Exposed

Part 4

by Xellas M.

Zelgadis watched as Mirelle cast the spell that would enable a human to travel through the Astral Plane while keeping his physical form. He realized that the golden dragon must be extremely worried - the spell was by no means an easy one to cast for the exhausted female. The chimera smirked. Even bound and stripped of his form and magic, Xellos was still too much for the bitch to handle.

Finally, the spell was complete and the small group consisting of Zelgadis, Mirelle and her ever-present bodyguards was on it's way. The shaman was trembling with excitement. It would all be over soon.

* * * * *

Zelgadis was careful not to display any signs of familiarity as they entered the huge chamber that was Xellos' prison. He was, however, unable to entirely repress a small cry of shock and concern when he saw the priest's condition. This time, Mirelle had managed to leave a spell running in her absence. Fine, hot white strips of energy covered the demon's gigantic natural form, sinking slowly but inevitably into his body.

"Good morning, Xellos! I've brought you a guest. Aren't you going to greet him?" The dragon lady's attempt to hide the exhaustion in her voice wasn't entirely successful.

It didn't matter. The Prest-General of the Greater Beast was apparently unable to answer. His glowing purple eyes scanned the room, but didn't seem able to focus on anything.

This had to end, now, before the shaman's heart burst inside his chest. "Hello, Xellos-kun. You really don't look very well. Why are you still fighting? You should trust Mirelle-sama, she has your best interests at heart. Really."

Following the sound of his voice, those incredible eyes managed to find the chimera, although they still did not seem to focus and the Mazoku still did not speak. Zelgadis tapped the red jeweled staff on the ground. That action seemed to finally bring a bit of awareness into that dark gaze.

'This is the best I'm going to get. It's now or never.' Zelgadis thought. He took a deep breath and using every bit of his demonically-enhanced speed, hurled himself right at the glowing sphere that was Xellos' cage.

Apparently the Ryuzoku hadn't been kidding when she claimed to have strengthened the wards. Zelgadis heard screaming in the background as he ran full force into the magical equivalent of a brick wall, but it didn't register and he didn't stop. With every fibre of his being, every bit of his will, he pushed against the shield. The stones on his arms and chest were being crushed. His head was being squeezed like a grape. Still, he kept going, the cost of failure not only his life but the dark life of the one he was bound to save. Barely conscious, he finally felt something give and he was back in that glorious, warm embrace, completely surrounded and safe in total darkness.

The staff was snatched from his hands. The red jewel blazed like hellfire as jets of dark energy spurted like blood from a torn artery into the darkness that held him. An inhuman screech, a cry of joy and triumph echoed throughout the chamber, then was gone.

Abruptly, the shaman found that not only could he see, but that Xellos had resumed his human form and was cradling the chimera in his arms. Most of the dragons were intelligent enough to flee. Only Mirelle and her two most loyal bodyguards remained motionless, too stunned to react.

"Are you alright?" Zelgadis managed to gasp out. It hurt to breathe.

Xellos looked down at him. Instead of being closed in their normal cheerful smile or even open and promising death, his eyes were little swirlies in his face. "Of course, I'm alright, Zelgadis-san. Why wouldn't I be? Life is wonderful…Life is wonderful…Life is wonderful…"

As the Mazoku continued his chant, Zelgadis sank into total despair. He had been too late, after all! Xellos was gone. All that remained was a ghastly, demonic parody of Amelia.

"Life is wonderful…Life is wonderful…"

Just when the shaman thought things couldn't be any worse, ever, when he was about ready to give up and die of despair, the trickster threw his head back and laughed. "Had ya there, didn't I, Zel-kun?"

"Kisama…" The chimera gasped out as he tried to punch his love in the face. Unfortunately, his arms didn't seem to want to cooperate. What little strength remained in his hands grabbed onto the smiling demon and held him tightly.

Just then, Mirelle and her guards seemed to come back to themselves and began looking around wildly for an escape.

"I don't think so." Gently, Xellos set his injured partner on the ground and began casting a spell.

Before he could unleash it upon the justly terrified Ryuzoku, a husky female voice spoke. "Xellos, darling, you know the little rule we have about punishing ex-lovers."

Instantly the power Xellos had been gathering disappeared. "I am sorry, Mistress. I forgot myself."

Zelgadis blinked, too weak to react to that ominous statement and his lover's reply. He had only heard that tone of deep respect bordering on worship in the genki priest's voice once before, when the group had confronted L-sama herself. The Greater Beast was here, but before the shaman could catch a glimpse of her, a fuzzy blue blur shot across the room, jumped on his head and began nuzzling him happily. If the shaman could have moved, he would have drastically broken character and hugged the poor kitten half to death.

Eventually Himitsu finished rubbing against his stone face and moved to kneed his bruised and aching chest, apparently oblivious to the human's discomfort. The chimera was finally able to see what was going on around him. To his amazement, instead of being blown into a thousand pieces, Mirelle had her arms wrapped around a gorgeous, tall blonde woman. He couldn't see Xellas' face, only that she had pointed, elven ears and a waterfall of glorious blonde hair. It was the Beastmaster herself. And the dragon lady was on her knees, her arms wrapped around the lovely Mazoku's slender waist, sobbing.

"I'm so sorry, I missed you. I did this because I love you, I had to see you again. Why did you send me away?" The same Ryuzoku who had stolen Zelgadis' mind and tortured Xellos was now bawling like a little child.

The shaman could not hear Xellas' reply, could only catch the low tone of a soothing murmur.

Just then, one of the dragon guards decided to even the odds by taking the weakened chimera hostage. Ever so slowly, he began creeping toward the paralyzed man. Zelgadis tried to cry out, but in his rapidly deteriorating condition he could only manage a small croak.

It didn't matter. Even with the interesting scene taking place before him, Xellos hadn't forgotten his mate. Seconds before the Ryuzoku reached his target, the demon phazed in between them. His smile turned dark and his eyes opened. "My Mistress may have the rights to yours, but your lovely hide is fair game." The Mazoku observed gleefully. A ball of power appeared in the priest's hand, which he playfully tossed at the encroaching guard.

The effects of this spell were among the most frightening Zelgadis had ever seen. The second Xellos' ball touched the guard, the dragon simply vanished. That was it. Not a sound or an explosion marked the ending of the immortal creature's life. Barely a second passed before the demon held another, identical orb. A feral smile in the direction of the last remaining guard was enough to send the female running away as quickly as she was able. It did no good; the Mazoku's spell was faster. It caught the soldier before she had fled more than three steps and the last guard disappeared.

The distraction gone, almost as one Xellos and Zelgadis turned to the lovely couple embracing near the doorway. The dragon leader was still weeping, but behind Xellas' back Mirelle now held a long silver dagger. It was glowing with a holy light similar to the power that had held Xellos prisioner and poised to strike. The chimera watched breathlessly as, almost in slow motion, the blade began to descend. Xellos sprang forward to intercept, moving more quickly than the chimera's eye could follow, but Zelgadis knew it still would not be fast enough.

They need not have worried. Before the dagger could be sheathed in the Mazoku Lord's back, the dragon froze. Xellas stepped back and watched, her face still hidden from the chimera's gaze by her long blonde hair, as Mirelle's muscles strained with the effort to break free of her spell. "We do what we have to do." the Mazoku Lord said sadly.

It was finally over, but Zelgadis couldn't seem to focus. The strength that had sustained him through this ordeal was exhausted. He gave up and passed out.

* * * * *

This time, when the chimera woke up he found himself completely healed and in a very comfortable bed with Himitsu snuggled next to him under the covers. They were in an extremely cluttered but interesting room. Xellos' room, he realized when he saw that the red jeweled staff leaning casually against a desk in one corner. And somehow, it was smirking at him.

That's when he realized that he was naked under the blankets.

"Very impressive. Now I know the real reason the Master likes you. He has quite an eye for precious jewels…"

"Well, that explains why he keeps one of us around, anyway." Though how much longer Zelgadis would be around remained to be seen. The fact that he was still alive and had been cared for was promising. With Xellos, though, you could never be sure.

It was at that moment that the Mazoku in question decided to make an appearance, floating horizontally above the prone chimera and well within his personal space. "Sleep well, Zel-kun?"

"How long have I been out?" It was the first question of several dozen that popped into the shaman's mind.

Xellos' trademark grin temporarily turned into a sulky frown. "Nice to see you, too." The purple-haired priest sighed, then smiled again. "Only about two days, this time. Really, you should see someone about this, it's becoming a bit of a habit for you. I know a good doctor, does great work with all natural herbs. She's a little short but -"

"Are you alright?" Zelgadis cut him off, the demon would go on all day if he were allowed to. Gently, the shaman reached up and lightly stroked the pale face above his own, a light touch meant to confirm that everything was alright, that he had managed to redeem himself.

The chimera was disappointed when Xellos jerked away from his touch, but he was not surprised. In a heartbeat, the priest phased out and reappeared standing next to the door. In as formal a voice as the shaman had ever heard the trickster use, he announced "Xellas-sama would like to see you as soon as possible. You'll find clothes over there. I will be waiting on the other side of this door when you have finished." His message delivered, the Mazoku disappeared.

Tears filled Zelgadis' eyes as he slowly dressed in the plain black clothing. He let them fall. Now that Xellos was safe, Zelgadis could die in peace…but now that the demon was safe the shaman no longer wanted to die. He wept for the chance he had so carelessly thrown away.

After all, it was unlikely that a Mazoku Lord was going to take his feelings into consideration when the welfare of her servant was in jeopardy. But there was nowhere for the chimera to run. He stopped procrastinating, pulled himself together and walked to the door with his back straight and his head held high. He was determined to keep some of his dinity, for as long as he possibly could.

* * * * *

The last place Zelgadis would have expected Xellas Metallium to reside would have been this small, comfortable, damn-the-place-was-actually-*cozy*, house in the center of Wolfpack Island. Instead of being taken to an intimidating throne room or worse yet, a dungeon of some sort, the chimera found himself sitting, blue kitten curled up on his lap, in an overstuffed chair near a warm fire. He gratefully accepted a cup of coffee from a very attractive, curvy, purple-haired young woman.

Reclining elegantly on a small couch next to him was Juuo-sama herself. Finally able to see her face, the shaman could not stop staring. She was beautiful, but that he had expected. What captivated the chimera was the way Xellos' Mistress openly displayed the ferocity that her Priest-General went to such great lengths to hide. The same amazing eyes Xellos normally hid behind cheerful smiles were open and alert. She was wild and cruel looking in the impersonal manner of a feral animal. She was dangerous, but perfect and beautiful.

Fortunately for the shaman, Xellas seemed amused by his scrutiny. Pointedly, she cleared her throat and gestured to the lovely purple-haired woman who was busy handing Xellos a fresh cup of steaming brew. Her voice was deep and husky as she commented, "Zelgadis, I would like to introduce you to my mate, Luna Inverse."

Of all the surprises Zelgadis had dealt with from the moment of his awakening, none affected him quite like this. His jaw dropped and not even his impressive amount of self-control prevented him from blurting out "*You're* Lina's sister? The one she's so afraid of? But you're so pretty, and you're built - " Finally the chimera's self-control caught up with him and he gulped audibly as Xellas and Xellos sweatdropped.

Luna simply laughed. "Thank you, I think." The Knight of Ceipheed turned to the Mazoku Lord and said "Love, I think we should start now. It isn't fair to keep him waiting."

Xellas growled softly. "What does fair have to do with anything?" At her girlfriend's light nudge, the Mazoku sighed and nodded. She lit a cigarette as she began her explanation.

"A couple hundred years ago, Mirelle and I were lovers. The tricks she used on you were actually things I had taught her, to help keep her safe from those who would use her against me the way she used you against Xellos. That can't happen to you again, by the way, the earring you're wearing will protect you."

Zelgadis started. His right hand automatically reached up to find a small pierced stud that hadn't been there before. Pulling it out, he saw that it was a small red stone, a chip of the same type of strange gem that was on Xellos' staff. At least it didn't appear to be able to speak; it was one small thing to be thankful for. With inexperienced hands, he managed to replace the earring. He bowed awkwardly within the depths of his overly soft chair. "I'm not sure how to thank you." He couldn't quite gather the nerve to mention that he was mostly grateful that he apparently wasn't going to die just yet.

Xellas growled and her expression became even more fierce. However, her voice remained even as she continued. "Actually, if anything I owe you thanks for rescuing a certain servant of mine who ought to have known better." The Greater Beast glared at Xellos, openly promising further discussion of his mistakes at a later time.

Xellas waved her hand and Mirelle appeared, held completely motionless in some kind of stasis field, her mouth open in a permanent scream. "She cannot move, but she can hear everything. Ordinarily I would take care of her myself, but I have decided to reward you by allowing you to decide her punishment. You suffered much at her hands, after all."

This was not exactly the reward Zelgadis would have chosen, but he wasn't about to complain. He couldn't give the dragon to Xellos, apparently his love was already in trouble and that would probably make it worse. What, then, would be fitting?

A flash of insight and the shaman knew just what needed to be done. A *very* dark smile lit his stone face as he made his announcement. "She is supposed to be a servant of Ceipheed. I think the most appropriate person to mete out her punishment would be Ceipheed's Knight. If Luna will accept, of course." Tough as she was, Lina had never recovered from her sister's punishments; it was doubtful Mirelle would trouble anyone ever again once Luna was finished with her.

Xellas shivered as Luna agreed, approval openly displayed in her fierce eyes. "Excellent choice. Now I can see why he likes you." she murmurred.

The Mazoku priest in question was obviously smitten, his mate's fine sense of the excessively violent the greatest possible aphrodisiac.

"There's one thing I still don't understand." Zelgadis commented.

Impatiently looking forward to watching her lover at work, Xellas simply nodded.

"Himitsu - the cat. He is a Mazoku, isn't he? Why did you send him to me?"

To Zelgadis' surprise, Xellas began snickering openly at the question, Luna was barely restraining a smirk and Xellos looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"Answer his question, Xel-chan." Juuo-sama's snicker became an open laugh.

It was then Zelgadis was treated to a rare and wonderful sight. Xellos Metallium, the most powerful Mazoku outside the original five lords, actually looked sheepish. He blushed and looked down at the floor as he obeyed his Mistress' command. "I sent him to you. I created him; that kitten was already dead, or close enough, when I pulled him from that building. He isn't anyone's servant, except yours."

"Why?" For the life of him, the shaman could not see what was so funny about this.

Xellas was still shaking with laughter and now Luna had joined in.

With a sigh, Xellos gave in to the inevitable. "He is a present. I thought he might make you feel better. I gave him to you because I -" The blushing demon looked around the room, desperately hoping for an out but expecting to be disappointed, which he was. "I love you."

"How sweet!" Luna commented, causing Xellas to dissolve into another fit of helpless laughter.

Zelgadis wasn't sure what he could say that wouldn't make it worse, so he simply replied "Thank you."

* * * * *

"Now what?" Zelgadis asked when the pair returned to Xellos' room. "That was all very nice, but you can't tell me you aren't angry."

Xellos opened his slitted eyes and pinned the nervous chimera with his gaze. The trickster was completely serious. He hissed his reply. "Now what? You're going to be punished, that's what. I'm going to ask you a question and I want you to think carefully before you answer. Do you understand?"

The shaman swallowed, then nodded.

"Do you still want to become human again?"

It was completely unexpected. Zelgadis hadn't had time to spare a thought for his cure since he had recovered his memories. *Did* he still want to become human? What for? So he could blend in with normal, human society? To mix with the type of people that had locked him away in a cage so many months ago just because he was different?

That wasn't possible anymore. Too much had changed; even if he looked like a normal person he could never be one inside. And somehow he knew without asking that if he did get his human body back, he would lose any chance he still might have with Xellos.

The pain and suffering Zelgadis had recently endured had taught him a harsh lesson. Through it, he finally found the answer that should have been inside him all along. He looked up and met those deep violet eyes evenly. His voice was firm and his answer simple. "No."

A wicked grin lit the Mazoku's features. "In that case, your punishment is - " The demon waved a hand and suddenly the shaman found himself secured to the bed, spread-eagled. Xellos pounced on his stone lover, nipping at his pointed ear and finishing his pronouncement in a suggestive whisper, "Your punishment is providing me entertainment in the form of sexual favors. You're mine. Finally mine."

The demon began ripping through his lover's brand new clothing, eagerly stroking the stone flesh beneath. There was nothing disgusting about the Monster's touch this time. It wasn't long before Zelgadis was panting and struggling against his restraints, desperate to claim the monster in return.

"Now, now, Zel-kun. It wouldn't be a punishment if you got what you wanted, would it?"

"Damn you, Xellos." The chimera had never hated, or loved, the priest more than he did at that moment. The grouchy shaman would have continued his tirade, but was distracted when the demon's tongue began applying light, teasing strokes to his aching erection. Finally, the purple-haired priest engulfed him completely, caressing his length with the muscles of his throat in a way that would probably have been impossible for a human.

Suddenly, Xellos let go with a quiet Pop! The shaman, desparate for those sensations to return, he had been so close, groaned his extreme displeasure.

"Fun as this is, I want you, Zelgadis and I don't want to wait." The demon waved his hand and a small jar appeared, even as the invisible ropes at the shaman's ankles lifted themselves until his hips were raised slightly off the bed, his legs still spread apart. Almost clinically the Mazoku's hands used the lubricant to prepare the smaller man. But the look in his purple eyes, still open as they had been this entire time, was anything but clinical. Desire and love were in them, along with something else that was as frightening as it was exciting. The demon's questing fingers eventually brushed up against a spot that increased the shaman's breathing even as it helped his stone body to finally relax. He was ready, but the Mazoku had barely begun preparing the chimera for what the demon had planned.

"I want more." Xellos whispered. The shaman relaxed, hoping for the continuation of what had been started in the demon's prison. Instead, dark power flowed from the Mazoku to the bound shaman. Energy even more overwhelming than the mysterious seduction of the red jeweled staff coursed through Zelgadis. The chimera wanted pain now as badly as his body needed fulfillment. His own pain, Xellos', the entire world's, it didn't matter. There was something else, he wanted something from that pain but didn't know what and could only hope the demon was about to give it to him.

It was then he felt the blunt head of Xellos' cock nudging his entrance. In one swift stroke, Zelgadis was impaled. The shaman threw his head back and screamed. It felt as though he were being ripped apart from the inside. Xellos' body was so unnaturally hot, everywhere it touched him it was as if his stone flesh must be glowing red, the pain especially exquisite on his sensitive inner flesh. The shaman was in absolute agony. And it felt right, perfect in fact. He loved it.

Mercilessly, the demon began pounding into his toy, grasping the flesh of the shaman's thighs with bruising force, then using the grip as leverage to increase the pace. One especially brutal thrust managed to strike that sensitive place inside the shaman with the full measure of it's painful heat. Sparks of pleasure danced across blue eyes that were already tearing from the sheer unmanageable level of pain. The two sensations blended until they were completely indistinguishable. With a low moan of ecstacy, Zelgadis' body tensed around Xellos' burning shaft, increasing his torment even further. He hovered there in a state of perfect bliss until his stone body could no longer sustain him at this excruciating peak and the chimera released in wave after wave of shuddering climax.

When he regained awareness, his thirst for pain abated, he felt Xellos still driving into his body. The chimera's now clear gaze met his lover's clouded one with perfect acceptance of this and everything the demon really was, of his darkness and loneliness and pain.

Despite being bound, the shaman had managed to touch his partner. The visual caress caused the priest to shiver uncontrollably, his hot release exploding from his body to fill the shaman.

Finished, Xellos pulled out entirely and as he did, Zelgadis felt the restraints gone. The demon then gently laid down on top of his lover, seemingly weightless. Despite the agony the shaman had just experienced, he only a little sore now, the Monster's careful preparation had seen to that. A simple healing spell took care of the remaining pain. It had been great, but somehow in the aftermath the shaman was again able to worry.

"Not that I'm complaining, that was great, I just want to be sure - "

"It's not always going to be like that, Zelgadis. That was supposed to be your punishment." The sated Mazoku looked down at the chimera through half-open eyes. "Not that *I'm* complaining, but I didn't expect you to enjoy it so much. You handle dark magic better than any human I have ever seen, it must be your demon part. No more worrying. Thank you anyway, but I'm stuffed."

Zelgadis stroked the Mazoku's soft hair, gathering his nerve to ask for the one thing he truly wanted. "Xellos?"

"Don't human males usually go to sleep after really great sex?" The priest grinned, not looking in the least tired himself.

"I'm special." Zelgadis couldn't help but smile in return. His stony face became serious again as he asked "Ne, Xellos, when can we finish what we started before? You said I could touch you. The real you."

"You still want to?" The Mazoku replied in a surprised whisper.

"Xellos, I've chosen to be with you and everything that entails for as long as you will have me. I love you. Of course I still want to."

The familiar blackness clouded the chimera's sight once more, but in it Zelgadis was able to see more clearly than he ever had in his life. He took the last step and fell completely into the darkness that was Xellos, let it become a part of him.

* * * * *

~Owari

AN: Well? Did you like it? Is this last part too light compared to the rest of the fic? Any feedback, comments or criticisms are *greatly* appreciated. Thanks!