by V L Moon
Opening his eyes, Copi stared in exultation at the male who held him. Eyes so dark and yielding they seemed pained; yet, they stared back at him. They held Copi spellbound with the unabashed infinity of adoration and love. For a split second, Copi saw his whole life played out within the depths of those eyes. They held a purpose, a meaning and a part of him, a part of Copi that belonged there
“Sire.” The word slammed into the crest of Copi's erratically beating chest. The thump, thump, thump of Copi's heart roared in his ears. The chiming of a clock in one of the rooms above him sounded more like the bells of a cathedral. Nothing made sense. The chaotic reverberation of deafening crescendo held Copi captive.
Locked in and held still by the purifying will of Vischeral's mind, the cacophony in Copi's mind ebbed away until all that remained was the calming fortitude of his Sire's intrepid gaze. The significant knowledge of what Vischeral sacrificed to save what he saw as his paid homage to the swelling ache in Copi's heart. Vischeral's arms embraced him, pulling Copi into his chest. A great sense of ease swept away the mantle of his death. Copi rested.
Comforted by the arms of his savior, the vampire who sired him, Copi looked up into Vischeral's handsome face and smiled, showing just the very fine points of his needle sharp fangs. Even though his body felt charged with life, Copi felt tired, deathly tired.
Vischeral's deep baritone cut through Copi's thoughts. “You were…,” Vischeral's voice trailed off, cracking as though under a great deal of emotional pain. He coughed, clearing his throat. After a few more seconds that seemed to linger in the small gap between the here and now, Vischeral gulped before his smooth rich voice resonated once again.
“I nearly lost you out there. You were so cold, so still. And the blood, oh my God, your blood was everywhere. I…I couldn't let you go. I had to try, had to see if—God help me I'm sorry, Copi.”
“Hush.” Copi sensed the terror in the voice of his mate, saw the horror of the scene and felt the emanating fear of losing what he loved. “Shah, I'm here now. Right here with you. You did the right thing, it's what I wanted, to be with you. I always did. From the first night in the alley, it was always going to be you.”
Moisture glowed in the depths of Vischeral's lifeless eyes and ran as a rivulet of ruby red down the starkly pale contours of his beautiful face. Biting back the hesitant nerves rising within him, Copi eased himself up to come face to face with his Maker. Slowly with their eyes never leaving each other’s fixated stare, Copi placed the swell of his lips to Vischeral's face. Kissing tenderly, Copi drank of his tears, hoping to somehow ease the pain of the embittered break in Vischeral's long lived pledge never to turn another. When the tide of tears ran dry, Copi invaded his mouth. Hunger for the feel of Vischeral's full moist lips drove Copi deeper into Vischeral's arms and further into the awaiting splendor of his Sire’s succulent waiting mouth.
Fisting the soft finery of Vischeral's hair in one hand and placing the palm of his other over the heart in Vischeral's chest, Copi plundered deeper into the delectable well of Vischeral's flavorsome mouth. The erotic explosion of his male’s tongue dueling with Copi's poured through his blood stream. An intensity of emotion Copi had never witnessed roared to life inside of him, mixing, blending joining as one until something inside Copi shifted. Like satin brushed against fur, it snarled in the shadows, reared its savage ugly head and howled.
Stopped dead in his tracks, Copi sat up. His eyes widened in unbridled fear. The rush of his blood racing to his heart rose in his ears. Looking down at where his hand lay splayed across the resplendent chest where Vischeral's heart lay silent as stone, a frenzied tremor of terror crawled up the line of Copi's rigid spine. The residing darkness tore at Copi, lancing through his heart with clawing talons and a howling fetid bark.
Copi careened off of Vischeral’s lap not caring where he fell and scuttled back on his hands and heels until his back became fused to the wall. “No. “The color drained from his face and all he could see was a void, an empty cavern filled with the remains of what were human bones. Copi screamed “NOOOOOOOO!” His hands tore through his sweat drenched hair and prayed to God to let him die.
~*~*~*~
Waking just before the sun slipped below the horizon, Vischeral opened his eyes to study the male slumped against the wall across from him. Copi's awakening had not been pleasant. Oh, the initial reaction had been all that Vischeral hoped for, Copi's acceptance of what he was, that kiss, and then the fucking wolf.
“Fucking lupine bastard.” The heated curse exploded from Vischeral. Hatred, deep and seething roiled around him staining the air. The acrid stench flaunted itself in Vischeral's nostrils. Oh how he hated the beast for having one ounce of his Copi.
He hadn't needed the bond to see the absolute horror in Copi's eyes when the wolf made itself known. Nor, had he had the time to reassure his partner before Copi retreated and fell into the Sole Dormire. Rising from the chair where he'd slumbered after Copi fled their bed, Vischeral strode across the floor to Copi's unnaturally still form. The ache in Vischeral's chest throbbed, forcing him to run a hand over the offending area.
Never had he wanted this for Copi. Not the vampire and certainly not the wolf. But, no matter what dwelled inside his partner, Vischeral craved him, craved the love he felt blossoming between them. A love that terrified him yet thrilled him at the same time. Squatting before the sleeping male, he resisted the urge to touch him. He knew full well newly turned vampires could be vicious upon waking, and Vischeral had no desire to harm Copi any further.
When he felt the sun fully disappear, Vischeral gingerly tapped Copi on the shoulder and then tensed. Amber eyes opened, but avoided his gaze. Utter despair coupled with a hollow emptiness shone from Copi's stare chilling Vischeral's very marrow.
~*~*~*~
Many hours later when nightfall gifted her appearance upon the Earth, a slight touch of a hand to his shoulder brought Copi back with a jolt. He studiously avoided Vischeral’s concerned gaze. He didn’t understand how his partner could stand to look upon him. Rising up from his haunches, he didn't feel, didn't see, and didn’t want anything except to escape. Vischeral reached out and ran fingers down his cheek. God it hurt, but he moved away from his master’s tender touch. He heard his name in that deep resonating voice, but Copi made no attempt at meeting Vischeral's gaze.
Stained by the defiant nature of a virulent wolf, Copi faced the ruination of his being. He was nothing, solely unworthy of his Sire’s love. Nothing. A sired psychotic half breed formed of vampire and wolf.
With nothing left but the shell of himself, Copi sidestepped his partner and padded barefoot up the incline and into the house above. Resolutely, he opened up the doors to the darkness outside and stepped through. Though it took every bit of self-control he possessed, he clicked the lock on his love for the vampire below him and shut the door behind him.
~*~*~*~
Before he could speak, Copi surged to his feet, forcing Vischeral to do the same. He watched the battle play out in Copi’s eyes and stood helpless. Without a word, Copi stalked past him for the stairs. Stunned, Vischeral watched the male mount the stairs and disappear. The quiet click of the front door echoed with finality. Terror that he had, in fact, lost the male spiraled through him, igniting his anger.
“Oh, fucking hell no, Cophious Dane,” Vischeral breathed. His anger spiked dangerously. “You think to fucking walk out on me, my vampire. It's not going to fucking happen. You belong to me.” Vischeral's first instinct, to port out and retrieve his male, swelled in his mind and then faltered. One course of action loomed before him; a course he despised.
Gathering himself, Vischeral slipped into the icy cold persona he presented to the world. The immense fortitude and strength of will Darklon coveted swarmed around him. With savage intensity, he plunged his mind into Copi's turbulent one.
“COME. BACK. NOW.”
The command bombarded the other male fueled by the immense power of Vischeral's rage and dominance. Vischeral
spared him nothing. Through the bond and the mind link, he felt and heard Copi's whimper of pain. The bruising crash of Copi's knees against the pavement reverberated in his own senses. Vischeral cruelly ignored the male's pain. Surprisingly, Copi resisted. Vischeral struggled with himself as the male clawed his way down the driveway desperate to escape. His heart broke at Copi's abject despair.
Deep in Copi's mind, Vischeral had no choice but to feel the brush of it against his own mind. Vischeral mentally shoved aside the compassion. Using Copi's resistance to further fuel his anger, Vischeral latched on to the fiery tendrils and drilled even deeper. Viciously, Vischeral wrapped imaginary fingers around the new vampire's throat and squeezed mercilessly. Calling on his sovereignty as Copi's Sire, he repeated the command to return. Again, Copi resisted strengthened by the wolf's desire to be free.
“You dare to resist me? I fucking own you, pup.” Vischeral torqued his will, increasing the demand that Copi obey. With each new plateau of power, his heart shattered a bit more. He walked a fine line. By breaking the wolf, he could very well break Copi. Silently, in a small still corner of his own mind, he pleaded with the other male. You have to fight Copi. You have to help me defeat the wolf. Don't give up, il mio amante.
~*~*~*~
Locked and held tight within his Sire’s mental grip, Copi felt the roar of vile lupine energy swirl around the darkest parts of his soulless heart. It ebbed back, shrinking into the nether regions of his subconscious, lurking, prowling, snarling and snapping with every contemptuous bark and threatening bite. The pain of submission arced the line of Copi's spine. The column bent so far back Copi trembled as the vertebrae bordered on the verge of breaking under the strain of the wolf’s bid to rule and Vischeral's demand for capitulation.
Copi held fast to Vischeral’s pull, gripping onto and feeding from the strength of his master’s smoothly hypnotic and dark, resonating voice. The strong Italian accent crawled over the surface of Copi's skin. The prominent ring of his demands held the power of assurance, rendering the wolf’s intrepid desire to rise powerless.
Copi felt woefully unworthy of his Sire's powerful persuasion. His body trembled under the force of Vischeral’s will. Copi fought, reeling back against his Sire until every cell of his body screamed in bitter rage. Blood rose into the cavern of Copi’s mouth, threatening to spill over from the strength of their minds’ war to draw out the new vampire struggling within Copi.
Pain, savage in its nature and ravaged with angered intent, battered down the only barrier Copi had left; the wall surrounding his memories with Vischeral. The memories of their struggles to contain themselves, until their proximity to each other and the scent of Copi's blood all became too much. Vischeral had snapped, taken Copi's mouth and would have taken his blood—if—Jesus there had always been an if or a but.
Now there was neither, just time, an eternity to fulfill his devotion and desires for a love Copi long ago wished for and hoped would come true. Only, he was stained, a marred imperfection of what he should have been. The absurdity of his curse consumed him, but Vischeral did not seem to care about his imperfections. Copi's wall of memories crashed to the floor. His Sire commanded his attention, and Copi was beyond the ability to deny his master's demanding enthrall.
~*~*~*~
Sweat beaded on Vischeral's brow and tracked down the harsh lines of his face. His muscles clenched as he fought to save his male. Vischeral felt Copi's psyche waver. Still on his knees in the driveway, Vischeral's partner threw back his head and howled, long and angry. Vischeral froze. Could Copi shift? Would he? If the male shifted, Vischeral would be forced to physically subdue him, as well as, exert his dominance over his mind. Vischeral tensed when the male fell forward on all fours. A gasp of relief escaped when Copi climbed unsteadily to his feet. With stumbling steps, he lurched back toward the house. Vischeral did not relax his vigilance knowing the wolf would flaunt any weakness.
Standing, feet spread shoulder width apart with his arms clasped over his chest, Vischeral waited at the bottom of the stairs. Even in the dim light, his eyes tracked the handprint around Copi’s throat, the visible sign of his very real hold on the male. He didn’t budge as Copi lumbered down the steps.
When he was a few feet from the bottom, Vischeral snatched on the mental bond, causing Copi to tumble down the remaining distance to land at his feet. Enraged, the wolf didn’t stay down long. Copi sprang up with a snarl on his face to meet Vischeral eye to eye. Vischeral didn’t blink, didn’t waver in his resolve. The wolf fought a battle that was already won. He just had to recognize.
“Kneel before your Alpha, your Ulfric, your Sire.” The words emerged low, but reeked of Vischeral’s power. Copi’s shoulders bowed under the demand. The vampire inside of him responded to its Sire. The wolf, however, continued to growl. Vischeral leaned closer; his eyes lighting from inside bathing the male in their crimson glow. His fangs elongated forcing his mouth to open.
“Know your place, pup,” he hissed. Menace saturated the air. Copi growled again. Breaking his stance, Vischeral replaced the mind hold on Copi’s throat with a real one. He swung his partner around and slammed him hard into the wall. Vischeral’s large body caged the slightly smaller male as he went nose to nose with Copi.
“Submit. To. Me. Now.” Vischeral pinned Copi’s amber gaze with flaming crimson. He held the stare, unblinking. The wolf whimpered. Copi blinked. Vischeral abruptly released him and stepped back, maintaining eye contact. Slowly, Copi slid to his knees, his head falling forward on his chest. Vischeral snarled. The male’s head rolled to the side exposing his throat. Vulnerable and finally submissive.
Vischeral hated what he had to do next, but the wolf was too strong in Copi. With a savage roar, Vischeral struck, burying his fangs deep into Copi’s vein. For several seconds, he stood there snarling, enforcing his supremacy. It wasn’t about drinking, it was about being the Alpha. There had to be no question.
Without releasing his hold on Copi, Vischeral forced him to a supine position. Vischeral followed him down covering the male with his larger frame. Vischeral’s scent screamed into the room coating them both, marking the male that lay still beneath him. Seconds turned to minutes. Minutes to half an hour. Vischeral waited. He had an eternity. Finally, Copi’s hands unfisted and his muscles loosened. When the male slipped shaking arms around Vischeral’s waist, Vischeral’s bite slackened. Jaw aching, he withdrew his fangs, but otherwise did not move. Belatedly, he realized he still maintained the mind link. Snapping the link, he raised his head to gaze down at Copi.
“You try to leave me again, Cophious Dane; I’ll break both your legs. This is your home now. Grow a pair and deal with it.”
~*~*~*~
The hardened tone of Vischeral's voice broke Copi from the submissive position he'd held on his back. With the vascular grip of his Sire's jaw removed from its dominating hold over his throat, Copi blinked once before the slow burn of scarlet wine tears dripped from the confines of his glowing amber eyes. He'd envisioned being turned and being the perfect mate for his Vischeral. He’d been absolute in his belief that with time he would have convinced Vischeral to sire his own male. Namely, Copi.
He’d harbored hopes of loving the male he saw as his for an eternity. Erroneously, he’d wrapped himself in the romantic optimism that their life would have been pure, real and untainted by human or outside influence. Jesus, he'd been stupid; stupid and foolish to ever think he'd have someone to call his own.
Tracking the alignment of Vischeral’s graceful pose, Copi's thirst rose within him. A firestorm of red haze clouded his sight, not that he needed it. With a new and acute sense of smell, Copi's nostrils flared. If Vischeral's scent intoxicated him when he was human, it was nothing compared to the effect it warranted on Copi as vampire. The thick permeating aroma engulfed Copi's senses, fuelling his hungered thirst for the sweet crimson flowing in Vischeral’s veins. Across the gap between them, he heard the rush of blood. It coursed wildly, screaming through Vischeral's veins like
liquid fire, sparking off neurons in Copi's mind urging him to take, drink and feed. Hard.
Fast to his feet, Copi moved lithely, almost fluid in its movements. Stalking, he tracked Vischeral's powerful naked form with all the prowess of a wild untamed animal. Fangs dropped slowly, unsheathing from his gums, salivating with the need to penetrate flesh and drink deep from the well of his Sire’s thick strong throat.
A loud resonating purr, catlike in nature, thrummed to the beat of the pulse in Vischeral's neck. The throbbing line of sweet delicious nourishment teased Copi's hunger and stoked a raging desire inside his loins that punched straight through to the tip of Copi's hard shaft. Vischeral turned, sensing the rise of Copi's arousal. His eyes no longer held the fathomless black known by Copi's human eyes. They burned with smoldering intelligence that held not only the curse of Copi's new found thirst, but the allure that bound them together by blood and by heart.
Watching with predatory intent as Vischeral moved to rest back against the bed, Copi let his eyes rake over his Sire’s heavily muscled thighs and upward to the heavy ridge of succulent flesh that strained in wait with a need for release. Feeling the pulse of his Master’s call, Copi didn't realize he'd mounted the bed until Vischeral's feral snarl showed the length of his fangs. The scent of Vischeral’s arousal pierced the air and adhered to Copi’s flesh.
Copi prowled up the length of the bed, saturating the air with the scent of his sex. Grabbing Vischeral by the backs of his calves, he dragged the male closer until the rounds of Vischeral’s taut ass rested on his knees. Copi spread Vischeral wide and growled with ferocity at the laden sight before his eyes. Without invitation, Copi's hands trailed up Vischeral's inner thighs parting them further as his mouth followed, hungrily savoring the path he'd just traced.