Authors: Amber Belldene
“Let’s go,” Pedro said, dragging his man toward his room. Halfway through the cellar he thought of Kos and Lena, and his footsteps faltered. “Lucas. I feel lousy. Shouldn’t we be—”
“There’s nothing more we can do for them right now.” Lucas pinned Pedro to the wall and kissed him again. Fangs grazed flesh, bodies rubbed almost painful friction between them. “Please, Pedro, your room.”
The begging made him tingle, made his cock fill, but didn’t stir anything darker inside him. Good sign. If this was going to happen, it couldn’t be about domination.
Pedro stepped back, hoping his eyes said what he was feeling. Because he wasn’t ready for the words and wasn’t sure he ever would be.
“Come on,” he said, and they ran together, holding hands. In his room, he had them both naked vampire-fast and he laid Lucas down on the bed. He curved his body into Lucas’s back and reached around for the long cock he loved to taste. “Are you sure about this?” He hoped his strokes would ensure the answer he wanted.
“I trust you.” It was an answer, if not an unequivocal yes.
He breathed onto Lucas’s neck. “My bite will make the first time easy.”
“I was thinking the same thing. So get on with it.”
Pedro didn’t need to be asked twice. One long lick up Lucas’s carotid. Fangs in, and his man was rolling hard. Groaning, thrusting in Pedro’s hand, skin raised up in goose bumps, nipples hard.
Pedro would wait for the deep relaxation, when Lucas had melted under the bite. Until then, Pedro nestled his own erection against Lucas, letting him get used to the hard shaft behind him. His lover pushed back, and Pedro knew he wasn’t just surrendering, he was wanting. What the hell had happened to make Lucas feel this way? He would ask later.
Where his head rested on Pedro’s upper arm, Lucas was sucking on his bicep. His arousal had triggered skin, and mouth. Any second now, Lucas would go molten with the deep pleasure of the bite and it would be easy for him to open up for Pedro. At least he hoped so. Pedro wanted this to be good for Lucas, and not just because he wanted it to happen again, and again.
Then, he could sense Lucas was ready. Hard to say how, but he could. Still latched on to his shoulder, Pedro reached for a bottle of lube and spread it on his cock. With his slick fingers he dipped between Lucas’s cheeks.
He wanted to ask if Lucas was all right. But it was more important to keep drawing on Lucas’s blood, to keep all that bliss in his veins. One downside of super hot bitey sex was no talking. From his sounds and thrusts, Lucas was better than okay, and he relaxed, letting Pedro inside him with ease.
Lucas’s voice came out husky with need. “I’m ready. I’m yours.”
Mine?
Well damn, nobody had ever said that to Pedro before. Suddenly, he was desperate to make it true. Slowly, so slowly it was painful, he eased himself inside Lucas and kept on pulling blood. Lucas groaned with unmistakable pleasure.
Fuck yeah, that was a nice sound.
He was all the way in, deep, and the pleasure of it sent electric jolts from the tip of his cock up his spine, where they exploded in his brain.
Madre de Dios—
Lucas had given him pretty much everything.
He broke the bite, licking Lucas’s wounds closed, and said, “Thank you…”
…for saving my life, for being mine, for giving me this.
He couldn’t say all that. So instead, to the best of his ability, he fucked the man he’d fallen so hard for. Fuck was probably not the right word—he’d think about that later.
He reached around for Lucas’s cock and worked it in time with his thrusts. It only took a minute for all the new sensations to overwhelm Lucas, and then he contracted as he came, squeezing Pedro’s orgasm out and milking him for all he was worth.
Pedro held him tightly, their chests rising and falling together as they caught their breaths.
“Holy shit,” Lucas said.
Pedro chuckled. “Yeah. Me too.”
“I didn’t expect to like it that much.”
That earned a full-blown laugh. “What, like you’re different than every other dude in the world?”
“I don’t know. When I thought it about it, being on that end didn’t feel like me. But as soon as we were naked, it wasn’t really about who I am as much as it was about being with you.”
Pedro was pretty sure those words were way better than the three most people wanted to hear after sex. His fingers played in the dark hair on Lucas’s chest. “What made you ready?”
Lucas hooked his ankle around Pedro’s, entangling their legs. “Don’t underestimate sitting in the dark with your fantasies for two days. I had some time to get over my qualms.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. But there’s something else too—Leo.”
Pedro’s eyes blurred, his hand fisted in Lucas’s chest hair. Was he jealous? That wasn’t normally his thing. “Do I want to hear this?”
Lucas rolled over to face him, grinning like he knew what Pedro felt. “I think you do. Talking to the kid made me realize that I don’t mind this blood thing between us. I would if it were anybody else, but it’s you, so it’s hot.”
Rolling onto his back, he considered Lucas’s confession—he had one to make of his own. Resting his head in his palms, he stared at the ceiling. “There’s something about my addiction to your blood that you need to know.”
His grave tone must have put Lucas on edge. He sat up fast. “Go on.”
“You know how Zoey and Andre are a thing?”
“Some kind of vampire bond, right?”
“Yeah. It starts when a vampire develops a hunger for a particular person’s blood. Andre falls in love with her, starts jonesing for her blood, and then, when he actually bites her—something happens. It’s like…biochemical. He tastes her blood and then in some bizarro vampire way, their blood is connected together—they feel each other, they only want each other. It’s like what happens when I bite you, but it’s a permanent thing—apparently, you’re inside each other’s head, heart, even.”
“Sounds hot. It goes the same way when she bites him?”
“Yeah. But with his first wife, a human, it was only one way. Then, when she died, it nearly killed him.”
Lucas stilled, like he was holding his breath or something. Yep, he was getting the idea. He scratched his scalp. “So, that could happen to you—you’re already only hungry for my blood.”
“Pretty much.” Pedro licked his lips.
“And then you’re double fucked because you need me to be human to feed and you need me to be a vampire to bond with you, or else eventually I die.”
Pedro squeezed his eyes shut and nodded.
“Well, there is one solution. Do you think you could feed from another Hunter?”
“Leo?”
Lucas lay down again at Pedro’s side. “I actually meant that asshole Derek. He needs a little fang.”
It was Pedro’s turn to sit up. “I don’t get it.”
“I’m working on a plan.” Lucas’s long fingers splayed on his flat belly.
Fuck, he was beautiful, and there was no time to think about that. “
Mierda
, Lucas, spit it out already.”
“After a few days in the cell with me, Leo’s Hunter programming collapsed like a house of cards. He’s gay, and he was alienated like me. Then you all showed him mercy—he’d join your ranks in an instant.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah. Derek’s tougher, though. He belongs, he has Ethan’s approval. But a bite is very persuasive, and if you push him, he knows there’s no reason for all the hate.”
Pedro couldn’t believe it. “He’s straighter than a country road.”
“Also true. So maybe Zoey should bite him.”
“Not gonna happen. Andre’s very jealous. Maybe Uta. But what are we going to do with a couple of sympathetic Hunters, anyway?”
“Turn them into vampires and start a civil war.”
Chapter 29
O
F
A
LL
T
HE
P
LACES
T
O
B
RING
L
ENA
, Ethan had chosen the cruelest—Kos’s house at the coast. Once it had been her sanctuary from Andre, a place where she found herself again after he’d humiliated her.
The fog hung low in the salty, kelp-scented air. When the cabin came into view through the windshield, she finally spilled the tears she’d held the entire car ride.
With its soft, cloud-filtered light and its walls crammed full of bookshelves, walking into the cozy house was like stepping into Kos’s arms. The breath rushed from her body, and her vision went black. She grabbed onto a coat rack, steadying herself and breathing deeply. It wasn’t over yet, and she had to be brave. She needed to focus.
Maybe she could leave him a message, something for him to find when she was gone. She longed to write the words they both knew were true—she loved him. And he would need to know that she didn’t blame him, too. He was still a stupid coward, but no need to write that part down.
Ethan’s heartless voice filled the room. “Hello, Kosjenic.”
Oh God. This was it. The ransom demand. Her lungs locked up around a chestful of air.
“Yes, she’s here. Perfectly safe. A little nibbled on by your friend Kearney. Have you found out about his proclivities yet? That was an ill-conceived plan you made.”
She could easily imagine Kos stiffening at the charge.
Yes, Ethan was a sadist through and through. “Lena, tell him you’re well.”
She lunged for the phone, but Ethan held her at arms distance. So she shouted. “Don’t bargain with him. He’ll double cross you. Don’t give up the vines. There’s no way to win this.”
Ethan chuckled. “She’s feisty, but you can hear she is fit and fine.” Then he listened to Kos’s response.
Her tears returned. She shouted again, sobbing. “I’m not worth it. Don’t risk it. Andre will never forgive you.”
“Silence, Lena, or I will gag you.” Ethan wagged a finger at her like she was a naughty child.
Creep.
But she’d said her piece. She curled up on the low couch where she’d once napped blissfully, pulled up a soft woven blanket, and tried to breathe in Kos’s scent. Gwen sat in a rocker opposite the couch, staring at Lena with a blank expression.
With hollow politeness, Ethan delivered his instructions. “At precisely one hour after sunset, you may retrieve Lena from your house at the coast. When she is in your custody, you will call your father, and he will do whatever it takes to lower that blasted shield.”
Ethan had something in his hand, squeezing his fist so tightly a drop of blood splashed onto the hardwood floor. It was a surprising display of passion. Lena almost smiled to herself. She knew how the shield worked and he didn’t, a small pleasure, like turning her back on him in the burned up vineyard.
“Fly here. Alone. We are watching the estate. No one leaves but you.”
She tried one last time. “Stay away, Kos!”
Ethan crossed to her in three quick steps and backhanded her across the face. Pain bloomed along her cheekbone, and the iron tang of her own blood filled her mouth. She tried to sink further into the couch.
“And finally, Kosjenic, Lena will only have safe passage from this house if the shield is down. All of my snipers will be in position.” After a pause, Ethan laughed. “That is wise. I don’t trust you either. I suppose it comes down to who can outsmart whom.”
He ended the call, slid his phone into his pocket, and went to the kitchen area. At the sink, he unclenched his fist, running it under the faucet. He set something down next to the sink and dried his hands.
Lena squinted, trying to bring the object into focus. Was that one of those plastic toy soldiers? What a nut job—he was like a little boy, trying to play at war, trying to control everyone, a big cruel bully.
Gwen rose. “Lena, would you like to freshen up? You’re covered in blood. Perhaps there is something warm and clean for you to wear.”
Gwen glanced at Ethan, tucking her chin slightly. The look that passed between them told Lena the woman wouldn’t defy him. She might have had a conscience once, but he was her right and wrong now.
And Lena was on her own.
Maybe there were razor blades in Kos’s bathroom.
Chapter 30
“C
AN
Y
OU
F
LY
?” Kos asked Uta.
She snorted. “Of course.” Leaning forward, she peered at one of the oil paintings on the wall of Andre’s office. “This all wrong. The pier here much shorter. And are you not remembering? Tom’s house yellow, not white.”
Andre handed her a glass of Blood Vine. “Did you hear about Tom’s death?”
“I am there.” She blinked. “We honor him well. I sing his favorite songs.” She sipped the wine, and her eyes rolled back in her head. Her expression was so raw Kos looked away, burning with embarrassment. He did not need to see that look on his Auntie Uta’s face.