Chapter Two
The size of the man might intimidate most people. Nothing intimidated Luc. When the devil raised you, no one else was evil enough to fear.
He used his most wheedling tone and tried for an innocent look. “But Nikko-baby said if I wasn’t there in ten minutes, he was going to be very angry with me.” Sometimes it was fun to make crap up. Luc added a little fear in his voice just for kicks.
“Master Nikkolai said that?” the guard’s voice trembled.
Wow, you could really see the whites of the guy’s eyes.
“Yep. But I could tell him that you just didn’t want to break protocol.” Luc let that statement hang in the air for a moment. “I mean surely he’ll understand. He’s good that way.” Now he was just messing with the guy to watch him sweat.
He took another sip of his beer waiting to see what the vamp guard would do.
The vampire stepped to one side. “He’s in the lounge, second door on your left.”
“Thank you.” Luc placed a soft kiss on the man’s cheek in way of apology, pleased when the guard’s heart skipped a beat.
It was nice to know that he still had it, and if Luc’s path up the stairs was a little wobbly as he drank his beer, well, there wasn’t any audience. How many beers did that make, three, four, hmm, maybe six…whatever.
He stopped at the top of the stairs; the door the man had indicated pulsed lightly with power.
Taking a last sip of his beer, Luc opened the door and walked through to another world. A large room, with a plush black carpet—probably hid blood stains quite well—and red and black décor spread before him. It was almost as big as the dance floor below, but instead of crowds of goth dancers and hard wooden seats, this room was littered with comfy upholstered chairs, couches and people draped across them. Women, men, some vampires, some food, all dressed in fancy almost-there wear.
“Anyone have another beer?” Luc asked, waving his glass in the air.
For a moment the room fell into absolute silence, all eyes on him. He suppressed a giggle, but it was a challenge.
A low velvety purr came from the far corner. “Sheila, get the beautiful man a beer.”
Bingo.
Luc turned in the direction of the voice.
Mmmm.
He gave a cursory look at the two scantily clad women draped on either side of Nikkolai, as if they were matching accessories, and felt a flash of fire burn in his belly.
“Go,” he snapped.
The women jumped up and ran for the door.
Oops, maybe he put a little too much nudge into that command.
Nikkolai laughed. “Baby, you’re a fierce little fae.”
“Here’s your beer.” The sultry blonde, Nikko called Sheila, approached in a skimpy black dress and handed him a glass of dark beer with a come-hither smile, while taking the empty one out of his hand.
“Thanks, darlin’.” He smiled back at her, sliding a friendly hand down her arm as he accepted the drink. After all he didn’t hate women, he just didn’t want one in his bed.
A growl came from the corner.
Luc hid his smile as he took a sip.
Someone was a little jealous.
Luc walked over to Nikko and straddled the vampire’s lap by placing one knee on either side of the deliciously broad body. Tilting his beer, he took a nice long drink, taunting the vamp with a clear view of his neck. He swallowed the beer, licking his lips to remove the foam he could feel bubbling against his upper lip.
“Hi, sugar, I’m here just as you requested.”
Lust burned in Nikkolai’s eyes like twin flames. Two huge hands curved around Luc’s ass, holding him firmly in place. “You listen well, little fae.”
“Master Nikkolai, can I get you something?” Sheila spoke to Nikkolai, but Luc could feel her eyes on the back of his head.
Master? Why did he always go for the alphas? “Master vampire?”
Nikkolai nodded.
Luc tried to stand up, but those strong hands held him fast.
“Going somewhere?” Nikko’s tone implied yes wasn’t the proper answer.
He decided to try honesty. “Look, I don’t mind you being a vampire, but a vampire master is a little more than I’m willing to cope with right now. I’ve had enough alpha types to last me a while.”
“Deal,” said Nikkolai before possessing Luc’s lips in a take-no-prisoners kiss.
Heat. Delicous. It poured through him like an inferno, burning away some of his liquor-induced haze. Luc couldn’t stop the moan that rolled through his chest even if he’d wanted to. He could feel his will melting beneath the passionate fire of Nikko’s touch.
Reluctantly, he broke away to get oxygen. “Fine, but only for one night.”
Luc could claim drunkenness in the morning. One night could be excused. Two nights was just stupidity. No way was he getting involved with another alpha male who would break his heart. On the plus side, vampires couldn’t have babies, so he wouldn’t be dumped for some werebitch.
“Let’s go to my room,” Nikko growled, breaking into Luc’s beer-slushed thoughts.
He slid off of the vampire and watched that long, long body stand.
Oh, yeah.
Luc allowed the vamp to lead him out of the room to a stairway at the opposite end of the hall where a huge guard stood blocking access.
Wow, what did they feed these guys? They must be on super blood or something. Maybe they had a vampire cloning machine in the back that created six-foot-five blood-sucking clones by the dozen.
In addition to being huge, the guard had mahogany hair and melting brown eyes.
Totally his type.
He must have made some noise because his new buddy gave him a glare. “He’s not for you,” Nikko growled.
Luc returned the vamp’s glare with an innocent look. “Of course not, I’m obviously busy.”
At least tonight. Tomorrow, who knew?
The guard gave him a wink as they passed.
Luc let the large, alpha vamp drag him upstairs. After all, he really only wanted a nice quiet space to check out Mr. Sex-on-two-legs. Curiosity was his downfall. His father always told him it was one of his sins. Luc hoped to work on a few of the other sins tonight, starting on lust. Maybe moving through greed, gluttony and ending in sloth.
Yep, it was important for a man to have goals.
That fine ass kept moving up the stairs. Luc followed, mesmerised by the strong muscles flexing before his eyes. A smile flashed over Nikko’s shoulder told him the vampire knew the impact of that ass.
They passed a few other people, but Nikko didn’t greet them, acknowledge them or step around them as they scattered.
Wow, the vampire master had worse manners then the wolves.
Oddly, that was a turn on.
Before he knew it, there were no more people, no more music, nothing but the two of them as Nikkolai pulled him into a dark room, slamming the door behind them. It closed with a solid thud. Luc watched the vampire whisper a few words over the lock, sealing them in.
This wouldn’t be a room easily escaped.
Well, for most people.
Luckily, Luc wasn’t most people. He could conjure a portal in his sleep and if there was a mirror it was even easier.
Shoving him against the wall, Nikkolai lifted both of Luc’s wrists above his head, stretching his body until he was pressed between the hard wall and the harder vampire. Heat from Nikkolai poured into him searing away the chill in his soul.
“I always thought vampires were cold,” Luc said, the words escaping his mouth as he soaked in the heat from the body pressed against his own.
Nikko’s forehead crinkled in thought. “Why?”
Luc shrugged or tried to since he couldn’t wiggle that much. “In books and movies vampires are always cool. You feel hot to me.”
The vampire laughed, a bit of fang peeking through his lips. “Honey, we feed on warm blood why in the hell would we be cold?” Nikko shook his head at his nonsense and kissed him. Luc could almost taste the vampire’s smile.
“Mine,” Nikkolai growled when he let Luc up for air.
Oooh, possessive.
Luc’s toes, barely touching the floor, curled with pleasure as he gave himself up to the other man’s will. He loved strong and commanding in his lovers because outside of the bedroom, life was so much damn work.
He leant into the next kiss and let Nikko overwhelm him. The man’s body was firm and hard against his. Rubbing his body against Luc’s erection, the vampire gave him just the right amount of friction to send sparks throughout his body and shivers up his spine.
Delicious.
They weren’t going to make it to the bed was Luc’s thought right before he was thrown through the air, a hungry growl rising from Nikko’s throat. He landed on a soft surface with a gentle bounce barely registering the luxurious comfort before two large hands descended and started ripping off his clothing. The sound of threads snapping told him he might not have all his buttons anymore, but Luc couldn’t find the will to care.
Once they were both naked, Nikkolai stood at the bottom of the bed and stared, his eyes glowing in the dim light.
“Come here, Nikko.” Luc held out his hand to encourage the other man closer.
And was devoured.
Nikko’s huge muscled body slid beside him, shadowing Luc with his tall form. Before he could catch his breath, one calloused hand grabbed his prick, pumping it up and down without warning. The contrast between the rough grip and Luc’s delicate skin was intense. Too intense.
Unable to do anything more than take the pleasure forced upon him, Luc bucked under Nikko’s hands. Hands that gripped, pumped, caressed and drove him out of his ever-loving mind.
Exactly what he needed.
Without warning Luc’s body exploded. Cum burst from him like a geyser, draining him of both fluids and energy. Nikko’s motions slowed, the kisses turning more affectionate than passionate.
The vampire’s soft chuckle in the dark was low and intimate. “Will you get it up again?”
“Always.”
“You’re so fucking beautiful. May I, have you?” The master vampire’s voice was oddly hesitant considering the take-charge attitude he’d had up to that point.
“I’m all yours,” Luc reassured him, placing a soft kiss on the other man’s exposed throat.
“All mine.” Nikko’s teeth flashed white and pointy in the dark. “I like that.”
Luc felt a sliver of unease try to break through his foggy thoughts.
What did he just agree to?
Then those large, hot hands were on his body giving him sweet, demanding touches while warm, soft lips melted his brain. Luc forgot the question, forgot even his own name.
There was a soft snick then a finger, oiled and slick, pushed into him. A groan tore from his throat as he sank upon that digit longing for another. “More.”
“No. Not yet. You’re too tight. I won’t hurt you.”
Luc whimpered and, in the end, he begged in soft, broken tones for more. More touching, more fingers, more something. “Please Nikko, please.”
Two fingers.
The slow molten pleasure felt as if it were dissolving his bones, turning him into a pliable, liquid mess. He moaned and whimpered, making encouraging noises and shifting his body to urge the vampire on, anything to get this man to hurry up. The intense need was torturing him, and he’d been tortured by the best. Eventually, after minutes that felt like hours, three fingers filled his hole.
“Please, I’m ready, come inside me.” He could only take so much. This was going from pleasure to torture.
“Your skin, it’s glowing,” Nikko said on a breath of whispered reverence.
Luc glanced down and saw that his skin was indeed glowing a soft white. “It’s the fae blood,” he said in needy tones. “Now fuck me.”
The vampire responded by kissing him while his fingers pumped in and out of Luc’s body. Nikko’s motions pegged his prostrate making him whimper with need. Finally, when he was about to cry from the ache of it all, the vampire removed his fingers and pushed inside him, filling him, completing him.
Still so careful, his lover slid in and out with slow sinuous movements. Luc dug in his heels trying to speed him along. In response, Nikko hooked his hands behind Luc’s knees lifting his heels from the bed and removing his leverage. “Don’t rush. Savour.”
He wanted to scream at the man to move. He didn’t want to savour he wanted to be fucked, but the expression in the vampire’s eyes trapped his words inside. Nikko wrapped a hand around Luc’s prick, pumping him while moving back and forth inside with controlled bursts of power.
“Shit.” Luc’s hips snapped forward when he felt the vampire’s cum pump inside of him. Control shot, he spewed hot ropes of liquid across both of their stomachs. High on endorphins, it took him a minute to realise the man in bed with him wasn’t just nibbling on his neck but getting sustenance from it.
The vampire was feeding.
Fear shot through him.
“Shh.” Nikko licked his neck. Luc guessed he was sealing the wound. “You’re safe. No one will ever hurt you again my sweet tasting, little fae. You’re all mine.”
With those words, Nikko wrapped his big body around Luc like a giant blood-sucking teddy bear. Those big ass hands rubbed up and down Luc’s back in long soothing strokes. For the moment, Luc forgot his worries and slipped easily into sleep.
* * * *
The howling of his cell phone pulled Luc from his slumber. The wolf howl was a ringtone he’d recorded during a full moon and assigned to the pack house main number. The sound had Luc scrambling to free himself from his cuddling lover. Memories of limitless beers fluttered through his brain before vanishing.
Luckily, he never got hangovers.
Luc stumbled to locate his pants in the dim light and once found, fumbled to find the pocket with his phone inside, anxious to stop the noise before it woke the vampire.
His fingers found the phone in his left pocket. Luc pulled it out and flipped it open to stop the noise. “Hello.”
“Luc, thank the goddess I found you.” The raspy voice of Salvador, the pack’s beta, came across the line. “Bran’s missing. Is he with you?”
Pain stabbed through Luc’s heart. “Of course, he’s not with me. Isn’t he off on his honeymoon?” Anger gave his voice a rare edge. Trust his ex-lover to garner attention when he was supposed to be out of sight, out of mind.
“Betsy called me in tears. His wolf rejected her, then he ran off.”
He’d never heard of that happening before. The line went silent while Luc waited for an explanation…and waited.
“What the fuck do you mean his wolf rejected her? Didn’t they already have sex?”
Not that he wanted the details. The thought of his former lover’s strong hands touching another made him ill. His attention snapped to the bed as Nikko’s body shifted beneath the covers as if sensing his distress. One long arm reached out, fingers searching for him as the vampire slept.
Salvador drew his attention back to the phone. “Betsy said when they tried to mate Bran freaked. According to her, his eyes went wolf and he flew out of there. We think he’ll head for you.”
“Why in the ten hells would he come to me? He made it completely clear that he wanted pups. In case you didn’t know, I can’t give him that and I have no interest in being his piece of ass on the side.”
“I know, I know, and the pack appreciates all you’ve sacrificed,” the beta’s voice was heavy with sorrow, making Luc wonder for the first time how his separation affected the pack.
“Are you some place safe? I don’t think Bran will harm you, but if his wolf’s loose he’ll hunt you down and I don’t know what he’ll do.” There was a pause as if he were gathering his thoughts. “We know you’re his true mate Luc. Betsy was a poor replacement sought for Bran’s human half. Our alpha might be able to fool himself, but he can’t fool his animal nature.”
Luc blinked back the tears filling his eyes. “II always knew he would cast me aside, Sal, but I didn’t think it would hurt so much. I miss you guys.”
“Hang in there, Luc. You’ll always be part of our pack, Bran or not. Where are you?”
“At The River Styx.”
“The vampire club?”
Luc laughed. “Yeah.”
“What have you done?” Sal’s voice took on a familiar commanding tone. As the pack beta, he was used to being obeyed by just about everyone except the alpha. With Bran gone, the beta was in charge.
Luc bristled in defence. “I drowned my sorrows. Don’t fucking judge me, you didn’t just lose everything.”
Sal sighed, the sound weighty and sad. “Don’t be so sure, my friend. Don’t be so sure. Are you safe?”
Luc looked around the spell-secured room taking in the thick walls and reinforced magic. “I’m as safe as can be.” He’d have to find a way to get Nikko to let him stay until whatever bug was up Bran’s butt escaped.
“Good. I’ll keep you updated. Call me if you see Bran. Take care.” There was a pause then Sal’s voice came across softer. “I mean it, Luc. I know you’re hurting right now but you’re important to the pack and not just because you were Bran’s lover. You helped us more times than we can count. Call me if you need anything, and I mean anything.”
Blinking back tears, Luc cut the connection after promising his friend that he would call if there was a problem. With mixed feelings, he put his phone back into his pocket. Part of him was concerned about Bran while the small, petty part felt a little smug that the big, bad alpha couldn’t mate with the woman he insisted would be a better match than Luc.
Heart sore, Luc crawled back into bed. Nikko moved to snuggle him close as soon as he lay down.
“Is there a problem, beautiful?” Nikko rumbled against his chest as the vampire wrapped his arm and leg around Luc again.
“My ex is hunting me. Can I hang out here for a few days?”
“If you stay with me, you’ll have to be my thrall.” Nikko nuzzled beneath Luc’s ear, derailing his thoughts for a moment as all sensation pooled to his groin.
“Thrall?” he gasped out.
Nikko nodded. “Non-vampires can only stay in a tribe if they belong to one of the vamps. Since I’m the master of this group, the others will only accept you if you’re my thrall. I can’t break the rules I expect others to abide by or I’ll lose all respect.”
“Wh-what does that involve?” Luc was starting to wonder what he’d got himself into. Was a werewolf mauling better?
“You’ll have to wear my collar to signify your status as my possession and sit at my side when we’re in groups with other vampires. Be my arm candy,” Nikko whispered against Luc’s skin, licking a sensitive spot on his neck and triggering shivers down his spine.
Luc started laughing and couldn’t stop. He’d lived with werewolves for twenty years, but it took going to a vampire to put a collar on him.
Nikko rubbed a soothing hand across his bare back. “I’m glad you’re amused.”
“Anything else?” It sounded as if he were a prized pet. He wondered if he got a comfy pillow to sit on. Maybe a chew toy.
“No giving blood to anyone but me.”
“Not into sharing, huh?”
“No.” There wasn’t even a hint of laughter in the vampire’s growl. Luc peeked up at the other man. Nikko’s face wore a fierce frown.
“Ooo-kay. Do I at least get clothes?”
“Of course. I wouldn’t want anyone else looking at you.”
How did he get himself into these situations?
“It would only be for a few days,” Luc ventured to say.
“It’s a start. You might find you like being mine.”
With Nikko petting him and luring him back to sleep, Luc’s last thought was he might enjoy belonging to someone else for a while. It would help if he couldn’t remember years of hot, loving kisses and miles of smooth mocha skin with his name tattooed across one shoulder, but that’s what the beer was for.
To help him forget.
