Dark Temptations

by Eric Alan Williams

  Roland turned to the door that had opened up in the wall. It was an elevator shaft. Travis got up slowly and started walking over to the elevator. He looked back at Xairin. Xairin's hand was moving, his body twitching. He started getting up slowly as his head finished regenerating. Travis looked at Xairin. Xairin looked back, looking into his eyes. Xairin burst into an impromptu tune. His deep voice came off sexy, but deadly, taunting as he sang out. "I'm stuck in your head, I’m back from the dead, got you running scared, I’m fearless, I’m fearless, I'm calling you out, I’m taking you down, don’t you come around, I'm fearless, I'm fearless. Whoa!" Xairin smiled and stopped singing. “I've got the upper hand now bitch!”

  Xairin raced over to Travis and grabbed him by the throat. He lifted him up off the ground. "You raped me, you son of a bitch. You fucking raped me over and over with that fucking liquor bottle. Almost every fucking night I have nightmares about you raping me over and over, over, and fucking over. Do you have any IDEA WHAT THAT" S FUCKING LIKE!?"

  Travis heard what the vampire said. He saw sensitives as not even being human but hearing Xairin saying he had nightmares about being raped by him, instantly caused him to remember what Cale did to him. Xairin, being telepathic, saw it.

  Seeing what Travis re-lived, Xairin was stunned.

  He looked into the eyes of the man that hurt him and saw the pain that caused him to be like how he is now. Xairin became confused about what to do next. His humanity was gnawing at the legs of the alien nature within him.

  "Put him down, Xairin," Ezra said from behind him.

  Xairin looked over his shoulder and then at Travis. "Put him down Xairin, I know how bad he hurt you, how he raped you, and what he and his friends did. What they did was wrong, but you are better than this, better than they could ever be. We can apprehend this sick psychopath, and he can be punished. Just let him down."

  "Kill him, kill him, remember what he did to us!" Xairin's blood spoke loudly. "KILL HIM, LET US DO IT. WE CAN DO IT FOR US! GIVE US CONTROL!"

  The temptation to give in and let his blood control him again was mounting. His humanity was struggling to overpower it, he had used his powers to the point, his blood was flowing with raw energy. The look on Xairin's face was turning from rage, to downright soulless. "KILL HIM, LET US DO IT!"

  Travis was holding onto Xairin's hands as he held him up effortlessly. Xairin looked over his shoulder. It took effort to look away, almost as if it was forced. "Ezra, he deserves to die for what he did to me, what he did to Burt Townsend." Xairin looked up at Travis. "That sweet old man that worked the door at the Haze, you killed him so your friend Todd could take his place and be your lookout guy. Well, I fucking ate Todd." Travis's eyes widened with fear. The face of the man he had attacked, looking back at him with those deadly red eyes, and horrifically sharp teeth had in trembling. "You deserve death Travis; you deserve to fucking go through everything you ever did to any person you killed! HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE FUCKING RAPED! They were people! I was a person until you raped me and tried to kill me. You took that from me, and now..."

  "CRUSH HIS THROAT, RIP OUT HIS SPINE! EAT HIS HEART! DO IT, LET US DO IT! HE HURT US!" His blood screamed out inside him. "THE POWER WE GIVE YOU, UNLEASH IT UPON HIM!"

  Ezra yelled. "Xairin, please don't make me shoot you. Let me take him in. Please?"

  "KILL THE AGENT! HE THREATENS OUR PLANS!" His blood said loudly. Xairin was fighting it. He could hear Ezra and hearing his blood say that about Ezra caused him to flinch.

  Xairin was breaking into a sweat.

  Xairin looked up at Travis, he looked into his mind, he saw again, everything Cale did, and the type of person Travis was before Cale came into his life. Between his feelings for Ezra, and seeing what his powers allowed, this caused Xairin to feel something. It sparked his powers into doing something else as he relied on his sensitive side. He made Travis see that it was never Cale but removed the illusion of hiding the woman sitting on the couch. "That bitch sitting there on the couch, making you see all those horrible things, it was never the man that was fucking you, it was her! It wasn't him. That man and that woman did the same thing to me! And now, you're just like them, Travis, you raped me with that bottle, just like Cale Moors did to you." Xairin showed Travis what Cale did, and what Heidi made him see. Travis saw through Xairin's mind when Cale took the form of the demonic effigy he loved most, which were the same creature Travis saw. Travis saw through Xairin's eyes when he blasted Cale through the wall. He saw Heidi standing there, screaming. "HE'S A SENSITIVE!?"

  "Her name is Heidi Runyon. Cale's sick little fag hag and the real sensitive that caused you to see those things. Cale may have raped you, but it was her that made you see him like that. And now, you're worse than they are!" Xairin's hand began to increase its grip.

  "DON'T RESIST US! WE ARE ONE! WE ARE XAIRIN!"

  Xairin could feel his blood whirling around inside of him like a snake twisting through his veins, pissed off all to hell. Xairin was going to make Travis burn slowly as he held him by the throat. He wanted him to know what hell would feel like. Xairin had the man responsible for his pain, his torment, right here and now. This was the moment he was waiting for, the moment he could kill him and make him feel all the suffering Xairin wished him to experience. "He deserves to burn in hell right here, right now, Ezra!"

  Travis's mind was on a replay of that night he hurt Xairin followed by bouncing back between what Cale did, and what Xairin allowed him to see.

  "XAIRIN DON'T DO THIS!" Ezra yelled. "PLEASE XAIRIN! Be that sweet man I took to dinner at Bon Vida, that sweet guy that looked across the table at me that night. Don't let him make you into a monster like he is Xairin!"

  Xairin listened to every word coming from Ezra's mouth. Part of him knew Ezra was right, another part rebuked it. Xairin turned around and growled at Ezra as he fought the alien rage within him. He turned his head back to look at Travis. His fangs grew, his eyes glowed, his claws started to cut into Travis's throat. Xairin had him, and every monstrous fiber rooting out inside him was begging for chaos and death. Xairin growled. "YOU DESERVE DEATH!"

  "Xairin, killing him won't make your pain go away. It will only make you more like him!" Ezra yelled.

  Xairin looked at Travis. He saw tears flowing down the man’s face as he relived what Cale and Heidi did to him, and now, hearing what Xairin had said about how he made Xairin feel, made Travis feel something he hadn’t in quite some time, remorse. Feeling what Travis was going through, followed by hearing Ezra, and then thinking of his friend Topher, Xairin growled. “FUCK!”

  Xairin roared as he slowly sat Travis down. He withdrew his clawed hand, growling as he fought every instinct to kill. "You can do the right thing, Xairin," Ezra said.

  Xairin’s red eyes slowly began to turn green. His claws retreated, and the purple veins in his face that were glowing red began to vanish. Thinking about Topher, and Ezra, and the person he used to be, helped him overcome his blood’s rage. As much as he wanted to, he knew Ezra was right, and he didn’t want to become a monster like Travis. He had killed enough this night. He stood there glaring at Travis with a hateful stare. “I will watch you rot, and I will watch them publicly execute you, you SICK FUCKING BASTARD!”

  Gunfire opened on Xairin, not from behind, but ahead of him. Roland returned with a machine gun firing silver ammunition. Xairin's blood splattered everywhere, including in Travis's face. Ezra ducked down, taking a shot to the right knee and rolled off to the side. Xairin fell backward and hit the ground. Roland came out and helped Travis into the elevator. Travis was stunned, his face, void of emotion. The man was in shock. As the elevator doors closed once Roland had Travis inside, Roland tossed a grenade through the slit. It landed in front of Ezra. Xairin saw it, his heart pounded faster than it did while his body was trying to heal from the machine gunfire. He had to make a choice, go after Travis and Roland, or save Ezra. Deep down, Xairin's humanity overpowered his need for vengeance, giving him the will power he needed to overcom
e his blood's tempting cries to pursue his abuser and enact his rage again. Xairin knew he had feelings for Ezra, and it was those feelings that helped him fight back against the dark nature of his blood. He couldn't let Ezra die, not just because Raven needed him, but Xairin recalled that kiss to his hand. That first perfect date, and how he felt that night. Ezra was a good man, and Xairin knew it. He pushed through the pain of the bullets and moved as fast as he could, grabbing Ezra as his blood leaked all over the agent from the open machine-gun fire he had taken. He managed to get Ezra far enough away, and expanded his wings, wrapping them around Ezra when the blast went off. Xairin took most of the damage.

  Xairin rolled off of Ezra once he knew the blast was over. His black blood covered Ezra, it began to absorb into Ezra's skin, Ezra was becoming enthralled. He sat up and watched the black blood vanish. His skin itched. The bullet in his knee started to force its way out, causing the agent to scream, it hurt. Ezra leaned forward and watched as it healed once the bullet was out. He then looked over at Xairin. Xairin was burned on his back and the backs of his wings. Xairin’s flesh was smoking.

  "Xairin? XAIRIN?!" Ezra yelled. The vampire was unconscious.

  Jason jumped down from the ledge and landed right beside Xairin, scooping him up into his furry arms. Ezra tried to reach over, but Jason growled viciously at the agent. "Is he okay?" Ezra asked, whimpering.

  Ezra reached forward again. "Let me check on him, please?" It was met with another overly protective growl, this time, Ezra was almost bitten.

  Xairin started to wake up. He looked over at Ezra. Ezra was sobbing, wiping away tears. Xairin had just saved his life and he knew it. Ezra knew in his heart that Xairin chose to save him, instead of going after Travis and Roland. Ezra wept. Xairin looked up at Jason and passed back out.

  Chapter 11

  Tuesday, July 19th.

  Xairin had healed from his injuries that night as Interpol cleaned up what Jason, Cecilia, and Xairin, had left for them. At the end of that fateful night, nine survivors were taken into custody, none of which, were Travis, or Roland or the two teams that had stayed away from the base. They had made it out to join the two teams.

  By the time Interpol had made it down to Roland's secret escape room, they did manage to seize Roland's original trophies, the heads of the women he had killed, and there were enough fingerprints left behind, to substantiate everything Roland had been up to. Cecilia had accompanied the team down and saw the women’s remains. She wept, but at the same time, as much as her tears were mournful, she knew that she had helped give closure to a cold case that her late husband had tried so hard to complete. “This is for you Draven.” She said.

  Angry that they had gotten away, Xairin was sitting on a couch at Ethan's mansion, watching TV, trying to chill out. He didn't want to be alone right now. Jason had to leave and return to his mechanic shop. He promised Xairin he would see him again as soon as he returned from his tour.

  Giving him some time, Cecilia kept her distance. Ethan had done the same. Ethan knew Xairin just needed some time to himself. Hoping Xairin had enough time to process the past few days, tonight, he decided he would chat with Xairin. Ethan missed having him around. He sat down beside Xairin, wearing a gray workout shirt, and some joggers. Xairin looked at him curiously. "Casual night?"

  "I just did a few rounds with a sparring simulation that Arcaidus added to the mansion."

  Ethan chuckled. "You know, I have to say, the house just doesn't feel the same without you being here. I'm glad you decided to hang around after last night."

  "Jason had to leave, and I guess I just didn't want to be by myself."

  "So, a werewolf, really? I just never saw you as the werewolf dating type?"

  Xairin smirked. "Well, he does have a big dick, and I can be a size queen at times."

  "Yeah, but how do you handle it when he, you know? Gets off?"

  "You mean when he dick-fists me, oh, well yeah, that can be a problem, but did you know the entire time they get off, you do too?"

  Ethan's eyes widened. "Seriously? SO, it's worth it then?"

  Xairin shrugged. "I mean, it hurts, don't get me wrong, but once you start having orgasm after orgasm, you kind of forget that their dick just turned into an eggplant."

  “Um, ouch!” Ethan said with a chuckle.

  Xairin rolled his eyes. “It's not that bad once it's in Ethan. Besides, not like they can help it.”

  "He's an Alpha, too, right?" Ethan asked.

  Xairin nodded as he watched the news. "Before you ask, yes, he bonded with me, and yes, I know how serious that is for a werewolf."

  Ezra gave Xairin a concerned look. "So, you think you can be serious with him?" Ethan asked with a genuine tone. "Werewolves do not un-bond easily."

  Xairin sat up and looked at Ethan. "I mean, I haven't said I love you to him, but I do have feelings for him, Ethan. Unfortunately, I also still have feelings for Ezra. I didn't really think I did until I had to make a choice, let the grenade go off and kill Ezra, or go after Travis and Roland. Now, I'm just kinda confused."

  Ethan frowned. "What does your heart tell you?"

  Xairin shrugged. "My heart tells me that they're both great guys, and I care about both of them. My mind tells me that Jason would be safer and knows exactly what kind of life he is getting into with me. Ezra, he's mortal, he wouldn't last in our world, and I know that. The only way it would work out is if he converted, and that's not him. My gut tells me, my heart is kinda fucked either way on this."

  "I am sure it will work out," Ethan said.

  Ethan smiled. "You know, the news is calling you a hero, I mean, Interpol got most the credit, but you saving Ezra's life, making the news, it really left an impression on people. You helping take out a nest of serial killers and then saving an agent's life was excellent public publicity. One thing is for sure, whoever you decide on, their life won't be boring."

  Xairin looked at Ethan. "I need to decide on Jason. Jason bonded with me, Ethan, and I knew it was coming, and I could have stopped it, but the temptation I was going through was a bit much. The urges to continue having sex with a man that I knew was about to bond, I couldn't stop myself, and now, after saving Ezra, I feel confused, Ethan."

  "Have you told Jason that you're feeling confused about it all?"

  Xairin shook his head. "Hell no, I can't hurt him like that after him saving my life, protecting me, and honestly, I really had a lot of fun with him on our dates, sure the sex is pretty damn good once you get used to werewolf anatomy, but I did have a wonderful time just being around him. Plus, I like a man that works hard, and you should see him covered in grease after working on cars all day. It's pretty hot." Xairin shrugged. I won't hurt him like that, Ethan. Plus, if you say a word, I will pull a prince card on your ass."

  Ethan laughed. "Xairin, I would like to think you can tell me anything. I won't say a word. For what it is worth if you can make it work with Jason, dating another immortal is so much easier than trying to date a mortal."

  "So, where do you go from here?" Ethan asked.

  "After I've gone on tour tomorrow, I will come home, to my house, and be waiting on my wolf to come back to me."

  "Werewolves, especially the sasquatch tribe, they say their bonds are the most intense of any of the werewolf tribes and all the packs that have branched off of them," Ethan added.

  "Of course, they are, It's me! If anything is going to be intense, weird, somehow oddly connected, or a billion to one odds, it will happen to me. I mean hell, look at me. I get bitten by an albino bat, I find out that I was never fully human, and to top it off, a prince. Thanks to that bat bite, I'm now more vampire than any vampire on the planet according to that Alice Grimm chick running our genetic science division, and now, I am dating a werewolf who has a more intense bond than other types of wolves…"

  Ethan laughed. "You sound like Sara."

  "Well, my Grandmother is right. Our family is anything but boring. But hey, at least I can say this. I'm alive, and despite
my feelings for two men, I'm happy. I mean, I might have been a hell of lot happier if I had killed Travis, but I have to tell you something, Ethan. Part of me didn't want to after I learned about why he is, what he is."

  "Really?" Ethan said as he looked curiously.

  Xairin sat up more and wrapped his arms around his knees. "I saw into his mind, Ethan. Cale, my fucking ex-boyfriend. He and his little gutter troll, Heidi. They made Travis hate sensitives so bad that it changed a good man into a killer."