Author Notes:

I bet you all thought I'd died, but nope I'm still here and I'm still trucking along trying to find my inspiration to begin writing again. I'd like to apologize though for being an absentee for so long... too long. If I have any fans left I hope you enjoy my eighth installment of Deceiving Fate!

Warnings: A bit of violence and distress occurs, but don't be too worried I won't let my boys get into it too deep!

Ooh, P.S. I still have no BETA so don't be too outraged by the spelling and grammatical errors of this piece.

Enjoy:

The candlelight flickered against the gust of air that swung throughout the room with the door as it was violently pushed aside. The two grown men hunkered in together and watched the younger boy's expression color with surprise.

Alexander was the first to regain his composure and tightened his hold on Hephaistion, assessing the threat that lie before them. The room was small; it would not be easy to get out without a struggle with the men.

"Who are you?" the prince asked his voice low and menacing. He could hear Hephaistion breath beside his now and realized it sounded strangely faster than normal, almost wet. The young lad remembered his dear friend's chest injury and spared a glance at Hephaistion.

The blue eyes were cloudy and dull, almost if his life was draining from them. In that moment of realization, Alexander decided that he didn't feel as bad as he'd originally thought, for his love looked to be in a lot more pain than he.

"Your gracious host sire," Dione snorted with a sarcastic bow.

But it wasn't Dione that Hephaistion was starring at with wide eyes; it was the larger man that stood behind the gangly blonde. The larger man stared back licking his lips while lustfully staring at the wounded Hephaistion.

The brown haired teenager cringed back against Alexander who seemed a lot more confident than himself in this situation. "Alexander," he whispered softly.

Alexander's hand sought out Hephaistion at the worried sound that broke from his mouth. "Where are we?" the young prince demanded as anger began to creep into his voice. At the silence Alexander boomed, "Answer me!"

A sneer crossed Dione's face and he shrugged defiantly, "Home." Dione watched an emotion akin to fierce anger cross the young prince's face while fear crossed the other boy's. "I don't think that would be the best thing for us young lads."

Hephaistion became rigid in Alexander's arms as Bemes took a step towards them. "You were in the woods," he realized. That is where the familiarity ended and the panic began. "Let us go," he mumbled in pain.

"Do you have any idea who you're dealing with peasant?" Alexander asked in the strongest voice he possessed. He needed to get them out of here and away from these men. "My father will have you tortured, ripped apart by the dogs."

Bemes and Dione both blanched at that, but took a large step leaving them both on opposite sides of the bed, Bemes beside the trembling Hephaistion and Dione beside the anger ridden prince.

It was time to act, and Alexander lashed out, knocking Dione aside from a swift and heavy kick to the gut. A curse left the skinny man as he toppled backwards knocking over the lone chair.

The prince was on his feet pulling a surprised Hephaistion with him as the larger man came to his senses and began reaching forward to grab onto the brown headed boy. Alexander ignored the ache that rippled through his shoulder at his movements and allowed it to die quickly as adrenaline began to course through his veins.

With Hephaistion clutched at his side, Alexander scrambled towards the open door.

They were so close.

A strong hand lashed out and grabbed the prince's ankle causing him to stumble and loosen his hold on his priceless package.

"Gotcha!" a triumphant voice called as Alexander felt Hephaistion being abruptly ripped from his grasp.

The prince fell to his knees with a 'thump'. He turned his head to find Dione latched onto his leg, and with a growl Alexander pulled his leg forward and reared it back, catching the vile man in the cheek.

Dione hollered amidst the sudden hurt and released his prize.

Alexander scrambled to his feet and sought out his beloved.

"Alexander!" Hephaistion cried out in pain and fear at being pulled by strong calloused hands back to the bed.

With a feral snarl Alexander was across the bed and atop the huge Bemes, forcing him to drop Hephaistion to the bed. They flew back into the wall, and with a rage like he'd never felt before, Alexander hit and scratched and gouged at the man trying to throw him off.

"Stop!" a slimy voice called out. "Or he dies!"

Alexander snapped his head around, and his eyes opened wide in horror.

Hephaistion was being held taut against Dione's chest, head pulled back by a wrinkly hand that covered his mouth. The young man's feet weren't even touching the ground. A knife rested against his pale throat, menacingly etching into the skin and drawing a small line of blood.

Alexander froze and allowed himself to be thrown off and then pinned to the ground. "Don't hurt him," he pleaded.

Bemes wrenched Alexander's arms behind his back and ripped a dirty sheet from the bed and tied his prey's wrists together and then again to his ankles. He gripped Alexander by the neck and pulled his head up. "This is going to be fun." He glanced up at his cousin and grinned despite the blood rolling down his cheek from his tussle with the prince.

Dione chuckled and slowly lowered the knife from Hephaistion's throat. The young lad squirmed and called out for his prince all the while receiving a painful tightening at his chest from his captor that left him breathless.

"Let go! I'll kill you," Hephaistion threatened pathetically.

Bemes let go of the prince to help his cousin with the blue eyed angel. "Hold still you!" Bemes shouted as Hephaistion kicked out at him.

"Grab 'im you idiot!"

Bemes managed to grab hold of Hephaistion's legs and pinned them together as Dione moved his own arms to get a better grip of the boy, pinning his arms down at his sides.

Despite being clearly outmatched, Hephaistion still fought albeit weakly. He tried to drown out the burning in his chest but couldn't help having to breathe in ragged breaths as the two sadistic men dragged him over to the bed.

Hephaistion could hear the colorful words spewing from Alexander's mouth as he fought to rid himself of his bonds. He could also make out the vile death threats that followed his beloveds cursing.

"Let us go!" Hephaistion pleaded once more as a sheet was wrapped around his own hands. "Don't do this, by the Gods, please stop!"

He was on the bed again, Bemes straddling him, and holding his arms above his head so they were being pushed against the mattress. He screamed at the realization of what was going to happen to him until his voice turned ragged and then finally no sound came forth.

The new found terror caused him to renew his struggle as a hand moved down his aching chest and began to pull his hunting tunic off. His head swam as if there wasn't enough air in the room to save him. Tears coursed down his cheeks and he found peace in the fact that maybe if he lasted long enough Alexander's father would appear and rescue his dear Alexander before these vile men could turn their attention to him.

Hephaistion became lax as Bemes leaned forward and cut off his air by crushing his chest further. "Alexander," he moaned with the last of his breath. Cracked, disgusting lips found his, and to his horror he could not fight back. He was spent and utterly useless.

Dark spots danced across his eyes, and then rolled up into his head.

"You killed him you big oaf!" Dione snarled and yanked the large man from the unconscious boy's limp body.

They both cringed as a wailing scream pierced the room, coming from their captive that still struggled on the floor.

"I'll rip your hearts out!" Alexander screamed. "The God's will see to you being damned to an eternity of hell being reborn just so I can make you suffer everlastingly!"

It all happened so fast.

The two grown men were examining the boy on the bed and the next they were lying prone on the wooden floor.

"Alexander!" Cleitus's familiar voice boomed through the small room.

The King's soldier was beside the flailing prince in a flash, cutting the dirty sheet from his hands and feet. "Are you unhurt?"

Alexander pushed his savior aside and scrambled until he was on the bed beside Hephaistion. His fingers sought out the spot on Hephaistion's neck that the healers showed him to find when not sure of life or death in the body.

"You live," Alexander breathed. He gently began tapping Hephaistion's cheeks, aware of Cleitus's presence above him, cutting away his beloveds bonds.

Slowly, blue eyes appeared beneath pale eyelids. "Ale'… xander?"

"I'm here."

"The soldiers are almost here Alexander," Cleitus informed his prince. "The healers are with them."

Alexander nodded and lifted Hephaistion until his face was protectively pushed against his good shoulder. "You're safe; they won't harm you ever again."

"I want to go home," Hephaistion mumbled as fresh tears slid down his face to mingle with the blood, sweat, and grime on Alexander's tunic.

Alexander kissed Hephaistion's hair and rocked his back and forth like a newborn unable to sleep. "We're going home."

End Flashback

Alexander kissed the back of Hephaistion's hand. "Maybe that wasn't one of the best memories of our childhood dear Hephaistion."

"No," Hephaistion agreed. "But it goes to prove how resilient you are…"

"And how I would never be able to live without you," Alexander reminded him. "I almost lost you that day; you almost left me to face this world alone…"

"I'm still here aren't I?"

Alexander stared into the pain dulled eyes of his companion and leaned forward to place a kiss upon his forehead. "Yes, yes you are."

He glanced around the extravagant room and sighed at the many colors the Persian's fancied. Not nearly as plain and simple as Macedonia's. And, despite smelling like illness, Hephaistion's room still clung to the scent that was still unbearably his lovers.

"You never did tell me what happened to those men Alexander," Hephaistion began.

Alexander looked back to his sickly lover and smiled a tight smile, "Just know that they knew the true meaning of suffering, and they felt what we felt. I told them what I would do, and they refused me as their prince. May they rot in Hades."

Hephaistion smiled and grabbed Alexander's hand. "What memory shall was uncover now?"

A knowing smile spread across the King's face. "How about our trip to Athens all those summers ago?"

"Ah, yes. What a lovely memory indeed."

TBC... I'd just like to take this time and thank all of my fans who are still with me, and all the new ones that are jumping on this crazy bandwagon with me!