Nikola looked into the water. The Selkie was eaten. Its soul was now whispering its secrets.
To the wind, to the water, to him.
Three deaths.
He was meant to die three times. Should he come back, he could see the end of time. But if he failed, he would be devoured.
Just like how the Selkie had been devoured.
That was its curse. That was its call for justice. Even if the Selkie had been the one to attack. Even if, had their roles been reversed, Nikola would have been the one to curse it from the Great Beyond.
"One death by water," he looked at the water which was spanning before him.
It was black. It was murky. It was death.
He didn't even know if he could ever go swimming again.
Didn't even know if the first death would be brought upon by water, or by a creature native to the water.
"If it is a beast, then you have already gone through it," Dimitri told him next to him. The man was wearing loose clothing and was lying on a beach towel. Seemingly unconcerned with the fact that the place had gone from a forest sanctuary to a desolate wasteland.
"The second death will be through claws," Nikola said. "The Selkie did not have claws."
Dimitri sighed.
"You are overthinking, dear. Most druids go their entire life without even suffering their first death. Yours is behind you," Dimitri insisted. He stood finally and began to undress. "I can prove it to you."
Nikola began to shake his head. He didn't want to get in the water.
He was afraid.
"You are a druid," Dimitri told him with a cheeky grin, now having only his breves to cover him up. "And water is part of nature. Please, don't tell me you will never bathe ever again?"
"I prefer showers," Nikola said meekly. Wanted to take his mind off the fact that the man he knew was his mate was so unconcerned with the fact that Nikola might die in these waters.
Never to return.
"Well, I heard that people could drown from a single raindrop," Dimitri offered him his hand. "But do you know what the difference between people who drown from that and people who can take a shower is?"
Nikola chuckled despite himself.
"I don't know. The lucky ones have hot, clean, water?" He asked.
Dimitri took hold of his hand and tugged him up.
"And someone to go in the bathroom with them!" Dimitri said with a cheeky grin.
Nikola wasn't thinking. He fell in his soulmate's arms. Captured his lips.
Felt the taste of his own blood on the man's tongue. Felt the taste of the Selkie's blood.
He felt like he was drowning.
Would it not be funny if he drowned in Dimitri's spit?
The vampire picked him up bridal style. He slowly entered the water.
Let it welcome its druid. Let it cool his feverish skin.
Nikola had to release all Selkie's mana somehow. Dimitri had met more than one druid. They were at their weakest, after a meal they refused to let back into the nature.
Dimitri continued to kiss Nikola. Only to let him take in a gulp of air when the man became breathless.
The vampire began to kiss up and down his soulmate's neck. Began to whisper sweet nothings in Nikola's ears.
Began to ease the man's nerves back into something that was more akin to a healthy human's behavior patterns.
Dimitri stopped just for a second. He stopped and held Nikola close. The man was already kicking under the water. His arms and legs were working on keeping him over the surface.
The blonde pressed his forehead on his lover's own. Looking into those shining green eyes which he had come to desire.
"You need to dive now," Dimitri told him. "You took, now you have to give."
"You…" Nikola took in another gulp of air. He could not even think straight anymore. He just wanted to go into the cabin and test how sturdy the bed inside was.
It was an old thing. He wouldn't be surprised if he ended up on the ground together with the mattress.
He wished for it, even.
"Oh, Niki," Dimitri lowered himself into the water. Felt as Nikola tried to keep him at eye level. "What life is a life lived in fear?"
"You don't understand!" Nikola roared. "The third death is fire!"
Dimitri sighed.
"The third and final death is always fire," he said so, as if he was stating a universal fact. "Fire is the great purifier. There is nothing that can withstand it. Not you, not me."
Nikola began to shake. If even Dimitri could die through fire, then what hope did he have?
"But druids are different creatures than most. I can train you. I can teach you to give back what you have taken by force. And when the fire comes for you, you will just jump over it."
Dimitri dived.
Nikola stood there. His hands in the water. Trying to grasp something that was no longer there.
He looked at the shore. He looked at the cabin.
His heart was beating like a caged songbird. The Selkie had been a meal. He had gotten everything he had wanted out of it. He had healed himself.
The forest looked dead.
There was a single mistletoe which stood green draped over an old oak tree.
He dived. Holding his breath. Thinking about the trees. Thinking about the Selkie.
When he resurfaced, the forest was a green paradise. The mistletoe was calling him.
He had no golden sickle. He only had the bloody knife he had used to feast on the Selkie with.
Nikola swam out of the water. He took the knife just as the moon showed itself between the clouds.
His cuts were precise. The green mistletoe with its red buds was soon in his hands.
Dimitri came out of the water.
His skin was pale, his eyes were glowing.
"Do I get a kiss if I stand under this weed?" The vampire teased.
Nikola chuckled despite himself.
"You'll get more than that."
The forest was not done healing.
Some rituals were done behind closed doors.