Trusting His Vampire Lord

by Violet Joicey-Cowen

  “Raff? Raff!”

  His heart pounded but pushing back the darkness threatening to drag him under again wasn’t easy.

  “Raff,” Ves said loudly, shaking his shoulder.

  “What? I’m…yeah…awake. I’m awake. I think,” he mumbled.

  “Hey. You okay?” Ves moved his hand from Raff’s shoulder and began stroking circles on the bare skin of Raff’s back.

  “What? Yeah, I’m fine. It’s not time to get up yet, right?” Had they even had more than an hour or two sleep yet? He didn’t remember getting under the covers. Ves must have come back from his shower to find Raff conked out on the top of them and tucked them both in.

  “No. We only came to bed few hours ago. You were crying in your sleep. I think you were having a bad dream.”

  “Oh.” Raff rolled onto his back. His head was thick and heavy.

  Ves leaned over him, propped up on an elbow. He wiped at Raff’s cheeks and his fingers came away shiny with liquid. “You okay? What were you dreaming about?”

  “I dunno.” His words felt like a lie. Now that he thought about it, what had the dream been about? Panic and loss pulled at him as well as a desperate sort of sadness, coupled with despair. He pushed at the remnants of the dream, trying to remember. The more he talked, the more came back to him. “The night Maurice, Mathieu, challenged my père. Only it wasn’t Père, it was you. Père and Mère were watching, and when Mathieu ripped your heart out, they walked down to where he was and stood still to let him take their hearts, too. Père and Mère, they crumbled and blew away, but you…you looked at me and walked away leaving a trail of blood behind you. Mathieu brought all three hearts to me and tossed them at my feet. Then he started dragging me to his room. I…I didn’t fight him. I didn’t see the point anymore.”

  “Fuck, baby. Come here.” Ves manoeuvred them until Ves lay on his back with Raff draped half across his body. Both Ves’s arms were wrapped around him and with his head on Ves’s chest, Raff could hear his strong heartbeat. The rhythmic sound soothed Raff’s frayed nerves. “I’m not going anywhere. You know that, right?”

  Ves had a scattering of light hair on his chest and Raff played with it. “Ves?” Ves made an enquiring noise. “Last night. Um, before we went to sleep. Did you want to wait for me to finish my shower, or did you want to share mine?”

  “You have no idea how badly I wanted to get in there with you.” Ves’s arms tightened around him. “I’m not going to push you, though. I said I’d wait as long as it took for you to be ready, and I’m sticking to that. I know we came to some kind of understanding before, but I didn’t know if you being taken or anything that happened during that time might have changed things.”

  “Nothing’s changed for me. I am ready. I’m ready for us to be together, and I want you so much.” Despite his words and the reassuring, warm scent of his mate filling the air around him, Raff’s body wasn’t responding to the need he felt for his mate. The comfort of being entwined with Ves sapped what little energy the short hours of sleep had given him. Raff gave a jaw-cracking yawn.

  “Me too. Maybe some more sleep first, though, hmmm?”

  “Yeah,” he said drowsily. “Tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow.” Raff wasn’t sure if Ves’s word was accompanied by a hum of agreement, or a growl. Whichever it was, the sound followed him into sleep, and Raff had no more bad dreams.

  Ves was asleep when Raff woke up finally feeling rested. He’d woken up a couple of other times, but Ves’s presence had reassured him every time. Fumbling for his watch on the bedside table, he saw it was nearly midnight. He reached to put it back, and a warm weight tightened around his waist. Ves’s chest might not have much hair, but his forearms were scratchy with it against the skin of Raff’s stomach. A shiver went through him, followed by a bolt of heat as Ves moved closer in his sleep. Raff might have underwear on, but it was extremely clear Ves wasn’t wearing anything. Ves wasn’t hard, but having him pressed up against him still felt incredible.

  Raff took a long moment, luxuriating in the simple joy of being held by his mate. Then he edged away enough to turn over. Ves let out a noise of protest in his sleep, rolling forward a little. He snuffled into the pillow where Raff’s head had lain. It was kind of adorable, and Raff was hard-pressed not to laugh. He leaned closer and, grinning, kissed Ves’s shoulder. Ves mumbled something and shifted a little. His movement opened his neck up more, and Raff kissed along his shoulder and into the hollow of where his neck and shoulder met, hungry for the taste of his mate’s skin. Raff licked the spot he’d put a claiming bite if Ves wanted one. He ached to claim his mate almost as much as he did for Ves to claim him.

  “Hmmm. Don’t stop,” Ves said. He slurred the words, and Raff wasn’t entirely sure if Ves was awake yet.

  “Hey. You up?”

  “Not yet, but it won’t be long if you keep doing that.” Ves tilted his head, giving Raff better access.

  “I was kinda counting on it,” Raff replied, smiling against Ves’s skin again. The man was sleep-warm and smelled of all good things. Raff was intensely aware of his thickening cock. Every nerve ending tingled.

  Ves growled and rolled Raff onto his back. The heat of Ves’s body settled between Raff’s thighs, and Ves’s cock pressed against his own. They were both hardening rapidly as Ves stared down at him. His expression was unreadable, but Raff knew without asking what the man wanted.

  “I was serious last night. I want you, Ves. I’m ready.”

  Ves flexed his hips ever so slightly. Raff whimpered. He couldn’t help it. The pressure against his cock was growing as Ves’s filled. Raff’s balls ached. He’d never been so close to coming from so little in his life.

  “You are, aren’t you?” Ves breathed.

  The room was dark, but Raff could still see his pupils blown wide with want. He wished his expression could show Ves even half the desire burning inside him.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Ves

  As much as he wanted Raff right where he was—splayed out under him and wanting—Ves lifted off him. He took both Raff’s hands and pulled as he went. He folded his knees under him and moved Raff so that the man straddled his lap. The terror in Raff’s voice when he’d been crying and whimpering in his sleep the night before was impossible to forget. Though Raff was willing and desired Ves’s touch, he didn’t want to leave any room for doubt or panic. He had to hand Raff some of the control.

  Raff’s hair slid around his face as he looked down at Ves. His arms rested on Ves’s shoulders. He cocked his head in puzzlement.

  “Kiss me, Raff.”

  Understanding cleared away the questions in Raff’s eyes. He smiled and brought their mouths together.

  Ves inhaled as Raff’s lips brushed his ever so gently. He teased at Ves’s bottom lip with a barely open mouth and then licked with the very tip of his tongue. Ves shivered and angled his head up. It was like Raff was testing him. Was Raff trying to see how far he could push him before Ves snapped and pinned the guy to the bed again? Ves swallowed a growl.

  Ves felt Raff grin against his lips and realised he hadn’t held the growl back after all. Then Raff kissed him properly, and Ves’s world filled with heat and the scent of his mate’s arousal. Fingers raked through his hair and tugged hard enough to send sparks skittering across his scalp.

  Three years of holding himself back. Three years of burning need and self-denial and emptiness. Three years. Every moment he’d kept his beast in check from hunting down Raff and claiming him had been worth it if it had brought Raff the peace he needed. He’d have waited ten times, a hundred times the years if necessary. But every moment that had passed between then and now made taking his time with his mate now they were finally together that much harder.

  Forcing his fingers to stay gentle and easy on Raff’s hips, Ves fought to keep himself still and let Raff take what he needed. His nails sharpened to claws, blunted, and sharpened again. Ves’s hands shook. Raff whimpered and rolled his hips. He gave an achin
g little cry of frustration, grinding down on Ves. Their cocks, both hard, rubbed against each other through a single, thin layer of cloth.

  “God’s, Ves, what do you want me to do? Beg?” The words came out of Raff with a rush of breath, hot against Ves’s lips.

  “What? No. I…trying to be good to you…trying.” Ves shivered again. The beast inside him pushed at Ves to pin Raff to the bed and drive into his arse until Raff was too exhausted to move, slick with sweat, dripping with Ves’s cum, and blood from them both. His fangs itched.

  Raff grabbed Ves by the shoulders and yanked as he slid off Ves’s lap. They tumbled back and landed in a heap among the covers and pillows. Ves landed on him with a little oof.

  Raff’s expression was fierce, and he pulled Ves in and growled at him with barely an inch separating them. His whiskey-coloured eyes were dilated so far they looked black. “I don’t need gentle. Not from you. Not this time. Fuck me, Ves.”

  Holy hell. How was he supposed to say no to that? Well, that was it, wasn’t it? He wasn’t. Ves’s restraint snapped. Raff’s face crumpled when Ves lifted off him again.

  “No, baby. I just need to…” He reached for Raff’s underwear to pull them off but found only smooth skin. “Wait, what?” He looked around and found the shredded remains. Specks of blood dotted the ragged piece cloth that now only joined together in the crotch area. “Shit. Raff, did I hurt you?” His gaze flew back to his mate, who was trembling. With laughter. Raff’s eyes danced. “This isn’t funny. Did I hurt you?”

  “Oh shit,” Raff wheezed out, bursting into gales of laughter. “The look on your face.”

  “Did I hurt you?”

  “No. No, Ves, you didn’t hurt me.” He stroked his hands down the smooth skin of both his hips with a wiggle far too sexy for Ves’s peace of mind. Whatever minor scratches had drawn blood must have already healed. “See? I’m fine. I’m sorry. Just, you should see your face. You didn’t even realise you did that, did you?” Raff leaned up on one arm, took the shredded underwear from Ves, and tossed them aside. Eyes still twinkling, he took one of Ves’s hands and kissed each of the fingertips on it. “Listen, you’re going to have to trust yourself with me. And trust me to let you know if you cross a line I don’t want to cross. Trust me to tell you to stop. I’m a vampire, Ves. Just like you. A few drops of blood, a few claw pricks, a scratch here and there. It’s not going to send me running. Not when it’s what I want. Or when it’s the one person I want it with. I like that you want me so much. Now come here and do something about it.” He let go of Ves’s hand and crooked a finger at him with a soft look.

  Ves took a deep breath. When he released it, he let all his worries go, too. Raff was a grown man. He was a strong man and would stop Ves if there was anything he didn’t want.

  Leaning in, Ves brought their mouths together again. Raff hummed into the kiss and sank back into the pillows. He wrapped around Ves like an octopus as Ves dipped his tongue in and out, stroking and seducing. Ves rolled his hips, simulating what he’d be doing once he got inside Raff, and Raff whimpered in need, jerking against him.

  “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”

  “What? What’s wrong?” Ves pulled away from Raff’s neck. Raff’s eyes were hazy and blown out with need, but there was a furrow between his brows.

  “Nothing. I just…” He wriggled out from under Ves and lunged for the bedside table. “Oh, thank God! Thomas really is magic.” He collapsed face first into the covers, one hand aloft holding out a plastic bottle. “The one I left here would be so far out of date it wouldn’t even be funny.”

  Ves glanced at the bottle. Lube. “You know, I’m not all that sure I like Thomas. I don’t like the idea of someone else thinking about you to the point of supplying you with a new mattress and lube.” Ves did his best not to think about Raff needing lube when he was living here before. Raff was over a hundred years old. It’s not like he would be a virgin, but Ves could do without those images in his head, thanks.

  Raff tried to turn over, but Ves stalled him with a hand to the lower back. His view was just fine the way it was. Raff had a truly amazing arse. Ves leaned down and bit it. Not all that gently either.

  Raff squealed and jerked, and then froze. “Can we pretend that noise didn’t just come out of my mouth?”

  Ves chuckled. “Nope.” He licked the spot he’d bitten. Raff tried to turn over again. “Oh, I think I like you right where you are,” Ves said, holding him still. He nibbled on the same spot. Raff twitched abortively as if not sure whether to push into the sensation or pull away.

  “Fuck, Ves.” His voice had gone all throaty and low.

  Ves pressed a few kisses to random places across the twin globes. Each one made Raff shiver. He pulled on Raff’s hips to lift his arse higher and then palmed his buttocks.

  Raff let out a shocked sound, which descended into a helpless moan at the first swipe of Ves’s tongue across his pucker. Ves had done this before, but there was something in Raff’s reaction that told him no one had done it for his mate. It wasn’t long before Raff was pushing back into the slick pressure of Ves’s tongue.

  Though he loosened up a little, Raff was still incredibly tight when Ves slipped a finger in beside his tongue, so Ves took his time stretching him. Finally, when the pleas falling from Raff’s lips took on a desperate tone, he kissed his way up Raff’s back. One day soon he wanted to rim Raff until he came, but right now, he needed to be inside him, to finally claim his mate the way Raff deserved.

  “Last chance to back out,” he whispered into Raff’s neck. His cock rode the valley between the cheeks of Raff’s arse, the area still wet with his saliva, nudging his balls.

  “Fuck that.” Raff’s laugh was breathy and disbelieving. “Waited far too long for this. For you.”

  Though Ves would stop at any point if Raff needed him to, he was inordinately glad Raff wasn’t showing the smallest doubt.

  “Me too.” He kissed the spot where he would lay his claiming bite.

  Raff pushed his head against the side of Ves’s, like a cat. “Don’t make us wait any longer.”

  Grabbing blindly in the direction he thought Raff had put the lube, Ves could only feel the rucked-up bedcovers. He glanced around a little wildly and found it. He only took a moment to slick himself up and swipe some of the fluid across Raff’s entrance. Spit and fingers had loosened him up, but the lube would last longer and ensure his mate’s comfort. He paused and pushed lube into Raff’s hole.

  Flicking hair out of his face, Ves looked down. He couldn’t believe this moment had arrived. After all they had been through, everything that had stood in their way.

  “Ves, please.”

  Raff’s fingers were white-knuckled on the cream of the pillowcases, and his back was one long, beautiful line of taut muscles and sleek skin. His arse canted up and his rounded buttocks parted enough to show his hole, slick and puffy from Ves’s attentions.

  Ves lined his cock up and pushed forward. All the time spent preparing Raff had been worth it. There was almost no resistance to his initial press forward. The head of his cock slipped in. He paused to let Raff adjust, but Raff made an abortive noise and shoved backward, taking Ves to the root. Holy gods, he was hot inside. Hot. Tight.

  “Jesus, Raff.”

  “Fuck me.”

  “Trying not to come, here.”

  Raff choked out a laugh, which turned to a whimper when Ves withdrew slowly and pushed in again. “Fuck…yes. Feels so good.”

  “Yeah.”

  Ves found his hands moving automatically to Raff’s hips. He stroked the skin there as he began a slow, in-out movement. He wasn’t sure if he was trying to soothe his mate or keep himself from getting too rough.

  “Ves. Harder. Please.”

  Oh, thank the gods. Ves sped up, pushing forward with more force. He started pulling back on Raff’s hips at the same time as he thrust.

  “Yes!” Raff cried.

  Their flesh soon became slick with a sheen of sweat, and the air fille
d with grunts, groans, and the sounds of sex. His balls would have been slapping against Raff’s, adding to the noises, but they were too tight already.

  Ves shifted the angle, aiming for Raff’s prostate. He wasn’t going to last much longer, and he needed Raff to come with him. The moment he found the right angle, Raff gave a shocked cry. He thrust several times before his roiling balls and ever-tightening sack told him it was time.

  Ves grabbed at Raff and pulled him upright, sinking back onto his heels. Raff sat in his lap, and Ves wrapped both arms around his mate, thrusting up into him. He stilled and reached for Raff’s shaft. He palmed it and only had to stroke a few times, rolling his thumb over the head on each upstroke before Raff’s head fell back onto his shoulder and arched his body out.

  “Hnnngg…Ve…” Raff’s voice strangled in his throat.

  Ves thrust up into Raff one more time and gripped his mate’s cock harder as he jacked him.

  Ves was so close he didn’t need to do anything more. Raff’s body clenched around him as Raff came, jetting spurts of hot cum over his chest and Ves’s hand. Ves groaned.

  “Ves, please.” Raff tilted his head.

  Salty and damp with sweat, Raff’s skin parted easily underneath Ves’s fangs. Raff’s body was a vise around his cock, and as he tasted his mate’s blood, it was all over. Ves came deep inside his mate, the world around them going white as ecstasy lit up every nerve in his body. He shot rope after rope of hot cum into Raff.

  When he could breathe again, Ves took several mouthfuls of Raff’s blood to seal their bond, before retracting his teeth and licking at the holes in Raff’s skin. As he did, the skin slowly knitted together. Ves looked at the marks and had to run his tongue over his teeth. The scar was more jagged than he’d expected. More of his teeth than usual had sharpened. Normally only his canines lengthened into points, but this time, everything but his molars had turned sharp and grown longer. Raff’s neck looked like he’d been bitten by a monster.

  “Shit, Raff…I’m sorry.” He moved the arm that had been wrapped around Raff’s chest and ran a finger over the newly healed scar.