by Sean Michael
“I… Thank you.” He was tired, confused, more than a little lost. “Lucien…”
“I’m right here, Kieran. It’ll ease and you’ll learn how to use your new senses. We have a safe place here for you to do so, yes? And I’m not going anywhere.” Lucien’s long fingers slid over him, soothing, loving, easing.
“How did you go blind?” The question came from nowhere, just slipped from him.
“I was poisoned. Because I am a vampire, the poison didn’t kill me. It did, however, blind me. I was told to count myself lucky.” Lucien snorted, the sound rather humorless. “It was many years before I could do so.”
“Poisoned? On purpose?” Kieran shuddered, his entire body rejecting the thought. “How long ago?”
“On purpose. And it was at the very beginning of my journey as a vampire, which likely also contributed to the poison’s effectiveness—I was still weak and new. The man who brought me over was in the middle of a war with another vampire and had neglected to let me know.”
“How many are there of your kind?” His kind. Their kind. God.
Lucien shrugged, the movement casual and easy. “I don’t keep track. And wars are mostly a thing of the past—it is easier to blend in and leave each other be. I have only made a few vampires myself, but there’s no quota on it. Potentially any human can be turned by any vampire.”
“That’s…” Terrifying. Horrifying. Incomprehensible. “I’m not sure how to understand this.”
“You have all the time you need to do so, Kieran. We can feed off each other for months without ever leaving this apartment if we need to. And I have a number of…friends who are more than willing to be fed upon. The popularity of goth culture has been a boon to my—our kind.” Lucien stilled suddenly. “You aren’t regretting your choice, are you?”
“No. It’s a touch overwhelming. More than a touch. I’m…unnerved?”
Lucien looked as though he understood. “It isn’t an easy beginning, but I will not abandon you to it. I promise. And when you have become used to it, we will do everything you can think of and more.”
Hands trembling, Kieran reached for Lucien. “I can think of many things, lover. Enough to occupy a lifetime.”
“Then keep thinking, Kieran. We have many lifetimes to occupy.” Lucien laughed, his pale face happier than Kieran had seen it in their time together. “It will be fabulous, my own. Just fabulous.”
Kieran nodded. He hoped so. He did.
More than almost anything.
Epilogue
Morocco was a terribly sunny country, and Lucien was more than happy to have it behind them. Still, Kieran had expressed a desire to travel the world and see every country at least once. Lucien was nothing if not indulgent of his lover.
Europe would provide longer nights and darker haunts though, and he was well pleased to have reached the south of France, the small castle they were staying in belonging to a friend. The place was currently deserted but for the two of them, the skeleton staff that kept the place up while Andre, the owner, was not in residence having left well before sunset.
“Kieran?” he called softly as he stood up from the large, soft bed, and stretched. “Have you already abandoned me in favor of exploring?”
“I have not.” His lover’s voice had deepened with the change, and now the husky words slid up along Lucien’s spine. “I was at the window, looking at the gardens.”
“Are they lovely?” Heading toward the sound of Kieran’s voice, Lucien trusted that his lover would warn him if there was anything in his way.
“Mmm hmm. The moon is turning everything to silver.”
He reached Kieran without incident and pushed up against Kieran’s warm, naked back, his arms going around Kieran’s middle. Lucien rested his chin on Kieran’s shoulder, the scent of his lover’s blood strong this close, exciting him. “That sounds almost as lovely as you,” he murmured, stroking Kieran’s belly.
“Flatterer.” Kieran chuckled.
“Not so, my love. You are the most beautiful thing I know.” Kieran filled Lucien’s senses and made him so happy. He rubbed against his most favorite. “What are we doing tonight?”
“Do you hunger?” Did he hunger? Had there been more than a moment since he’d met Kieran that he had not?
“Always, Kieran.” His tongue slid along Kieran’s long neck, lips nibbling.
“Mmm.” Chin dipping, Kieran offered more of that nape to him.
Letting one tooth scrape along Kieran’s skin, but not breaking it, Lucian moaned. Not yet. The tease was too delicious. Kieran arched against him, soft moan almost too quiet to hear.
Lucien grabbed Kieran’s hips and turned him, bringing their mouths together in a hard kiss, their teeth knocking, one of their lips splitting. The sounds that pushed into his mouth were deep and raw, the fingers on his hips hard enough to bruise. The passion flared quick and bright between them, the shared drops of blood like an appetizer for the heat to come. Lucien slid his hands down to Kieran’s ass, holding on.
Throbbing against his thigh, Kiernan’s cock was full and promised him pleasure, and an eternity of desire. Their tongues tangled together, fought and played as they rubbed, heat on heat.
Kieran began to move, leading him on a hunt, keeping that throbbing vein away from his lips. Lucien teased Kieran’s nipples, trying to distract as he gave chase, mouth searching and eager. They stumbled back, Kieran’s flesh responding eagerly to his touch, the scent of need stronger on the air.
Lucien pushed Kieran up against the window, mouth finally latching onto Kieran’s skin.
“Lucien. Lover.” Blood calling to him, Kieran’s vein seemed to leap into his lips.
“Mine.” Lucien growled the word, and then bit, Kieran’s lifeblood pouring into his mouth. It was the finest wine, heat and life filling his lips, his body, his soul. He lost himself in it, in his lover, his Kieran.
Eventually Kieran drew Lucien’s wrist up, needle-sharp teeth sinking in deep. Crying out, Lucien came, his body spilling, blood and seed, onto, into his lover.
They slumped together, sinking to the floor with its chilled stone and heavy rugs. Moaning, Kieran curled close and held him as if he were something special. The strength of his lover’s arms had grown more and more familiar as they’d lived and loved, Lucien’s faith in Kieran being the one for him fulfilled.
“Happy?” Lucien needed to know he wasn’t the only one to have gained by turning Kieran.
“More than happy.” Kieran smiled against his cheek, lips soft and warm.
“Mmm…good.” Lucien stretched and curled again, sliding against Kieran with long, slow movements.
At home.
No matter where they went, he was home with Kieran.
About the Author
Often referred to as “Space Cowboy” and “Gangsta of Love”, while still striving for the moniker of “Maurice”, Sean Michael spends the days surfing, smutting, organizing an immense gourd collection, and fantasizing about one day retiring on a small secluded island peopled entirely by horseshoe crabs. While collecting vast amounts of vintage gay pulp novels and mood rings, Sean whiles away the hours between dropping the f-bomb and perusing the Kama Sutra by channeling the long-lost spirit of John Wayne and singing along with the soundtrack to Chicago.
A long-time writer of complicated haiku, currently Sean is attempting to learn the advanced arts of plate spinning and soap carving sex toys. Barring any of that? Sean will stick with writing stories, thanks, and rubbing pretty bodies together to see if they spark.
For more information, please visit Sean’s website at www.seanmichaelwrites.com. Or you can contact Sean at [email protected].
Also by This Author
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Unlikely Hero, Torquere Press
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Out of the Closet, Torquer
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On the Sand, Torquere Press
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When Harry Met Jason, Torquere Press
Sammy’s Place, Toruqere Press
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Snared, Torquere Press
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Need, Torquere Press
Chosen, Torquere Press
Velvet Glove, Torquere Press