Table of Contents

Table of Contents
Title Page
About this title
Blurb:
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Available titles
Table of Contents

Title Page
About this title
Blurb:
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Available titles
Blood and Betrayal

Old Blood 1

AIMEE BRISSAY
 About this title

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, the models on the cover, places
and incidents either are the product of the authors’ imagination or are used
fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business
establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Blood and Betrayal Copyright ©2020 Aimee Brissay

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in

any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the
written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law. To
request permission and all other enquiries, please contact Aimee Brissay
directly:

Aimeebrissay@gmail.com

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 Blurb:

Old enemies, new lovers, a fresh new war.

As the youngest Master to ever hold a territory, Darien likes his solitude.
He rules over the largest city in Romania—no small feat—and he does it all on
his own. He’s lucky enough to have the most powerful incubus in the city as a
friend and lover, and despite the occasional moments of boredom, he’s happy.
But everything changes with the arrival of an old enemy. She leaves a trail
of bodies in her wake in a silent challenge to Darien, one he must deal with
before it’s too late.
Adam is her latest creation. A mistake. A fledgling who shouldn’t have
survived the change. Darien should kill him, but something about Adam calls
to him, so instead he takes him under his wing.
Can Darien survive the war that’s coming and keep the fledgling alive, or
will he succumb to hidden threats no one could have foreseen? And can Adam
learn to navigate this new and dangerous world fate has thrown him into?
More importantly, can he make Darien trust him?
 Chapter 1

Boredom sure sucked. Being seven hundred years old and bored was even
worse. And of course, it was his own damned fault. He couldn’t even blame it
on his inability to go out in the sunlight, because after several hundred years
of existence he’d reached a point where restraints were few and far between.
Only the youngest of vampires, confined indoors during the day for the first
few centuries, spent the time sleeping in their coffins, basements, attics, or
anything else that fit the cliché. Because the young ones were nothing if not
drama queens. Never one to go in for such antics, he had slept in a bed
whenever he could find one. Nowadays he wasn’t sleeping at all. And wasn’t
that a pity? It would have helped kill a few hours of his never-ending
existence. He could have dreamed. Oh, he remembered dreams: the vivid
colors, sounds, shapes, and the most important part, the unexpectedness of it
all.
A long sigh escaped his lips. He wasn’t feeling sorry for himself. Not
anymore. The only problem was that, every few decades or so, he got bored.
He took in the scenery as his lungs filled with the evening’s chill air. And
everything was too quiet, too still, only adding to his gloomy mood.
His stomach grumbled—a welcome distraction. He should eat. As he
rubbed a hand over his chin, the tips of his fangs scratched his gums,
reminding him of when he’d last fed. Two weeks was a long time even for an
older vampire such as himself to go without food, and delaying it any longer
would risk unwanted consequences to his self-control. A hungry vampire is a
careless one. His sire’s voice floated through his mind and he smiled fondly at
the memory.
Darien stepped away from the balcony, grabbed his jacket and his keys on
the way out, and locked the door behind him. It was mostly for show because
immortals wouldn’t dare poach, and any human thieves sniffing around,
assuming they could pass the magical protections his home sported, would be
swiftly dealt with. But it was good to maintain a mortal façade. It helped keep
him grounded in the world he was still a part of.
He glanced at his car but decided against it. He would rather hunt than
have his blood served in a crystal glass at the Paradise Lost, so he headed for
the old town center at a leisurely pace. Bucharest had always been one of his
favorite cities. It was a place to which he had returned over and over again.
The architecture, the mixture of old and new, fascinated him. He knew it
inside out and yet he found something different about it every day.
With his hands in the pockets of his pants and whistling a happy tune, he
looked like a tourist or someone without a care in the world. Centuries of
existence had taught him how to pass as human, but the predator in him never
slept, his senses and alert eyes missing nothing.
Music reached his ears and he shuddered. If there was anything he hated
about the old center, it was how crowded and noisy it had became, clubs,
pubs, and coffee shops having replaced the quaint little family stores, clashing
with the decorum of hundred-year-old houses.
Upon entering the Lipscani area, a whiff of stale blood tickled his nose. It
was gone too quick to allow him to locate its source, but the scent had been
unmistakable. He stilled, his nostrils flaring, but the wayward wind had a
mind of its own and was now blowing from the other direction. He tilted his
head back, the moonlight bathe his face. With all the noise around, and his
nose of no use, he closed his eyes and called on his power. It rose inside him,
strong and dark, its taste metallic, marking him as a vampire just as surely as
his fangs did. It washed over him, reaching out, searching for any hidden
threats, for signatures of any immortals who shouldn’t be there.
Nothing. But that only meant they were hiding well, not that there were no
supernaturals present.
The wind shifted again, bringing him the sweet smell of death. He followed
the scent, eyes darting from side to side. His steps, usually soft, became even
lighter as he crept along stony alleys. He passed by beautiful old buildings, just
a few stories high, with façades masterfully hand-carved. Some were freshly
restored, while others looked their age, but each retained an aura of majesty.
The smell led Darien to a dark, secluded corner and the corpse of a young
woman. He stepped closer, careful to avoid the numerous holes in the ground
the Romanian Ministry of Culture and its archeologists had decided to put in
the sidewalk to expose the ruins upon which the city center was built, and
took a better look at the body.
The woman lay face down on the ground, clothes intact, head turned to the
side, red hair obscuring her face. The smell was fresh, so she couldn’t have
been dead for more than an hour. There were no visible wounds, so he slid his
hands under her shoulders and turned her gently.
The hair fell from her face, exposing her neck. Darien’s gaze flew to the
deep gashes on her throat and right shoulder. They looked like they’d been
made by a dog, but there wasn’t enough tissue tearing around the wounds to
justify that hypothesis. And the way the body had been discarded ruled out an
animal attack.
Humans most likely. He had no interest to getting involved in the affairs of
mortals. He moved to place the woman back where he’d found her, but then
something else caught his eye: two puncture wounds, carefully hidden by the
tears in her skin, so small he’d almost missed them. A low, menacing growl
rolled through his chest. Those weren’t made by humans.
He lifted one of her hands and examined her palm. No scratches, no blood,
no skin under her nails. She hadn’t even tried to defend herself.
Darien leaned in and sniffed at the corpse, but there was nothing there he
hadn’t expected to find. Blood, death, the leather of her purse, the torn fabric
of her clothes, but nothing from the killer. No lingering scents, no trace of
magic, nothing to suggest this was the work of a vampire, yet there was
something off about the whole thing, like the body was somehow connected to
him. There were several things that could have drained a body besides a
vampire, all of them skilled at hiding their scent, but even so, he should have
been able to pick out something. And the body had, indeed, been drained. He
should know.
He reached out again, scanning his surroundings. There was no one nearby,
human or otherwise, and yet the hair on the back of his neck stood to
attention.
Returning his focus to the victim, he examined her features. She looked
oddly familiar. Maybe he’d seen her somewhere or had fed from her at some
point or another, but he didn’t really remember. Not that he remembered
many of his donors. Another growl rose in his throat. There had to be a
message in this. After all, this was his territory and the girl had been thrown in
his path. Someone had to know his route, his habits. Someone had to be
following him around.
Darien let the body fall and whirled on his heels. One quick glance
confirmed he was still alone. Silently, he jumped up and caught the corner of a
second-story balcony and, from there, pushed himself onto the rooftop.
Perched on the edge, he took in his territory as far as he could see and
breathed in the cool air of the night. There was nothing there, nothing he
could sense, but still his neck prickled in warning.

****

From the rooftop of the old National Library, hidden behind the stone-
carved elements of the façade, the woman watched. She was dressed in black,
a hood covering her hair, and she blended perfectly into the darkness of the
night, a mere shadow among shadows. She stood completely still, perched
uncomfortably on a ledge. Beneath her, Darien raised his head, looking
straight at her, and she grinned, confident the charm would hide her from his
eyes. His gaze passed over her, unseeing, and the grin turned into a sneer.
“Soon, my darling.” She whispered the words into the night. Her gums
ached as the memory of Darien’s blood crossed her mind. Excitement rose
inside of her at the thought. Yes, she would taste him again. She’d bleed him
dry, drop by drop. She’d drink in his pain and revel in the taste of his death.
And she would damn anyone who tried to stand in her way.

****

There was nothing out there. He’d canvassed the entire area and found
nothing. No other bodies, no stir-ups in the energy, no signatures of strange
immortals. His mind should have been at ease, but his instincts were
screaming in warning. And he still hadn’t fed, may all be damned!
He paced his office, turning the previous night’s events over in his head. It
had to be about territory. What else could it be? How long had it been since
he’d last faced a challenge? Forty, fifty years? At times the lack of a coven
sucked, but he lived alone because he wanted it that way. He’d won his
freedom the hard way and he had every intention of keeping it. Granted, he’d
made enemies over the centuries, but he hadn’t caught a whiff of anyone out
for his blood yet. Did he have a price on his head? Again? If he did, someone
had to know about it, and he knew the perfect place to find out.
This time, he didn’t bother with the jacket, his movements but a blur that
any humans would dismiss as a trick of their eyes.
Upon reaching his destination, he entered the bar and took in the crowd. It
seemed to be a slow night at the Paradise Lost, and all the patrons turned to
watch him as he advanced. He zeroed in on Zephyr, the bartender and owner
of the place, a cute little incubus and one of his oldest friends. And sometimes
not just a friend. Their eyes locked, a slow current passing between them,
warm and steady, just as it always had, and Darien’s spirits lifted. Zephyr
grinned widely. Darien scowled mockingly in response as he took a seat at the
end of the bar.
“What are you laughing at?”
The incubus sashayed to him and halted behind the bar in a seductive pose,
with one hand on his hip and the other teasingly ruffling his hair as arousal
filled the air. Darien’s eyes warmed at the sight. Zephyr was witty and smart
and had managed, somehow, to maintain a charming personality and a sense
of humor despite his age and his nature. Centuries of luring humans into sin
and feeding on their energy would have taken their toll on someone else, but
not on Zephyr. He had too much inner strength for that.
An incubus could assume any shape he wanted, and Zephyr changed his
looks more often than he did his socks. For this evening, he’d chosen neon-
green hair that matched the color of his eyes, a pair of leather pants that
perfectly encased the wiry frame he currently maintained, and a sheer, black
button-up top.
“Hello, sailor!” Zephyr purred at him.
“Tease!”
“Oh, baby, you should know me better. I always deliver.”
“That you do.” Memories of their times together flashed through Darien’s
mind, his pants becoming tight and his voice gruff. Sensing his predicament,
Zephyr leaned in, his face a mere inch from Darien’s.
“Why don’t you wait for me until I finish up here and then I’ll let you fuck
me ten ways to Sunday?” He leaned closer, their lips almost touching. “Or, if
you’re in a hurry, I can take a break now and we can go out back for a quickie.”
He breathed the words, low, seductive, his long lashes fluttering over his
elegant cheekbones.
Darien brushed his fingers over Zephyr’s cheek before tangling them in his
hair and pulling him closer, bringing their mouths together. The incubus’s lips
opened under his and their tongues touched. Zephyr moaned and sucked on
Darien’s tongue, asking for more, and Darien gave it to him. He tasted, nibbled,
and teased until Zephyr melted into his arms. Only then did he pull back.
“You said something about a break?”
“Hmm. Yes.” The incubus jumped back and threw the towel he had tucked
into his waistband back onto the bar. “Jules, I’m taking my ten,” Zephyr shot
over his shoulder to the redhead working the other side of the bar, before
skirting around the counter, grabbing Darien’s hand, and dragging him to his
office.
As soon as the door closed behind them, Darien had Zephyr pinned against
the wall, their mouths locked in a savage kiss. His hands flew to the incubus’s
fly and he had the buttons open in no time. He sneaked one hand inside and
rubbed the fat cock within, groaning. Damn, the little sprite wasn’t wearing
any underwear. Darien brushed his lips over his lover’s throat, and Zephyr’s
head lolled backwards, eyes closed.
Darien’s mouth found one of the incubus’s nipples and latched onto it,
tongue teasing the ring attached to it. Zephyr moaned, and tangled his hands
in Darien’s hair, gently urging his head lower. Heeding the silent request,
Darien dropped to his knees. He slipped his hands under the waistband of his
lover’s pants and, with a powerful tug, soon had them around Zephyr’s ankles.
They’d been intimate for so long, Darien knew exactly what his lover liked. He
placed his hands on Zephyr’s ass cheeks to keep him steady as he sank down
onto the dick in front of him, taking it to the root in one swift motion. Zephyr’s
hand tightened in Darien’s hair and his back arched as he tried to push his
cock deeper into the wet heat enveloping it.
Darien increased his sucking. His fangs slid down to add some extra side
friction on each stroke and his fingers kneaded the strong muscles of his
lover’s ass. Zephyr groaned and spread his legs as far as the pants around his
ankles allowed. Darien brushed one digit teasingly against Zephyr’s hole, and
Zephyr pushed back into the touch, just as the finger retreated.
“Get them wet.” The command, spoken in a whispered, husky voice, offered
no room for argument.
Darien reached up and held his hand out. As soon as the digits had been
thoroughly laved, he shoved them up his lover’s ass just as he deep-throated
him once more, sucking hard. Fangs grazed the skin, drawing blood this time,
and the cock in his mouth swelled even more and throbbed furiously. The tips
of his fingers found Zephyr’s prostate and rubbed it again and again. Darien
swallowed around the prick in his mouth, working his throat muscles, pushing
his lover over the edge. The incubus came hard, his entire body shuddering,
deep groans escaping his lips. Darien drank every last drop the man had to
offer and only when the spasms faded into nothing did he jump to his feet. In a
blink of an eye, Darien had his lover facing the door and his own pants
undone, the zipper barely escaping intact in the process.
“Brace yourself, baby.”
Zephyr drew in a deep breath and held it as he heeded the warning. Darien
spat into his palm and spread it over his cock. He placed one hand on his
lover’s hip to keep them both steady, wrapping the other around Zephyr’s
prick, and pushed in to the hilt. The incubus groaned and bucked against him
as the pain of intrusion flared. Darien stilled, letting him adjust, teeth clenched
with the effort.
“Move.” The incubus’s head fell back, green eyes glazed and unfocused,
voice coarse.
Darien’s mouth sought out Zephyr’s and claimed it in a savage kiss as he
pulled out almost completely before surging back in. His lover moaned and
broke the kiss. Zephyr leaned forward, one hand braced against the wall and
the other reaching back to grab Darien’s thigh, urging him faster.
 Darien pulled at his lover’s still-rock-hard dick. He latched on to Zephyr’s
neck and his fangs pierced the skin, the hot, tasty blood of an elder flooding
his mouth.
“Harder. Fuck me harder.”
Darien couldn’t do anything but obey, his body already teetering on the
edge. Tension built, running like water across his skin, but the transfer
between two immortals was too insignificant to matter to either of them.
Zephyr whimpered, his nails digging into Darien’s thigh. His muscles
clamped around the dick in his ass and he spurted all over the wall and the
hand flying over his cock. A moment later, Darien lost whatever was left of his
control. His hips surged once, twice and stilled, his cock buried hilt-deep
inside his lover. He shuddered and came in a rush, wave after wave of fresh
blood coursing through his body in a mixture of pleasure and adrenaline.

****

“You going to tell me what got you in such a mood?”

“I was planning to, but I got distracted.” Darien grinned at his lover. They
were back in the main room, the vampire perched on the same stool, nursing a
whiskey, while the incubus was behind the bar, whipping up some fancy drink
for one of the local witches.
“So, what’s going on?” When his question remained unanswered, Zephyr
glanced over.
Darien stared at his glass, his bad mood, forgotten for a while, back in full
swing. “I was hoping you could tell me.”
Zephyr passed fresh drinks to the waiting hands in exchange for bills and
then stepped closer.
“Do you know anything about the dead woman?”
“The one from the Lipscani? Only what I’ve heard on the news. Around
twenty, red hair, bled dry. Clothes intact. The police aren’t saying much, but
rape is excluded.” Zephyr leaned in until their heads were just a hair’s breadth
away, watching Darien’s perfect poker face carefully. “I didn’t think you did it.”
Zephyr narrowed his eyes. “Did you?”
“Of course not. I haven’t killed my food in quite some time.”
“That’s what I thought. Then again, mistakes do happen.”
“Not to me.”
Zephyr smiled to himself at the hint of pride in Darien’s voice. He knew
something of Darien’s self-restraint and the constant struggle to maintain his
track record, and he couldn’t help admiring him for it. Being an incubus, he
knew how difficult it could be.
“Why do you ask? What did you hear?”
“Nothing. That’s the thing. I haven’t heard anything. I haven’t seen
anything. No blood, no bruises, no scents, no nothing.”
“And that is bad how?”
“Just a hunch. The neck was badly torn, and it was done to cover up the bite
of a vampire.”
“Are you sure?”
Pursing his lips, Darien nodded. “No human could have done it so
thoroughly. It looked like the work of a pro.”
“Werewolves?”
“I don’t think so. The body had been drained completely.”
“So, vampires almost definitely?”
Darien shrugged. “It looks like it.”
“But you said there was no scent.”
“That’s the thing that’s bothering me. There was nothing. Not a single
whiff.”
“Maybe you got there too late? The wind could have diluted any traces.”
Darien shook his head. “No, that’s not possible. Rigor mortis hadn’t set in
yet.”
Zephyr, much older than Darien, was far more attuned to magic and
otherworldly energies than his friend, but even so, he didn’t doubt Darien’s
conclusion.
“Any chance you’ve heard anything about any newcomers in town?”
“You talking your kind or anything otherworldly?”
Darien pursed his lips, pondering. “Vampires, I think, but anything would
do.”
“Not a word. But aren’t any visiting bloodsuckers supposed to announce
their presence to you? You are the Master of this territory after all.”
“Yeah, common sense would dictate so.”
“Oh, come on. Someone would have to be suicidal to trespass on your
territory, and from what I’ve seen over the years, you people have an
extraordinary talent for staying alive.” Zephyr paused, biting the inside of his
cheek. “How long has it been since you were last challenged?”
“Since before the second world war. Do you remember? That fledgling. I
don’t even know his name.”
Darien smiled, remembering. From across the counter, the incubus
laughed, sharing in the memory.
 It had happened right there in the bar. A vampire, not more than a century
old, had walked up to Darien and declared boldly that his reign had ended and
that he, the newcomer, was now the man in charge. Darien had listened
patiently until the end, with the shadow of a smile frozen on his lips. The
incubus remembered the scene like it had happened just the day before and
not over seventy years ago. The place had grown quiet, all eyes trained on
them. Darien had pinned the fledgling with his eyes, making him squirm, and
only then did the elder move. He’d blurred from his seat and had the offending
vampire by the throat in the spin of a second. Fingers had tightened, eyes had
bulged, bones had snapped. An increase in pressure and a flick of the hand and
the head had rolled on the floor at Darien’s feet.
“You have to admit the kid had balls.”
“Yeah. Too bad he hadn’t the brain to back them up.”
“You should give him some credit. He was young. He didn’t know any
better. Though why any fledgling would think he could win against a Master
vampire is beyond me.”
Darien snorted, almost choking on his whiskey. “Do you remember the
psycho bitch in the 1800s? Or Michael in the 1890s.”
“I don’t know the bitch you’re talking about, but Michael I remember. What
happened to him anyway?”
“We sat down and chatted and he understood the voice of reason.”
The incubus snorted. “You chatted? Now that’s something I’d have loved to
have seen.”
Darien grinned back at him. “Of course. Everything was very polite. Last I
heard, he was somewhere in New Zealand.”
“You left him alive?”
“Why are you so surprised? He’s a good guy. We’ve known each other for a
long time. He was just going through a rough patch.”
“And he thought that suicide by vampire was the way to go?”
Darien shrugged.
Zephyr shook his head in wonder. “For all my years, I will never
understand you lot.”
Zephyr’s skin crawled and the signature reached him a few seconds before
the door opened to allow the entrance of one of the local demons, Adele. She
nodded idly in his direction and took the stool on the side of the counter. As
inconspicuously as possible, he opened himself to the waves of power coming
from her.
 “Listen. If you hear anything about anything, let me know, okay,
sweetness?” Darien stood and threw some money on the counter, covering the
cost of his drink.
“Sure thing, hon.”
“Thanks.” Darien started for the door, but he turned and caught Zephyr’s
eyes again. “You be careful, okay?”
Zeohyr’s eyes widened and he nodded his agreement. If Darien was that
worried, the matter must be serious.
 Chapter 2

Adam watched from the shadow of the booth, eyes glued to the woman in
the center of the dance floor. She wasn’t beautiful in the typical sense. Her hair
was too long and too curly, her nose slightly too crooked, her complexion a bit
too pale, her gender all wrong, and yet he couldn’t take his eyes off her. She
rocked with the music, slowly, languidly. Her eyes were closed, head thrown
back, lips slightly parted, a look of complete rapture on her face. The music
changed, turned slower, more sensual, and Adam leaned closer, the drink in
his hand forgotten.
One of his friends was talking, but Adam didn’t hear any of the words, his
attention focused entirely on the woman. As if she could feel the weight of his
gaze, her eyes fluttered open to look straight at him. Answering the silent
invitation, he set his glass down and headed over.
The crowd parted, allowing him passage, and he took in her appearance up
close. The pale silk of her dress hugged her body like a second skin, covering
her almost completely and pooling around her ankles. She was all curves and
soft skin, but his attention was held by her eyes, the greenest he’d ever seen.
But they weren’t green exactly. Colors swirled and mixed in them, nor were
they languid. Music flooded through him, overwhelming his senses.
“Um…hi. I’m Adam.”
She stepped closer, crowding his personal space, and turned around,
resting her shoulders against him.
“Hello, Adam.” Her voice, huskier than he’d expected, held traces of a
foreign accent.
“And you are?”
“Very happy to meet you.” She purred, rubbing against him as would a cat
in heat.
The breath hitched in his throat. Blood drained from his brain and rushed
to his groin. He was only vaguely aware that they were in the middle of a
crowded club and that the music, so loud before, seemed to have dimmed to a
background drone.
She softly ground her ass against his groin and arched her back, brushing
her lips against his. Adam put his arms around her and ground their hips
together. Her eyes fluttered open, her lips parting in a silent sigh. She smiled
serenely and, taking his hand, dragged him across the dance floor.
 “Where are we going?” He looked around him in a daze.
“Shh. Follow me.”
Her eyes flashed again when she glanced at him over her shoulder and she
seemed colder, calculated, but that barely registered. His brain had already
lost control over his body and he could only obey.
People parted in front of them as if on command and they reached the exit
in no time, but she didn’t stop there. She pulled him into a dark corner and
pushed him hard against the wall. Her eyes gleamed, feral, her movements
having lost all their sensuality. She grabbed the collar of his shirt and, without
any visible effort, jerked it, the fabric tearing under her fingers like paper.
“Hey, what are you doing?”
This wasn’t what he’d been expecting. He pushed at her shoulders, but it
was like trying to move a boulder.
“Get away from me.”
“Go ahead, fight! You’ll taste all the sweeter.”
“You’re crazy!”
He shoved again, more forcefully, a part of his brain revolting at the
thought of hitting a woman, the other screaming at him to strike harder, but
she caught his wrist easily and pinned him against the wall.
“Get off me!” He struggled and struggled, and she laughed at his efforts, a
vicious sound that grated on his nerves.
A stray ray of moonlight fell on her face and deadly looking fangs gleamed.
Fangs? Holy shit, this is one sick joke!

****

Zephyr wiped furiously at the already-spotless counter, half listening to the

buzzing of the conversation around him, his mind spinning. Perhaps Darien
was right and something was wrong.
His skin prickled, tiny shivers sizzling along his nerves. Invisible currents
stirred the air, making everyone jumpy. Hell, he’d nearly snarled at one of the
fae lords before he could stop himself. The fae had smiled at him, showing his
big white teeth, and Zephyr saw his life flash before his eyes.
Shaking his head, he tried to clear his mind. What was wrong with him? He
knew better than to provoke one of the fae people. He was fortunate the far
lord hadn’t killed him, but if he didn’t get his head out of his ass he might not
be so lucky in the future. His status as the owner of the most popular
supernatural bar in town would only take him so far.
 On autopilot, he poured Adele the shot of absinth she’d ordered and went
over to her table to deliver it. She reached out to take the glass from him, their
fingers brushing against each other. Tiny sparks crackled where their skin met
and he jerked, his eyes searching hers.
Shit!
“Your powers don’t work on me, incubus.”
“I’m sorry, I wasn’t trying to…”
Adele leaned in, her aura darkening dangerously, the scent of brimstone
filling the air. Shivering at the sight, he willed himself under control. At times,
it sucked to be an incubus, so attuned to magic and power.
“Did you really think I would go for you, little man-whore?”
Holding out his palms, Zephyr backed up slowly. “I’m sorry, Adele. I didn’t
mean anything by that.”
Something was definitely wrong. Because she did go for him, on more than
one occasion, and there had been nothing in their interaction to prompt such a
reaction from her.
He should warn Darien. But what could he tell him that his lover didn’t
already know? Shaking his head, he returned to his place behind the counter.
I should see if he’s all right
He reached for his cell, but at the last moment pulled his hand back.
Come on, he’s fine. I would have known if he wasn’t.
Lips pursed, he started stacking the shot glasses. One heartbeat later, he
gave up and grabbed his phone.
“Darien?”
“What is it, sweetheart?”
On hearing his lover’s voice, the breath he was holding gave.
“Lover? Are you all right?”
“Yeah, sorry. I just wanted to see if you’re okay.”

****

So that’s how it was. Dying. Not what he’d expected. Where was the light,
where were the doors? Or the hounds and all of Hell’s emissaries? Or Saint
Peter with the keys and the scale to judge him? Instead, there was none of
that. No life flashing before his eyes, no light at the end of the tunnel. Just
scorching, gut-wrenching pain.
God, what is happening to me?
He burned. Adam twisted and contorted as his body shook in spasm after
spasm and his stomach churned. He hungered, but the mere thought of food
made him gag. He licked his dry, cracked lips, but the gesture brought no
relief, just more thirst. Flashes of light shot through his eyelids, burning his
retinas as a car blasted by, honking, the sound piercing his brain louder than a
cannonade. His hands shot to his ears to try to shield them from the offending
noise. A groan escaped his lips and fire burned down his already-sore throat.
He crawled to the farthest wall and curled into a fetal position, crying.
He didn’t know how long he stayed like that, whimpering and hurting, with
his arms over his head in a futile attempt to protect himself from the world,
but day followed night and then darkness fell again. From his own personal
hell, Adam was acutely aware of the people passing by, hurrying through their
day, music blasting from car stereos, dogs barking and fighting over bones or
territory, each sound adding new layers to his pain. Even the bugs creeping
over the stone floor and the rats scurrying across the room and the worms
crawling in the ground seemed loud to his suddenly too-keen senses.
The foul smell of the sewer he’d crawled into to die was a permanent
offense to his nose. He’d hoped, for a while, that it would fade as his body
adjusted, but the stench only grew stronger with time. Breath, already
labored, worsened as the invisible band wrapped around his diaphragm
tightened. His eyes rolled into the back of his skull and his mind soared.
Morphine sounded good about now. Hell, cocaine sounded good. Basically
anything that would dull some of the pain. He should move, go out, and maybe
find a doctor. They always had the best stuff. Fuck, he should have thought of
that in the first place. Why did he come to this stinking place instead of going
to a hospital? He hadn’t been thinking right. He hadn’t been thinking at all, the
hurt and fear having taken over his brain. All he had wanted was a place to
hide.
The pain was unbearable. He saw himself standing, walking, but his
muscles did not cooperate. He should scream. The noise would bring
someone. There had to be someone able to help him. He tried opening his
mouth, but his jaws seemed glued together. Panic rose, overwhelming, and a
red haze covered his eyes.
It was the end. It had to be. His mind reeled and fought but his body
refused to listen. So he lay there, unable to move, waiting, praying for a death
that would not come.

****

Four days had passed since Darien had stumbled upon the woman in the
alley and no other bodies had turned up. He’d walked the streets until there
hadn’t been a single stone left unturned, but there was nothing out of the
ordinary. His mind should have been at ease. Should have. If anything, he was
even tenser now.
It was midnight and he’d already made his rounds for the night. He glanced
wistfully in the direction of the Paradise Lost and sighed, craving his lover’s
presence. He would give himself one more hour before calling it a day. Or
night, if he were to be exact. He headed once more to the old city, its history
and magic drawing him as it always had. Year after year, mortals and
immortals alike had left their mark on it and its energy was permanently
shifting, its taste and colors never the same. Witches, wizards, and demons
had sought it out, drawing from its power, but the untrained humans had
learned to avoid its most charged places, as strange things tended to happen
around there.
He let his senses soar as he walked, but nothing stirred in the night. Music
flooded him, overwhelming his senses. He let his mind wander, his attention
only half on his surroundings.
Come out, come out, whoever you are.
Lost in his thoughts, he almost stumbled upon the body before he felt its
presence. He kneeled next to the corpse—a boy this time, no more than
sixteen years old—to assess its condition. Darien brushed his fingertips
against the boy’s cheek and frowned. It was still fresh, the body not yet cold.
The smell of blood was strong, though, again, there wasn’t a single drop to be
found. There were markings on the neck, dark bruises resembling the print of
a hand, with darker edges where the fingers would have been, like he’d been
strangled to death. The clothes were once again intact and it took him almost a
minute to discover the two small puncture wounds above the right elbow. The
holes were so tiny a human could have mistaken them for mosquito bites.
His vision reddened and a growl escaped his lips. Once again, it looked like
the work of a pro. It had to be personal. It had to be about territory, damn it,
which he had no intention of giving up, especially not to someone who didn’t
even have the guts to come out and challenge him directly.
And to hell with everything if he had any proof. Instinct, no matter how
reliable, didn’t count as such. But if the years had taught him anything it was
never to discount his gut. Sometimes it was the only thing that kept him alive.

****

Adam should have been dead. The beautiful-faced monster had made sure
of that. Yet, somehow, he’d lived.
 Finally, the pain subsided and his body returned slowly back to life. Stiff
muscles gave and uncoiled. His lashes fluttered open with difficulty, the pitch-
black room still too bright for his sore eyes. Steps reverberated above, his ears
straining to follow the sound. His stomach growled and his gums ached.
But all thought fled his mind as, underneath the steady cadence, Adam
picked up the soft thump of a heartbeat. A low growl rumbled through his
chest and he found himself following, drawn to it like a moth to the flame. He
dug his nails into the creases of the wall, climbing it like a spider. When he
reached the surface, he pushed open the sewer manhole cover and leaped
silently, though a bit awkwardly, to the ground above. Thousands of different
scents assaulted his nostrils and he swayed under the onslaught. Wind
brought to him the scent of the woman he was pursuing. He breathed in
deeply and broke into a light run.

****

Two more bodies showed up, both in the same night, and three on the next,
but only one of them resembled the first two Darien had found. Bled dry,
discarded, a clean job. The other four were torn, badly bruised and covered in
blood. These looked like they’d been mauled by rabid dogs and carried the
distinct smell of a young vampire.
Darien watched from a secure location on the rooftop of a two-story
building as the police took away the lastest corpse. He’d arrived late at the
crime scene and by then the evidence had been removed. He’d sniffed and
sniffed and used all of his senses, but there wasn’t much left by the time the
scent of the brave men in blue covered everything.
Jumping from rooftop to rooftop, he silently followed the ambulance to the
city morgue and waited patiently outside for the commotion within to
subside. An hour before dawn, he pushed open the retractable doors and
entered the lobby. A guard approached, but Darien caught his gaze and held it,
his pupils widening as power washed over them. His mind reached out and
found the human’s. A little push from Darien’s power and the man backed
away silently with a dazed expression.
Following the scent, he headed to the forensic lab and stopped at the door,
listening. Some kind of electric saw was running in the background and a few
seconds later the distinct crack of breaking bone reached his ears. His nose
curled in distaste at the heavy scent of death and stale blood hanging in the
air. He didn’t have to see for himself to know what was going on. The rib cage
was being opened, the coroner examining the shape and position of the organs
before taking them out one by one, each of them tiny pieces of evidence to be
bagged for further analysis. The clack of metal hitting metal seemed as loud as
a gunshot over the soft music the medical personnel had on.
Darien rested his shoulders against the wall next to the door and called
forth his power. It reached out, searching. There were two people in the lab:
the doctor and her assistant. They were talking to each other, complaining
about the long hours and the lousy pay, their mental barriers pathetically easy
to break. A soft nudge had them both putting down their instruments and
heading for the door. They passed by him, completely oblivious to his
presence, and made for the restroom. Only when they had disappeared
around the corner did Darien push himself away from the wall and enter the
lab.
There was only one body laid out on the table, the one they had been
working on when he’d interrupted them. The rest were neatly stored in the
frigorific chambers in the wall or lined up on the side tables still in their body
bags. He stepped closer and took a deep breath, ignoring the shudder that
passed through his body.
The room had witnessed so many autopsies, the scents of blood and death
had impregnated the walls, making it difficult to read. He stopped next to the
main table, but a single glance at the corpse told him it wasn’t the one he
sought. He pursed his lips at the offending body and strolled to the next in line.
As soon as he unzipped the bag, the smell hit him. Death, stale blood, and
vampire.
Fuck! It wasn’t like he hadn’t expected it, but that didn’t mean he had to like
it. He moved on to the next body and pulled the plastic away.
He didn’t look at their faces. They meant nothing to him, just as the damage
done to their flesh didn’t faze him. But the scent that hit him was the same. He
hissed, lips curling upward over deadly canines.
There was a vampire in his territory and he, or she, was playing with him.

****

Adam crawled into the basement of a deserted building, hiding from people
and reality. His body shook and his knees gave out. He covered his face with
his hands, rubbing blindly at the wetness there.
What have I done? Oh God, what have I done? I’m a monster. He stared at his
blood-covered fingers. Their faces haunted him. He could still see the horror
in their eyes as they understood what he was, what she had made him. He
could see their shock, smell their fear. How they fought and struggled. The
sweetness of their blood, their screams, their pleas, and how their bodies had
slowly gone limp in his arms. And how it had aroused him.
I’m a monster. God help me, I’m a monster.
His stomach grumbled, and he whimpered as his fangs pierced his lower
lip. Lord! The hunger! It burns. Does it ever let up?
He had tried to fight it, to find a way around it, but in the end he had lost
the battle.
Oh, God, oh, God. How could You let this happen? What have I done to deserve
this?
He sank to the ground in a dark corner, wrapped his hands around his
knees, and rocked, mumbling to himself like a madman.
 Chapter 3

Darien stilled, nostrils flaring. The air bore the faintest scent of freshly
spilled blood, its pull hard to ignore for any vampire. He followed his nose,
picking up the pace. Of course, it could have been nothing more than a
squabble between humans, but after recent events he couldn’t afford to leave
anything to chance.
Energy, foreign and unexpected, brushed against him and stopped him
dead in his tracks, goose bumps breaking out over his skin. He breathed
deeply, scenting the air on his tongue. His brows furrowed.
He hadn’t seen this coming. He had expected an older, experienced
vampire, or perhaps a powerful wizard screwing with his mind, but a
fledgling? Yet there it was, the unmistakable mark of a newborn, so young that
his signature hadn’t yet had the time to fully form.
Closing his eyes, Darien extended his senses. Where there was a fledgling,
its sire should be close by, but no matter how hard he tried, Darien could not
sense any other immortal.
Carefully, Darien resumed his approach. There was a good half a mile
between them, but he could read the fledgling’s emotions like they were
standing next to each other. Fear, repulsion, confusion, and above all hunger.
Oh, he remembered that. Scorching, insatiable hunger. No matter how old one
got or how well one learned to control it, it never went away. Not really.
Darien picked up the pace again, moving faster than any mortal, and in less
than a minute he was seated comfortably on a branch a few feet away from
the young vampire. Apparently, this one’s sire wasn’t doing his job. The
fledgling was so engrossed in his feeding he was oblivious to everything
around him, a mistake not many outlived. Fortunately, it offered Darien the
time to look his fill.
While he remained hunched over the body in his arms, there was no saying
how tall the young one was, but his shoulders were broad and there was a
faint aura of strength around him that Darien found endearing. His hair was
sandy blond streaked with gold, most likely due to prolonged exposure to the
sun. The young one’s face was hidden, making Darien wonder what color his
eyes were.
Nostrils flaring, Darien filled his lungs. He frowned, shifting through the
scents. His gums ached at the smell of blood and the burn in his throat spiked,
reminding him how hungry he was, but he ignored it because there was
something else beneath it, something even stronger than the hold of the blood.
The young vampire’s scent, energy and unformed signature wrapped around
Darien, seeping into him, filling his mind and senses.
Darien licked his lips, reacting both to the scent of the blood and to the
smell of the young vampire’s arousal that the feeding had triggered. His cock
stirred and he leaned in, eyes glued to the fledgling and the woman in his
arms.
There was something about the fledgling that appealed to Darien. It wasn’t
just the weakness in him, but something that pulled at Darien on a deeper
level, something he’d never experienced with any other fledgling he’d
encountered before. But with the scent of blood rising from the dying woman,
he pushed the thought away, his senses trained on her.
Her heartbeat faded, the rhythm becoming erratic. The end was near and
there wasn’t any strength left in her to fight it. Yet, Darien made no move to
intervene. He wanted to see the fledgling in action, and stepping up would rob
him of this experience.
The sweet scent of death spread through the air until everything around
was soaked in it. Despite his inexperience, the fledgling must have felt it,
because his emotions swirled as he fought to get a hold over his still-
unquenched thirst, disgust oozing from him in waves.
Engrossed in the scene in front of him, Darien shifted on his branch and the
wood creaked under his weight. The newborn stilled, his gaze flying to where
Darien stood, and he hunched over his prey, protecting it. He growled, muscles
tensing, ready to strike. His fangs, not yet completely formed, gleamed, blood
dripping from the corners of his mouth.
“Who are you?” His voice was coarse, words coming out wheezed, like he
wasn’t yet used to talking around his fangs.
“Your table manners could use some improvement.” Darien spoke in an
even, unthreatening voice, but couldn’t keep amusement from it.
“Who are you?” Fear fought with curiosity, and that only made the
youngster all the more unpredictable.
“Who wants to know?”
Darien grinned wickedly and after a brief scan of his surroundings, which
was just for show, because if there had been any danger lurking he’d have
been aware of it, he leaped down, landing gracefully five feet away from the
fledgling.
The youngster’s eyes, black with bloodlust, widened, but he held his
ground. Apparently, he didn’t find Darien’s five-foot-two height and wiry
frame much of a threat. The older vampire snickered to himself. Many had
made that mistake in the past and only a few had lived to regret it.
“Who are you?”
Darien ignored the question and smiled serenely, showing a bit of fang as
he approached. The fledgling’s eyes widened in horror.
“Oh, God! You’re a demon like her. Stay away from me!”
A smile curved the corners of Darien’s mouth as he waited to see what the
newborn’s next move was going to be. When nothing happened, Darien
winked and stepped closer.
The blond almost jumped out of his skin. But apparently ego overruled
fear, as the fledgling took an intimidating step forward. Darien regarded him
silently, though he couldn’t contain the spark of excitement at the man’s
reaction. The young one had balls. Either that or he was stupid. The fledgling
seemed taller up close. He could have passed as scary if not for the glint of
wariness in his eyes and the lingering scent of fear coming off him.
Something stirred deep inside Darien that he couldn’t understand, the
same pull he’d felt earlier. There was no reason for it. He’d never met the man
and he wasn’t the one responsible for his turning, so there was no connection
between them. Yet he felt drawn to him in a way he had never felt before. And
that wasn’t something he was comfortable with, so he pushed the thought
away and turned his attention back to the fledgling and his challenge.
The fledgling mistook his silence for fear and took another step forward,
the blood on his face burning crimson under the moonlight.
“You don’t want to do that.”
Those dark eyes gleamed and it was all the warning Darien had before the
newborn lunged. Darien dodged easily and waited for the blond’s next move,
his mind reveling in the joy of the hunt.
“You have a death wish or something?”
With a snarl, the fledgling attacked again, his hands extended, fingers
curled, and fangs exposed. Darien sidestepped and grabbed him by the throat,
squeezing. The blond’s hands flew to his neck and clawed at the fingers
crushing his windpipe.
“Don’t let my looks fool you, hot shot. I’m not easy prey. You’ll have to learn
to pick your fights or you won’t live long enough to regret it.” His voice was
stern, his eyes narrowed dangerously, but he decreased the pressure around
the fledgling’s throat to allow him to speak.
“Maybe I don’t want to live anymore.”
“In that case, I’m happy to oblige. It would spare me all this trouble you’re
causing.”
 Darien tightened his hold. The young vampire let out a strangled gasp, his
lips turning blue. Darien watched him, ascertaining his condition. The kid
caught his eyes and held them, and Darien could pinpoint the exact moment
the blond’s vision tunneled. The night and everything around them
disappeared as Darien watched. Waiting. Serenity spread over the fledgling’s
face, but then, one second later, his body rebelled. He sprang back to life,
fighting and struggling. His hand clawed deftly at Darien’s wrist and his eyes
snapped open, a world of terror written in them.
“Are you sure this is what you want, fledgling?” Darien increased the
pressure another notch and carefully watched the youngster’s reaction. Fear
washed over the kid and he increased his futile attempts to free himself.
“No, I don’t think this is what you wish.”
The kid rebelled at the truth behind the words, but he stopped struggling.
He wasn’t stupid, apparently.
“Is it, fledgling?” Darien shook him, his hold still in place.
The young one tried to nod, but the fingers crushing his windpipe wouldn’t
allow it. He opened his mouth to speak, but only a few strangled sounds came
out.
“Speak!”
The hold on his neck lessened enough to allow the words to form.
“Y…Yes.”
“Yes, what?”
“Yes, sir.”
Darien bit back a snicker.
“I appreciate the sentiment, but that’s not what I meant. Do you want to
die?”
The fledgling’s eyes closed, despair spreading over his face, and his
shoulders hunched.
“Do you?” Darien probed again.
The blond shook his head. “No.” His voice broke, like he was afraid to admit
it.
“Who are you?” Darien kept his voice calm, demanding a quick answer.
“Adam.”
“Where is your sire?”
“My what?”
“Your sire. The one who made you.”
“You mean that devil’s spawn?” His upper lip curled in a sneer, the fangs
and the blood still dripping from the corners of his mouth making him look
like a madman. “I’ll kill her.”
 Darien believed the determination behind the words, all the while knowing
all too well what it would take for the kid to stand up to his sire.
“How exactly are you planning to do that? You don’t stand a chance against
me, and going against your sire is the hardest thing you’ll ever do.”
Adam snorted and struggled again. The grip around his throat tightened,
but he didn’t reek of fear anymore. “I’ll find a way.”
“Settle down, little one.”
“I’m not little! I’m bigger than you. Let me go!” Adam pulled again at the
fingers choking him.
“Yeah, a whole lot of good that did you.” Darien shrugged but removed his
hand. “There! You’re free. What will you do now?”
He watched Adam, half expecting him to pounce or run, but the kid just
stared at him.
“Who are you?”
“Darien.”
“Dare.” He rolled the name on his mind as if weighing it. “Yeah, I believe it
suits you.”
“Darien.”
“Oh, I think I’ll call you Dare.”
Darien’s eyes narrowed. Damn that kid! He knew the nickname bothered
him, Darien could see it on his face, but he had to give the fledgling credit for
having the guts to use it anyway.
“Only if you have a death wish. Besides, that implies there will be a future.
What makes you think you’ll walk away from here?”
“I’m trained in several martial arts styles.”
“Oh, yeah, I’ve seen that.”
Adam opened his mouth to argue, but Darien silenced him with a wave of
his hand.
“Hey!”
“Keep your mouth shut! If you’d use your senses more and your mouth less,
you wouldn’t be in this situation. And wipe your mouth, damn it!”
When the kid made no move to do as instructed, Darien stepped closer,
taking matters into his own hands. He caught the hem of Adam’s shirt and
used it to wipe the smeared blood from his face.
“You eat like a pig.” He regretted it as soon as the words flew out of his
mouth, because he could see that the criticism, though gently uttered, had hurt
Adam, but Darien couldn’t take it back. And why the hell did he care anyway?
It had to be the scent of blood and death bothering him more than he realized,
because why else would he react the way he was to the fledgling?
 “Never mind. We can work on that.”
He let the cloth drop as soon as the task was finished, but his fingers
lingered over Adam’s face, noting that his fangs had receded and the bloodlust
had lessened. Their gazes met and held. The blackness was almost gone from
the fledgling’s eyes, his irises having regained their dark blue hue and the
pupils back to a normal size.
The faint echo of voices reached Darien’s ears and he swore under his
breath. Wrapped up in the fledgling’s presence, he had almost lost contact
with reality. Someone was coming. Or, to be exact, several someones. His lips
curled, exposing his fangs.
“What’s wrong with you?”
Darien grabbed the front of Adam’s shirt and pulled him closer. “You said
you want to live.”
Adam swallowed loudly. His eyes widened as he understood the
seriousness of the situation. He opened his mouth to answer, but no words
came out, so he nodded shakily.
“In that case, you will do what I say.”
Adam nodded again. He had to see the danger they were in. He had to hear
the voices, the heartbeats, smell the blood flowing through their veins, feel the
heat their bodies generated.
They had to get rid of the corpse at their feet. Darien glanced around, ears
trained on the steps closing in by the second. He knew the area well, and how
to discard a body in such a way it would never be found again. Then again, he
could just use his power to hide it until he could get rid of it properly, but
judging by the sounds, there wasn’t time for either of those options.
He perused the body, assessing the amount of damage it had sustained, and
whistled low. Wild animals couldn’t have done a better job. In the case of
mature vampires, the bite consisted of tiny puncture wounds, but it looked
like the fledgling had tried chewing the flesh off the bones in his rush to reach
the carotid, which was most likely exactly what had happened.
Darien considered leaving the body where it was, but he pushed the
thought aside just as fast. While vampires were considered nothing more than
urban legends, no way he could leave it in the middle of Bucharest’s historic
center for anyone to find.
The steps rang closer and Darien knew there was only one solution to his
problem in the short amount of time he had left. The river. It would disguise
the lack of blood, and if the body was submerged long enough, the fishes
would help hide some of the damage.
 Under Adam’s watchful eye, he yanked the body from the ground and
threw it over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
“What are you doing?”
Darien ignored the question and posed one of his own.
“You can come with me and live or go your own way and fight to stay alive.
What will you choose, young one?”

****

“You.” He didn’t stop to think, but the answer felt right. Not that he
understood his reaction to the man, but his mind had been too fogged to be of
much help, so he decided to rely on his instincts.
“Then keep up and be quiet! We need to get rid of the body.”
The vampire turned his back on him and without a second glance he
disappeared into the darkness of a side alley. Oh God, he had forgotten about
the woman. He looked at her, dangling over Darien’s shoulder, and swallowed
the bile rising in his throat. Yet, his Hunger gnawed at him as strong as ever,
despite his disgust at himself. Fuck, would he ever be rid of it?
I killed her. Me. I had her in my arms and I bit her. I killed her. Wow, wait,
where did he go?
“Shit!”
“Zip it!”
Adam scurried after the sound of Darien’s voice, his steps reverberating
loudly between the stone walls of the buildings around them. Despite the
extra weight, the older vampire’s gait was brisk yet graceful, and Adam was
grateful for the lingering scent of death coming from the body that allowed
him to follow through the multitude of connecting alleys and stone-paved
streets.
People crossed their path, but Darien avoided them skillfully, while
keeping an eye on Adam. Whenever Adam became distracted by all the odors
and the hearts thumping in every chest, Darien reached back and jerked him
hard to break the spell. Twice it had happened. Now that was humiliating.
The air became moist, the humidity making all the scents heavier. Adam
had known this city all his life, having been born and raised in Bucharest, but
he’d never noticed all these odors around him. Wrapped up in his
surroundings, he nearly stumbled upon Dare.
Darien reached his free hand to steady Adam and pushed him until he was
flush between the wall and Darien’s body.
“Will you watch where you’re going?”
 “S-s-sorry.” Crap! This whole wheezing out words sucked. It made him feel
like a five-year-old missing his two front teeth.
Darien rolled his eyes.
“Give it time. Live long enough and you’ll get it eventually.”
Hope and fear mixed in his head. He watched Darien’s easy confidence, the
strength beneath it and the control the vampire exuded, and realized for the
first time that there was more to Darien than a bloodsucking demon. The slosh
of water softly splashing against the bank reached Adam’s ears and he glanced
around.
“Where are we?”
“You really should pay more attention to your surroundings.”
“What are we doing at the river?”
“You’re not listening.”
“I am.”
“Try harder.”
“There are people close by.”
Darien nodded and waited for Adam to continue.
“But they are standing still. How will we bypass them?” He paused, mulling
over a new idea. “Do we want to do that?”
Darien snorted. “Yeah, we do.”
Adam glanced over Darien’s shoulder to the street stretching before them,
its lanes gracing each side of the river.
“Are we going over there? But… There are so many lights there.” Adam
whispered the words, like he was sharing one of the world’s most intimate
secrets.
“No need to whisper. I’m sure everyone can see the streetlights.”
“How do we get there? We will draw attention. Or do we dump the body
and make a run for it?”
“We don’t cross it. I do. You will wait here like a good little boy and I will be
right back.” The matter apparently settled in the older vampire’s head, he
turned to face the street again, dismissing Adam without a second glance.
“No!” Adam screamed out the word and grabbed Darien’s wrist in a
crushing grip, jerking him. Darien spun around snarling, eyes gleaming, fangs
fully exposed, and for the first time that night the truth of it all hit him: Darien
wasn’t one to be crossed. But somehow that thought wasn’t as terrifying as
the prospect of being left alone.
“Still considering ending it all, are you? ’Cos I’d be more than happy to
oblige.”
 Adam met the elder’s cold glare and held it, even when his insides rebelled
at the threat he found in the vampire’s eyes.
“For-forgive me.” His voice shook and he hated himself for it.
Darien regarded him for a few more seconds, as if to assess his honesty,
before sighing softly. His raised his hand and traced Adam’s jaw line, his
purple gaze warming.
“I will be back.”
Adam swallowed loudly and shook his head, suddenly feeling like he was
all alone in the world.

****

Adam was pushing Darien’s buttons. The vampire had forgotten how
difficult it was to teach a newborn the ways of their kind. They always whined
and screeched and threw tantrum fits, and they weren’t always worth the
trouble. So why bother? A shift in Adam’s emotions was his answer. Because
this fledgling was different. Because he pushed all the right kind of buttons for
Darien.
Turning his back again to the beautiful man who had him tied up in knots,
Darien closed his eyes, reaching out with his senses. Three seconds later it
became clear to him it was a futile attempt. All he could pick out was Adam’s
tantalizing scent and the turmoil of emotions emanating from him.
Power crackled across his skin, covering him from head to toe like a cloak,
shielding him and the body he was carrying from prying eyes. He heard the
newborn’s gasp when small waves of magic broke against him.
“Whoa… How?”
Adam reached out as if to assure himself that Darien was still there, his
hand pawing blindly at the air in front of him. Fingers stabbed, barely missing
Darien’s ear.
“Easy there. I still need all my body parts. Be still. I will be back in no time.”
Under the cover of darkness and his own magic, Darien crossed the street
and slid fluidly under one of the many low bridges that graced the river bank.
Fortunately, the past summer had been unusually dry, so the water level was
low enough to allow him space to crouch under the domed ceiling.
He laid the body down just above the surface, resting it against the
concrete wall, and his fingernails turned to claws. Methodically, he slid the
tips inside each hole Adam’s clumsy biting had left on the corpse and sliced
the flesh open, every cut sharp and exact, until only a very skillful coroner
could have determined the cause of death.
 When he was satisfied with his work, Darien searched under the water for
one of the hooks he knew he’d find there and pushed the corpse below the
surface until he was able to anchor it securely under the metal muzzle. It
wouldn’t hold for long, but all he needed was for the corpse to stay hidden
long enough for the lack of blood to go undetected.
His task complete, he pulled his hand out, shaking his head, disgusted at
himself. He could have used magic to prevent getting wet. It would have been
entirely too easy. So why was it he hadn’t remembered to do it? He shook his
arm a few times, grateful he was wearing just a plain T-shirt and not his
favorite black leather coat, but he didn’t leave his hiding spot yet. He closed
his eyes again, concentrating solely on Adam’s presence.
The youngster’s aura was like a beacon in the night, pulsing, its color
changing fast, like light filtered through a diamond or reflected on an oily
surface. There was fear, lots of it, bright and edgy, some hate and disgust, dark
as petrol and just as unpleasant looking, which Darien hoped weren’t directed
toward him. There were sparks of the green-eyed monster, the blue of longing,
and the deep, furious crimson of hunger. Its shade would pale in time, as the
fledgling settled into his new life, but it would never disappear completely.
But in the middle of all the pain and fear, there was hope, its light weak and
frail, but there nonetheless. Darien’s power searched deeper into Adam’s sub
consciousness and found inner strength and a strong, curious mind. But was it
enough to help the newborn in his new life? The vampire sighed. He’d seen too
many fledglings unable to make the adjustment, some of them stronger and
younger and, why not admit it, more willingly than Adam. There was no
saying what saw each of them through the transition, but whatever it was,
Darien prayed the kid waiting for him back in the alley had it in him.

****

Adam leaned against the wall as his knees shook. He couldn’t see Darien
and could barely smell him. Though he had to be honest and admit it was the
blood he smelled.
He didn’t know when Darien had left or where he’d gone. There hadn’t
been any sound, nothing to mark the moment, but Adam knew inside him that
he was alone. And everything came rushing back in. Terror, disgust at his new
life, hate for the monster that had done this to him, anger at himself, at the
entire world, and, oh Lord, the hunger.
Pain exploded in his gums and his vision sharpened.
 At some point, his knees gave and he sank to the ground, shaking violently.
How could anyone control it? It felt like trying to move and breathe
underwater. He wrapped his arms around his body to steady himself as his
head lolled uncontrollably against the wall. Blood filled his mouth and, by God,
it tasted good. His tongue reached out in search of the source and pushed
against the hard surface of his fangs.
Jaws unclenched with difficulty. Fresh pain stabbed his lower lip and blood
gushed. His tongue brushed the inner side of the lower lip, checking the extent
of the damage done, and a strangled cry escaped him. Fingers touched again
and again the two holes his canines had torn in the flesh below his lip, and his
cries turned to whimpers.

****

Blood. For the second time that night its scent reached Darien, but now he
knew it belonged to Adam. The elder sighed and rolled his eyes, though there
was no one around to see it. How did the kid manage to get into trouble that
fast? He had to have some kind of red circle painted on his forehead, or
invisible arrows pointing at him saying Here, I’m here. Hit me. Hit me. He could
feel the fledgling’s fear as it rolled off him in thick waves. A low growl rumbled
through Darien’s chest and possessiveness washed over him. His. Fangs
sprang free, vision sharpened, nails turned to claws. The kid was his and no
one would take him away.
Shit! What is wrong with me? He took slow, long breaths, letting the cool
night air and the proximity of the river calm him. Water had always had this
effect on him, and he was grateful he could draw from its power now.
Granted, he’d told Adam that staying with him would keep him alive long
enough to learn the ropes, but back then, those were nothing more than words
in the wind. He hadn’t had any intention of keeping Adam around. He had
neither the time nor the inclination to care for a fledgling. He liked his
solitude, damn it. He had Zephyr, and that had been enough for him. Now, he
wasn’t so sure. His attraction to Adam changed everything.
Maybe keeping the kid around would eventually draw out his sire. His lips
broke into a vicious grin as he saw himself bathing in the blood of the enemy.
Because he would. He’d kill whichever bastard was leaving dead bodies on his
doorstep and he would do it slowly. Of course, the original plan had been to
send the kid on his merry way once everything was over, assuming the
fledgling survived. But with Adam’s scent lingering in the air, Darien knew
that was no longer an option. Not now with him bleeding.
 While spilled human blood caused no stir among the undead population,
the blood of a vampire was another matter. Very soon, the place would be
crawling with immortals, if it wasn’t already. The lowest of them would come
circling like scavengers in the desert, waiting for the fledgling to take his last
breath, fighting over the right to feed on his flesh, his blood, and his raw
power, while the higher-ranking ones would sit by, watching, waiting for
bigger prey to come along. That was their world, and Darien knew it all too
well.
He jumped from his hiding place and darted into the alley where he knew
Adam was waiting for him. As he came closer, the scent of blood grew thicker,
but it lacked that certain something that marked a deadly wound. The
invisible vise that had wrapped itself around his ribcage eased at the thought,
but he still wasn’t prepared for the sight that met his eyes when he reached
the fledgling.
The kid was lying on the ground, curled up in a ball, shaking
uncontrollable, blood trickling from…
“You have got to be kidding me! A torn lip?” Darien rolled his eyes again,
snorting. Figures. Those damn fangs are suicide on most newborns. Why would
he be any different?
“This is what all the ruckus is about? You bit your lip?”
Adam whimpered again, but he turned toward the sound of Darien’s voice.
Darien saw the recognition in his eyes. And then the words sunk in.
“Assss’ole!” He barely managed to get the words out through the clattering
of his teeth.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I don’t think I heard you correctly. Did you just call me an
asshole?”
Darien cupped his palm around his ear and tilted his head to the side like
he was really having a hearing problem, but despite his stern tone, he was
fighting a grin.
Adam opened his mouth again, trying to scream, but no words came out.
Just more whimpers and clattering, like he couldn’t stop shaking.
Darien’s brows furrowed, amusement gone from his face.
“Hey.” Darien squatted next to Adam and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“What’s going on?”
“It h–hurts.”
But he relaxed under the touch as if he found Darien’s hand on his body
soothing. His breath evened out and the shaking turned to shallow tremors, so
Darien kept his hand where it was. Somehow, his touch had helped, but the
wounds only then began to heal. Something prickled at his consciousness and
hair rose on the back of Darien’s neck as power brushed against his skin. The
signature was faint, almost escaping his senses.
Oh crap, this is not good! He knew who it belonged to. He’d recognize his
liege demon anywhere. Dante must have picked up on the drama and come to
investigate. Seconds later, another signature joined his and Darien shivered.
Things were escalating and fast. An angel and a demon together could only
mean trouble.
The fledgling must have sensed something was going on, because he
stirred, small sounds escaping his throat.
“Shh. It’s okay.” Darien rubbed his hand soothingly against Adam’s exposed
neck, his eyes trained on the darkest, farthest part of the alley, where he could
feel the two angelic energies coming from.
“Welcome, my lords,” Darien said as two figures formed before his eyes.
He had dealt with angels before, so he was accustomed to this kind of entry,
but his breath still caught in his throat as he took in the details.
The demon, short, bulky, with less grace than a truck doubling over in a
ditch by the road, hid his nature well. Almost as well as he hid his true name.
No one, Darien least of all, would dare use it without a very good incentive. He
belonged to one of the highest flights of demons and ranked among the most
powerful of them.
The angel, on the other hand, was an unknown variable. He was tall, lean,
with impeccable bone structure—who wouldn’t have perfect looks when he
could pick out the body and tune it to his liking—the typical golden boy. Darien
had never met him, that much he was sure of, but his signature classified him
as just as powerful as Dante and no doubt just as dangerous. But perhaps he’d
be more inclined to leniency, due to his nature. Perhaps. Why he would be in
need of it Darien didn’t know, but visits from powerful angels, fallen or not,
were rarely reasons for joy.
“Now, that is interesting.” Dante took in the sight of Adam at Darien’s feet.
The wounds in his lip had finally sealed over, but dried blood marred his chin
and what was left of his clothing. “I would have expected you to teach your
boy better table manners.”
Darien opened his mouth to argue the ownership the demon had implied,
but changed his mind at the last moment and went for a safer answer instead.
“I’m working on it.”
Adam growled. Darien increased his grip on the back of his neck in a silent
warning for the fledgling to keep his mouth shut. The kid struggled against his
hold, so he released him and stood, but he kept his place above the young
vampire.
 “Work harder, or some might question your abilities as a Master.” The
angel’s voice was cold, dead, and nothing one would expect to hear from the
boy-next-door lookalike.
How can a noncommittal answer turn back and bite you in the ass this fast?
“Who exactly might those some be? You? Who are you?”
The angel waved away Darien’s question and focused on Adam.
“I’m Nate.”
Nate? As in Nathaniel? This can’t be good. It must have been years since he
last entered this plane of existence. But out loud Darien said only, “He’s an
angel.”
‘He’s a what?” Adam stared, mouth agape, at Nate. Dante snickered. Adam
turned to Darien, incredulity written all over his face. “You are shitting me,
right?”
“Afraid not.” And because he couldn’t help himself, Darien added matter-of-
factly, “And Dante here is a demon.”
Adam almost jumped out of his skin. The demon grinned and waved his
hand. The newborn backed away and stumbled against Darien, who reached
out and steadied him.
“Easy there.”
“H-how? How can you be so calm about this?” He looked horrified.
Darien shrugged. “I’ve been around for a long time.”
“And that explains everything?” Adam screamed in a high-pitched voice.
“What is wrong with you?” He turned and pushed his way past Darien, who
took a step back but made no move to stop him.
The demon snickered. “Looks like you’ll be spending the night in the doggy
house.”
Darien ignored him and his innuendo and concentrated on the fledgling. “If
you leave now, you’ll be on your own.”
Adam’s steps faltered, but he didn’t stop. Darien watched him go, shaking
his head. Newborns!
“Bet that doggy house is looking good about now, huh?”
Darien rolled his eyes at the demon. “You came all this way out of concern
for my sex life?”
“Nah, that’s just a side benefit.”
“Why are you here then?”
The softest ruffle of feathers reached the vampire’s ears as the angel
stepped forth.
“Rumor has it you are having some trouble.”
 Fuck! How the hell did they find out that fast? He casually waved away their
concern, blessing his centuries of practice.
“There’s been some disturbance. Nothing I cannot handle.”
He had to tread lightly, he knew that. Angels were even more skilled than
vampires at seeing through lies, but he couldn’t tell the truth. No way would
he admit he had no idea what was going on in his territory. He’d become the
laughing stock of the entire underground population, not to mention that some
might feel it the right time to challenge him. Of course, that was if the angels or
Dante didn’t kill him first. Either way, he was screwed.
“Just make sure you do. We’d hate to be forced to intervene.”
Yeah, I just bet you would. And they would intervene all right, if the
situation got out of control. And to think he’d be complaining about being
bored just days before.
“I’m on it.”
Nate nodded, lips curving into a small smile that didn’t reach his eyes, and
the air crackled as the angel disappeared. One second he was there, the next
he wasn’t. Fucking angels!
Dante grinned wickedly and waved at him before disappearing in the same
manner.
Fucking demons! Darien ran his hands through his hair, muttering under
his breath.
 Chapter 4

Adam turned his back on Darien and left. His steps, hesitant at first, turned
into a full run as he tried to put some distance between them. He ran and ran
until he was wheezing and cramps shot through his not-yet-fully-changed
muscles. Demons! He rested his back against a tree trunk and gasped for air.
This can’t be happening! Monsters exist only in movies and fairy tales, not in real
life, right?
“Right?” He shouted his frustration into the night and the words bounced
off the surrounding buildings. A raven cawed and flapped its wings, and that
was the only answer Adam got. He shook his fist at the bird and it cawed at
him again, mockingly.
“I’m losing my mind. I need to get out of here.” And go where? He looked
down at himself in disgust. His clothes were trashed, mud had mixed with
blood and god knows what else, and some of the holes in his shirt were bigger
than his palms. He couldn’t go home in this state; his roommate would freak.
His stomach chose that particular moment to growl.
“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” He was hungry again. Hell, he was always hungry these
days. Tears sprung to his eyes. He couldn’t go home. Ever. Oh, how he
regretted his earlier cowardice. His mind should have overruled his body, not
the other way around. A few more seconds and Dare, Darien, would have
killed him. He thumped his fist against the trunk behind him. Seconds, damn it!
Brakes screeched and a car skidded around the corner at high speed, music
blaring from the speakers. He whimpered, his hands flying to cover his ears in
an attempt to keep the offending sounds at bay.
The car, a two-seater Audi, swerved, and a woman giggled drunkenly. Now
was his chance. Adam pushed away from the tree and jumped into the middle
of the street. Through the windshield, he watched the guy behind the wheel,
no more than eighteen years old, glance away from the blonde chick sitting on
his right. His eyes widened when Adam appeared out of nowhere in front of
him. The woman hiccupped, oblivious to everything around her. The driver
slammed on the brakes and jerked the wheel to the side, trying to avoid Adam.
The car skidded. The woman yelped and made a grab for the dashboard, but
missed it. Adam closed his eyes and braced for impact.
Tires screeched. The woman screamed. The Audi caught Adam sideways
and threw him into the air. His breath hitched as he hit the ground hard, head
first, limbs following in a heap. For the second time that night, his mouth filled
with his own blood. The driver swore and stepped on the gas, fishtailing away,
leaving a bleeding Adam in the middle of the street.
Damn it! I can’t do anything right! Not even kill myself properly. I screwed up
my chance of dying with Darien, and now this.
He pushed himself to his knees, his entire body protesting. Spots appeared
on his retinas and a wave of dizziness made him swoon. Dawn was near; he
could feel it in his bones.
A dog came sniffing by, drawn by the scent of blood. Adam snarled,
showing his fangs, and the dog made a hasty retreat, tail between its legs.
“I need to get away from here.” He climbed wearily to his feet. Who walks
away from a car crash? That’s right: monsters!
He found shelter in the sewer system along with a family of rats. A large
family at that. Back when he was alive, he would have never considered going
anywhere close to a place like this, but now it didn’t matter anymore. The
stench and the filth barely registered in his mind. Just as he had in the days
prior, he considered stepping out into the sunlight, thinking it might turn him
to ash, but his body wouldn’t obey. Shaking, he crawled into the farthest
corner and willed himself to sleep.

****

Hunger awakened him. It burned in his throat and gnawed at his insides
until he could no longer hide from it.
I will not kill. I won’t. Not again. I can’t.
Adam rocked himself, hands wrapped around his body, trying to ease away
some of his discomfort, repeating the words again and again in his mind like a
mantra.
I will not kill.
But his will melted away as his hunger increased to unbearable levels. His
fangs dropped, spit dripping from their tips like from a mad dog. His
fingernails turned into claws and his pupils dilated until the whites of his eyes
became a mere impression, and the memory of those he had killed faded.
A rat scurried by, its heartbeat as loud as drums in Adam’s ears. He
followed its movement, thirst burning. The animal wandered closer, searching
for food, oblivious to the vampire watching it with hungry eyes and counting
its every step. His vision reddened, his surroundings fading into the
background, and he lunged.
 A small tug at the corners of his mind brought him back to reality. He
glanced around him and winced at the sight of the dead rat at his feet. Nausea
washed over him and he swallowed the bile in his throat. The rodent, so
appealing at first, filled him only with disgust now.
Can I sink any lower than this?
The pull at his conscience repeated again, this time stronger, more
determined. His first thought was of the cocky vampire, but he quickly shook
away that hope. He’d turned away from Darien. Why would he be looking for
Adam anyway?
The air around him crackled, a familiar perfume tickling his nose, and he
knew there was only one answer. He jumped to his feet and scrambled for the
exit. Steps reverberated in the tunnel outside the entrance, the steady cadence
of steel heels hitting the pavement getting closer and closer, and he stopped
dead in his tracks. Goose bumps broke out across his skin. He knew to whom
those steps belonged; he would have recognized them anywhere. She had
found him.
He took a few steps back as the woman entered the space.
“Well, well. What have we here?” Her voice was raspy. Dormant answers
woke inside of him and not all of them were fearful.
She moved to the center of the tunnel, her face becoming clearer with each
step. Her skin was flawless, like a baby’s, but the dark circles under her eyes
and the deep creases around her mouth made her look old. Her gaze was cold,
calculated, and it sent chills down his back. Despite all that, he found himself
aroused, his cock swelling to the edge of pain, but his mind rebelled. He didn’t
want her, didn’t want to want her. She was nothing but a monster. Just like he
had become. What she had made him.
“Stay away from me!” He hated himself for sounding so weak. She was
nothing but a monster, and monsters had to be killed. And feared. And, boy,
was he afraid.
She stepped closer, eyes gleaming, and Adam backed away in response
until his shoulders hit the wall.
“You have nowhere to run.” Her lips curved into what she probably thought
to be a smile, but it was more of a grimace.
“What do you want? Get away from me!”
“Now, my darling, is that how you welcome your Sire?” She purred out the
words and arousal fought with fear inside him.
“You are nothing to me.”
Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “Careful there, fledgling!”
“Or what?” he snapped, with more confidence than he felt.
 Her hand shot out, too fast for him to react, and deep scratches opened on
his cheek. Pain flared and spurred him on, his dick getting painfully hard
behind his fly. Another set of scratches joined the first.
“Or I might think you mean it.”
“I do.” Was he stupid? He had to be, or else why would he taunt her like
that? But before he could finish his train of thought, she hissed and pulled her
hand back, tensing for an attack. Adam saw it as an opportunity. He shoved
her away, darting through the opening that served as an exit.
Blood pounded in his ears as he ran. He knew he was being followed and all
he could do was run faster. In his haste, Adam stumbled and fell to his knees,
scraping his skin. He bit back a curse as the scent of blood reached his nose.
His stomach growled, demanding to be fed, the fact that it was his own blood
drawing this reaction from him made no difference to his body whatsoever
apparently. He pushed himself to his feet and made a beeline for the surface.
Chills ran down his spine as her laughter sounded behind him.
“Run away, little one. Killing you will be much sweeter this way.”
Adam doubled his efforts, but he could feel her behind him and knew in his
heart that it was all in vain. He burst into open space.
A hand caught his ankle and he kicked at it, pulling his leg free. He
staggered away, managing three steps before he was grabbed by the hair and
dragged onto the ground.

****

Zephyr was heading home when the stir in the air around him caught his
attention. Energy brushed his skin, triggering old memories. Searching within
him, he let his power soar, wishing, not for the first time, that he was more
attuned to scents and sights rather than the magic and subtle energies as the
incubi were.
He sifted through the information until he found that subtle inconsistency
he was looking for. The energy was sharper and colder than a human’s, with a
metallic taste to it. Vampires. Strange vampires, not that he was surprised by
the fact, but there was something else, too, something even darker and more
dangerous than a newborn and his Sire squabbling in the park. The energy
was bitter, resembling that of a demon, though Zephyr knew that couldn’t be
the case. Its core was entirely human, though the power surrounding it made
it hard to detect. A long shiver ran down his back and he had to fight to keep it
from showing. There was no telling who might be watching, and showing fear
was never a good idea, not even for someone as weak as an incubus.
 Keeping his senses trained on that strange signature, Zephyr steered
toward the source of the ruckus. Perhaps not the best idea, but safer,
nonetheless, than searching for the immortal witch with the strange signature.
From the sidelines, he watched the battle. The fledgling was a bloodied
heap on the ground, no longer capable of fighting back. His Sire bent over him,
hitting him deftly.
“Hey, stop that!” The words were out before Zephyr could stop them. He
cursed himself. He should have kept his mouth closed.
The Sire, a woman, raised her head, hissing, her eyes gleaming feral over
sharp, elongated canines.
“Go away. This doesn’t concern you.” Her gaze bore into him and he
shivered. She was powerful, and he was no match for her. Zephyr knew as
much, so he did the next best thing. He brought out one of the big guns.
“Does Darien know you’re here?”
She snarled, abandoning her prey, and lunged for him. Zephyr ducked,
sliding under her arm, gaining a moment’s respite.
“No, I don’t think he does. Maybe I should give him a holler. I’m sure he’d
want to come and introduce himself.”
He braced himself for another attack as his power soared into the night,
searching for Darien. His senses found his lover’s signature, familiar and
comfortable, and he silently screamed his name into the night. The woman’s
eyes narrowed to dangerous slits as she picked up on his little trick.
“Go ahead. Call him. I’ll bathe in his blood. And when I’m done with him,
everything he has will be mine. Everything. You hear that, little incubus? And
when it’s done, I’ll take my sweet time with you.”
The fledgling on the ground whimpered and stirred at the menace in her
voice, but that didn’t distract her. She wandered closer to Zephyr, eyes set on
the him, fangs flashing. Zephyr’s mind found Darien’s and screamed out a
warning. There was no answer, but the air in front of him stirred.
The woman froze with her hands poised, fingers curled like claws. Another
hiss escaped her lips as Darien took shape between her and the incubus.
“Lucinda, long time no see.” He sounded casual, but Zephyr could sense the
underlying tension.
“Stay out of this, Darien. This is none of your business.”
Zephyr slid softly to the side, putting a safe distance between him and the
vampires while keeping a close watch on his lover.
“I believe it is. You’ve come into my territory. That makes it my business.”
“He’s mine to do with as I please.” She growled, pointing to the whimpering
boy on the ground.
 “Then you should have taken better care of him instead of leaving him to
wander the streets on his own, killing at will.”
She growled, eyes flashing. “You’re telling me how to take care of my
fledglings?”
Oh, crap! Zephyr took a step back just as Lucinda lunged, her claws going
for Darien’s eyes. Darien met her head on, blocking her blow with his forearm.
Her nails dug into his skin, breaking it, fangs lodging themselves in the crook
between his neck and shoulder, but the force of the contact pushed her back.
“Careful there, babe. Don’t bite off more than you can chew.” Darien kept
his voice light, but Zephyr could hear the tension behind it.
“Fuck you!”
“Sorry, you’re not my type.”
She screeched, the high-pitched sound piercing the night and echoing off
the buildings for what seemed like centuries. Zephyr cringed at the intensity,
his skin crawling. Something’s wrong.
“Leave him alone,” Zephyr screamed, trying to warn off Darien.
She turned to Zephyr and snarled. Darien stepped between them, using his
body as a shield.
“Stay out of this, babe.” Darien shot back at Zephyr.
“What did you say, boy?” Lucinda snarled at Darien.
“Don’t hurt him.” Darien’s voice was steady, firm, the words a warning
instead of the plea they could have been.
The newborn trembled on the ground, more whimpers escaping his lips.
She screamed again as her power spiked.
The fledgling cried out in pain, hands clutched protectively over his ears,
while thin cuts appeared across his forearms and chest.

****

What the hell is going on here? What is she doing? How?

Lucinda’s screams faded, but the power behind them remained, raw and
dark. Darien had seen wounds appearing out of thin air on the fledgling’s body
and he needed all his strength to stay where he was. No need for her to know
he cared for Adam. She would only use it against him.
She smiled serenely, but it only served to make her look even more feral.
Her body relaxed, pushing her center of balance forward slightly, her
eyelids half closed, and Darien braced for the worst.
“You should have stayed out of this.”
“It is my territory.”
 “Is it now?”
Zephyr moved closer to stand by his side. Energy stirred around them, the
air turning hot and humid. Zephyr’s breath caught, and Darien saw him lift his
head, eyes closed, listening intently. Clouds hid the moon. The woman
grinned. Darien saw the incubus’s eyes snap open, and then Zephyr stepped
forward, like he was trying to place himself between the two vampires, fear
written all over his face. Darien reached out and grabbed Zephyr before he
could complete his motion and pulling him back behind him. Energy cracked
in the air. Power gathered over the centuries stirred inside Darien and he
called it forth. He felt it boil under the surface of his body, crackling against his
skin and expanding around him like a bubble, enveloping both him and his
lover.
Her power exploded and hit Darien’s shield so hard he barely managed to
hold the protection together. Adam screamed again and again as Lucinda sent
out wave after wave of energy, and then he went silent. Too silent. Darien
forced himself to keep his eyes on Lucinda and not turn to the fledgling.
The energetic attack subsided, but Darien couldn’t bring himself to relax.
He filled his lungs with a long, deep pull. The air tasted bitter, and for once he
was happy he didn’t need to breathe.
And then she hit again, viciously. Darien took a step back, nearly treading
on Zephyr’s toes, and his shield almost gave. Cool hands reached from behind
to steady him. Tiny jolts of power swept through him, radiating from where
their skin touched, and he was thankful for the help his lover provided.
With his friend lending him some of his strength, Darien brought forth
more power and hurled it at Lucinda. The two forces clashed and the pressure
around them became unbearable. At first nothing happened, and then, inch by
inch, he gained ground. She hissed through clenched teeth as the upper hand
slipped through her fingers. The push turned to a shove and she went
tumbling backwards.
He stood his ground, watching her every move. She picked herself up from
the ground and regarded him with hatred in her eyes even as blood dribbled
down her chin.
“This is not over, you hear me?” she spat at him, and no sooner had the
words left her mouth than she was gone.
As the atmosphere cleared and the air no longer bore Lucinda’s smell,
Darien allowed himself to relax.
“That’s one scary bitch.” Zephyr stepped out from behind him, brushing
invisible particles off his clothes, trying to act like nothing had happened.
 Darien was about to tease him, but before he could say anything, he
remembered Adam. He rushed over to the kid.
“Is he dead?” Zephyr joined him. “He looks dead.”
Darien sighed. “No, he’s not.” And what do I do with you now?
“Will you kill him?”
Perhaps I should. What would I do with a fledgling? Especially one who’s not
even mine. But he knew he was fooling himself. He wanted Adam. Besides, the
enemy of his enemy was his friend.
“No. He may yet be of use.”
Blue eyes regarded him shrewdly.
“Oh, really? That’s why you want him?”
 Chapter 5

He hurt everywhere. It was like his entire body had been poked and probed
with hundreds of hot irons. His throat felt raw and every breath caused more
pain. His eyelids seemed to weigh a ton, and when he managed to pry them
open, thousands of needles shot through his eyes. Adam blinked again and
again, trying to clear his vision.
There was no light and he could barely see anything. He noticed he was in a
room somewhere, lying in a bed, but he had no recollection of where he was
or how he’d got there. His heart paused and then started up again furiously as
adrenaline rushed through his body. Did this place belong to Darien or
Lucinda? And which of those options was worse? She wanted him dead,
though he didn’t know why. Darien didn’t seem inclined to kill him, though
things might have changed after his running away, but he had no idea what
the man wanted from him. Everybody wanted something. Somehow, he didn’t
think Darien wanted him for his body.
Then the scent hit him. Blood and power, with a lingering hint of death,
mixed together in a unique blend. In this case, the smell of death wasn’t bad,
not like it was on Lucinda. It was somehow intriguing and it called to
something deep inside Adam.
He strained his hearing to pick up something, anything, but there was
nothing except the pounding in his head. He tried to stand, his head spinning
and blood bursting from his nose.
“Oh God, what is happening to me?”
“You’re a whiny one, aren’t you?”
Adam jerked and crawled across the bed until his back hit the wall, trying
to put some distance between him and the intruder.
“Dare.” It took him a moment, but he recognized the voice.
Darien snickered. “Do put a rein on that excitement. Really, it’s
embarrassing.” Sarcasm poured from Darien’s mouth, thick as honey, and
Adam found himself blushing.
“Who were you expecting? Lucinda perhaps? She does have a way with
men, doesn’t she?”
The mere mention of her name turned Adam’s mouth dry. He swallowed,
hard, but no words came out.
“No? Not her? Then perhaps the angel, Nate, or Dante, the demon?”
 What kind of world was this, where a man could talk so lightly about angels
and demons? But, no, Dare was no man, he was a vampire. And I’d better
remember that, while it’s still not too late. But what could he do against Darien?
He’d been hurting and helpless, but he had seen him fight that woman. He was
strong and fast, and he’d done things Adam couldn’t even understand.
“Where are you?”
“Cover your eyes.”
“Huh?”
A long, exasperated sigh reverberated through the darkness and then light
flooded the room, blinding him.
“Oh, shit! My eyes!” He rubbed at them so hard he nearly plucked them out
of their sockets.
“You don’t listen very well either.”
“Fuck you!” Adam spat out.
“Oh, don’t get ahead of yourself.”
Finally, his vision cleared. The light still hurt, but he could see Darien
sitting across the room in a large, comfortable-looking brown leather chair
with a surprisingly powerful lamp on the small table beside him.
“Are you going to kill me?”
“If I wanted you dead, you’d be dead by now.”
“What do you want from me then? I have no money, nothing to give you.”
Given the strategic placement of the light, Darien’s face was half hidden in
shadows, but Adam could feel the man’s eyes on him.
Seconds passed in silence. Adam shifted uncomfortably on the bed.
“Come here.”
“What? Why?”
Darien sighed again. “Because I said so. Do you have to question everything
I say?” When Adam made no move toward him, he continued, “You’re hungry.”
Hearing the words, Adam realized that he was, indeed, starving. Now that
he thought about it, his hunger returned in full force, fiercer than before. His
canines dropped so fast they nearly nicked his lower lip again. He should have
seen it coming, should have expected this reaction, assuming his brain had
still been working, but quenching his thirst was now the only thought in his
mind.
“Yesss.”
“Come drink, then.” Darien’s canines flashed. Adam growled at the
challenge the sight of them raised, but then the sweetest smell filled the room
as Darien sank his teeth into his own wrist.
 Adam leaped from the bed, his fear forgotten, and stumbled over his own
feet. He went down, but he didn’t feel it, simply continuing to crawl the rest of
the way. He reached out, grabbing the arm Darien extended to him and
placing his mouth over the fresh wound. At the first taste of blood his mind
went blank and a red haze took over. The blood was thick and spicy, rich with
power. He couldn’t remember anything tasting this good. He wanted more. He
wanted to drink and drink and never stop. His cheeks hollowed as he sucked,
his canines gnawing at the wound when it threatened to close.
Flesh tore under his fangs, the sound making him shudder. Blood flowed
through his body, calming him, heating him, lessening his pain until there was
no more. And he was still hungry. Still feeding, he lifted his eyes to meet
Darien’s and found him staring down at him, watching intently. Finally his
stomach felt full, and now other parts of his body reacted, his cock hardening
and blood pounding in his ears. There was no sign on Darien’s face of the pain
Adam was sure he must be causing, just patience and…warmth?
“That’s enough.” The tone was soothing, the sarcasm gone.
No. Mine. Adam growled low in his throat, but Darien made no move to take
his hand away.
“You’ve had enough. Listen to me. You will get sick if you drink more now.”
Adam whined, his whole body screaming for more. Yet, his jaws unlocked,
his fangs slowly retreating.
“That’s it. That’s a good boy.”
Adam should have felt offended, he really should have, but he couldn’t
resist the command in Dare’s tone. The praise as he obeyed made him feel all
warm and tingly inside and he rubbed his face against Darien’s forearm.
“Lick the wound closed.”
Lick it? Could he? How would it feel, to run his tongue over open flesh? He’d
been drinking blood straight from the tap, but somehow licking the wound he
had made in the process seemed different.
“Lick it closed,” Darien repeated, more demanding, though still gentle.
Maintaining eye contact, Adam poked reluctantly at the wound with his
tongue. To his surprise, it didn’t feel weird at all. He tasted the blood, the
lingering traces of power, and he probed further. He felt the tissue
regenerating under his tongue and, while startling at first, he discovered he
liked the feeling. Darien’s eyes darkened, his breath slowing, becoming
deeper.
“That’s it. Just like that.” Encouraged by Darien’s low praise, Adam licked
harder.
 What the hell was wrong with him? He should tear the vampire apart now,
while he had the chance. He should eat until all life had left Darien’s body, not
spring a boner just by hearing the man’s voice. But here he was, hornier than
hell, his eyes still locked with Darien’s.
Darien snorted. “You don’t stand a chance, fledgling.”
“What are you talking about? And why do you keep calling me a fledgling?”
“Because that’s what you are.” Darien smiled, warm and wide, and for a
moment Adam lost himself in it.
“What don’t I stand a chance at?”
“Killing me. You could give it a shot, of course.” He waved his free hand,
humoring Adam like an indulgent parent would do with a kid.
Give it a shot?
“Yes, if that’s what you really want.”
Adam jerked. What the hell? Did I say that out loud?
“Not exactly.”
Not exactly? What the fuck does that mean? Adam jerked and stumbled
backwards in his hurry to put some space between him and the other
vampire. “You’re a mind reader now?”
“Oh, don’t be so shocked. It’s not that hard. Besides, you were screaming
loud and clear in your head. You will have to learn to control your thoughts.”
“What the fuck is wrong with you? How can you talk so casually about
this?”
“Why wouldn’t I? It is what it is. Not speaking about it doesn’t make it less
true, young one.”
“Stop it! Stop it! You are a freak just like she is. FREAK!!”
Tension gathered inside him as he worked himself into a frenzy.
Everything—Dare’s posture, his attitude, even the face Adam had found so
attractive just minutes before—grated on his nerves. Look at him, standing
there, all cool and cocky when he’s nothing…nothing but an abomination!! A red
haze covered his eyes and Adam sprung to his feet, lunging at Darien.
Through his rage, Adam saw Darien sighing, and just as his body coiled,
preparing for impact, Darien disappeared from his sight. Adam jerked, trying
to change the angle at which he was about to hit the ground, but it was too
late. He landed awkwardly, sideways. He stumbled, his ankle gave, and he
found himself face down on the floor. Blood filled his mouth as his extended
canines passed clear through his lower lip.
“God damn it!” The words came out slurred and red splotches marred the
thick carpet under his nose.
He scrambled to his feet, nearly falling back down again.
 “Stay down.” Adam whirled to find Darien perched on the edge of the bed,
looking calm and relaxed, like he was simply watching a show, not fighting for
his life. Which he wasn’t, judging by the performance Adam had put on so far,
and that thought only served to spur him on. He lunged again, hoping to land
on top of Darien, but the vampire disappeared once more, right before Adam
could touch him.
“Careful there, little one, you’ll hurt yourself.” Amusement shone clearly in
Darien’s voice.
“Fight like a man, damn you.”
Laughter was his only answer. Adam hissed furiously and prepared to
jump again. Darien read his intention and lifted a hand in warning.
“Uh uh. It will end the same way as before.”
“I will kill you.”Darien’s eyes darkened. “You could try. But what will you
do after that?”
Adam growled and lunged. This time Darien met him halfway. Sharp claws
raked his shoulder, cutting all the way to the bone. He screamed in pain and
landed, even more poorly than before, on top of the chair in which Darien had
been sitting earlier, knocking over the lamp in the process.
“Do you still want to kill me?” Darien’s voice was cold, and for the first time
since they’d met, Adam was truly frightened. “Well?”
“Yessssss.” Because that was the only answer he could give.
“You really have no survival instinct, do you?”
Before Adam could answer, a hand sank into his hair, jerking his head back,
while another wrapped mercilessly around his throat. He grunted and pulled
at the fingers crushing his windpipe.

****

Lucinda was furious. She reached the entrance of her lair and flung open
the door. Through clenched teeth, she let out a low scream. Power gathered
around her, swirling and twirling, and small objects flew from her path.
“That bastard.” She strutted through the hallway and entered the room that
served both as bedroom and living room. She went straight to the table,
grabbed a handful of papers, and threw them to the floor. Her hair struck her
face as she spun to the side, searching for the next throwable object. A stack of
books fell in range of her vision and she picked them up with both hands and
launched them against the farthest wall, screaming.
 “That fucking bastard!” She could barely contain her rage. Another low
scream erupted from her throat and the papers on the floor swirled around
her feet. Her vision blurred and a red haze covered her eyes.
“Damn him!” Her hand caught the edge of the table and she smashed it
against the wall.
“Enough!” The command didn’t register. She only knew that someone was
in her room and she was itching for a kill. She spun, hissing like a snake,
tensing for an attack.
“Enough, I said.” This time there was no mistaking the words or the tone.
The air felt hot all of a sudden and the pressure threatened to bring her to her
knees. She gasped, fighting for control. The force increased a notch and her
temple pulsed, on the verge of explosion.
Steps sounded outside in the hallway, though Lucinda couldn’t remember
hearing the front door opening. The cadence of the steps broke outside the
bedroom and she hoped for a second that he would change his mind and
leave.
A moment later a tall, hooded figure stepped over the threshold. The
invisible weight pressing down on her shoulders increased another notch and
she fell to her knees. Love fought with hate inside her and his blood in her
veins simmered. She both craved him and despised him, for what he was, for
what he was doing to her. She was disgusted at herself for being with him, for
wanting him, yet she was unable to stop herself.
“What’s with all this ruckus, child?”
He wasn’t her Sire, nor was he a vampire, but there she was, a fifteen-
hundred-year-old vampire on her knees, trembling at his feet.
“Well, child?” The pressure he exerted gave, allowing her to speak. “More
dead bodies? It’s stupid to challenge Darien like that.”
“No, my lord. No more killings.” Though she wanted to. She shuddered. Oh,
how she wanted. To hear their screams as she drained them, to—
“What is it then?” His voice broke the spell and brought her back to the
present.
“I’m sorry, my lord. It’s just…”
“It’s just what? Speak!”
“It’s Darien, my lord. I want him dead. I want him to suffer.”
“And you shall have him. What happened here?” The man waved his hand,
indicating the destruction in the room.
“He challenged me,” she spat out through clenched teeth. “I found the boy,
the one who lived.”
 “The one you made.” His tone did not change, but invisible cords wrapped
around her body, hurting her. Like it was her fault that little shit, Adam, had
lived.
“He shouldn’t be alive. I went to find and kill him. But fucking Darien was
there.”
“Did you do what I asked you to?”
“Yes, master.”
“Good. Is the boy dead then?”
“No.”
“No? You couldn’t even clean up your own mess?”
Black strands of energy crawled over her, seeping into her, making her
hurt.
“Why not?”
“Darien. Darien was there.” She sobbed. The hurt took over her brain, her
body writhing.
“Was he? Perhaps it’s for the best. He may yet be of use to me.” He took a
seat, dismissing her with a wave of his hand. His eyes gleamed, lips curving in
a feral grin as he savored her agonized screams.
 Chapter 6

The sun went down and the kid had yet to wake up. Thinking back to his
first days as a vampire, Darien knew it would be hours before Adam stirred,
but that gave him some time to ponder.
He shouldn’t have brought the fledgling home with him. What was he
supposed to do with the kid? But, no, that term did not suit. Adam was a kid
only in the world of immortals. In human years he was probably in his
twenties. The memory of Adam’s face floated behind his eyelids and a smile
teased the corner of his lips. Perhaps he should keep him, at least for a while.
Surely there were interesting things Darien could do with him. The smile
turned to a grin, making him look the predator he was. Adam had looked so
good sucking at Darien’s wrist; he had to look even better sucking on other
things. Like Darien’s cock, for instance. And that skin of his, so soft and perfect.
He would look great alongside Zephyr.
What about Zephyr? They’d been together for a long time. They had never
been exclusive—they couldn’t have, given the incubus lifestyle—but none of
their trysts meant anything to either of them. Somehow, he knew Adam would
be different.
Darien rested his forehead against the window sill, sighing.
His neck prickled. The softest shift in the air announced the presence of
another immortal in his immediate vicinity. Closing his eyes, he let his senses
soar. A smile flickered over his lips as the identity of the visitor became clear.
Faster than lighting, he was at the front door, grinning to himself. He flung
open the door to reveal Zephyr’s shocked face.
“Oh, crap. You scared me.” The incubus let his hand drop with a grimace
and shot Darien a dirty look.
“Hello to you, too. You should work on your stealth skills. You demons are
supposed to have perfected the art of hiding.”
Zephyr pushed past him and entered the cool hallway of Darien’s house.
Their bodies brushed against each other, the touch warm and familiar. Darien
caught Zephyr’s hand to stop him, pulling his lover against him and capturing
his lips in a quick kiss. Zephyr leaned into him, gently nibbling on his lower lip,
before disentangling himself from Darien.
“Us demons? What does that make you then, Nightwalker?”
“Yeah, well, you know us bloodsuckers… We are a different breed.”
 “Yeah, keep telling yourself that. I’m sure it will of great comfort to you
when you join the rest of us ‘mere demons’ down in Lucifer’s domain.”
“Oh, I have a feeling I’m no longer welcome there.”
Zephyr’s laugh echoed through the house as he headed toward the kitchen.
“Have you consulted with Lucifer about this?”
“No killings, no bodies, no turning new vampires. That doesn’t exactly put
me on Lucifer’s guest list.”
Zephyr glanced over his shoulder to answer and found himself staring at an
empty hallway. “I hate it when you do that.”
One second Darien was standing by the front door and the next he was
almost flush against his lover, whispering in his ear, “Why do you think I do
it?”
“Show off!”
Darien grinned widely and winked before stepping back, heading into the
kitchen. He opened the refrigerator, took out two sodas, and silently offered
one to Zephyr.
“Pink?”
Zephyr took the beverage, but remained frozen with his hand extended,
staring at the can. “Huh? It’s blue.”
Darien waved his own can, pointing vaguely in the direction of his friend’s
head. “Not the can, your hair. It’s pink today.”
“Ah. I was in the mood for some color.” Zephyr ruffled his strands with his
free hand.
“I see.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” As soon as the words were out of his
mouth, his chin fell to his chest and his shoulders hunched. He plopped onto
the nearest chair and opened his beverage, a haunted look on his face. “I’m
sorry. I’ve been a bit jumpy lately.”
Darien nodded. He was just as edgy, but he hoped he was hiding it better.
“Have you seen her again?”
Zephyr shook his head, staring silently at the can in his hands.
“Have you heard anything then?”
“Not…exactly. This came for you.” Shoving his hand into his pocket, he
produced a neatly folded piece of paper which he handed to Darien, who
glanced at it and frowned.
This is not over. Lucinda.
“Where did you get this?”
“It was pinned to the door of Paradise Lost.”
“Fuck! She knows where you work.”
 “It’s not that hard to find out, is it? All she would have to do is ask around.”
“That’s it. You’re moving in with me.”
“Really? Why?”
“I want you safe.”
“We’ve been through this before. I am perfectly safe at my place and I can
take care of myself.”
“Zephyr…”
“Babe, you need to understand that I really can take care of myself.”
Frustrated, Darien ran his fingers through his hair. It was a losing battle.
They’d talked about moving in together before without reaching any
conclusion, so he decided to let it slide for now.
“Besides, how it would look for you? A vampire living with an incubus?
They’d all say you’d either lost your mind or you’d grown so weak you were
fair game.”
“Bullshit. I can take care of myself.”
“So can I.”
Darien bit back a growl of frustration. “Did anything else happen?”
“No, but there is something in the air. I can’t put my finger on it, but there’s
something.” A muscle jerked in his cheek. “The demons are restless. I saw
Adele earlier and she was even jumpier than me.”
“Yeah, that’s probably because of Nathaniel.”
Zephyr jumped from his seat. “Holy fuck! Nathaniel is here?”
“I met him a couple of days ago. He and Dante put in an appearance. It
could have been a coincidence, but I doubt it. They seemed aware that there’s
a problem here.”
“Oh man, this is worse than I thought.” Zephyr started pacing the kitchen
floor, muttering to himself. “I’m missing something, damn it. But what?”
“I don’t know what we’re missing, but you haven’t heard all of it.”
“There’s more?” Zephyr spun, wild-eyed.
“It’s been suggested that I should clean up the mess in my backyard, and
fast.”
“They threatened you?”
Darien held up one finger, emphasizing the point he was about to make.
“It’s been suggested.”
“Shit! This is not good at all. Shit! Shit! Shit!”
“My thoughts exactly.”
Zephyr started pacing again, anxiety oozing from his every pore.
Small sounds upstairs drew Darien’s attention. The kid seemed to be
awake. Smiling, he watched Zephyr’s nervous stroll from across the room
while he kept a metaphorical eye on Adam. He tasted the power coming from
the fledgling’s bedroom through his skin, just as he used to taste food on his
palate. He followed the tiny currents of energy radiating from the young
vampire, floating around him, enveloping him. He felt the casual movements
of the energy flow and, to his surprise, he found it relaxing. And then it
changed. The sweet signature the kid had started to develop suddenly turned
bitter as fear overtook him. Come on, kid. Calm down. No one is going to hurt
you here. He could almost see the fledgling checking the room frantically, heart
pounding.
Finally, Adam settled down, and Darien turned his attention back to his
lover.
“Honey? Do me a favor, will you?” The vampire had to repeat the request
several times before it got through to Zephyr.
“Huh?”
“Stay low for a while.”
“I’m not the target here.”
“No, but Lucinda saw you, and she knows there’s a connection between us
strong enough to allow you to call on me. She may try to hurt you.”
“Tell me about her.”
“Yes, tell us about her.”
Zephyr jumped, and stared, mouth agape, at the figure in the kitchen’s
archway.
“I believe you remember Adam.”
“You brought him here?”
The boy’s brow furrowed. “Hey, I’m no thief.”
“Yes, because that’s what I was afraid of. Because what else could
immortals fear more than thieves, fledgling?”
“You both keep calling me a fledgling. What threat can I possibly pose to
two big-shot immortals such as yourselves?” He crossed his arms over his
chest, a petulant expression on his face.
“Is that what you think? That we are afraid of you?”
“Why are you treating me like I’m an idiot?”
Suddenly the incubus and the fledgling were in each other’s faces.
Adrenaline filled the air and Darien had to adjust his cock in his pants. Damn,
that’s hot. Two gorgeous men at each other’s throats. What could be sexier?
“Because you’re acting like it. I get that it’s all new to you, but do try to
keep up. Thinking on your feet might be the difference between life and death
in this world.”
Adam growled at the incubus.
 “Guys.” Darien kept his voice low but determined. The kid’s aura settled
down a notch, but power still came off him in waves, and Darien knew it
would be irresistible to any immortal, especially a hungry incubus. Hunger.
Darien could feel it on his skin.
Energy gathered, strong and dangerous. Darien leaned forward in his chair,
preparing to intervene.
Zephyr breathed deep, clearly reveling in the taste of Adam’s power, but in
the end, he resisted the call to feed. His eyes fluttered open and he rolled his
shoulders, releasing the tension in his body, and then he winked at Darien.
The kid swayed on his feet. Matter-of-factly, Zephyr extended his hand and
gently shoved at Adam’s chest.
“Sit down and shut up.” He waited until the kid plopped his butt on the
chair before continuing. “We are not afraid of you. Damn it, kid, stop frowning
at me. It’s not an insult. I’m sure you are quite the fighter. And, by the way, in
case you didn’t realize it, that was an insult.”
A small wave of Zephyr’s power kept the fledgling in his chair. “I am
concerned about what your presence here could mean. For whom you are
working and who might follow your signature.”
“I haven’t signed anything. Or did I?” He looked questioningly at Darien.
“Not that kind of signature. Zephyr was referring to—”
Adam scoffed. “Zephyr? For real? What kinda name is that?”
A new bout of energy from the incubus, stronger than the previous one,
silenced him.
“Shut up, just shut up.” Zephyr glared at the kid like he was trying to will
him to listen. “Every immortal has an ethereal signature, given by the nature
of the beast and the power within. Each signature is unique and has a different
taste, smell, and feel to it. Sometimes you can even pick out personal traits
through the signature.”
Adam opened his mouth to say something, but thought better of it. Darien
regarded him carefully. At least he’s learning. Maybe there’s hope for him after
all.
“For instance, I can tell you’re young from a mile away. Your mark is
muddled. There’s still too much humanity along with the vampire in it.”
Zephyr continued his speech.
“Do humans have…signatures?”
“Some do, but most don’t. Or at least not a signature per se. Their energy is
faded, diluted by the centuries of not using their power.”
“Everything seems so complicated.”
 Zephyr searched Darien’s eyes, silently urging him to pick up the
metaphorical ball.
“It is complicated, but live long enough and eventually everything will come
naturally. The question is, do you want to learn?”
Adam bit the inside of his cheek. “Yes. I do.” He caught Darien’s gaze and
held it. “Will you help me?”
The million dollar question. Should I?
“Yes. I will.”
There was a moment of silence, then Zephyr cleared his throat and brought
the conversation back on track.
“I believe you were about to tell me—”
“Us. Tell us.”
Zephyr rolled his eyes, but acknowledged Adam’s claim. “Tell us about
Lucinda.”
“There isn’t much to tell, really.” Lost in memories, Darien stared blindly at
an empty spot on the opposite wall. “She’s old. Older than me, though I don’t
know for sure by how much. She had a thing with my Sire for a while, but for
some reason, I don’t think he was the one who turned her. I’m not sure why,
but she didn’t like me much.”
“Jeez, I wonder why.” Zephyr’s voice was teasing yet affectionate, and all
the years they’d spent together shone in their eyes when their gazes met.
The softest shift in energy reached Darien and he smiled to himself. If he
wasn’t mistaken, and he didn’t think he was, Adam was jealous. His cock
stirred and Darien barely resisted the urge to adjust himself.
“A thing? As in fucking each other?” Not meeting anybody’s eye, Adam
blurted out the words.
Zephyr snorted, but smiled.
“Yes, as in fucking each other. Anyway, she always seemed
somehow…volatile. She came and went by her own agenda and her arrival
always stirred up trouble.”
“I can see why.” Adam’s mumble held an ill-conceived grudge, not that
Darien could blame him for it. Both Darien and Zephyr ignored him.
“What kind of trouble? Was she turning vampires against each other or
something?”
“Not exactly. Or she did, just not verbally. Her mere presence was enough.
I’ve always thought she did it on purpose.”
“Was she stupid or something? Challenging Jonas like that?”
“Jonas?”
 “My Sire,” Darien threw in Adam’s direction. He would have thought it
would be easy to ignore the kid, but he kept watching him out of the corner of
his eye, and his senses were so attuned to him that he felt any shift in the
fledgling’s emotions. From the lingering scent in the air, Zephyr was reacting
in the same way to the kid’s presence. Unhappy, he willed himself to turn his
attention back to the incubus.
“She wasn’t challenging him, not exactly. She wasn’t stupid. Lucinda
wouldn’t have lived as long as she has if she were, but there was a certain
madness in her. Her signature, the energy around her used to turn chaotic at
times, but that, too, could have been done on purpose.”
“Oh, man, can you do that?”
“To some extent.” Zephyr waved the kid away and turned to Darien. “But
most importantly, do you think she did it on purpose? And nobody picked up
on it?”
Darien pondered the question, biting the inside of his cheek. “Except for
me? I don’t think so. It was all very faint and, to be honest, I didn’t pay it much
mind either back then. I took it as it was and kept away from her.”
“Which brings us back to the first question. Was she doing it on purpose?”
“I don’t know. She could have been.”
“But what if she wasn’t?”
That was a very good question. What if she wasn’t? How many of her actions
can be explained differently?
“Then we’re screwed.”
Silence fell.
Adam glanced from Darien to Zephyr and back again. “Why?”
Zephyr searched Darien’s eyes, prompting him to answer.
“Because if the trouble she created wasn’t on purpose, if the instability in
her energy and the madness in her signature were not there because that’s
what she wanted, then she is more dangerous than I thought. It makes her
unpredictable. Either way, she is a killer by nature and when you’ve lived over
a thousand years you are bound to learn a trick or two. If she did do all those
things on purpose, it means she has great control and there are limits to her
behavior. If she can’t control herself… Zeph, did you pick up any weird vibes
from her?”
The incubus pursed his lips.
“There was something there. I can’t be sure, but I don’t think it was coming
from her. It was surrounding her like a bubble. Dark and bitter, and whatever
it was, it stopped me from getting a better feel from her.”
“So, nothing?”
 “Nothing specific. That energy acted like a filter, but I couldn’t say if it
worked both ways.”
“I hope not. She and I go way back and she obviously met Adam. You are
the only one she doesn’t know yet, but it wouldn’t be that difficult, putting two
and two together, not with you calling on me in your head and all.”
“I’m sorry for that. All I knew was there was a strange vampire, someone
who shouldn’t have been there, and I called you.”
“I know, babe. You did the right thing. I don’t want you at any risk, so
please don’t take her on by yourself.”
“I won’t.”
“You already are. Conjuring me is not exactly available to everyone, seeing
as I’m not a fully fledged demon, and it shows just how well you know me.”
“Just how well does he know you?” Adam bit his lip, as if already regretting
his words.
Zephyr sashayed over to the fledgling, regarding him sensually through
half-lidded eyes. Energy swirled as the incubus unleashed the predator in him
upon the fledgling.
Fully aware that Zephyr wouldn’t hurt Adam, Darien leaned back, enjoying
the show.
“I’d love to get to know you, too, darling,” Zephyr purred. He straddled
Adam’s thighs, sinking his fingers into his hair. His tongue sneaked out, tracing
the edge of the kid’s jaw.
Arousal filled the air, thick and heavy, and Darien realized a big part of it
was coming from him. He gasped, and at the sound, Zephyr dimmed the power
he exuded. Adam moaned and grabbed the incubus’s thighs, pulling him
closer. Zephyr leaned in with a slow, elegant gesture and licked at the
fledgling’s lips. He took his time, tasting, teasing.
Adam made a strangled sound, and his hold on the incubus tightened as he
pulled him down, trying to deepen the kiss. Zephyr smiled, but he regarded
Adam shrewdly. Then he lowered his head, mouth open, and their tongues
met.
The scent of arousal become unbearable, eliciting a loud groan from
Darien. They looked so good together. So hot. Incubus and vampire, day and
night.
Over Adam’s head, Zephyr caught Darien’s gaze and held it as the kiss
deepened. Fine threads of energy rose from the incubus, almost visible even to
the vampire’s sharp eyes.
Sitting across the table from them, Darien closed his eyes, breathing deep,
drinking it all in. In moments like this, although knowing the incubus used
only a small fraction of his power, he could almost understand what Zephyr
felt when he fed. What would Adam’s blood taste like? How would he look
down on his knees, sucking Darien’s cock, or writhing in pleasure under the
incubus? How would it feel to be buried to the hilt in the fledgling’s ass?
Energy wrapped around Darien, smelling like both Zephyr and Adam
together, but it was somehow much more than that. It sank into him, filling his
senses to the fullest, pulling him in. With each breath, he felt himself slipping
deeper, losing himself in the intricate spell woven around him.
Half drunk on power, Darien opened his eyes. He took in the show his lover
was putting on with the fledgling, a low growl rumbling through his chest.
There was something wrong here. He should have been kissing Adam, not
Zephyr. Adam was his. His. He growled again, louder. His gums tickled, his
vision darkening.
Zephyr regarded him coldly over the kid’s head, undisturbed by the threat,
wearing a knowing smile. Darien hissed, and the incubus pulled away from
Adam, smirking. Holding Darien’s gaze, Zephyr wrapped his hands around the
fledgling’s neck, threaded his fingers through his hair, and pulled his head
back, exposing his throat. He licked at the column in front of him, dragging out
the movement, eyes still locked with Darien’s.
Energy surged again, swirling and threading, filling the air and piling onto
their emotions. The fledgling let out a strangled sound and arched his back.
From where he stood, Darien could see that the kid’s eyes were closed. He was
completely lost in the moment.
Damn it, that’s not right. It should be me making him feel like that. Me, not
Zephyr.
For some reason, it didn’t matter anymore that Zephyr had been his lover
for over four hundred years or that he’d trust him with his life. All he could see
now was a stranger straddling the man Darien wanted.
Almost as if he was reading Darien’s mind, and perhaps he was, Zephyr let
out a new wave of power. It was just a small bout, yet it was enough to break
the dam.
“Enough.”
Zephyr cocked an inquisitorial eyebrow and gyrated his hips on top of
Adam, staring straight into Darien’s eyes. “I’m sorry, did you say something?”
“I said enough.”

****
 The pressure eased, but the air still smelled sweet, like vanilla and
cinnamon, with a hint of honey. Adam shook his head, trying to clear his mind.
He felt dizzy, like he was waking after a whole night of getting plowed.
What the fuck just happened? He shook his head again. Oh fuck, he
remembered now. He’d got so horny so fast. There had been some sort of
magic, he was sure of it.
He opened his mouth, taking in huge gulps of air, panic rising in his throat.
What kind of world is this? Angels, demons, vampires, and now magic. His skin
broke into goose bumps and his dick throbbed behind his fly in response to
the power in the air. Nobody had told him that’s what it was, but he would
stake his life on it. Was that the vampire equivalent of a roofie? And, damn, if it
didn’t feel good. If only Dare wasn’t sitting so far away. Not that Zephyr wasn’t
hot, because he was, but he had nothing on the vampire. And, fuck, if he didn’t
want them both. He glanced over to where Darien stood. He looked so still, so
dangerous. So hot. Adam’s dick jerked in the confinement of his pants.
Another shift in the air had Darien ground his teeth. Zephyr smirked.
What is going on here?
“I think it’s time I take my leave.” With a wicked wink in Adam’s direction
and a careless wave of his hand, Zephyr turned on his heel and left the room.
With his departure, the air cleared and Adam could finally hear himself
thinking.
“What is he? He’s not a vampire.”
Darien took a deep breath and held it in for a few seconds, but his eyes
remained dark, like he was haunted by unseen storms. “That’s correct, he’s
not. He’s an incubus.”
“I’m sorry, he’s a what?”
“An incubus. He feeds on energy, on peoples’ sins and souls. He can assume
any shape he wants, whenever he wants it.”
“You mean he’s a demon?”
“Not exactly. He was human once.”
“Once?” he probed when Darien said nothing more.
“Yeah, once. A long time ago. Just like you and me.” Darien stared blindly
through Adam, fixed on a spot on the wall behind him, a hint of wistfulness in
his voice.
“And that changes everything?”
“In fact, it does. It makes him, and us, lesser. Not human anymore and not
fully demon.”
“Wait. Aren’t incubuses supposed to sneak into women’s beds and lure
them into sin?”
 “Incubi. And, yes, they are sex demons. Most of them are, indeed, focused
on women, but there are some, like Zephyr, who go both ways but prefer
men.”
“How come?”
“You will have to ask him that.”
“Yeah, because he likes me so much.” Sarcasm dripped from his every
word.
Darien smiled and kept his thoughts to himself.
“Do you miss it? Being human I mean?”
Darien turned his gaze on him, piercing him with his eyes. “Tell me
something, little one. Are you a spy?”
Huh? “What?”
“Are you a spy?”
“What the hell are you talking about? A spy for whom?”
“Do you take me for a fool? For Lucinda for starters.” He sounded so cold,
so callous, yet his eyes glowed feral.
“You’re crazy.”
“Am I?” Darien leaped from his seat, and in the blink of an eye, he was in
Adam’s face. He bent forward, eyes gleaming, until their noses nearly touched.
“Am I crazy? She’s your Sire. She owns you.”
What the fuck? Adam tried to rise, but Darien’s hand landed on his
shoulder, holding him down. And, damn him, if the vampire didn’t look hot as
hell while doing it.
“What are you doing?” Adam pushed at Darien’s hand, but to no avail. “Hey.
Let go of me.”
Darien increased the pressure, almost crushing his shoulder. Adam tried to
swallow, but his head fell to the side submissively, giving the vampire better
access. One more squeeze, and then the hold gave as Darien withdrew his
hand. Adam sat there, gasping for air.
“Oh, cut that shit out. You don’t need to breathe any more than I do.”
“I’m not a spy.” Adam’s breath evened out, finally allowing him to talk.
“And I’m supposed to just take your word for it?”
“Why did you bring me here if you thought I was a spy?”
“It’s easier to keep an eye on you this way. And on Lucinda as well.”
“And how is that working out so far?” He didn’t care if he sounded petulant.
The disappointment at being used as a pawn brought a sour taste to his
mouth. He wouldn’t have minded a different kind of being used. Not that it
seemed there was any chance of that happening any time soon.
 Darien regarded him coldly, ignoring his question. Under his gaze, a new
wave of arousal rolled through Adam’s body and his cock throbbed furiously
behind his pants. Damn him! There was something so powerful, so primal, in
that display of power that Adam found himself irresistibly drawn to it. The
energy radiating from the vampire was so strong Adam could almost touch it.
It felt different than what he’d experienced before with Zephyr. It was harder,
heavier, its taste more on the bitter side. Adam gasped, his body shaking with
need.
Darien squinted, regarding him in disbelief. “You can cut that shit out, too,
kid. The incubus is gone now.”
“Huh?” Adam inhaled deeply, again and again, hoping it would ease some of
the tension brewing inside him.
“You’re putting on a good show, I’ll give you that.” Darien paused, leaned
forward and sniffed in Adam’s direction. “You’re not faking it.”
Adam shook his head.
“You shouldn’t be in this condition anymore, now Zephyr’s gone. Any trace
of his signature and the sexual energy he shoved at you should have worn off
by now.”
“It’s not just him. I want him, but I want you as well.” He could barely speak
and his vision could focus on one thing and one thing only: Dare. “It was you
from the beginning.”
Darien fell silent.
Adam climbed slowly to his feet, his cock threatening to burst through the
zipper.
“I never wanted this life and I’m not a spy. I don’t know what I could do or
say to convince you. I read somewhere, a long time ago, that vampires can see
through any lie. I don’t know if it’s true, but I hope you can feel that I’m telling
the truth.”
Darien didn’t move, didn’t even breathe, just watching him through half-
lidded eyes. Adam didn’t know where he’d found the courage to say all that,
but it had felt right.
“I don’t know what it is about you that draws such a reaction from me. You
aren’t my type. You’re too thin, too short. And yet, there’s…something about
you. I’m always hard around you. I don’t know why. Perhaps it’s the power
you exude. Your confidence. I’ve always been a sucker for strong men, you
know?” Adam reached out and placed a hand on Darien’s chest, hoping to
make him see somehow the truth behind the words.
“So you’re into men.” It wasn’t a question.
 Adam shrugged. “I’ve never been with a woman. Never understood the
attraction.”
Darien’s lashes lowered a fraction and then lifted all the way up. His eyes
were fluid, burning, and so dark there was almost no telling where the pupils
ended and the irises began. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” His
voice was gruff and he’d had to clear his throat before speaking.
“I believe I do.” He leaned in, hoping, praying for a kiss. “Perhaps it’s your
smell.” He pressed closer, his eyes almost closed. Do I dare kiss him myself?
“Now I smell?” Darien’s breath tickled Adam’s face when he spoke. His
scent filled Adam’s nostrils, sinking into his pores. It smelled sweet and dark,
carrying lingering traces of blood. A shiver ran down Adam’s back. That’s
what power smelled like.
“Yeah, you do. Sweet. Arousing.” Finally finding his courage, Adam licked at
the corner of Darien’s mouth, holding his breath. When the vampire didn’t
reject him, he traced Darien’s lips with his tongue, taking his time, enjoying
the taste and the texture.
With a low moan, Darien tangled his fingers in Adam’s hair, holding his
head steady. His tongue pressed against Adam’s lips, demanding entrance.
Adam gasped and grabbed at Darien’s shoulders. A growl rumbled in Darien’s
chest and he claimed Adam’s lips in a scorching kiss, grinding their erections
together. He explored Adam’s mouth, tasting, biting, sucking. Adam’s knees
shook and he rubbed himself against the vampire.
Darien growled against his mouth, his fangs nicking Adam’s lips. Warmth
spread through his body. His nerves tingled with anticipation. And then the
wonderful sensations disappeared as Darien pushed him away.
Adam blinked repeatedly, trying to clear his vision.
“No.”
“Wha…?”
Darien was all the way across the room, looking just as shaken as Adam
felt.
“No. Not like this and not right now.”
“Why the fuck not?” He sounded petulant, but he didn’t care. He was
beyond horny, for Christ’s sake!
“Because Zephyr did a serious number on you and I don’t want there to be
any doubt about who’s fucking your brains out.”

****
 Zephyr closed the door behind him in a daze. Clenching his teeth, he fought
to keep his composure as he marched down the street. Thoughts spun through
his head with the speed of light, making it difficult for him to concentrate on
any of them. His power washed over him, running just beneath the surface of
his skin like lukewarm oil, setting him even further on edge.
What had gotten into him? He shouldn’t have reacted like that to Adam. He
was a fucking incubus, not some nun seeing dick for the first time. And why
had he baited Darien in that way? He wanted him. He loved him, as much as
his kind could.
But now he wanted Adam as well. He wanted the fledgling with an intensity
that scared him. Despite Adam’s nature, Zephyr sensed innocence in the kid,
and he found it irresistible.
And that alone meant he had no chance with the fledgling. Assuming Darien
would even share him.
He groaned, squeezing his eyes shut.
Why in the world should he care if he had a chance with Adam or not? He
was supposed to want to bang his brains out and eat out his soul, not dream of
flowers and chocolates. Next thing he knew, he’d be dotting his i’s with tiny
hearts and spelling their names together like a little girl with their first crush.
Perhaps he was hungry. Yes, that was the problem. He needed to get laid.
Sleeping with Darien, while very satisfying, did nothing to sate his hunger. He
needed a mortal to feed off. Darien understood the nature of his beast. Would
Adam understand?
And that brought him back to Adam. Crap!

****

Several days later, Darien still did not have himself fully under control.
That damn kid! Darien paced the library. Blood simmered in his veins and his
cock jerked in the confines of his jeans. Damn it! Merely thinking about the kid
was sufficient to make his dick stand to attention. He was seven hundred
years old; he should have better control of himself. Or better yet, he should
have fucked the fledgling’s brains out the other day in the kitchen when he
had the chance. Not that the little shit hadn’t done everything possible to get
into his pants, but as he’d told him, he wanted Adam to want him for himself,
not because Zephyr had played tricks on his mind.
The air stirred softly and Darien stilled, listening intently. When no sound
came from the fledgling’s room, he resumed his pacing. He glanced at the
hanging clock. It was too early for the young man to be up yet. It would be
years before Adam stopped sleeping during the day. Sleeping was, in fact, a
euphemism, as the condition he was going through in that moment was
similar to coma. Darien remembered those times all too well. How heavy his
body had felt as he tried to make his muscles move. How helpless he had felt
every morning upon going to bed, wondering if he’d ever wake up again.
He stopped in front of the liquor cabinet, opened the door of a hidden
refrigerator, and took out a bag of blood. He debated for a few seconds on
whether he should have it as it was or in a glass and decided against both,
instead taking out a carafe of the finest crystal and emptying the bag into it.
The scent of blood filled the room, but it was too stale to hold much appeal, so
Darien topped it off with brandy from the decanter placed there for just such
occasions. He poured some in a glass, sniffed at it and grimaced. This was the
reason he preferred his meals straight from the vein. No matter how much
wine, brandy or spices he put in, bagged blood still tasted, and smelled, like
crap.
He sat behind the desk, idly swirling the drink in the glass, his mind going
back to Adam. He sipped from the concoction, trying to ignore his erection.
There was something off about the kid, but nothing Darien could put his finger
on.
There were times when his signature blurred out, and not in the way it
usually did in the young ones, switching back and forth from vampire to
almost human. With Adam, the energies cleaned out once in a while, but it was
a bit too much for someone that young. Maybe he wasn’t young after all.
Maybe he was older, a lot older. Enough that he could mask his age and
confuse Darien’s senses. Or perhaps it had to do with Adam ingesting both his
blood and Lucinda’s. Usually a young vampire had access only to his Sire’s tap
and maybe mixing two elders’ blood had sped up his evolution.
Darien took another sip from his glass and grimaced. Damn, it tasted as bad
as it smelled. He should go hunting. A long sigh escaped his lips, his shoulders
slumping. With the fledgling here, it might be a while before he could indulge.
Getting laid also sounded good, but he didn’t want anyone except the blond
upstairs. The kid who could very well be a spy.
When it first occurred to him, he had discarded the idea as paranoid, but
now Darien didn’t think so. The problem was that he really liked the kid and it
would be a shame if he had to kill him.
He took another sip, so lost in thought that, this time, its foul taste did not
register.
 Chapter 7

He had the oddest dreams. He’d see himself in his old life, shooting the shit
with his friends, going to school. Movie nights spent with his roommate, or
lazy evenings at home. The guys he’d been with. His first kiss, his first lay. His
first heartbreak. Every time he fell asleep, which he did every single day at
dawn, with the precision of a Swiss watch, he’d dream. Images would change,
melting into one another, his old life blending with the new, like colors on an
oily surface. There was Lucinda and Darien, and even Zephyr. Fleeting
pictures of angels and demons, of hope and fear, arousal and disgust. The
scents and noises hit him hard even in his sleep, enhanced by his unconscious
state. And above all there was the hunger. The blood and the hunger and all
the humans he’d killed.
He came to dread the mornings more and more. Because lately there had
been whispers in his dreams, whispers that shouldn’t have been there. At first,
they’d seemed part of his dream, but somehow they didn’t match the pictures.
They chanted of blood and power and killing, bringing back the hunger and
the fear. Now, every night, he woke drenched in sweat, his fangs descended
and his blood running furiously through his veins. High on adrenaline, it was
becoming harder and harder to return to reality.
The metallic ring of the whispers grated on his nerves, just as it pulled him
in, lulling him to do its bidding. Was it Lucinda? He couldn’t be sure.
Every time it was the same, and he began to suspect that everything he saw
was somehow induced, planted inside his mind. But how could she do that, if
she was indeed responsible? And worse, how did she manage to get inside his
head, to access his memories? Because most of the pictures he saw were part
of him, things he’d seen, things he’d done. And some were things he’d only
glimpsed in his early days as a vampire, when he’d wished to kill the bitch
who made him, only now the dreams talked about killing Darien. He’d see
himself towering over the elder’s body, which lay broken at his feet. He’d feel
the pleasure of the hunt, of the kill. He’d see blood on his hands and taste it in
his mouth. Dark and potent and filled with more power than he could have
imagined.
As the sun went down and the pressure lifted from his chest, air rushed in
and his eyes snapped open. It wasn’t the first time he’d woken shaking. He
took in a deep breath, but it didn’t bring the calm he’d hoped for. Gone were
the days when oxygen was a necessity and extra amounts of it in your blood
would bring the heart rate down to normal.
Finally, he managed to get himself under control, his fangs slowly
retracting. This time it had been particularly bad. In fact, the dreams were
worsening every day.
He glanced at the door, thankful for the privacy the older vampire
provided. But where was Darien? Was he even around? Adam listened
carefully, but no sounds could be heard anywhere. Yet the air vibrated softly
with Darien’s power and Adam knew he had to be close. Remembering Dare’s
advice, he closed his eyes and concentrated on the energy around him. He
caught the vibe, the rhythm of the small currents of power in the air, and
willed them to lead him to the source. He felt it rippling around him, like
waves on the surface of a lake. He could feel the Darien’s presence and he
pushed himself to find him, but to no avail. His senses grabbed at the energy,
like hungry hands, but its threads slipped through his fingers. Damn it! This
whole energy thing was hard. Would he ever master it?
He got up and shuffled over to the connected bathroom. Staring at his
image reflected in the mirror above the sink, he frowned. At first glance, he
looked just as he always had, except for the eyes. They seemed haunted and
there were dark circles under them that hadn’t been there before. He traced
them with the tips of his fingers, while taking in the rest of his body. He was
too thin. Perhaps that was the reason his eyes looked like saucers on his face.
He turned his face to the side, checking his profile. He was definitely too
skinny. He had to have lost twenty pounds since his transformation.
“Yes, you still have a reflection, in case you were wondering.”
“I didn’t hear you come in. And, no, I wasn’t thinking about that.” Their
gazes met in the mirror and held, and suddenly the haunted look was gone.
Why does he have to smell this good?
“What’s with the mirror then?”
“I look thin, don’t I?” Turning around, he looked Darien in the eye, daring
him to say otherwise.
“Actually, you’ve put on some weight since I met you.”
“What? That can’t be!” Adam twirled on his heel and checked himself in the
mirror again. “No way!”
“When I met you, your bones nearly peeked through your skin. From the
lack of blood after your transformation.”
“But I fed myself.”
 “As a newborn, you needed a lot more than what you managed to get on the
streets. Lucinda should have fed you, given you her blood to complete the
change and give you strength.”
“But she didn’t. You did.”
“I did.”
“So I owe you my life.”
“You were light as a feather. I was almost too afraid to touch you in case I
broke you.”
Darien took another step toward Adam until he was almost on top of him.
The temperature in the room spiked several degrees and Adam’s cock
throbbed, going from flaccid to rock hard in less than a second. Adam turned
back toward Darien and closed the remaining distance between them.
“What about now? Will you touch me now? I won’t break.”
A low growl rolled in Darien’s throat. His pupils changed, dilating until his
eyes were almost black. “No, you won’t break.”
With their gazes still locked, Darien tilted his head and slowly, oh so slowly,
their lips met.
Dare’s mouth was firm yet soft on Adam’s. He kept things casual, their
mouths barely touching, and then, when Adam’s lips tingled with need, he
deepened the kiss. Shivers ran down Adam’s spine and he craved deeper
contact. His lips parted under Darien’s and their tongues met. Aroused beyond
imagining, he was already leaking. Blood boiled in his veins and everything
disappeared, but for the vampire who was kissing him.
God, it felt good. Better than good. Warmth spread through his body and he
pressed against Darien. A low sound rumbled in his throat. Darien wrapped
his arms around Adam and pulled him closer. He rocked his hips, rubbing
their cocks together, hard prick against hard prick.
Adam sank his hands in Darien’s hair and tugged, trying to get better
leverage. He pulled and pressed and pulled again like he was unable to make
up his mind. Darien snaked his hands down Adam’s body to his buttocks and
lifted him flush against him. With their mouths still glued together, but the
kissing long forgotten, Adam wrapped his legs around Darien’s waist, and
Darien pinned him against the sink, grinding against him, hard and fast. Denim
scratched Adam’s skin though the thin fabric of his pajama bottoms.
Adam whimpered and clutched at Darien’s back as he rubbed himself
furiously against his cock. Skin. He needed skin. Oh God, how he needed.
Counting on the other vampire to hold him up, Adam let go of Dare’s
shoulders and headed for his fly. His hands trembled, his fingers too big for his
own palms, and it took him forever to unbutton Dare’s jeans. Once the pants
were undone, the vampire’s cock sprang free, hard and warm and leaking.
Without losing another moment, Adam wrapped his fingers around it, slowly
pulling at it, his hand circling the head on each upstroke.
The skin under his hand was soft above the hard flesh and so hot it almost
burned his fingers, and all he could think of was how he needed more of it. He
ran his palm over the glans, again and again, spreading the lubricant he found
there along the length.
Darien moaned, his prick jumping in Adam’s hold. He propped Adam
higher on the edge of the sink, holding him in place with his own body, and
tugged at Adam’s pajama bottoms. He fought with the string and when the
knot refused to give, he just ripped it open. The soft cotton followed and half a
second later their dicks touched.
Adam caught their cocks together in a firm hold and rubbed. They glided
against each other and, by God, it felt incredible. With low, inarticulate sounds
he wasn’t even fully aware of, he sped up.
Darien pressed himself flush against Adam, catching his hand between
their bodies and stilling his movement. The sink’s edge dug hard into Adam’s
ass and thighs and he bit his lip to refrain from crying out, his arousal spiking.
Darien ran his hands roughly up Adam’s body and pulled his head back to the
point of pain.
Oh God, don’t stop. Adam rocked his hips, searching for friction, but Darien
pushed harder against him. He was so close. Damn Darien for stopping.
“What’s wrong?” He could barely hear himself over the pounding in his
ears. He struggled to open his eyes and found Darien watching him with an
intensity that took his breath away. Darien’s pupils were dilated, making his
eyes look huge and dark.
With their gazes still locked, Darien tilted his head, exposing his throat.
“Drink.”
A new wave of adrenaline surged through Adam’s veins. “What?”
“Drink.” Darien pulled Adam forward and pressed his mouth gently against
his neck.
No further incentive was needed. The mere thought of sinking his teeth
into Darien’s soft skin made his gums ache. He wanted to drink and drink until
the burn in his throat was no more, but no amount of blood would quench the
hunger he felt for Darien. The skin felt hot under his lips and the artery pulsed
furiously in time with his own heart. He lapped at his lover’s throat, preparing
the spot. His fangs sprang forth, piercing the skin. Blood filled his mouth and
he sucked hard, again and again, and it only spurred him higher.
 With a low growl Darien pushed Adam’s hand away from their pricks,
replacing it with his own, and ground hard against Adam, his hand flying over
their cocks.
Adam whimpered and clutched at Darien’s shoulders, holding on for dear
life. The cock rubbing against his felt incredibly hot and the hand squeezing
them together painfully hard. The tingling at the base of his spine spread
through his entire body. His muscles stiffened. A little more friction, just a little
more. He shoved himself harder into Darien’s palm. Oh, God, just like that. So
close.
Darien nuzzled Adam’s neck and grazed the skin, and that was all it took.
Adrenaline surged, rushing through his veins in time with the pounding in his
ears. He went blind and with a last, hard pull of his mouth, he came. He shook
and trembled, and through the fog in his brain he heard the elder moaning, a
low, deep sound rolling in his chest, and felt Darien jerking against him a
second before wet warmth hit his stomach.

****

“Oh, wow. That was… Wow.”

For once the kid was under-reacting. It had been mind blowing. Adam fit so
well in his arms. Like he was made for him.
And that alone was wrong. Because it was Lucinda who made him, not
Darien, and that brought him back to his problem. The kid, his very presence
in his house, was dangerous.
But damn it, Adam felt so good against him. He met the fledgling’s dazed
eyes and something stirred inside him. Dazed was a good look on Adam, one
he wanted to see a lot more.
“Yeah, it was. We should go.” He drew back, disentangled himself from
Adam, and grabbed the toilet paper to clean himself up, ignoring the hurt look
on the kid’s face.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes. Why?”
“You look upset.”
“I’m fine. Just tired.”
To his surprise, he realized it was true. He was tired, an unexpected
weariness having taken up residence in his bones.
Adam turned his back to him, his shoulders set, busying himself with a
washcloth in the sink.
“Where are we going?”
 “To Paradise Lost. That’s why I came up here in the first place.”
“Excuse me?”
“Paradise Lost. Zephyr’s bar.”
“Ah. Zephyr.”
Suddenly the kid was rubbing himself clean furiously, like trying to reach
his back through his stomach, the bitter stench of jealousy wafting from him.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
Darien sighed. He didn’t need the smell to know what was bothering Adam,
but he hoped the fledgling would open up to him about his feelings.
Adam threw the washcloth to the side and turned to face Darien, his eyes
serious and jaw set. “Why are we going there?”
“There are a few people I want to see.”
“And you don’t trust me enough to leave me alone here.”
“Very perceptive of you.”
“Fine. Let’s go.”
Adam strolled past Darien and into the bedroom. He flung open the closet
and then turned.
“What should I wear? Casual or formal?” Sarcasm dripped from his every
word, but it only served to highlight the emptiness of the kid’s closet.
“Casual is fine. You can borrow something of mine for tonight, and we’ll get
you your own stuff tomorrow.”
“Jeez, thank you. My jeans not good enough for your boyfriend?”
“He’s not my boyfriend.”
“He’s not? He seemed awfully cozy here the other day. Does he know you’re
sleeping out on him?”
Darien let out another long sigh. “Once again, he’s not my boyfriend.”
“Really?” That single word was full of sarcasm. “So if you tell him you
fucked me, he won’t care?”
Pursing his lips, Darien pondered the question. If he were to be honest with
himself, Zephyr would care. He wouldn’t be jealous per se, as both had taken
an occasional lover on the side during their years together, but he’d care
nonetheless.
“Just as I thought.” Adam scoffed.
Darien ignored him and continued. “You’ll see for yourself when we get
there. And to get back to the question at hand…there’s nothing wrong with
your jeans. If you want to call them that. They’re holding together by only a
few threads.”
 “Yeah, well, they didn’t come off well from the last meeting with Lucinda. If
we could swing by my house, I can get my own clothes.”
“We can if you like, but you would still need something to wear on the way
there.”
“Oh yeah.”
“Come with me. Please.”
He led Adam across the hallway to his bedroom and opened the walk-in-
closet doors.
“Are you shitting me? Are all these yours?”
Adam stared open-mouthed at the rows and rows of clothes hanging neatly
on hangers.
“Take your pick.”
The fledgling perused the selection in front of him. “OCD much?”
“I’m sorry?”
“This. Who does that?” He threw out his hand, pointing at the closet.
“What is wrong with a little order?”
“A little order? They’re sorted by color and fabric.”
“So?”
“Really? Never mind.”
Adam grabbed a random shirt and searched for some pants.
“You don’t have any jeans?”
“In there.” Darien pointed to a door on the other side of the room.
“There’s more?” Adam strolled to the other wardrobe space, which was
actually a second bedroom turned into a closet. “Holy shit! This is bigger than
my whole apartment. Jeans, leather, dress pants. Tails. Tails? Really?”
“Just pick something.”
Adam took out a pair of jeans and held it up to Darien’s face. “Happy?”
“Thrilled. Now let’s go.”

****

Adam looked around him in awe. How didn’t he know about this place? It
was great. The woodwork was exquisite, the bar made out of a single piece,
the wood old and clean, so different than one would have expected to find in a
bar. And where was the smoke? A bar should be filled with smoke, and the
scent of stale beer and crackers. Instead it smelled sweet, if a bit heavy, like
burned incense. He sniffed discretely. Amber, cinnamon, honey. Vanilla.
Cardamom. And a few others he didn’t recognize that made him think of
faraway lands. And just the faintest trace of… He sniffed again, frowning. Was
that blood? Or was it the hunger in him that made him smell it everywhere?
And the people there were, well, not people. A shiver went through his
body and he shoved his hands in the pockets of his borrowed pants.
Something caught his eye and he stopped short with his mouth agape.
“Are those horns? On that guy over there in the corner with the glass with
that green shit in front of him.” He glanced at Darien and saw him already five
steps in front of him.
“Hey, wait up.” He scurried after the vampire and nearly bumped into him
when Darien came to a stop. “You really should start wearing stop lights.”
“Nate.”
“Vampire”
“Nate?” The angel?
Adam peered around his lover and, sure enough, there was Nate, slouched
against one of the carved wooden columns of the bar, looking so comfortable
and yet so out of place.
“What do we have here?” The angel turned his gaze to him and Adam felt
the weight of that look pierce him down to his soul, measuring him. A shiver
passed through his body and he moved closer to Darien, as if the elder could
shield him from Nate’s eyes.
“I see you’re back, little one. I’m glad to see you’re still alive.”
“You are?”
Nate smiled, but his eyes remained ice cold.
“Angels don’t lie,” Darien interfered.
Finally, Nate’s gaze moved back to Darien and the pressure lifted from
Adam’s shoulders.
“That’s right, vampire, we don’t lie.”
“Nor are you very helpful.”
“Oh, but we are, vampire. We keep the peace in this realm, just as we do in
our own.”
“That’s what you call that little squabble with Lucifer that had him
expulsed? Keeping the peace?”
“Kid, shut up.”
Adam glanced at his lover, but he couldn’t find anything in Darien’s posture
to back up the underlying tension behind his words. If anything, he looked as
relaxed as he had ever seen him.
“That’s why you’re here? It’s been a while since you entered this plane of
existence.”
 “I wasn’t needed.” The words “until now” remained unsaid, yet they hung
between them like dead weight.
“I’m sorry you had to make this journey, but you’re not needed now either.”
“I’m not? That’s not exactly true, is it?”
“No reason to concern yourself with me. Everything is under control.”
“Is it? Have all your troubles been solved?”
Darien hesitated. Adam glanced from him to the angel and back, frowning.
He couldn’t put his finger on it, but something was off.
“Not yet, but I’m working on it.”
The angel shifted on his feet, straightening his posture.
“You’d better work fast. Time is running out.” Nate lifted his hand and
brushed his knuckles against Darien’s cheek, a soft rustle of feathers
accompanying his every move. Adam’s skin prickled. “It would be such a
shame to have this pretty face go to waste.”
The angel leaned in until he was a hairsbreadth from the elder’s ear and
whispered loud enough for Adam to hear too, “This is your second warning.
You won’t get a third.” His hand dropped and he pulled back. The blue weight
of his gaze returned to Adam.
“It was indeed a pleasure seeing you again, little one.” With a flick of his
wrist, the angel disappeared.

****

Darien headed blindly to an empty booth across the room, his mind reeling.
What was going on? Why were angels so interested in his business? Granted,
the dead humans were a big enough problem, but angels checking up on
things already? This was a vampire issue. What had happened to the Council?
They should have been first on the scene, not Nate, but there’d been no
message from them, no note, nothing.
“Holy shit! That guy gives me the creeps. Shouldn’t angels be warm and
understanding and, well, kind?”
What? He’d forgotten about Adam. The kid stared at him with huge,
innocent eyes. But was he to be trusted?
“These are not the angels from the fairy tales your mother told you. They
are divine by nature, but they are fighters, enforcers of the law. They protect
humankind and make sure our world stays hidden.”
“Why? Why keep us hidden?”
“Because otherwise there would be mass hysteria. Humans would band up
and hunt us. Not just vampires, but fae, witches, warlocks, lycanthropes,
nephilim, even angels and demons. Everything and anything otherworldly or
slightly inhuman. And when they were done, they would hunt each other
down. Power would spin out of control and war would ignite like prairie fire.
But the angels are the highest ranking. Usually, we regulate our own affairs.
We take care of our own problems. Vampire problems are dealt with by the
vampires.”
“What happens if it’s not handled by the vampires?”
“Then the local demon or angel intervenes.”
“Intervenes how?”
“Usually by wiping out everyone in the territory, guilty or not.”
“What? Even the innocents?”
“That’s our law. If a vampire screws up, their Master deals with them. If the
Master cannot or will not, higher authorities intervene, and when they do,
they punish the guilty vampire, the Master and the Master’s entire line.”
“The entire line? Isn’t that too harsh?”
“Harsh or not, it’s the law.”
From the corner of his eye, Darien saw Zephyr coming out from behind the
bar. The incubus glided gracefully across the room with a concerned look on
his face and a tray in his hand. He stopped silently by their table, making the
kid jump.
“What the fuck, man! Put a bell around your neck or tie some empty cans
from your ankles, damn it!”
“Are you serious? You’re a vampire for crying out loud. Pay attention!”
“What’s your problem, man?”
“I’m not the one with the problem here, kid, you are. Hi, hon.”
Zephyr placed a glass of whiskey in front of Darien and a glass containing a
red concoction in front of Adam.
“Here you go.”
“Thanks.”
“I didn’t order this.”
“Well, that’s what you’re getting, fledgling.”
“My name is Adam, not fledgling, or kid, not anything else you might think
of. Adam.”
He talked a good game, but Darien could smell his arousal at the sight of
Zephyr. Smirking, the incubus ignored him and turned back to Darien. The
newborn took the glass and sniffed it.
“What’s this? Smells like blood.”
“That’s because it is blood, with a hint of wine. Now, what the hell is going
on, Darien? Why is Nate here? Where is the Council?”
 “That’s what I’d like to know.”
“Who’s this Council you’re talking about?”
“The vampires’ highest authority.”
A stir among the patrons drew their attention toward the door. Dante
stepped out of the shadows, heading their way.
I cannot deal with this now.
Darien glanced at the incubus. “Was he here the entire time?”
“No. He must have just come in now.”
The demon walked up to their table, his eyes locked on Darien’s, and
motioned Zephyr to go away. “Take the kid with you.”
The vampire heard Adam’s sharp inhale, but the fledgling stood and
followed Zephyr without protest. As soon as the two of them were out of
earshot, Darien motioned Dante to the chair across from him.
“Would you like to join me?”
“Save the socials for another time. That’s not what I came here for.”
“Oh?”
“What did you do?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“What the fuck did you do? Why is Nate here?” The demon hissed.
“I don’t know why. I haven’t done anything. And if it’s about this whole
business with Lucinda, I’m working on it. It shouldn’t have brought Nathaniel
down in the first place.”
“Well, it did.”
“Unless it’s not about her.” Darien leaned back in his chair, carefully
watching the demon’s face. There was nothing in the man’s eyes, no physical
sign to betray his reaction to the vampire’s words, but the air around them
shifted. “It’s not about that, is it?”
“That is none of your concern. You just deal with her.”
“Not my concern? Are you fucking kidding me? There’s an angel involved.”
“Believe me, I like it just as little as you do.”
“Really? Is your ass at stake here? Do you have a sword dangling above
your head?” Darien snapped. He should have known better than to challenge
his liege demon, but he was getting fed up with being kept in the dark.
Something was happening, and somehow he’d got caught in the middle.
“Get your head out of your ass, bloodsucker! I have as much to lose as you
do. What good does it do me to have an empty piece of land? Assuming I can
keep my place, that is.”
“What do you mean ‘empty’? There’s Zephyr and his kin, witches and
wizards, the fae. Hell, there’s one of them right over there.”
 “Cut the crap. Your demise will tip the power scale. There will be a blood
bath.”
So that’s what this is about? Power? I should have known. It’s always about
power. But if it’s between Nate and Dante, where do I come in? What am I
missing here? Think, damn it, think. But what he said was, “Aww. I never knew
you cared.”
“I don’t give a donkey’s ass about you. I don’t like people meddling in my
affairs. Vampires all over the world will come to claim this territory. The
power struggle between them will mess with the witches’ heads and… You see
where this is going.”
“You still have the wolves.”
“They can’t hold everything together. There’s a reason you bloodsuckers
are considered top dogs in the hierarchy.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Take care of Lucinda, or I’ll make your life a living hell.”
The demon turned on his heel and departed, leaving Darien to stare after
him, swearing. He fought the need to rub his face as it might have been
interpreted as a sign of weakness, which he could ill afford to show during
these troubled times.
Zephyr joined him, with Adam in tow.
Darien fisted his hands beneath the table, his nails digging into his flesh
hard enough to draw blood, as he fought to compose himself. This went
beyond reputation, beyond the show of image. His very life, Zephyr’s, and now
Adam’s, too, was in danger, and even the slightest indication of what had gone
down between him and the demon could mean their demise.

****

Adam followed Zephyr back to their table. He didn’t know Darien well, but
he could see the tension in his shoulders, and his pursed lips. But what gave
him pause was the wildness he found in Darien’s eyes. He shivered under the
weight of Darien’s gaze when it landed on him and almost reached for Zephyr
to steady himself, but he withdrew his hand before he could touch the
incubus’s arm. He didn’t know how his touch would be received, given his
recent history with Darien, nor was he certain he could handle touching
Zephyr at a time like this.
Once they reached Darien, Zephyr pulled up a chair and sat by the vampire,
and the two shared a loaded look. Adam joined them tentatively, though
neither paid him any mind.
 “You okay?” Zephyr whispered to Darien, so low Adam could barely hear
him over the sound of the crowd.
Darien bit the inside of his lower lip, before giving the slightest shake of his
head.
“You want to go somewhere?”
“Can you leave?” Darien sounded gruff.
Zephyr glanced toward the bar. “Yeah. Just give me a few minutes to settle
things here and I’m all yours.” Zephyr’s lips curled into a grimace on the last
word, and he glanced sideways at Adam. “Figure of speech.”
Adam’s stomach sank and he couldn’t meet their eyes. It was clear the two
of them were together. While there weren’t any conspicuous touches between
them in public and there hadn’t been any real chance to observe them in
private, there was a familiarity in their interactions that could only stem from
the kind of closeness achieved by people involved in a sexual relationship. So
where did he fit in? However, judging by the tension radiating from Darien,
this wasn’t the best time to turn things over in his head.
By the time he’d returned his attention to the vampire, Zephyr was already
at the bar.
“You all right?”
Darien glowered at him, but otherwise remained silent, but the worry
buried deep in his eyes spoke volumes. Then Zephyr was back, jacket in hand,
and Darien was climbing to his feet. The elder nodded at Adam, silently
pointing him toward the door. Without a sound, Adam rose and followed the
vampire and the incubus outside.
The walk home felt impossibly long, with none of them talking. The
occasional wave of energy coming off Darien had Adam even more on edge.
There was a dark quality to it, one that had his stomach growling and his gums
aching. Luckily, as soon as the energy started mounting, a softer, subtler one
came to counter it. Judging by its sweetness, it had to came from Zephyr. It
wrapped around Adam like a warm blanket, keeping him grounded and
making the assault from Darien more bearable. Which only made him feel
worse about what he’d done.
The key rattled in the lock as Darien fumbled with it. With a fresh wave of
power rising from Darien, Adam fought the need to offer his help. Even he
knew it wouldn’t go down well. So he bit back a whimper when the tension
escalated further, and swayed on his feet.
Finally, the lock gave and everyone stumbled inside, closing the door
behind them with a loud bang. The walls shook and the artworks hanging on
them rattled under a fresh bout of energy.
 “Fuck,” Darien spat out.
He stormed toward the living-room. Zephyr hurried after him.
“What happened?”
When Darien didn’t give any sign that he’d heard the question, Zephyr
caught his arm and jerked him to a stop.
Adam’s eyes widened in shock as Darien whirled on his heels and snarled
at the incubus in full vampire mode. Adam flinched and took an involuntary
step backwards. Holy crap, vampire Darien is scary.
Zephyr stood his ground, unwavering. “Easy, babe. Easy.” He placed his
hand on Darien’s shoulder. Soothing energy rose again like a bubble. Slowly,
some of the tension drained away from Darien. His vampire self subsided until
his eyes, wide and dark, were the only proof of his distress.
“Better?”
“Yeah. Thank you.”
Somehow, Darien managed a weak smile. After a moment’s hesitation,
Zephyr passed them and headed for the living room. Once again, Adam
couldn’t help noticing the incubus’s familiarity with Darien’s home. A minute
later, he was back, carrying three glasses, each containing a hefty quantity of
cognac.
Darien took a large sip, his eyes fluttering closed as he swallowed. “I
needed that.”
“Care to tell me, us, what’s going on?” To Adam’s surprise, Zephyr waved a
hand in Adam’s direction, including him in the conversation. Didn’t he know
Adam had slept with Darien?
“Really? You want to do this now?” Zephyr rolled his eyes at Adam. “And
before you ask, yes, you spoke out loud.”
Shit.
Zephyr heaved out an exasperated sigh. “Here we go again.”
Darien growled and pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers. “Go
ahead. I’m sure this is far more important than me being threatened by a
demon and an angel.” Darien’s nostrils flared, his brows furrowing.
“Fine.” Zephyr let out a long-suffering exhale. “I know you’ve slept with
Darien. No, he didn’t tell. I just know. I’m an incubus, remember? And no, I
don’t mind. I wish I’d been there, but I don’t mind.”
Could that be true? Zephyr sounded sincere, and it was just as Darien had
told him. But how could that be?
“Now, if that’s been settled, can we go back to the real problem?”
“Yes, I’m sorry.” Adam, flustered, headed for the nearest couch. Zephyr and
Darien followed, each choosing an armchair facing each other.
 “What did Dante want?” Zephyr asked Darien.
“He wants me to kill Lucinda, basically.”
“Why?”
“Apparently, her presence is causing some trouble.”
“Come on, since when does the presence of a vampire in another’s territory
score high enough to attract the attention of the higher powers? Usually, it
barely registers.”
“It’s the first time I’ve heard about it.” Darien leaned forth, resting his
elbows on his knees. “But it’s the second time they’ve shown an interest in my
backyard, so to speak.”
“What do you mean?”
“The night I met Nathaniel they brought it up too. I brushed it off as them
trying to pick on me, but now I’m not so sure.”
“It can’t be a coincidence.”
“My thoughts exactly. We must be missing something. For an archangel to
make an appearance, things must be dire.”
 Chapter 8

Tonight they were going hunting. Or that’s what Darien had said. Granted,
he could have meant trying to find Lucinda, but Adam had a feeling that wasn’t
the case. Either way, he was both excited and scared at the prospect. At first,
Darien had fed him himself, before gradually replacing his blood with the
bagged variety. Where one could get that stuff, except from the hospitals and
clinics, Adam had no idea, but it didn’t matter. Blood was blood. Mostly. Dare’s
blood, so rich and tasty, had taken away the constant pain of his hunger and
he could see things clearer now. The white noise in his head was mostly gone,
and his senses were no longer in overload.
Darien had proven to be a good teacher over the past few weeks,
explaining things patiently and showing him unexpected respect, even if he
still questioned Adam’s allegiance. Adam owed Lucinda nothing, but what
could he do to convince Darien of that? Why couldn’t Darien have been his
Sire? Everything would have been different. He’d been so afraid, so lost and
lonely, before he’d met him. Of course, it would have better if none of this had
happened, but he couldn’t change the past.
He peeked at Darien out of the corner of his eye. Now, if only he’d spend
the nights doing something else besides learning… Adam’s cock twitched
furiously. He’d hoped that the bathroom episode would lead to something
else, but nothing more had happened. Even when Darien was teaching him, he
seemed distracted. Adam had heard him talking over the phone with Zephyr
and a few other people about Lucinda and what was going on. Apparently,
there was some sort of power play, with her leaving dead bodies on his
doorsteps, but from what he gathered, that hadn’t happened since they’d met.
His guess was that she had moved to greener pastures, but Darien didn’t seem
to think so. If anything, he grew more concerned by the hour.
Fuck it! He’d spent the last few weeks in close proximity with the elder and
he was aroused out of his mind. It was enough to see him, get a whiff of his
scent, or even feel him nearby and he was so hard he could pound nails. It
wasn’t the mind-numbing need Zephyr had aroused in him, or the same
craving Lucinda had evoked. Adam had thought about that. There was no
vampiric mojo, or whatever one might call it, no magic or anything
otherworldly. It had to be the man himself. He sighed. The problem was that
he found himself responding to Zephyr as well, and he didn’t like that. The
incubus had been Darien’s lover and Adam had no business lusting after him.
“What’s wrong, kid?”
How long has he been watching me? Deep in thought, he hadn’t been aware
of anything around him.
“Nothing.”
“I see. Would you mind paying attention to your surroundings then?”
“I’m sorry.” Adam looked around him and frowned. Was that the Opera
House? When did they get here? “What are we doing here?” He pointed across
the street at the dark park.
Dare cocked an eyebrow inquiringly. “What makes you think we’re heading
over there?”
Adam glanced at his watch and lifted his wrist to the vampire’s eye level,
pointing at the dial.
“Because it’s too late to catch the evening show, so we cannot possibly be
going to the opera. Not to mention, we’re not properly dressed for it. Besides,
you said we were going hunting, and I doubt we’d be doing that in the fully lit
corridors at intermission, no matter how beautiful they may be.”
“I take it you’re a fan. But you are correct; we are not here for the show.
We’ll catch one some other night, if you like. We’re heading to the park next to
it.” At Adam’s hesitation, Darien prompted further. “What’s the matter? You
don’t like parks?”
“It’s not that. I like them fine, but this specific one doesn’t have the best
reputation.”
“Are you serious? You’re a fucking vampire. When will that get through that
thick head of yours? What can there possibly be in there to scare you?”
“It’s been known to be the gathering place for all sorts of shady people. As
for being a fucking vampire, there hasn’t been any fucking lately. And not for
my lack of trying, I might add.”
Darien ignored the jab. “Shady people? Really? I’m all ears.” The sarcasm in
his voice was so heavy one could have cut it with a knife.
“Thieves, murderers, prostitutes of all kinds, and pimps.”
“Are you serious? Okay, let’s take them one at a time. Thieves. Other than
that watch of yours, you don’t have any valuables with you, and even if you
did, you’re a vampire, so human thieves shouldn’t be an issue. Prostitutes and
pimps. Oh well, even if there are any there, they won’t have any issues with
you as long as you don’t interrupt their business. Besides, you’re a vampire!!!
As for the murderers, you are one of them.”
“What does that make you then?”
 “I never said I wasn’t. In fact, I’ve been called worse, and most times they
were right, but we aren’t talking about me here. Now, let’s hunt. Follow me.”
Darien turned on his heel and started across the street. Adam watched him
go, admiring the grace and fluidity of his movements. Jaywalking, the vampire
gracefully dodged the few oncoming cars and swiftly blended into the
shadows under the trees.
“Are you coming? We haven’t got all night.” The words rang loud and clear
in Adam’s head, as if Darien had been standing right next to him. Though he
had experienced this kind of communication before, he didn’t think he’d ever
get used to it.
“Earth to Adam. Stop staring and start moving”.
“How do you do it? Is it magic?”
“What is it with you and magic? Why does everything have to do with
magic?”
“Does it?”
Darien snorted. “Of course not. It’s just the blood.”
“The blood?”
“Yes. My blood runs through your veins. It serves more than creating a
vampire and giving strength. It also builds a connection between the Sire and
the fledgling.”
“But you’re not my Sire. And I’m not sure I like having you in my head like
this.”
“It’s true I’m not the one who made you, but you’ve fed from me, not Lucinda,
almost from the beginning. As for liking having me in your head, I’d suggest you
get used to it. Or are you afraid I’ll intercept conversations between you and
her?”
“This again?” Annoyance prickled at the edge of Adam’s mind.
“Relax, kid. I was just teasing you. I can’t do that. I can project thoughts in
your head, but I cannot read your mind. Now get a move on!”
Adam shook himself free and followed.
They crossed the park from one end to another and then, from a hidden
spot under the trees, where the shadows grew thicker, they watched. Darien
had him smell, listen, and stalk, straining his senses to the limit until his head
buzzed with the effort. Having had the need to filter external stimuli drilled
into him, opening himself up completely to them was a shock. The scent of
warm blood running through the veins of those nearby and the sound of the
heartbeats around them were driving him crazy. He’d fed on some of that
awful bagged blood before they left, but the hunger was gnawing at him again.
They watched the humans passing, talking, kissing, holding hands, like they
didn’t have a care in the world. Like they didn’t know there were predators
out there and that, perhaps, they’d passed Death by an inch.
The place lived up to its reputation. In the corner, a working boy, no older
than eighteen, dressed in a pair of ragged jeans and a tank top, was walking
the alley. Another was giving a john a blowjob behind a bush while the pimp,
or perhaps another hustler, watched from the shadows.
“Which one is it going to be?”
Fuck! Taken in by the scents and colors of the night, Adam had almost
forgotten why they were here. Almost. But, damn, how could he choose? No
matter what those kids were doing, how they made ends meet, they were
human. A heart beat in their chests and their blood ran hot through their
veins. They breathed, laughed, loved, fought, fucked. They lived. And now he
had to choose one of them to sate his hunger. To sink his teeth into them, to
drink and drink, and, if he were lucky, to stop before draining the person’s life
away. Could he do it?
He still remembered the last time he’d tried to feed from a human being. He
remembered how the woman had felt against him, how she had fought him.
The smell of her fear remained imprinted in his brain and he knew he’d never
forget how she went limp in his arms as the life drained from her body. Could
he do it again? Could he not only sit by and watch but be the one to take
another’s life?
The john in the corner grunted as he came, drawing Adam’s attention. The
wind changed, bringing him the scent of cum and adrenaline. From what
Adam could see, he was good-looking enough. In his forties, perhaps, with
broad shoulders and strong features. The gray hairs at his temples made him
look distinguished, in a school teacher kind of way. What was a guy like him
doing in a place like this with a working boy? With his looks, he could have
almost any man he wanted. Adam watched as the man rolled down a fresh
condom and signaled the kid to bend over. Perhaps he wasn’t out yet. Perhaps
he was too cheap to rent a room, or maybe he had a fetish for doing it in public
places. Or for younger, much younger, partners.
“Is he the one you want?”
“Yeah.” But before he could continue, the wind brought him a new scent.
Fresher, stronger. “No, not him.”
Drawn by the new smell, Adam forgot completely about the john. He closed
his eyes and filled his lungs. Hunger gnawed at his insides. His fangs dropped.
Adrenaline surged in his veins. His eyes snapped open and found his target,
the source of the delightful scent.
“I want her.”
 A small-framed, dark-haired woman scurried along a partially lit side alley.
Blood rushed through her veins, her heart beating a mile a minute. She
glanced to all sides and the smell of her fear filled the air.
Dare sniffed and chuckled. “That’s not a woman.”
“Of course it is. Just look at her. She’s so… small, barely five foot.”
“So? Since when is height a distinctive feature between men and women?
Forget it, kid. She’s out of your league.”
Adam lowered himself to the ground, half crawled a few steps, and hid
behind the closest tree, watching her.
“What in the world are you doing?”
“Stalking.”
“No, you’re not. Get up. You’re making a fool of yourself.”
“Sheesh. I’m concentrating.” Adam ignored Darien’s exasperated sigh and
inhaled again deeply.
“What the hell?” He sniffed again. Her scent had changed, becoming more
pungent. “Something’s wrong. That’s not a woman.”
“No shit, Sherlock. She’s not even human.”
As if on cue, the woman turned to them and smiled. Her pupils glowed red
in the night. She caught Adam’s eyes and held them. Invisible strings wrapped
around his body, holding him just as securely as her gaze did. He felt the
power pulling at him, like it was trying to find an opening, a cinch that would
allow entrance beneath his skin. Whispers reverberated in his head and he
leaned in, trying to get closer.
“Enough!” Darien’s order, no louder than the whispers in Adam’s head, held
an indisputable tone of authority.
The creature hesitated for a second longer, but a small push of energy from
Darien had her release her hold. She lowered her eyes, bowing her head in
their direction, and left. The cords holding Adam let up and he nearly fell on
his ass.
“What the fuck was that?”
“That, my young one, was a succubus. Zephyr’s female counter part.”
“Of course she was.” Adam caught the bridge of his nose between his
fingers and squeezed, praying for patience.
Taking pity on him, Darien continued his explanation. “That was Amille.
She was human once, just like most of the lesser demons, but she lost her
humanity a long time ago.”
“But she smelled human.”
“Of course she did; it’s part of her ruse. She feeds on energy, on sins and
souls. She needs to pass as human as much as she can to get close to her pray.”
 “Can she feed on us?”
“Yes, but the energy a succubus or an incubus would get from a vampire
wouldn’t sustain them. It would only give them the power-rush of sex without
the proverbial cigar.”
“Can she kill a vampire?”
“Any vampire, or someone as young as you?”
“Me.” He mumbled the word, ashamed to admit he’d been scared.
Darien pondered the question. “Probably not, but she could drain you to
the brink. You might not fully recover, and if you did, it would take a lot of
time. With an older vampire, a fully established one, it would be different.
Most likely, he wouldn’t miss the energy she took.”
“That explains your relationship with Zephyr.” Damn it! Why couldn’t he
sound all casual and careless about this instead of jealous and insecure?
“What do you know about my relationship with Zephyr?”
“You’re right, I don’t know anything, because you don’t tell me anything.”
“I tell you plenty.”
“Oh, you’re teaching me things, showing me stuff, but you’re not telling me
anything.”
“What do you want?”
Now was the moment. The thirst didn’t matter anymore; a new kind of
hunger gnawed his insides.
“You. I want you.” He could see the indecision in Darien’s eyes, but he
wouldn’t let go, afraid he might not get another chance. He moved closer,
stepping into his lover’s personal space. The temperature rose and his heart
beat faster, blood racing through his veins. “And I know you want me.” He felt
it in the air, saw it in the fire burning in the vampire’s eyes.
“Do I?”
“Yes. And don’t bother denying it, because I know better. I can smell your
arousal every time we’re within fifteen feet of each other.”
“I see that someone is settling into his new senses.”
“No need for any settling; that’s not an unfamiliar scent. Granted, there’s
never been one so strong or that smelled so good before.” Adam leaned in, his
eyes locked with Darien’s. He could see the need on the elder’s face, as great as
his own. “I want you.”
“You haven’t fed.”
Adam shook his head. “It doesn’t matter.”
Darien kissed him fiercely, smashing their mouths together. Just as quickly
as he’d started, he broke the kiss.
 Pressing flush against the older vampire, Adam whispered. “Take me
home.”
Darien opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. A shiver ran up
Adam’s spine. Darien stilled, his body going rigid and his nostrils flaring. In
slow motion, Adam watched Darien’s fangs peek out, descending, while his
pupils dilated until the color was gone, leaving only blackness. He glanced
around to see what had prompted this reaction, but nothing seemed out of
place.
“What’s wrong?”
His question was met by silence.
“Dare?”
After a moment, Darien unfroze and shook his head, but the tension didn’t
leave his body. “Nothing.”
“Are you sure?”
“Hold on.”
“Huh?”
The warning had barely registered before he was jerked off his feet, and in
the next second they were gone, Darien having jumped high into the air,
dragging Adam with him. Darien caught one of the lower branches of the tree
above them, swung to gain momentum, and pushed himself to the next tree.
From there, he jumped again, higher, catching the edge of a first-floor balcony
on the nearest building. He lunged for the wall, and Adam grunted as they hit
it hard, but Darien absorbed most of the shock, protecting Adam with his own
body. A few seconds later, they were on the rooftop, and from there it was an
easy ride. Darien moved from one building to the next, taking advantage of
every shadow, of every nook and cranny, keeping them as low as possible, his
footsteps light as feathers despite the extra weight he was carrying.

****

Darien took the fastest route home, his senses screaming. Adam’s hard
body pressing against his didn’t help his train of thought any, but at least he
knew he was safe.
What in God’s name was going on? There had been something lurking in
the park. At first, he’d thought it was Lucinda, but there was more than that. It
was her signature, yet it wasn’t. There was a bitter edge to it, like old,
unsettled death, along with fine traces of an otherworldly energy that Darien
couldn’t quite place. All he knew was the hair on the back of his neck had risen
and cold shivers had run down his spine when he first felt it. It had made him
think of Dante, and that alone didn’t sit well with him, because he was certain
the demon hadn’t been anywhere near that place.
Coldness had gathered around him and Adam, like clouds before a storm,
leaving him no way of knowing if it was aimed at him or the fledgling. And to
hell with everything, that was not acceptable. Adam was his. So he’d fled. Like
a coward, he’d taken the kid and left. But that didn’t matter anymore, not
when that was the best way to ensure the fledgling’s safety.
Finally, they reached the house and jumped the fence. One quick twist of
his wrist and the front door came unlocked. He pushed Adam inside and shut
the door behind him, hiding them from the world. Adrenaline rushing through
his body, he pulled Adam close.
“Wow, that was a hell of a ride.”
The kid pressed against him, sneaking his hands under Darien’s shirt and
raining kisses down Darien’s neck.
Pulling Adam closer, Darien placed his palm against the door, power rising
from his hand. The wards snapped into place. He didn’t think they’d been
followed, but it didn’t hurt to make sure.
“Hey, are you all right?”
Hearing the words from somewhere far away, his senses extended, soaring,
searching. After a quick sweep of the property, he retreated back into his
body. Even though there was nothing out of place, his stomach still wouldn’t
settle.
Adam had ceased his caresses and now stood in front of him with a
concerned looked on his face. “Is everything okay?”
In lieu of an answer, Darien grabbed Adam and pushed him against the
door, eyes gleaming.
“Hey!”
His mouth descended on Adam’s, hard, ruthless, while his hands assessed
Adam’s body, filing, cataloging, making sure his soon-to-be lover was unhurt.
Adam moaned, opening himself to the assault. Their tongues met, caressed,
rubbed, Darien tasting his lover like a starved man. His gums ached, but he
kept his fangs on a tight leash.
With a growl, he broke the kiss, moving his mouth over Adam’s jaw, cheek,
and earlobes, nipping at his throat hard enough to mark the skin, but not
enough to pierce it. He settled his hands on his lover’s ass, kneading the flesh.
He’s okay. Thank heavens he’s okay!
“Oh God, what’s gotten into you?”
“You want me to stop?” He could barely get the words out. Say no. Please
say no.
 Adam snorted. “Are you out of your mind?”
With a grunt, Darien caught Adam’s lips in another scorching kiss. Adam
met him open mouthed, giving as good as he got.
The fledgling arched his back, wrapping his limbs around Darien, pushing
himself into the vampire, shamelessly begging for more. There was nothing
gentle between them, no sweet lovemaking, just scorching, bone-shattering
need.
Clothes tore and fell to the ground. Fingers dug in, lips and teeth nibbled,
tasting, marking. Hard cocks throbbed furiously and it seemed like nothing
they could do would bring them close enough.
Darien fell to his knees, sinking his face in Adam’s groin, inhaling his scent.
Mine.
Wrapping his fingers around the base, he licked the fledgling’s cock. He
flicked his tongue over the head, teaseing the slit and the sensitive spot just
under the glans, none too gently. Adam thrashed and moaned, his prick oozing
drop after drop of precum. Darien lapped at it, loving the sweet taste of his
partner.
Holding it steady, Darien went down on that delicious cock, enjoying the
pain the sudden move caused at the back of his throat. He bobbed his head
back and forth, rubbing his tongue along the sensitive underside of Adam’s
dick on each stroke, the crazed sounds coming from his lover spurring him on.
He needed more. He needed it hard and fast, to claim and mark and be
marked. But he kept himself in check, forcing himself to go slow, focusing
solely on Adam, using his skill to drive him crazy.
The prick in his mouth throbbed, filling itself with even more blood, and
Darien took it even deeper than before, burying his face in Adam’s pubes.
Adam’s hands in his hair held Darien still as Adam’s hips surged forward and,
with a strangled cry, he came.
Liquid heat poured down Darien’s throat and he drank every drop, his
muscles contracting around the cock in his mouth, prolonging the sensations.
Even when Adam went limp against the door, his spasms dying out, Darien
kept licking and sucking and teasing, not allowing the dick to soften. Soon,
Adam was fucking Darien’s mouth again, his prick throbbing as if he hadn’t
come just minutes before.
Letting the dick fall from his mouth, Darien jumped to his feet. “Fuck me.”
Adam’s prick gave a little jerk, more precum leaking from the tip. “Yes.”
Darien leaned forward, bracing his hands against the adjacent wall.
“Where’s the lube?”
“I don’t want any. Just fuck me!”
 “Whoa. No lube?”
“Yes. I want it now and I want it hard. I need to feel it afterwards.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, damn it. Fuck me!”
Taking him at his word, Adam stepped up behind him, raining kisses
against the nape of his neck and shoulders. Gentle brushes of fingers against
his sides had his knees trembling.
“Oh God, just fuck me! I can’t hold it much longer.”
Using spit to add to the natural lubrication of his cock, Adam settled
between Darien’s legs. His prick, still a bit dry, pressed against the vampire’s
entrance. The sphincter protested, pain flaring, and it only added to Darien’s
arousal. Then the muscles gave, the bulbous head sliding in, in a delicious
blend of pleasure and pain.
The rhythm too slow for his taste, Darien pushed back, impaling himself on
the cock. “Fuck me, damn you. Fuck me hard!”
Adam’s hands tightened on his waist, his hips starting to pump. His prick
felt huge in Darien’s ass, filling him to the brim. The vampire pushed back
against the cock fucking him, silently demanding more. Taking the cue, Adam
picked up the pace. Pain spiked, flooding Darien’s system, turning into
unbelievable pleasure along the way.
“Harder. Please, I need it hard.”
A hand tangled in his hair, fingers massaging the scalp for an instant, before
his head was jerked back, his neck strained to the limit. Behind him, his lover
panted, body shaking with the effort, his hips never stopping their
crisscrossing movement.
Oh God, touch my cock!
Need pooled at the base of his spine. The hand tightened in his hair and
fingers dug into his thigh. Tingles spread along the nerves’ length.
Balancing on just one hand, Darien moved the other toward his dick, but
before he could reach it, his hand was pushed away.
“Fuck, I need.”
“No. Come without it.”
Damn you, I can’t.
But Adam fucked him even harder, though he hadn’t thought it possible,
and Darien needed both hands to brace himself. His head was pulled back
again, sharp fangs scraping his throat, and that was all it took.
“Come for me, Dare.”
 The pressure at the base of his spine increased and pleasure shot through
him. His cock exploded, semen spurting in long, hot streams, his entire body
shaking.
Behind him, Adam gave a few final, powerful thrusts, before lodging
himself balls deep and filling Darien with even more liquid heat.

****

Propped on his elbow, Darien took in the image of his lover sleeping in his
bed: long lashes casting shadows under Adam’s eyes, the hollow of his cheek,
the elegant curve of his mouth. Smiling, he traced Adam’s lips with the tip of
his finger, but the man did not stir. Dark bruises graced Adam’s hips and
thighs, where Darien’s fingers had dug into the skin. They would soon fade,
but for now they looked like purple smudges on alabaster, and they piqued at
his guilt.
The kid was right. What has gotten into me?
He should have been gentler. He liked it rough, but Adam hadn’t been used
to that. Where had all his control gone? After seven centuries of experience,
one would have expected him to be able to keep himself in check, but just the
hint of a threat to Adam had Darien twisted in all sorts of knots.
He fell back on the pillows and put his hands under his head, staring at the
ceiling. The kid was no spy. He might be a fool, but he was an honest fool. The
night before, Adam had opened himself to Darien, giving him almost complete
access to his feelings and emotions, and that wasn’t something that could be
faked so easily. It took centuries of practice for a vampire to be able to project
a lie to that extent. Not even Darien, for all his years, could do it.
Rubbing at his eyes, he wished, not for the first time, for sleep. Had it really
been only a few weeks since he had been bored out of his skull? It seemed like
a decade. His body felt heavy, the simplest movements taking far more effort
than they should have. Perhaps he should feed more. Counting the days since
his last feeding, he frowned. Had it been only two days? Could Adam be right
and there was something wrong with him?
The cell on the night stand chirped, announcing an incoming call. Glancing
at his lover, Darien reached for the phone and swiped his thumb over the
screen.
“Darien.”
“Why so formal? Am I interrupting something?” Hearing Zephyr’s voice at
the other end of the line brought an unexpected wave of peacefulness.
“No, you’re not.”
 “Oops. My bad. I couldn’t have. It’s daytime. No way the kid would be up
and running now.”
“Zephyr…”
“Never mind.” Even over the phone the incubus seemed tense.
Darien snapped to attention. “What’s going on? Are you all right?”
Zephyr hesitated for the briefest moment before answering. “Yeah, I am.
I’m sorry for snapping at you.”
“Never mind that. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I don’t know. There’s…something.”
“Are you at home?”
“Yes.”
“Stay there. I’m on my way.”
“No need for that. I told you I’m fine.”
“Stay. Where. You. Are.” Happy for the distraction, Darien hung up without
waiting for Zephyr’s response. He jumped out of bed and into his jeans,
stopping only to look back at his lover and, with a smile, pull the comforter
over him. Then, turning on his heel, he made for the door, grabbing a fresh T-
shirt from the closet on his way out.

****

What is happening to me? Why am I riding him so hard about this? Adam is
not the first man Darien has taken to his bed, but none of them have ever
mattered. Not like this one does. Why? What is so special about him?
But deep inside, Zephyr knew the answer to that. Adam was special, and he
couldn’t stop himself being both envious of Darien and jealous of Adam. He
may not have had the time to get to know him, but what he had sensed in him
had brought up long forgotten memories, stirred up feelings he didn’t know he
had. For an instant, he’d wanted Adam for himself, but that wasn’t possible.
Not with his background. Even assuming Adam wanted him back, Zephyr’s
nature would have intervened and screwed everything up. He loved Darien
and knew Darien loved him back, but even so, he still felt unworthy at times.
He’d seen the way his lover reacted to Adam’s presence. He’d seen the need
and the jealousy. So he’d done the only thing he could do. He’d used his power
to tease Adam, goading Darien until he’d let himself admit he wanted the
fledgling. And while the ploy was probably successful, it brought a bitter taste
to his mouth. Jealousy was an ugly feeling, one he hadn’t experienced in many,
many centuries, and one he’d hoped he wouldn’t feel ever again. Why let
himself get close to someone, when no one would want him the way Darien
wanted Adam. Preferably he’d choose Adam himself. But who would want an
incubus for a boyfriend anyway? The word sounded foreign to his mind.
Blinking against the tears pooling in his eyes, he told himself, for the
hundredth time, that he’d done the right thing, and that Adam would be more
suited to Darien. That didn’t mean he had to like it.
Speaking of which, what was wrong with Darien? He’d sensed something
odd coming off him when he’d visited the other day, but it had been too faint
for him to identify. Perhaps it was in reaction to Adam’s presence. After all the
kid wasn’t his per se, but either way, Zephyr decided to keep an eye out for
anything out of place.

****

Swearing at the mid-morning traffic on the main street, Darien swerved

onto one of the side roads and fifteen minutes later he pulled up in front of
Zephyr’s apartment building.
“You didn’t have to come. I told you I’m all right.” But, nonetheless, the
incubus held the door open for him, inviting him in. Zephyr’s hair was a mess,
his clothes two sizes too big, there were dark circles under his eyes and, for
once, he wore his mortal face, looking as he must have looked before selling
his soul.
“What’s with the attitude? I just wanted to make sure you’re safe.” Darien
passed his friend and headed for the living room. “What’s going on, hon?”
Zephyr, who had followed him into the room, fidgeted and then started
pacing. “I’m not sure. I’m sorry. There’s something in the air, so to say.”
“What?”
“I don’t know. I really don’t know. That’s the problem. And it drives me
crazy.”
Darien pursed his lips. “We were out hunting last night. In the park. I think
there was someone there.”
“You’re not sure?”
“I’m not kidding you.”
“I didn’t think you were. Was it Lucinda?”
“At first I thought it was her, but now I’m not so sure. There has to be
someone else involved.”
“How’s the kid?”
“He’s not involved.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
 “He’s fine. Out cold for the day.” The vampire caught Zephyr’s eyes. “Do you
think it’s him?”
The incubus plopped into the nearest chair and ran his fingers through his
sandy hair, a pained look on his face. “I don’t know. I really don’t.”
“Let’s go for a walk.”

****

“So. You’re teaching the young thing how to hunt.”

“Yeah, I guess I am.” Something in the incubus’s voice compelled Darien to
keep things light. “He needs someone to teach him, and it gives me a good
opportunity to keep an eye on him.”
“I see.”
They walked at a leisurely pace, like they had no care in the world. Humans
passed them by, all in a hurry, all wrapped up in their personal problems. A
dog was sleeping under a bush. Cars honked, drivers cursed, taxis pulled out
in front, swerving. Just normal day-to-day behavior.
“I can’t believe you’re in the mood for a stroll in the park.”
“I have an idea.” A sharp ray of sunlight burst through the thick canopy of
trees and Darien pushed his mirrored sunglasses higher on his nose in an
attempt to shield his eyes.
“You should have brought a baseball cap or something.”
“The light isn’t too bright. I’ll be fine.”
Zephyr regarded him carefully. “Are you sure? You’re acting strange.”
“I’m fine. I’m just tired.” Power brushed against Darien, but the incubus did
not press matters further.
He stopped and pointed to a place a few meters in front of them. “We were
sitting next to that tree when I sensed it.”
Zephyr headed for the nearest bench and sat down. “Let me see what I can
find out.”
The incubus threw his head back and closed his eyes as if enjoying the
caress of the late spring sunlight, but his power rippled and his senses soared.
Darien felt the energy extending, probing, and he settled down to watch his
friend’s face. At one point, sweat broke out across Zephyr’s forehead, but he
kept going.
After a while, when the sun had traveled a good portion of the sky, Zephyr
opened his eyes.
“You were right. It was Lucinda.”
 The vampire looked around, searching every face among those passing by,
every tree and bush. What the hell? How can I not sense her? “Now? She is still
here?”
The incubus shook his head. “No. I’m surprised she’s still in Bucharest.
Things have been quiet. I thought—hoped—she was gone.”
“She wouldn’t give up this easily.”
“Yeah, well, you were right. But she wasn’t alone.”
“Who else was here?”
“Someone old and out of this world most likely.”
“A demon? I thought I picked up a trace of Dante’s signature alongside
hers.”
“It’s not Dante, and let’s face it, if it were, you wouldn’t have been able to
pick it out if he didn’t want you to. But it could have been a demon. I don’t
know, but it was someone powerful.”
“Come on, man, give me something.”
“I’m sorry. I wish I had more.”

****

“Where have you been? I woke up and you weren’t here. I’ve been worried
about you.”
When the night finally set in, Darien found Adam up and waiting for him.
Wrapping his arms around the fledgling, Darien held him tight.
“I’m sorry I left without a word. I had to check something.”
“What’s going on? What is it you’re not telling me?”
“I’ll tell you everything you want to know, but first I want you to answer a
few questions for me.”
“Sure. Anything.”
“Give me your hand.”
“Huh?”
Darien took Adam’s hand and turned the palm upwards to expose the
wrist. His lips caressed the skin.
“Oh, that’s nice.”
“How did you meet Lucinda?” His fangs pierced the soft flesh of the
fledgling’s arm, and he made no effort to dull the pain. Adam jerked and blood
gushed from the wounds.
“What the hell! What are you doing?”
Darien lifted his head, looking his lover in the eyes. “Shh. Just relax and
answer the question, please. I’ll explain everything later.” He closed his lips
around the fast-closing wound, his fangs striking again. His cheeks hollowed,
blood rushing in.
Adam shuddered, his eyes rolling back and the scent of his arousal filling
the air. “Oh, heavens, that feels good.”
“Answer me, please.”
“I was clubbing with some friends, about two or three nights before I met
you, and she was there on the dance floor. I’m not sure why she picked me,
though. I’m just a normal guy.”
“Oh, I can see why she picked you. Why did she turn you?”
“I don’t know.”
“Do you know who else is here in Bucharest with her? Who may be behind
her?”
“No.”
Each question generated another pull of Darien’s mouth against his lover’s
wrist. The elder drank the blood and with it all of Adam’s emotions and
thoughts. He felt his arousal, its taste heavy on his tongue, the bitterness of his
fear, his confusion, and, above all, the truth of his words. Yet, he kept asking,
pushing further and further.
Adam’s head lolled back, his senses going into overload.
Darien licked the wounds closed. His snaked his arms around his lover,
hugging him close.
“Shh. It’s okay, baby. I’m sorry I had to do this.”
Finally, Adam came to his senses, his eyes meeting Darien’s. “You don’t
believe me.”
“I do now. I’m sorry, but I had to know for sure.”
“I’ve told you before, I’m not a spy. Besides, I was with you the whole time.”
“That’s true, but that didn’t necessarily mean you couldn’t have been
involved somehow. Even last night, in the park. Lucinda was there, but there
was someone else also. Someone a lot stronger than her.”
Hurt spread across Adam’s face, replacing the semi-dazed expression the
feeding had generated. He pushed at Darien’s chest, trying to budge him.
“So that’s what that was all about last night? You were trying to extract
information from me? You bastard!” He shoved again, harder, and this time
Darien pulled back, giving him some space.
“No, it wasn’t like that.”
“Screw you!” Tears pooled in his eyes and he hit Darien again and again, his
fist making muffled thuds as it struck the rib cage. “How could you? I was
falling for you, God damn you!”
 “Stop it!” Darien caught Adam’s hands and pushed him back against the
wall with his body, flush against him. “Just stop it, damn it! Did you say you’re
falling for me?”
“I was. Past tense, asshole!”
“Enough with the name calling. It wasn’t like that last night. It had nothing
to do with extorting information or with the situation we are in. I wanted you.
I still do.”
Adam, who had stilled when Darien grabbed his hand, gasped, hope filling
his eyes. “Don’t lie to me, or I swear to God, I will kill you myself.”
“I’m not lying. I swear.”
Darien leaned in and brushed his lips against Adam’s. His mouth lingered,
but he kept his touch light, like asking for permission. He traced Adam’s lips
with his tongue, taking his time. With a sigh, the fledgling parted his lips under
his, and only then did Darien take things further. Their lovemaking was sweet,
bodies gliding against each other, taking their time, exploring each other,
learning each other like never before.

****

“Will you tell me what’s going on?”

They were lying in bed, Adam’s head resting on Darien’s chest.
“I wish I knew. Lucinda is playing some sort of territory game, and it looks
like she’s not alone. The Council has no clue what’s going on. The angel
shouldn’t be here, shouldn’t be involved, yet somehow it is, and this whole
mess is making Dante nervous and Zephyr downright crazy.”
“Zephyr? You’ve seen him?”
“Yes.”
“I see.” Adam closed his eyes against the impending tears, glad his face was
hidden. Unfortunately, he couldn’t control his emotions as easily.
Placing his hand under the fledgling’s chin, Darien gently tilted his face so
their eyes met. “Hey, hey. What’s going on, baby?”
“Zephyr. You’ve been with him.”
“Yes, but I haven’t slept with him.”
“Did you mean what you said before? That you fell for me?”
“Every word. I don’t know how or when, but somewhere along the way I
fell for you.”
“But you have feelings for him as well.”
Darien hesitated, and Adam knew he wasn’t going to like the answer, but
he needed to hear it nonetheless.
 “Yes, I do. We’ve been together for a long time. He’s the closest thing I have
to a best friend. Or any kind of friend, come to that.”
“What? You don’t have friends?”
Darien shrugged. “The vampire life, or the lifestyle of most lesser
immortals, is not conducive to making friends.”
“Wow, that’s harsh.”
“Harsh or not, it’s the truth. We have enemies and allies, but very rarely
true friends.”
It sounded like a sad life, but not wanting to make Darien feel bad, Adam
kept the thought himself.
“And Zephyr has feelings for you.”
“Yes.”
He had expected that, and the jealous pang that stabbed him, but what
surprised him was that half of it was directed against Darien, not Zephyr.
Adam was torn. He felt for the vampire, but a part of him wanted the incubus
as well.
Oblivious to what went through Adam’s mind, or perhaps mistaking the
direction of his distress, Darien continued. “I’m sorry if this hurts you. That
was never my intention. I cannot change any of this, nor would I if I could. I’ve
fallen in love with you, but I won’t turn on my friend.”
“I wouldn’t ask you to. But how does he feel about you and me? About you
sleeping with me?”
“He’s a creature of lust and sex. He wouldn’t begrudge me my happiness.”
“Are you stringing me along?”
“What? No. Why would I?”
Adam paused and nodded slowly. He worried at his lower lip, pondering.
He had to tell him. He didn’t want to, but he knew he had to come clean.
“I have a confession to make.” He tried to play it light, but there had to be
something in his tone that alerted Darien, because Adam felt the muscles
beneath him tense.
“Okay, I’m listening.”
“I think you may be in danger. From me.”
Darien pushed himself into an almost sitting position, his eyes boring holes
in Adam’s head. “What are you talking about?”
Adam, jolted from his position by his lover’s movement, twisted onto his
knees and settled back on his haunches at the edge of the bed. “Please let me
explain.” At Darien’s nod, he continued. “I’ve been having these strange
dreams lately. There’s death in them.”
 “We all have those. They sort of come with the territory. The ghosts of the
people you kill have the tendency to haunt long after their bodies have turned
to dust. You learn to deal with them or go crazy. As for the blood, it’s the
hunger talking.”
“No, you don’t understand. It’s not like that. I see the faces of those I’ve
killed, but it’s not about them. And it is not about the blood either. I think
there’s someone in my head.”
“What do you mean?”
“I see you dying, see myself on top of you, drenched in your blood, drinking
and drinking. I feel the thrill of the kill, the pleasure of it. In my dreams, it’s me
who’s killing you.”
“Oh really?” Darien quirked an eyebrow, as if to say I dare you, but he was
now fully alert.
Adam shook his head. “No. I don’t want you dead. Even in my dreams it
seems wrong. But there are voices, and somehow they make it seem better,
more natural.”
“Lucinda.”
“My thoughts exactly, though it’s not her voice I’m hearing. Or I don’t think
so.”
“How often does it happen?”
“At first it was every once in a while, but lately it’s happening every night.
Well, every day.”
“Have you talked with her lately? Seen her?”
“No. I told you already I haven’t. I swear.”
“Have you drunk any blood other than what I’ve given you?”
“No.”
Darien got off the bed and walked to the window, staring outside. “How
does she do it? She shouldn’t be able to.”
“Perhaps she does the same thing you did back in the park.”
“What? The talking in your head thing? I doubt it.”
“Why is that? You did it. Why couldn’t she do the same?”
“It’s not that impressive actually. I followed the connection created by you
feeding from me for so long. It allows me to locate you anytime I want and to
talk with you mentally. For as long as you feed from me, that link will be in
place. That’s one of the bonds that keep a coven together. Not loyalty. Loyalty
doesn’t necessarily fit in.”
“Does it go both ways?”
“Assuming I constantly feed from you, too, to some extent, yes.”
“Cool.”
 “Cool or not, it still doesn’t explain how she does it.”
“She made me. Shouldn’t that count for something?”
“If you had fed from her since, then, yes, it would. But like this, the chances
are very slim.”
“Is there no other way for her to get through?”
“An elder could push through without the blood connection, but they
would need to be in close proximity to do so.”
“She was here?”
“No, I don’t think so. I would have felt her. Besides, my house has all sorts
of protections. Nobody could get in without my knowing.”
Silence fell, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Adam voiced
his concern.
“What do we do now?”
Darien glanced back over his shoulder from his place next to the window. “I
don’t know, kid.”
 Chapter 9

“Will you stay with me?”

Darien pulled Adam tighter against him. The fledgling wiggled his ass
against his groin, drawing a groan from Darien as his cock stirred again.
“I’ll be right here. And if you don’t stop moving I’ll have to fuck your cute
little ass again.”
“Hmm. Is that a promise?”
Darien ran his hand over Adam’s lower abdomen all the way to his cock
and gave it a squeeze. Adam moaned and pushed himself into Darien’s palm.
“It feels good.”
“That it does, but now is not the time. The sun will be up soon and I don’t
want to fuck a corpse.” Plump lips pouted, and Darien swatted Adam’s butt.
“Behave. We’ll have plenty of time for this later tonight.”
“Spoilsport.”
Darien nibbled at Adam’s shoulder, careful not break the skin.
Adam yawned. “I’m afraid.”
“Nothing to be scared about. I’m right here. I’ll make sure she cannot get to
you.”
“You don’t understand. The dreams are really awful.”
“I know, little one. Hush now, relax, don’t fight it. Whatever happens, I’ll be
here the whole time.” The last words were chanted, like they were part of a
lullaby.
With a sigh, Adam went limp in his arms as sleep claimed him.
Darien remained fully alert, idly tracing circles against his lover’s skin,
aware that Adam couldn’t feel it.
What should I do now? What is the best course of action? Is the kid lying to
me? He glanced at his lover sleeping peacefully in his arms. No, I don’t think he
is. But how the hell is she doing it? What am I missing here?
The sun rose slowly and Darien followed its passing in the play of shadows
in the room. He stilled his every movement, even stopped breathing, waiting.
At some point, after the sun had travelled a long way across the sky, he felt
it. The smallest trace of power. Darien sensed it reaching out to the
protections of the house, brushing against them, searching for the weakest
point, and when it found it, it pushed through, like a tiny snake of energy,
slithering, worming its way inside.
 Darien cursed softly under his breath. There was no scent to it and it didn’t
stir in the air. If Darien hadn’t been waiting for something to happen, he would
have missed that thing entirely. Perhaps he needed to re-think his defense
system.
He waited, settling to watch the intruder, trying to find as much as he could
about it without exposing himself. The worm of energy snaked closer, almost
touching the house, and then stilled. Darien shuffled his senses, pulling them
closer around him, like a blanket, so it would seem he was oblivious to
everything. After a few minutes, the intruder picked up the pace again and
entered.
It climbed the outer wall and headed for Adam’s bedroom without
hesitation, as if it had been there before. It snuck into the room, crawled to the
bed, and probed around the fledgling. It touched Darien and stopped. The
vampire willed himself to wait, trying to relax his body and his mind.
After minutes that felt like an eternity, the intruder retreated and focused
on Adam. Darien felt the invisible probe moving, circling the kid. Adam
shuddered as the energy worm infiltrated his mind.
As soon as it started working on Adam, the scent in the room changed,
turning foul, bitter. The kid whimpered and jerked as if in pain.
What the fuck!
Adam’s eyelids fluttered but remained closed as he thrashed on the bed.
“Baby? Wake up. Come on, baby, let me see those baby blues of yours.”
Darien tried to shake him awake, but his lover only moaned and grimaced as if
in pain.
“Oh, this is not good.”
The air tasted fouler, and the aftertaste was even worse, spreading through
his body, making his skin break out in goose bumps and his nerves tingle. He
felt himself being watched, though there was no one in the room with them.
What kind of trick is this? It’s like nothing I’ve seen before.
He let his senses extend and focused on the strange intruder, which was
worming into Adam’s head, eating away his strength. Darien found the string
of energy that connected the scout to the outside world, a thread so fine he
could barely sense it, and wrapped his mind around it.
Adam thrashed again in his sleep, tortured sounds coming off him. Darien
mentally jerked the link, trying to break the connection between the probe
and whomever had cast it, but the thread held. Sweat broke out across his
forehead from the effort. He tried again and again, pulling as hard as he could,
but it only increased Adam’s torment. There was no point. It was clear the line
could not be broken and he didn’t want to cause more distress to his lover, so
if he couldn’t sever it, why not use it?
Ignoring the fact that he was naked, he climbed to his knees, found a
comfortable position, and imagined taking the cord between his fingers and
wrapping it around his palm and wrist. And as the images unfolded behind his
eyes, the thread came alive in his hands, twisting and glowing. It was soft and
cold to the touch, but it wasn’t the pleasant coolness of silk or satin, rather the
kind of cold that would cut to the bone, given enough time. It was as if tiny
needles pierced his skin where the rope touched him. Along with his hand, his
power wrapped around the thread like a fist and jerked hard. His attempt was
met by resistance, so he pulled again, harder.
“Come on, you bitch. Come here. Let’s see if you’re this tough face to face.”
Darien wiggled his fingers around the rope for a better grip, leaned back
for more leverage, and pulled. The link pulled taut. The thread cut into his
skin, drawing blood. His canines dropped at the scent.
At first nothing happened, but then the rope jerked in his hands. Throwing
all his strength behind it, he repeated the move. The link gave as it
disentangled from Adam, cracked through the air, and wrapped itself around
Darien’s wrists. The sudden loss of pressure threw him on his ass.
“Crap.”
He tried to untangle himself, but the rope slithered farther up around his
arms. He was jerked forward. He threw himself backwards in an attempt to
balance the pull, but the next shock wave threw him off, sending him falling
forward to land on top of Adam. The strange rope snaked around his throat
and squeezed. He tried to pry it off, but it had lodged too deep for him to do
anything. And then he was flying.

****

His back hit something hard, making his head spin.

“Nice of you to drop in.”
Lucinda.
Before he had the chance to adjust to the new surroundings, the rope was
jerked again, so hard it lifted him off the ground and threw him against
another solid object. Presumably a wall. He hit it badly, with one of his
shoulders tucked under him, and he felt his collarbone shatter. She heard it
break and laughed. With a flick of her wrist she threw him against the other
wall. He tried adjusting his position in the air so he could break his fall to
some extent, but the bonds around his body didn’t allow him much space to
maneuver. He banged his head and crumbled, smearing blood from numerous
scratches across the rocky surface on his way down.
“What, you’re not happy to see me? After all the trouble you went through
to find me?”
Darien made a strangled sound, the only one he could with the rope around
his neck.
Lucinda broke into a sneer and she jerked on the rope again. He stumbled
forward and landed on his knees a few steps away from her. She flicked her
hand and the rope eased its hold, allowing him to speak.
A fit of coughing followed the release of his vocal cords and he tasted blood.
He lifted his head to stare her in her face, happy that his eyes had finally
adjusted to the darkness around them, and then straightened his back, his
body screaming in pain as the tendons pulled at his shattered collar bone.
“Look at you, still haughty and mighty even on your knees.” A quick blow
caught him against his broken shoulder, bringing tears to his eyes, but he
maintained his stance, watching her defiantly.
“What is this about, Lucinda?”
“What do you think?”
“It can’t be about me or you would have challenged me out in the open.
We’re almost equally matched, so it would have come down to skill and
experience. Of course, you’re crazy, so you would have had the upper hand.”
She screeched at the insult, and he winced as deep scratches opened up
across his cheek, blood dribbling down his face.
“I’m not crazy, damn you.” But the feral gleam in her eyes contradicted her
words.
More gashes opened up across his neck and chest until she’d quenched her
rage, but by then he was covered in blood. Taking advantage of her
distraction, he tested the bonds. A soft tug and they came undone, fading back
to their immaterial state.
“But you were right, this isn’t about you. It’s about the territory, or what’s
underneath it, to be more exact.”
“And what’s that?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know.”
“Hey, you started this conversation. I’m just tagging along.” He tried to play
it down, but his mind reeled. What am I missing? Come on, damn you, think.
Think.
He looked around him, trying to find anything that could help him, be it a
weapon or a location. They were in an old room somewhere underground, like
a cellar or something similar. Several corridors led away from the place. He
checked the walls, searching for a way out, but there was none, just perfectly
executed brickwork. He looked up to the ceiling and frowned. Are those bones?
Where am I? The catacombs? Suddenly, he saw the room through different
eyes. He’d entered the old catacombs on a few occasions, but he’d never
ventured too far as the place had always been deserted. Or so it had seemed.
Perhaps he should have taken the time to explore them better. If nothing else,
he would have known the way out.
A slap across his cheek rattled his teeth and he returned his focus to
Lucinda.
“You’re not paying attention.”
“What do you want, Lucinda?”
“Your head on a silver platter.”
“I’m happy to see you keep up with your history. Not that you were present
at The Crucifixion?”
In one swift move, Darien jumped to his feet and lunged for her throat. She
dodged him easily, raking her nails across his face. She stepped to the side,
dodging yet another blow, and grabbed a fistful of his hair, pulling his head
back, exposing his throat. Keeping his back flushing against her, she traced the
line of his carotid with her fingertips.
“I’m gonna enjoy playing with you. Perhaps Master will let me keep you for
a while. You’d make a wonderful pet.”
He pulled himself free, along with a good chunk of his hair, and flung
himself at her. His blow caught her full force, but she only laughed at him, as if
he had tickled her with a feather not hit her with all his strength.
What the hell!
He lunged again, but she danced around him, easily dodging the blow and
striking him in the groin. Darien doubled over. She grabbed his hair and pulled
him back to a standing position. A series of fists caught him in the stomach at
lightning speed and he coughed up blood. She shoved him against the wall,
caught him by the throat and lifted him off his feet.
He was going to die. He was sure of that; he could see it in her eyes. Yet, his
only thought was for Adam. There was no way to protect him if he were to die.
She leaned in and licked a wet trail along Darien’s throat. Her canines
dropped and scraped his skin. He shuddered.
“Oh, no, no, no. Not so fast, darling. We’re not done here yet.” She licked
another trail and flicked the earlobe with her tongue. “You and I are going to
have so much fun together.”

****
 Adam’s eyes snapped open, his mind awake, his fangs fully extended and
his body shivering. Everything was still so clear in his head. This dream,
though a bad one, had been different from the others. Darien had been there,
and so had Lucinda, their presence together in his head making him hurt.
There had been some sort of fight and Adam had prayed for Darien, but when
the scent of his lover’s blood filled the room, seeping from his dreams into
what seemed to be the reality, that’s when he knew something was wrong. He
had to get to Darien. No matter what. His lover needed him. So he had fought
the pull of sleep and the thrall of his dreams and held on to his lover’s scent.
He had grabbed and kneaded at every thread of reality he could find until the
scary feeling of his dream cleared up, replaced by the even scarier image of
the present.
He patted the spot next to him, idly searching for Darien. His stomach
lurched. Empty. He glanced around the room, but he was alone. Where was
Dare? He’d promised he’d stay with him until he woke. Darien should have
been there. He’d given him his word. Tears sprang to his eyes and he turned to
the side, pulling his knees tight to his chest. Fuck! He needed Dare.
Damn you, get a hold of yourself! What kind of man are you? You don’t need
him. You don’t need any man. But he knew it was a lie. Perhaps he didn’t need
Darien, but he sure wanted him, and that’s why the broken promise hurt so
much. Fuck him, and fuck me! I went and fell in love with this…this bastard.
He squeezed his eyes shut and gulped down mouthful after mouthful of air,
trying to get himself under control. As his body slowly stopped shaking, his
surroundings started to sink in. The room smelled like him and Dare, and a
new pang of hurt stabbed him in the gut. But then he picked up other scents
that should have been obvious to him from the start, assuming his state of
mind had been better or he’d been more experienced. The room smelled like
Lucinda and fresh blood, both his and Darien’s, and, perhaps, adrenaline,
though the scent of it was so faint he couldn’t be sure.
Had there been a struggle? He pushed himself into a sitting position and
looked around. Darien’s clothes were still on the floor, mixed up with his, just
where they’d left them the night before, and the sheets were a mess. His eyes
narrowed. He picked up the sheets and, holding the cloth closer to his face,
sniffed it.
Shit! He replayed in his mind last night’s events, but nothing had happened
that could justify the presence of blood.
 Adam jumped from the bed and flew down the stairs to the library. The
door slammed against the wall and he burst through the opening like a
hurricane.
“Dare?”
But the room was empty.
“Fuck!”
He rushed to the kitchen, and then through every room of the house,
ending up back in the elder’s bedroom. He threw open the closet door and
looked inside. He knew he was acting stupid, but he couldn’t help himself.
When it became clear his lover was nowhere to be found, he stumbled to
the bed and plopped his ass on the soft mattress, head in his hands, his mind
running a mile a minute. He jumped to his feet and grabbed Darien’s clothes.
“How could I be so stupid?” He patted down the pockets. Nothing in the
jacket. He threw it away with no consideration for the expensive fabric and
reached for the pants. He felt inside the first pocket and his shoulders
slumped when he extracted a wallet and a key. The next one revealed the
smartphone and some business cards.
Something must have happened. He wouldn’t have left the house without his
wallet and cell.
He fell back on the bed, staring at the phone in his hand.
I should call someone. Ask for help. But who? Whom can I trust? Dante? He
pursed his lips, barely noticing that his fangs had retreated back into his gums
at some point, and shook his head. The demon wasn’t an option. Presuming he
could get a hold of him, Adam wasn’t sure he could be trusted. The angel,
Nate? No, there was an odd vibe coming from him.
Zephyr? No. Abso-fucking-lutely not! But he didn’t know anyone else.
Granted, he had seen everyone at the Paradise Lost or had passed by them on
the street when he’d been out with Dare, but he had no way of contacting
them or knowing if they would be willing or able to help. Plus, it might not be
a good idea to let everyone know about Darien’s disappearance. Adam had
been a vampire for too short a time to know in full how their world worked,
but even he knew that the fewer people who knew about the elder’s little
conundrum, the better.
Goddammit! That left only Zephyr. Fuck it! He set his jaw and swiped his
thumb against the screen. The phone beeped, but remained locked. He threw
the phone on the bed and fished for his clothes.

****
 Pausing with his hand on the handle, Adam braced himself before pushing
open the door and stepping inside.
“We’re closed.” Busying himself behind the counter, Zephyr didn’t even
glance up.
Adam swallowed his pride and approached. “Please, I need your help.”
“What are you doing here, kid?” Zephyr sighed. “Where’s Darien?”
“He’s gone.”
“Gone how? Hunting?”
“No, don’t you understand. He’s missing.”
The incubus put down the glass he was polishing, placed his hands on the
counter, leaned in, and narrowed his eyes.
That got your attention.
“What do you mean he’s missing?”
“I woke up and he wasn’t there.” Seeing that Zephyr was opening his mouth
to speak, Adam raised a finger to stop him and continued. “Yes, I know he
might have gone out, but would he do that without his cell or wallet?”
Adam produced the aforementioned objects and gave them to the incubus.
Zephyr took them and turned them in his hands, his eyes never leaving
Adam’s face.
“Besides, he gave me his word that he would stay with me until I woke. I
may not know him as well as you do, but I don’t see him as someone who
readily breaks his word.”
“Not unless he has a very good reason for it.”
“There was blood on the sheets and it wasn’t there when I went to sleep.”
“Okay, tell me everything.”
“How do I know I can trust you?”
“You don’t, but it wasn’t me who approached you. You came to me.”
“That doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
“That’s right. So why don’t you scram?”
“Because I really think Dare might be in danger. Please. I don’t know who
else to turn to.”
“You’re serious.”
“Yes, I am.”
“Have you tried reaching him mentally? You drank enough of his blood to
establish a bond, even if he’s not your Sire. You should be able to get to him in
case of need.”
“He spoke in my head on occasion, and even when he didn’t I could still feel
him there. Now there’s nothing. Only an empty space.”
The incubus worried at his lower lip. “Give me a second.”
 Zephyr let his chin drop to his chest and closed his eyes. Familiar power
spiked, its scent sweeter than ever. Adam’s blood stirred and his cock
hardened.
“What in the world are you doing? This is not the time for fucking.”
Zephyr’s eyes snapped open and Adam jumped at the sight of them.
“Oh, for the love of… I’m not trying to arouse you. You’d already be bent
over the table with your pants around your knees if I were.”
Adam snorted but kept quiet, counting the passing of each second by the
beat of his heart. After several long minutes, Zephyr shook his head, the power
around him settling down to a simmer.
“Nothing. I can’t reach him. What about Dante? Have you tried contacting
him?”
“No. I’m not sure I can trust him. Besides, I have no idea how to get a hold
of him.”
Zephyr’s lips pursed as he regarded Adam. “I’ve never questioned him, but
you may be right this time. He has been acting strange lately. Tell me again
what happened. From the beginning and don’t leave anything out.”
And Adam did. With every word he uttered, his confidence grew. Zephyr
was going to help him. If not for Adam, then for the feelings he had for Darien,
written clearly on the incubus’s face. When Adam was done, Zephyr took his
phone from his pocket and started dialing a number.
Adam’s hand covered his, stilling his movement. “Who are you calling?”
“Someone who might be able to help. You’d better not be mistaken, kid.”
Adam wanted to argue, to ask if the person on the other end of the line
could be trusted, but he kept his mouth shut, deciding to put his faith in
Zephyr.
Idly, the incubus reached under the counter and pulled out a dagger,
pushing it in Adam’s direction.
“What’s this for?”
“Shut up and take it,” Zephyr mouthed, just as the person on the other end
of the line picked up.
“Hi, it’s Zephyr. I need your help.”

****

Fuck! Darien swayed as a new blow connected with his side. He reached
out to Lucinda, but his hand grabbed only empty air, his nails merely grazing
her shoulder. She laughed and turned to face him.
 What is happening to me? Is she getting faster? Or am I getting slow? Even
his brain felt sluggish.
“That’s all you got?”
He snarled and went for her throat. She jumped back, dodging his attack
easily, and hit him hard, slapping him across the face.
Head ringing from the force of the blow, he could have sworn he heard
something snapping in his inner ear. Warmth flooded the passage, dribbling
down the side of his neck, and he fell to his knees. His vision blurred.
He shuddered as the temperature in the room dropped drastically.
“What is going on here?”
The voice was cold and raspy and metallic, like it was coming through a
spiked tube. Still on his knees, Darien stumbled, his eyes darting around,
searching for its source.
From the shadows, a figure took shape. Lucinda’s posture changed, her
head bowing slightly in respect. “Master.”
“Are you misbehaving again, my pet?”
The figure came forth and Darien tumbled backwards. There was
something about this master he did not like. Perhaps it was the way he glided
across the ground, his steps causing no stir of his cloak when he walked. Or
perhaps it was the way the voice from under that hood made Darien’s hair rise
and his body tremble.
A wizard.
“No, my lord.”
The stranger’s cloak fluttered. The room shrank around them, the walls
trembling. Darien tried to push himself to his feet, but a strange lethargy had
taken over his body. The air solidified, atoms colliding, mashing together into
the thin cord of a whip. It coiled and uncoiled and slashed through the room
with loud snaps. Lucinda screamed as her clothes turned to shreds, falling
from her body, deep cuts marring her skin.
Droplets of her blood landed on Darien’s skin, burning like acid, each of
them searing perfectly round circles into his flesh.
What the fuck!
Darien jerked, trying to move away, but his body would not obey him.
“And yet you are.” The cord zinged again and energy rose. Blood gushed,
splashing against the walls and soaking the ground beneath their feet. Even
from the side, Darien could feel the wizard’s power.
“After all I’ve done for you. Haven’t I taken care of you? Haven’t I fed you
my own blood?” With each question, the whip bit deeper, his power blasting
harder and harder.
 “Haven’t I gave you from my power? Haven’t I been understanding when
you went and created that useless bloodsucker? Have I asked for so much in
return? No, of course not. And what do you do? You go behind my back.”
Power flared. Flesh broke with a sickening tear. Blood gushed.
“You thought I didn’t know about that, did you? You thought you could use
him against me? Perhaps have him kill me, when you couldn’t? Did you think
you could take my power away?”
The air crackled with tension as the wizard stepped closer.
“Stupid bitch! Not only did you not kill the fledgling as I told you to, but you
couldn’t even get him to do your bidding, you useless piece of shit.” A
succession of sharp blows had her crying out, cowering on the ground in a
fetal position, hands raised in a futile attempt to protect herself. “It should
have been easy! A single vampire in this whole territory and you managed to
screw it up. And now you’ve brought him here!”
“Please forgive me, Master.”
“Your actions displease me. They put a burden on my plans.”
The sorcerer raised his head, his hood falling back. A shiver ran up Darien’s
spine. Black eyes burned from what seemed to be empty sockets, his face
nothing but bones and dried flesh, gray skin glued to his skull, the tendons
standing out, giving him a cadaverous look.
Necromancer.
When Lucinda was but a bloody heap at his feet, the man turned to Darien.
The whip dissolved before his eyes.
“Now you. What shall I do with you?”
The vampire could see that it was a rhetorical question, so he offered no
answer. Instead, he focused inward, trying to muster as much of his strength
as he could to face the wizard, for he knew he’d need it. His mind spun a mile a
minute, yet he quieted it. His eyes locked with the stranger’s, he reached to the
core of power inside him. And for the first time in several hundred years, he
found it a little too threadbare. He could feel it there, burning inside like a
slow fire waiting to burst. Yet when he pulled at it, it seemed to slip through
his fingers. He tried again, going deeper, but to no avail. And with every
passing second, his energy decreased.
The necromancer broke into a grin that made him look even more sinister.
A slow ripple of the cloak’s sleeve marked a flick of the hand and dried-up
fingers peeked from under its hem.
“Let me go.” The words came out from Darien strangled, and though just
above a whisper, sounded as loud as shots fired from a gun.
“Oh, I don’t think that’s possible.”
 The necromancer glided forward, closer to Darien, and the air tightened
around him.
I need to get out of here.
“I’ve chosen my pet poorly, I can see that now, for she was most unstable.
So you see, I need a new pet. Perhaps a man would prove more…obedient.
Especially one such as yourself.”
“I won’t serve you.”
“What makes you think you have a choice?”
Lucinda whimpered, the bloody heap that was her body jerking. The
necromancer’s gaze shifted to her and the invisible whip reappeared. He
raised his hand, palm facing upwards. He flicked his fingers, and when he
made a fist, the cord wrapped around Lucinda’s neck. She lifted her hands to
her throat, but the movement was too slow, as if she was surrounded by thick,
invisible liquid.
Her eyes, wild from pain and power, caught Darien’s, screaming cries for
help her mouth could not utter. The cord squeezed tighter. Painfully slowly,
her eyes swelled and popped out of their sockets.
Damn you, you bastard. Kill her already. Just do it. There was no love lost
between them, yet Darien felt sorry for her.
As if hearing Darien’s thoughts, the necromancer turned to him and
grinned, exposing his gums and the sharp teeth that resided in them.
“You proved to be incredibly resilient to my magic.” He dug in his robe,
coming up with a small vial full of dark liquid. “This is yours.”
“What’s that?”
“Blood.”
“It can’t be mine.”
“Oh, but it is. She took it from you the night you stopped her from killing
that no good fledgling.”
Pain shot through his neck, just where Lucinda’s fangs had pierced his skin.
“I don’t know how you’ve managed to resist my power, but you did. And so
you see, it will be a pleasure to bend you to my will.”
The necromancer stepped closer to Darien, his smile feral, while the cord
tightened further, cutting through skin and bone, severing Lucinda’s head
from her body.

****

“Where are we?”

 Zephyr had led him through dark, secluded streets until Adam gave up any
thought of retracing his steps. The incubus paused before a dark entrance.
Power brushed against them from inside the house and the door opened wide
in front of them, seemingly by itself. Adam swallowed around his suddenly dry
throat.
“Come with me. And keep your mouth shut.”
They stepped over the threshold and entered a wide corridor. The house
was old, carrying the scents of the hundreds of people who had wandered its
halls and humming with shimmering energy. Shadows played tricks on the
walls as they passed by, sending shivers down Adam’s back, distracting him.
Glancing over his shoulder, Zephyr snapped his fingers at Adam.
“Fledgling!”
“What am I? The family dog?” Adam mumbled under his breath, shaking his
head, but he hurried after the incubus nonetheless.
The door at the end of the corridor opened before either of them touched
it. The room behind it was almost as dark as the hallway they had passed
through, the only light coming from a single candle set on the windowsill.
Zephyr paused in the doorway, waiting.
“Come in.” The quiet voice brushed against them, caressing their skin just
as the magic was. “Long time no see. I see you’ve brought company.”
Zephyr reached back and gently pushed Adam forward. “This is Adam.”
The man extended his hand to him. Adam glanced at the incubus, searching
for guidance. At Zephyr’s nod, their hands touched. The stranger placed his
other hand on top of Adam’s. Their eyes locked. Power surged.
Warmth spread through his body. A low rumble rolled through his chest,
and Adam leaned into the touch as an unexpected feeling of serenity washed
over him.
“Darien’s boy.”
“Yes.”
Zephyr had answered for Adam, but Adam wouldn’t have denied it anyway.
He was Darien’s. That Lucinda was his Sire didn’t matter. Distress over his
lover’s fate broke through his haze and he fidgeted, glancing at the incubus.
The stranger increased the pressure, holding his hand firmly between his.
“I see.” The stranger released his hand and stepped back. With a flick of his
wrist, the desk slid to the side, replaced by an elegant coffee table surrounded
by three lush chairs. He motioned them to sit, while seating himself on one of
the chairs. As soon as they joined him, crystal glasses appeared on the table,
filled with crimson liquid.
 “Refreshments,” the wizard announced, seeming quite pleased with
himself.
Adam’s nostrils flared and his fangs descended as his stomach rumbled. He
vaguely heard Zephyr’s quick intake of breath, but paid him no mind. “This is
not blood.”
“Of course not, young vampire. It’s something I made myself. You must be
thirsty. Drink.”
Adam’s stomach grumbled again, the pain in his throat intensifying. The
glass in front of him slid closer, enticing him.
“Don’t be shy, little one. Drink up.”
Yes, that was what he should do. Drink. The glass beckoned him, its scent
driving him crazy. It would sate his hunger. His gums ached. He reached for
the goblet, fingers nearly touching the crystal.
And then a hand slammed his hard, keeping him from his purpose.
“Don’t.”
Adam turned and snarled at Zephyr. How dare he keep me from my food?
“Don’t drink that, you bloody idiot.”
“Mine.”
The incubus slapped Adam hard across the face. “It would kill you.”
Adam snarled again, but the spell was broken and his head started to clear.
He gulped down air, bringing himself under control. His gaze searched for
Zephyr. The incubus seemed just as affected as he was, his eyes glowing feral.
They turned to the man across from them to find him watching them
hungrily, as a hunter would prey. In a heartbeat, his expression changed, his
face reflecting nothing.
“What was that?” Adam pointed to the now-empty table. “Are you trying to
kill us?”
“Now, now, little one, that was just a test. Only so rarely do I have the
chance to entertain such special guests.”
Adam growled at him. Zephyr cut in.
“We need your help. I need to know where Darien is.”
“You know I don’t meddle in the affairs of immortals.”
“Name your price, wizard!”
“I’m afraid you’re mistaken, incubus. My services are not for sale.”
“Since when?”
At Zephyr’s sneer, the man conceded. “Not for the likes of you, anyway.”
At once power surged, expanding, sweeping away everything in its passage.
Adam sank lower in his chair under the assault.
 A different kind of power rose and clashed against Zephyr’s. Breath caught
in Adam’s throat. The incubus amped up the volume.
“Are you sure about that?”
A new wave hit hard, slamming into them like a hammer.
Holy shit! Adam grunted, clenching his jaw. He glanced to the side. Zephyr’s
eyes burned, his face stripped of its human mask and lit by the glow of his
orbs, all sharp edges and determination. Adam should have been frightened at
the transformation, but somehow it made him trust Zephyr more.
The wizard fought to hold it together, but one spike later the barrier gave.
The man gasped as the incubus’s power engulfed him.
“Now, tell me again why you cannot help us.”
A groan escaped the old man’s lips, but no denial came.
“I want to know where Darien is.” Another flash of power marked Zephyr’s
words and then the power gave, allowing the wizard to breathe more easily.
Until the unexpected happened.
Power collided with power as the wizard unleashed his magic once more.
He wasn’t the feeble old man they had seen before. He straightened, his gaze
sharpened, lips curling into a sneer.
“You hold yourself all high and mighty, but you’re nothing but the scourge
of the underworld. If that queer of a bloodsucker had done his job, this
wouldn’t have happened.”
“This what?”
The wizard ignored Zephyr, his magic spiking. Power hit with gale force.
Adam grunted, his eyes flying to Zephyr to find the incubus stiff as a board
with his head thrown back, his unblinking eyes fixed on the ceiling. No breath
was coming out of him, and the tendons in his neck were strained to the point
of breaking, tension pouring from him in waves.
Holy fuck! Release him, you bastard! Adam’s lips parted, screaming out
words, but no sound came. The man’s cold gaze trained on Adam’s.
“I wanted nothing more than to live out my remaining years in peace.
There aren’t that many left anyway. But, no, you had to go and ruin
everything.”
Each word was marked by a lash of power, cutting off Adam’s ability to
think straight.
“I…I—”
“Oh, I know it’s not you. It’s your friggin’ master. First, he lets the bitch
wander into his territory, disturbing the peace. Then he comes. And with him,
night falls. Bones rattle in the ground and the dead heed his call. And I, I, the
head of the fucking Order of Light, have to bow and kneel to him and kiss his
hand like a peasant.”
Sweat broke out across Adam’s forehead. Zephyr panted, but no sound
came out. Adam sniffed, but the air was too heavy and warm and too full of the
wizard’s energy for him to smell much.
The assault on them continued, the power waves growing higher and
stronger, until Adam could no longer breathe. Something snapped somewhere
to the side, next to where Zephyr stood, and the faintest scent of blood filled
the air.
Fuck, is he hurt? But the pressure was too great and Adam couldn’t turn to
check.
“You want Darien? Then go to him. And die with him.”
As if on command, the chairs under them disappeared and they were
spinning out of control through the air.

****

They hit hard, cold, rough ground. Something snapped, but the sound
barely registered over the ringing in Adam’s ears. He turned and climbed to
his knees, shaking his head to clear it. To his right, Zephyr was cursing a mile a
minute, mostly in languages Adam had never heard before.
“Are you okay?”
Adam leaned forward, resting his palms on the ground. His left wrist gave
and he realized the snap he’d heard before was it shattering. He bit his lip,
drawing blood, but he crawled over to where the incubus stood and put a
hand on his shoulder.
“Hey. You okay?”
“Yes. That fucking bastard!” Zephyr pushed Adam’s hand away.
“I’m going to kill him. I’m gonna rip his heart out and feed it to the first dog
I find. No, better yet, I’m gonna take it to hell and let the lowest demons feast
on it and bathe in his blood. I’m gonna—”
“Where are we?”
Zephyr ceased his ranting and looked around, nostrils flaring. A moment
later, his nose wrinkled. “The catacombs, I think.”
“What catacombs?”
“The ones beneath the city.”
Adam lifted his head, studying the ceiling. “There are catacombs beneath
Bucharest? I’ve never heard of such thing.”
 “Of course there are. Almost all major European cities have them, but most
are kept secret for various reasons.”
“Huh. I though the only remnants of ancient civilizations were the ruins
under the city center. You know, the ones displayed under bulletproof glass in
the sidewalks in the old city.”
“Yes, I know them. Now hush.”
“There’s no glass in these ceilings. This can’t be the old city.”
“Those are not catacombs, little one. They are simple ruins.”
Adam’s gaze traveled over the stonework, his brow furrowing. He climbed
to his feet and shuffled to the nearest wall. He trailed his fingers across the
rock surface, a shiver traveling down his spine.
“They are incredibly well preserved.” He leaned closer, sniffing at the wall.
“There’s something strange about this. It’s older than the ruins beneath the
old city. At least several centuries older.”
“How would you know that, fledgling?”
“I’m a history student.”
“You are?”
Adam hummed in approval and resumed his study of the stonework. A
familiar scent tickled his nose. His heart skipped a beat and he took another
whiff just to be sure.
“Dare was here.”
“Are you sure?”
“I think so. Can’t you smell him?”
“No. My senses don’t go in that direction.”
“What are you good at then? Sex magic?”
Zephyr ignored the jab and climbed to his feet, dusting off the dirt from his
clothes. “I’m far more attuned to magic.”
“Yeah, and a whole lot of good it did us back there. Who was that, anyway?”
“I said I was attuned to magic, not that I could counteract it. I’m not a
wizard. I’m only a lower immortal. The wizard back there is the high ruler of
the mage population in Bucharest and the surrounding areas. I’m no match for
him.”
Anxiety washed over Adam. “Why did we go to him then?”
“Because he was supposed to be the only impartial player in this game.”
“Yeah, that worked out brilliantly. We need to find Darien. Now.”
“I know. I can feel it too. Something is wrong.”
“How do we do this?”
“We follow your nose and my senses.”
 Adam grunted his acceptance of the plan and raised his head, taking in a
deep breath. Still too inexperienced for it to come to him naturally, he closed
his eyes and tasted the air against his palate, trying to separate each smell, just
as Darien had taught him.. He caught his lover’s scent and held on to it, willing
his body to follow it.
Zephyr’s hand caught his arm, stilling him. “Wait.”
“What now?”
The incubus reached under Adam’s shirt and pulled out the dagger he’d
given him earlier. He drew it from its sheath, threw it gently in the air so the
blade drew a half circle, caught it by the tip, and held it with the handle
outward.
“Don’t forget this.” As Adam took the dagger from Zephyr’s hand, the
incubus withdrew his own blade from its sheath. “I trust you know how to use
this.”
“Not really.”
“Of course not.” Zephyr rolled his eyes. “Point it away from you, me, and
Darien and we’ll be fine.”
Adam nodded. “Have you been here before? Do we know where we are? Or
how to get out when we find Dare?”
“Couple of times. If I remember correctly, this place is huge.”
Adam closed his eyes again. His nose guided them down narrow corridors
where the air was old and the oxygen sparse. The wider halls were marked by
the soft currents ventilating the place, where the stench of old death met the
that of life and blood, aggravating the burn in his throat and making his heart
beat faster with hope. He felt Zephyr next to him, felt his power wash over him
as the incubus joined his efforts to locate Darien.
Advance was slow, but Darien’s scent grew stronger by the second, keeping
hope alive.
And then, a different kind of power washed over them. It was low and dark
and pulled at every survival instinct Adam had. His heart jumped and his fangs
dropped, a growl escaping his lips. Zephyr’s hand caught him hard across his
chest.
“Hush.”
Adam’s lips curled into a sneer. He wanted to flee, to run somewhere and
hide, yet the predator in him rebelled at the thought of cowering in a corner
like an animal. His body shook. He leaned against the wall, fighting for control.
He didn’t want to be there. Somewhere far, far away sounded much better.
The image of Darien floated through his mind, though, and he knew he
couldn’t back away. Not without his lover. The stone at his back trembled,
small currents of energy passing through it, sending tiny bolts of electricity
where his body touched the wall.
“What is this?”
“Magic. The darkest of all. Death magic.”
Adam shrugged. Zephyr’s words meant little to him. He pushed himself
from the wall and took a step forward, nostrils flaring.
The scent hit him hard, bringing him to his knees. Blood. Darien’s.
“Dare.” The single word, no louder than a whisper, so quiet even Zephyr
could barely hear it, stored the pain of the entire world.
“What?”
“He’s hurt.” He sprang to his feet. Zephyr stepped in front of him, but Adam
passed by him easily, running toward the source.

****

“Idiot,” Zephyr muttered under his breath, but he scurried after the
fledgling. The hair on his arms rose and he skidded to a stop. His hand shot
forth, blindly patting the air in front of him. Needles stabbed his arm as his
fingers brushed against an invisible wall of energy, something gooey and
elastic. He tasted again the power around him and swore. How did a
necromancer enter the city without anyone knowing?
“Oh my God, what did you do to him?” Adam’s cry sounded from
somewhere far away, though judging by the amount of time that had passed
since his departure, he must have been a lot closer.
The energy spiked. The walls shook. Adam’s screams filled the halls, cutting
Zephyr to the bone. He took a step closer, only to feel the power wash over
him like scalding water, stopping him. He willed himself to move again, to
break through. Stepping back, he gathered his strength and came crashing
into it. His shirt melted into his skin and the nauseating smell of burnt flesh
rose.
I don’t understand it. This is more than necromancer magic.
He gave it another try, but the pain was too great, and the barrier did not
budge.
I should have followed my instincts and contacted Dante. But what if the boy
is right? What if he is, indeed, implicated in this?
With that tiny voice still planting doubts in his head, Zephyr stepped back.
Lifting the knife he was still holding, he pressed the blade across his other
palm, chanting softly to himself. Blood dribbled from the cut. The
necromancer’s power hit again, harder, but this time it did not hurt him. The
air swirled. The scent of another kind of power engulfed him, bringing him a
semblance of calm and protection from the necromancer’s touch.
A moment later, Dante took shape in front of him, anger pouring off him in
waves.
“How dare you summon me?”
Zephyr bowed his head. “I’m sorry, my lord, but I need your help. Darien
has been taken.”
Adam’s screams pierced the air again.
The demon lifted his head, his eyes glowing fiercely. Black wings fluttered,
and the signature marking him as a higher-ranking demon disappeared.
“What’s a necromancer doing here?”
“I do not know. That’s why I dared to call upon you. When the fledgling told
me Darien was missing, I thought it was a joke. And then the wizard brought
us here. I apologize for summoning you without permission. I didn’t know
what else to do.”
The anger was still there on Dante’s face, but Zephyr could tell it was no
longer pointed at him.
“Let’s go see what’s happening.”
The demon touched Zephyr’s shoulder. His wings extended, feathers
ruffling, and in the next second their feet no longer touched the ground. It
wasn’t exactly flying, as the wings did not carry them, but the feeling was just
the same.
Zephyr couldn’t say when or how they passed the barrier, but suddenly
they were behind it. A large hall opened before them. Zephyr’s eyes flew to the
body lying next to the farthest wall. Darien.
As soon as Dante settled him on the ground, Zephyr glanced back at the
demon’s face, silently asking for permission. The softest nod had him
scurrying across the floor to his friend, joining Adam hunched over Darien.
“He’s alive. I think.” The fledgling’s voice broke on the words.
Zephyr glanced at the kid, taking in the tear-streaked face. He loves him.
“I do.”
“Did I say that out loud?”
“Yes.”
Zephyr pressed his palm against Darien’s chest, searching for his heartbeat
with the tips of his fingers and his life force with his senses, exhaling a long
breath when he found both. Behind them, the necromancer’s power met the
demon’s. Sparks flew, magically fueled flames igniting the walls around them.
“Quick! Grab his legs.”
 “Do you think we should move him?” The fledgling argued, but he moved to
help Zephyr.
“He can live through almost anything. Fire is not one of them.”
Together, they shifted Darien to the middle of the room, as far away from
the flames as possible.
“Who are you?” Dante’s voice as he questioned the necromancer was
guttural, hard, and demanding. It had lost any trace of human resemblance. He
had dropped his mask, too, showing himself in all his majestic glory, his aura
shining brightly around him. He was just a demon, but he was powerful and
vicious and one of the old ones.
The necromancer opened his mouth, but no answer came, just a high-
pitched laugh. His eyes swept over Darien. And a second later, he was gone, a
few ash flakes dancing in the air in his wake. The pressure of his power
against Dante’s disappeared, but the flames spiked, dancing, shaping
themselves into letters.
I will be back.
The demon’s rage exploded, bouncing off the walls. Zephyr bent over
Darien, trying to protect him, dragging Adam along with him. The fledgling
whimpered, his hand searching for Zephyr’s.
“Shh. You’ll be fine. We’ll all be fine,” Zephyr whispered, all the while
praying for it to be true.
The flames died a slow death, as Dante’s fury finally settled. He glided to
the farthest wall and stopped in front of the bloodied heap of flesh that had
once been a vampire. He kicked it with the tip of his shoe and when not a
single muscle jerked at the push, he eased his feet under it and turned it
upward.
“I take it this is Lucinda.”
Reluctantly, Zephyr stood and joined the demon. “Yes, that’s her.”
At Dante’s gesture, the flames ignited again, consuming Lucinda’s corpse.
Zephyr stepped around the demon to fish out the head and added it to the
pyre. Sparks flew through the air in a mad dance, the body crackling as it
burned like dry wood in a bonfire.
Feeling Dante’s delight at the view and not being able to endure it, Zephyr
moved away. An eerie glow on the ground caught his gaze. Away from the fire,
the darkness of the room seemed deeper, and at first he thought his eyes were
playing tricks on him. Is this a…feather? It sure looks like one, but why it is
changing color?
Picking it up, he examined it closely. It was silky smooth and puffy, tickling
his skin, and for the life of him he couldn’t figure out to what bird it belonged.
 The fire died out and the demon moved away in a ruffle of wings. Zephyr’s
eyes followed him, taking in the grace of his movements and the width of his
wings. Wings? Was the kid right? Is Dante involved? Did the necromancer give
up so easily because they are in cahoots? Because if they are, we’re dead.
“What do you have there?”
Swallowing hard and trying to keep his fear under wraps, Zephyr extended
his hand to show him the object. “A feather. Is it yours?”
Dante broke out laughing, a dry sound that grated on Zephyr’s nerves.
“You sure have guts, incubus. But no, it’s not mine. As you can see, mine are
black, while that is…colorless.”
Exhaling a long breath, Zephyr pressed further. “Do you know who it
belongs to?”
“No. Tell me, incubus, how did a necromancer get here?” Without my
knowing. The unsaid words hung hard between them.
“I do not know.”
Demon power brushed against him, testing him, dark eyes boring into his.
Zephyr met his gaze head on, opening himself up to Dante. At last, the demon
nodded and his power receded.
“Go. Tend to the vampire. We’ll talk about this again, when Darien’s back
on his feet.”
“I’ll be around.”
A flick of Dante’s hand and the scenery changed, the old, dusty stone hall
replaced by Darien’s cozy bedroom.
“Whoa. How did he do that?”
“Do what?” Hunched over Darien, Zephyr was paying Adam only little
mind.
“Bring us here like that. Poof and we are here.”
“Travelling between dimensions is an angel’s prerogative.”
“But he’s a demon.”
“He’s still an angel. Some of the older immortals can do it too.”
“Can you do it?”
“No, I don’t have that power.” He leaned in, taking in Dante’s pallor and
labored breathing. “Shit! He’s not coming around.”
“What do we do?”
“Feed him.”
Without a single word, Adam bit into his own wrist. Even in his
unconscious state, Darien’s fangs dropped at the scent of blood. Holding the
elder’s head still, Zephyr helped Adam pry the vampire’s mouth open. As soon
as the first drops of the crimson liquid touched his tongue, Darien’s eyes
snapped open, irises glowing black, and he latched onto the wound.
Adam winced at the pain, but he didn’t utter a single cry. Under their gaze,
Darien’s wounds started to close, the tears sealing themselves, flesh growing
back, cell by cell in a slow, and most likely painful, process.
The fledgling’s head snapped up, his eyes seeming huge all of a sudden.
“What the hell? How is he doing this?”
“It’s the blood. It speeds up the healing process in a vampire.”
“Any kind would work?”
“Basically, yes, but immortal blood works better.”
“Will it be enough to heal completely?”
Zephyr took in the elder’s body, the hugely dilated pupils, the extent of the
damage, more concerned with what was beneath than the actual physical
wounds.
Good question, kid.
“Let’s hope so.”
As Darien drank, Zephyr readied his own wrist.
Watching Darien carefully, Zephyr pushed his hand under Adam’s nose.
“Bite me.”
“What?”
“He needs more and you don’t have much left in you.”
“Doesn’t matter. He can have it all.”
The incubus smiled at the conviction in Adam’s voice. “Still, bite me.”
Adam’s fangs struck, piercing the skin. Together, they pried the fledgling’s
hand from Darien’s mouth, replacing it with Zephyr’s. There was no finesse in
Darien’s feeding, no smoothing of the pain, no arousal, just a world of hurt,
and Zephyr had to give Adam credit for taking it as well as he had.
“Look at him. It won’t be enough.”
“I know.”
“Should I bring him some of that bagged stuff?”
“Maybe later. He’s coming around, I think.”
The feeding slowed, the burn in Darien’s eyes dulling. Finally, his pupils
focused, and he tentatively licked the wound closed as his gaze shifted back
and forth from Adam to Zephyr.
“Hi there. Welcome back. How do you feel?”
“Like I’ve been run over by a train. What happened?”
“We were hoping you could tell us.”
A shudder shook Darien’s body and his lashes fluttered briefly. “I don’t
want to talk about it.”
 His eyes searched Adam’s, the look on his face speaking volumes. The
fledgling knelt on the bed next to him, taking his hand between his and
bringing it to his lips. The way they gazed into each other’s eyes told Zephyr
everything he needed to know. There was no room for him here anymore.
Somehow, somewhere along the way, he had lost everything he had ever
cared about and he hadn’t even seen it coming.
I should go home. Darien is safe, for now anyway. Adam will take care of him.
I should go.
Without a word, he got to his feet and headed for the door.
“Where are you going?”
“Home.”
“Stay.”
That single coarse word had his heart beating faster. He turned to face
them, almost too afraid of what he’d see. “Are you sure?”
Darien nodded, but Zephyr searched for answers on Adam’s face.
“Yes. Stay. Please.”
Heart pounding against his ribcage, Zephyr advanced toward them. Adam
extended a hand to him and Zephyr took it. Climbing onto the bed, he found
himself shaking.
“Are you sure this is what you want? What both of you want?”
Darien glanced at Adam, meeting his eyes in a silent question.
“Yes.” Adam sounded breathless, which was quite a feat for a vampire.
Dry swallowing, Zephyr turned to Darien. “But can you do it?”
As an answer, Darien pushed himself into a sitting position and their eyes
locked. “Hello, lover.”
Darien buried a hand in Zephyr’s hair, pulling him closer. Their lips met,
mouths open and hungry. Power soared. The heavy scent of arousal filled the
air. His. Darien’s. With a desperate moan, Zephyr straddled him, grabbed
Darien’s head between his palms and holding tight. His muscles trembled with
the effort of restraining himself. Their tongues rubbed against each other.
Blood pounded in his ears.
Beside them, Adam groaned. Pulling himself from Darien, Zephyr glanced
at the fledgling. Adam was watching them, his eyes glazed over in arousal, his
fangs descended, lips glistening as if he had been licking them over and over.
Zephyr reached for him, sinking his fingers into his hair and pulling Adam
closer.
Darien’s hands caressed his thighs, kneading the muscles. Zephyr’s lips
touched Adam’s, tentatively at first, asking for permission. As the fledgling’s
lips parted beneath his, Zephyr deepened the kiss. Energy simmered under his
skin, teasing his nerves and enhancing his arousal.
Adam groaned and clutched at him. Trying to get himself under control,
Zephyr buried his face in the crook of the fledgling’s neck, inhaling deeply.
Adam’s fangs scraped his throat. Somewhere in the room, fabric was torn
away and only when cold air brushed against his heated skin did Zephyr
realize he was naked, the tearing having been his pants being ripped away. His
T-shirt followed, Adam yanking it off in one swift move.
His cock jerked as fangs sank into his groin. The soft pulls of Darien’s
mouth sent his senses into overdrive.
Body shaking, Zephyr clutched the fledgling’s shoulders. Adam’s canines
grazed his skin again, and he craved the pain of the bite. He arched his back,
his head falling submissively to the side, shamelessly begging for more. His
hands flew to Adam’s fly, fumbling with the zipper.
I need, I need, I need…
Cold palms kneaded his ass and his cheeks were pulled apart. A wet finger
breached him and he pushed back. Adam disentangled himself from Zephyr,
yanking off his shirt in the process, his pants following suit. The fledgling
returned to the bed, his fat cock bobbing up and down. Zephyr wrapped his
hand around it, swirling his palm over the head.
Two more fingers joined the first in his ass and Zephyr’s eyes rolled back.
Adam caught his gasp in his mouth and claimed Zephyr’s lips in another kiss.
The rhythm of the fingers in his ass increased, the knuckles brushing his
prostate mercilessly.
Damn him for knowing me so well.
Zephyr pushed back against the fingers, riding Darien’s hand. The vampire
took another long drag of blood before licking the wound closed. Zephyr
broke the kiss with Adam, turning his gaze to Darien.
“What do you want, lover?”
At Darien’s words, a shiver travelled down Zephyr’s spine.
“You. Adam. Both.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
Darien grinned.
“Then that’s what you’ll have.”
Darien fisted Zephyr’s hair. His eyes burned, turning into liquid darkness.
Fangs flashed. His hold tightened, and Zephyr was jerked forward. Their
mouths collided, open, eager. Darien fell back on the bed, dragging the incubus
with him. Their cocks rubbed together and their combined groans got lost in
their kiss.
Darien’s hand landed on his ass, smacking him playfully. His cheeks were
pulled apart. The bed shifted and someone—Adam—positioned himself
behind Zephyr. Darien spread his feet wide to allow the fledgling better
access, pushing Zephyr’s legs farther apart.
“Are you sure?” Adam’s voice was strangled, as if he was fighting for
control just as much as Zephyr was.
The incubus broke the kiss. “Yessss.”
A hard cock, wider than he was expecting, pressed against his sphincter. A
gasp escaped Zephyr. His head was pulled back. Adrenaline surged. Power
flared. His eyes closed, his lips parted. Adam pushed inside, the friction almost
too much and yet not enough, and Zephyr was almost certain the fledgling had
used his own spit as lubrication.
Muscles trembling, Zephyr pushed back, impaling himself on Adam.
Darien’s prick jerked and throbbed between their bodies, demanding
attention. Lifting his ass in the air, the incubus licked his way down Darien’s
body. Behind him, Adam picked up the rhythm.
Zephyr nuzzled the hard column of Darien’s cock. The first drop of precum
touching his tongue tasted sweet, sweeter than ever before. Power soared.
His. Darien’s. Adam’s. And the mixture tasted like nothing he’d ever had
before. Hunger rose in him, reminding him just how long it had been since last
he’d fed. Adam’s hips surged forward, Darien’s dick touched the back of
Zephyr’s throat, and the incubus’s control snapped. Trusting his body to his
lovers, Zephyr let himself fall. He opened himself up, soaking up all that
energy, feeding as he never had before. Through the haze he felt Adam going
wild, his cock thrusting madly in and out his ass even as Darien’s dick swelled
and throbbed against his tongue. The fledgling stiffened behind him and liquid
warmth flooded him. The cock in his mouth had swollen even more and then it
was cumming in long, bitter spurts. Tension exploded from the base of his
spine, travelling at an incredible speed, spreading through his body. Zephyr
came hard, muscles trembling and toes curling. And when he was done, he
collapsed on top of Darien, dragging Adam along with him.

****

“Wow.”
“That’s an understatement, kid.”
“Why do you keep calling me kid?”
 “Because you are one?”
Adam punched Zephyr’s arm playfully, before snuggling closer and draping
his arm around the incubus’s waist. “Am not. I’m over twenty-one.”
“You may be, but you’re several hundred years younger than either of us.”
“So what would that make me? Jail bait?”
Darien snorted. “There’s no such thing in the vampire world.” Adam
yawned. Darien grinned wide before continuing. “Of course, there are rules
against turning children of a certain age, or mentally unstable people, or—”
“Dare?”
“Yes?”
“I love you, but shut up.”
Laughing, Darien pulled both of them closer.
Slowly, the enormity of what had just taken place between the three of
them dawned on him. What would happen now? What did sex with Zephyr
mean?
“What happens now?” he blurted out.
From the other side of the bed, Zephyr let out a sigh. “If you mean between
us, I don’t know. Darien needed food, and sex is a good source of nourishment
and life force. That’s it. I’ll be gone in the morning. Unless you want me to go
now.”
Adam paused, weighing his options. What did he want? The silence
stretched on. “No, morning’s fine.”
“Sleep now, baby, it’s almost daylight.”
“Huh-uh.” Adam arranged the blanket tighter around their bodies before
settling back behind Zephyr.
The incubus felt good in his arms, almost as good as he felt in Darien’s
embrace. Darien was back, his mind was at rest, and things were good again.
And regardless of anything else, he was grateful for Zephyr’s help.
Smiling, Darien leaned in and placed a light kiss on an almost-asleep
Adam’s forehead. “Sleep well, my love.”
As Adam drifted off, he heard Zephyr’s voice.
“It’s not over yet, is it?”
“No, I don’t think it is. And I don’t think it was about territory, not in his
case. Either way, we are missing a part of the puzzle. Nothing for us to do right
now but rest and heal. We’ll figure it out tomorrow.”
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