Nathan smiled at Harkon a bit smugly. He couldn't believe how well that had worked out for him. Harkon lifted the chalice up between them, telling Nathan with a sudden serious expression. "This is the Bloodstone Chalice. One of my most prized possessions. I expect it back in one piece." Nathan looked over the incredibly large chalice. It looked more like a large bowl attached to a stand than a standard cup. The spikes around the brim made it a bit daunting and there were strange carvings inside that he didn't recognize. He guessed it was ancient script for blood magic. Reaching out to take the chalice carefully, Nate asked him curiously. "I have to ask... If this spring is gushing blood... Why bother with cattle at all? Or are you saving it for yourself?" Harkon lowered his hands to let Nathan take the full weight of the heavy iron chalice, before answering. "The Bloodspring is an ancient font. A vessel of magical water that looks like blood, but sadly it is not. If it were, we'd never have to hunt again. Could you imagine if it were?" Looking over the chalice, Nathan stated coolly. "Yes. Then the person that owns the spring... would find themselves in a very powerful position, indeed."

Harkon's eyes looked him over a bit closer, until Nathan smirked out with a chuckle. "Fortunately for us that isn't the case. Controlling something like that would only let us grow complacent. Without the need to hunt... how would we learn to defend ourselves?" Harkon's lips curled into a smile, when he told Escher happily. "A fair point. I don't think even my advisors would have considered that." Patting Nathan's shoulder, Harkon moved past him, firmly telling him as he squeezed his shoulder. "I'll give you an hour to ready yourself. Then I want you to see this task through. I will prepare all that you require and await your victory." Harkon gave Escher one last unreadable look before slipping out the door and closing it heavily behind him. The moment he was gone, Escher turned concerned eyes back on Nathan, telling him softly. "I don't know whether to be proud of you... or scared of you." Nathan set the chalice down on the throne chair, moving up to Escher to take his arms in his hands. Giving Escher a small genuine smile, he whispered back. "Wasn't it you that told me to play nice?" Escher huffed, retorting bluntly. "Play nice, yes. Not give Harkon ideas."

Nathan's hands slid up the silky sleeves of Escher's nightshirt, stepping in closer as he whispered to him breathlessly. "Harkon has his plans... and I have my own." Escher shook his head, cupping Nate's face as he told him firmly. "You are playing a VERY dangerous game with him. If he even suspects something..." Nathan brushed his lips over Escher's, lovingly purring out. "He won't. Just trust me." Escher pressed his forehead to his, closing his eyes as he mumbled out in a soft tone. "You should get ready to leave..." Nathan removed a hand off Escher to unlace his shirt, breathlessly telling him. "I've got an hour. I can do a lot in an hour." Escher turned his head away with a shy smile, mumbling out as he looked at the door. "What if Harkon comes back?" Nathan nipped Escher's pointed ear, before teasing out. "He knows how I feel about you. And you are going to act like you control me. Because I told him that you do..." Escher's beautiful eyes met his, before purring out. "Is that so...?" Nathan went in to kiss him, but Escher moved his lips away. Wrapping his arms around him, Escher whispered against his ear teasingly in return. "In that case..."

Escher hooked a leg around his and shoved him off balance. Nathan fell back across the large king sized bed, chuckling to himself. As fast as he could move now, Escher had moved fast enough in return that the action was... normal. Scooting back on the bed, Nathan beckoned Escher to him with his finger and a confident grin. Escher moved slowly, crawling onto the bed like a stalking cat. Escher's fangs extended as he crept up between Nathan's spread legs. One of his hands, stroked up the outside of Nate's leg, letting him feel his nails as his fingers moved up to his hip. Leaning back on his elbows, Nathan tilted his head back, his fangs slowly growing out as Escher reached his waist. Escher's hand trailed over his waist to pull the laces of his pants free. Nathan held his breath, feeling a little shocked that not breathing was entirely an option for him now. Escher lowered his head, his white bangs falling over his face as he peeled his pants down enough to kiss his hipbone. Licking his lips, Nathan reached out to run his fingers through Escher's hair to reveal his face. Escher grinned without looking at him, before asking him lasciviously. "Do you still want me to bite you?" Nathan dragged his tongue over his fangs, asking in return. "You plan to drain me?"

Escher tugged Nathan's pants down, his powerful eyes locking with his when he growled out playfully. "In the best way... Only this time, you'll get to taste me." Nathan laid completely down, lifting his leg as Escher went for his favorite spot. Nathan braced for pain, but this time when Escher sank his teeth into him... he just winced a little as if it was a little bee sting. Escher's hands stroked his leg, as he started draining him, causing every part of him to tingle. Escher was draining him so slowly that the sensation was pleasant. Unlike the way Harkon had drained him. Arching his back a little, Nathan felt the pressure of the blood being forced out from his hard cock, making him pant out. "Fuck... That's not fair..." Escher removed his fangs from him, licking the drops of blood the leaked from the holes left in his leg. Then crawling up over him, Escher whispered over his lips playfully. "You want it back...?" Nodding, Nathan tried to kiss Escher. Escher nipped his lower lip instead, keeping his lips just out of reach for a kiss. Taking Nathan's wrists, he pinned them over his head and purred across his neck. "Then tell me you're mine... and no one else's."

Nathan barely recognized his deep husky voice when he growled back softly. "I'm all yours." Escher grinned, leaning in to suck on one of Nathan's fangs. Nathan opened his mouth wider for him, his breathing so shallow that it would have suffocated a human. Sitting up a little, Escher's hands moved down his arms to his chest and in one gentle tuck, he tore the buttons free. Pushing the fabric away from his torso, Escher leaned down to kiss a trail down to his belly button. Nathan clenched his hands over his head, trying to resist the urge to lower them. His arms flexed as he curled his hands in the fur blanket to help keep him from restlessly forgetting. At his belly button, Escher brushed his lips around the rim. Nathan inhaled sharply, muttering out under his breath. "Escher...?" Escher parted his lips, his tongue dragging up his stomach and over his chest. Nathan hissed softly, tilting his head back as Escher licked up his neck to his pierced earlobe. Sliding a hand up Nathan's arm, Escher held onto his wrists with one hand. While his other coaxed Nathan's leg up his leg to his hip. As his leg moved up Escher's, Escher's nightshirt rose, and Nathan purred loudly like a cat. Escher was wearing nothing under it. All he felt was smooth skin.

Hooking his arm around his leg, Escher hefted Nathan's hips up enough that he could enter him. Slipping into him as easily as breathing. Nathan gasped, feeling his asshole expand for him. It didn't hurt nearly as bad as he recalled it being and despite having no lube, the warm friction felt strangely pleasant. Escher thrusted deep and hard into him, breathlessly whispering to him between light kisses. "Oh, shit..." Nathan locked his legs around the backs of Escher's, teasing up to him. "You've been holding back on me... That must have sucked for you." Escher chuckled, burying his face against his neck. Brushing his fangs along Escher's neck, he saw the fresh bite and asked huskily. "Do you fuck Harkon like this?" Escher snorted, retorting between moans. "As if... He's a control freak..." Nathan grinned, his tongue flicking out to lick the bite. Escher trembled over him, letting out a soft whine of pleasure. The sound was music to Nathan's ears. Unable to stop himself, he positioned his fangs over the holes and pushed them into the partly healed skin. As he sipped Escher's blood, Nathan let out a soft growl. He wasn't expecting the minty fresh taste of his blood.

The taste gave him chills as the static of power rippled through him. He could see the appeal for Snow Elf blood now. Savoring the taste like a fine wine, Nathan tried to keep himself from draining Escher too fast. Escher kissed his neck, whispering to him as he grinded over him. "Ah... Just like that. Mmmm..." Nathan continued to drink, the smell of Escher's powerful blood filling his nose. He didn't know if he'd be able to stop himself, until got the taste of a strange aftertaste. The aftertaste had traces of a Nord's thick hardy blood with a sharp bitter taste that he guessed was a rich berry wine. Jerking his fangs out of Escher, he had thought it was his own blood... Until he smelled traces of it in the room. His eyes could almost see Harkon's outline in the room from where he'd been recently. He could track him just by tasting his blood! Nathan licked the drips of blood off his fangs, then licked Escher's neck lovingly. He understood how Harkon had known that Escher had bitten him now. Reaching his orgasm with Escher, he told Escher wispily. "I love you." Escher rolled off him, but laid his head on his chest, chuckling out with a warm smile. "I love you too."

Nathan rubbed Escher's back, despite having an orgasm... he didn't feel even a little tired. He felt like he could keep going. However, his mind was drifting to other things now. Escher lifted his head a little, telling him in a broken voice. "You didn't take all your blood back... Are you ok?" Nathan moved his fingers along Escher's healing neck, telling him coolly. "Keep it. He drained you quite a bit." Escher narrowed his eyes on him, trying to retort seriously. "I can feed anytime. You are the one that needs to top off before leaving." Nathan stroked Escher's ear, asking absently. "He's separating me from you on purpose, isn't he?" Escher exhaled, his fingers petting Nathan's chest when he told him. "I don't know. Harkon's actions have been sporadic lately. He trusts you enough to give you a job that his advisors would kill for... So, maybe he just has faith in you." Nathan coaxed Escher's head down against his shoulder, asking curiously. "What do you mean? If they advise him, what do they have to fear?" Escher chuckled out nonchalantly. "Being replaced. They have to work hard to impress him. They fail and he... Well, he doesn't reward failure. It's practically a competition at this point to see who can give Harkon the best gift."

Nathan kissed his forehead, mumbling out nervously. "Do I have to worry about you?" Escher huffed, mumbling out a bit dryly. "No. He just fucks me and occasionally takes my advice over the Nobles to push them into trying harder. He likes to make them feel cornered. It's how he keeps them in line." Escher sat up a little, draping a leg over Nathan's waist as he asked curiously. "Why did you request the Nord Thralls? What are you planning?" Nathan reached up to cup his head, pulling him down to whisper into his ear. "The Nords are loyal to me. I plan to use that to dethrone Harkon." Escher's eyes widened, but before he could say anything. Nathan added even softer. "Molag Bol told me to replace him. While I don't want to replace him... I will happily get rid of him to free you." Escher looked him in the eyes now, giving him a loving smile before whispering over his lips. "I'm worth that much to you?" Nathan touched the underside of Escher's chin, coaxing him into a passionate kiss as he answered seriously. "I died for you, didn't I?" Escher dominated the kiss, his hands stroking the sides of Nathan's neck. When he pried his lips off, he asked very softly. "And what will you do after you win?"

Nathan brushed his thumb over Escher's lips, answering distantly. "I don't know yet. I'm winging it. My biggest concern is getting myself under control." Escher raised an eyebrow, but Nathan told him reluctantly. "I'll do what Harkon wants... but I need to know my limits. I need to see if I can control myself at my worst. Because if I'm going to fight him... I can't have him draining me and winning." Escher winced, before telling him sweetly. "Just promise me that you'll be careful. Harkon has enemies everywhere. I don't even trust his advisors." Nathan kissed Escher, telling him lovingly. "Write me and I'll write you back." Escher smirked, telling him openly. "You can count on it. Harkon will need an update from you regularly anyway. So, keep in mind that people will probably read it before it gets to me." Sitting up reluctantly, Nathan told him coolly. "Then I'll write it in code." Removing his ring, he handed it to him and said casually. "Remember that word. Tell no one." Escher looked over the ring, until he saw the word 'Dawnstar' written on the inside. Getting himself dressed, Nathan added sweetly. "Just keep your own head down and if Harkon hurts you... Tell him that he'll regret it."

Escher blushed, tossing him his ring back as he said with a small chuckle. "Oh, I'm going to miss you. But I'll promise you this..." Slipping from the bed, Escher hugged Nathan and purred into his ear. "Whenever I'm with him... I'll be thinking only of you." Nate purred loudly, hugging Escher close. It was killing him to leave... but he had a plan, and he was going to see it through. Reluctantly pulling away, Nate collected the Bloodstone Chalice and Escher moved away to collect his things from a locked trunk.  Giving him his backpack and his wrapped up sun sword, Nathan pulled Escher into one last long kiss. Escher giggled, then swatted him and told him playfully. "Go, before I lock you up in my coffin for safe keeping." Rubbing Escher's arm, he forced himself to leave the room, closing the door silently behind him. Before he could rounded the corner though, he overheard two men talking in hushed voices. One of them sounded like a Dark Elf from his accent, when he blurted out to the other. "The Chalice? Are you sure? Why?" The other man that sounded like a Nord, replied a bit darkly. "I don't know what Harkon is up to, Vingalmo. But I overheard him telling Garan about it. Harkon is sending that newborn to Redwater with it." Vingalmo sounded taken aback as he said. "Really? Why on earth would he do that? Harkon must be slipping... Does he not trust US to do such an important task?"

The Nord grunted out in return. "I don't know... but I smell a rat. If Harkon is entrusting newborns to tasks as important as this one... I'm afraid a 'cleanse' of the court might be in order. And I for one am not going to lose my position because-" The Nord was cut off by another Elf from farther off, calling out. "Orthjolf. Vingalmo. Lord Harkon wishes to see you." The vampires moved off and Nathan tensed a little. Whether Harkon liked it or not... there was dissention in his ranks. To Be Continued...