All Roads Lead to Rome

A Favor Repaid

"Use your magic to convince him," Lyra whispered to Antares. He looked down at her with a question in his eyes. "Just do it."

"I won't do that to him.." Antares bit out then stopped as she turned urgent eyes to him. "Why?"

"If you use your magic so she can be healed, it fulfills her request. Then she can be healed with other means."

"No. I won't do that to him. I'll be fine." Antares insisted softly. Lyra turned to face him as Romulus and the faery exchanged heated words to the growing delight of the crowd.

"She's going to make you suck iron out of her wounds and into yourself. How will Romulus deal with it if you die? I can tell you. It would destroy him to lose you." she said flatly.

Her words struck deep and Antares took a deep breath to steady the shaking in his heart. He could see no other way.

Lyra turned and braced herself when she watched blue begin shining in his eyes. Antares slid out from behind her and went up to Romulus.

"Rome," he said with a purr in his voice. Romulus looked at him briefly then looked back when he seen the eyes shine brighter than normal.

"What are you doing, Antares?" Romulus said, his rough voice suddenly unsure. Antares slid a hand up his sword arm as he walked around behind the vampire. Romulus groaned as the magic from the touch sank in. His breathing sped up and a flush rose in his face. The tip of the sword began to tremble.

"Drop the sword. Let her be healed, Rome." Antares said, the purr in his voice getting stronger even as the misery in his heart thickened. The fear in Romulus' eyes had him almost choking on the words. Only knowing the alternative kept the magic from fading.

"Don't do this to me, Antares. You know what it will do." Romulus whispered, his sword slipping from his fingers as the blood began to pound through his veins. Antares closed his eyes briefly as Romulus' arm came up to go around his neck. Lyra lunged forward and kept the sword from hitting the floor and turned to face the faery.

"Don't move." She advised then looked over at the hostess. "Are you an angel?" She nodded. "Good. We're going to need you in a few minutes."

"Dammit, Antares," Romulus whispered hoarsely when Antares avoided his mouth and nuzzled his neck, layering the incubus magic on in thicker layers.

"You'll let her be healed." he murmured against his skin.

"Yes." He gritted out when Antares increased the magic in his voice. "I'll do it, now kiss me for pity's sake."

Antares hesitated. "I'm sorry, agra." He whispered brokenly. "I promised you I would never leave you." He kissed Romulus deeply and Romulus turned to face him, returning that kiss.

Lyra's heart throbbed at the despair in Antares' voice but she faced the dark faery queen with a steady hand.

"You said your favor was that he uses his magic to have you healed. Right?" she questioned. The other woman tossed her head and smiled smugly.

"Yes. And he just agreed to it."

"Yes. He used his magic to convince his lover to have you healed." Lyra said with a sharp smile. The hostess stepped up as the faery gritted her teeth from being outmaneuvered. She hated humans.

"I take it this is where you need me?" the angel inquired coolly. Lyra nodded.

"Yes. Take her to a room that could hold a high court faery with enough power to be a queen and heal her. Then lock her in." Lyra cut off the faery's protest by raising the sword. "You said to be healed. You guaranteed nothing as to your safety after you were and you didn't say it had to be a pleasant experience."