Bonded Hearts

by Tamsin Baker

  Malcolm gripped his hand hard, and together, they left.

  Chapter Six

  The following evening Jackson followed his friend into a high-priced brothel, bolstered by far too much port.

  His conscience berated him.

  A whorehouse, just where you need to be when you have two willing men ready to fulfil every fantasy you’ve ever had. How stupid are you?

  He shook his head to dispel the thought. No, he didn’t need more time with his vampires.

  He needed a woman.

  He had to prove to himself that he’d done the right thing sending Malcolm and Eric away. That he did, indeed, need more than Eric and Malcolm could provide.

  Because if he was wrong, he’d made the biggest mistake of his life.

  The madam sauntered up, patches covering what he could only assume would be syphilis marks.

  Jackson shuddered at the thought.

  “Can I help you, sir?”

  Jackson straightened his spine. He was going to do this, no matter what. He had told Malcolm and Eric that he needed it. He would prove it, tonight.

  “Yes. I want young, blonde and voluptuous.”

  The madam crooked her finger and a young girl appeared.

  She would be close to twenty, but not much over. Her skin was fair and her body exactly what he preferred.

  She smiled shyly at him, glancing up at him through thick eyelashes.

  Jackson nodded. “Yes, she’ll do.”

  The girl smiled brighter and turned to lead him out of the room. He followed, despite the fact he didn’t really want to be here.

  He forced himself to stay, watching the way her hips swayed and focusing on the lovely curve of her neck. Yet his cock wouldn’t rise. The stupid thing wouldn’t even twitch.

  “Fuck,” he swore under his breath.

  She pushed open a door, and the smell of cheap perfume and a man’s seed hit Jackson hard.

  Oh, God, how disgusting.

  He wanted to turn and leave but forced the door closed behind him.

  “How would you like me, sir?” she asked, indicating the bed.

  Jackson wanted to laugh at her. He was completely soft. How did she expect him to fuck her?

  “I need you naked.”

  Her eyebrows rose, but she did as he requested and shed her chemise and skirt. She was rather lovely to look at, with heavy breasts, nice pink nipples, and a thick patch of dark hair at the junction of her thighs.

  Nothing.

  He was really in trouble now. He undid his breeches and beckoned to her.

  “I need you to touch me, suck me if you know how.”

  The girl came forward and reached out for him. She didn’t look scared or disgusted by him, and that helped. Her hand slipped into his breeches and moved up and down his cock in an expert way.

  Jackson moaned and closed his eyes, using his imagination to encourage his body into doing what he wanted.

  Eric and Malcolm’s faces came to mind. He moaned again as hot blood flowed to his cock, stiffening the flesh in her hand.

  He could feel Malcolm’s mouth around him, Eric’s kisses along his neck.

  The whore moved and dropped to her knees. His half-hard cock thickened further in her mouth, and he began to thrust in and out of the wet, soft heat.

  So good.

  She gagged a few times and pulled back. Having decided he was ready to take her, she got to her feet and moved over to her bed.

  “On my back, sir?”

  His eyes snapped open and he watched as she reached for the oil bottle that would ease his way into her unaroused, dry body.

  Jackson lost it.

  His cock deflated like a popped bubble. He didn’t want her, and she certainly didn’t want him.

  “I’m sorry, but I’m done.”

  He closed his breeches and moved to the door.

  The girl stood up and slipped her chemise back on. Her face was so young, concerned. “Please, sir, I’ll get in trouble. Can I not do anything for you?”

  He smiled back at her. Not unless she had fangs and a cock hidden under the bed.

  “I’ll tell Madame you were perfect. Rest and come down later.”

  She blushed and he winked.

  After paying the madam and praising her employee, he left, feeling lighter than he had in ten years.

  He didn’t want a woman—he didn’t need one. Fuck a normal life. He’d never been so sated, sexually or emotionally, as he had been the moment he had joined with Malcolm and Eric.

  While he had been inside Malcolm, he’d been truly happy, experiencing a deep satisfaction that he’d never once felt before. A knowledge that he was exactly where he was supposed to be in the world.

  He hailed a hackney, and with an excited heart, he quickly arrived at Malcolm and Eric’s home.

  The butler let him in the front door but wouldn’t let him go downstairs.

  “Whyever not?” he asked, annoyed that the young man would bar his entrance to the vampires he needed.

  “It is the middle of the night,” he argued. “It’s safe for them.”

  The butler flushed. “They are busy.”

  Jackson’s body stirred. If they were fucking one another then he definitely needed to be with them.

  “Then let me go downstairs.”

  When the butler still refused Jackson screamed out their names.

  “Eric! Malcolm!”

  Long moments passed before the door to their bedroom opened. Eric stepped out first, looking rumpled and sheepish. Malcolm followed with a similar look on his face.

  “Good evening.” Jackson bowed and tried to hide the grin that spread across his face. His cock was hardening, his heart beating fast. He wanted them, now.

  Perhaps it was time to allow them access to him in every way?

  He’d been so selfish in what he’d done and said last night. He needed to make it up to them.

  Behind them a young man stepped out of the room. He looked very similar to Jackson himself. With the same blue eyes, but paler. Dark brown hair instead of his own black. Young, perhaps not even twenty.

  Eric nodded to him. “Good night, James.”

  Jackson’s feeling of betrayal hit him hard and fast, like two fists pummelling into his stomach.

  His breathing became too fast, his hands balling into fists.

  He glared at the men he had been ready to change his whole life for, turned on his heel, and headed towards the door.

  “No.”

  He was picked up and moved in the blink of an eye and he was standing in their sitting room. The fire roared in direct correlation to his temper.

  The heat made him want to strip off his jacket, but he didn’t dare.

  “Who the hell was that?”

  The vampires looked at one another.

  “Answer me!”

  Eric shrugged. “James. He’s a nearby servant who allows us to feed on him.”

  “And fuck him?” The question came out before he could stop it. He didn’t really want to know.

  Again, they shared a look he didn’t like.

  He roared. “Tell me!”

  “We have before, yes. Not tonight.”

  Jackson began to pace, his own hypocrisy clawing at him. “You wanted to, though. If I hadn’t come here you probably would have.”

  Malcolm stared him down and Eric’s carefully hidden anger was beginning to show. “You told us you wanted another mate! You won’t feed us, and we need blood to survive! Would you rather we starve?”

  “Of course not.” But they were right, he hadn’t even thought about what they’d need for sustenance.

  He’d been selfish. Once again.

  Eric glared at him. “And we can smell a woman on you! So, don’t pretend you actually care where we put our cocks, Jackson.”

  Jackson groaned. His heart felt like it was being ripped out of his chest.

  “Of course, I fucking care! And I didn’t fuck her!” he screamed, then took a deep breath. “I couldn’t.
”

  They were on him quicker than he could think, stripping his clothes off his body and moaning as they unveiled his nakedness.

  Jackson blinked and they were both naked. They were also mightily aroused.

  They stood close together, which was perfect for him. So he reached out and grabbed their cocks, measuring each of them with his hands, stroking along their lengths.

  His own cock was throbbing, fully erect. His men growled and began thrusting into his hands. He needed them more than he could say. He ached to be fully joined together in a way that would blow away any ghosts of the past.

  “Can I fuck Eric this time?”

  Malcolm flew from the room, and Eric stepped forward to kiss him. Jackson hesitated for only a moment, but his desire overruled his disgust with himself.

  Their lips met and he reached around, grabbing Eric’s arse and hauling Eric into him. Their cocks rubbed against each other as their tongues collided, thrust, caressed one another.

  Malcolm’s warm hands slid down Jackson’s arms as he returned and Jackson pulled back from Eric.

  Malcolm pressed his soft lips against Jackson’s, and he shivered. Nothing felt as good as these two men, together.

  He stepped back and panted.

  “Malcolm, lie on the chaise. I want to watch Eric fuck you first.”

  He handed the bottle of oil to Eric and sat down to watch these two beautiful creatures love one another.

  Why they did what he asked, he wasn’t sure. But they always did.

  Malcolm turned and knelt down, laying his head on the cushions of the chaise. Eric knelt behind him and oiled Malcolm’s arse up with gentle fingers. He dropped kisses on his lover’s back and whispered soothingly to him as though Malcolm would not like what was about to happen.

  Jackson had never thought of them not sharing the role and moved to the floor, crawling over to Malcolm.

  “Do you not like this, Malcolm?”

  Jackson ran his hand up Malcolm’s back and gloried in the way he shuddered. He knew how amazing these men’s touches felt to him. It was magnificent to know that he had a similar affect on them.

  “I don’t mind it, but I don’t bottom often.”

  Jackson nodded and winced. He hoped he had been gentle enough the other night. He watched as Eric opened Malcolm up, placed his cock at the entrance, and thrust in.

  “Oh, God,” Malcolm groaned and arched up.

  Jackson ran his hands over Malcolm, tweaking his nipples and kissing his lips as Eric thrusts got harder and faster, and Jackson’s own cock throbbed.

  He wanted to join them, needed to.

  “I need you now, Eric.”

  Eric panted but slowed his thrusts down and nodded.

  “Yes, join us.”

  Malcolm’s fangs were now extended, and Jackson ran his fingertip over one. He wanted to feel them bite him again. He knew the pleasure that was to be had from such a thing, but he resisted the pull.

  He needed to be sure before he committed to them.

  “You are ready to come?”

  Malcolm nodded, but his eyes remained closed.

  Jackson moved quickly. He pushed Eric down so he was closer to Malcolm, oiled up Eric’s arse hole, and placed his cock there.

  “There’s nothing better than this.”

  Jackson pushed the head in and groaned as he slid all the way into his balls. He gripped Eric’s hips as the man beneath him grunted.

  “You have no idea, Jackson. Now fuck me.”

  Jackson began to move in Eric’s arse. When he pulled back, so did Eric, and then they both slammed forward. It was a hard thing to co-ordinate, but the pleasure was incredible.

  Malcolm started to moan. “Fuck, yes. Oh, my God!”

  Jackson moved harder and faster. Eric had frozen beneath him as he, too, began to roar.

  His orgasm began to tingle along his legs, and he thrust once more, burying himself as deeply as possible into Eric’s body. His seed pulsed out of him, and a feeling of complete bliss infiltrated his entire system, knocking him into the stratosphere.

  Happiness showered down on him and tears tingled in his eyes.

  Oh, no. Oh, God no. What have I done?

  ****

  Malcolm lay underneath his two mates. Never had he known such a feeling. When Eric had fucked him a month ago it had been good, but he had felt restless and unsettled in the position. But now, every cell in his being was content.

  Jackson moved off them and slid onto the chaise.

  Eric pulled his softened cock out of Malcolm also, and he winced at the sting. It would take a while before it was pain-free, if ever. He had never really asked Eric before how it felt for him.

  How thoughtless, considering how much he loved Eric. He would make it up to him.

  Jackson reached over to him and stroked his back. Malcolm closed his eyes and resisted the urge to purr.

  He wanted Jackson’s blood, but if they kept feeding from other men, then they would be able to survive.

  They could not survive without Jackson’s touch, though.

  “I brought a towel down.”

  Malcolm couldn’t lift his head, so he just continued to lie there as Eric wiped him down then attended to himself.

  Finally, he had enough energy to sit back up on the chair.

  They were really too old for this sort of passion.

  Eric stretched his back, his beautiful body bowing as he groaned. “That was so fucking good.”

  They turned their heads, and Jackson was beginning to dress, fear wafting off him in waves.

  Oh, no. Not again.

  Malcolm stood up and approached their lover with caution. “What’s wrong, Jackson? Won’t you stay the night?”

  Jackson continued dressing until he was completely covered. His cravat and vest in his hand, he turned to them.

  “I’m not a sodomite. I can’t enjoy this. I can’t love two men. What the fuck am I doing?”

  Jackson was muttering to himself now. He wasn’t making sense. Loving them? He had never said anything about that.

  “I thought I could but it’s not right…”

  Malcolm fell back onto the chaise and looked at Eric. Jackson couldn’t possibly be worried about their relationship still? What else could they do to reassure him of their love and devotion?

  “Jackson. We don’t need to feed on you if you don’t want us to. We can make do with other blood. If you don’t want us touching anyone else, then we won’t.” Malcolm promised their mate quietly and moved across the room to him.

  “No. I don’t want this. I’m sorry.”

  Malcolm watched their mate walk away and stood there stunned. Then his anger set in.

  He flew across the room and grabbed Jackson by the arm.

  “How dare you do this to us? We have been honest, brutally so. We have explained everything and you have given us no good reason why we should not be together. We even let you top us both and asked nothing of you! How can it not be enough?”

  Jackson looked him straight in the eye and sliced his heart to ribbons. “It’s just not. Sorry.”

  Malcolm watched their third walk away from them and he couldn’t stop him.

  Fear swallowed him up, hard and fast.

  He began to shake.

  Perhaps Jackson wasn’t truly their third?

  Could they have been wrong?

  He heard a thump and turned to see Eric on his knees. Malcolm ran over and dropped down in front of his mate.

  He cupped Eric’s face in his palms. His lover, his sweetheart, the man he would die for, was fading away in front of his eyes.

  Eric’s life force was dangling by a thread. They needed Jackson more than ever, and he had walked away.

  “We’re doomed,” Eric whispered as his eyes slowly slid shut.

  Chapter Seven

  Jackson spent the next day with an ache in his belly that would not go away. He couldn’t believe he’d walked away from the most intense moment of his existence.

&nb
sp; The most incredible sex of his life.

  His guilt was overwhelming.

  He had gone to them.

  He’d thought he could handle everything about them, join them in their feelings for him. But when the moment had come and the passion had remained despite his orgasm, he couldn’t wrap his head around it.

  After he’d gotten home, he’d waited for them. Stayed at home all night, certain they would come for him. Seduce him, beg him to come back.

  They didn’t.

  The next day was just as bad, if not worse. He had never understood what it meant to be “broken-hearted,” but now he did. His heart was crying out for their loss.

  What had he done?

  He’d been a coward, and he had been cruel. He had run away from the most intense emotions he had ever experienced. Never before had he felt so good, so overwhelmed than when he was with Malcolm and Eric.

  He needed those two vampires to feel complete and happy, and that scared the shite out of him.

  When another dusk arrived without a visit from his vampires, Jackson headed over to the one person who would understand, perhaps even give him some advice. Abigail.

  He was ushered into her sitting room where he smiled and bowed appropriately.

  “Good evening, Jackson. How are you?”

  Jackson smiled but couldn’t stop the way his throat clogged up when he saw her—the woman who had accepted her mates. Who had the courage to give them what they needed. Her blood, her heart.

  He was a pathetic mouse standing next to a great mountain.

  “I am well, Abigail, and you?”

  She smiled and indicated he should sit down.

  He sat, and she cocked her head in an assessing way.

  “I am wonderful. I always am with Nathaniel and Michael in my life. But you look concerned, Jackson. Tell me what the problem is.”

  Jackson crossed his ankle over his knee and tugged on his jacket. Where was he to begin with his problems?

  “I am struggling in my current situation. I do not think the vampire-human relationship is for me. How do you do it?”

  Abigail frowned and sat forward in her chair. “I could not exist any other way. Nathaniel and Michael complete me.”

  Jackson glanced away, the intensity of her stare unsettling. He knew how that felt, unfortunately.