Kaunaz stood in front of the mirror and wondered what the priests would say if they could see him now. Not that they could or would ever see him again, they were all long dead, the entire religion was long dead.

Nothing was known about his birth, he had just appeared on the steps of the church one morning, wearing nothing more than his tattoos. Like all orphans left on the steps they had asked their god to see if he was worthy and when he had been, they had brought him up as a priest.

He had been happy as a priest until one night many, many, many years earlier when someone had finally matched his tattoos to a prophecy.

He was Phoenix born, destined to be reborn every five centuries, to be a symbol of high virtue and grace, of power and prosperity, to be a card shark because he'd been chased out of his home for being a demon creature and had no money. 

He might not starve to death but he preferred to sleep with a roof over his head so needed money. He had no formal qualifications and couldn't get a legal job so was left being a card shark.

He was dressed in leather pants and a black shirt that covered all of his tattoos but the necklace made of flames around his neck.  His red and gold hair was cut short and dyed black. Hair that looked like the sun setting was very rememberable and he couldn't afford to let people remember him. 

He might have rights now but he was still a wanted man, by criminals and the law. 

He had been one of the main supporters of the magic laws going through in the early twenty-first century, getting magic legal throughout the country. Because even if the people on mass ignored magic, killed people for being mages, when a mage came near him, his necklace of flames started flickering and looking like real flames. He had been chased out of more towns than he could remember because of that particular tattoo.

Kaun slipped a second dagger into his boot and fastened the gun holster around his waist, a laser pistol in the holster. They might not have known who or what he was but he seemed to attract trouble. Especially considering he spent his nights cheating other people at cards, being able to see a few minutes in to the future was actually useful for something.

When the prophecy had said he would be able to look into the future, the priests had thought that it meant he would be able to bring them new prophecies. Not beat them all at card games or be an excellent warrior.

He left the room he was renting, making sure to lock the door, secure his key-card and reset his own wards to tell him if there was an intruder. Kaun made his way down to the circle, probably the most illegal place he had ever been and after  seven centuries he had been to many illegal places.

It was a place where anything was legal, any game could be played and anything could be bought or sold, including people and magic powers. He easily found a game of Five Star and managed to get himself invited to play. He used the last of his credits and a bag of scrap plastic to make them think he was rich.

A blonde, muscled waiter dressed in only small denim shorts and leather boots approached the table. "Ladies, gentlemen Drink?"

Kaun watched the rest of them order very alcoholic drinks and hid his sneer of disgust, he hated alcohol of any form but had to keep up appearances. "Lager, Carling," he ordered and got a wide smile in return. There was something about the chemical make-up of Lager that allowed him to metabolise the alcohol in seconds so could drink as much as he wanted without getting drunk.

A hand brushed over his lower back as the younger man walked past, he watched the young man's tight arse as he walked away. Maybe later he could finish his evening with that young man.

He lost at first, making sure it was only by a small amount with the odd "lucky" win thrown in. It was nearly midnight before he slowly started winning more often, slowly building up his pot until he got his chance to go for the big win.

His chance came a few games before he really wanted it to but he had no idea if he would get another hand like it that night. It was a simply ploy really, one he had been using  for centuries. 

They all thought he was a mediocre player who got lucky and couldn't bluff to save his life, although he thought he could. Hundreds of years of life had taught him to be an excellent actor. He had a Royal red circle, only beatable by a Royal green or black circle and he knew none of the others could get a circle.

He pretended he was bluffing, hiding his smile as the pot rose higher and higher, He couldn't hide his grin as his sense allowed him to catch a glimpse of the future, of the outcome.

A few minutes later and it was over, playing out as he had seen, a win that surprised them all and gave him the pot. He smiled at them and shovelled all his winnings into his money bag, a magical one that held a lot more than you would think. "Well Ladies, Gentlemen, it has been fun but I must go," he told them, thinking of the waiter and wondering where the man was.

He ignored their words of complaint about having to win their money back, he had his winnings and they would last him a while. It was the ring of flames around his neck that told him about the arrival of a mage, the fact that they felt warm rather than cold told him it was a mage who worked with light magic. That meant an undercover mage because no light mage just walked into the Circle.

He knew the flames around hid neck would be flickering like a real fire but ignored the muttering around him, trying to spot a familiar face that could be setting his defences off.

When he did see one, he cursed and jumped to his feet running, this wasn't good. Black was head of Wolf team, a very dangerous member of the police force in London so whatever the man was doing in Newcastle he had no idea but it couldn't be good.

He had no idea if anyone was following him, just headed straight for his room, he needed to leave Newcastle as soon as possible or he was going to get himself arrested for a crime he didn't do. Black had been after him long enough to recognise him through any disguise.

He cursed long and hard in as many languages as he could remember when he arrived at his hotel and saw the blue glow from around the window. His personal wards had been breached, there was someone in his room at that moment.

Kaun growled under his breath and carried on running, back the way he had come this time. The Blue glow not only meant that there was actually someone in his room but they they were a mage. He was in doubt that they after him and knew he had to get out of town.

But first he had to change all the Circle credits into real money and pawn anything that wasn't either real money or a circle credit. There was only place in town that not only would be able to change both but he also trusted. 

He had rescued Tomaie from rape when the man had been only been a teenager. Bringing Tomaie up as his own, going from a father son relationship to that of friends then lovers. Tomaie was getting old now, nearly ninety so they no longer had a physical relationship but he did still trust the younger man.

Banging on the door at three in the morning wasn't always the best way to get help but he wanted to be out of town by dawn. It was a very grumpy Tomaie who opened the door but smiled widely when he saw who had woke him up.

"Kaun," the white haired man called with obvious affection and pulled his slim friend into a hug.

"Tomaie," he said and moved them into his friend's shop, he couldn't risk being on the street any longer than he had to.

"What trouble are in my friend?" The younger man asked, leading Kaun into a small kitchen and pulling a tab off a cup of coffee before handing it to the older man.

"Black is in town, I need some credits and artifacts changed."

Tomaie nodded, "I am glad you came before you left."

"I would have sent word to you kid," he said and reached out to stroke the wrinkled cheek, they hadn't been lovers in many years at Tomaie's choice. He would have gone to bed with the older man in a split second if he was offered the chance, he didn't care how old the other man was, he loved Tomaie, not in love but loved.

"My wife finds it very amusing that you call me kid," Tomaie said as he led Kaun down to his shop.

"I told you that you can tell her the truth, you're part of my family. Where is your wife?" His current stay in town was his first in over a decade, although he did write on a regular basis, and while he had been away Tomaie had married. He was sorry that he had  missed the wedding but he was one of the rare people in the world who couldn't be contacted twenty-for hors of any day. He didn't have a transmitter implanted like every other person in the world.

"She's at her sister's, and I know you said I could tell her but she would see you as some sort of god and I know you don't like that. So show me what you have," the white haired man said, indicating his work bench. 

Kaun emptied his money bag onto the desk and let Tomaie sort it out, real money, circle credits he would be able to sell back to the circle and objects. Kaun lost interest as his ex-lover started sorting through the objects, scribbling down prices. He wandered around the store, looking at the objects Tomaie had, seeing if there was anything that interested him.

He called back from his brooding by a gasp form the other man, "My, oh my, oh my." 

Kaun rushed over and stared at the younger man, he was staring at a golden key, it was an old fashioned key, ones that weren't used any more and hadn't been for many decades. Most people wouldn't even recognise it, the owner had probably just thought it was an interestingly shaped piece of valuable metal.

"What is it?" He asked.

"A key."

Kaun just stared at the other man like he had never met him before, of course it was a bloody key, "I can see that you fool but why is it so amazing?"

"It isn't just any key, you've heard of the Palace?"

"Of course, everyone has, there have been rumours of The Palace since I was old enough to know what sex was. But it doesn't exist, it's a rumour."

Tomaie stared at him then shook his head, "But it isn't, it's a real place and this is one of the keys." Suddenly Kaun understood, this was a key to the room of a sex slave, the man couldn't have  had any idea what he was using to play with. Key's for the palace were worth more than all the money he had won that night.

"How do you know it's a real place?" He asked Tomaie, taking the key and looking at it with his magical sense as well as his eyes. A talent he could only do for short periods of time without giving himself a migraine. The key had a magical aura of death and he could see one word written on the side with magic, 'Banshee'.

"I was taken there once before I met you, my father tried to sell me to them but was told I wasn't pretty enough so abandoned me at the gate," Tomaie's words pulled him out of his magic and turned to stare at his friend.

"You were a beautiful child and have grown into an even more beautiful man, if you would have me I would still be in your bed."
Tomaie gave him a smile that reminded the tattooed man of his lover in his youth, the cheeky teenage grin, "I know and you would stay with me instead of living your own life."

"Tomaie I have enough life to stay with you as long as I want."

"I know but I'm married now as well."

"I know Tomaie and I won't push you into it so tell me where this palace is?"

The other man looked slightly surprised an hurt, "You're going to go to see a slave?"

Kaun reached out and stroked the cheek again, "I would stay here but don't want to put you in danger, Black knows I'll have to see a broker before I leave to get the credits from the Circle changed. He'll know I was there considering the way I left and the way the tattoos on my neck lit up."

Tomaie nodded and pulled Kaun down onto his knee, nuzzling pale skin, "I know that in my mind but my heart still hurts, I know I married Candace but you will always be my first love."

"Thanks love, sometimes I need to know that I'm still me."

"I think staying with a key will do you good, Black won't find you and you can have some down time. I'm still going to be jealous that someone else gets to touch you but you need it."

Kaun nodded and relaxed into the larger body, "So tell me where this place is." Kaun listened patiently then shook his head in confusion, "I've been there before and never seen anything."

"It only reacts to employees, who have a special token, and people carrying keys."

"Okay. I had better go, have you got a price for the rest?" He asked, "Except this and this," he added and plucked two pieces from the pile.

"Of course." Tomaie tapped a code out on a pad on the side of his desk, a draw opened and the younger man swept the pieces and credits into it, removing the right amount of money and putting it all into Kaun's money bag. 

Tomaie pushed the other man to his feet and stood up, passing over the money bag then led his ex-lover to the front door. "You'll come see me again soon?" He asked.

"Of course."

Kaun couldn't resist leaning up and placing a small kiss on the other man's lips, "I love you Kaunaz."

"I love you too Tomaie, this is for you," he said and pressed the good luck charm he had removed from the pile into the other man's hand. "bye."

Kaun walked out onto the street, hearing his friend's Goodbye and started towards the Palace.

He had barely turned out of the street when he sensed Black near by, the pair had met under much better circumstances, they had been lovers for four years, he had been Black's first male lover. Then Black found out that he was criminal and arctic winters were warmer than Black. 

His senses allowed him to feel anyone he had spent a large amount of time with, the distance he could sense them from depended on how long they had spent together. 

He started running the opposite direction, not only the opposite direction to Black but also the Palace, not that that really mattered, he would have to loose Black before he could go there. Slavery was illegal and Black would not only close the place down but destroy it in the process.

"Kaunaz stay there," Black shouted, Kaun turned briefly to stare at the man as if he was an idiot but didn't stop. 

It was dawn before he reached the street where The Palace was, he had spent over three hours on the move, dodging Black's men and finally loosing them. The most draining part of the night had been staying lost, keeping his signature and life signs cloaked and hidden from Black's pet mage.

He walked down the street, fingering the key in his pocket, wondering if this was really going to work or if it was just another trick from his old friend. He gasped when he saw the door, it was one he had walked past many times before and never thought about.

A wide wooden door, rare in this day and age, confirming his suspicion that the door had to be warded so that people didn't think about it. Silver letters were written on the wood, "THE PALACE".

He staggered towards it, only the thoughts of abed keeping him on his feet. The door swung open as he approached it and he walked into a huge hall in what looked like an ancient castle. A small man approached him, "Do you have your key sir?"

Kaun pulled the key out of his pocket and handed it to the servant, still holding his shields tight so he could barely be sensed.

"Ah the Banshee key, it has been a while since we saw this key and you may drop your shields sir. Any feuds outside of The Palace may not be brought into here." Kaun nodded and slowly unwrapped his outer shields, letting his senses rush out and sighed in relief. "Follow me please."

He stumbled after the man and only just stopped in time not to walk into the other man. The door they stopped at was solid metal with no handle and no keyhole, only a number, 42. He watched in interest as the small man placed the key on the flat of his and it with a look on concentration on his face opened the door. 

The key floated up and pressed into the door between the numbers, the edge of the door seemed to glow silver before it slowly swung open. 

"The key will reappear here when you leave," The servant said, pointing at a small square window by the door. "Enjoy."

Banshee was in his room, he had only been there a few nights, not that it mattered to him. The move had been made by the only man he ever saw now, there had been others in the past but now it was only this man. He brought Banshee meals, showed owners where he was and moved him. He knew when and how the man would die but at the man's request had never told him.

He barely moved as he heard a key in his door, just sat in the chair, staring into the flames.

"I'm just going to sleep, don't bother to move yourself," an unfamiliar voice said but it wasn't really curiosity that made him turn his head. He stared at the man and gasped, he couldn't see the man's death or rather he could, he could see thousands of deaths that stretched on and on and on. The man lived like he did: on the edge of death.

He stumbled to his feet and over to the man where he had collapsed onto the bed. He had been ordered to do it enough that he knew what to do, he slowly and carefully undressed the man. The man argued, trying to push him away, "Don'ave ta do tha'," he slurred at Banshee.

"I want to," he said and soothed the man the same he would someone who was dying until he lay still. Involuntarily Banshee carried on stroking the soft skin, it was warm, not the normal icy touch of death that he felt when anyone touched him.

He traced the tattoos that seemed to cover the man's entire body then went back and did it again, unable to resist. He was already undressed, not bothering to dress that morning as the cold barely affected him, so he just curled around the warm body and willed himself asleep.

Kaunaz woke up with the feeling of a warm body wrapped around his, his first thought was the waiter from the night before but he didn't feel like he had been fucked. Then he remembered his flight from the law and being undressed by someone with soft hands.

He looked down at the silver head tucked under his chin, long silver hair covering most of them. A silver arm was resting on the side of his face, the hand attached to hit buried in his hair. He tried to roll away but was held in place easily by the other man. He tried to get up but the arms tightened around him, he sighed and relaxed, being held like a teddy bear wasn't exactly torture. It was a well known fact to only him and his lovers that he was a terrible snuggler.