The other soldier laughed. "These poor, lost women? We'll show them the ways of the one true god in no time at all."

Jared put his knife away and took a better hold of both of Shiran's arms. "Each to their own."

Shiran could feel the other soldier watched him like he was a rat or worse. The next words made his blood run cold. "Just make sure to claim him before anyone questions your motives to spare his life."

Then his lips parted slightly, a slow exhale leaving them. No, this would actually work in his favor. He'd show this...Jared. He'd just have to wait until they were alone. And then he'd deal with the rest.

~*~*~

Jared hadn't really thought his plan out. It had been the only way that had popped to his mind how to save this man's life. He had not been prepared to actually act on the attraction on first sight, not like this. Not in the way that would make Shiran hate him for sure. As if he already didn't.

At least his companions had been happy to let him take his new "wife" to one of the luxurious rooms in the palace, probably uncertain if the blessed bracelet really worked to seal his powers. But he couldn't weasel out of the demand to claim Shiran right here and right now. Boss might actually check later.

The pale man just watched him with uncertain expression as he let go of him and took a few steps back.

"Look," Jared started. "I would have liked to meet under better circumstances too, but if I don't claim you, you will be killed and your body put on display as the High Priest. So...would you please cooperate?"

"Is that so?" Shiran tapped his chin, a little too relaxed in Jared's opinion all of a sudden. "What do you want me to do?"

He had to be playing stupid. He was a "consort", for god's sake! He had to know what was expected of him.

Jared sighed. He wanted Shiran, no denying that, but...some willingness wouldn't have been that much to ask for, would it? He might have been a soldier to make ends meet, but hurting others had never appealed to him. "If you can't get excited over lying with a man, just be still, alright? It will hurt less if you relax."

Shiran hummed under his breath, his lips parting slightly, and walked up to him. "I know perfectly what to do," he whispered, his mouth ghosting ever closer to Jared's chin. The pale man was a little shorter than him.

Jared almost leaned down to kiss him, but something alerted him at last possible second. He roughly pushed Shiran to his back on the carpeted floor, one arm against his throat and keeping his teeth from touching him. Shiran's mouth remained open, no doubt to keep the long fangs from puncturing his own flesh. Just like a snake's.

"Just what are you?" he breathed out. There was even clear liquid – deadly poison would be his guess– dripping from the tips of the fangs.

The fangs receded, and Shiran closed his mouth, glaring at him with equal venom. "I am the Consort, the White Snake, of Dafete. The only son of the Dark Snake, the high priestess, allowed to live."

Jared's heartbeat was slowing down from the sudden scare. Boss had been right about a serpent, damn it. And damn him for not caring about it in the least. He still couldn't bring himself to kill this one.

He steeled his resolve, took Shiran's cloth belt and tied his hands behind his back with it. "You may hate me for it, but you will be my wife. You will live."

Shiran snarled. "I will bite you the first chance I get."

"You will not, because then you'd be locked up for murder and left to starve to death." He squeezed Shiran's shoulder in what he hoped was a reassuring gesture. "Stick with me long enough, and I'll find a way to set you free. Free to join your family again."

That was the best he could offer. He wasn't actually sure if he could bear to let go, but for now he'd say anything. Anything at all to keep this strange man just a single day longer.

Shiran slowly relaxed. "Alright. Do what youmust."