Haven 1: Caution: Contents Under Pressure

by Gabrielle Evans

  Jory jerked out of his mate’s arms and scrambled backward until he fell off the bed. Knowing it was useless to run, he curled into a ball and wrapped his arms around his head. Things had been going so well. Why did he have to go and fuck it up? “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Please, I’m so sorry.”

  Chapter Six

  Stavion’s heart shattered in his chest as he listened to Jory apologize over and over. He should have taken things slower. But, God, Jory tasted so good, and he hadn’t been able to help himself.

  The fact that Jory had erupted with nothing more than a kiss was the sexiest thing Stavion had ever witnessed. It was such a turn-on, he’d been damn close to following Jory right over the edge.

  Throwing his feet over the edge of the bed, he slipped to the floor and kneeled beside his distressed mate. He rested his hand on Jory’s shoulder, but pulled it back when the man flinched beneath his touch.

  “I’m sorry, Stavion. I’m sorry. Please, I didn’t mean to.” The sobs wracking his body shook his small frame with such violence, Stavion thought he’d die as he watched it.

  “Jory, sweetheart, look at me.”

  When Jory just shook his head, Stavion made a snap decision that he hoped wouldn’t backfire and blow up in his face. Settling his back against the side of the bed, he scooped Jory into his arms and held him tightly as the man fought against him.

  “Hush now, baby. Everything is okay.” He stroked Jory’s hair, his back, every part of him he could reach as he tried to calm and comfort the smaller man. “I’m not mad. I would never hurt you, remember?” He kept talking, keeping his voice quiet and soothing as he held his mate tight to his chest. Eventually, Jory’s struggles receded and suddenly, he was clinging to Stavion with a strength that belied his small stature. His sobs quieted as well, though his lean muscles still quivered and quaked beneath Stavion’s hands.

  His little face buried into Stavion’s throat, and Jory wiggled around until he could lock his legs around Stavion’s waist. They sat that way for a long time, neither saying a word. There were so many things Stavion wanted to ask—so many things he needed to say. They could wait, though. Comforting his mate was more important that assuaging his curiosity.

  He continued skimming his fingers over Jory’s slim back long after the man had settled. The corners of his mouth turned down at the bumps and welts he encountered. The skin was raised and puckered in dime-sized circles in places. The more he explored, the more his gut tightened and bile rose up in his throat. It took every ounce of willpower to keep his mouth shut and not ask where the scars had come from. He had a pretty good idea, but he wanted Jory to trust him enough to tell him the story. That trust wasn’t there yet, but he hoped one day soon.

  “Not so beautiful now, am I?” Jory murmured against his neck.

  Stavion squeezed his eyes closed against the pain in his heart.

  “You will always be beautiful to me.” While the marred skin made him sick with what his mate had been through, it in no way detracted from his beauty. He only regretted that such horrible things had happened to the man. It didn’t matter that he’d only just met Jory. A part of him died inside that he hadn’t protected his mate from the cruel hands of Cyrus Redway.

  “I didn’t mean to do that, Stavion. I’m so sorry. Please don’t be disappointed in me. I’ll do better. No one has ever kissed me before, and it was so amazing.”

  Jory rambled on and on, but Stavion had stopped listening. He didn’t know how much more his heart could take. Every new discovery he made about Jory was both amazing and painful. How the man could even function after what he’d been through was a miracle in and of itself.

  “You’ve never been kissed before?”

  Jory tensed again, but only briefly before he relaxed against Stavion’s chest. Stavion took it as a good sign, and hope blossomed inside him. “Well, I have now,” Jory said, and Stavion could hear the smile in his voice, feel his mate’s luscious lips stretch over his throat.

  “Smart-ass.” Stavion chuckled and kissed Jory’s temple so the man would know that Stavion was pleased and he wasn’t being reprimanded. “Did you enjoy it?” It was a stupid question, but Stavion wanted to hear Jory’s voice again—especially now that it wasn’t filled with fear. Besides, he hoped the little man would become more comfortable voicing his wants and dislikes.

  Jory leaned back a little and insinuated his hand between them, dipping his fingers in the drying semen on Stavion’s stomach. It took everything in him not to growl at the hesitant touch. Then Jory lifted his fingers and held them to Stavion’s mouth as he gazed up at him with apprehension in those pale green eyes. “What do you think?” he spoke so softly, and if not for his vampire hearing, Stavion wouldn’t have heard him.

  Unable to bear the uncertain look in his mate’s eyes another moment—and because he really wanted to know what Jory tasted like—Stavion opened his mouth and bent his head to capture Jory’s fingers in his mouth.

  The taste of his mate’s cum exploded over his taste buds and made his head spin. Sweet and salty, a bit earthy—he’d never tasted anything so divine. He couldn’t stop the muffled groan or the swelling of his cock as he swirled his tongue around the digits in his mouth. He wanted more of the sweet nectar but held himself in check, leashing his desire in a chokehold.

  He blinked open his eyes, and he almost wished he hadn’t. The burning desire in Jory’s eyes was captivating, but it also made his cock throb painfully and his balls draw tight to his body. Jory licked his lips, his nostrils flared, and Stavion whimpered pathetically.

  Letting Jory’s fingers slip from his mouth, he felt trapped by his mate’s stare. He couldn’t have looked away if the room was on fire.

  He’d waited hundreds of years to find his mate—his sunshine. Jory wasn’t without his issues, and it would be a slow and winding road to navigate, but Stavion didn’t mind. Jory was perfect and well worth the wait.

  “I need to tell you something.”

  Stavion nodded slowly. If the quivering of Jory’s lip was any indication, it wouldn’t be a happy secret. “You can tell me anything.”

  “I’m scared,” Jory whispered as his chin dropped to his chest.

  “You won’t want me after I tell you.” Sliding his hand up the smooth column of Jory’s throat, Stavion cradled his chin and lifted his face. “There is nothing you can tell me that will make me not want you.”

  Jory didn’t look convinced, but he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I know you’ve been wondering what I am. The doctor couldn’t figure it out, either. He asked me, but I was too scared to tell him, so I just said I was human. Obviously, I’m not human, or I wouldn’t know that you’re my mate.”

  Stavion placed his hand over Jory’s mouth to stop his nervous rambling and smiled. The guy really was adorable. “Just tell me, sweetheart. I promise I won’t be mad, and I swear I will still want you no matter what.”

  Nodding once, Jory looped his slender fingers around Stavion’s wrist and removed the hand from his mouth. “I’m a hybrid. I am part human, so I didn’t really lie about that.” He took another deep breath and closed his eyes, speaking without opening them. “I’m an Aíma Demon.”

  Stavion dipped his head in acknowledgement as the smile slowly slid from his face. He understood why Jory had been afraid to tell him. Demons of all kinds had a bad rap—mostly because of the Arsidians. The soul-sucking demons were vicious, manipulative, and just plain evil. Not all demons were created equal, though.

  Lifting Jory’s hand, Stavion skimmed his fingers along the soft skin of his mate’s arm and sighed. The flesh was riddled with scars as well as three new slash marks. It appeared as though no one had ever educated Jory about his nature.

  “Baby, first thing I want you to know is that I’m not mad, and I still want you very much.” He ignored Jory’s gasp of surprise and continued. “I need to ask you a few questions. Is that okay?”

  Jory bobbed his head as he gazed at Stavion in relief. “I’ll tell you an
ything.”

  “Do you know what it means to be an Aíma Demon?”

  Jory shook his head and frowned. “I need blood. That’s all I really know.”

  That was something else they’d have to discuss. Stavion didn’t know who was donating the blood, but from that moment on, it stopped. He would be the only one to give his mate what he needed.

  “That’s because an Aíma is a blood demon. Aímas really aren’t much different than vampires.” Many of the blood demons were even able to live among covens because they were so much alike. There were only two real differences. “You know you can go out in the daytime.” Jory nodded again, but remained quiet this time.

  “You need blood to live like I do—like a vampire. When I take blood, I absorb it into my body where it nourishes me. It’s like putting fuel into a car. My body uses the blood until it’s gone, and then I will have to feed again.”

  “Okay, so how is that different than me?”

  “Think of your body more like a bathtub.” It was a strange analogy, but Stavion really couldn’t think of a better way to explain it.

  He held Jory’s wrist loosely and brushed his thumb over the scars.

  “You fill your body with blood, and it does its job. If you were in a bathtub, you’d fill it with water and clean your body. When you finish, you have to drain the water. Your body works the same way.

  The blood cycles through your body and mixes with the water, causing it to double in volume. It can be very painful.”

  Jory bobbed his head solemnly. “It does hurt. That’s why I do this.” He looked down at the scabbing wounds on his forearm. “It’s like this big pressure building up inside of me until I feel like I’m going to explode. When I cut myself and bleed, it lessens a little.”

  “It’s not enough, though.”

  “No.” Jory looked up and sighed. “It hurts so much. It never stops hurting, but sometimes it hurts just a little less.”

  “That’s because cutting yourself isn’t the answer.” Stavion grinned and kissed the tip of Jory’s nose. “It’s very lucky for you that you’re mated to a vampire. You need someone to feed from you, baby.”

  Jory looked excited as he bounced in Stavion’s lap. It lasted only a moment before he stilled and tilted his head to the side, though. His eyebrows drew together, and he pursed his lips. He looked so cute that Stavion wanted to kiss him. So he did.

  “What about Aímas who aren’t mated? Or young ones? I’ve been cutting myself since I was about nine. Are we supposed to live with the pain until we find our mates and just hope that they’re vampires?”

  “Those are really good questions, baby.” Stavion brushed a stray lock back from Jory’s face and beamed with pride. His little mate was so smart. “I’ve never seen a baby Aíma or met an adult with children. So, I really can’t say what they do for the little ones. The older demons that I’ve met have saunas built in their homes. Once or twice a week they will sit for hours inside the room and purge their bodies of the excess.” Stavion wrinkled his nose. “It’s kind of gross, and it can be scary if you don’t know what’s going on. The blood seeps through their pores.”

  “They sweat blood? I mean, I sweat blood?” Jory grimaced and shuddered a little. “Yeah, that does sound really gross.”

  Stavion chuckled. “Right now you’ll probably sweat rivers of blood. Normally, you will only sweat water, though. We just need to rid your body of the excess to get you healthy. I think most of your scars will fade as well.”

  “They will?” Jory looked at Stavion with so much hope, Stavion prayed he was telling the truth.

  “Remember how we talked about that bathtub? Well, if you don’t drain the water, after a while it will go stagnant and even get pretty disgusting.” He stroked Jory’s cheek with his knuckles. “That’s what’s happening in your body right now. Once you get rid of all the bad blood, your body will be able to heal itself.”

  “You can’t drink from me,” Jory said sternly. Stavion blinked in surprise, but his mate continued before he could speak. “You might get sick, and I don’t want that to happen. I will sit in a sauna and get all this icky blood out of me. Then we can start over and go from there.”

  Stavion hadn’t really thought about that. “Smart and sexy,” he purred. “What will I do with you?”

  “Be patient with me,” Jory pleaded. “I’m trying really hard, but part of me is still scared and unsure. I really like you, though. I want this more than I’ve ever wanted anything. So, please, just don’t give up on me.”

  “How about I let you take the lead? We’ll go at your pace, and you call the shots. I’ll be right here with you the whole way.” Jory smiled and nodded eagerly. It was a good look for the man, and Stavion hoped he saw it more often.

  Jumping up from his lap, Jory rested his hands on his nude hips and looked around the room as though searching for something. “Okay, where’s this sauna doohickey?”

  Chuckling under his breath, Stavion rose to his feet as well and took his mate’s hand. “I’ll have one built as soon as possible. For now, I think I have an idea.”

  Jory stared at him for a full minute before nodding. “I trust you, Stavion. I hope you deserve it.”

  Stavion pulled Jory to his chest and kissed the top of his head. No one would ever lift a finger to his mate in anger again. He’d destroy anyone who so much as looked at Jory in aggression. The little man would never want for anything as long as he lived. Stavion would shower him in gifts and attention every day and never grow tired of it.

  “You can trust me, Jory.” He’d do whatever it took to prove it.

  * * * *

  Stavion was right. It was completely and utterly the most disgusting thing Jory had ever witnessed. Goody for him that it was his body that looked like something out of a cut-rate horror flick.

  He had been inside the huge shower for almost an hour. Not only was his skin covered in blood as it oozed out of his pores, but he was beginning to turn pruney from the steam. Stavion had placed him in a plastic chair in the back corner of the shower that was big enough to hold at least four grown men. Then he pointed the showerhead straight down, turned off the jets lining the shower wall, started the hot water, and closed the glass door.

  However gross and boring it was, Jory wouldn’t complain. He felt better than he had in years. No longer did he feel like he was burning alive. The pressure that had been steadily building inside of him was vanishing, and he could really breathe for the first time in so long.

  “Stavion!”

  Jory understood that his mate had responsibilities as a coven leader, but he wished the man could stay with him. He was still a little nervous around the big vampire, but he was quickly finding that he enjoyed Stavion’s company.

  “Yes, Jory?” Stavion replied as he stepped into the bathroom.

  All Jory could see through the foggy glass was a blurry outline, but he recognized Stavion’s voice and smelled his scent immediately.

  “How long do I have to stay in here? I’m all wrinkled up, and I think my balls are turning into raisins.”

  Stavion chuckled, his voice deep and sexy. Jory shivered involuntarily, and a contented sigh fell from his smiling lips. Stavion had a great laugh. The man’s body was a work of art. He was smart, funny, kind, and he made Jory feel special. He doubted he could have found a better mate if he’d handpicked the man himself.

  “Jory?”

  Jerking out of his thoughts, Jory looked up into Stavion’s concerned eyes. The shower door was open just a little, and Stavion had apparently been talking to him while he’d been lost inside his own mind. “I’m sorry,” he said immediately.

  Stavion’s eyebrows drew together, and the corners of his lips tugged down in a frown. “Don’t apologize. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

  Jory almost apologized again for apologizing. God, he was so lame. Instead, he plastered a smile on his face and tilted his head to the side. “I didn’t hear what you said.”

  “I think you’ve be
en in there long enough. We can always do some more tomorrow if you’re still hurting.” He closed the shower door then slid it open from the other end to adjust the water temperature and tilt the showerhead up. “Okay, all set. Go ahead and get clean while I find us something to eat. Is there anything you like?” Jory was so used to just eating whatever he could get his hands on, it didn’t matter to him. So, he shrugged and wrinkled his nose.

  “Anything is fine, Stavion.”

  “I’m sure it is, but I asked if there is something special that you like.” He leaned farther into the shower and pressed his lips to Jory’s as the shower soaked his head.

  It made Jory laugh. “You’re a nut.”

  Stavion chuckled along with him as he shook his head like a dog to dispel the water from his short, black hair. Jory laughed harder.

  Had he ever had so much fun doing something as dull as taking a shower? Stavion was trying so hard. Even if Jory couldn’t meet the man halfway, he could still make an effort. “I like grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato soup, and warm chocolate pudding.” He bit his lip as he thought it over. “I think I’d like to try waffles, and maybe hotdogs. I’ve never had them before.”

  Something flashed in Stavion’s eyes before they softened, and he bent forward to capture Jory’s lips again. He kept the kiss short, but it was no less sensual for its brevity. “Get washed, Jory.” Then he slid the glass door into place and hurried out of the room.

  Jory just shrugged. Maybe Stavion really liked waffles.

  He finished his shower and dried himself quickly, only then realizing he had no clean clothes in the bathroom to change into. Oh, well, Stavion had seen him naked before. Wrapping the big, fluffy towel around his hips, he exited the bathroom, grinning a mile wide when he saw Stavion sitting on the side of the bed, waiting just for him.

  “I really like that shirt,” he commented apropos to nothing. It was a smoky, charcoal gray with little white buttons and looked incredibly sexy stretched across Stavion’s pale skin.