A Bite of Fulfillment

by Charlie Richards

  When Adalric joined him, a towel wrapped low around his slim hips, he leaned against the dresser and crossed his arms over his chest. “In a hurry? I thought we could have breakfast delivered, perhaps sit on the balcony and enjoy the morning air?” He waved a hand carelessly toward the door Seth had yet to explore. “We never did get a chance to talk much last night.”

  That much was true. He’d practically fallen into Adalric’s arms. It seemed every time they got close he found himself trying to climb the man’s body like a telephone pole. It was completely out of character. He’d never been this needy before.

  “I told Xavier, your gardener, that I’d help him today.” He didn’t mention he also wanted to find someone to explain vampire bonding to him…someone unbiased. He sank down onto the trunk at the foot of the bed and yanked on his socks and shoes. “I don’t want to be late, so I’ll just grab a couple pieces of fruit from the kitchen,” he added, heading toward the door.

  “Wait!”

  The hard command in Adalric’s tone shot an odd shiver down Seth’s spine. One he didn’t really want to identify. That didn’t stop him from pausing and turning back to face him, though. Adalric crooked his finger.

  Seth’s brows shot up, but he moved forward, not stopping until he stood an arm’s-length from the vampire. Adalric reached out, cupped his jaw, and used the hold to bring him closer.

  Adalric lowered his head and softly pressed his lips to Seth’s. “My office is the first door on this hallway. I have a meeting at ten. It could take a couple hours, but should you need anything, contact Toni.” He turned, pulled out the top drawer of nearby desk, and pulled out a cell phone. “Use this for now. My number, Toni’s number, as well as Peter and Gerald’s are in there, too. You shouldn’t have any trouble getting hold of anyone should you need something.”

  “Uh, thanks,” Seth said, taking it. “I’m just gonna be in the garden though.”

  Shrugging, Adalric smiled and replied, “Perhaps I just want to be able to hear your voice whenever I desire.”

  It was cheeky, but cute, and Seth snorted, amusement filling him. “Yeah, that’s it.” He winked. “I’ll be getting dirty in the garden then.”

  “Mmm,” Adalric hummed, letting him go and heading across the room. “I look forward to cleaning you up later.”

  With that parting shot, the vampire opened the closet door and walked inside. Curious, Seth took a couple steps over and saw him disappear through a door at the other end and into what appeared to be a connecting bedroom done in earth tones. His brows shot up as he realized Adalric had placed him right next to him. Had he really decorated this room just for Seth as Peter insinuated?

  He’d have to think on that, surprised at how thoughtful he found the gesture. And the playful banter they’d just had? He certainly hadn’t expected that. The guy actually seemed to have a sense of humor…and the sex was beyond amazing. Tapping the phone against his thigh, he sighed. He couldn’t remember when he’d come so hard, and technically, he hadn’t done more than touch him.

  Geez, how will it feel when he actually wraps his lips around me?

  His cock started to plump just from that thought, regardless of the great orgasm he’d had just twenty minutes before. Shaking his head, Seth shoved the phone in his pocket and once again headed for the door.

  Pulling it open, Seth spotted Toni leaning against the wall. Toni grinned and stepped nearer. “Mornin’,” Toni greeted.

  “Hey, do you even sleep?” Seth teased. The guy sure seemed to be close by all the time. Only when he’d been in the garden had Toni not been near.

  Toni chuckled. “Oh, yeah. I had a very restful night,” he stated, waggling his eyebrows comically.

  Snorting, Seth rolled his eyes as he remembered Peter sitting on Toni’s lap. “Yeah. I bet,” he stated drolly.

  Listening to Toni’s laughter, Seth headed down the hallway. Glancing around, he pointed at a door. “Adalric’s office?”

  Toni nodded and Seth kept moving.

  True to his word, he stopped by the kitchen for breakfast. He declined the offer of sausage, eggs, and hash browns. Had it been lunch, Seth would have loved it, but he didn’t like anything quite that heavy this early. “Just the banana and orange is fine,” he assured, snagging the fruit from the bowl on the counter.

  “Okay, if you change your mind, I’ll probably be cooking for the next hour or so,” the black haired guy at the stove told him.

  “Thanks, man,” Seth replied, heading out the sliding door.

  He found Xavier just rising from a chair on the back deck, an empty plate in front of him and cup of coffee in hand. The older man smiled. “Ah, so I didn’t scare you away.”

  Grinning, Seth replied, “Nope,” and took a bite of his banana.

  “And you’re even dressed for work. Let me just refill my coffee, and we’ll get on our way,” Xavier replied.

  “Ya know, a cup of coffee actually does sound good,” Seth replied.

  “I’ll get you one. Cream or sugar?” Toni spoke up from behind him.

  “Black.” Seth stood outside and waited. Resting his hands on his hips, he inhaled deeply, drawing the fresh air into his lungs. He smiled as he watched a hummingbird flit around a feeder before seeming to hover in place as it drank the sugar water.

  “They’re neat, aren’t they?”

  Seth spun at the sound of the voice and nearly stumbled.

  The guy behind him grabbed his upper arm, offering support. “Whoa, sorry, Seth. Didn’t mean to startle you.”

  On instinct, Seth pulled from the guy’s grip, and the man didn’t try to keep him. He swept his gaze over the guy quickly. “I’m sorry. Who are you? How do you know my name?”

  The man laughed and held out a hand. “I’m Spieron Virche, and everyone knows who you are,” he told him. “Everyone’s happy for Adalric. I hear he’s been alone for a long time.” He shrugged.

  Seth nodded slowly as he took in the man. He had auburn hair with more red than brown, classically handsome features with high cheekbones, an aquiline nose, and lips that were slightly thinner on the top than the bottom. He stood about Seth’s height with a slightly leaner frame, though not by much.

  He smiled pleasantly, and waved a hand toward the hummingbird feeder. “They’re amazing, aren’t they? Hummingbirds? They can actually hover.”

  “Yeah, I’ve heard that,” Seth commented, returning his gaze to the feeder. A different bird now drank from it. “There are a number of plants that attract them here,” he said, pointing at the bed of blue and pink morning glories ten feet away near the mouth of the garden.

  Xavier chuckled as he walked up behind them. “Ah, yes. So pretty. A request of yours, I believe, Spieron. They do require me to keep a sharp eye.”

  Spieron’s green eyes widened. “Really? What do you mean? I just read they attracted hummingbirds and thought they’d look nice.”

  Snorting, Seth commented, “He means they can spread fast and choke out other plants. Some people consider them a weed, what with the way they can kinda take over.”

  “Damn,” Spieron grimaced. “I didn’t know that. If they’re too much work—”

  Xavier patted the slightly shorter man and shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. If I weren’t out here every day anyway, I might consider it. As it is, it only takes a moment to make certain their vines aren’t spreading too far.”

  “Oh, okay.” Spieron looked troubled, but he accepted the gardener’s words.

  “Come on, Seth,” Xavier said, handing him a travel mug. “This is from Toni,” he explained, glancing to his left at the vampire in question, who now stood deep in conversation with a dark-haired guy Seth didn’t know. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Seth replied. He looked toward Spieron and nodded, then followed Xavier through a hedge to a shed tucked discreetly behind the foliage.

  Several hours later, drenched in sweat, Seth lowered the hedge trimmers and rolled his shoulders. Xavier ch
uckled, eyeing him with sympathy where he stood several yards down the trail.

  “Damn,” Seth muttered. “I never considered myself short until I had to trim so many feet of nine-foot hedges.”

  “Then I think I’ve arrived just in time,” called Peter.

  Seth turned just in time to see the man sashay around the corner. What really caught his attention, however, was the platter he carried piled with finger sandwiches, fruit, chips, and huge glasses of what appeared to be iced tea.

  “Careful, Peter. Don’t let Adalric see Seth drooling over you like that.”

  From Xavier’ tone, Seth knew he teased, but that didn’t stop Peter from shimmying a bit while saying, “Oh, don’t worry, Xav. I know exactly what Seth’s really drooling for.” With his head, he motioned toward several decorative benches set around a small fountain situated off to the side of the main path. “Have a seat and take a load off.”

  Seth didn’t need to be invited twice. He dropped unceremoniously onto a bench and groaned as he felt the twinge in his back. After setting his sheers down, he lifted his arms over his head and twisted this way and that, making his back pop a couple times.

  “Damn, that’s good,” he mumbled.

  Xavier chuckled and settled on a second bench. Seth couldn’t help noticing that, even as old as he appeared, the gardener didn’t seem any worse for wear. He didn’t know if he should be jealous or impressed.

  “So, how do you like it here so far?” Peter asked, handing him a plate piled with food and a tall glass of iced tea.

  Seth took a moment to take several long swallows. “Ugh, yeah,” he sighed. He could actually feel the chill work its way down his throat, soothing him from the inside out.

  Peter snickered, a pleased grin on his face. Even Xavier appeared amused, though his brow was cocked in silent interest.

  Picking up the sandwich, Seth took a bite. “Mmm, chicken salad. Nice.” Once he’d swallowed, he admitted, “I’m still coming to grips with the whole paranormal thing.”

  “Oh.” Peter sat down on the bench on Seth’s other side, pulling his legs up, and crossing them in front of him. “Well, I’ve known about them since I was six,” he shared. “A vampire saved me from a house fire, but it killed my parents. I didn’t have any family, so he adopted me.” He grinned suddenly. “Hey, maybe I can answer some of your questions. I know just about everything.”

  Seth’s brows shot up. From Peter’s expression and the way he shared his past, Peter seemed pretty well adjusted. “Well, I do have questions about how the whole bonding thing works,” he admitted. “Do you think you could tell me about that?”

  “Well, I can tell you a few things, but why don’t you ask Adalric? Wouldn’t he tell you?” Peter looked generally confused.

  Suddenly feeling uncomfortable, like maybe he was going behind Adalric’s back, he struggled with a proper answer. “Well, I was hoping to, I don’t know…” He grimaced. “A list of pros and cons, things to expect, what’s normal, what’s not normal, that kind of thing. Ya know?”

  Peter beamed. “Oh, okay.” He waved toward the gardener. “I bet Xavier could tell you all about it.”

  “You’re bonded with a vampire?” Seth asked.

  “No, silly,” Peter snickered. “Xavier is a vampire.”

  Seth just knew his jaw sagged open in shock. “You are?” He gave the gardener a closer once over, his gaze landing on the sandwich in his hand. “But you’re eating!” Then he remembered the carrot stick Adalric had swiped from his plate the night before. “Is that normal?”

  Xavier sighed and shook his head. “Well, damn, you really don’t know much. How is that possible?”

  He’d be offended, but the words were said kindly, with almost a fatherly concern. Shrugging, he explained, “I was near Durango trying to stop some buddies, well, ex-buddies, really, from giving my ex-boyfriend crap.”

  “That’s a lot of exes,” Peter pointed out.

  Nodding, Seth told them, “When he left me, I realized what assholes they were and stopped associating with them. They blamed it on Bobby, so I went to the town he’d moved to, intending to warn him.” He grimaced. “It wasn’t like he was taking my calls anymore, not that I blamed him.”

  “Ouch.”

  As much as Seth appreciated Peter’s commiseration, he knew it was his fault. Not wanting to dwell on his foolishness, he continued his tale. “Well, I found him all right, shortly after my friends had pulled him from a restaurant. A rogue vampire attacked them. They might have been assholes to Bobby, but no one deserved to die like that,” he whispered, remembering the vampire’s glowing eyes, gleefully feral expression, and cackling laughter.

  “I grabbed Bobby and we ran. The vampire chased us. I crashed my truck. We were saved by Maelgwn, Bobby’s gargoyle mate, and Adalric,” he quickly finished. “I never actually got to go home. They declared me legally dead.” Okay, that last bit might have been said a little bitterly.

  Instead of commenting on it, Xavier nodded. “I suppose that is not the best way to be introduced to paranormals, is it?”

  Peter snorted. “Ya think?”

  “Well, I guess I can share a few things then,” Xavier stated, thoughtfully rubbing his jaw.

  For the next thirty minutes, Xavier explained how important finding a beloved was to a vampire. He explained how they became possessive, wanted to keep their beloved safe at all costs, and even dominant and pushy to make that happen. He also shared how the vampire viewed their beloved’s happiness as one of the most important things above all others, besides their safety, of course.

  Seth learned his life would be extended after they bonded, so he wouldn’t die until the vampire did. He’d become more immune to diseases, his bones stronger, and he’d gain an almost sixth sense of when his vampire was near.

  He lifted a hand suddenly. “I’m sorry…wait, what? We’ll be able to speak how?”

  “Telepathically,” Xavier said again, this time a bit more softly.

  “Telepathically,” Seth mumbled. That’s what he’d thought he’d heard. “You mean, in my head, don’t you?”

  “Yes,” Xavier confirmed.

  Obviously sensing Seth’s growing discomfort, Peter reached across the gap between benches and touched his arm. “But he’ll help you learn to control it, so you don’t always have him in your head. You’ll be able to choose,” he assured. “Plus,” he added, “I’m sure he’d never just barge into your mind without your permission. That would be rude and Adalric wants you happy. You’re his beloved.”

  He said that as if that would solve everything. Seth wondered how that worked. Clearing his throat, he decided he would revisit the whole telepathy issue another time. Seth really had one more huge concern. “What happens when your eyes turn…red? Does that mean you’re about to attack?”

  Chapter Eight

  Adalric pushed the door open to Daystrum’s room and crossed to the bed. He smiled upon seeing his second’s eye flicker open. “Heyyyyy,” he greeted softly, drawing out the word. “If you needed a rest, you really just should have said something,” he teased.

  His second chuckled, then groaned. “Shit, don’t make me laugh.”

  Gently resting his hand on Daystrum’s good shoulder, he murmured, “Sorry, old friend.”

  Daystrum’s brow creased. “Shit, that must be the first time I’ve ever heard you say that,” he whispered.

  Smirking, Adalric quipped, “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “When do I get to meet the human who’s mellowed you out?” Daystrum pressed, his eyes twinkling despite the pain he must obviously be feeling.

  Adalric smiled. “As soon as you can get out of bed on your own. How about that? You can receive us in that fancy sitting room of yours.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” the injured vampire mumbled.

  Now that his friend had finally woken, Adalric had to ask. “Did you see who did this to you?”

  “No,” came the unfortunate answer. “And they
were doused in liquor, so I couldn’t even tell you if I recognized their scent.”

  “Damn,” Adalric muttered. It sure wasn’t what he’d wanted to hear.

  “I’m sorry, sir.”

  Grimacing, Adalric shook his head once. “Your health is far more important to me than that, Daystrum. Just get well. We’ll figure this out.”

  Daystrum sighed. “Shit.”

  “Hey, relax. I’m just glad you’re healing. You’ve had a few of us worried.”

  “I hate feeling this helpless. How the fuck could I have been so careless to let them get a drop on me?” Daystrum hissed, clearly frustrated.

  “Them? How many do you suspect?”

  “Three, maybe four.”

  “You relax,” Adalric reassured, even though all he wanted to do was howl. He was a good leader, and possibly having four traitors pissed him the hell off. “We’ll get these bastards, one way or another,” he vowed.

  He went to stand, but Daystrum lifted a hand and gripped his sleeve. “Wait. How’re you and Seth?”

  “Um.” Adalric paused and licked his lips, trying to come up with a…well, maybe not an honest answer, but something that was fairly accurate. “You know…better. Not great, yet, but I think he’s coming around.”

  “Coming around?” Daystrum sighed and rolled his eyes. “Gods above, why do you make everything so difficult?”

  “Me!” Adalric snapped. “He was attacked by a rogue vampire. I could have lost him before I found him!” He clicked his jaw shut as that realization sank in. “Fuck.”

  Daystrum actually smiled and squeezed his shoulder. “Have you told him how you feel, yet?”

  “How I feel?” He tried to sound confused, but he really knew what his second meant. They’d known each other for a couple centuries. “Shit. No, but it’s on the to-do list,” he admitted.