“And he’s not a good guy is he?”
“No. I think it is Dakar, the demon who inhabited your body.”
“Jesus. You have to let Marcus know!”
“I already have.”
“Oh, right, you can do that. But what makes you think it’s him?”
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“Demons exude a certain power. I sensed it from across the bar. Unfortunately, he disappeared before we got close enough for me to be absolutely sure. But that in itself made me suspicious. Why suddenly vanish because Alex was being joined by friends? Unless Dakar sensed my presence then recognised me, as of course he would, having been in my company the other night.”
“Wonder why he was talking to Alex. You think he was just trying to pick him up?”
“Possibly. Your friend, Alex, is a very attractive man…”
“Hey…” Tommy tightened his arms round his lover. “None o’ that.”
Andrew chuckled and slipped his hand inside Tommy’s shirt, gently teasing his left nipple. “Are you jealous?” he asked, his voice a near whisper.
“You bet I am. Even best friends don’t get near the man I love.” Tommy ran a hand through Andrew’s silky hair and took his mouth in a long, demanding kiss. He felt his clothes fall away, and Andrew’s naked body pressed hard against him. He moaned his satisfaction into Andrew’s mouth as their tongues intertwined and Andrew grasped his erection, pumping it with long, measured strokes.
Tommy wasn’t sure if it was that little spark of jealousy that had ignited his almost overwhelming need to know that Andrew was indeed all his—that his vampire lover wanted no other man but him. Andrew called him
édesem
—sweetheart—and had shown over and over again that he adored Tommy through his acts of love, his kisses, the long looks when they were in the company of others, the looks that promised so much when they would at last be alone.
And yet…and yet… Was he enough for Andrew?
His involuntary moan of apprehension was muffled by Andrew’s lips and tongue that sent shudders of desire through Tommy’s body, that heated his blood and made him want to cry out, “I love you!” for all the world to hear.
Hearing Tommy’s silent cry, Andrew wrenched his mouth away from Tommy’s to gasp, “I love you too, Tommy. Never doubt it for a moment. We are one, bound by love and blood—nothing but death can part us.”
They fell back across the couch, Tommy’s body covering Andrew’s, his burning lips searing Andrew’s cool flesh with the passion his lover’s words had instilled in him. He kissed Andrew lips, the smooth column of his throat, lingering over his Adam’s apple for a moment before nibbling on each tiny nipple already made hard by their mutual fervour. He www.total-e-bound.com
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traced his mouth in a hungry erotic pattern over the hard torso under him until he reached Andrew’s raging erection and took it between his lips, sucking up the pre-cum, savouring the spicy essence that rolled over his tongue. Andrew writhed beneath Tommy, his hands alternately stroking Tommy’s hair or clutching at his shoulders as Tommy began feasting on Andrew’s balls, licking the soft skin, teasing them gently between his lips. Tommy lifted Andrew’s hips, cupping his butt, giving himself access to Andrew’s opening He slid his tongue over Andrew’s perineum before lapping at the tight pucker in the cleft between the twin globes of taut, smooth flesh that tensed in Tommy’s hands as he delved deeper, bringing his lover to the edge of ecstasy.
“Fuck me, Tommy,” Andrew moaned out his need, lifting his legs over Tommy’s shoulders, and Tommy raised his head and smiled at Andrew the smile that drove the vampire slightly mad with lust and wanting. “Gods, Tommy, want you so much. Fuck me, hard.”
Tommy, his heart pounding and soaring as it always did when he made love to Andrew, guided his hard cock into the opening made slick with his saliva and pushed forward, his eyes zeroing in on the rapt expression on Andrew’s beautiful face, on the ice-blue gaze that glazed with lust as Tommy drove himself deep into Andrew’s core.
Yes…this is all I live for,
Tommy exulted
, this moment when we are one. When everything and
everyone else goes away and it’s just Andrew and me—no one else, just Andrew and me
…
Andrew arched his body as he took all of Tommy deep inside, holding Tommy tightly to him with his arms and legs, his face upturned to receive all the kisses Tommy could give him.
“Oh, God…” Tommy’s cry of frustration between kisses signalled his nearing climax.
“Not yet, want this to last, forever. Oh, God, you’re killing me, Andrew!”
Andrew smiled into Tommy’s kiss, running his hands up and down Tommy’s now sweat-slicked spine, soothing him, caressing him, using his power to let Tommy’s orgasm recede for just a few moments more. He was rewarded by the sounds of his lover’s rapture as he pounded Andrew’s ass with a wild abandon, pumping his cock in and out of Andrew’s hungry hole until he could hold back no longer.
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ecstasy. Andrew held him clasped in a fierce embrace, riding the waves of pleasure and excitement along with his lover, his own climax exploding from him a few seconds later.
Tommy collapsed over him, covering his face and throat with kisses, mumbling silly and some dirty words of endearment in Andrew’s ear.
Andrew smiled, caressing Tommy’s body with long, soothing strokes, nuzzling his neck, nipping gently at the smooth skin. He felt Tommy’s body relax and grow heavier in his arms, then a gentle snore escape Tommy’s parted lips. Gods, how he loved this mortal man.
The earlier events of the evening pricked at his mind and instinctively he tightened his arms around Tommy, causing his lover to mutter in his sleep and press his lips to Andrew’s neck.
He was sure the tall, blond-haired man talking to Alex in the bar had been Dakar, and that could only mean more trouble lay ahead for all of them—vampires and demons alike—
but he would do everything within his power to prevent Tommy being involved again.
Almost losing him once had been Andrew’s worst nightmare. He would most definitely go along with Marcus and Joseph’s plan to keep their mortals safe. For that reason he hadn’t mentioned to Tommy the fact that Constantine had been in touch with Marcus. Constantine had learned that Dakar was rumoured to be gathering an army in order to challenge Marcus and his followers.
Andrew wondered at that. As a human, Dakar had been no match for Marcus. Perhaps he was more powerful in his demon form. He had, after all, overcome the champion Kardis had chosen to replace him. Yet, Andrew refused to believe that Marcus could ever be brought down. He was the most powerful of all vampires. Even the Dark Forces had failed in their attempts to vanquish him.
No, all would be well. Marcus would prevail and all of those near and dear to him would be kept safe. Andrew would not believe it could be otherwise.
Tommy stared at the empty locker in front of him with disbelief. Alex’s locker was stripped bare. Nothing of his friend’s belongings remained.
“Weird, huh…” Tommy turned to find Fire Chief Brad Lambert standing behind him, his eyes also scanning Alex’s empty locker.
“What happened?”
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“He came in last night, grabbed everything out of his locker, left me a note of resignation on my desk and left. Didn’t say a word to anyone here.” Lambert gave Tommy a long look. “I’m guessing, from your stunned expression, he didn’t say anything to you either.”
“No, he didn’t. I saw him last night. We had a beer. He was fine—never said a word about this. I don’t get it.”
“I called his apartment after I read the note,” Lambert said. “No reply. Nothing on his cell either. No voice mail even.”
“This is crazy,” Tommy muttered. “Alex loved this job…
loved it
. He’d never quit.”
Tommy raked his fingers through his hair in frustration. “This makes no sense, Chief, no sense at all. Something’s wrong. Something
must
be wrong for him to do this. Can I go over to his place? Maybe he’s sick.”
“He wasn’t sick when he came in last night and stripped his locker. The guys who saw him said he looked okay. A little mad at the world, maybe, but otherwise okay.”
“Mad at the world?” Tommy shook his head. “He was fine last night, joking and laughing like he always does. This is screwy…”
Lambert clapped a hand on Tommy’s shoulder. “Okay, take an hour and go knock on his door. If he’s there, I guess you’re the only one he’ll open up to. Find out what brought this on.”
“Thanks, Chief.”
“And Tommy, tell him if he changes his mind real quick before I have to file his resignation, he can get his job back.”
Good, he’s home
, Tommy thought as he left his bike next to Alex’s car in the ‘reserved for tenants only’ parking area. On the short drive over to Alex’s apartment he’d tried to understand the reasoning behind his friend’s sudden decision to leave his job, but try as he might, Tommy just could not come up with a valid motive. Had something happened after he and Andrew had said goodnight and left Alex outside the Blue Moon last night? He’d seemed fine, and Tommy figured he knew Alex well enough to know when he might be out of sorts—or mad at the world, as Chief Lambert had intimated. No way had he been
mad at
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the world
when the three of them were having a drink. In fact, Tommy was sure Alex had really enjoyed meeting Andrew, had flirted with him even.
Damn, but this makes no sense at all.
He ran up the few steps to Alex’s apartment and banged loudly on the door. He banged even louder when he got no reply.
“Alex! It’s me, Tommy,” he yelled.
Nothing.
He rattled the door knob and started in surprise when the door opened under his pressure. “Alex? It’s Tommy,” he said, stepping inside the darkened living room. “Are you home, buddy?” He scanned the room as he walked over to the kitchen and turned on the light.
“Alex?” He walked down the short hall to the bedroom. The door was open, and it was obvious the room was empty. No sound of the shower running. No sounds at all. “Shit…”
Tommy glanced at his watch. Eleven. Too early for Andrew to be up and about, but he might just be awake. He pulled out his cell and punched in Andrew’s number.
“Yes, Tommy?”
“Hi, sorry to bother you this early, but I got to the station and Alex quit his job. I’m over at his place and he’s not here. His car is, but he’s not.”
“Are there signs of a struggle? Anything out of place?” Andrew asked.
“No, everything looks okay. Did you…did you sense anything wrong with him last night? I know you can pick up on stuff like that real easy.”
“No, I did not. He seemed quite free of any kind of angst, or indecision. In fact, I would say he is a most uncomplicated man. Of course, you know him better, Tommy.”
“No, no, I agree. Alex is kinda happy-go-lucky most of the time. This is just so
unlike
him, you know?”
“I understand your concern, but…” The hesitation in Andrew’s voice drew Tommy to alertness.
“What? You did sense something, didn’t you?”
“Tommy, I…”
“
Andrew
.” Tommy narrowed his eyes as he continued. “If you suspect something, you have to tell me what it is! Alex is my best friend and—”
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“Yes, I know. It’s just that, gods, Tommy—Marcus doesn’t want any of our mortal friends involved in what might happen.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Dakar, Tommy. Marcus has been informed by a fairly reliable source that Dakar is recruiting, or rather enslaving humans to help him usurp Lord Kardis, the ruler of the demon underworld. Then he plans to take on Marcus and his loyal followers.”
“But what has this to do with Alex?” Tommy drew in a sharp breath. “You mean…?
Oh, God, you think Dakar might have taken Alex?”
“Well, is it not a rather strange coincidence that we saw him in conversation with Dakar last night, then he mysteriously disappears after quitting his job?”
“Damn that fucking demon! I’ll kill the son of a bitch if he hurts Alex.”
“Tommy, calm down. We don’t know for certain that’s what happened. First, we have to find out just where Dakar is, and where he is keeping his recruits. I will contact Marcus.
Perhaps his demon friend, Constantine, can be of some help.”
“Yeah, another demon. How does Marcus know he can trust this guy?”
Andrew sighed. “Demons can never be trusted. They are inveterate liars, but Constantine owes his life to Marcus, and because of Marcus he has vampire blood in his veins. I have to believe that Constantine is as loyal as any demon can possibly be.”
“You’re not exactly filling me with confidence here,” Tommy said, grimacing.
“Can you come home, Tommy? I can’t go out yet, and the phone is not the best way to deal with this.”
“Right. I’m going to root around for any kind of clue here, then I’ll ask Chief if I can have the rest of the day off. Don’t know how difficult it’ll be with Alex gone, but I’ll do my best.”
Andrew closed his cell phone and fell back on the bed with a groan. The lethargy that all vampires endured until near dusk made it difficult for him to function at his full capacity.
He could, however, move about the darkened apartment and he could communicate his fears to Marcus and the others.
If Constantine was indeed a reliable source—and at this point Andrew had no reason to doubt he was, given his and Marcus’ history—then it might very well be that Alex had been abducted by Dakar and his minion, Arturo, along with who knew how many more humans.