"Are you done biting me?"

Teru stood at the end of the bed, reprimanding the dazed alpha that was lying on it. Earlier, he had no choice but to literally bonk Kieran on the head to make him stop with the markings. The skin there was raw and red from his gnawing session. It took a lot of squirming and convincing to get the clingy vampire out of the bathroom so he could be alone to apply the medicine. Not only did it take a while because he's never inserted a suppository himself, but it was awkward pushing a finger up there when the purpose wasn't for pleasure. There was no slick to make it easier. After it was all said and done, Teru's face was bright red like a raspberry.

Kieran didn't respond. He sat up and abruptly yanked Teru onto the bed, forcing him to be the little spoon. His nose found his scent gland immediately. Teru watched in real time how his vampire fangs retracted into marking mode.

"I said no!" Teru scrunched his nose to show his teeth, a warning sign. He was queasy and wasn't in the mood to let Kieran have his way with his shoulder and nape.

Their eyes met. Kieran's crimson eyes lacked the shininess when Pride was raging inside him. Now, his inner alpha caused them to be glassy and unfocused with a hint of sadness because Teru refused his advances to nibble on the pheromone source.

"Hmm," Teru hummed unsurely with pursed lips, almost wanting to give in to those desperate eyes and say, 'Yes, you can proceed.'

He reached around him to stroke a lock of dark red hair. Its length had become longer after their bodies worked on aligning for two solid months. "Are you sure it's not your season again?"

Teru wiggled his butt. The big spoon-little spoon position gave him easy access to grind against his partner's crotch. He was positive he'd feel a hard shaft press into‌ him, but it was flaccid. The emotions were also confusing to decipher. It was a jumble of possessiveness, anxiety, defense, and desire for attachment. One thing was for sure, this wasn't a rut.

"Why are you like this?"

Kieran's eyes looked away, fixated on the spot where his scent gland was located.

Is it my smell or something?

To see what would happen, Teru shut off everything-his scent, the pheromones, and the invisible, floating sparkles destined mates could see. He wouldn't be able to keep it up for long since he was sick. It wasn't healthy to hold in your pheromones.

The sweetness dissipated. Over the next few minutes, Kieran's fangs returned and the hazy film over his eyes disappeared. The only sound was their synchronizing breaths.

Teru flipped around to face him. His eyes were closed. "Kieran?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you sleeping?"

Kieran gave a small chuckle. "No."

"Do you feel okay?" For once, it was Teru's turn to rain questions upon his mate about his condition.

"I feel more tired than usual. Sometimes Pride depletes my energy. I would normally disappear for a while to recoup, but..."

...but you can't leave your mate behind.

Was that really the root of the problem, though? The pheromones seemed to be the reason for his odd blackout possessiveness. Teru had witnessed him go through a lot-blood loss, challenges, rage, etc., but none of them left him practically incapacitated like he was currently.

"Lilith told me something interesting."

Kieran tensed up. "I see."

He wasn't even going to ask what it was? "She said she's the first vampire."

"That is true."

No further clarification. This man's stubbornness made him want to pull out his own hair. "And?"

"And what?"

"Can you explain it to me?"

Teru waited, but Kieran was quiet, eyes remaining shut. Was he pretending to sleep?! He took his thumbs, forced the alpha's eyelids open, and said in a monotone voice, "Tell me your secrets."

"Stop." Kieran shook his head, rubbing his eyes at the sudden assault on them. "There's not much to tell."

"Please? I've never heard this story." Cue the begging puppy face.

It worked like a charm when his expression softened. "The heavens created a paradise land called the Garden of Eden. It was full of lush plants, crystal clear water, and the animals did not attack each other to maintain the peace. This was where the first man and woman lived. Their names were Adam and Eve. That is what most believe, at least. In reality, Eve was not the first female. Do you see where I'm going with this?"

Teru was following along closely. "Lilith was created before Eve."

"Yes. While Eve was formed by Adam's rib to be his helper, Lilith was made by the same method as Adam. She was supposed to follow him without question because he was a man. My mother didn't agree. Why obey when they were equal? This way of thinking ultimately led to her banishment and she-"

"Hold on," Teru interrupted. "They kicked the queen out of her home because all she wanted was basic gender equality? What the hell?" He could relate to this on so many levels.

"Unfortunately, such a thing didn't exist back then. Her punishment for disobeying was not only leaving the safe havens of Eden, but she became a demon; a bloodsucking creature of the night that couldn't die unless by the purest of silver to the heart."

"A vampire."

"A vampire," Kieran confirmed. "Which was ironic because Adam and Eve were kicked out themselves for giving in to temptation when they ate a forbidden apple. Yet, they were not turned like Lilith was, a lonely woman who found out she could recreate other vampires by biting and exchanging blood with humans. She watched the transition of mortal innocence become misery and sin. She was eventually used by the heavens. They told her in a nightmare how her offspring would be cursed, and help the angels rid of the evilness that had plagued society into damnation."

"Lilith scoured every land for the perfect partner to have a child with. Some were already vampires like my father, while sometimes she'd forcibly turned a human before procreating with them such as Greed and Sloth sire. The seven of us were her only children to grow in her womb. The reason ‌we are so feared is because we carry her power and status as the first vampire's biological offspring. After Blaise was born, the heavens told her to stop giving birth. There were no more sins. It was enough. Lilith ignored their order, but it wasn't meant to be. No matter how much she tried, she couldn't conceive. That's as far as my knowledge about her situation goes."

The tale was so sad for Teru. Fate was a bitch. Why was it crueler to certain people than others?

"Maybe she married Abaddon because she's still lonely," Teru inputted, skirting about the topic carefully.

"I don't know, and I don't care. I left out the details of the immense pain my siblings and I endured because of her selfishness to prove herself; how she didn't deserve to be banished from Eden. For example, my first memory was when I was a pup, barely three years old. I woke up from my afternoon nap to find at least fifty humans tied up outside our small house. Lilith told me I would be on my own if I didn't find the individuals who smelled of whatever unknown sin I was at the time. For hours, I analyized each and every scent like a search dog and separated them: the innocent ones to the left, prideful ones to the right. And then...she made me kill the sinners. I'll never forget my first kills, their screams of terror and calling me a demon child. Anyway, this story I told you today shouldn't sway you into giving her pity. Do you understand?" Kieran yawned. They were both exhausted for no reason.

With heaviness in heart, Teru yawned, too. He replied, "I guess." There was much to reflect later. Lilith didn't seem so hardcore when they were together. None of it matched up.

Before they knew it, the pair fell into a deep slumber until late afternoon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Teru had wonderful dreams: he and his pack picked clovers in the meadow, Lucas made jerky with him next to the fire, and piggyback riding Kieran as they walked around the lake. It was almost regretful when he woke up alone in the bed.

There was one point in Teru's REM cycle when he abruptly woke up with an urge to nest, but it was fleeting. The anxious compulsion was sucked out of him like magic. By the time he awoke later, he felt suspiciously refreshed. The world was at his fingertips! There was no nausea or tiredness to keep him tethered-

Wait, why was he by himself? Teru sat up and inspected the side Kieran slept on. The pillows and blankets were gone. The air had a musky sourness to it, a scent ‌he's never smelled before.

"Kieran?"

His mate didn't come to his beck and call. Strange. He got out of bed and looked over the handrail overseeing the first floor. The sight was shocking.

"K-Kieran?!"

The vampire was working on an elaborate setup in front of the balcony doors. Teru's old bed was there with pretty, sheer curtains hanging from the ceiling beams above. It gently draped over the piles of silky sheets and hoards of pillows. Christmas lights strung around the headboard with cute cutouts of moons and stars. A circle of other expensive and posh items surrounded the bed, including Teru's clothes, CDs from the music collection, a mini refrigerator for drinks, a coffee cup, and half of the books from his library. Bouquets of colorful flowers in pearl-hue vases lined up against the wall.

The layout was gorgeous. But...what was this exactly? Where did he get most of that? A lot of it was new.

And Kieran, well, he was everywhere-pacing around the stuff, fretting and mumbling about the needing more, and lying on the bed for a few seconds before returning to rearranging the gathered belongings.

Before going downstairs, Teru retrieved his smartphone and took a photo of the scene. He played with the buttons until figuring out how to send it to Dr. Charles.

[Photo attachment]

What is Kieran doing?

How long has it been going on?

Today. I think it's my pheromones making him do this.

And how are you feeling?

I wasn't good this morning, but I'm okay now. I don't feel nauseous anymore.

And Kieran?

Teru glanced away from the screen to observe Kieran. His partner was growling and pale-skinned. The omega purred in distress when his alpha stumbled next to the trash can and threw up vomit instead of blood.

The same as me from earlier. He just puked.

The sudden, loud snarl jumpscared Teru into dropping his phone. He gasped and bounded down the steps as fast as possible to Kieran, who was biting deep into the back of his mock-marked hand. The fangs sunk clear through to his palms. Thick ribbons of blood streamed down Kieran's arms, dripping from his elbow to the new rug below. Just when he was about to rip his hand in two, Teru grabbed his wrist.

"Why? This is scaring me!" His voice cracked from being upset.

Kieran was just as unsettled as he was. Another wave of sour musk washed over them. His body language screamed, 'I don't know what's happening to me.'

Then, it all clicked. The signs were obvious, and Teru felt stupid for missing them-these pheromones, the self-harm, and the obsession over items and their organization.

A dominant alpha was nesting. It was a pretty and orderly nest, one worthy of a prince. Teru would not have pictured him as the type to go for a vibrant and delicate theme.

Upstairs, where he had forgotten his phone after dropping it, a text arrived. It went unseen.

Emotions are not the only thing destined mates can feel from their partner. In rarer circumstances, the omega or alpha takes on the other's physical illnesses. It doesn't last long. Its purpose is to help ease their discomfort temporarily to give them rest. In other words, Kieran gained your nesting fit and nausea.