Reluctant Partnerships

by Ariel Tachna

  Alain smiled into Orlando’s hair. “Soon,” he promised, “but you have to come for me again first.”

  “Get me ready,” Orlando proposed. “As worked up as you are, that’s sure to set me off again.”

  Alain kissed Orlando’s nape once more before working his way back down his lover’s spine, licking each vertebra in turn, but he did not reach for the lube. He had other plans for opening his lover to him.

  “Alain?”

  “Trust me,” Alain said once more, pressing a kiss to the top of Orlando’s crease. He cupped the smooth globes, parting them enough that he could blow across Orlando’s hole. “Let me show you something new.”

  Orlando gasped his assent without hesitation. He had enjoyed everything Alain had shown him. He had no doubt he would enjoy whatever came next just as much. The gust of air across his entrance did nothing to prepare him for the sudden wetness of Alain’s tongue against the sensitive patch of skin. He cried out in surprise, rolling onto his stomach. Alain followed, licking repeatedly over the puckered flesh. “Alain!”

  “Do you want me to stop?” Alain asked, his lips moving against Orlando’s skin as he spoke.

  “No!”

  “Then lie still and let me love you,” Alain directed.

  Orlando buried his face in the pillow and did as Alain said. Or tried, anyway. He quickly found staying still impossible with Alain’s tongue spearing inside him. The facile muscle might not reach as far as Alain’s fingers could, but Orlando did not need pressure on his prostate to grow painfully hard again. The thought of what Alain was doing to him was more than enough to spur on his need for release.

  Alain felt the moment Orlando accepted what he was doing in his body’s sudden laxness, but even more importantly, he felt the spike of lust in Orlando’s mind, and that drove him to lavish as much attention on Orlando’s ring as he could, licking and sucking and driving as deep as his tongue could go. He tugged on Orlando’s hips, urging him up onto his knees so he could get a hand between the vampire’s legs to find his resurgent erection. To his delight, it was hard and slick again with the proof of Orlando’s enjoyment. He smeared the fluid over the shaft, using that to ease his strokes as he worked Orlando’s cock in time to the thrusting of his tongue.

  Orlando’s moans grew more desperate as the sensual tension ratcheted up inside him, notch after notch, until he was desperate to come again. He wanted to take Alain with him, but their current positions left him with no way to reach his lover. “Close,” he gasped, his voice breaking on the word.

  Alain worked a finger inside Orlando’s passage, the long digit reaching where his tongue could not. The pressure on Orlando’s prostate was enough to trigger a second climax, his cock jerking in Alain’s hand. The surge of release battered Alain’s control, but he forced down his own climax. He wanted to be inside Orlando when he finally let go.

  The moment Orlando’s tremors eased, Alain flipped him onto his back, reaching for the lube he had eschewed earlier. He coated his fingers, returning them to their berth inside his lover’s body. Orlando trembled on the bed, his muscles quaking with the continued stimulation. “Once more,” Alain demanded, “with me this time.”

  A soft sob escaped Orlando’s throat as he pulled Alain on top of him. His body ached from the force of his first two climaxes, his heart pounding in time with Alain’s, the beat so fast he could barely catch his breath. Alain covered him, Orlando’s slighter body dwarfed beneath the wizard’s heavier frame. Orlando parted his legs, wrapping them around Alain’s hips and drawing him closer. “I want you inside me.”

  Alain nodded, transferring the last of the lube to his cock. “Are you ready?”

  Orlando did not answer in words, tipping Alain’s chin back instead so he could lick once across the brand that marked their Aveu de Sang before sheathing his fangs in Alain’s neck. He cherished the gasp the penetration tore from Alain. He sucked hard, drawing life-giving blood that wreathed his senses once more in love and desire. Joined that way, it would not take either of them long to reach the pinnacle of passion. Orlando rocked his hips against Alain’s, wanting to feel his lover inside him as they found their final release, but Alain would have to hurry, or Orlando would not be able to wait, not with Alain’s arousal so strong in his blood.

  Alain shared his urgency, slotting his cock into the waiting hole and forging deep. Orlando’s fangs seemed to mimic the movement, driving deeper with every thrust of Alain’s cock into Orlando’s body. Head spinning with need, Alain released his grip on his control, letting his body take over as they raced toward the precipice.

  And then they were flying, bodies, hearts, and minds entwined as their mutual release stole all consciousness from them.

  When Alain could move again, he stroked Orlando’s hair, not pulling away yet from the fangs that still pierced his neck. He would let Orlando effectuate that separation. He was far less likely to end up with torn skin that way. Sensing his thoughts, Orlando licked across the marked skin once more as he pulled free, his saliva stopping the bleeding and speeding Alain’s healing.

  Free now to lift his head and look down into Orlando’s somnolent eyes, Alain searched for any lingering worry or sadness, but he saw nothing but repletion. “Sleep now,” he murmured, kissing Orlando and disengaging carefully. “I’ll guard your dreams.”

  Chapter 9

  Alone in her borrowed room after Orlando left, Pascale burrowed back under the covers, only her head peeking out from her nest, and stared at the ceiling, her thoughts all awhirl. She had been so sure she was the only one in her situation, the only one to view her new life as a curse, but from everything she had learned in talking to Orlando, she was not alone. Even more than that, she was not in nearly as bad a situation as he had been in. Despite her lack of choice in being turned, since then, everyone she had met had gone out of their way to help her, showing her how to function as a vampire, making sure she got enough blood without hurting anyone the way she was hurt, even arranging for Orlando to come and talk to her. She had been in limbo the past few days, trying to get her feet back underneath her, but she could not continue to rely on Angelique’s generosity. If nothing else, the other vampire had a business to run, and letting Pascale feed for free indefinitely would not be good for business.

  It was time to go home and pick up the threads of her old life.

  She had no real idea of what she would be able to return to and what would have to change, but she was determined to find out and make adjustments where necessary. She would see if Angelique would be willing to help make arrangements for Pascale to return to Sang Froid if she could not find someone to feed from on her own in Château-Chinon. The town did not boast the same variety of clubs as Paris did, and Pascale did not want to starve into unconsciousness. Angelique had explained what happened to vampires who went too long without feeding and how they could be restored from that hibernation by the blood of their maker, but since they had no idea who her maker was, she could not afford to have that happen to her.

  Once she knew she would have a fallback if she could not fend for herself in that respect, she would be able to deal with the rest. Her house in Château-Chinon was fairly new, and all the windows were covered with thick metal blinds that she could open or close with a remote from anywhere in the house. If she closed them fully, they blocked the sun entirely, so she would be safe inside her house during the day. With online banking and shopping, she could manage most of her physical needs without ever leaving the house. She could work during the day if she needed to, blinds closed, or she could work at night if the project did not require the real-time participation of other computer programmers on her team. As long as she could telecommute to any meetings, she would be able to continue at her job, which meant she would have the money to stay in her house, to pay Angelique if she came to Paris to feed, to go out to see a movie at night, alone or with friends.

  One of the vampires she had met the second night in Paris had mentioned being from Autun. Autun was only
forty minutes away, so she could perhaps meet other vampires there as well and begin to integrate into this new society she now belonged to. If the drive became too much, she could even consider relocating to Autun. She liked Château-Chinon, but she had no ties there she could not break if she eventually preferred to be in Autun.

  A knock at the door startled her. “Come in.”

  “You’re obviously feeling better if you invited me in this time,” Angelique said, coming into the room and shutting the door behind her. “Did you have a good chat with Orlando?”

  “It was… enlightening,” Pascale said slowly. “I can’t even begin to imagine everything he’s been through.”

  “And I’m quite sure he only told you half of it,” Angelique said. “I’d be surprised if anyone knows all of it, honestly. He isn’t one to complain about what can’t be changed.”

  “I’m ready to go home,” Pascale said. “Not right this minute, obviously, but tonight when it gets dark and it’s safe for me to go out.”

  “Are you sure?” Angelique asked. “It’s only been a few days. Usually a vampire stays with his or her maker for several months before striking out on their own.”

  “I can’t keep living off your generosity,” Pascale insisted. “I have to work in order to have the means to pay my bills, and while I could get my computer and work from here, that isn’t fair to you.”

  “At least go to l’Institut Marcel Chavinier first,” Angelique urged. “You’d be surrounded by vampires there, so you could learn anything else I might not have thought to tell you.”

  Pascale shook her head. “You’ve taught me the mechanics of feeding and hunting,” she said. “I know to stay away from sunlight. Is there anything else that I have to know in order not to hurt myself by accident?”

  “Fire and sunlight,” Angelique said. “Those are the only two things that can truly harm us. A little exposure to either, a stray sunbeam or a candle flame, won’t do any damage that feeding can’t heal, but no more than that. No fire in the fireplace without someone else to tend it. No walks in the garden, even on a cloudy day. All the rest, about holy water and crucifixes and garlic, is old wives’ tales.”

  “And if I got stuck and needed to feed but couldn’t find anyone, if I called, would you find someone to help me get here so I could feed?” Pascale asked. “Since we don’t know who my maker is to reanimate me if I went too long without feeding.”

  “If David can’t come get you, I’ll find someone who will,” Angelique promised. “More than one wizard owes me a favor these days, but you don’t have to come all the way to Paris except on Sundays. Sang Froid has a branch in Dommartin because of l’Institut and all the vampires who come to the seminars needing a way to feed while they’re there. Actually, you wouldn’t even have to call me. Adèle lives in Château-Chinon. She can take you wherever you need to go with a wave of her wand.”

  “I wouldn’t want to impose,” Pascale demurred. She had found the detective more than a little intimidating. Incredibly attractive, but definitely intimidating.

  “And you shouldn’t,” Angelique agreed, “but in case of an emergency, she would be the closest wizard to you, at least of my acquaintance. There may be other wizards in Château-Chinon I haven’t met yet. She gave you her card in case you thought of anything else related to the case. And I promise, she’s not nearly as prickly as she appears on the surface, but she has no reason to trust vampires and plenty of reason not to. She had a partner during the war who treated her… badly. She tolerates those of us who have partners now, but she views every unpaired vampire as another threat.”

  “I couldn’t ever be a threat to a woman like her,” Pascale said. “Look at me. I’m all of a meter and a half. She has at least thirty centimeters on me.”

  “Her partner wasn’t bigger than she is,” Angelique said. “In fact, he was somewhat smaller, but he was a vampire. That gave him far more strength than she possesses. She relies on her magic to protect her in situations when her physical prowess can’t, but magic doesn’t work on a wizard’s partner. I really shouldn’t say any more. I probably shouldn’t have said even what I did, but if you’re going to have to deal with her, you deserve to understand that much at least. She’ll help you because that’s what she does, but she may or may not be gracious about it.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” Pascale said. She could not completely stifle the disappointment she felt at hearing Adèle’s partner had been male. It was still possible the wizard enjoyed the company of both genders, but the news was certainly not encouraging. “Thank you for all your help. I wouldn’t have survived the past few days without you, and while I’m not ready to be happy I’m a vampire, I’m beginning to feel like I can live with it.”

  “Then it was worth it,” Angelique said, enfolding Pascale in a fragrant embrace. The feminine scent and the press of soft breasts against her own stirred Pascale’s interest, but Angelique had been clear about her feelings for her partner and her availability. Even so….

  “Would it be all right if I came just to visit you sometimes?” Pascale asked softly. “I feel like you’re my only friend right now.”

  “I’m always happy to have visitors,” Angelique replied, pulling back a little and stroking the hair back from Pascale’s face. “My partner was not the most adventurous of men, but I’ve convinced him to expand his horizons. You never know what he might agree to.”

  “I don’t want a pity fuck,” Pascale said.

  Angelique laughed. “Oh, my dear, I can’t offer you anything permanent, but I assure you, pity has nothing to do with it. All you need is a little self-confidence and you could have your pick of women. You’re beautiful and sweet and absolutely adorable.”

  Pascale made a moue of disgust. “I’ll take beautiful, if you really think so, but sweet and adorable just get me a pat on the head from the women who catch my eye.”

  “Then you’ve been going about it the wrong way,” Angelique said. “Give me a few days to make some calls. I know some women who could all use some time to get together and enjoy themselves. I’ll put together a girls’ night out for us, and we’ll find you a woman who appreciates you for who you are.”

  “Why are you being so nice to me? I know what you said that first night, but you can’t really expect me to believe you’re this generous with every newly turned vampire,” Pascale said. “The blood, the guidance, maybe, but arranging a night out, trying to boost my confidence this way… that’s far beyond any call of duty.”

  “Because as dear to me as David is, he’s mortal,” Angelique said softly, her eyes sad though no tears could fall. “There’s a lot we don’t know, but a wizard can’t be turned. In a few years, he’ll be gone and I’ll be alone, and you are very much the kind of companion I would have chosen if I had not met him first.”

  “So I’m supposed to wait in the wings until he dies?” Pascale asked. “What’s in that for me?”

  “That isn’t at all what you’re supposed to do,” Angelique disagreed. “You’re supposed to go home, live your life, perhaps find a partner of your own, wizard or not. You’re supposed to experience everything you can and perhaps think of me kindly from time to time. Eventually, when David is gone, maybe I’ll come see you, maybe I won’t, but if I do and if you’re similarly unattached, maybe you’ll remember these days fondly and consent to keep me company in my grief. Vampires love slowly and rarely because it is hard to lose the ones we love. When we do love, it is with all we have, and losing that lover can be devastating. I’ve sat vigil with vampires who have lost lovers, and it is a long, painful process for them to recover. Most of them do, but not always. If nothing else, maybe you will sit vigil with me then because I helped you now.”

  “If it’s so hard, why don’t vampires pair off among themselves?” Pascale asked. “They wouldn’t have to worry about losing their lovers that way.”

  “No, they wouldn’t,” Angelique agreed, “but that doesn’t seem to happen very often. I think it’s because of
the feeding. We can’t feed from other vampires, but after a few years, sex and feeding become so tied together that it’s hard to do one without the other. Not impossible, but hard, and how would you feel if your lover had sex with someone else on a regular basis?”

  “I see your point,” Pascale said. “Unless you could find someone who would take both of you to bed, even if only one of you fed. Or maybe two people to feed from and then sex with each other.”

  “Like I said, not impossible,” Angelique agreed, “just complicated. If I met a vampire I cared about to that degree and who was willing to work out the details, I wouldn’t say no, but I have yet to develop that kind of relationship with another vampire. As a group, we tend not to play well together.”

  “But what about the Cours and all that?” Pascale asked.

  “Attend a meeting of the Cour in Autun or here in Paris,” Angelique said with a laugh. “You’ll see what I mean then.”

  “Do you love David?” Pascale asked, changing the subject suddenly. The entire conversation had left her ill at ease, and she thought she knew why.