by Lisa Oliver
Con seemed lost for words. “I can’t… you weren’t in the room with me. You didn’t see what I did. Death, yes. Jonny didn’t deserve to live a second longer. But I didn’t… It wasn’t just a throat slashing. I…”
“Made a huge mess. Yes, you did, and I did see the aftermath. It’s over now.” Ven allowed his tone to soften as he moved closer to his shattered beloved. “And if nightmares of what you did today plague you in the months to come, I will be with you, stroking your brow, holding you close, and sucking your dick.”
“How can you even stand to be in the same room with me?” Con did a double take. “Sucking my dick?”
“It’s an ancient nightmare cure, my beloved.” Close enough now, Ven let his hands roam over Con’s torso. “Passed down in typical oral tradition from one generation to the next; guaranteed, if done right, to take your mind off your troubles. I’m confident I can do it right.”
“You didn’t answer my first question.”
Ven loved the feel of Con’s hands, sliding down his back until they cupped his ass. He pressed closer to his beloved’s body, feeling his cock start to plump up again. “Monster is such a subjective term,” he murmured, keeping his tones seductively low. “It’s a name I’ve been called by many times in my very long life. Personally, I don’t think anything you did today comes under a monster category at all.”
He reached down, palming Con’s cock that was growing steadily. “Monstrous, as in gigantic or huge on the other hand, that word could apply to you, or certain parts of you definitely.”
“Did we just have our first fight?” Con bent his head, and Ven couldn’t stop the all over shiver he felt as Con tongued over his mating scar.
“I hear makeup sex is amazing.” Ven tilted his head further, to give Con better access.
Chapter Fifteen
It was going to take Con a long, long time to get the images of body parts strewn across a room out of his head. Knowing he was responsible for the carnage increased his guilt tenfold. But Ven’s harsh but fair words had been the slap across the face he needed. With Ven’s pert ass filling his palms, Con gloried in having a mate that accepted him in all ways.
His hardening cock was inevitable. Primed from fighting in his wolf form, the adrenalin was shooting around Con’s body, leaving him with energy that had no place to go. Ven’s hand on his dick was icing on a cake that had already been baked. He was ready and he wanted with a fire that could only be doused by sinking into Ven’s willing body.
And it seemed his gorgeously strong mate was on the same page. Sweeping Ven’s feet off the floor, Con strode towards the bedroom, doing his best to ignore the delicious kisses Ven peppered across his chest. The bare hint of a fang, scraping down his nipple sent an electric charge to his dick, and Con had to physically resist from throwing his mate on the bed.
“Hmm, you taste amazing,” Ven purred and Con realized Ven’s fangs were sharp. His mate was lapping at the shallow drops of blood welling from thin scratches. Eager to return the pleasure, without the fangs, Con hoisted Ven higher up the bed and did some nibbling and kissing of his own. Con knew enough about his mate’s species to know a vampire’s throat was never offered to another, and seeing how Ven trusted him, arching up his chin, and exposing the long line of his slender neck had Con’s wolf howling deep in his head.
He wanted more. Seized with urgency, he gripped at Ven’s shirt, ripping it down the middle. Stopping his nuzzling just long enough to run his eyes over the muscles on his mate’s toned chest and abs, Con growled, “You’re truly stunning,” before he moved his mouth down over Ven’s pecs to his taut nipples.
He licked his tongue over one small nub and was rewarded with a deep groan. Con wiggled, his hips forcing Ven’s legs apart so he could settle between his mate’s thighs. Ven’s skin was so tasty, reeking of a scent Con would worship for all time. He nuzzled, licked and nipped at one nip until it was red before moving over to the other side. Through it all Ven moaned, and writhed under him, his long hair splayed over the pillow, just as Con imagined when they’d first met.
Taking his time, Con didn’t release Ven’s second nipple until it was as red as the first. Then his mouth went lower, tracing ab muscles, the small indented belly button, his chin scraping against the cloth of Ven’s pants. His tongue couldn’t go far, his mate’s pants were well fitting, complete with a sturdy leather belt. But Con still teased, allowing his chin to provide just enough minimal pressure as it rubbed against Ven’s hardened package.
A deep groan from his mate, increased Con’s urgency. The belt buckle was annoying, but only for a second, falling prey to Con’s fumbled fingers more by luck than good management. Zippers were easy, but Ven preferred button up pants, and after a moment of trying to get his fingers to cooperate, Con flicked out a claw, and popped each button off the fabric.
Ven’s cock sprung out to meet him. Con growled, not in warning but in appreciation. The concentration of Ven’s scent around his groin was intoxicating, and Con licked his lips before twisting Ven’s hips so cock would meet lips.
He moaned as Ven’s pre-come hit his tongue – tangy, musky – pure male and Con’s idea of heaven. Sucking up to the ridge around the head of Ven’s cock Con flicked his tongue over the slit seeking out more of that delicious nectar, before sliding his lips back down Ven’s shaft. On and on, Con kept up the rhythm of sucking, licking, and sliding, Ven’s cries getting louder, the hands in Con’s hair tightening and flexing with every suck.
“I’m gonna come, beloved, please.” A deep thrust of Ven’s hips and Con’s throat was full. He swallowed eagerly, the shudders from Ven’s body running through his fingers that were leaving marks on Ven’s hips.
Too many clothes; Ven still had too many clothes on. Con tugged at the remains of Ven’s pants as he kept up a light suckle on his mate’s cock. He was determined Ven would come again while he was fucking him, and then, Fates willing, Ven could fuck him too. Con wasn’t fussy – his wolf knew Ven would always be stronger than him, but at the moment, his need for his mate was stronger than both of them.
Footwear provided a minor snag, but the moment Con got Ven’s legs bared, he pulled them apart, lifting Ven’s bottom half off the bed as he slurped off Ven’s cock, and slathered his way over balls, to the deliciously sensitive skin below.
Ven was eager, willing, grabbing hold of his knees and pulling his legs up towards his chest. His butt exposed at such a wanton angle, had Con groaning as he buried his face in Ven’s crack. Ven’s hole flexed under his persistent tongue, and saliva ran down Con’s chin as he used his lips and tongue to loosen the tight muscles surrounding it.
Fingers, tongue, so much saliva it was dripping onto the covers, but Ven was moaning up a storm, tugging his own legs closer to the bed so his ass stayed up and Con was feasting as he worked. Saliva was never the best lube, but to reach for the bedside cabinet would mean giving up his treat, and Con just couldn’t do that, not when Ven’s verbal responses were music to his ears, and his tight body was shaking with need.
“I’m ready, damn it.”
Con wasn’t sure, but he’d take Ven at his word. Sitting up, he wiped off his chin, the sight of his contorted mate the most carnal thing he’d ever seen. Fisting his cock firmly in one hand, he swiped some of his own pre-come to coat the head with the other.
“Let me know if it’s too much,” he warned as he lined up and pushed.
His cock slid in easily. Too easily for just spit and minimal fingers. But the moment Con’s cock was completely encased in the wonder of Ven’s body, Ven seemed to flip – like he was laying on his bed one minute with his knees on either side of his head, and then the next, he was resting on his hands and knees on the covers. Con looked down – his cock was still stretching the limits of Ven’s most intimate space.
“But… what the hell?”
Ven looked back over his shoulder. His face was flushed, his hair was a mess and he’d never looked so amazing. “Explanations later, fuck me.”
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br /> Con had always been a simple man, with simple tastes and a preference for clear cut instructions. Maybe that was why he’d never seen the depth of Megan’s, and the other’s, deceptions. But he wasn’t going to think about that now. Not when Ven’s body was pushing against him, and his cock was hard enough to break rocks with. Filing the strange body flip in the “later” column, Con dropped his upper body over his mate and moved.
In and out. In all the history of mankind, the act of sex was at its core – the reason for life and one of life’s greatest pleasures. Con was not a ‘walks along the beach watching the sunset’ type of guy – he was a ‘drinking a can of beer in front of a game’ man. Sex was a means of getting off, relieving tension, scratching an itch or, as Con found as his rhythm and thrusts increased, a way of laying claim to the most wondrous man in the universe.
Con’s wolf was there, lurking behind his eyes, lending his power to Con’s thrusts, but Ven never faltered. He pushed back. He matched Con’s rhythm thrust for thrust – the air filled with skin slapping, grunts and occasional moans. Con couldn’t see Ven’s face, but he could feel the pleasure raging between them, their bond strengthening, their need for release evenly matched.
Ven’s scent tickled Con’s nose, along with wisps of his hair. Ven was hunched over, his forehead almost hitting the mattress, and Con caught a glimpse of a bead of sweat that trickled from his mate’s brow and disappeared down his cheek. Con kept on thrusting; his cock hardened to the point of a release he held back. Con wanted Ven to ache for hours afterwards. He wanted Ven to remember his possession of his mate’s body every time the strong vampire sat in a chair.
Ven is mine. Con thrusted even harder. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Oh, my gods.
Ven had tilted his head to one side. His neck called to Con’s wolf, and his fangs dropped over his bottom lips. You are so unfair. But Con couldn’t resist the wolf’s siren call. As his fangs unerring found the mating scar he’d left on Ven’s neck, Con’s teeth punched down in time with his hips and his orgasm hit with the power of a freight train.
Ven’s groan could barely be heard over the rush of blood pounding in Con’s ears. But the smell of spunk filled the air, and as Con gently pulled his fangs from Ven’s neck, and licked over the fresh wound he’d made, Ven twisted his head and gave Con a lazy self-satisfied smile.
“Five-minute nap, and then it’s my turn at your ass.”
Con was hardly going to say no to that.
Chapter Sixteen
The expected conversation came in the wee small hours of the following day. Ven had known it was coming, and he also knew that it was only because Con had been processing what Megan had confessed and Jonny’s death that had kept his beloved from asking sooner. Ven was feeling particularly relaxed and the ache in his ass was enough to make him smile. If nothing else, Con was a consummate lover who complimented him in every way.
“Are you sure you’re a full vampire?”
“Yep.” Ven rolled over so the two men were lying facing each other. “Born to full-blood vampire parents, and I went through my change as regularly as any teenage vampire.”
“But you have magical powers. I didn’t think vampires were born with those, or is that something the vampire council hides from other paranormals in case those powers are exploited?”
“Vampires aren’t born with any magical powers, beloved.” Ven reached over, loving the feel of scruff on Con’s jawline. “How old do you think vampires live for?”
Con turned his head slightly so he could brush a kiss against Ven’s palm. “Longer than shifters, I know that much.” He sighed. “I read about it on the paranormal council website once, years ago. The theory espoused in the article I read suggested that the more ability a paranormal had to procreate, the shorter their lifespan. Shifter couples are usually capable of having more than one child in a short space of time, whereas Vampires, Demons, and Fae have trouble conceiving. So, they live longer. Then there was some conjecture about nature finding the balance between available resources and child rearing and I lost interest. I know you’re not immortal, but you’re close.”
Ven chuckled. “Now we’ve claimed each other, your life threads are entwined with mine. It does take a lot to kill a vampire, and you have to be really sure you’ve been thorough about it, if that’s something you have to do. Heart and head removal are your only guarantees the one you staked, stabbed, or shot, doesn’t get back up and lop your head off. And of course, with your head partially removed, most vampires will be sure to drain you of every drop of blood so he or she can heal, before swiping the head off your body husk completely when they’re done.”
“That actually happens?”
“Not so much in recent times.” Ven soothed his beloved. He had to remember Con wasn’t used to older and more violent times. “Vampires have different stages of life, much like any other being. When I was born, I was much like a human child. I could move a bit faster, and I never got sick, but other than that I could pass. My puberty sucked, just as it often does for humans and other paranormals. The craving for blood is difficult to control when a vampire is young and the fact feeding and sex are so closely related for a vampire, it’s difficult to learn the control needed to pull back and not drain someone. Fortunately, that phase doesn’t last long.”
“I remember those days,” Con said fondly. “Without the urge for blood of course. After my first shift, all I wanted to do was run in my wolf form, play fight with pack members, and fuck anything that moved. I’m sure if I hadn’t have known I was gay since I was a child, I’d have a dozen children scattered all over the place.”
TMI, beloved. Ven’s smile was a little tight. While he was pleased Con had a normal shifter childhood, he didn’t need to hear about Con’s past conquests any more than Con liked hearing about his. “I was much the same, but the thing is, a lot of vampires get wiped out or taken out in the ages between puberty and fifty years of age, purely because they don’t get a handle on their control issues early enough. As I know you’ve learned just in our short time together, the bond, cycle, call it what you will, that evolves between two people when feeding and sex are involved can be intense.”
Con frowned. “I thought it was the mating bond that intensified the feelings between us.”
“Oh, they play a big part in our relationship, but all feeding/sex bonds between vampires and others are enhanced because of the secretion our fangs inject into a feeding point to ensure the flow of blood. Otherwise veins would just clog up or collapse over a very short space of time.”
Con’s grunt was enough to let Ven know he’d got the point. Time to move the conversation from the past, to the present day.
“Vampires aged between fifty years and five hundred years, are just your typical vampires. Many of them use their time to build up huge fortunes, because money and status are important to our kind. Before paranormals were outed, they had to blend in, and for the most part they did. By the time a reputable vampire hit the five-hundred-year mark they were usually established somewhere remote, where they could live in luxury, often in a position of power in the area, without being seen too often.”
“When we met, you said that you have had people picking up after you since you hit the five-hundred-year mark, so I am guessing you are a lot older than that.”
“And, so I did, beloved. I not only spent my time in the pursuit of money, but power as well. When you’re as slightly built as I am, you kinda need to, to survive.” Ven didn’t want to go into any details of what he did to gain that power, so he hurried on. “What most people don’t know, and this is a closely guarded secret, is that after the age of five hundred, some vampires receive a gift.”
“In the post, like a gift basket from the council? And why do only some five-hundred-year-old vampires get this gift?”
“You’ve got a clever mind behind that handsome face, beloved.” Ven risked a quick kiss to Con’s chin while he worked out what to say. “In packs you have some beings who are stronger than
others. Vampires are the same. Superior, strong, morally decent vampires gain additional powers after their five-hundred-year mark. It’s like another developmental phase if you want to think of it like that.”
Con took a moment to think about what Ven said. “What happens if a vampire doesn’t get extra powers once they’ve gotten that old. Do they ever get them?”
Ven shook his head. “That’s why there are so few elder vampires around, and those that do live past five hundred, and gain certain powers, usually steer clear of others the same age. I can be friendly with my elder counterparts in Europe, but I am not inclined to visit them unless I’ve been invited as part of a goodwill tour that takes two years minimum to organize because of the protocols involved. And before you ask, yes, I am the oldest vampire in this continent.”
“Guess that makes you kinda special among your kind.” Con shimmied closer, and Ven held back a groan at the feel of Con’s hand on his hip. “So, what, all vampires due to hit the five-hundred-year mark, just sit around and wait for the magic to hit them?”
“It’s not always magic that’s the gift, my beloved,” Ven chuckled as he slid his arms around Con’s neck. “I have limited magic; Mosh, when he got his powers a few years ago, ended up with the ability to render himself invisible. Some vampires get the ability to translocate, others can see through walls. You never know what you’re going to get until it happens.”
“I have this nagging urge to ask you what happens to those vampires who don’t get a gift on their five hundredth birthday, but I’d far rather kiss you.”