He stroked his cock quickly, but his mind still drifted off to a fantasy where the soft fur pressed against his cheek was actually touching his balls. He could just imagine those desperate, horny meows as he drilled his cock into Roux’s slender body.
His hips twitched, his toes curled, and he had to bite his lips so that Roux remained undisturbed. But once waves of pleasure crashed over him, he was left with a beautiful chat hugging him from the side—unaware of what just happened—and a mess in his underwear.
What a prize for the hero.
Chapter 6
The smooth flavor of strong coffee awakened Jack’s brain, sip by sip. The bright sun didn’t reach him under the cloth roofing above the terrace, but he still felt heat flush the back of his neck every time he glanced at Roux, who sat next to him on the rattan sofa, having a glass of cold milk.
Every now and then, he rubbed his eyes with the inner pads of his palms, and one of his ears got folded back. Jack itched to reach over and straighten it, but didn’t want it to look like he was making a move on Roux, so he sat there, in the conundrum of decency.
Waking up together had been surprisingly not-awkward, mostly because Roux acted as if nothing happened. Because nothing had in fact happened. Just two buds getting drunk and sharing a bed. Nothing out of the ordinary. If it wasn’t for the fact that he and Roux had never been so physically close before, and that Roux had confirmed he was in fact interested in males.
And the quick jerkoff while Roux lay right next to him, which could have ended in disastrous consequences, had he awakened while Jack was at it. Just thinking about it had Jack’s head hurting.
“I could stay here forever,” Jack said, hiding behind the cup.
Roux opened his big eyes and looked out to the sea. With the sun so bright his pupils were barely slits, the green color of the iris flooded the whole inside of the eye. The short, pale eyelashes were visible as well, making Jack sigh with the urgent need to pet Roux’s face, even though he knew chats weren’t cats.
“I go where work takes me.”
Jack sighed. “I know, me too, but... as disastrously as my relationship with Calix ended, I realized how nice it is to have a home of my own. Among people I choose and who I don’t have to tiptoe around.”
“You mean in London? You go there quite often, don’t you?”
Jack licked his lips, smiling when he thought about little Chad. Maybe he should visit soon instead of sulking all alone. “Yes, that, but also my home in the centaur village.”
Roux stayed silent for a while, just watching the waves and sipping his milk. “I like to visit my family, but I never feel at peace there.”
“Where do you feel at home, then?”
Roux stared into his empty cup. “Nowhere.”
It had to be one of the saddest things Jack had heard in a while, and he gently squeezed Roux’s forearm. “What do you mean? Are all the chats there like Antoine?”
For once, Roux didn’t pull his arm away. “No, but a lot of them. They all go about their own lives and we can’t really connect. But I like to travel and see new places, so that’s all good.”
Jack sipped more of his coffee. As someone who’s been popular all his life, he couldn’t understand how Roux felt, because he always had someone to talk to. It had to be a miserable existence. “I like that too. And I am... grateful to our profession that it allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and meet people who I would have never encountered home.”
Roux snorted. “People.”
“What’s with that sarcasm?”
“You seem to be exploring much more than people.”
Jack no longer felt only humans were people, but his brain could only focus on the cute way Roux’s whiskers moved after he had another sip of the milk. He gently unfolded the crooked ear on Roux’s head, astonished by how delicate and thin its flesh was. “I still haven’t explored a chat.”
Roux didn’t roll his eyes, didn’t hiss, but just watched Jack with widening pupils. “Is that something—?”
“Jack Addison? I was sure I recognized you!” spoke someone in an American accent.
Jack’s heart might have stopped for a second, and he frantically turned his head, taking his hand away from Roux as if he’d been burnt. Only a handful of other guests sat on the terrace at this early hour, but the two men in neat suits approaching were like a cloud of deadly disease. Jack rose the moment he spotted a camera.
“I’m sorry. Do I know you?”
One of the men laughed. “Of course not. I’m hardly a celebrity, unlike you, sir. My name is Felipe Elbert, and I write for The New York Hound. I’m doing a piece on the inn and its merman, but when I heard you’re staying here, sir, I was hoping for some commentary.”
Jack stiffened and moved away from Roux, conscious of the camera. He didn’t want his father to see him with a chat, all cozy on a terrace in Italy! “Oh, it’s not me who should be interviewed. Roux Chat-Bonnes here brought the merman to safety,” he said, gesturing toward Roux, despite his stomach cramping so aggressively he wished he could run off to the hotel room.
Roux’s ears perked up. “Yes, the merman has been viciously hounded by his own kind, and as a member of JUSTICE, which is the Jolly Union—”
Felipe waved at Roux dismissively. “That’s fascinating, but we’d love some juicy details from Mr. Addison. Our readers will be more acquainted with a member of the Addison family. So, Jack, is it possible that even a man like you, a venator, could find a merman attractive? I’ve heard they can be seductive creatures.”
Jack’s face remained blank. “I’m regretful, but I have nothing to say. I’ve never met a merman in my life,” he said, lying through his teeth. “I’m sure Mr. Chat-Bonnes can tell you something about it.”
Roux put down his cup and got up. “Mr. Elbert is clearly interested in an interview with you. Take your time, Jack. I need to go pack anyway.”
Jack gave a short laugh and looked at the journalists. “Maybe another time. I have another job lined up, and it’s time-sensitive. Good day, gentlemen,” he said, following Roux into the hotel. The sway of the red tail was like a light in the fog of his brain.
Fuckers ruined his moment with Roux. He couldn’t believe it.
The journalist tried to get a word in, but they were out of sight fast.
“This interview could have moved you up in the venator popularity rank,” Roux said. He didn’t sound mean. Maybe a bit bitter.
Jack huffed. “I don’t like being disturbed. And I’m not making his job easy for him after the way he treated you. This was your night, not mine.”
Roux’s shoulders lost their tension, and his eyes softened. “Thank you. It’s just that no one wants to listen about what matters. Everyone just wants ‘the juicy bits’.”
Jack swallowed, stepping closer to Roux. The world wasn’t fair, but if it got that bit fairer thanks to Jack, maybe that was more important than gouging the eye of the Kraken? “They’re hyenas. Don’t worry about it.”
As they were about to go upstairs, the innkeeper ran out of an open room and stopped them. “Mr. Addison? A friend of yours has arrived. Drake Nguyen. He’s asked me to inform you that he’s staying in room number two.”
Roux put his hands in his pockets. “So popular, Jack.”
But Jack’s heart skipped a beat. “Have you actually met Drake? Come, let’s say hello.”
Roux’s pink nose twitched. “I’m not sure… He’s your venator friend, isn’t he? I don’t want to impose.”
Jack rolled his eyes and pushed Roux along the corridor. “I’m telling you it’s fine. He’s on the same side as we are. You know, creature-positive?”
“Oh, that’s nice to know. I suppose I can spare a minute or two.”
Roux could be so formal at times it bordered on silly. Jack knocked loudly on the door and announced himself.
They popped open, and the slit revealed Drake’s smiling face, but his expression faded somewhat when he spotted Roux. Not this again. If
there was something Drake wanted to talk about in private, they could do that later. So Jack pushed the door open and walked Roux inside.
“Can’t believe you missed me this m—” he stilled when his gaze met the eyes of a tall, slender woman in casual clothes. Before Jack could have questioned her presence, something tapped against the wooden floor, and then a brown tarantoid the size of a German shepherd jumped onto one of the two beds so abruptly its small sailor hat tilted, covering two of his eight eyes. Chad wore a matching shirt, complete with a blue scarf, and he raised his front legs, clicking gleefully the moment he saw Jack.
Roux let out a high-pitched yelp and jumped on the window sill, but still grabbed his rapier. “What is this?!”
Drake stood between him and Chad with his hands raised. “Calm down! This is Chad, he’s very friendly.”
Roux’s wide eyes settled on Jack with a silent question as Chad rushed over to Jack and hugged his leg with all eight of his.
Jack’s thoughts became a whirlwind, but before he could ask Drake who the woman was or why had be brought Chad here, or even answer Roux’s question, he picked up Chad and looked into his eyes. “Oh. My. God. You’ve grown so much! I’ve been gone way too long.”
Roux hissed. “Jack! What is the meaning of this! Please don’t tell me your new lover is a tarantoid. They’re not even sentient!”
The woman shook her head. “Lover? Chad is still a baby.”
Jack pulled Chad into a hug, and the thick legs squeezed him back, to the tune of chaotic clicking noises. He turned to look at Roux, feeling like a bug about to be crushed. “No… this is my… uh, my foster kid.”
Roux put his rapier back and spread his arms. “This is insanity. You can’t foster a tarantoid. They’re monstrous and eat people, for fuck’s sake! Excuse me, madam.”
The woman adjusted Chad’s hat. “Maybe they eat people in the wild because they don’t know any better. There’s no magical quality to human meat. Chad lives on fowl and insects, and he’s perfectly fine.”
Jack rubbed his chin against Chad’s head. “That’s really unfair, Roux. He can count to ten.”
Drake stepped closer, with a flush coloring his cheeks. “Jack, just listen to him, okay? Listen!”
At first, Jack was confused about Drake’s meaning, but then he noticed that the frantic clicks formed patterns, and his heart beat faster.
The woman’s smile was wide and toothy, but when Jack turned to glance at Roux, he immediately knew that the chat knew Morse code too by the look of dread in his eyes.
“Jack. You did not. Please tell me you didn’t!”
Jack exhaled and rubbed Chad’s back, approaching Roux. “Look at him. There’s not an evil bone in his body.”
“Because there is no bone in his body! He’s a spider!” Roux backed up, flattening himself against the window.
Jack exhaled and came even closer, itching for understanding. “But he speaks! You must have heard him! You of all people should understand.”
Roux let out an unhappy meow, his lip curling. “Teaching him tricks doesn’t make him sentient. Or harmless.”
Drake stepped closer. “No, no, he really communicates. He’s learned Morse code so fast!”
Roux went silent, watching Chad apprehensively and leaning away when the child reached out to him. “How did you survive his… err… birth?”
Jack offered Chad an encouraging smile and stepped even closer, so Roux and he could get acquainted. “That’s the thing! Turns out they don’t have to be parasitic and eat humans from the inside. This one hatched in my pocket.”
The woman nodded. “Warmth is enough. The female would usually abandon the eggs, hence the need for warmth and food from an outside source, but since Jack fed Chad, the problem was non-existent.”
Roux shuddered. “I would prefer not to touch it.”
Chad recoiled against Jack’s chest and hugged Jack, clicking,
Jack scowled at Roux and mouthed, “Really?”
Roux took a deep breath, rubbed his cheek and got down from the window sill. “Fine. I’m sorry,” he muttered and it took him a while, but finally, he patted Chad’s back a few times.
The tarantoid seemed hesitant at first, but in the end, he extended its arm and let Roux shake it.
Jack grinned. “Happy family.” He slowly turned around to Drake and his tall companion. “I assume, this is Miss Constantine.”
Rachel Constantine smiled. “I’m happy to hear Drake’s written about me.”
“But what brings you all the way to Italy? And with Chad?”
Drake smiled sheepishly. “Honeymoon.”
Jack inhaled a big gulp of air. “No way!”
There was no end to congratulations, but before Roux could have managed to excuse himself and leave, the happy couple decided to have a look at Lauro and left Jack with Chad, who’d gotten tired out by all the excitement and fell asleep in the middle of the bed.
Jack smiled and nudged Roux’s side. “Isn’t he the cutest baby you’ve ever seen?”
Roux scowled. “Jack… He’s revolting,” he whispered.
Jack frowned at him. “That is not true. He’s got beautiful eyes, and a really nice shape, and those cute bristles all over.”
“So I suppose the future of creature-human relations is very important to you now that he’s in your care.”
Jack glanced at the little ball of eyes and limbs. “I want him to have the same chances as anyone else.”
“I know you said you don’t want to join JUSTICE, but… if you’re not too busy, would you join me for a trip to Transylvania? There is some business with the vampires that I need to handle on behalf of the union, and a human companion could prove useful.”
Jack’s mouth stretched into a smile as a giddy feeling settled in his stomach. So they were friends now. Finally. “Sounds like a plan. Aren’t they celebrating Dracula’s undead birthday this month?”
“Yes, the Blood Moon. It’s a big thing in their social calendar. Have you met any vampires before?”
“Only in passing. Why?”
Roux snorted. “I just figured they’d be on your checklist of creatures to bed.”
Jack hadn’t actually thought much about it before, since they were so much like humans, but… there was no harm finding out, was there?
Next time on Jack Addison vs. A Whole World of Hot Trouble:
Will Jack get into Roux’s pants?
Will they uncover a secret satanic plot on the way to Transylvania?
Will Jack meet Roux family?
Jack Addison vs. Asexual Vampires
Jack Addison Vs. A Whole World of Hot Trouble #6
K.A. Merikan
“Are you planning to sleep with every creature you encounter?
The popular monster hunter Jack Addison is on his way to Transylvania to participate in a vampire festival and meet up with the coven elders. But no matter how thrilled he is to see the elusive creatures of the night in the flesh, he is far more excited about traveling alongside his frenemy/crush Roux. When the pretty chat invited him on the trip, Jack had hoped that perhaps the skittish creature would finally yield to his charm, but Roux is even more irritable than usual.
There are plenty of vampires to go around at the festival, and Jack had never been close enough to an undead creature to consider his curiosity satisfied. But when Roux’s behavior changes from annoying to alarming, it will be up to Jack to help his friend, no matter how many pairs of glinting canines beckon him closer.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS:
Themes: pride, experimenting, vampires, Transylvania, self-discovery, tolerance, fame, monster hunting, interspecies relations, love, biological urge to mate, heat
Genre: M/M romantic erotica, horror-comedy
Erotic content: Scorching hot, explicit scenes
WARNING: This story contains morally ambiguous characters and scenes of s
ex that might be considered taboo.
Previously on Jack Addison vs. A Whole World of Hot Trouble:
Jack Addison might come from a line of legendary monster hunters and scientists, but real life has taught him that the world isn’t what he’d been told all his life. After encountering the alluring Nessie during the annual hunt, he’s opened up to the idea of dating nonhumans.
Away from the strict segregation of his country, he meets all kinds of creatures, each more interesting than the last. Jack’s amorous thoughts keep drifting to his rival, the catlike creature Roux. After a period of mistrust, Roux learned to appreciate Jack for his good heart and invited him on a joint mission to Transylvania. Will Jack succeed at getting into Roux’s pants, or will he become vampire prey?
Chapter 1
Jack needed to focus on something else. Anything. The seat was somewhat uncomfortable, and the movement of the train only made it worse, but the night outside was quite spectacular with bright stars, and a huge full moon casting its glow on high mountains in the distance.
But he couldn’t focus on anything so wholesome when the tufts on Roux’s ear kept tickling his neck. Roux had fallen asleep a while ago, leaning on Jack’s shoulder more with each minute. It wasn’t unpleasant. I was way too pleasant for Jack’s comfort.
“Oh. Oh no,” Jack whispered to himself when Roux’s silky soft head slid off his shoulder and then lower. He swallowed, watching the fluffy fur dip even farther as the train rattled, yet Roux couldn’t have been more peaceful.
Worse still, Roux’s state only reminded Jack of the night they’d spent in one bed, when what happened in Italy should have stayed in Italy. But it didn’t. It was stuck in his mind like the dumbest recording that his brain found worth remembering.
Roux’s fur was silky, and seen up close, it glistened as if Jack’s fellow venator had treated it with oil. Perhaps it was that oil that made Roux’s scent so goo—
Jack Addison vs. a Whole World of Hot Trouble - The Complete Series Page 20