Posted: April 2004
Title: Smut...Halloween Special
Author: Estella Greenleaf
Type: RPS
Characters: V/O; K/D
Rating: NC-17
Warning: AU, disturbing imagery.
Disclaimer: None of this is true. I highly doubt zombies exist. So, everything is a figment of my sick imagination
Beta: A special thanks to Sara, Kelly and Tabee who agreed to read over my story, gave me feedback and help with proofreading.
Author's note: Written for the All Slasher's Eve challenge =) I just can't resist. It's an action romance thriller… or that's what I think it is… set in the Resident Evil universe, sort of.

*****

Halloween 2003, Prometheus

"It is magnificent," whispered the scientist in amazement as he gazed at their newest specimen.

It resembled a human youth in his twenties with a mop of dark silken curls and an exquisitely sculpted face. It was smaller than the two other specimens they had captured, its lithe long frame exuding an androgynous beauty. The creature was unconscious from a powerful mix of tranquilizers, strong enough to kill ten grown men. With an unguarded expression, it likened a slumbering cherub, his soft breaths creating wisps of mist in the icy laboratory.

The specimen would be kept under heavy anesthetics throughout the course of its lifetime in the project. This was something the scientist was glad of; he knew he would not have the heart to watch one so ethereally beautiful suffer. It was easier to do what must be done when the gorgeous creature laid in a deathlike sleep, when it could feel nothing of the horrible cruelty that would be committed upon its body in the search for the secrets of immortality.

Casting one last glance at the dark-haired beauty, the scientist sealed the containment chamber and programmed the computer to begin harvesting blood and tissue samples. "May you find peace in your dreams, beautiful angel."

*****

Halloween, 2043, 18:45 hr, Prometheus

The fog of dark oblivion slowly began to lift. The first sensation Orlando felt was pain; his entire body consumed in an inferno of agony so intense and extensive that he almost lost consciousness again. But the wood-sprite had always been a fighter despite his delicate appearance. He clung stubbornly to awareness, until he was finally rewarded with an inkling of what had happened.

He was betrayed…by the one he loved. His father was right; he should NEVER have trusted a human. But he was a romantic at heart; at the time, he had truly believed that Colin was the one for him, his true Eternal Mate. He was even stupid enough to try to give the man the Gift, which was why he was too weak to fight when his captors arrived. He had no one but himself to blame for his current situation.

But how he got here no longer mattered; what was important was how to escape from captivity. The wood-sprite stilled his mind and ignored the constant waves of pain that wrecked through his body. Reaching out to nature with his magic, he called upon the winds. "Khwest en amar, tolo enni. Lheitho nin e gador nín. [Breath of the Earth, come to me. Release me from my prison.]"

At Orlando's words, a mighty gust erupted, creating a pressure wave that sliced through the seals of his containment chamber. When the sensors detected them breach, power to the unit was cut, prompting all probes and live-support tubes that had been surgically inserted into the wood-sprite to retract all at once. If the pain Orlando first felt when he woke was agony, this was pure excruciating torture. Overwhelmed by the sudden sensory overload, he let out a strangled cry and was plunged into the realm of rejuvenating slumber.

*****

Halloween 2043, 19:00hr, Umbrella Corporation Headquarters

"Come on, baby, it'll be fun," Karl said as he nuzzled his lover's neck. He wanted very much to go to the corporation's Halloween party; but he knew better than to show up alone. One of the disadvantages of being a member of the Special Ops Team was that other ‘normal' employees tended to avoid him like a plague.

"I don't see dressing up in ridiculous costumes and getting drunk as fun, love; you know that," replied Dave as he continued to type on his laptop at the speed of light. "Besides, I need to finish this before we go on vacation."

"Surely you can spare a few hours. I'll make it worth your while," whispered the chestnut-haired agent as he moved to nibble on Dave's ear.

The computer whiz froze and let out a soft sigh. Karl always knew exactly how to turn him into mush. As the other man reached around to caress his well-toned abs, Dave decided that the benefits of acquiescing to Karl's request far outweighed the discomfort of making a public appearance. "Whatever you want, love. Just don't stop."

Suddenly, a soft gravelly voice startled the lovers out of their activities. "Sorry to interrupt. But this just came in. We fly out in an hour."

"Viggo, have you ever heard of the phrase ‘knock before you enter'?" asked the blond technical specialist gruffly, face still flushed from his lover's administrations. Their team leader had a propensity for interrupting their intimate moments. He sometimes wondered if the older man was a closet voyeur.

"The last I checked, this was a public lounge," quipped the older man with a cheeky grin. He loved teasing his teammates about their new romance. He had never thought that their introverted tech specialist would end up with ultra-flirtatious Karl.

"You know you are the world biggest party-pooper, right?" sighed Karl as he rolled his eyes at the dark-haired man. He was rather looking forward to a nice quickie with Dave before the Halloween party. And thanks to Viggo, he would have to forgo on both counts.

"Thanks for the compliment, Karl," laughed Viggo before handing his teammates the case files.
"Besides, you can't really blame me for walking in on you two. I mean, considering that you guys are always going at it, it's hard to find a time when I'm not interrupting something."

"Hmm , do I detect a trace of jealousy in your voice, Vig?" teased Karl with a mischievous grin. Ever since he and Dave became an item, their team leader had been for want of ‘a partner in crime' to carouse the bars with. As the older agent was very insistent on keeping his relationships to one-night stands, Karl could imagine his friend's sex life must have been rather ‘uninteresting' of late.

"Me? Jealous of you? You know I can never understand why any man would give up all the desirable bodies in the entire world to settle on just one," replied the dark-haired agent with an arched brow. If he had learned anything from his parents, it was that love was just a fairytale. The only thing that was real was lust and self-interest.

"You only say that because you haven't found the right one yet, Vig," smiled Dave sagely as he began to flip through the reports.

"Having an IQ of 200 does not make you an authority on relationships, Dave," retorted the leader of the Special Ops Team Alpha sharply, hating Dave's not-so-subtle criticism on the way he chose to lead his life. "Besides…"

Before Viggo could continue, Sean, the team's medical expert, sauntered into the room. "Hello, people. Did I miss anything?"

"Nothing important. Just something that I wish I can un-see," the dark-haired man laughed as he cast a meaningful glance at his other two companions.

To Viggo's surprise, his comment did not prompt a sassy retort from the quick-tongued Dave. Turning his attention to the tech specialist, the team leader noticed that the other man had totally blanched, his face set in an expression that was a cross between shocked disbelief and horror. Karl too, noticed his lover's predicament and asked, "What's wrong, baby?"

"Vig, are you sure these are accurate?" asked Dave shakily as he pulled out one of the laboratory's status reports.

"I don't know. I didn't think to check since it's just a simple pick-up and delivery. Why?" asked Viggo with a frown, knowing the matter must be very serious to faze their tech expert.

"Because if these figures are correct, everyone on the Prometheus is dead," whispered Dave, voice raspy from a combination of sorrow and fear. It would seem that the AI controlling the underwater lab had gone berserk and killed everyone. The disaster that occurred in the Hive 45 years ago had happened again.

"Let me see that?" asked Sean as he took the files from his friend's trembling hands.

"It is probably just a sensor malfunction. These things happen," announced the medical expert as he studied the figures. "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. I mean, what's the chances of everyone on the Prometheus dropping dead at the same time."

Dave knew his colleague had a point; a massive sensor malfunction was more likely than a complete AI breakdown. With a small smile, the tech specialist replied, "Yeah, you are probably right, Sean. You know me, always a bit paranoid." Despite his light-hearted words, the blond man could not help but fear for the worst: this coming mission might spell the Alpha Team's doom.

With a determined glint in his eyes and a hard smile, Viggo gave the order to move out. The Alpha Team had never failed a mission before; they were not about to start now, regardless of the situation on the Prometheus. "Alright then, gentlemen; let's get our gear and get this over with."

*****

21:00 hr, Prometheus

Despite their experience, the dark macabre hallways in the lowest level of the underwater laboratory sent pinpricks of fear into the Alpha Team agents' minds. The winding corridors were silent, the only sound to be heard were their own soft footsteps echoing through the deserted grounds. The illumination was dim and tinted red, flooding the space with crimson light that reminded the soldiers of spilled blood. The air was damp and cold, their breaths forming a haze that further obscured their vision. Save for their presence, not a trace of life graced these desolate hallways. But that was about to change.

A silhouette of a woman staggered towards the group. Karl, who was taking point, called out, "Ma'am, are you all right?"

The woman did not reply as she continued to stalk towards the Alpha Team. Unsure of how to proceed, the chestnut-haired agent turned to look at their leader. At that moment, the stranger let out a blood-curdling moan and launched herself at Karl. The young agent spun round to face his assailant and was shocked to find himself facing a ghastly animated corpse with bleeding eyes. Before the creature could latch itself onto the man, a single gunshot broke the eerie stillness of the hallways. The zombie was hit in the head, its blood splattering on the surprised chestnut-haired agent's face.

Dave stowed away his side arm and rushed to his lover. "Are you okay? Did she touch you?" He was the only one in the group who was not stunned by the turns of events. It was he had feared all along.

Karl continued to stare mutedly at the zombie, as if expecting it to vanish before his eyes. When that did not happen, he closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. When he reopened them to find the creature still there, he finally accepted that what had occurred was real. Turning away from the now-dead corpse, he whispered, "Yeah, I'm okay, baby. She didn't get to me… thanks to you."

Now, Viggo and Sean both had recovered from the shock of coming face to face with a monster they thought only existed in rumors. The biologist was the first to speak. "I guess they must be working on some variant on the T-virus down here. I thought that stuff was banned like 30 years ago."

"Do you think we are infected?" asked the team leader, eyes still fixed on the dead zombie.

"No, we won't still be alive if we are. The AI is programmed to kill all infected life forms," replied Dave, who was meticulously cleaning his lover to make sure the computer would not mistake Karl for a disease carrier.

"Which is why the life-signs report says everyone on the station is clinically dead. Corpses reanimated by the virus don't register on the sensors," added Sean who now realized they could potentially be fighting hundreds of zombies of all ages and sizes. They needed to get out as soon as possible.

"We'll report this to Headquarters as soon as we get in. For now, we concentrate on finishing the mission. The storage facilities are only two more corridors down, right? We'll get the cargo and make a run for the chopper."

"Whatever you say, Vig," smiled Karl weakly, as he dwelled on the prospect of encountering more zombies. Tightening his grip around the trigger of his automatic, the chestnut-haired agent resumed his position at the front. He had been caught off-guard once; he would not make the same mistake again.

*****

21:05 hr, Prometheus

Deep inside the bowels of the underwater labs, Orlando began to wake from his rejuvenating slumber. Still too weak to move, he stared aimlessly out the viewing portal of the chamber. As his unfocused eyes slowly adjusted to performing their function once more, he was greeted with the most gruesome sight he had ever seen.

The room was dim; the harsh light from the incandescent bulbs painted the walls in a sickly ocher hue. Monstrosities, contorted human-like forms, floated inside glass preservation chambers. On dissection tables, more creatures laid with their bodies opened, their insides neatly laid out for the scientists to study.

Closing his eyes to shut out the horrifying image, Orlando decided he could not stand being in this room any longer. He knew he was still too weak to fight, but he could not allow his one chance at freedom pass him by. He refused to resign to the same fate that befell the monsters in this room. He would escape or die trying.

*****

21:15hr, Prometheus

The Alpha team arrived at their destination to find that their ‘cargo' had escaped. Given what else was in the room, they had a good idea of what was at large. Though Viggo loathed tarnishing the team's unblemished record, he would not endanger the life of his friends to hunt the fugitive monster. He was about to give the order to move out when a loud crash outside interrupted him.

Signaling to his teammates to cover him, Viggo stepped once again into the dimly lit corridor. At that precise moment, a zombie came flying through the air, hitting the wall beside the dark-haired agent with a dull thud. The force of the impact prompted the creature to groan angrily. Without hesitation, Viggo opened fire and ended the zombie's miserable existence.

Looking up again, the agent's attention was drawn to a group of monsters advancing on a single lithe figure in the shadows. When the stranger moved into the light, Viggo found his eyes graced with the most magnificent sight he had ever beheld. Unruly dark curls framed a perfectly chiseled face; fiery amber eyes regarded the zombies with fierce determination; rosy lips pressed into a resolute line, the youth was the perfect blend of strength and delicate beauty. To add to his allure was his most delectable lean body, put on full display in what seemed like a paper loincloth. All in all, the stranger looked good enough to eat.

It would be a waste though, if the dark-haired beauty were consumed as food by mindless zombies. Viggo wanted very much to have the exclusive privilege of nibbling on the gorgeous youth in an entirely different context. Readying his weapon, the dark-haired agent jumped into the fray to rescue the handsome stranger.

*****

Soon after leaving his protective containment chamber, Orlando was besieged by the ravenous zombies. He had used the last of his magic to call upon the winds to dispel some of his attackers, but the monsters' assault was relentless. He was about resigned to his fate when his mysterious rescuer appeared.

Within seconds, the dark-haired man was by his side, shielding Orlando from the undead with his larger frame. The wood-sprite found the gesture endearing, as no one had ever tried to protect him before. With the aid of three other men, his savior made short work of the zombies, destroying them with accurate shots through the head.

When the last of the creatures were killed, the adrenaline that had kept Orlando standing began to recede, leaving him weak and lightheaded. As if sensing his distress, the dark-haired agent laid a supporting hand on his waist and asked. "Are you hurt?"

Orlando found himself drowning in his savior's tender steel-blue eyes. He knew from his ordeal that only a fool would fall in love. Yet, now, he could feel the walls he erected to guard his heart crumble under his gentle rescuer's warm gaze. Fight as he might against the stranger's allure, the wood-sprite found himself more captivated by the second. Unable to control his wayward heart, the wood-sprite could not trust himself to speak. All he could do was shake his head slightly before fatigue overtook him, prompting him to sag against his savior's muscular form.

*****

Viggo reached out to gather the pliant youth into his arms. For some strange reason, lust did not spark in his loins as he regarded the extremely desirable young man. Instead, he felt an overwhelming urge to protect the dark-haired beauty, to hold him tight and kiss all his troubles away. There was no justification for the way he felt; such tenderness was against his principles. But no matter how his mind protested, its voice was drowned out by the warm glow in his heart as he held the youth close. He could not help but feel they belonged in each other's arms. "What's your name, angel?"

Smiling contently in the handsome man's loving embrace, the wood-sprite replied, "I'm Orlando. Thank you for saving me."

"My name is Viggo," replied the dark-haired agent softly as he tightened his arms the youth, bringing their bodies flush against each other. "Don't worry, Orlando. I'm here now. I won't let anything hurt you."

Orlando pulled away slightly to look into the man's eyes. The protectiveness and affection in agent's blue-gray orbs were shining clearly for him to see. The wood-sprite wanted so much to believe that his connection with Viggo was real; that his handsome savior was indeed the one he was meant to spend eternity with. But he still bore the scars from his past folly; he could not afford to be so unwary again. Breaking eye contact, Orlando refused to acknowledge
Viggo's pledge and said, "We should start moving before more zombies return."

Viggo knew his affections were rejected; and it hurt, more than he had imagined. Avoiding heartbreak was precisely why he had remained unattached all these years. He should have known better than to forget the lessons of his childhood, to be drawn to another like a moth to a flame. Disentangling himself from the dark-haired beauty, the Alpha Team leader replied stiffly, "Right. The helicopter is waiting at the landing platform. Can you walk?"

The loss of Viggo's warmth was almost enough to bring tears to Orlando's eyes. He had never felt such devastating emptiness in his heart before, not even when Colin betrayed him. Perhaps, Viggo was indeed his Eternal Mate. But now was not the time to dwell on such things; they were all in peril. Breathing deeply to calm his blistering emotions, the wood-sprite nodded, "Yes. Let us go."

"Vig, we don't have authorization to bring him with us," said Sean in a matter-of-fact tone as he regarded the dark-haired youth. As a trained physician, he could tell the stranger's olive skin shone with an added bronze radiance that was not human. Then, there were the fading needle marks that adorned their new acquaintance's entire body. Though Sean had no proof, he had a very good idea of what the ‘youth' truly was.

"We are definitely not going to leave him here!" Dave answered as he moved to stand beside the young man. The intelligent tech expert knew there was something different about their new companion, but he could tell from the exchange between Viggo and Orlando that they belonged together. He would help the older agent find happiness with the one who had so aptly stolen his heart.

"I agree," said Karl as he frowned at Sean for suggesting such a horrible thing.

"Sean, I know you're not really worried about corporation protocols. You think that maybe Orlando is infected. But if that were the case, the AI would have killed him already. There is no need for you to worry," reassured the team leader as he moved to take point.

Viggo did not dare to look at Orlando again, for fear of seeing the aloofness in the dark-haired beauty's exquisite chocolate eyes. That would make his heart bleed anew and drive him to distraction. This he could not allow, for even if Orlando did not love him, he would not rescind his promise. He would protect the dark-haired beauty with his life.

*****

No matter how hard Orlando tried to deny his heart, some things were simply meant to be. Fate had a strange way of bringing two people together; and in this case, its messenger was a six-foot, two hundred pound humanoid monster. It was the evil scientists' crowning achievement – the ultimate savage warrior grown from infusing the T-Prometheus virus into a tissue sample from the immortal wood-sprite.

Earlier in the night, the creature's acute sense of smell had detected fresh man-flesh in the re-circulated air. Unlike the scientists' previous creations, this monster was cunning. It realized that there was only one way to exit the Prometheus. It could not ask for a better place to set up an ambush than the shadowy cargo bay that led to the landing platform. Silently, the creature crouched in its hiding place, eagerly waiting for its preys.

Orlando's keen sense detected the imminent danger soon after entering the room. He called out in warning to Viggo, but it was too late. The monster pounced, its full weight driving the dark-haired man into the ground. Before the agent had time to react, the creature's razor sharp claws descended upon him, slashing deeply into his chest.

Gunfire lit the room as the other agents attempted to save their leader. But their bullets did little to harm the monster, as it had infinite regenerating captivity. Driven by a primal instinct to protect his true mate, Orlando's body moved out of its own volition. Closing his eyes, the wood-sprite held out his hand and invoked his most powerful spell. "Naur an edraith ammen! Naur dan i ulun. [Fire save us. Fire against the monster]"

At his words, tongues of flames sparkled in Orlando's palm. The tendrils gathered into a scorching blaze, forming a white-hot fireball directed at the monster that dared attack the wood-sprite's eternal mate. The flames hit the creature on its side, the impact throwing it off Viggo. The beast's screams of agony reverberated in the hall as the sweltering heat consumed its flesh, until all that was left was a pile of black ashes.

*****

Now, Orlando knew without a doubt that the injured dark-haired man was destined to be his lover. He was too weak to summon the elements properly; nature would not have heeded his calls if he were not protecting his Eternal Mate. Overjoyed that the one who had enchanted him was truly his other half, the wood-sprite rushed to Viggo's side as fast as his exhausted body would allow.

"I love you," whispered the dark-haired beauty into the man's ears as he leaned down to gather the fallen agent into his arms.

As the T-virus rampaged through Viggo's battered form, the dark-haired beauty's words felt like poison to his ears. The agent knew that certain death awaited him; he would rather die now with the dignity of a man than become one of those mindless zombies. But knowing that Orlando cared for him made it so much harder to surrender life willingly. Gritting his teeth, the man tried to push the dark-haired beauty away before he lost the resolve to do what he must. "Leave me be, Orlando. I am infected. I will not leave the Prometheus alive."

"Don't be so pessimistic, love. Trust me," smiled the wood-sprite reassuringly before looking up to make eye contact with the other Alpha Team members. He needed the other agents' cooperation in securing a relatively private and safe area to bestow the Gift upon his true
Eternal Mate. "Please help me save Viggo. You can turn me over to the corporation when I am done. I won't fight you."

After their new companion's inhuman display of power, the other team members were more than a little wary of his intentions. Yet, they all knew modern medicine could not save Viggo; Orlando was their friend's only hope. They had no choice but to trust the ‘young man'. Sean, the team's second-in-command, answered, "Very well. Just tell us what to do."

*****

Orlando surveyed their surroundings, wishing they were somewhere more romantic and comfortable. But given the circumstances, the small cot in the guard's resting area would have to do. Viggo lay motionless on the mattress, his pallor turning grayer by the minute. The wood-sprite knew he must act quickly to reverse the effects of the virus. Holding the agent's eyes captive with his shimmering amber orbs, the wood-sprite began to remove the wounded man's clothes. He paused briefly to admire his beloved's muscular form, toned to perfection by years of training. "You are so beautiful."

"Orlando, I don't see how…."

The wood-sprite silenced the man with a soft kiss. Closing his eyes, Orlando rested his hands gently on the agent's wounds. "Lasto beth nîn, tolo dan nan galad. Mabathon i ant e guil [Listen to my voice and come back to the light. Accept the gift of life.]

Sparks of light began to flow from the wood-sprite to the injured man. The constant throbbing in Viggo's wounds ceased, morphing into a tingle that was almost pleasurable. The agent looked down at his injuries to see that the once-bleeding gashes had now scabbed over. Surprised, the man whispered, "What did you do?"

"I passed part of my light into you. I'm going to make you immortal," replied the wood-sprite as he slid down the man's body to lay open-mouth kisses on the fading wound.

It was difficult to think when his entire body buzzed with desire from Orlando's loving touch, but Viggo realized that if he allowed this, his fate would be bound to the ‘young man's' forever. It was a commitment he was unready to make, despite his inexplicable feelings for the ‘youth' or his desperate situation. He had just met Orlando; he could not possibly turn away from the life he had always known to be with someone he barely knew. "I can't…" said the agent as he gently pushed the dark-haired beauty away.

Never in a million years would the wood-sprite ever thought his Eternal Mate would reject his love. It hurt, so much more than the physical pain he endured at the hands of the evil scientists. But even if Viggo did not want to spend eternity with him, he still needed to complete the ritual to save the man. If one night of passion were all he would have with his beloved, he would make it a night to remember. "Don't worry, Viggo. This won't change anything. Let me take care of you…just for one night."

Viggo's protests died when his lips were consumed in a soul-searing kiss. As Orlando's tongue tangoed with his in a passionate dance, conscious thoughts evaporated. All that was real was the taste of the wood-sprite upon his tongue and the warmth of the dark-haired beauty's skin upon his own.

Exploring hands roamed Viggo's chest and sides, before gliding downwards to stroke the root of his desires. The man growled in need as slender fingers massaged his aching shaft. He tried to move, to draw his lover closer, but found himself paralyzed by the intensity of the pleasure of the wood-sprite's administrations.

The man's breath hitched when the wood-sprite licked the faint scars from the monster's attack.
Electricity arched though Viggo's veins as energy flowed from the immortal into him, smoldering all remnants of the T-virus. When the evidence of the creature's assault had faded completely, Orlando shifted to lap at the man's nipple, slowly teasing the peaked nub with his tongue.

The wood-sprite knew his lover would not last much longer under his gentle assault. It was time to bring their activities to another level. Moving languidly, Orlando kissed a tortuous path down to the man's arousal. Viggo was mewling shamelessly now, writhing against the invisible hands that held him to the bed. "Orlando… please…"

Smiling at the pained rapture on his lover's face, the wood-sprite took the tip of the Viggo's manhood into his mouth. He suckled on it gently, all the while teasing the over-sensitized flesh with his tongue. The man purred in ecstasy; and was rewarded with more pleasure when Orlando took him deeper into the sinfully hot cavern of his mouth.

As the dark-haired beauty continued to milk his cock skillfully, Viggo knew he had never known such pure pleasure in all his sexual escapades. After this experience, he could never want another again. When his lover pulled back slightly to hum against his pulsing shaft, Viggo could bear no more of the heat that had been pooling within his loins. With a groan, the man emptied his essence into Orlando's welcoming mouth.

After milking the last drop from the man's now-limp shaft, the wood-sprite held his lover's eyes captive with his swirling chocolate orbs and whispered, "Please, let me make love to you tonight."

Mind still scattered from the most intense orgasm of his life, Viggo nodded eagerly. With loving kisses, the wood-sprite brought the man's arousal back to life. When the agent was whimpering once more with need, Orlando lifted his legs to expose his puckered entrance. Normally, Viggo, who had been exclusively on top, would have protested; but tonight, with Orlando, he was willing to surrender everything, his control, his body and his heart.

The dark-haired beauty's tongue circled Viggo's entrance until the man was squirming with need. Sensing that his lover was ready for more, the wood-sprite thrust his tongue into Viggo's velvety heat. With quick deft strokes, Orlando ravished his lover, sending conflagrations down the man's every nerve. "God…need… now…"

Viggo did not know how he could speak when his senses were overloaded with mind-blowing ecstasy, but he was glad his jumbled words had their desired effects. The wood-sprite ceased the exquisite torture. Holding the man's eyes, Orlando slicked his arousal with spittle and positioned himself at his lover's entrance. Without breaking eye contact, the dark-haired beauty sheathed himself in Viggo's tight heat in one languid stroke.

The man cried out in pain at the initial intrusion; but all discomfort was forgotten when his lover leant down to claim his lips in a scorching kiss. The wood-sprite remained buried to the hilt deep inside Viggo until the man relaxed around him. At a slow deliberate pace, Orlando began to move, angling his strokes to brush against his lover's sweet spot and make him see stars. The wood-sprite wanted this to last forever, but he had not forgotten the reality of that awaited them outside the room.

With a heavy heart, Orlando quickened his movements to drive them closer to the brink of rapture. Eyes fixed on his lover, the wood-sprite reached down to stroke Viggo's manhood in time with his thrusts, committing to memory every detail of the blissful expression on the man's face. All too soon, it ended; the agent erupted in Orlando's hand, the clamping of his inner muscles coaxing the wood-sprite into joining him in the land of ecstasy.

The intensity of the binding ritual had overwhelmed Viggo's senses, sending him into the blissful realm of dreams. The wood-sprite was similarly affected; though still conscious, Orlando felt weaker than a newborn babe. Gingerly disentangling himself from his lover, the wood-sprite laid a gentle kiss upon the man's lips before calling out to the agents who stood guard outside the room. "I will always love you, Viggo," whispered the immortal as he waited for what fate would bring him.

*****

10:00 hrs, All Saints Day, 2043, Corporation
Headquarters

Consciousness began to return. Instinctively, Viggo reached out to draw his lover closer to his warmth. To his dismay, all he found was emptiness. The agent opened his eyes to see Sean hovering over him. Startled, the dark-haired man sat up so quickly that he almost bumped his head into the blond agent. "Where am I? Where is Orlando?"

"You're back at Headquarters, Vig. Who's this Orlando? Maybe you hit your head harder than we thought. The CT showed up normal though," the blond biological specialist frowned as he settled on the comfy chair by the bedside.

"What happened?" asked Viggo quietly, trying to keep his confusion out of his voice. Sean's words implied that his memories of last night were flawed; that Orlando was nothing more than a dream. But how could a figment of his imagination steal his heart in a single night, when none in real life had ever managed such a feat? There must be some mistake; his beautiful lover was so passionate, so real… Sean must be playing a trick on him.

"The routine pick-up and delivery turned out to be not so routine. Dave was right. The AI did turn homicidal. Basically, we were trying to distract the thing while our resident nerd hacked in to disable it. The computer figured out our plan, and tried to fry Dave. You saved his life, but took a pretty hard hit on the head in the process. We finished the mission though."

Viggo frowned as he deliberated the blond man's words. The medical expert's explanation made perfect sense, more so than the events he remembered. After all, zombies, monsters and beautiful immortals were common visitors of people's feverish dreams. Even though it broke his heart into a million pieces, he had no choice but to accept the obvious truth. Not wishing to dwell on his heartache in front of Sean, the man asked, "So where is Dave? Is he okay?"

"Yeah, Dave's okay. He's on vacation with Karl, being the irresponsible bastard that he is. Left right after he realized you were going to be okay," said Sean with no small amount of censure in his soft voice.

"I see," replied the dark-haired agent quietly as his mind drifted to the conversation with Dave before they set out for the mission. After so many years of being alone, Viggo finally found the ‘right one'. But as fate would have it, the perfect youth that had captured his heart was only a dream. All these years of refusing to love were for naught; in the end, he broke his own heart over a phantom lover.

Seemingly oblivious to his friend's dark pensive mood, Sean suggested with an evil smirk, "You know, I think we should pay them a little visit on that island of theirs. Rain on their parade a little for leaving me here to write the reports and take care of you alone. Management has granted us leave for a couple of weeks as compensation for sending us to Prometheus."

"I don't know, Sean. I'm not particularly in the mood for walking in on them," the dark-haired man sighed; he knew that seeing the couple would only depress him further. It would remind him of the bliss that was only found in love, mock his pain as he mourned the loss of a beloved who was not even real.

"Ah, but if we are there, they can't really go at it, now can they? That's why it's payback! If you're bashful, I'll walk in the door first," laughed the blond agent as he walked over to Viggo to pull on the other man's arm.

Viggo knew his friend would not give him a moment's peace unless he agreed to go. Wanting solitude to grieve for his shattered heart, the dark-haired man nodded, "Fine. I'll go if you promise to leave me alone after we get there."

"Agreed," said Sean with a grin. He could hardly wait for his friend to find out what surprise was in store on Dave's private island.

*****

Sunset, Nov. 7th, 2043, Isla de Solana

The tranquility of the island could not soothe the dark-haired agent's pain. In fact, it intensified the man's suffering; the dull ache of his heart now a sea of misery that threatened to engulf his entire soul. Everywhere Viggo went, he was acutely aware of how alone he was. Every moment spent appreciating the beauty of nature made him wished that Orlando were with him to share the magical sight.

There were times when Viggo wished he had never conjured his phantom lover. But now, as he gazed out at the glittering ocean in the dying light of the sun, he knew he did not truly regret inventing Orlando. His fantasy lover had shown him how to love. Though he might never truly recover from ‘losing' the dark-haired beauty, he no longer feared opening his heart to another. Closing his eyes as rivets of tears drifted down his cheek, Viggo whispered, "I will always love you, beautiful angel."

"I think he's suffered quite enough, baby. We should tell him."

The dark-haired man spun round to find his three friends intruding upon his private moment. "What are you three doing here?!"

"Helping you, Vig," grinned Karl unrepentantly as he walked to grab the man's arm and dragged him towards the palm trees that lined the beach. "I want you to know that this whole charade is Dave and Sean's idea. They want to make sure you know what you want before saying anything. I would have told you right away, if it were up to me."

"What charade?" demanded the dark-haired man with a glare that could send experienced agents running for cover. Viggo knew there was only one ‘charade' that Karl could be referring to. Sean must have lied to him about what happened on the Prometheus. If this were indeed the case, the agent swore he would tear his friends' heads off with his bare hands.

"I think you already know," replied Dave with a cheeky grin as he led the way to a hidden tree house. Pointing to the rope ladder, the blond man added, "Don't say anything stupid again, okay? The boy is a jewel."

"We staked our entire careers on this so you can have a chance to be happy. If you mess it up, you'll answer to us," whispered Sean in a dangerous tone, the quietly menacing one that could make a grown man shiver.

Not trusting himself to speak to his friends in his ‘furious yet excited' state, the dark-haired agent began to climb the ladder in silence. Soon, he found himself inside a simple but comfortably decorated chamber, brightly lit from the light of the sun. Amidst the bronze rays, a lone silhouette sat on the bed. Viggo squinted for a better look, but the mysterious stranger's face remained shrouded in the golden light. As if sensing his presence, the figure rose gracefully and glided towards him.

Overwhelmed by the sight of his dearest love in the flesh, all Viggo could manage was a choked whisper as he stared at the dark-haired beauty, "Orlando…"

Refusing to meet Viggo's eyes, the wood-sprite said, "Your friends said I can stay here until I fully recover. I did not know you are going to be here too. I promise I won't get in your way. I will leave as soon as my strength returns."

"NO!" cried Viggo as he rushed forward to gather his beloved in a smothering embrace. The heart-wrenching sorrow he endured in the past week had taught him that he never wanted to lose the dark-haired beauty again. If he had to leave the life he knew behind to be with his lover, so be it. "I love you, Orlando. Please don't ever leave me again."

"But I thought you didn't want me," whispered the wood-sprite uncomprehending, not daring to believe what Viggo had just said.

"Oh, beautiful angel, I'm so sorry I hurt you that night. I was afraid of trusting another with my heart. I didn't realize how much I love you until I woke up the next morning without you. I never want to feel that way again. Please tell me you'll forgive me and stay," said Viggo as he allowed his emotions to flow from his unguarded loving gaze as he regarded the beautiful wood-sprite.

Orlando thought his heart would burst with joy at the man's declaration of love. "I love you, Viggo. I'll stay with you forever, if that's your wish."

"Yes, beautiful, together forever," whispered the man as he leaned towards his lover to seal their pact with a kiss. Their lips met as the sun disappeared on the horizon; though the world was now shrouded in shadows, all they needed was the radiance of their love to dispel the cold darkness of the night.

*****

*~*~*~* Everyone lived happily ever after *~*~*~*

THE END

If you enjoyed this story, please send feedback to: Estella Greenleaf