by Sam Crescent
Marianna’s hands sank into the flesh of Gregory’s back. She gasped, opening her thighs wider.
There was nothing for him to do other than watch as Gregory moved inside her, going deeper than before.
Gregory lifted her leg up over his hip as he sank farther. Marianna thrust her hips up to meet him thrust for every thrust.
Their moans echoed around the room. The scent of sex and blood filled the air. Augustus stopped himself from inhaling.
Grabbing his cock in his fist, Augustus tightened his fist and fucked his palm.
Marianna cried out.
Fuck, she’s tight. I can’t last.
Gregory’s thoughts went through his mind.
Watching the way his friend took her sent pleasure shooting down Augustus’s spine. His cock jerked as his orgasm pulsed through his body. Fluid leaked out of the tip of his cock coating his carpet. His seed wasn’t fertile.
No one understood why a vampire could orgasm when their blood didn’t pump out of their body. The functioning of a vampire’s body was mysterious.
Marianna gasped as Gregory let out a growl.
Within moments their releases combined.
His friend slumped into her arms as Marianna collapsed and fell asleep.
She was tired from work. Her sleep was peaceful as a sigh left her lips.
“She’s asleep,” Gregory said. He was breathless as he pulled away from her body. Her arms rested above her head.
Marianna fell asleep with her body open. She fell asleep with a stranger and a vampire in the room.
“She’s perfect,” Augustus said.
He couldn’t find a single part of her wrong. When he’d started observing Marianna he never thought for a second he’d feel so complete with her in his life. Between Gregory’s companionship and Marianna’s love, he’d be happy with his life.
How could he turn both humans knowing what awaited them afterward?
Augustus had never heard of any vampire having control during the first few months of turning.
Were his actions merely selfish? He’d been alone a long time. Changing someone wasn’t a quick decision he was willing to make.
“You’re silent over there.”
“Clean the blood from her pussy and thighs,” Augustus said.
Gregory stared at him for several moments.
“What’s the problem?”
“I deal with your instructions because you’re my friend. Don’t start treating me like your slave. Marianna and I are not your slaves, Augustus. I know we mean more to you than simple slaves.”
“Do you think you can read my thoughts now?”
“No, I can’t read your thoughts. I can read your face. You’re tormented, and that look, looks the same on everyone. I’m not letting her go, Augustus. Donald will abuse his power over her. She’s too perfect to give back to their world. We need to keep her for us,” Gregory said.
“And how do you think we should do that? Shall we lock her in the basement or should I compel her to stay with us?”
“At least you’re admitting it’s us.”
Augustus turned away from him. Marianna lay curled up in his bed. Her red hair fell across his pillow like a burst of fire in his life. His bedroom was dark. Her pale skin and fiery hair brought a burst of colour into his life.
****
Gregory left the room to go to the bathroom. He didn’t go to Augustus’s personal bathroom and went to his own. Grabbing a cloth from the pile he kept in the far corner he rinsed it under the warm tap.
Anger consumed him from the way Augustus pushed him around. He was the vampire’s friend, but there were times when he thought Augustus forgot what it felt like to have a friend.
He walked back into the room to find Augustus sat on the bed stroking Marianna’s face.
“She’s so beautiful. I’m sorry for ordering you around. I forget what it means to have a friend.”
“You read my thoughts. Your apology doesn’t mean anything if you’re reading my thoughts prior to it,” Gregory said.
Pressing the damp cloth between her thighs, Gregory cleaned away the virgin blood. Augustus turned his head away from the scent, or at least that was what Gregory thought he was doing.
Still, he didn’t question the other man’s reasons for turning away.
“Reading your thoughts helps me to see my faults. You’re right either way. I made a mistake, and I shouldn’t talk to you the way I did.”
Gregory stared at his friend. “Apology accepted.”
He knew it was the best he was going to get as far as an apology. Augusts didn’t need to apologise to anyone.
“I turned away from the scent of her blood. Her blood, no matter how small, is still a temptation to me.”
“Yeah, she’d freak out if she was to wake up to you cleaning her.”
Gregory wiped away the last of the evidence before leaving the room. He took longer wringing out the cloth.
When he turned to exit the room he found Augustus stood naked in his doorway.
The first time he met Augustus he’d been nervous about being naked in front of the other man. Over time that nervousness disappeared. He was more comfortable in his own skin around a vampire than he was in the real world with humans.
Shaking his head, Gregory turned back to the sink.
“Why have you left her?”
“I need to come and see you.”
“You should stop reading my mind. It’s not fair to me for you to do that.”
“I told you it wasn’t a switch I could turn off. This is who I am. I can’t change who I am.”
Gregory understood that. “Change me, and we’ll both be in this together.”
“I can’t change you. It wouldn’t be fair to you.”
“You keep saying that,” Gregory said. His anger got the better of him, and he threw the glass he kept for water across the room. The glass smashed and was the only sound in the room.
Augustus looked at the broken glass seconds before turning to gaze at him. “That was a little bit childish.”
“I don’t care what you think. You know I’m starting to think I’m just a little experiment for you. You keep me fed and healed to keep me around to see how I’d react. I was probably the first human you didn’t have to kill. You told me you were a vampire, and yes, I freaked out, but you saw I wasn’t really scared. I reacted how I’m trained to react. Deep down inside, there was no real fear, was there?” Gregory asked. Tears filled his eyes as he looked at the only friend he’d ever had in the world.
“No, you weren’t afraid. You should have been, but you weren’t. You’re wrong though.” Augustus started picking up the pieces of the smashed glass.
Gregory fisted his hands at his sides in order to stop himself from helping Augustus. He needed answers.
“What was I wrong about?”
“I didn’t stop killing you as some kind of challenge or as a pet project. I didn’t kill you simply because I didn’t want to kill you. There was no animosity or hidden agenda. I didn’t want to kill you, Gregory.”
“No, you’re a vampire. You can’t control yourself.”
Augustus was in his face within seconds. “Actually, I can’t control myself near Marianna. Her blood is pure, and I love fucking women. I’ve fucked men in my time, but I’ve never gotten off on it. Men do not do it for me.” Augustus grabbed Gregory’s hand and placed it over his flaccid cock. “I’m not hard for you, Gregory. When I see you, I see my friend. Not my lover or my slave. I see my friend. You’re the first friend I’ve allowed myself to have in over three hundred years. Do you really think I’d do anything to ruin that?”
The depth of truth was written all over Augustus’s face.
“Why won’t you change me?” Gregory asked.
The other man threw his hands in the air in frustration. “I’ve answered this a thousand times. I won’t give you that fucking curse, Gregory. Do you really think you’ll be able to control yourself? I almost lost control with Marian
na in there. Her virgin blood was on her thighs, and all I wanted to do was bask in it. I’m over three hundred years old, and do you really think I knew how to control myself when I was first born to the vampire world?” Augustus didn’t give him time to answer. “Do you remember when you were a young man and your cock got hard? When you saw an attractive woman and all you wanted to do was stick your cock in her pussy.”
Gregory felt the heat fill his cheeks.
“I see you remember. You couldn’t control your hard-on. Imagine what that’s like, only make it worse. You’re thirsting for blood. Any blood you can get your hands on. Fuck, even a child or baby’s blood is better than going thirsty.”
“Stop,” Gregory said, covering his ears.
“No.” Augustus pulled his hands away. “You will listen to me, my friend. I don’t turn you because I know it will kill a part of your soul to give yourself over to the need for blood. The only reason I don’t turn you is because I’m protecting you from that part of being a vampire. I know what it’s like. I’ve lived it. I don’t want that for you, and if I didn’t care I would have turned you the day I met you.”
Augustus let him go. Gregory watched as his friend stormed out of the bathroom. There was nothing more for him to say. Everything Augustus said was the truth. How could he take innocent lives in his thirst for blood?
Collapsing to the floor Gregory poured his heart and soul out into his hands. The tears wouldn’t stop no matter how much he fought it.
Chapter Eight
Marianna rolled over and opened her eyes. The sun was blinding, and she quickly closed them again and moaned. The previous night’s events came back to her, and she sat up in bed. Gregory or Augustus was there. She didn’t expect Augustus because it was morning. He needed to be away from sunshine.
Where was Gregory?
Pushing the duvet off her body she climbed out of the bed. Her body was sore from last night, but she made it to the wardrobe where she found one of Augustus’s shirts.
Putting the shirt on, she made her way down the wide staircase.
“Hello,” she said, calling out. No one answered. Moving to the kitchen she saw a letter pinned to the door.
“I’m down here, Marianna. Be careful when you open the door.” Augustus’s voice travelled through the door. Turning the letter over she saw it was a blank page.
She opened the door and closed the door behind her. Slowly, she made her way down the staircase to the basement. Augustus must have had the room decorated because the room didn’t look like any kind of basements she’d seen.
“You’re awake,” Augustus said. He sat on the sofa reading a book. The room was dark barring a single light hanging from the ceiling.
“Shouldn’t you be asleep or something?” she asked, moving closer.
“I’m not tired. It was a long night.”
“Where’s Gregory? I don’t see any sign of him.”
“He’s gone to get you some food and hand your notice in at the café.” Augustus put the book aside and tapped the seat beside him. “Have a seat.”
Marianna took the seat and frowned. “I need my job.”
“No, you’re staying with us. Gregory and I are in agreement of you staying. We want your company.”
“I need that job.”
“No, you don’t. Please, Marianna, don’t waste time arguing about a job you don’t even like.”
She opened her mouth and closed it.
“Good. I hate wasting time fighting about matters that really don’t matter.”
Marianna stared at him for several minutes. The years seemed to have piled on him in the hours she’d been asleep. His mentioning about arguing and the fact Gregory wasn’t around when she woke up confirmed her suspicions. “You and Gregory had a fight, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“You’re not going to tell me what about?”
“No. Our argument is not my story to tell. Gregory will tell you if he wishes.”
“Do you think he’ll come back?” she asked, staring up at the door.
“Regardless of his drug addiction when I met him, Gregory has never had a death wish. He’ll come back if he values his life.”
She saw Augustus’s jaw tense. “You’re not happy.”
“A vampire I may be, but fighting or arguing leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I have so much more interesting things to do.” He picked his book up and started reading. “Are you sore?”
Embarrassment crashed down around her.
“Why are you embarrassed by that question?” Augustus threw the book at the wall. She was shocked to see some on the paint crack around the impact of the paperback book. “Last night you had sex for the first time. It’s a huge step everyone takes, and yet you’re behaving as if I’ve asked something personal, which I haven’t.”
“Asking if a woman is sore after the first time is personal. It feels personal to me.” She slammed a hand against her chest to emphasise her point. “I’ve never had a man, so it must tell you I’m not easily seduced.”
Augustus wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her onto his lap. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t think. I fear my manners have gone with Gregory.”
Resting her head against his chest, Marianna accepted his comfort. “I forgive you.”
“I didn’t ask for forgiveness.”
“I know, but you want it all the same.”
He snorted. “You women are all alike.”
She chuckled. “Not all of us are alike. We’re all different.”
“I don’t know. I’m starting to doubt that.”
Tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear, Marianna looked into his eyes. “What were you fighting about?”
Another sigh escaped him. “He wants to be turned, and I refuse.”
Marianna waited for him to speak.
“I can’t do it. I refuse to give him this kind of life. It would be cruel of me to do that to him.”
She liked how Augustus stroked her hair. “I fell asleep last night.”
“I know.”
Looking up at him, Marianna straddled his lap. “After one fuck with my friend you’ve turned into a seductress?”
His words stung. Marianna pulled away from him.
“No, no, no. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to do that to you.” He pulled her close. “I’m a bastard when I don’t get what I want.”
“I was offering to comfort you.”
“I don’t need that kind of comfort. I’ve made such a mess of everything. Between you and Gregory I should be staked.”
“Is that what will kill you, a stake?”
“I wish but no. I can’t be killed by a human, love. None of you are strong enough to take me on. Not even Gregory is strong enough, and he survives on my blood.”
“Well that’s a bummer. I guess I could hit you a few times to make the pain go away.” Marianna teased him hoping to put a smile on his face. Her words fell on deaf ears. Augustus wasn’t paying any attention to her.
“Do you need blood?” she asked.
“No. I’m fine.”
“You’re not looking fine. You look like you’ve aged.”
She presented her wrist to him. “You can have some of mine.”
Augustus pressed a kiss to her wrist. “Thank you, but no. I’m fine. I can wait until night to get my blood.”
“Okay, I’m going to make myself some breakfast. If I close all the blinds will you sit with me?” She didn’t like the thought of walking around his house with him locked in the basement. He was a vampire, but it was still his home.
“Sure, I’d like that.”
Marianna went on ahead and closed all the blinds. She made sure no light was escaping as she didn’t want him to be in any kind of pain.
“It’s clear,” she said.
He moved up into the kitchen. Augustus took a seat at the kitchen counter. His book rested on the surface.
“Make yourself at home,” he said.
****
Som
ething was wrong. Gregory sensed something bad, and he didn’t like it. Checking the clock on the dash he saw it was a little after twelve. Marianna must be awake by now. He didn’t expect her to stay asleep all morning while he was running errands. Donald hadn’t been happy about her notice. The guy had been that angry he’d informed Gregory to tell Marianna she couldn’t come back or expect her pay. She was done and finished. He figured Augustus could visit Donald and use some of his mind powers to stop the other man for causing waves.
Gregory sensed the guy was a little pissed about the fact he didn’t get into her pussy. According to Augustus, Donald had been planning everything around her for some time. There was no way he’d let another man touch his woman. Marianna was his and Augustus’s.
Glancing up at the sun Gregory relished the feel of the glow on his face. He’d been desperate to be a vampire, and now he was having more doubts than he liked to contemplate. He loved the daylight, but being a vampire meant he’d be confined to the darkness where it was dull and lifeless.
Unease hit him square in the gut. He couldn’t stop it and needed to pull the car over to the side of the road. Several cars honked at him for just stopping, but he ignored them. When the wave of unease passed he moved the car back onto the road and put his foot on the gas.
He needed to get home. Something wasn’t right, and the unease kept hitting him.
Thirty minutes later he parked the car and ran up to the house. The moment he opened the door he heard Augustus shouting his name. Slamming the door closed he ran to the kitchen.
The sight that met him stopped him in his tracks. Blood was everywhere. The floor was covered, and so were the walls. Marianna lay in lifeless heap on the floor. Augustus was trying to get her to breathe. There were tears running down Augustus’s face.
“I didn’t mean to. She can’t be dead. I can’t let her die.”
Augustus flashed to Gregory’s side. His vampire friend was covered in blood. Marianna’s blood.
“What happened?”
He went to her side. Gregory ignored the blood as it soaked through his jeans. Thinking about the blood and the danger their woman was in would distract them.
“She needed breakfast and wanted company. We were laughing and joking, and she cut herself on the knife. She wasn’t watching what she was doing. Before I knew what was happening she pushed her finger into my mouth.” Augustus looked like he was reliving the entire horror again. “Her blood was so tasty. I couldn’t stop. I hurt her. My grip ripped her skin, and blood was everywhere. I couldn’t stop. I’m over three hundred years old, and I couldn’t fucking stop. I should have been able to stop. I’m old enough, and I couldn’t. What does that make me?”