“You have a nice place,” Grayson said. He listened to Daniel pull a glass from the cabinet and fill it from the tap.
He slid the cold glass into Grayson’s hands. “Thank you. Do you live by yourself? I’m guessing not since you turned eighteen today.”
“I live with my parents,” he replied. “And my little brother.”
“Going to college in the fall?”
“I was accepted to UCLA and CCU. I haven’t decided which one I’m going to attend. I told UCLA yes, but...”
Daniel nodded once as if conceding a point. “Castle Cove is a special place. There’s nowhere else like it. I should know. I’ve done quite a bit of globetrotting.”
Daniel settled onto the sofa, reclining back against the pillows. His eyes seemed to beckon Grayson to join him.
He took a sip of water and placed it on the coffee table before settling down beside the vampire. Their knees brushed.
“I’d heard that there were other towns like Castle Cove,” Grayson said, draping an arm along the back of the sofa. His fingers brushed Daniel’s arm. He felt pretty safe here, comfortable. He wasn’t sure that was how one was supposed to feel in a vampire’s apartment.
“There are,” Daniel admitted. “Let’s see. There’s the one near Kyoto, and the one outside Prague. There’s another in Spain and France and the London underground. Hmmm... Two in Canada. Mexico. Brazil. South Africa. Morocco. I know I’m forgetting some of them.”
“If there’s so many then how can you say Castle Cove is special?” Grayson felt his mind coming alive again. It was his curiosity about Castle Cove and its true nature, but also Daniel. He was easy to talk to. Maybe it was how relaxed he looked there, reclining on his sofa.
“I don’t know,” Daniel said, looking at the ceiling as if the answer were written there. “There’s just something this place has that the others don’t. Maybe it’s Vendetta.”
“Who?”
For the first time Daniel hesitated.
Grayson sat back on the sofa. “You don’t have to tell me if—”
“Oh damn. Not those puppy dog eyes.” Daniel tilted his head. “Okay, I’ll tell you, but keep this to yourself. It’s not the sort of thing you’re supposed to be whispering among the humans, all right?”
Grayson scooted closer. And Daniel smiled.
“I’m being rewarded. I like this,” he said. He opened his arms so that Grayson could move in as close as he wanted. Grayson did scoot closer until he was in the crook of Daniel’s arm.
“Vendetta is the woman who started it all, or so it’s said. She was the first vampire, first demon, the first witch.”
“I don’t understand. How could she be all of that?” He liked watching Daniel’s jaw move as he spoke.
“She was given her powers by an ancient goddess, one who existed before time was time. Hell, before day was cleaved from night, if you want to get biblical about it. One moment night ruled the universe. Then when it was halved by day, she was imprisoned here on earth. She dwelled inside an ancient tree that’s supposed to be here in the Western Woods. And Vendetta is supposed to be here too, somewhere, in stasis. She sleeps, waiting until the ancient goddess wakes up. So you see, according to the stories, Vendetta serves her mistress, this tree, this night goddess. And all supernaturals came from Vendetta.”
Grayson felt warm in the crook of Daniel’s arm. Ease washed over him. Despite being in the den of a killer, a hunter, he wanted to be here.
“You think that her presence here—her and the tree—that’s what makes it special? That’s why it feels different than the other supernatural cities you’ve visited?” Grayson asked.
“You’re a quick study. It only makes you cuter. I like them smart. ” Daniel turned so that he could look into Grayson’s eyes. Grayson’s stomach dropped. He touched a finger to Grayson’s lips. “I’m wondering how much you can learn in one night?”
A shiver ran up Grayson’s spine.
“Do you mind if I kiss you, Grayson?” Daniel asked. He was watching Grayson carefully. Because Grayson was looking into his eyes, he saw the pupils dilate. Black overtook most of the clear blue.
“I don’t mind,” Grayson said, licking his lips.
His tongue was still on the bottom lip when Daniel moved in. Their tongues brushed and something tightened in Grayson’s stomach. Heat seemed to rush through his core and pool between his legs. Fingers trailed up the back of Grayson’s neck and into his hair. A strong, firm hand fixed there, trapping him into the kiss. Grayson didn’t mind. Until he couldn’t breathe.
He pulled back gasping.
Daniel was smiling. “Sorry. I forget you have to breathe.”
He turned his head and placed a kiss on Grayson’s throat.
“Your heartbeat has the sweetest rhythm. Do you know it?”
“No, I didn’t,” Grayson said and he felt his voice vibrate against Daniel’s lips. “Are you going to bite me?”
“Would you let me bite you?” Daniel asked. His warm tongue trailed up the side of Grayson’s neck and into the notch below the ear. Grayson shivered in his arms. This seemed to delight Daniel as his embrace only tightened.
“Yes,” Grayson said. “I’d let you.”
Daniel let out a moan. “You’re killing me, you know that?”
Grayson pulled back to look into the vampire’s eyes. Seeing the vampire’s excitement, only intensified Grayson’s.
“How am I—?” he began.
Daniel didn’t let him finish. “Living vampires have venom in their bites. If I bite you, it’s very possible that you’ll be infected. So I can’t bite you unless I want to chance changing you. Even though I really, really want to.”
“Oh. Right. I knew that actually.” Grayson felt a little stupid.
Daniel grinned. “It’s hard to remember things in the heat of the moment. And we’re having a moment, aren’t we?”
“Yes.” Grayson shivered as more kisses traced his neck.
“If I were undead I could bite you all I like and there’d be no danger. But as a living vampire, we have to be careful.”
“How can we—” Grayson wasn’t sure he could finish. “How, uh—”
“Oh we can still fuck,” Daniel said with a devilish grin. “And I can drink your blood, if you’ll let me. But no fangs. Unfortunately, that means a bit of pain for you. How do you feel about pain?”
“How much pain?” Grayson asked. A strange, excitement fluttered inside him.
“This much,” Daniel said and then there was a quick prick in the side of his throat. A second later, the prick was replaced by a burning.
Daniel held up his thumb, showing the metal cuff capped on its end. It was like a pointy thimble with a strange design on its side that Grayson couldn’t make out in the low light.
Grayson forgot all the about the thumbnail ring that had opened his throat when he saw the vampire’s eyes. The blue was entirely gone now.
“May I kiss it and make it better?” he asked. His voice was low. It was almost a growl.
Grayson tilted his chin slightly away, offering himself to the vampire. A warm slick tongue flicked across his collarbone, and licked upward, no doubt lapping up the spilled blood.
The throb that had been building in Grayson’s groin hardened him until his erection pressed uncomfortably against the inside of his jeans. There was nowhere for it to go, but the pressure only intensified the sensation.
Daniel moaned into the side of his neck, his lips locking around the wound. It burned as the vampire sucked, but the sensation wasn’t altogether unpleasant.
“You’re sweet,” Daniel moaned into his ears.
“Thank you?”
“It means you’re healthy,” the vampire replied, licking his lips. “Clean living.”
Whatever he wanted to say next was swallowed up by the moan slipping between his lips as the vampire locked his lips around his throat again. Because in that instance, Daniel’s hand had also undone his pants and freed his erection. Daniel ha
d Grayson’s cock in his hand before Grayson had a chance to think about what was happening.
He stroked him in languid strokes, building a lazy, teasing rhythm, all the while never removing his mouth from Grayson’s throat.
He’s mimicking my heartbeat, Grayson realized. Because as soon as his heart sped up, responding to the mounting desire, so did Daniel’s rhythm.
“Don’t come on me yet,” Daniel said, pulling back. His lips were red with Grayson’s blood. “Your blood isn’t the only thing I want to taste.”
The vampire slid off the couch, between Grayson’s legs so fast that Grayson hadn’t been able to track the movement with his eyes. One minute they were entwined on the couch and the next, Daniel was between Grayson’s legs. He had his mouth around Grayson’s erection, pulling a long, deep moan from his throat.
The suction was unbelievable. The iron-clad pressure sent him over the edge. The vampire swallowed and didn’t seem to want to let go. Grayson fisted the cushions around him, writhing.
Then when he thought he could take no more and would surely die if he wasn’t given a break, the vampire released him.
“Too sweet,” he said again, rolling his eyes up to meet Grayson’s. The blue had returned, but the pupils were still dilated with desire.
Grayson felt lazy with pleasure. He was heavy on the couch, somewhere between spent and wanting more.
Daniel bit the tip of his finger and pressed it to Grayson’s throat. “Just to seal this up,” he said, as if that explained everything. His eyes roved Grayson. “I’ve made a bit of a mess of you. Do you want a shower? Your hair is still a bit wet. I’m guessing you showered before you came to The House.”
“I did.”
“The only danger of getting in the shower with me, is that I will want more. Of you,” the vampire said, his smile once again wicked. “Would you mind that?”
Grayson found himself shaking his head before he thought better of it.
“Well,” Daniel said, standing. “Let me start the shower then.”
Before he left he put the glass of water in Grayson’s hand. “Drink this first.”
Grayson obeyed as the vampire disappeared through the door. It stood open, revealing the end of a bed. So the shower was adjacent. How easy it would be to end up in the shower and then fall into the bed together, he wondered.
And did he want that? Yes, he did. In fact, the longer he laid on the couch, sipping the cool water in his hand, the more desire built inside him.
He was bouncing back rather quickly.
Daniel appeared in the doorway and beckoned Grayson forward. “You ready?”
Grayson stood, holding the front of his jeans up with both hands. He crossed the moonlit bedroom, past the queen-sized bed that looked soft and inviting. The bathroom was bigger than he’d expected. The shower was a stand-in stall rolling with steam.
The vampire pulled him into the hot water the second his last piece of clothing hit the floor.
“You okay?” Daniel asked, pushing his head back under the hot water. There were two showerheads, Grayson realized, once from each direction.
“Yeah. It’s just a little disorienting when you move fast.”
“Right,” Daniel said. “Sorry about that. I’m just a little desperate for this.”
This turned out to be another prick on his chest. Grayson looked down in time to see the metallic thumb drag across his chest and the blood that welled there. Daniel’s tongue lapped at the cut. The sensation sent Grayson’s casually building desire into overdrive. His erection was rock hard again.
“Why does that keep happening?” he murmured.
Daniel looked up with bloody lips, a soft laughter rumbling in his throat. “It’s my pheromones. Living vampires create arousal in their prey. It keeps you around. For feeding.”
“I’m the prey?” Grayson asked. His head rested against the tile as hot water beat down from above.
“Do you mind?” Daniel asked. The humor was gone.
Grayson didn’t like this touch of seriousness. “No. I like it.” He pulled Daniel into a kiss.
Daniel’s hand found his erection before he broke the kiss. He moaned into Daniel’s mouth, but he wouldn’t let him go. He worked Grayson until he came again. Then he was lapping up the blood from his chest and sealing his wound.
The actual showering seemed like an afterthought.
“Do you want to move this to the bed?” Daniel asked. “I have about two hours left before sunrise.”
“Yeah.”
Daniel had them in the bed in a heartbeat.
Grayson’s back hit the pillows with a gasp of surprise.
Daniel hovered above him, holding himself above Grayson. The vampire searched his face. “Listen, if you don’t want something, or you want me to stop at any point, you have to tell me. I’m not a mind reader.”
“Okay,” Grayson said.
“No matter how into it I am, I will stop, all right?”
Grayson softened into the bedding. “All right.”
He was dragging his thumb across Grayson’s neck again.
“Why did we shower again?” Grayson laughed.
Daniel grinned. “Maybe I wanted an excuse to get your clothes off you.”
Grayson laughed. “Smooth.”
He rolled onto his back, pulling Grayson on top of him. Grayson looked down at the naked vampire and felt his erection stirring again. Oh man, again? he thought. Really?
“I’m sorry. You’re just too cute. Do you want to do this?” Daniel was saying. His words barely penetrated the fog of Grayson’s mind. “I’ve got a condom.”
The borderline pain of his erection said yes, he wanted to. He took the condom and tore open the wrapping.
“How many times is this going to happen?” Grayson asked, grasping his own erection as if it were an alien creature. He slipped the condom on it.
“We’ve got two hours,” Daniel said, “before I’ll be too tired.”
“But I’m insatiable. What if it doesn’t stop?”
“Then we’ll keep going.” Daniel was beautiful with the moonlight falling across his cheeks and bright eyes. “Come here, Grayson.”
Grayson obeyed, lowering himself down, finding that he was the same height as Daniel and that made it easier. He entered him, slowly, carefully. Perhaps he was going too slowly because Daniel grabbed his hips and thrust him in deep. Grayson moaned in surprise.
“You won’t hurt me,” Daniel said, hoarse. Then Grayson felt a fresh cut spring up on his arm just before Daniel wrapped his lips around it.
Grayson found that he could in fact go as hard and fast as he wanted and Daniel only seemed to enjoy it more. Daniel moaned, his lips vibrating against Grayson’s skin where he fed. He almost came too quickly.
“Don’t,” Daniel growled. “Come on.”
Grayson obeyed continuing until he couldn’t hold back any longer. His rhythm faltered and his head swam. Daniel flipped him onto his back before he could collapse.
“Oh Gray,” the vampire said, continuing to stroke his own erection as he leaned over him. “I like you.”
“Let me,” Grayson said. He took the vampire in his hand. It was strange, holding a dick that wasn’t his own. But he knew what he liked, so he started there. Daniel didn’t seem to mind. His soft growling indicated he was enjoying it.
When the vampire came, he collapsed on top of Grayson, squeezing the younger man in his arms.
Four times, it turned out. Four erections was the limit of vampire-pheromone-induced erections.
“Are you okay?” Daniel asked when they both seemed spent. He was looking into Grayson’s eyes and pressing his fingers to his neck as if checking for a pulse. “How do you feel?”
“A little light headed, but good. Really good.”
Daniel grinned. “Yeah, me too. I hope I didn’t take too much.”
“I’m not sure if it was the sex or the blood drinking—”
“Both,” Daniel said. “But you’ve got quite a bit
of stamina, you know that?”
Grayson blushed. After everything, he shouldn’t have. They’d gone a bit too far to be embarrassed.
“I didn’t do nearly as much for you as you did to me,” Grayson said. “Do you want me to—”
Daniel grinned. “I’m more of a giver, actually. And I took plenty, don’t worry.”
Grayson wasn’t sure if he was referring to the blood or something else. “I want you to be satisfied.”
“Gray.” Daniel grabbed him and kissed his lips. “Keep going like this and I’m going to want to keep you.”
Grayson rolled onto his side, smiling.
Daniel glanced toward the window. There was still time before dawn. “Will you drink some juice if I get it for you? It’ll help.”
“Okay.” Grayson relented. And Daniel was back with the juice before Grayson even had a chance to sit up against the headboard. He took a few sips gingerly. “So...” He searched for the words. “Were we safe enough?”
He wasn’t sure if the vampire virus could be transferred in other ways, like sex.
“Actually, I think I’m pregnant,” Daniel said, taking the empty juice glass and setting it on the side table. “And I’m keeping it.”
Grayson laughed. “Be serious.”
“There’s nothing you can catch from me except vampirism,” Daniel explained. He crawled in between the sheets and placed his warm body against Grayson’s. “The condom was just for your peace of mind.”
“Oh,” he said.
“I figured it would be like a security blanket for you.” Daniel reached up and brushed his hair out of his face.
“And I didn’t catch vampirism?” Grayson asked.
Daniel’s lips quirked to the side. “No. Your blood would taste different. I’d know instantly. But maybe I should check one more time just to be sure?”
Grayson loved that devilish glint in his eyes. “Just to be sure.”
A quick prick on his shoulder and then Daniel’s tongue was lapping at his skin. The shivers were instant, and Grayson began to worry he would get another erection. Fortunately, Daniel stopped before arousal could take root.
“You’re safe,” Daniel said with a grin. “Did you enjoy yourself?”
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