“I’ll see what Vinnie can do,” Mark dejectedly responded. “He talks to her but not as much as before the trial. It is a bit difficult for him and her to interact as if everything was fine between the four of us.” He gazed at Jean-Claude’s office. He hated the thought that his friend and Tortego were in there together.
“Its one of their usual private daily conferences,” Julio told Mark. “I swear it seems that after every one of them Jean-Claude comes out more mentally fucked up than when he goes into it. Well I’ve a defense meeting to get to so god luck.” He turned and strode off leaving Mark wondering about what was happening behind that closed office door.
****
In Jean-Claude’s private offices the werewolf was kneeling in prayer before Father Tortego. The Spaniard was now dressed in the vestments used by Roman Catholic priests when hearing confessions. The vampire listened as Jean-Claude confessed his sins. This was always the Spaniard’s favorite time of their day. Watching Jean-Claude humbled, on his knees, confessing his failings and begging his priest for the blessings of the sacrament of Penance. Tortego knew he had the upper hand now in their relationship. Approving of Sebastian’s death sentence as well as seeing the ravages of a war caused by Sebastian’s execution had only increased the guilt Jean-Claude experienced now on a daily basis. Over the last few months Tortego had used his role as a priest to crawl into the werewolf’s very soul.
Jean-Claude, as like all European werewolves, had been raised a strict Roman Catholic. Tortego, as a member of the Spanish Inquisition had learned all the useful ways of using concepts of guilt and sin upon the faithful to keep them in line. Tortego knew that Jean-Claude had nothing to feel guilty about regarding his cousin’s execution. Sebastian had been a vicious multiple murderer who deserved his sentence. But Tortego was also aware that those two young men had been family and had been intensely close as they were growing up. He was well aware that signing off, as head of the council, on the trial’s sentence of death had shattered something in Jean-Claude. The wily old vampire knew everyone, even the saints, had doubts about their conduct.
Tortego had played upon the werewolf’s normal uncertainties and intense remorse in this matter. He had craftily utilized Jean-Claude’s temporary estrangement from his friends due, to their roles in Sebastian’s death, to increase his own position with Jean-Claude. Tortego had also taken one extra step with his plan. He had surreptitiously managed to initially dope Jean-Claude with minor amounts of an undetectable drug that increased the werewolf’s depression and rendered him sexually impotent. The use of that substance had ended after the werewolf had finally turned to the vampire for religious aid. Jean-Claude never realized he had been a victim of a pernicious chemical attack. Instead he simply credited listening to Father Tortego as the cause of his better emotional spirits and the restoration of his ability to re-start his normal marital relations with his wife. As Jean-Claude finished his confession he raised his eyes to look at Tortego for instruction. The vampire put on a smile and spoke.
“We must be ever vigilant to humble that arrogant inner pride in you that caused your cousin’s death,” Tortego sanctimoniously told Jean-Claude. “From the latest war reports, your former pride is now is responsible for even more deaths my boy,” he murmured to Jean-Claude. “You must help me totally purge it from inside of you to achieve God’s inner peace. I will have you do certain humiliating things for me. Do these acts and root out that destructive sin within you. You know that pride is a sin which we must stamp out in us all!”
“Yes father,” Jean-Claude replied. By now he knew that the Spaniard would assign him menial tasks in order to help burn out his sin of pride. He had to continually remind himself that this was being done for his own salvation.
For Tortego this so-called penance had an entirely different purpose. Each act was cleverly crafted to make the embarrassed werewolf feel less like a man more like Tortego’s submissive servant. After every humiliating task was done the wily prelate would praise Jean-Claude and later, after another confession, let him partake of communion wine. Unbeknownst to Jean-Claude, the wine was always drugged with a substance that had Jean-Claude experience a mildly exhilarated sensation. If Jean-Claude balked at undertaking a task the Spaniard would insist that this was the werewolf’s sinful pride rearing its destructive head. Tortego would patiently explain to Jean-Claude that he must fight this reluctance within him. He would lecture about it until he wore down Jean-Claude into compliance. When the werewolf did as he was ordered then the Spaniard would again praise Jean-Claude and afterwards offer him the drugged wine. It all worked like a charm. After every successful penance came a confession followed by the communion wine. Jean-Claude would experience a highly desirable jolt of disorientating elation. Tortego slowly programmed Jean-Claude’s brain to subconsciously correlate the performance of any penance with later achieving a resultant spiritual pleasure.
Over time Jean-Claude found he now continually craved that inner blissful peace Tortego gave to him once Jean-Claude had confessed his sins and especially after he had taken communion.
Tortego soon realized however that he had to slowly increase the potency of the doses he gave to a penitent who was rapidly growing tolerant of the drug’s effects in his system. He quickly realized too that Jean-Claude was fast becoming, both emotionally and physically, a helpless drug addict. Far from being concerned over this fact, Tortego took a fiendish delight in its occurrence.
As he dosed Jean-Claude with the drugged wine, Tortego thought about how nicely things were turning out. During council sessions the werewolf was now naturally deferring to the vampire in everything. Today was a prime example. Normally Jean-Claude would never have tolerated any slur upon his family. When the troll made his insulting remarks, Tortego had shot a look at Jean-Claude that clearly told him to humbly accept it. Tortego had barely suppressed a smile when the werewolf obeyed and meekly submitted to the affronts. More importantly Jean-Claude’s inaction had lost Viola’s respect. She would tell everyone what had happened and how Jean-Claude had done nothing about it. That would help kill Jean-Claude’s standing in his Roué clan. With luck the werewolf might be ousted as his father’s chosen heir! Of course surreptitiously slipping the werewolf a tiny amount of a potent tranquilizer before every council session also helped moved things in a good direction. If the vampire learned one thing in his long life it was always to increase his odds for success.
Tortego watched as Jean-Claude’s pupils dilated as the effects of the drug took hold. The werewolf’s face grew flushed. “High as the proverbial kite and fully incapable of even physically resisting whatever I care to do to you.” Tortego laughed knowing Jean-Claude was now so out-of-it he wasn’t even cognizant of anything going on around him. Tortego knew he could oust Jean-Claude from even his titular presiding office on the council at any time. For now, humiliating the willing werewolf in front of the council delegates was too much fun. Tortego wanted to insure that he had so castrated Jean-Claude’s manhood in their eyes that the werewolf would never again be able to oppose him or be a rival for power. “You may still play the man in bed with your wife but mentally I’ve got you firmly in my grip my once haughty werewolf,” he mused as Jean-Claude gratefully waited for his next assigned penitential act. Jean-Claude’s eyes glistened as he eagerly waited to quickly perform it so he could receive another dose of communion wine.
Other Voices Chiming In
Over in Tortego’s offices his aide sat at a small desk seething over the disdainful treatment he always received at the hands of the Spaniard. “I’m just his lousy lackey. I run his errands. Do his crap jobs and he mocks me in front of Jean-Claude,” he muttered. As he thought about the werewolf a smile came to his features. God he is stunning, the aide mused as he leaned back in his chair. He is so sexy I can barely hold back from touching him even more intimately. Images of the good-looking, muscular werewolf filled his brain. The only advantage I have in this stupid job is that I can get so close to Jean-Claude. He frowne
d. But he always shrinks away from me. The aide glanced over at the wine the Spaniard used for communion. “The closest I get to interacting with Jean-Claude is when I mix the drugs into the wine he drinks during communion,” he grumbled. Suddenly an idea came to him. He chuckled as his mind contemplated what he had in mind. Why should Tortego be the only one who dopes Jean-Claude to get what he wants from him? He grinned and reached down to fondle himself as a sex scenario spun itself out in his brain.
****
Back in the Lower East Side, Mark anxious waited for his spouse to return to their home. Mark’s concern for his friend, Jean-Claude, filled his thoughts. Vinnie barely got into their apartment before Mark began informing his spouse about what he had seen going on between Jean-Claude and Tortego as well as his fears about this disturbing new relationship between them.
“I’m telling you Vin that something is not right,” Mark sputtered as he then went into details about he observed at the council session. “Jean-Claude is not some bumbling idiot or gutless leader but at times today he just mentally drifted off on us.”
“Yes, lately it’s also appeared that way to many that sit on the council,” Vinnie replied as he took off his suit jacket and tie. “That is why I wanted you to go today. To see this for yourself.”
“I know that bastard Tortego is behind all this in some way,” Mark angrily said as he punched a couch pillow. “I just cannot see what it is that he is doing to Jean-Claude!”
“Well to be fair during our council meetings Tortego is totally supportive of Jean-Claude. Hell if he went any deeper with his support we’d have to use a proctologist to pull him out of Jean-Claude’s rear-end.”
Mark shot Vinnie a grim look. “Don’t joke. This is serious. Rumor has it the Fae Royal Court may contact Paris to seek a separate peace treaty to cover them and their property. If they do that, other supernatural groups will race to get terms for their people. That would signal an end for a unified city government and back to the old days of chaos and power play wars between our various supernatural races. I spoke to Julio and speculations are also running wild about Jean-Claude’s fitness. I think he lost Viola’s respect today. You know how she has been hot for him since ... well like forever so when she gives up on his leadership that shows there is trouble. You need to quickly see Jaime and talk to her about all of it,” Mark vehemently said. He knew his emotional bond with Jean-Claude was fueling his concerns for his friend.
While Mark was completely in love with his spouse, they both knew that Mark felt a deeply strong connection with the Jean-Claude. In fact Mark had candidly admitted that, “Jean-Claude and I are in love with our spouses but care for each other in an equally strong yet utterly different way.” Their current estrangement tore at Mark. Now with this sense of danger aroused he was even more overwrought. “I’m serious honey. You should go see Jaime right away. Hell, do it now in fact,” he insisted to Vinnie.
“No you should contact her,” Vinnie replied. “You two have decades of ties together. See her tomorrow. Tell her your fears about her husband.” Vinnie saw Mark give him a wiry look. “I mean it sweetheart,” the detective said more firmly. “End this stupid separation from them. Call her in the morning after Jean-Claude has left for the office. Set up a meeting and get her on board. Then work with her to reconcile with Jean-Claude.” Vinnie’s dark eyes grew soft. “He misses you too honey. I see him at meetings and when your name comes up his reactions shifts. He deeply wants to reconnect. I feel it even if I am only human.” He smiled at Mark. “One of you must make the first move. Use this issue to do it. Or,” he paused and stopped smiling. “Simply let Tortego continue doing whatever he is doing.”
“I’ll think about calling Jaime.” Mark reluctantly replied before then suddenly saying. “Okay, I will do it. I suppose you are right,” he finally conceded.
“I’m always right my love,” Vinnie joked before he took Mark into his strong embrace. He leaned his head down and kissed his spouse’s neck. “It has been a hard day for me. I just want to get into bed.”
“I can join in that desire,” Mark teased as he pressed his crotch into Vinnie’s. The vampire let his fangs extend. He maneuvered his mouth so he could lightly flick his fangs along the length of Vinnie’s carotid artery.
“Come on stop it. I told you I was beat,” Vinnie laughed as he repositioned his head to give Mark more room to exploit the erotic thrill that this action always gave to both of them. “Okay maybe I’m not that tired,” the buff New York City detective stated. Mark let his fangs press just a touch deeper into Vinnie’s skin. “Oh babe harder,” Vinnie groaned as he felt himself become fully erect inside his pants. He thrust his now fully engorged manhood deeper against Mark’s crotch. He heard Mark and soon sensed his spouse’s erection. The tingling pinpricks of Mark’s fangs scraping along the sensitive area of Vinnie’s neck sent shivers down the detective’s spine. “Harder,” Vinnie whimpered as he spun into a hazy sexual bliss. For both of them there was an indescribable sense of erotic danger about this form of sexual foreplay that made it so mutually stimulating. Mark had to sexually hold himself in check and not break Vinnie’s skin. Vinnie also had to control an overwhelming desire to be fully penetrated by his lover’s deadly fangs. “We better take this to the bedroom,” Vinnie hoarsely rasped as he pulled back. “I swear I’ll shoot right now if we keep this up.”
“Yeah I can feel that up part for myself,” Mark teased as he reached down and touched the tent-like protrusion under his lover’s pants. Vinnie blushed and then laughed. “I’ll call Jaime I promise,” Mark stated as he led Vinnie to their bedroom. “You know I hated leaving Jean-Claude alone in his office with Tortego,” he said as they came alongside of their bed.
“Relax,” Vinnie softly said. “What possible harm can happen to Jean-Claude in his own office?” He pushed Mark onto their bed. “Time to even that scoreboard tally.”
****
“Bad day at the council meeting dear?” Jaime asked as she massaged Jean-Claude’s bare shoulders. He had come home from the session in good spirits but Jaime’s sex demon senses could detect that he was off on some emotional level. She had him take a nice hot shower and then lay on their bed for a relaxing massage. Jean-Claude let out a long sigh as his wife expertly work the muscles of his tired body. “Feeling better,” Jaime asked as she let her hands kneed down his strong back. A part of her instinctively realized that, on a much deeper mental plane, things were still amiss with him.
She had felt this same sensation for some time now yet, contrary to her usual actions in such situations; she consistently refused to bring up her concerns with him. Their marriage had hit a very rough patch after Sebastian’s death. He had closed off both emotionally and sexually from her. Mentally her husband had acted like he was on the verge of a breakdown over the event. His condition had scared her deeply. Then he seemed to change partially back into the man she knew. Right now their relations were calmer. She did not want to raise any new troubles for them especially while her husband was fighting a war. She convinced herself everything was fine and pushed any fears away from her mind. “I hope this helps ease things for you,” she teased as she kneaded his muscles.
“Always,” Jean-Claude muttered. “I love when you touch me,” he softly laughed as he turned over to face his wife. He smiled as he pulled her to him. “I have another set of stiffness that needs attention,” he teased. He gave her a wink then let his eyes move downward toward his crotch area.
“Oh I see,” Jaime giggled a she glanced in the same direction. “I think I may help you feel better on that issue too.” She leaned in and they kissed. Jaime’s body quivered with arousal as she felt Jean-Claude’s tongue tenderly slid into her mouth. Unexpectedly Andre began crying. Jaime pulled back. “Young Master Roué needs his dinner,” she sighed with disappointment.
Jean-Claude shook his head and softly laughed. “That child needs to learn timing.” He gazed at Jaime. “After he is done eating maybe I might sample his…” he sexily growle
d as he let one of his hands gently massage Jaime’s right breast.
Jaime laughed and got up. “I’ll feed him quickly. Don’t move,” she happily instructed her grinning spouse.
As Jean-Claude lay in their bed the day’s events ran through his mind. When the mental images came to Tortego’s aide he shivered. “Well that cooled me down,” he murmured as he got up to quickly take another shower.
****
Over in another studio apartment a seething Viola Lupa was engaged in angrily throwing small objects at a nearby wall. “Insults,” she yelled at the shape-shifter Dustin Andrews. The tall handsome blond model sat quietly in a corner waiting for her tantrum to end. “Jean-Claude didn’t say one word or do one thing.” Tears of anger came to her. “Sebastian is dead thanks to him. Yes he can kill one of our own but stand up to a fucking but-ugly troll…” she unexpectedly stopped talking. Viola moved towards a window and gazed quietly out onto the street. “Sebastian is dead and in his place I’m left with something as pathetic as you in his stead,” she muttered.
Dustin said nothing in reply. He knew why she had summoned him here to be with her. Since Sebastian death, the only reason she called for him was when she wanted him to use his shape-shifting ability. Before this they had usually coupled when he was in his own form. True, he had sometimes taken other shapes but they had just been a part of their sex games. This time it was different. Funny, he silently told himself, I thought voting to approve that death sentence was the solution to all my problems. How wrong can one be on certain things? He waited till he received a signal from her. Dustin enjoyed rough sex with Viola. He had voted to execute Sebastian only because the werewolf had monopolized her in bed. It annoyed him that somehow Sebastian had crawled back into bed with them. He was not however about to cause a rupture with Viola over this fact. Viola gave Dustin what he sexually craved: hard kinky erotic encounters where he could indulge in his submissive streak. After all, it was not easy to find someone with whom he, a straight man, could discreetly succumb to the pleasures of occasionally being mounted. For that fun he would put up with a lot from her.
The Case of the Parisian Vendetta: A Mark Julian Vampire PI Mystery #10 (Mark Julian Vampire PI Mysteries) Page 3