Rosko, Mandy - Night and Day (Siren Publishing Classic ManLove)

by Mandy Rosko

  He burst into tears.

  With a twist under his breast, Silus knew the man truly would rather his son had died. A death could be mourned at least, sympathized with. What Silus had done, could not, and his family would suffer as long as he lived.

  He turned in the other direction and followed Cedric’s gaze to Cyricus. The old sprite did not weep, as the proud Wiktor did, but he glared at his son, body trembling with rage, his face still scarlet. ’Twas the same situation for Cedric, it seemed.

  For the first time since hearing of the plan, Silus whole-heartedly agreed with it. He stepped over that blasted bit of rock and took Cedric’s hand into his, and when Cedric turned his face, he kissed him.

  That only seemed to make the noise twice as loud.

  Cedric’s arms wound around his back, sliding up past his shoulder blades into his black hair. Silus gripped Cedric’s hips and pressed him close.

  The roar of the room tripled. Someone fired their gun into the ceiling, but the crowd did not calm.

  Cedric pulled down the neck of his button-down, exposing his throat.

  That act alone silenced the room. “Be quick, babe.”

  He had to drink as much as possible for what Cedric was about to do. He did. His fangs sank into their familiar sheaths, reopening the punctures, and the blood that brought the sunlight behind his eyes pooled into his mouth and down his throat.

  “What is he doing?” Cyricus shrieked. “Stop him! He’s killing my son. Stop him!”

  Wiktor was screaming similarly. “That sprite blood is poison! Silus!”

  Despite the screams from both heads of household, neither army moved to separate them. Both sides stared, fixated, at what they perceived to be a gruesome sight.

  Silus sucked back more, and with what he’d already drank before they came into the ballroom, his body luckily remained vertical. Cedric’s knees weakened and bent. Unable to hold straight, Silus had to grab him to keep him from collapsing to the broken floor.

  He growled, waiting for Cedric’s light to consume them.

  “Not yet,” Cedric said, his voice hoarse and fingers weakly clutching at Silus’ shoulders. “Drink more.”

  Silus did. He sucked back three more strong mouthfuls hard and fast, nearly choking on it, some of the blood erupting out of his mouth and staining Cedric’s clothing.

  Suddenly, both armies came out of the hypnotic state that watching a vampire drink from a sprite put them into. As both sides of angry warriors began their charge, Cedric began to glow. An order was called out, and in his peripheral vision, Silus caught sight of the vampires all putting their visors back down and protecting their leader. The sun sprites did not stop. They charged as Cedric released a glow that rivaled the explosion of a star.

  * * * *

  Though the vampires had their protection, they still had to blink the dots from their eyes when the room’s radiant glow diminished to a more acceptable illumination.

  It was the same for the sun sprites, who, although they were made to handle such bright blazes, also staggered around, reaching with blind hands to steady each other until their eyes adjusted.

  Silus and Cedric were both gone from the center of the destroyed ballroom. A pile of ash and a burn mark were all that remained.

  Wiktor stepped forward, his mouth opening and closing, broken sounds escaping him, but no words. He reached for the charcoal spot where they once stood, as though his son could reappear unscathed.

  “Could—could that sprite have flashed him away? He was strong enough to survive the bleeding. He could have survived.”

  “He didn’t flash away.” Ben stepped forward, guns in his hands. He bent down and left them on the grainy floor, then approached with his palms up until he stood in front of the vampire with the pleading eyes. “Sun sprites can’t teleport like that outside of direct sunlight, and they can’t take anyone with them.”

  Again, Wiktor’s face broke with sobs.

  “Murderer!”

  Everyone raised their heads to the sprite who screamed out. Cyricus leaned over the rail, a long finger pointed directly at Wiktor. “Your demon child destroyed my son! Bit him and forced him to defend himself.”

  Three vampires rushed forth to hold Wiktor back when he attempted to charge the accuser. “My child would still be here had it not been for your sun-loving wretch!”

  “Stop it, stop it!” Ben had his hands to his ears. “Jesus, you both shriek like chicks. They were both standing there, barely thirty seconds ago, asking you both to let it go, but you wouldn’t. It’s the fault of both families they’re gone.”

  Both men seemed to choke on those words.

  Ben turned his face up, addressing Cyricus. “Sir, as you know, Cedric and I are—were—friends. He’s dead now because of all this, so I quit.”

  Ben made a show of unstrapping his bulletproof vest and threw it down on the floor, the thud echoing like everything did in the silent space, and then he walked out, leaving both sides to stare at each other.

  Chapter Fifteen

  The morning sun was just turning the horizon from black to navy and pink when Ben teleported back to Silus’s cabin. It was still dark, but not enough that he was night blinded as he went up the deck two stairs at a time to let himself in.

  Silus and Cedric were exactly where he’d left them when he teleported the first time, cuddled on the rug on the floor. The empty plastic bag they’d carried all those ashes in, hidden under Cedric’s shirt before it had been dumped, was on the floor next to them, making a grey mess of what was no doubt an expensive tapestry.

  Luckily it was one of those expensive rugs that was soft and thick. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have known how Silus could handle sleeping on it with that nasty-ass sunburn all over his face and hands.

  Even with all of Cedric’s blood in him, it had nearly not been enough to keep his skin from peeling off his bones when Cedric put on the lightshow. He wouldn’t be surprised if some of the rays had gone right through Silus’s clothes, burning him there, too, with how bright Cedric had become.

  Cedric’s eyes popped open, and his head snapped up when Ben stepped inside, but there was no energy left in him to lift his body.

  Ben leaned down to help him with that. “It’s okay, I’m here. It’s dawn. I’ll get you to a bed.”

  Cedric waved him off. The struggle was a pathetic one, but it still got Ben’s attention. “No. Silus first. Close the curtains in his room.”

  He frowned at that. “No tinted windows?”

  Cedric shook his head but didn’t explain further why a vampire house would not have tinted windows. Maybe Silus just didn’t use it enough.

  Well, he would after today.

  Ben left his best friend on the floor and, with all the care he could find, as if he were handling a sickly infant, Ben eased Silus into his arms. Trying to maintain his quick feet without jostling the cargo too much, Ben got him to one of the rooms upstairs and eased the vampire into bed. Though the room wouldn’t be entirely light tight, with the shutters closed and the curtains drawn, it would be damn near close.

  “Thank you.”

  Ben spun as the last curtain on the second window was tied shut. Silus had awoken—or had he always been awake?—and was looking at Ben with something akin to gratitude.

  “For the curtains? No problem.”

  “Not for the curtains.”

  Yeah, he knew, but he didn’t want to think too much on it. It was going to make him uncomfortable. “He’s my best friend. If you’re in the picture too, then whatever I’d do for him applies to you, too.”

  Silus smiled, revealing a bit of fang, but then it vanished and his brow creased. “Did—”

  “Your father survived, don’t worry. I walked all the way across that giant lawn of yours before I teleported, and in that time, I didn’t hear the fighting start back up.”

  Silus sighed. “I hope we gave them something to think about.”

  Ben let himself out. “Pretty sure you did,” he said, before
closing the door.

  When Ben got back downstairs Cedric had managed to drag himself to sit on the couch, and unlike in Silus’s room, Ben began opening the curtains and windows to let in as much of dawn’s rays as possible. The horizon was now turning nice shades of pink and blues, shadows were starting to cast along the trees, and the birds chirped in their nests. It was going to be a beautiful morning.

  “Want to go upstairs,” Cedric muttered.

  “You need to recharge your batteries first,” Ben said, and then he turned and caught Cedric trying to get to his feet. “Whoa, easy.” He rushed forward, pushing Cedric back down, then lifting his legs and forced him to lie on his back instead of sitting on his ass.

  Though he’d seen the guest rooms upstairs, it occurred to him that Cedric would probably rather be in bed with Silus, which was a no-no considering how dark that room currently was.

  “I’ll be fine,” Cedric insisted, though the physical protests were so weak they equaled zilch.

  “Just sleep a little bit, until noon. Then I’ll help you go up to him.”

  Cedric licked his lips and closed his eyes. Ben took that as an agreement.

  “Thanks for helping us,” Cedric muttered.

  A familiar place under Ben’s ribs squeezed. “Couldn’t exactly leave you guys out in the cold, right?”

  Cedric smiled. “You could have. But you didn’t. That’s the thing.”

  “I’m your bodyguard.”

  “No you’re not.”

  Short sentences told Ben just how frail his friend still was and gave him the giant hint that he shouldn’t argue. He should just leave him to his sunbathing, when the sun finally managed to get its ass higher in the sky, that is.

  “I’m still your friend.”

  “Good friend.”

  Yes, a very good friend. Of course, friends, even very good ones, didn’t kneel down and lean in to kiss their friends when they were as unguarded and helpless as Cedric was.

  When he pulled his mouth away from those shocked lips, Cedric’s eyes were popped wide. It was comical enough that Ben laughed.

  “I figured you never knew.”

  “But—why—”

  Ben knew what Cedric wanted to say. Why all the parties, and then following him to a vampire ball for his bachelor lay?

  Ben didn’t run his fingers through that golden hair like he’d always wanted. That was too intimate a gesture, even more so than the little kiss he’d given, and he wanted his friendship to still be intact when this was all over.

  “I was your bodyguard. I could never in good consciousness act on my feelings for you. You were always so high above me.”

  Cedric continued to gaze at him, only now it looked as though he were about to unman himself with his misty eyes. “Ben—”

  “Your safety and happiness has always been my top priority, back even before I took this job, when we were still kids together. That hasn’t changed.”

  Ben leaned back on his hunches, projecting an aura of cheer he didn’t feel. Truthfully, his heart was jumping around in his chest like a rabbit on crack. “I used to not like him, but now I’m kind of glad you’re with him. If anything, this proves that not all rules are meant to be obeyed. Gives me hope that I’ll still find someone.”

  Cedric’s Adam’s apple bobbed heavily before he licked his lips. “Just remember to ask them out next time.”

  Ben grinned. “You got it. Even if I’m not allowed, I’ll make a move.” He got to his feet, found the key rack on the wall, and picked something out with a whistle. “You don’t think he’ll mind if I drive one of these to get some takeout, do you?” Maybe he’d even get some burn cream for that poor creature upstairs.

  Cedric’s eyes were playfully half lidded, just as they always were whenever the two of them talked like this. “Don’t know. Kissing his mate. Driving his ride. Pushing it.”

  “What he doesn’t know won’t kill him.” It was the same thing Ben always said whenever he and Cedric snuck out from under the ever-watchful eye of Cedric’s father.

  When Ben left for the garage, he felt light and cheerful. For real this time. Because his friendship was still whole. When he flicked the lights and got a load of what he’d be driving, that cheer crashed through the roof and kept right on going.

  “I’m so not returning you to Silus,” he said as he sank into the plush leather seat of the yellow Porsche. Before starting the ignition, he started playing with the Sirius satellite radio.

  Silus owed him for saving his life anyway.

  Chapter Sixteen

  As soon as he was able, Cedric pulled himself off the couch and dragged his ass up the stairs. He’d sat in the morning sun for a few minutes once it peaked through the windows, and now he wanted to lay in the dark for a bit. Next to his lover.

  He opened the door just a crack and slipped inside.

  Silus opened his eyes at the soft click of the door as it shut. He was already looking better, his face and hands not so red, and no signs of blisters or pealing like he’d feared. Silus pulled down the covers for him, and, grinning, Cedric crossed the room and climbed in with his… mate. He was going to have to get used to that word.

  “You are looking fine this morning,” Silus said.

  Cedric began tracing light patterns over Silus’s pale chest, tickling the indents and circling his nipples until they reddened and budded like roses, but otherwise he was careful not to touch too much lest he irritate the burns. “You look better, too.”

  Silus reached up for Cedric’s hand, stopping him. “As much as I adore your hands, I’ll need a little more rest before my body can perform.”

  Cedric lowered his gaze, and his eyes widened at the tent poking up in the silk sheets. He hadn’t even really been thinking about sex, but his lips quirked into a wicked smirk as he slid his hand down to gently cup and massage the shaft through the linens. Silus hissed in a breath, and though Cedric adored the sound of it, his body didn’t respond the way he’d hoped.

  His confusion must’ve been obvious because Silus was chuckling at him with his eyes closed. “Not what you expected?”

  Cedric lay back and threw the sheets off himself to have a look. His jeans were still on, but there was hardly a tingle beneath them. Touching Silus and listening to his pleasure always made him hard. “I don’t get it.”

  “Mmm, I’m freshly filled with your blood. ’Tis not difficult, no matter how weak I may feel, for that blood to make its way here.” Silus grabbed Cedric’s hand and returned it to his prick.

  “You, on the other hand,” he gasped, removing the hand to stroke at Cedric’s fingers with his thumbs, “are missing quite a bit of blood. It will be some time before you can get it up as easy as before.”

  “Not too long, I hope,” Cedric said. This was supposed to be his happily ever after. From what he understood, that usually got celebrated with a lot of headboard-banging sex.

  “No. Your stamina is good. Give it a day or so and we’ll return to this.”

  It shouldn’t have left Cedric disappointed. They’d had sex every time they’d been together since they met. Maybe now was the right time to simply relax, heal, and enjoy each other’s company rather than each other’s dicks.

  But he really, really, really wanted sex.

  Silus could get it up, but was too weak to fuck him, and Cedric couldn’t get hard anyway, so it didn’t matter.

  Or, maybe it did.

  Cedric grabbed the sheets and flung them entirely off the bed.

  Silus tensed. “What are you—?”

  “That doesn’t look very comfortable, and I promise my mouth still works,” Cedric said, and Silus said not one more word as his trousers were unbuttoned and pulled down.

  Cedric wanted sex, but he could still do the pleasing and have a good time. Silus had taken a serious sunbath beating with the light Cedric let off back at his former manse. He wanted to make him feel good after that.

  The first thing Cedric did was harden his tongue and use it to play w
ith the slit of Silus’s cock. Then he took the whole shaft into his mouth, going all the way down until his chin touched Silus’s balls.

  Silus’s hands found his hair as Cedric worked him, his knees coming up so that he could thrust his hips easier as he fucked Cedric’s mouth, gasping his pleasure.

  And then the tingling in his cock started up for real. Even with his body depleted of blood, he still got excited for the vamp in bed with him. It was a slow build up at first, but soon he was throbbing between his legs.

  Cedric began to hum, and it all ended as Silus came down his throat. It was so sudden he nearly choked on it and had to pull away quickly before the spasm made him bite down or something, which was a shame because he liked that part. He’d wanted something relatively quick before Ben came back, but that was a little too fast.

  Cedric coughed a couple of times before he caught his breath and stared at his lover, whose cheeks were pink and whose mouth was pouting and annoyed.

  It was cute.

  “I told you. Too much blood in me.”

  Cedric looked down, pleased with what he saw. Too much blood. No kidding. “Well, you’re still good to go.” He took Silus’s hand and stuck it over the firm area of his jeans. “So am I. I know you’re tired—”

  “No.” Silus’s eyes glittered, and his palm rubbed that spot. “Not tired enough if you feel up to riding me… or fucking me.”

  It was exactly what Cedric wanted to hear. He got to work on his clothes, tossing them all away with the sheets he’d thrown across the room previously, and then climbed up Silus’s body. It seemed only the flesh of his face and hands were burned when Cedric pretended to obliterate the both of them, because his body still looked perfectly pale and beautiful.

  “If too much blood really does this to your prick,” Cedric said as he gripped it in his hand and gave it a firm upper stroke, the saliva there still wet enough to keep it slick, “I’ll feed you daily. Starting tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow.”