Last Chance

by Lyn, Viki

  “I like you. I want you, and you want me. That's enough.” Stu reached for the condom and shoved it into Aric's hand. “Why worry about the future?”

  Aric fisted his hand around the small plastic square and shook his head. “I worry about doing something that might turn you into what I am.”

  “It's not possible.”

  “Huh? But—”

  “Later. You talk too much.” He shut Aric up with a kiss.

  Aric pulled away to catch his breath—and to give in. The sight of Stu's spoiled-boy pout made him lose any control he had left. He purred as nimble fingers ran down the entire length of his erection, stirring the warmth back into his cock. Stu's other hand remained firmly on his shoulder, keeping him rooted. When Stu's fingers found their way to his balls, Aric let out a full-throated groan.

  Ah, so much for holding back.

  Stu caressed his scrotum, causing sensual licks of desire to shoot up his thighs. Raspy moans escaped Aric's lips. Keeping his hands locked on to those wide shoulders, Aric held on for support.

  Stu rubbed himself catlike against him, hands massaging his chest and sliding across his nipples. Aric's cock grew from the direct contact. It was hard to ignore the inner demon of his heart, poking him with a pitchfork to pay attention to his needs. Unmet lust threatened to erupt into a brushfire. He'd already tasted Stu's blood and semen, and he wanted more.

  He backed away, then circled Stu, slowly taking him in. Stu followed him with his eyes, his smile never wavering. He stopped behind Stu and slipped off the pure white shirt, letting it pool at his feet. Stu stood, back to Aric, buck naked.

  Aric embraced Stu's waist, the palm of his hands resting on Stu's flat stomach. The muscles pulsated beneath his hand, the fine body hair soft. Then he reached for the lube, already so turned on he could barely think straight.

  Stu pressed his backside against him, giving silent permission to continue. Aric placed quick kisses down his spine, eliciting a moan. He straightened up and moved back just enough to coat his fingers with lube, then tossed the tube back onto the counter. Fisting Stu's firm cock, he began stroking it, the slick lotion warming in his hand. As he worked Stu's cock, he used his lubed finger to moisten the virgin entry.

  Aric took it slow, easing his finger into the tight passage, letting Stu relax into the bittersweet pain. The smell of sweat and musk mingled its seductive scent around him. Two fingers and Stu tensed.

  “Are you okay? You want me to go on?”

  “Fuck yeah.”

  Aric found the nub of flesh that sent Stu into orbit.

  “Oh fuck…” Stu arched his back sharply, his body quivering, his moans riding along the airwaves. “Fucking unbelievable.”

  “You like?” Aric teased. He grazed Stu's prostate again, smiling as Stu tensed tighter than a strung wire. He pulled out his fingers and placed his dick at the tight entrance. “This will feel even better.”

  Aric noticed Stu's grin as he tore open the condom. Good. The boy still wanted it. He slipped on the latex sheath and dropped the wrapper to the floor. He slid his cock inside the hot opening, then stopped at the first ring of muscle. Stu groaned. Aric stroked the soft strands of blond hair until Stu's shoulders relaxed. He pushed farther in. A wonderful, tight sensation grabbed onto his cock. He gauged Stu's movements, noticing every detail of his pain and pleasure: the growls from deep within, the shivers rippling across his skin, the faster rhythm of Stu's hips bucking forward into the fisted hand and back, spearing Aric's cock farther inside him.

  All the while, Aric savored the incredible sense of connection, of their bodies joined as one, their hearts beating in sync—every part of him was on the verge of release.

  His orgasm shattered through, hard and sudden. Stu came seconds later.

  Barely conscious of his surroundings, Aric hung on to Stu, his cheek resting on his sweaty back. Relaxed and inhaling deeply, he caught the scent of sex. His hand pressed over Stu's heart, and the beats slowed beneath his palm. He kissed Stu's tender skin before backing away.

  He grabbed a couple of towels from the counter sink and handed one to Stu. “Use this to clean up.”

  Aric slipped off the condom and trashed it in the covered wastebasket. He shook his head. “I still think this was too much of a risk. What if the condom had broken?”

  “All Kresniks are born with immunity to the undead.”

  Aric's heart was suddenly swept up in his throat, his mind exploding with excitement. “Say that again.” He tried hard to remain calm.

  Stu tossed the towel toward the counter, a quizzical twist to his mouth. “I'm immune to vampire bites, viruses, curses—you name it—I can't be turned.”

  Immune! Christ Almighty. Stu had just said the magic word. Aric's brain zipped into overdrive, thinking of the possibilities. It couldn't be this simple, could it? He needed a sample of Stu's blood.

  Aric shoved his pants up, almost tripping on the hem. His lab coat came next, quickly buttoned in a crooked line. “Get dressed, now!” He rushed to the cabinet and found what he needed. When he turned, he was glad to see Stu sitting on the stool, wearing his shorts and shirt.

  He hurried over with the apparatus, then rolled up Stu's sleeve. “This won't hurt.”

  Stu eyed the needle and plastic tubing. “What's going on?”

  “I need your blood. You just might be my savior after all.”

  “You mean you think you can find the antidote from my blood because of my immunity?”

  “Yes, yes…yes!”

  Aric smiled at Stu, who grinned back with unabashed joy. Aware of how lucky he was to have someone who cared, he had to show Stu how much he appreciated his support. Setting the needle down on the counter, he inhaled and let out his breath slowly. Then he walked over to Stu and brushed away the stray bangs from his eyes. He tilted his chin and kissed him without hesitation.

  Hands slipped around Aric's waist and rested there. Aric pressed closer, as if he could not get enough of what Stu offered. Too late for holding back his heart—it had already succumbed. He stroked his lover's silky strands, loving how he could relax with this man. He closed in by wrapping his arms around Stu's neck and letting him rest his head on his chest. For a little while, he would believe in hope and in dreams coming true. Part of him wanted to warn Stu that the fact that they had fucked meant nothing. But that would have been a lie. He knew now it meant everything.

  But he would keep this knowledge to himself.

  He glanced down at Stu, who, with his eyes closed and his breathing quiet, looked like a child. Aric kissed his forehead, and dreamy eyes opened, showing delight. Stu grinned, and Aric got lost in the dazzling purity of the expression. An eternity would not be long enough to forget that smile.

  Chapter Ten

  Aric wanted to jump up and down, shout to the world, scream at the top of his lungs. Although his blood markers were morphing at an accelerating rate, the serum would be ready for trial tomorrow. He'd tracked his biomarkers carefully. If his calculations were correct, he had a couple of more days before he turned completely.

  After Stu had left the lab, Aric had spent the rest of that day working on an antidote, followed by several days and nights without much sleep. He'd kept Stu abreast of his progress by texting, but Stu would show up anyway, insisting on breaks for meals and, well…other things. Comfortable in Stu's arms, Aric hadn't complained…much. Time away from the lab had helped him to refocus once back behind his test tubes.

  Aric's feet barely hit the sidewalk, his thoughts flying in all directions. Stu's blood had to be the key to his success. That insane, wonderful, compassionate jock had resurrected his hope in finding a cure. The thought of Stu caused his chest to seize with something close to—

  Whoa. How much do I really care?

  A small smile forced its way into a wide grin. He liked Stu. It was wrong and stupid and completely crazy, but he'd warmed to Stu's generous personality and his boyish enthusiasm when it came to sex. Aric enjoyed discovering his hidden depths—
from his love for poetry to his unusual heritage. His new friend was a cut crystal of surprising facets.

  Too lost in his daydream, Aric almost ran headlong into a couple holding hands. As he sidestepped them, the overhead streetlight shone down on the man's face, leaving the woman's in the shadows.

  His heart stalled as his eyes met the man's; they stole a glance. Aric's step slowed to a snail's pace. A split second of recognition, then it faded. No, the smile was all wrong, and this guy had blond hair. Aric looked away and walked on as he let out a gasp of air. He clutched his shirt. It wasn't Devon. He told himself again. It wasn't Devon. Devon was thousands of miles from here—and miles away from living a life anything similar to his.

  The flying-high feeling suddenly took a nosedive as reality sank in. He bit his lower lip and shook his head. Had it already been three years? Their breakup had been heart twisting for Aric. A volley of accusations had been shouted between them. Even after all this time, Aric's faults were still burned into his psyche. He was too possessive, too needy, too much in love. Devon couldn't breathe, couldn't be himself, couldn't stand it anymore.

  How can anyone love too much? And as always in a one-sided affair, he'd been left alone to grieve and have to find his way back from the deadwood that was his heart. But he never really found the path back home. Not until Stu.

  He wound his hair into a knot behind his head and slowed his pace. He turned and watched the couple disappear down the street. His shoulders drooped, and he shuffled the last few yards to his house. Would he ever learn his lesson? Again, he was blowing a relationship way out of proportion. He had to break his pattern of falling for the wrong kind of guy if he ever wanted a long-lasting relationship.

  Stu was wrong. Their relationship was wrong.

  When he saw Stu again, he would tell him they had to part ways.

  As if Stu would listen. Aric doubted the golden-haired boy would give up so easily. Behind that all-out dazzling smile and guileless face was a tenacious, stubborn devil. He liked that about Stu too.

  Once home, Aric stripped out of his clothes and observed his body in the full-length mirror tacked to the back of his bedroom door. All the excitement of his newest findings drained as he took a good look at himself. It looked like he'd grown another inch, and his arms—were they longer too? As he stared into the mirror, he slowly neared the glass. Hazel eyes were now more golden than green. God, he hoped the serum would be his salvation.

  Sickened by the image staring back at him, he slipped on his pajamas. He glanced back at the mirror and groaned at the high-water hem of the bottoms and the too-short sleeves of the top. He flopped onto the bed and stared at the thin cracked line racing across the ceiling. Anxiousness kept him awake. When he closed his eyes, he saw Stu, naked and willing. He hugged his pillow to his chest, then sat up and flung it across the room. It hit the mirror and plopped to the floor. Resigned that sleep was impossible, he threw back his covers and rose from the bed.

  He sat at his desk and looked out the window it faced. Resting his elbows on the desktop, he stared out to the grassy yard. The full moon shone on the rangy weeds and stark landscape. He couldn't decide if his being too hyped up was from fucking Stu or from his discovering a serum that could save him. Even after a few hours, Stu's smell still lingered on his skin and made for a beautiful memory. And to think, just days ago all he'd wanted was to be left alone.

  And Stu's brother was a strange one. Corbin made him uncomfortable with those all-seeing eyes. And Stu, well…Stu made him confront emotions he'd thought long dead. Stu's coming on to him in the lab the first time had been unexpected and unbelievably sexy. Not at all reticent, Stu had sent shock waves through Aric. A bitter yet wonderful mingling of bodies and blissful release. Sex between them continued to be amazing, and Aric didn't know if he had the strength to walk away.

  The laptop's fan hummed, a reminder of why he'd sat at the desk in the first place. He wanted to do a quick search for information on Kresniks—a better way to pass the time than tossing and turning in bed, thinking of one particular handsome jock. He typed “Kresnik” into the search engine but was disappointed to find only a few sites flashing on the screen. He clicked on one site claiming the vampire slayers originated in the north Adriatic peninsula of Istria and the islands off its coast. Croatian and Slovenian folklore stemmed from their shamanic origins. Those born with a caul were destined for the life of a Kresnik.

  He continued to read, learning how training began at age seven. He pictured a young Stu studying the ways of killing a vampire with wooden stakes and the properties of salt, but somehow the image didn't fit the blond, blue-eyed football player. Too clean-cut, too naive, too…perfectly normal. Except for claiming the status of a vampire slayer. And having a weird brother who showed up wearing a black ninja suit. Definitely not normal stuff.

  He cradled the back of his neck with his hands. Suddenly exhausted, he spied his clock on the nightstand. The digital read 3:10. Another deep sigh escaped him. He taught class tomorrow, and he would be in no shape to think straight if he didn't get some sleep.

  He closed his eyes and rested for a few minutes, clearing his mind. Noises were amplified in the dark. The sound of car tires whizzed down the street; a cat's paws scampered across the flat roof. He sat up, startled. The sound of an owl hooting turned his stomach.

  Was he here? Had Johan finally come to claim him?

  He stepped away from the desk and crouched near the edge of the windowsill to peek out into the yard. Nothing stirred. Scanning the square, grassy expanse, he clamped his fingers onto the sill, and his knuckles began to ache from gripping so hard. The strix had to be watching him. Waiting. Aric shivered.

  A thin, tall shadow wavered across the fence, and a tremor raced through his heart at the sight. The dark, stealthy image disappeared behind a bush. Aric's keen night vision spied the intruder, and his nose caught the creature's scent.

  Johan!

  Memories assailed him in a rush of anguish. The alluring man with odd brownish gold eyes luring him from the bar into an alley, fucking him in the ass, and then the strix's fluids rushing into his bloodstream. Nausea rippled through him. He touched his neck, as if feeling invisible fangs sinking deep into his flesh.

  One stupid mistake and his life had been irrevocably altered.

  Anger flushed away his fear. Anger at being stalked and frightened and bullied.

  He rose to his feet and stormed into kitchen, where he yanked open the cabinet above the stove. Feeling for the carton of salt with his fingertips, he pushed aside bottles until he found his weapon. He poured a handful of crystals into his palm before stepping out into the yard. He was ready for a confrontation with his adversary.

  “Show your face, you creep.”

  The strix hooted an eerie laugh and took a few steps forward. Johan's amber eyes blinked owlishly at Aric. Feathery brown hair curved along his narrow, patrician face. Thin lips formed an amused smile.

  “It's wonderful to see you again, my friend.”

  The thick, honeyed voice assailed Aric. Tightening his hand around the salt, he swallowed a dry lump in his throat. Blood pumped hard through his veins, hot, liquid fire—oddly, a feeling similar to when Stu touched him. Strange to think of Stu with Johan standing in front of him.

  “I'm not going with you. Leave,” Aric commanded, backed by his courage. He might be weak, but he wouldn't let this creature order him around.

  The strix tossed his head back and laughed. Even the laugh sounded otherworldly and…somehow, appealing. Johan moved within inches of him. He glanced at the moon and then turned his mesmerizing gaze to Aric.

  Johan spoke with such conviction. “You are already mine.”

  “Why me?” The question that had been burning a hole in Aric's gut needed an explanation.

  A furrow creased between the strix's eyebrows, the scar preventing one brow from lifting completely. His hands clenched by his sides. A world-weary sigh escaped his lips. He raised his hand, almost painfully it
seemed, and let his fingers slide through Aric's hair. “I want you as my mate.”

  Aric cringed as he wrapped his mind around Johan's answer. The vampire's touch heated his skin. His mind went numb. He tried for words, but nothing came out, confusion distorting his thoughts.

  “You remind me so much of my love.” Johan's index finger touched the small dark spot beneath Aric's eye. “Even the same mole.”

  A look of sadness blinked across the Johan's eyes, but his life force and the tempting scent of blood pulled Aric in. Nothing mattered now but having a taste. Lured by golden brown eyes, Aric fought long and hard with all his will against the force of the vampire's magnetism, but his resolve began to weaken.

  He took a step forward, closing the space between them.

  So close to the strix, he smelled the starch of his black shirt and the waves of lust emanating from the creature's skin, and he sensed the eternal pain of living too long without a soul.