DID THE TOTEM FALL? (Part Three of Four)
DID THE TOTEM FALL?
A kradamreversebb Fill
Credits: lady_michaelis (writing), va_bites (art), and eirana_regan (proofreading)
Pairing: Adam Lambert/Kris Allen, with mentions of others
Rating: NC17
Warnings: Graphic sexual situations, bareback sex, blood play, murder, violence, foul language
Genre: Fantasy/Romance/Erotica/Satire
Summary: Was the love of a human powerful enough to save him?
Disclaimers: I’m proud of this baby; I believe Jamie and I raised it to the best of our artistic abilities-my story, his art. We regret to inform you that they aren’t our people--though you all know who Tommy belongs to. References to True Blood and Buffy the Vampire Slayer are here because I love those shows; references to Twilight are here because they’re hilarious. No, Adam does not watch Kris while he sleeps. That’s creepy.
PART THREE: OF SAINTS AND SINNERS
“Leave me a place underground, a labyrinth,
where I can go, when I wish to turn
without eyes, without touch,
in the void, to dumb stone,
or the finger of a shadow.
I know that you cannot, no one, no thing
can deliver up that place, or that path,
but what can I do with my pitiful passions
if they are no use, on the surface
of everyday life,
if I cannot look to survive,
except by dying, going beyond, entering
into the state, metallic and slumbering,
of primeval flame.”
- Pablo Neruda (1904 - 1973)
It felt odd to be standing in Conway’s airport once again. The last time Kris had been here, it was in an attempt to get away from the simple life he had grown to hate so much over the years. Now, he was back where he started. This time, he was on a mission to save the man he loved.
“Feeling okay, buddy?” Cook asked. “You hardly slept a wink during the flight.”
“I find difficulty in falling asleep when I’m too wound up,” Kris admitted. “I feel like a vampire who has returned to his hometown after being away for so long.”
“Ah, I know that feeling,” Cook said sympathetically. “I don’t think I’ll ever set foot in Kansas again; even Grenvell and Mom moved to New York just because the place holds too many memories for them. If someone were to ask me, I’d say that memories are a vampire’s worst enemy. Of course, that’s just my opinion; others would beg to differ.”
“How about emotions, then?”
“Indeed. You catch on fast, kid.”
Their conversation was cut short by an appearance from the rest of their companions. David was in the lead, looking tense and exhausted; Tommy and Monte took up the rear, wheeling the coffins containing the others on trolleys.
“You’re going to feed as soon as we reach the hotel,” Cook said softly, cradling David’s face in his hands. “Didn’t I tell you not to go a week without feeding from me?”
“I’m sorry, Cook,” David replied. “You know very well that I don’t feed unless it is absolutely necessary. Adam taught me how to conserve my energy long enough to last me awhile. I will, however, feed from you as soon as we get settled. Have you phoned Miss Wendle yet?”
Cook nodded. “She arranged for a limo to pick us up as soon as we arrive.”
“That’s good to hear.” Tommy slipped on his sunglasses. “None of us are in tip-top condition right now; we need to feed and get some sleep if we want to be in perfect form. We’re going to be perfectly safe at her home; she also has a selection of willing donors for those who are going to need human blood.”
“…you’ve developed a taste for Mills, haven’t you?” Monte asked with a smirk. “I know you, Ratliff; you’re the pickiest eater I know. You don’t feed from just anybody.”
Tommy shrugged noncommittally. “He’s powerful; I like the taste of power.”
In spite of his worries, Kris managed to grin a little. He was in good company, and they would all find a way to get Adam back. His companions seemed to know what they were doing; nothing was more assuring than having power, intellect and confidence on your side. Hopefully, the much needed rest would help rejuvenate everyone’s spirits, and they could get to work on putting their plans into action.
“Keep calm, Kris,” David advised him, laying a hand on his shoulder. “Send Adam your good thoughts; he will need that. I know it’s going to be difficult, but we must try to remain optimistic. If Adam senses your distress, his attention may end up divided. In predicaments such as these, a loss of focus can render a vampire powerless. Another thing you have to remember is that we are treading on land that we are unaccustomed to; for this, I must lean heavily on you and Mister Mills for guidance.”
“Yes, of course,” Kris agreed. “Although I’m a little apprehensive of how the people in this town might react to my presence; by now I’m sure they know that I’ve been away for awhile. It’s the kind of place where people seem to know each other a little too well.”
“You’ll be in safe hands,” David promised him. “Miss Wendle will take care of keeping you hidden; you may stay at her home if it’s going to be too dangerous for you to move around with us. Also, Mister Torres and Adam have been friends for a long time; he will not allow any harm to come to any of us while we are here. Though the people here are not too fond of vampires, they have never laid a finger on Mister Torres or any of his companions out of fear. Their fear fuels them more than their hatred does, so we have no choice but to use it to our advantage.”
“…you won’t hurt anyone, right?”
“Never. They usually try to hurt us even before we think about hurting them. It’s an insult to humanity, but that is the way the cookie crumbles.”
“Hey, guys,” Monte alerted them. “The limo’s here; we should get going if we want to make it in by sundown. That way, you guys can feed and sleep a little before we head on out at night.”
“Come, Kris,” David said softly. “We will speak more tonight, if you wish.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Brooke Wendle, it turned out, was an LA-bred vampire. Adam had sent her to Conway to serve as the bridge between Torres and himself. Kris had been quite uncomfortable at first, but her pleasant manners and charming wit eventually put him at ease. Like the rest of Adam’s posse, she had taken an immediate liking to him. At the hour marking his first night back in Conway, Kris found himself sitting in Brooke’s kitchen with Taylor Green and Isaac Carpenter, a steaming mug of tea clasped tightly in his hands.
“Are you feeling better, honey?” Brooke asked kindly. “I hope the tea is helping; I used to take that as an anti-stressor when I was still human.”
“It is; thanks,” Kris replied with a smile. “Please don’t worry so much about me.”
“We’re under strict orders to attend to you as best as we can,” Isaac reminded him. “Tommy made it clear that no harm was to come to you under any circumstance. He can be all smiles when he’s in a good mood, but defying his orders is punishable by shit worse than death.”
“Speaking of Tommy, where is he?” Kris asked.
“Indisposed,” Brooke replied. “He’s quite taken by that handsome friend of yours, Kris. I’m sure you know what else goes on when a vampire feeds.”
Kris felt his face heat up. “Yeah; Adam gave me a demonstration last night.”
“Ooh, glad to see he finally gave in,” Taylor remarked. “Plus, he’s been abstaining like crazy; I keep telling him it isn’t healthy to stay away from feeding for too long.”
“Lord Lambert is fucking stubborn, though,” Isaac sighed. “Only David and Tommy can get him to listen. Now, we have Kris, too; maybe life’s going to be a little simpler after we get out of this mess.”
“You don’t seem too worried, if I may state my observation,” Kris said slowly.
“I’m a bit of a natural optimist,” Isaac admitted. “Plus, I have faith in all of you. We’ve been through shit before, and we’ve been able to deal with things despite the difficulties encountered. Besides, endless bouts of worrying won’t really help in getting the job done.”
“I miss your perturbing sense of calm,” Brooke said with a rueful smile. “Heck, I miss all of you; being out here on my own makes me a little lonely sometimes.”
“Why’d you accept the post, anyway?” Taylor wanted to know. “Adam offered it to quite a number of people; I remember a handful willing to go in your place.”
“I had a feeling he wanted me to do it,” Brooke sighed. “You know how Adam works; if he wants you for the job, he’ll find a way of communicating it without you missing the hint. And I’m sure we’re all on the same page when I say we’ll do absolutely anything he asks of us.”
Taylor smiled. “We all love him. But there’s no one he loves as much as he loves Kris. Whatever reason he had for running off, I’m sure he has no intentions of dying. He’s got you to come back to, Kris. No matter how much of a martyr Adam is, he’s not going to let himself get staked because someone he loves is waiting for him. I know he’d feel guilty leaving us to fend for ourselves, but that’s nothing compared to what he feels for you. He’s been different since you came to us, Kris.”
“Tay, I think you’re the first person that actually helped me feel better.” Kris reached out to squeeze his hand. “I know everyone means well because they care about me, but no one was able to say it as kindly and as contritely as you did; for that, I thank you.”
“I bet this is why Tommy asked him to come along,” Isaac pointed out. “He wanted you to have someone you could talk to about…well, anything. Tay’s a sweetheart, so he’s perfect for the job.”
Kris grinned. “You’re not terrible company yourself, Isaac. And of course, Miss Wendle’s amazing.”
“Call me Brooke,” she insisted. “Every single man on this force gives me the Miss Wendle treatment out of respect, but I don’t take to it as well as Cam does to Doctor Grey. I guess it just makes me feel old-well, older than I already am, at least.”
As soon as he had finished his tea, Kris politely excused himself in hopes of exploring the nooks and crannies of Brooke’s house. It was a homey bungalow occupying a large land area that gave off a rustic, comfortable feel-much like Kris’ childhood home. Ignoring the pangs stirring in his heart, he made his way to the back porch and plopped into the rickety old rocking chair, peering listlessly at the starless sky.
It was going to be a long, long night.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sometime in the dead of the night, Tommy had roused Kris from sleep, telling him to get dressed and be outside in five minutes. Despite his curiosity, Kris decided against asking further questions and did as he was told. As soon as he deemed himself ready, he grabbed his leather jacket off the door hook and walked right out the front door. Tommy herded him into a black sedan; he found himself squished into the back seat next to Brooke, Taylor and Cale.
“…where are we going?” he finally asked.
“Icarus,” Tommy replied. “It’s a hole-in-the-wall pub that the Conway vamps frequent. Monte arranged for us to meet with Torres and his cronies tonight; here’s to hoping we’re going to way away with more information and less questions to answer.”
“Isn’t David going to come along?”
“We considered it, but I figured it would look too imposing,” Tommy explained. “Being Adam’s Progeny, his presence may elicit adverse reactions from the less-informed vampires. Monte and Cale are both well-acquainted with Torres, so we have to bring them along. Brooke is well-known in the area; she can mill around and gather information without looking too suspicious. Taylor is going to be taking care of you most of the time, but you are more than welcome to join us when we talk to Torres. You’ll be safer with all of us around you, too.”
“There are going to be quite a few familiar faces in the crowd, Kris,” Cale warned him. “Some of our classmates are fangbangers in the closet; others may have allowed themselves to be turned. If someone recognizes you, pretend to be a fangbanger yourself. Don’t answer any questions about what we’re doing; just grab a drink, dance, whatever. Taylor, I trust you to take care of him.”
“You can count on me,” Taylor promised. “I won’t let Kris out of my sight.”
“Good.” Tommy sounded satisfied. “I figure this is going to go nicely-unless the unexpected comes crawling in while we’re there, of course.”
Cale chuckled. “And to think we came up with this plan while screwing. I think Tommy is the only vampire who orgasms at the prospect of a foolproof scheme.”
“Well, you do find it erotic,” Tommy said, nonplussed. “A Mate of lesser intelligence would do you no good.”
Brooke blinked. “…Tommy has a Mate? I could tell you guys were involved, but I didn’t think you were Mates. How long ago was this?”
“Last night,” Tommy said with a shrug. “Well, we’ve fed from each other quite a number of times now, but it was only last night that we realized we could call ourselves a pair.”
“And this is why you shouldn’t think of someone as a hick just because he’s from Arkansas.” Cale smirked. “For all you know, we have worse kinks than you LA folk.”
“Yes, like the weird intellect kink you have going on with Tommy,” Taylor giggled. “Next time, you should ask him about history during sex; he’s like a walking history book.”
Monte shook his head. “You vamps are a strange lot, that’s for sure. I’ve run into humans who get off on the weirdest shit, but getting turned on by someone’s IQ is new.”
Despite the circumstances, Kris was gladdened by the lighter (if not stranger) topic of conversation. Tossing jokes and casual remarks around was doing wonders to his nerves. He would be lying if he said that he wasn’t apprehensive about what would take place that night; talking about rather menial things helped calm him down. Just like any other person, Kris functioned better when he was calm-there were less chances of royally fucking up everything that way.
“Okay, so here’s what we’re going to do.” Tommy gathered everyone around for a final reorientation. “Monte, Cale and I will be heading over to Torres. Brooke, take Kris and Taylor with you when you extract information from the locals; feign mingling if you have to. If anyone gets into any trouble, alert me with a text or missed call. If you are unable to do so, yell.”
Kris nodded stiffly, tucking himself into Taylor’s side as Monte escorted them into the pub. Almost immediately, Kris’ nostrils were accosted by the scent of blood and sex. Tommy had not been kidding when he said it was not safe to prowl Icarus alone; a couple of unengaged vampires would swoop in to sniff at Kris, backing off only when Taylor bared his fangs at them.
“I just need to find Andrew,” Brooke muttered under her breath. “We’ll be safer in the VIP lounge. Thankfully, most of these fangbangers are too poor to afford Torres’ steep fees; he keeps them pricey for obvious reasons. Now, where the hell is that Andrew?”
“You rang, Miss Brooke?”
Kris yelped in surprise as he felt a cold puff of air brush past him, only to assume the form of a handsome sandy-haired vampire-most likely the Andrew fellow that Brooke had been searching for.
“We need to talk,” Brooke said briskly. “This is a very urgent matter, so don’t expect me to stick my hand down your pants and play nice tonight.”
Andrew smirked, offering his arm for Brooke to take. “I just love it when you get all feisty. But what a lady wants, a lady gets. Please; follow me.”
Kris followed the pair, clasping Taylor’s hand in a vice-like grip as they made their way past a throng of hungry-looking vampires. Those who didn’t seem to be interested in them were busy with other things, mostly sexual and scandalous in nature. Vampires and humans alike were draped over each other in various states of undress, terrifying and fascinating Kris with the lewdness of it all. It made him feel safe to have Taylor, Brooke and this Andrew character rallying around him, but he could not help but sigh with relief when Andrew shut the heavy steel door behind them.
He eyed Kris suspiciously. “You brought along a human.”
“He belongs to the lord,” Brooke informed him. “But before I start grilling you for answers, allow me to make a few introductions. Kris, this is Andrew de Roberts; he’s one of Torres’ most trusted aides. Andrew, these are Kris Allen and Taylor Green.”
“Under other circumstances, I’m sure I would have been pleased to meet you.” Andrew smiled wryly at the pair. “Not that I’m going to throw you back out there to the wolves or anything, but we’re all pretty stressed right now; and judging by the looks of things, you guys don’t seem to be in good shape, either.”
“Have you seen the lord around, Andrew?” Brooke asked. “He left early yesterday morning without telling anyone of his plans; we’re operating on a hunch that he flew here to speak to Torres.”
“He was here this afternoon, yes,” Andrew replied. “From what I overheard, it seems that Katy O’Connell caused a hell of a lot of trouble for you folks. Did Ratliff really stake her?”
“Adam ordered him to,” Taylor piped up. “She wasn’t being very nice to Kris, and she ended up making him really angry. No one had ever seen Adam that furious before.”
“Torres was pretty much alarmed himself upon hearing the story,” Andrew went on. “They believe she’s in cahoots with another master vampire none of us know of. If you came to talk to Torres, I’m afraid he’s left with your Lord Lambert; they’re probably doing some investigating around the area.”
“Well, that leaves Monte and the other two empty-handed,” Brooke sighed. “They’re probably out trying to track Adam now. Are you sure you don’t know anything else, Andrew?”
“If I did, I would have let you know at once. I just didn’t think that it would get this big.”
“Believe me, we all feel the same way,” Taylor said sagely. “There’s someone else out there; O’Connell was only sent to deliver the message.”
“Poor girl.” Andrew shook his head. “She was deluded. Unfortunately, the fangbanging here has become quite a trend. Those kids out there in the main room are here almost every night. They used to hate us, but now they’re fucking obsessed; it makes me sick. Whatever that thing we’re trying to find is, it’s dragging humans into a private war by messing with their heads.”
Kris remained curled up in the loveseat, listening intently to the conversation that was flowing freely among the three vampires. It was quite disconcerting; he had never been around nervous, agitated vampires before. Even the normally chipper Taylor was flitting around like a hummingbird, jumping in his seat each time he would hear a noise of some sort. It was clear that something had disrupted the equilibrium that Adam and the other vampires had worked so hard to establish; they were afraid because they had no idea what it was. Cook had told him earlier that their kind had the tendency to behave like an army of control freaks. If they could not gain the upper hand in any situation, they behaved a little more wildly than they usually did.
“Maybe we should go out as well,” he suggested. “I kind of don’t see the point of staying shut up here waiting for something to happen.”
Brooke sighed. “I don’t know, Kris; Tommy told me to keep you safe. As of right now, here seems to be the safest place to be. We don’t know what’s out there.”
“My point exactly,” Kris said hotly. “How can we get anything done if we’re too scared to chase after the unknown? If we don’t know what it is, we can’t even start thinking up answers to all the questions that are swimming in our heads!”
Andrew grinned. “…that’s the first smart idea I’ve heard all evening. The kid’s right; nothing’s going to happen if we just sit here all night like a bunch of cowards. Besides, he’s got us; there’s no way he’s going to end up dead in a ditch with us protecting him.”
“Next time, skip the dead-in-a-ditch analogy.” Taylor glowered at him. “Feel free to use it again when we’re talking about someone who’s not Kris.”
“I could grow to like you kittens.” Andrew smirked. “You’re feisty little things; pretty, no less. Anyway, we should leave via the back; there’s too much shit going on-”
A loud crash and a series of screams rang out from the main room, surprising Kris and his companions. Cursing loudly, Andrew made his way to the main door, motioning for the others to stay where they were. Kris tightened his hold on Taylor, whose face had morphed into full vamp mode as soon as they had heard the noise. Brooke abandoned her post by the bar, crossing the room in brisk yet quiet strides to join Andrew at the door, her expression unreadable.
“I’m going to check things out,” Andrew informed them. “Taylor, I want you to sneak out the back with Kris. If there’s trouble out there, run back in immediately. Brooke, go with them.”
She shook her head. “No; I’m not leaving you alone to deal with this mess.”
“Ryland and the others are out there. I’ll be fine.”
“…alright,” she relented, moving away to join Kris and Taylor. “You’d better not get yourself staked, though-or seriously hurt. Just...promise me, okay?”
“Promise.” Andrew winked at her. “Now, go.”
“I wonder what the fuck that was about,” Taylor muttered. “I know vamps like wild parties, but screaming of the painful kind isn’t usually involved. I just hope no one gets seriously hurt.”
“I don’t remember people here being so…rowdy,” Kris remarked. “I can’t believe it’s changed so much…or maybe it has always been this way and I just failed to notice.”
“Well, all small towns have their secrets,” Brooke said wearily, pushing the heavy door open with her shoulder. “Sometimes, the secrets you uncover in places like these are scarier than what you can find in big crime-infested cities like good old LA.”
“Hmmm, there doesn’t seem to be anything out here,” Taylor observed. “But it’s way too quiet for my liking. If there’s a riot going on inside, shouldn’t there be loud noises out here, too?”
“…can you smell that, Taylor?” Brooke asked.
“Yes,” Taylor replied grimly. “Someone’s been killed.”
Kris followed the duo to the front area of Icarus. The stench was growing stronger with every step; the need to throw up threatened to overcome him. Taylor crouched in front of one of mangled bodies lying in state, looking far too grave for someone so cheerful.
“This one is human. Heck; some of these bodies belong to humans!”
Kris felt an unpleasant chill rip through his body upon realizing that Taylor was indeed, correct. Although his senses were not as attuned as those of the vampires, he could recognize the smell of human decay anywhere. He made to follow Brooke and Taylor as they walked off to investigate the damage, but was intercepted by a hand that clamped itself over his mouth. Panic surging through his veins, Kris struggled in his captor’s grip, desperately trying to free himself.
“Hold still, Kris!” Cale said sharply. “It’s only me.”
Kris relaxed in his grip and turned to face him, feeling quite confused. Both Taylor and Brooke mirrored his expression; they looked just as clueless as Kris felt due to Cale’s sudden appearance.
“Where have you been all this time?” Taylor demanded. “We heard from Andrew that Torres wasn’t around, so we thought you may have gone out to look for him.”
“We did, but chaos broke out,” Cale sighed. “You must have heard the commotion; I don’t see any other fitting reason for you to be out here.”
“What happened, anyway?” Brooke asked.
“Rogues,” Cale replied shortly. “It’s reminiscent of the night I got turned, but entering dangerous territory. No one knows where the rogues are from, so things got wild. The Conway fangers got pretty riled up at the strangers crashing their party, so a fight broke out. Sad to say, there were many casualties.”
“Where are Tommy and Monte?” Kris asked, worried. “Are they alright?”
“Those guys are more than capable of taking care of themselves, honey,” Brooke assured him. “Wherever they are, I’m sure they’re doing just fine.”
“We had to do some damage control,” Cale explained. “To put things bluntly, we had to kill some of the rogues. Two of them got away, but Tommy was able to get a few words from the one of his victims. The fucker said something about how their master knew what we were up to and that we wouldn’t be able to win no matter how strong we thought we were. If you ask me, it’s a lot like what happened when Adam interrogated Katy O’Connell. She wasn’t lying, guys; there is someone else out there.”
“…I don’t care how many times we’ve thought or said this, but shit just got real,” Taylor sighed. “This is serious, guys; we can’t afford to operate on mere theoretical levels anymore.”
“He’s right.” Tommy emerged from Icarus’ main entrance, clothes and hands caked with the blood of others. “I’ve managed to reach Adam; he will join us at Brooke’s by daybreak. We need to recharge and regroup; sunrise is fast approaching, so we need to make our return trip.”
Kris wrapped his arms around Tommy from behind, burrowing his face into the blond vampire’s neck. They stood like that until Monte pulled up with the sedan, ready to take everyone back to Brooke’s bungalow. Whoever this master vampire was, he was certainly taking a lot out of Tommy. Kris had never seen him look so terse before.
And if Tommy was afraid, it meant that more bad news would come chasing after them soon enough.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kris woke to the feeling of another body occupying his bed. Confused, he reached over to part the curtains a little, wondering who on earth would want to crawl into his bed at such an ungodly hour. He nearly sobbed in relief as the faint rays of morning touched Adam’s sleeping face, framing it in a warm, ethereal glow. Kris allowed the curtain to drop and curled himself into Adam’s side, inhaling the rich, musky scent unique to him. He smelled of sandalwood, spices and blood; the combination drove Kris heady with need. He shuffled downwards a bit, groaning softly as he rubbed his erection against Adam’s thigh.
“Is it not too early for a midnight stroll, my love?” Adam asked teasingly, flipping them over so that he was pressing Kris against the mattress.
“Missed you,” Kris said breathlessly, wrapping his arms around Adam’s neck. “Don’t ever leave without telling me again; I’ve been worried sick about you.”
“I apologize; that was completely disrespectful and thoughtless of me. I thought that if I had woken you up, you would have insisted on accompanying me. I did not want to put your life at risk, but I fear that the wish has been made in vain. Whether human or vampire, we are all in the same boat now.”
“What happened?” Kris asked softly. “Did you and Torres find any new leads?”
“A few, yes; but none quite significant enough to be helpful,” Adam admitted. “We do, however, need to make a return trip to Los Angeles as soon as everyone is rested. Cassidy sent a text message informing me that similar things are happening in our city. Vampires from an unknown area have been seen frequenting our local scene and trolling the streets at night. There have been no reports of violence, but there is cause for apprehension nonetheless. I have a terrible feeling that I was tricked into traveling south for them to infiltrate LA under lower security measures. Whoever this vampire is, he is someone that knows me quite well. Torres is still concerned about Conway’s safety, though; he believes that it plays a bigger part in the grand scheme of things. Thanks to Tommy and Monte’s quick work last night, they were able to rid their territory of the vermin. I am, however, unaware of what awaits us upon our return.”
“I wish I could tell you to relax, but that would be a stupid thing to say,” Kris said softly. “I’ve never seen Tommy so lost before; it’s a little scary.”
“Morale is low,” Adam sighed. “Everyone is exhausted, confused and afraid; I do not know how we are going to get through this unscathed.”
“You need to think about yourself first, Adam,” Kris urged him. “You can’t lead an army into battles if you yourself are not in the best condition. Please, rest for awhile. Feed if you must. I’m ready.”
“…will it be alright if I touch you?” Adam asked softly. “Aside from a source of pleasure, sexual intercourse is also a way for vampires to restore energy. If you do not feel up to it, I shall not press you.”
“Are you kidding?” Kris mumbled, cupping Adam’s hard length through the denim. “I want this; I need this. Given what’s happening, I just really need to be as close to you as I can right now.”
“As do I,” Adam whispered. “Come, Kris; we will be one tonight.”
Kris trembled with anticipation as Adam carefully divested him of his clothing, each feather-light touch setting his skin on fire. He watched Adam disrobe with hooded eyes, hungrily drinking in each patch of bared skin. Nothing, however, burnt quite as much as the sensation of finally feeling Adam’s naked skin against his. The way that Adam’s hands and lips mapped his skin was familiar to him by now; however, he could not help but tense up a little when Adam’s fingers brushed against his hole.
“Adam…” he breathed, gripping the vampire’s arms tightly. “I’ve-I’ve never done this before.”
“Oh, darling.” Adam brushed a kiss over his lips. “You need not worry; I will be most gentle with you. I cannot promise you that it will not hurt; being with a vampire always merits pain of some sort.”
“…then hurt me,” Kris whispered. “I want to feel you, Adam. I want you to stop being so careful around me; I have my own fantasies, too.”
“Pray tell me what they are,” Adam murmured. “I want to turn your dreams into reality.”
“I need you to take me. I want you to sink into me oh-so-slowly until you’ve rendered me incoherent. I want you to fuck me so hard that I’ll be able to feel you in me for days. I want to be able to look back on our first time and remember all of it in excruciatingly beautiful detail.”
Kris moaned happily when Adam ground his mouth upon his, easily surrendering to the kiss. He could taste love and desperation on Adam’s tongue, and it did nothing but spur on his own desire. Feeling brave, Kris pulled away from the kiss and bared his neck to Adam as a silent plea. He had learned to crave the sensation of having razor-sharp fangs sink into his flesh; the mark from his first time had left him eager to experience being fed from again.
“Please, Adam,” he whined. “I want to be able to feel close to you again.”
Adam bent over and swiftly buried his fangs into Kris’ neck, making the latter shiver with need as he fed from him. He moved his hand down Adam’s torso, mapping out the planes and ridges of his broad, muscular chest before finally fisting his cock. Adam groaned softly as Kris began tugging at it, each sliding motion of his hand jerking Adam to full mast.
“Yes…” he murmured, lapping at the blood that had seeped out from Kris’ puncture wounds. “Just like that, my love; mmmm, you are becoming quite skilled at this.”
“Adam, I want you,” Kris panted. “I can’t even find the right words to express my need…”
“There are no correct words,” Adam assured him. “And you need not worry; I am highly aware of your needs. I believe I know exactly what you need, Kristopher.”
He bit into his own wrist and offered it to Kris, his eyes dark with lust.
“Drink from me.”
Kris allowed his tongue to dart out of his mouth, sampling the tangy, stale taste of cold blood on his lips. Intrigued, he leaned forward for more, clamping his lips over the wound on Adam’s wrist to draw blood into his mouth. The tender suckling motions drew a pleasured groan from the vampire, his grip on Kris’ hip tightening enough to bruise. Kris drank greedily, drawing back only when Adam pulled him in for a kiss, hoarse laughter bubbling from his lips.
“You, Mister Allen, make it necessary for a vampire to breathe.”
Adam moved southward again, gently pulling Kris’ legs apart so he could snake in between them. Kris squirmed in pleasure as Adam blew on his hole, teasing the sensitive skin of his pucker. He raised his hips in supplication when Adam dragged the length of his tongue along the rim of his hole, whimpering with need each time Adam pressed his tongue in.
“Stop teasing me, Adam!” he cried. “Please! I-I need…”
“What do you need, Kristopher? Tell me. Say it out loud.”
Adam’s voice echoed in his head as he continued to lick his way into Kris, driving in even deeper each time his hips bucked upwards. It frightened and thrilled him at the same time to realize that he had never been so desperate to have something inside him in his life.
“…fuck me,” he whimpered. “Please.”
“I am at your disposal.”
Kris whined in disappointment as Adam pulled away, already missing the slick wetness of his tongue. Chuckling softly, Adam patted his hip in reassurance, rifling through his discarded coat for a vial of lubricant before crawling back to Kris.
“This is all I have,” he said regretfully. “I have not been carrying condoms on me for awhile since I have been too busy to engage in spur-of-the-moment sexual gratification.”
“We don’t need one,” Kris said thickly. “You, uhm, don’t ejaculate anymore, right? I’ve never slept with anyone, so, I’m clean. I don’t want to feel anything between us for our first time.
His eyes clouded over at the prospect of it being their first and last time lest one or both of them died at the hands of their enemy. Worst of all, Adam said nothing to reassure him. Kris was positive that they were both thinking along the lines of certain death. Shaking his head, he wrapped his arms around Adam’s neck, holding him close and simply breathing him in.
“I’m scared,” he whispered. “I don’t want to lose you.”
“Let us not think about what tomorrow may bring,” Adam said softly. “We have tonight.”
“Then love me. Love me as if you’ll never be able to hold me like this again.”
Adam pushed him to lie back down, uncapping the bottle as he returned to his place between Kris’ legs. Carefully, he massaged the rim of Kris’ asshole with two lubed fingers, pausing every now and then to press in up to the first knuckle, giving him a taste of what it would feel like to be penetrated. Kris wriggled impatiently, trying to impale himself on Adam’s fingers. Adam, however, held him down by splaying a hand over his abdomen, preventing Kris from pushing his hips forward. Without further warning, he pushed his index finger into Kris’ wet, tight heat and allowed it to linger, getting Kris used to the feeling of having something inside him. Humming softly, he drew it back out and pushed in again, paying close attention to Kris’ labored breathing. Kris fidgeted a bit, stifling the sudden desire to clench around Adam’s finger in an odd attempt to keep him there forever.
“Are you feeling alright, darling?” Adam asked. “Does it hurt in any way whatsoever?”
Kris shook his head. “It feels a little uncomfortable, but I’m okay.”
“I will go with two fingers this time, alright? Try not to move around so much.”
Kris nodded, flinching a little when he felt a second finger join the first. He could feel a burn this time, but it wasn’t the kind that made him want to peel off his skin. Instead, he concentrated on his breathing, biting his lip as Adam drove deeper; it was almost as if he was searching for something.
“…oh my.”
His eyes flew open as a current of what felt like electricity traveled up his body, making him tremble in pleasure. Experimentally, he clenched his muscles around Adam’s fingers, gasping when he felt the strangely gratifying current course through his body once more.
“Did you feel that?” Adam queried, sounding almost smug.
“…fuck, what was that?” Kris gasped. “It felt so damn good.”
“Your prostate,” Adam stated simply, pushing in again, curling his fingers in a way that made Kris whimper. “Trust me; it will get better when I fuck you with my cock.”
Kris moaned loudly as he felt a third finger enter him. Adam had lost all sense of propriety now, driving his fingers in and out of Kris’ hole in erratic strokes. Kris mirrored his movements with fervor, his breathing ragged as he fucked himself on Adam’s fingers. It was good, but it was not yet good enough.
He needed more.
“…Adam,” he moaned brokenly. “I need your cock. Please; fuck me with your cock.”
“Slick me up,” Adam murmured, pushing the vial into Kris’ hand. “I am quite large; it may be difficult for me to breach you minus a liberal amount of lubricant.”
Kris hurriedly poured the contents of the vial onto his palm, coating Adam’s hard cock until it was wet and slick to the touch. He went willingly as Adam guided him back down, the vampire’s hand a soothing presence on his hip. Letting his legs fall open, he watched Adam position himself between them under hooded lids, heart throbbing against the cage that was his chest.
“Breathe, Kris,” Adam ordered, rubbing the head of his cock against Kris’ hole. “As I push into you, I want you to release that breath; slowly. It will hurt less that way.”
“I want to feel you,” Kris said simply, cupping Adam’s face with his hands.
“And feel me you shall.”
A soft moan escaped Kris’ throat as Adam pushed into him, filling him inch by excruciating inch. His fingers had been amazing, but nothing could compare to the burning, pleasurable fire that grew just a little bit hotter as Adam finally slid home. They lay still for a moment, with Kris panting harshly in Adam’s ear.
“Does this feel alright?” Adam managed to grunt out, not sounding composed or casual in the least. “You must let me know at once if your body cannot handle the discomfort.”
Kris pushed himself up on his elbows, wriggling his hips in an effort to push Adam further in. Adam groaned loudly, allowing himself to succumb to the erratic push-pull movements of Kris’ hips. Coming to the conclusion that Kris was ready for him, he pulled back out until only the flared head of his cock remained in Kris. Kris whined softly, attempting to cant his hips upwards to pull Adam into his waiting body. Smirking, Adam pulled all the way out, rubbing his cock teasingly along the rim of Kris’ hole.
“Beg for it,” he said roughly.
“Please, Adam!” Kris moaned, shamelessly rutting against him. “I need to feel your cock in me. I want you to fuck me so hard that I won’t be able to think of anything else but this.”
“I will make sure of that,” Adam hissed. “After I finish with you, you will think of nothing but the memory of my cock in your ass and me fucking you into this mattress.”
Kris nearly sobbed in relief as Adam finally pushed into him, fucking him slowly and steadily with smooth, long thrusts. He twined his limbs around Adam’s body, holding him as close as he possibly could, nails leaving half-moon marks on the pale skin of Adam’s back. He met Adam thrust for thrust, panting harshly each time he pushed himself up into Adam’s embrace, feeling like he would shatter each time Adam touched that spot inside him.
“Oh god, fuck me!” he cried. “Harder, Adam. Please!”
Adam hooked Kris’ leg over his shoulder and drove in again, eliciting a soft scream from Kris at the sudden change in angle. Kris threw his head back and murmured Adam’s name like a litany, all the while thinking, finally, finally, finally.
“…I’m gonna come,” he whimpered.
Adam reached in between them and wrapped his hand around Kris’ cock, jerking him off in time with his thrusts. A keening noise escaped Kris’ throat as he came, covering their torsos with his cum. He lay there limply as Adam chased his own climax, thrusting frantically into Kris before finally collapsing on top of him. Kris curled his arms around Adam’s neck, breathing in the faint traces of his perfume. He had never been with anyone before, so he had never felt how it was to have a lover’s sweat stain his skin or to have the proof of their intercourse leak out of him. Adam, however, was not capable of such, as his physical body no longer functioned the way a living human’s did.
“I was thinking,” he said softly. “I was thinking of how things would have gone if I stayed in Conway.”
Adam gave no verbal response. Instead, he tightened his hold on Kris and busied himself with nuzzling at his throat. Giggling softly, Kris pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead.
“Conway is like, the epitome of what’s normal, you know? Well, to me, at least. If I stayed, I would have never been involved in such a conspiracy. I would have never spent my days and nights worrying if you would still be alive when I opened my eyes. In short, I would have lived in a worry-free world.”
“Do you regret this?” Adam asked quietly. “Do you regret staying with me?”
“I would have had infinite regrets if I chose to turn back.” Kris reached out to stroke his cheek. “I love you, Adam; I don’t think I could ever love anyone else the way I love you. The differences that set us apart don’t matter to me at all. Human, vampire…there are no rules, anyway. As long as we love each other, everything is going to be okay.”
“You have no qualms about us having a different kind of relationship, then?”
“None at all,” Kris smiled. “You can still walk in the sun; we can have a life together.”
Adam chuckled. “You are a simple man with simple desires, but that is what I love about you, Kristopher. With a job like mine, I easily tire of the complex. You keep me stable; you keep me grounded. You make me want to stay alive.”
“…we will live, Adam,” Kris rolled over to straddle his hips. “We will survive this together. But until we need to leave, I must demand that you love me.”
“Gladly,” Adam said with a smirk, reaching up to pull him in for another kiss.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The return trip to Los Angeles had been quiet and full of tension. Adam had spent most of the flight on the phone discussing possible strategies and methods of damage control with Cassidy, who had been growing increasingly concerned with the strange silence that had fallen upon the once bustling city. It had been a short flight, but Kris had found himself drifting in and out of sleep, waking up with the faint traces of his nightmares on his lips. Though he had slept well after their lovemaking, he still felt thoroughly exhausted. David had said it was because he was unconsciously absorbing some of Adam’s stress due to the fact that Kris had fed from him earlier that day. Their bonded blood would strengthen their ties, and they would be able to feel what the other was feeling to a certain extent. As soon as they had touched ground, Adam rang up the Daywalkers for a meeting at their apartment, anxious to discuss the best possible plans.
“It’s daytime, so none of them are skulking around right now.” Brad sighed, lifting the heavy curtain up for a peek outside. “The thing is, that’s all they do. I’m actually praying for someone to come busting through those doors demanding a fight to the death just to know it’s one of those usual misunderstandings you guys can easily take care of.”
“We have to lure them in,” Cook insisted. “I suggest we throw some sort of party; it worked in Arkansas, so maybe they’ll be drawn to it here as well. It can serve as some sort of trap. We can have all the city vamps there to give off the pretense that it’s some major shit and lots of people are there.”
Adam nodded. “That is an idea. However, we need to make sure the humans stay away from this; I do not desire any unnecessary deaths under my watch.”
“I’ll give Big Daddy and his cronies a heads up,” Cook promised, rising from his seat at the bar to grab his coat. “Security needs to be tighter than usual tonight.”
Adam turned to Monte. “You don’t have to stay. I have a bad feeling regarding tonight’s ploy, and I am certain it will be hazardous to your safety. Return to your wife and children.”
“I’m not backing out this time, man,” Monte declared, saluting Cook as he strode out of the club. “You saved Ariel’s life; the least I can do in return is to help save yours.”
Adam chuckled softly. “You would be the only human who has the gall to say that to me. I thank you, Monte; your assistance is eternally appreciated.”
Kris watched the exchange from his seat in a booth, relieved to feel that some of the tension was starting to leave Adam. Across him, Tommy was nursing a mug of reheated type O, his normally impassive expression marred by the worried lines on his face.
“You’re being paranoid again, aren’t you?”
“Of course I am,” Tommy declared. “I never feel safe with schemes that aren’t foolproof. They tricked us into following them to Arkansas to divert our attention from LA. I have a feeling that those fuckers trolling around after sundown are spying on us. Heck, they’ve probably devised a plan of attack already.”
“This is why we must beat them to it,” David said softly. “We’ll hold the party tonight; I don’t think they’ll have time to gather their strongest forces if we take their queen first.”
“You think it is wise, then?” Adam asked, watching David with thoughtful eyes.
“…no.” David shook his head. “It is reckless and absurd, but that is what we need right now. By now, I’m sure they have associated us with carefully planned strategies; I am unwilling to give them the pleasure of success because of that bit of information.”
“If you guys are going to stage some cool party, then you’d better start planning,” Brad quipped. “I’ll talk the owner into letting us use the club tonight. You’ll have to shell out some dough, but that’s the only way to keep humans from dropping in on the party.”
“Finances will not be a problem,” Adam assured him. “I am prepared to shell out whatever amount necessary to make sure our plans push through tonight. Brad, might you begin negotiations with the owner as soon as possible?”
“I’m on it,” Brad promised. “You two go on home and get some rest in the meantime; I’ll telephone you at once as soon as I bag the place.”
Tommy arched an eyebrow. “You seem quite confident in your abilities to convince the owner to give us a hand. I can’t help but wonder how you’re going to explain all this.”
“Don’t worry your pretty little head off, Ratliff,” Brad simpered prettily. “I have a few tricks of my own. Did it ever occur to any of you that the owner of the Mayan could be a vampire as well?”
“…you don’t say,” David murmured, amazed. “You mean to tell us that Miss Carmit Bachar is also one of us? How is this possible?”
“Carmit’s only the branch manager,” Brad explained. “The owner is actually Lady Kara DioGuardi. I’m sure you’ve heard of her, Adam.”
“Indeed I have,” Adam agreed. “I met her on a European cruise during my travels. She is a charming lady, but is quite full of herself. She deigned to tell me of the Mayan as her property.”
“Really?” Brad inquired. “And here I was thinking she would boast of all her gains. Ah well, it’s good enough that she’s quite fond of me. She’s vacationing in New Mexico right now, so all I need to do is to put in a quick phone call. It won’t take much to get her to agree; Lady Kara is quite fond of bloodshed.”
“New Mexico, huh?” Tommy scowled bitterly. “Why is it that some vampires get to go out and enjoy their immortality while we sit here and ponder our future?”
“Because the world needs someone to play the role of protector,” David replied simply. “Anyway, Brad is right; we need to get some rest before we venture out tonight. Also, the less activity here, the better. I will use my time to seek aid from our allies in the nearby cities.”
“I’m gonna head out as well,” Monte announced. “Let me do the day errands; most of you guys are pretty much incapacitated in the wake of sunlight. Adam, just text me if you need anything.”
Tommy rose from his seat. “So am I. I’m more useful out there than in here.”
Adam nodded. “Yes, that’s an excellent idea. Be very careful, all of you. Let me know at once if you have any new information.”
“You, my lord and father, should be the one not doing anything reckless,” David said with a wry smile. “Everyone is doing their part to help, so I’m sure we will be fine. Kris, please watch over him for me; you know how he is when he feels the weight of the world rests on his shoulders.”
“I’m not sure if I can stop him, though.” Kris shook his head. “When Adam is on his protector streak, there’s nothing much we can do about it.”
“Relax; I promise I will not do anything rash until tonight,” Adam said lightly. “I can make no promises when faced with threats on the battlefield.”
“Of course; I do not expect any less of any of you,” David sighed. “Perhaps I may say the same of myself. Anyway, we must make preparations. I will see you both later.”
Kris buried his face into Adam’s chest as soon as the door closed behind Tommy, seeking comfort in the circle of his arms. He sighed contentedly as Adam pressed a kiss to his forehead. In moments like these, it was so easy to pretend that they were not about to jumpstart a war that would decide their fates.
“-Lord Lambert!”
Kris jumped back in surprise as a cloaked figure nearly tumbled into the main room, tossing the smoking garment onto the carpeted floor. He gasped upon seeing the burn marks on Taylor’s wrists, realizing that he had gone out in the sun when he clearly wasn’t supposed to.
“What on earth are you doing here, Taylor?” Adam demanded. “Are you not supposed to be resting for tonight? I specifically gave out instructions regarding this matter.”
“I had to come,” Taylor said quietly. “Doctor Grey has a very important message for you. She needs you to come to the lab. Posthaste.”
(PARTE QUATRE)
A kradamreversebb Fill
Credits: lady_michaelis (writing), va_bites (art), and eirana_regan (proofreading)
Pairing: Adam Lambert/Kris Allen, with mentions of others
Rating: NC17
Warnings: Graphic sexual situations, bareback sex, blood play, murder, violence, foul language
Genre: Fantasy/Romance/Erotica/Satire
Summary: Was the love of a human powerful enough to save him?
Disclaimers: I’m proud of this baby; I believe Jamie and I raised it to the best of our artistic abilities-my story, his art. We regret to inform you that they aren’t our people--though you all know who Tommy belongs to. References to True Blood and Buffy the Vampire Slayer are here because I love those shows; references to Twilight are here because they’re hilarious. No, Adam does not watch Kris while he sleeps. That’s creepy.
PART THREE: OF SAINTS AND SINNERS
“Leave me a place underground, a labyrinth,
where I can go, when I wish to turn
without eyes, without touch,
in the void, to dumb stone,
or the finger of a shadow.
I know that you cannot, no one, no thing
can deliver up that place, or that path,
but what can I do with my pitiful passions
if they are no use, on the surface
of everyday life,
if I cannot look to survive,
except by dying, going beyond, entering
into the state, metallic and slumbering,
of primeval flame.”
- Pablo Neruda (1904 - 1973)
It felt odd to be standing in Conway’s airport once again. The last time Kris had been here, it was in an attempt to get away from the simple life he had grown to hate so much over the years. Now, he was back where he started. This time, he was on a mission to save the man he loved.
“Feeling okay, buddy?” Cook asked. “You hardly slept a wink during the flight.”
“I find difficulty in falling asleep when I’m too wound up,” Kris admitted. “I feel like a vampire who has returned to his hometown after being away for so long.”
“Ah, I know that feeling,” Cook said sympathetically. “I don’t think I’ll ever set foot in Kansas again; even Grenvell and Mom moved to New York just because the place holds too many memories for them. If someone were to ask me, I’d say that memories are a vampire’s worst enemy. Of course, that’s just my opinion; others would beg to differ.”
“How about emotions, then?”
“Indeed. You catch on fast, kid.”
Their conversation was cut short by an appearance from the rest of their companions. David was in the lead, looking tense and exhausted; Tommy and Monte took up the rear, wheeling the coffins containing the others on trolleys.
“You’re going to feed as soon as we reach the hotel,” Cook said softly, cradling David’s face in his hands. “Didn’t I tell you not to go a week without feeding from me?”
“I’m sorry, Cook,” David replied. “You know very well that I don’t feed unless it is absolutely necessary. Adam taught me how to conserve my energy long enough to last me awhile. I will, however, feed from you as soon as we get settled. Have you phoned Miss Wendle yet?”
Cook nodded. “She arranged for a limo to pick us up as soon as we arrive.”
“That’s good to hear.” Tommy slipped on his sunglasses. “None of us are in tip-top condition right now; we need to feed and get some sleep if we want to be in perfect form. We’re going to be perfectly safe at her home; she also has a selection of willing donors for those who are going to need human blood.”
“…you’ve developed a taste for Mills, haven’t you?” Monte asked with a smirk. “I know you, Ratliff; you’re the pickiest eater I know. You don’t feed from just anybody.”
Tommy shrugged noncommittally. “He’s powerful; I like the taste of power.”
In spite of his worries, Kris managed to grin a little. He was in good company, and they would all find a way to get Adam back. His companions seemed to know what they were doing; nothing was more assuring than having power, intellect and confidence on your side. Hopefully, the much needed rest would help rejuvenate everyone’s spirits, and they could get to work on putting their plans into action.
“Keep calm, Kris,” David advised him, laying a hand on his shoulder. “Send Adam your good thoughts; he will need that. I know it’s going to be difficult, but we must try to remain optimistic. If Adam senses your distress, his attention may end up divided. In predicaments such as these, a loss of focus can render a vampire powerless. Another thing you have to remember is that we are treading on land that we are unaccustomed to; for this, I must lean heavily on you and Mister Mills for guidance.”
“Yes, of course,” Kris agreed. “Although I’m a little apprehensive of how the people in this town might react to my presence; by now I’m sure they know that I’ve been away for awhile. It’s the kind of place where people seem to know each other a little too well.”
“You’ll be in safe hands,” David promised him. “Miss Wendle will take care of keeping you hidden; you may stay at her home if it’s going to be too dangerous for you to move around with us. Also, Mister Torres and Adam have been friends for a long time; he will not allow any harm to come to any of us while we are here. Though the people here are not too fond of vampires, they have never laid a finger on Mister Torres or any of his companions out of fear. Their fear fuels them more than their hatred does, so we have no choice but to use it to our advantage.”
“…you won’t hurt anyone, right?”
“Never. They usually try to hurt us even before we think about hurting them. It’s an insult to humanity, but that is the way the cookie crumbles.”
“Hey, guys,” Monte alerted them. “The limo’s here; we should get going if we want to make it in by sundown. That way, you guys can feed and sleep a little before we head on out at night.”
“Come, Kris,” David said softly. “We will speak more tonight, if you wish.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Brooke Wendle, it turned out, was an LA-bred vampire. Adam had sent her to Conway to serve as the bridge between Torres and himself. Kris had been quite uncomfortable at first, but her pleasant manners and charming wit eventually put him at ease. Like the rest of Adam’s posse, she had taken an immediate liking to him. At the hour marking his first night back in Conway, Kris found himself sitting in Brooke’s kitchen with Taylor Green and Isaac Carpenter, a steaming mug of tea clasped tightly in his hands.
“Are you feeling better, honey?” Brooke asked kindly. “I hope the tea is helping; I used to take that as an anti-stressor when I was still human.”
“It is; thanks,” Kris replied with a smile. “Please don’t worry so much about me.”
“We’re under strict orders to attend to you as best as we can,” Isaac reminded him. “Tommy made it clear that no harm was to come to you under any circumstance. He can be all smiles when he’s in a good mood, but defying his orders is punishable by shit worse than death.”
“Speaking of Tommy, where is he?” Kris asked.
“Indisposed,” Brooke replied. “He’s quite taken by that handsome friend of yours, Kris. I’m sure you know what else goes on when a vampire feeds.”
Kris felt his face heat up. “Yeah; Adam gave me a demonstration last night.”
“Ooh, glad to see he finally gave in,” Taylor remarked. “Plus, he’s been abstaining like crazy; I keep telling him it isn’t healthy to stay away from feeding for too long.”
“Lord Lambert is fucking stubborn, though,” Isaac sighed. “Only David and Tommy can get him to listen. Now, we have Kris, too; maybe life’s going to be a little simpler after we get out of this mess.”
“You don’t seem too worried, if I may state my observation,” Kris said slowly.
“I’m a bit of a natural optimist,” Isaac admitted. “Plus, I have faith in all of you. We’ve been through shit before, and we’ve been able to deal with things despite the difficulties encountered. Besides, endless bouts of worrying won’t really help in getting the job done.”
“I miss your perturbing sense of calm,” Brooke said with a rueful smile. “Heck, I miss all of you; being out here on my own makes me a little lonely sometimes.”
“Why’d you accept the post, anyway?” Taylor wanted to know. “Adam offered it to quite a number of people; I remember a handful willing to go in your place.”
“I had a feeling he wanted me to do it,” Brooke sighed. “You know how Adam works; if he wants you for the job, he’ll find a way of communicating it without you missing the hint. And I’m sure we’re all on the same page when I say we’ll do absolutely anything he asks of us.”
Taylor smiled. “We all love him. But there’s no one he loves as much as he loves Kris. Whatever reason he had for running off, I’m sure he has no intentions of dying. He’s got you to come back to, Kris. No matter how much of a martyr Adam is, he’s not going to let himself get staked because someone he loves is waiting for him. I know he’d feel guilty leaving us to fend for ourselves, but that’s nothing compared to what he feels for you. He’s been different since you came to us, Kris.”
“Tay, I think you’re the first person that actually helped me feel better.” Kris reached out to squeeze his hand. “I know everyone means well because they care about me, but no one was able to say it as kindly and as contritely as you did; for that, I thank you.”
“I bet this is why Tommy asked him to come along,” Isaac pointed out. “He wanted you to have someone you could talk to about…well, anything. Tay’s a sweetheart, so he’s perfect for the job.”
Kris grinned. “You’re not terrible company yourself, Isaac. And of course, Miss Wendle’s amazing.”
“Call me Brooke,” she insisted. “Every single man on this force gives me the Miss Wendle treatment out of respect, but I don’t take to it as well as Cam does to Doctor Grey. I guess it just makes me feel old-well, older than I already am, at least.”
As soon as he had finished his tea, Kris politely excused himself in hopes of exploring the nooks and crannies of Brooke’s house. It was a homey bungalow occupying a large land area that gave off a rustic, comfortable feel-much like Kris’ childhood home. Ignoring the pangs stirring in his heart, he made his way to the back porch and plopped into the rickety old rocking chair, peering listlessly at the starless sky.
It was going to be a long, long night.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sometime in the dead of the night, Tommy had roused Kris from sleep, telling him to get dressed and be outside in five minutes. Despite his curiosity, Kris decided against asking further questions and did as he was told. As soon as he deemed himself ready, he grabbed his leather jacket off the door hook and walked right out the front door. Tommy herded him into a black sedan; he found himself squished into the back seat next to Brooke, Taylor and Cale.
“…where are we going?” he finally asked.
“Icarus,” Tommy replied. “It’s a hole-in-the-wall pub that the Conway vamps frequent. Monte arranged for us to meet with Torres and his cronies tonight; here’s to hoping we’re going to way away with more information and less questions to answer.”
“Isn’t David going to come along?”
“We considered it, but I figured it would look too imposing,” Tommy explained. “Being Adam’s Progeny, his presence may elicit adverse reactions from the less-informed vampires. Monte and Cale are both well-acquainted with Torres, so we have to bring them along. Brooke is well-known in the area; she can mill around and gather information without looking too suspicious. Taylor is going to be taking care of you most of the time, but you are more than welcome to join us when we talk to Torres. You’ll be safer with all of us around you, too.”
“There are going to be quite a few familiar faces in the crowd, Kris,” Cale warned him. “Some of our classmates are fangbangers in the closet; others may have allowed themselves to be turned. If someone recognizes you, pretend to be a fangbanger yourself. Don’t answer any questions about what we’re doing; just grab a drink, dance, whatever. Taylor, I trust you to take care of him.”
“You can count on me,” Taylor promised. “I won’t let Kris out of my sight.”
“Good.” Tommy sounded satisfied. “I figure this is going to go nicely-unless the unexpected comes crawling in while we’re there, of course.”
Cale chuckled. “And to think we came up with this plan while screwing. I think Tommy is the only vampire who orgasms at the prospect of a foolproof scheme.”
“Well, you do find it erotic,” Tommy said, nonplussed. “A Mate of lesser intelligence would do you no good.”
Brooke blinked. “…Tommy has a Mate? I could tell you guys were involved, but I didn’t think you were Mates. How long ago was this?”
“Last night,” Tommy said with a shrug. “Well, we’ve fed from each other quite a number of times now, but it was only last night that we realized we could call ourselves a pair.”
“And this is why you shouldn’t think of someone as a hick just because he’s from Arkansas.” Cale smirked. “For all you know, we have worse kinks than you LA folk.”
“Yes, like the weird intellect kink you have going on with Tommy,” Taylor giggled. “Next time, you should ask him about history during sex; he’s like a walking history book.”
Monte shook his head. “You vamps are a strange lot, that’s for sure. I’ve run into humans who get off on the weirdest shit, but getting turned on by someone’s IQ is new.”
Despite the circumstances, Kris was gladdened by the lighter (if not stranger) topic of conversation. Tossing jokes and casual remarks around was doing wonders to his nerves. He would be lying if he said that he wasn’t apprehensive about what would take place that night; talking about rather menial things helped calm him down. Just like any other person, Kris functioned better when he was calm-there were less chances of royally fucking up everything that way.
“Okay, so here’s what we’re going to do.” Tommy gathered everyone around for a final reorientation. “Monte, Cale and I will be heading over to Torres. Brooke, take Kris and Taylor with you when you extract information from the locals; feign mingling if you have to. If anyone gets into any trouble, alert me with a text or missed call. If you are unable to do so, yell.”
Kris nodded stiffly, tucking himself into Taylor’s side as Monte escorted them into the pub. Almost immediately, Kris’ nostrils were accosted by the scent of blood and sex. Tommy had not been kidding when he said it was not safe to prowl Icarus alone; a couple of unengaged vampires would swoop in to sniff at Kris, backing off only when Taylor bared his fangs at them.
“I just need to find Andrew,” Brooke muttered under her breath. “We’ll be safer in the VIP lounge. Thankfully, most of these fangbangers are too poor to afford Torres’ steep fees; he keeps them pricey for obvious reasons. Now, where the hell is that Andrew?”
“You rang, Miss Brooke?”
Kris yelped in surprise as he felt a cold puff of air brush past him, only to assume the form of a handsome sandy-haired vampire-most likely the Andrew fellow that Brooke had been searching for.
“We need to talk,” Brooke said briskly. “This is a very urgent matter, so don’t expect me to stick my hand down your pants and play nice tonight.”
Andrew smirked, offering his arm for Brooke to take. “I just love it when you get all feisty. But what a lady wants, a lady gets. Please; follow me.”
Kris followed the pair, clasping Taylor’s hand in a vice-like grip as they made their way past a throng of hungry-looking vampires. Those who didn’t seem to be interested in them were busy with other things, mostly sexual and scandalous in nature. Vampires and humans alike were draped over each other in various states of undress, terrifying and fascinating Kris with the lewdness of it all. It made him feel safe to have Taylor, Brooke and this Andrew character rallying around him, but he could not help but sigh with relief when Andrew shut the heavy steel door behind them.
He eyed Kris suspiciously. “You brought along a human.”
“He belongs to the lord,” Brooke informed him. “But before I start grilling you for answers, allow me to make a few introductions. Kris, this is Andrew de Roberts; he’s one of Torres’ most trusted aides. Andrew, these are Kris Allen and Taylor Green.”
“Under other circumstances, I’m sure I would have been pleased to meet you.” Andrew smiled wryly at the pair. “Not that I’m going to throw you back out there to the wolves or anything, but we’re all pretty stressed right now; and judging by the looks of things, you guys don’t seem to be in good shape, either.”
“Have you seen the lord around, Andrew?” Brooke asked. “He left early yesterday morning without telling anyone of his plans; we’re operating on a hunch that he flew here to speak to Torres.”
“He was here this afternoon, yes,” Andrew replied. “From what I overheard, it seems that Katy O’Connell caused a hell of a lot of trouble for you folks. Did Ratliff really stake her?”
“Adam ordered him to,” Taylor piped up. “She wasn’t being very nice to Kris, and she ended up making him really angry. No one had ever seen Adam that furious before.”
“Torres was pretty much alarmed himself upon hearing the story,” Andrew went on. “They believe she’s in cahoots with another master vampire none of us know of. If you came to talk to Torres, I’m afraid he’s left with your Lord Lambert; they’re probably doing some investigating around the area.”
“Well, that leaves Monte and the other two empty-handed,” Brooke sighed. “They’re probably out trying to track Adam now. Are you sure you don’t know anything else, Andrew?”
“If I did, I would have let you know at once. I just didn’t think that it would get this big.”
“Believe me, we all feel the same way,” Taylor said sagely. “There’s someone else out there; O’Connell was only sent to deliver the message.”
“Poor girl.” Andrew shook his head. “She was deluded. Unfortunately, the fangbanging here has become quite a trend. Those kids out there in the main room are here almost every night. They used to hate us, but now they’re fucking obsessed; it makes me sick. Whatever that thing we’re trying to find is, it’s dragging humans into a private war by messing with their heads.”
Kris remained curled up in the loveseat, listening intently to the conversation that was flowing freely among the three vampires. It was quite disconcerting; he had never been around nervous, agitated vampires before. Even the normally chipper Taylor was flitting around like a hummingbird, jumping in his seat each time he would hear a noise of some sort. It was clear that something had disrupted the equilibrium that Adam and the other vampires had worked so hard to establish; they were afraid because they had no idea what it was. Cook had told him earlier that their kind had the tendency to behave like an army of control freaks. If they could not gain the upper hand in any situation, they behaved a little more wildly than they usually did.
“Maybe we should go out as well,” he suggested. “I kind of don’t see the point of staying shut up here waiting for something to happen.”
Brooke sighed. “I don’t know, Kris; Tommy told me to keep you safe. As of right now, here seems to be the safest place to be. We don’t know what’s out there.”
“My point exactly,” Kris said hotly. “How can we get anything done if we’re too scared to chase after the unknown? If we don’t know what it is, we can’t even start thinking up answers to all the questions that are swimming in our heads!”
Andrew grinned. “…that’s the first smart idea I’ve heard all evening. The kid’s right; nothing’s going to happen if we just sit here all night like a bunch of cowards. Besides, he’s got us; there’s no way he’s going to end up dead in a ditch with us protecting him.”
“Next time, skip the dead-in-a-ditch analogy.” Taylor glowered at him. “Feel free to use it again when we’re talking about someone who’s not Kris.”
“I could grow to like you kittens.” Andrew smirked. “You’re feisty little things; pretty, no less. Anyway, we should leave via the back; there’s too much shit going on-”
A loud crash and a series of screams rang out from the main room, surprising Kris and his companions. Cursing loudly, Andrew made his way to the main door, motioning for the others to stay where they were. Kris tightened his hold on Taylor, whose face had morphed into full vamp mode as soon as they had heard the noise. Brooke abandoned her post by the bar, crossing the room in brisk yet quiet strides to join Andrew at the door, her expression unreadable.
“I’m going to check things out,” Andrew informed them. “Taylor, I want you to sneak out the back with Kris. If there’s trouble out there, run back in immediately. Brooke, go with them.”
She shook her head. “No; I’m not leaving you alone to deal with this mess.”
“Ryland and the others are out there. I’ll be fine.”
“…alright,” she relented, moving away to join Kris and Taylor. “You’d better not get yourself staked, though-or seriously hurt. Just...promise me, okay?”
“Promise.” Andrew winked at her. “Now, go.”
“I wonder what the fuck that was about,” Taylor muttered. “I know vamps like wild parties, but screaming of the painful kind isn’t usually involved. I just hope no one gets seriously hurt.”
“I don’t remember people here being so…rowdy,” Kris remarked. “I can’t believe it’s changed so much…or maybe it has always been this way and I just failed to notice.”
“Well, all small towns have their secrets,” Brooke said wearily, pushing the heavy door open with her shoulder. “Sometimes, the secrets you uncover in places like these are scarier than what you can find in big crime-infested cities like good old LA.”
“Hmmm, there doesn’t seem to be anything out here,” Taylor observed. “But it’s way too quiet for my liking. If there’s a riot going on inside, shouldn’t there be loud noises out here, too?”
“…can you smell that, Taylor?” Brooke asked.
“Yes,” Taylor replied grimly. “Someone’s been killed.”
Kris followed the duo to the front area of Icarus. The stench was growing stronger with every step; the need to throw up threatened to overcome him. Taylor crouched in front of one of mangled bodies lying in state, looking far too grave for someone so cheerful.
“This one is human. Heck; some of these bodies belong to humans!”
Kris felt an unpleasant chill rip through his body upon realizing that Taylor was indeed, correct. Although his senses were not as attuned as those of the vampires, he could recognize the smell of human decay anywhere. He made to follow Brooke and Taylor as they walked off to investigate the damage, but was intercepted by a hand that clamped itself over his mouth. Panic surging through his veins, Kris struggled in his captor’s grip, desperately trying to free himself.
“Hold still, Kris!” Cale said sharply. “It’s only me.”
Kris relaxed in his grip and turned to face him, feeling quite confused. Both Taylor and Brooke mirrored his expression; they looked just as clueless as Kris felt due to Cale’s sudden appearance.
“Where have you been all this time?” Taylor demanded. “We heard from Andrew that Torres wasn’t around, so we thought you may have gone out to look for him.”
“We did, but chaos broke out,” Cale sighed. “You must have heard the commotion; I don’t see any other fitting reason for you to be out here.”
“What happened, anyway?” Brooke asked.
“Rogues,” Cale replied shortly. “It’s reminiscent of the night I got turned, but entering dangerous territory. No one knows where the rogues are from, so things got wild. The Conway fangers got pretty riled up at the strangers crashing their party, so a fight broke out. Sad to say, there were many casualties.”
“Where are Tommy and Monte?” Kris asked, worried. “Are they alright?”
“Those guys are more than capable of taking care of themselves, honey,” Brooke assured him. “Wherever they are, I’m sure they’re doing just fine.”
“We had to do some damage control,” Cale explained. “To put things bluntly, we had to kill some of the rogues. Two of them got away, but Tommy was able to get a few words from the one of his victims. The fucker said something about how their master knew what we were up to and that we wouldn’t be able to win no matter how strong we thought we were. If you ask me, it’s a lot like what happened when Adam interrogated Katy O’Connell. She wasn’t lying, guys; there is someone else out there.”
“…I don’t care how many times we’ve thought or said this, but shit just got real,” Taylor sighed. “This is serious, guys; we can’t afford to operate on mere theoretical levels anymore.”
“He’s right.” Tommy emerged from Icarus’ main entrance, clothes and hands caked with the blood of others. “I’ve managed to reach Adam; he will join us at Brooke’s by daybreak. We need to recharge and regroup; sunrise is fast approaching, so we need to make our return trip.”
Kris wrapped his arms around Tommy from behind, burrowing his face into the blond vampire’s neck. They stood like that until Monte pulled up with the sedan, ready to take everyone back to Brooke’s bungalow. Whoever this master vampire was, he was certainly taking a lot out of Tommy. Kris had never seen him look so terse before.
And if Tommy was afraid, it meant that more bad news would come chasing after them soon enough.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kris woke to the feeling of another body occupying his bed. Confused, he reached over to part the curtains a little, wondering who on earth would want to crawl into his bed at such an ungodly hour. He nearly sobbed in relief as the faint rays of morning touched Adam’s sleeping face, framing it in a warm, ethereal glow. Kris allowed the curtain to drop and curled himself into Adam’s side, inhaling the rich, musky scent unique to him. He smelled of sandalwood, spices and blood; the combination drove Kris heady with need. He shuffled downwards a bit, groaning softly as he rubbed his erection against Adam’s thigh.
“Is it not too early for a midnight stroll, my love?” Adam asked teasingly, flipping them over so that he was pressing Kris against the mattress.
“Missed you,” Kris said breathlessly, wrapping his arms around Adam’s neck. “Don’t ever leave without telling me again; I’ve been worried sick about you.”
“I apologize; that was completely disrespectful and thoughtless of me. I thought that if I had woken you up, you would have insisted on accompanying me. I did not want to put your life at risk, but I fear that the wish has been made in vain. Whether human or vampire, we are all in the same boat now.”
“What happened?” Kris asked softly. “Did you and Torres find any new leads?”
“A few, yes; but none quite significant enough to be helpful,” Adam admitted. “We do, however, need to make a return trip to Los Angeles as soon as everyone is rested. Cassidy sent a text message informing me that similar things are happening in our city. Vampires from an unknown area have been seen frequenting our local scene and trolling the streets at night. There have been no reports of violence, but there is cause for apprehension nonetheless. I have a terrible feeling that I was tricked into traveling south for them to infiltrate LA under lower security measures. Whoever this vampire is, he is someone that knows me quite well. Torres is still concerned about Conway’s safety, though; he believes that it plays a bigger part in the grand scheme of things. Thanks to Tommy and Monte’s quick work last night, they were able to rid their territory of the vermin. I am, however, unaware of what awaits us upon our return.”
“I wish I could tell you to relax, but that would be a stupid thing to say,” Kris said softly. “I’ve never seen Tommy so lost before; it’s a little scary.”
“Morale is low,” Adam sighed. “Everyone is exhausted, confused and afraid; I do not know how we are going to get through this unscathed.”
“You need to think about yourself first, Adam,” Kris urged him. “You can’t lead an army into battles if you yourself are not in the best condition. Please, rest for awhile. Feed if you must. I’m ready.”
“…will it be alright if I touch you?” Adam asked softly. “Aside from a source of pleasure, sexual intercourse is also a way for vampires to restore energy. If you do not feel up to it, I shall not press you.”
“Are you kidding?” Kris mumbled, cupping Adam’s hard length through the denim. “I want this; I need this. Given what’s happening, I just really need to be as close to you as I can right now.”
“As do I,” Adam whispered. “Come, Kris; we will be one tonight.”
Kris trembled with anticipation as Adam carefully divested him of his clothing, each feather-light touch setting his skin on fire. He watched Adam disrobe with hooded eyes, hungrily drinking in each patch of bared skin. Nothing, however, burnt quite as much as the sensation of finally feeling Adam’s naked skin against his. The way that Adam’s hands and lips mapped his skin was familiar to him by now; however, he could not help but tense up a little when Adam’s fingers brushed against his hole.
“Adam…” he breathed, gripping the vampire’s arms tightly. “I’ve-I’ve never done this before.”
“Oh, darling.” Adam brushed a kiss over his lips. “You need not worry; I will be most gentle with you. I cannot promise you that it will not hurt; being with a vampire always merits pain of some sort.”
“…then hurt me,” Kris whispered. “I want to feel you, Adam. I want you to stop being so careful around me; I have my own fantasies, too.”
“Pray tell me what they are,” Adam murmured. “I want to turn your dreams into reality.”
“I need you to take me. I want you to sink into me oh-so-slowly until you’ve rendered me incoherent. I want you to fuck me so hard that I’ll be able to feel you in me for days. I want to be able to look back on our first time and remember all of it in excruciatingly beautiful detail.”
Kris moaned happily when Adam ground his mouth upon his, easily surrendering to the kiss. He could taste love and desperation on Adam’s tongue, and it did nothing but spur on his own desire. Feeling brave, Kris pulled away from the kiss and bared his neck to Adam as a silent plea. He had learned to crave the sensation of having razor-sharp fangs sink into his flesh; the mark from his first time had left him eager to experience being fed from again.
“Please, Adam,” he whined. “I want to be able to feel close to you again.”
Adam bent over and swiftly buried his fangs into Kris’ neck, making the latter shiver with need as he fed from him. He moved his hand down Adam’s torso, mapping out the planes and ridges of his broad, muscular chest before finally fisting his cock. Adam groaned softly as Kris began tugging at it, each sliding motion of his hand jerking Adam to full mast.
“Yes…” he murmured, lapping at the blood that had seeped out from Kris’ puncture wounds. “Just like that, my love; mmmm, you are becoming quite skilled at this.”
“Adam, I want you,” Kris panted. “I can’t even find the right words to express my need…”
“There are no correct words,” Adam assured him. “And you need not worry; I am highly aware of your needs. I believe I know exactly what you need, Kristopher.”
He bit into his own wrist and offered it to Kris, his eyes dark with lust.
“Drink from me.”
Kris allowed his tongue to dart out of his mouth, sampling the tangy, stale taste of cold blood on his lips. Intrigued, he leaned forward for more, clamping his lips over the wound on Adam’s wrist to draw blood into his mouth. The tender suckling motions drew a pleasured groan from the vampire, his grip on Kris’ hip tightening enough to bruise. Kris drank greedily, drawing back only when Adam pulled him in for a kiss, hoarse laughter bubbling from his lips.
“You, Mister Allen, make it necessary for a vampire to breathe.”
Adam moved southward again, gently pulling Kris’ legs apart so he could snake in between them. Kris squirmed in pleasure as Adam blew on his hole, teasing the sensitive skin of his pucker. He raised his hips in supplication when Adam dragged the length of his tongue along the rim of his hole, whimpering with need each time Adam pressed his tongue in.
“Stop teasing me, Adam!” he cried. “Please! I-I need…”
“What do you need, Kristopher? Tell me. Say it out loud.”
Adam’s voice echoed in his head as he continued to lick his way into Kris, driving in even deeper each time his hips bucked upwards. It frightened and thrilled him at the same time to realize that he had never been so desperate to have something inside him in his life.
“…fuck me,” he whimpered. “Please.”
“I am at your disposal.”
Kris whined in disappointment as Adam pulled away, already missing the slick wetness of his tongue. Chuckling softly, Adam patted his hip in reassurance, rifling through his discarded coat for a vial of lubricant before crawling back to Kris.
“This is all I have,” he said regretfully. “I have not been carrying condoms on me for awhile since I have been too busy to engage in spur-of-the-moment sexual gratification.”
“We don’t need one,” Kris said thickly. “You, uhm, don’t ejaculate anymore, right? I’ve never slept with anyone, so, I’m clean. I don’t want to feel anything between us for our first time.
His eyes clouded over at the prospect of it being their first and last time lest one or both of them died at the hands of their enemy. Worst of all, Adam said nothing to reassure him. Kris was positive that they were both thinking along the lines of certain death. Shaking his head, he wrapped his arms around Adam’s neck, holding him close and simply breathing him in.
“I’m scared,” he whispered. “I don’t want to lose you.”
“Let us not think about what tomorrow may bring,” Adam said softly. “We have tonight.”
“Then love me. Love me as if you’ll never be able to hold me like this again.”
Adam pushed him to lie back down, uncapping the bottle as he returned to his place between Kris’ legs. Carefully, he massaged the rim of Kris’ asshole with two lubed fingers, pausing every now and then to press in up to the first knuckle, giving him a taste of what it would feel like to be penetrated. Kris wriggled impatiently, trying to impale himself on Adam’s fingers. Adam, however, held him down by splaying a hand over his abdomen, preventing Kris from pushing his hips forward. Without further warning, he pushed his index finger into Kris’ wet, tight heat and allowed it to linger, getting Kris used to the feeling of having something inside him. Humming softly, he drew it back out and pushed in again, paying close attention to Kris’ labored breathing. Kris fidgeted a bit, stifling the sudden desire to clench around Adam’s finger in an odd attempt to keep him there forever.
“Are you feeling alright, darling?” Adam asked. “Does it hurt in any way whatsoever?”
Kris shook his head. “It feels a little uncomfortable, but I’m okay.”
“I will go with two fingers this time, alright? Try not to move around so much.”
Kris nodded, flinching a little when he felt a second finger join the first. He could feel a burn this time, but it wasn’t the kind that made him want to peel off his skin. Instead, he concentrated on his breathing, biting his lip as Adam drove deeper; it was almost as if he was searching for something.
“…oh my.”
His eyes flew open as a current of what felt like electricity traveled up his body, making him tremble in pleasure. Experimentally, he clenched his muscles around Adam’s fingers, gasping when he felt the strangely gratifying current course through his body once more.
“Did you feel that?” Adam queried, sounding almost smug.
“…fuck, what was that?” Kris gasped. “It felt so damn good.”
“Your prostate,” Adam stated simply, pushing in again, curling his fingers in a way that made Kris whimper. “Trust me; it will get better when I fuck you with my cock.”
Kris moaned loudly as he felt a third finger enter him. Adam had lost all sense of propriety now, driving his fingers in and out of Kris’ hole in erratic strokes. Kris mirrored his movements with fervor, his breathing ragged as he fucked himself on Adam’s fingers. It was good, but it was not yet good enough.
He needed more.
“…Adam,” he moaned brokenly. “I need your cock. Please; fuck me with your cock.”
“Slick me up,” Adam murmured, pushing the vial into Kris’ hand. “I am quite large; it may be difficult for me to breach you minus a liberal amount of lubricant.”
Kris hurriedly poured the contents of the vial onto his palm, coating Adam’s hard cock until it was wet and slick to the touch. He went willingly as Adam guided him back down, the vampire’s hand a soothing presence on his hip. Letting his legs fall open, he watched Adam position himself between them under hooded lids, heart throbbing against the cage that was his chest.
“Breathe, Kris,” Adam ordered, rubbing the head of his cock against Kris’ hole. “As I push into you, I want you to release that breath; slowly. It will hurt less that way.”
“I want to feel you,” Kris said simply, cupping Adam’s face with his hands.
“And feel me you shall.”
A soft moan escaped Kris’ throat as Adam pushed into him, filling him inch by excruciating inch. His fingers had been amazing, but nothing could compare to the burning, pleasurable fire that grew just a little bit hotter as Adam finally slid home. They lay still for a moment, with Kris panting harshly in Adam’s ear.
“Does this feel alright?” Adam managed to grunt out, not sounding composed or casual in the least. “You must let me know at once if your body cannot handle the discomfort.”
Kris pushed himself up on his elbows, wriggling his hips in an effort to push Adam further in. Adam groaned loudly, allowing himself to succumb to the erratic push-pull movements of Kris’ hips. Coming to the conclusion that Kris was ready for him, he pulled back out until only the flared head of his cock remained in Kris. Kris whined softly, attempting to cant his hips upwards to pull Adam into his waiting body. Smirking, Adam pulled all the way out, rubbing his cock teasingly along the rim of Kris’ hole.
“Beg for it,” he said roughly.
“Please, Adam!” Kris moaned, shamelessly rutting against him. “I need to feel your cock in me. I want you to fuck me so hard that I won’t be able to think of anything else but this.”
“I will make sure of that,” Adam hissed. “After I finish with you, you will think of nothing but the memory of my cock in your ass and me fucking you into this mattress.”
Kris nearly sobbed in relief as Adam finally pushed into him, fucking him slowly and steadily with smooth, long thrusts. He twined his limbs around Adam’s body, holding him as close as he possibly could, nails leaving half-moon marks on the pale skin of Adam’s back. He met Adam thrust for thrust, panting harshly each time he pushed himself up into Adam’s embrace, feeling like he would shatter each time Adam touched that spot inside him.
“Oh god, fuck me!” he cried. “Harder, Adam. Please!”
Adam hooked Kris’ leg over his shoulder and drove in again, eliciting a soft scream from Kris at the sudden change in angle. Kris threw his head back and murmured Adam’s name like a litany, all the while thinking, finally, finally, finally.
“…I’m gonna come,” he whimpered.
Adam reached in between them and wrapped his hand around Kris’ cock, jerking him off in time with his thrusts. A keening noise escaped Kris’ throat as he came, covering their torsos with his cum. He lay there limply as Adam chased his own climax, thrusting frantically into Kris before finally collapsing on top of him. Kris curled his arms around Adam’s neck, breathing in the faint traces of his perfume. He had never been with anyone before, so he had never felt how it was to have a lover’s sweat stain his skin or to have the proof of their intercourse leak out of him. Adam, however, was not capable of such, as his physical body no longer functioned the way a living human’s did.
“I was thinking,” he said softly. “I was thinking of how things would have gone if I stayed in Conway.”
Adam gave no verbal response. Instead, he tightened his hold on Kris and busied himself with nuzzling at his throat. Giggling softly, Kris pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead.
“Conway is like, the epitome of what’s normal, you know? Well, to me, at least. If I stayed, I would have never been involved in such a conspiracy. I would have never spent my days and nights worrying if you would still be alive when I opened my eyes. In short, I would have lived in a worry-free world.”
“Do you regret this?” Adam asked quietly. “Do you regret staying with me?”
“I would have had infinite regrets if I chose to turn back.” Kris reached out to stroke his cheek. “I love you, Adam; I don’t think I could ever love anyone else the way I love you. The differences that set us apart don’t matter to me at all. Human, vampire…there are no rules, anyway. As long as we love each other, everything is going to be okay.”
“You have no qualms about us having a different kind of relationship, then?”
“None at all,” Kris smiled. “You can still walk in the sun; we can have a life together.”
Adam chuckled. “You are a simple man with simple desires, but that is what I love about you, Kristopher. With a job like mine, I easily tire of the complex. You keep me stable; you keep me grounded. You make me want to stay alive.”
“…we will live, Adam,” Kris rolled over to straddle his hips. “We will survive this together. But until we need to leave, I must demand that you love me.”
“Gladly,” Adam said with a smirk, reaching up to pull him in for another kiss.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The return trip to Los Angeles had been quiet and full of tension. Adam had spent most of the flight on the phone discussing possible strategies and methods of damage control with Cassidy, who had been growing increasingly concerned with the strange silence that had fallen upon the once bustling city. It had been a short flight, but Kris had found himself drifting in and out of sleep, waking up with the faint traces of his nightmares on his lips. Though he had slept well after their lovemaking, he still felt thoroughly exhausted. David had said it was because he was unconsciously absorbing some of Adam’s stress due to the fact that Kris had fed from him earlier that day. Their bonded blood would strengthen their ties, and they would be able to feel what the other was feeling to a certain extent. As soon as they had touched ground, Adam rang up the Daywalkers for a meeting at their apartment, anxious to discuss the best possible plans.
“It’s daytime, so none of them are skulking around right now.” Brad sighed, lifting the heavy curtain up for a peek outside. “The thing is, that’s all they do. I’m actually praying for someone to come busting through those doors demanding a fight to the death just to know it’s one of those usual misunderstandings you guys can easily take care of.”
“We have to lure them in,” Cook insisted. “I suggest we throw some sort of party; it worked in Arkansas, so maybe they’ll be drawn to it here as well. It can serve as some sort of trap. We can have all the city vamps there to give off the pretense that it’s some major shit and lots of people are there.”
Adam nodded. “That is an idea. However, we need to make sure the humans stay away from this; I do not desire any unnecessary deaths under my watch.”
“I’ll give Big Daddy and his cronies a heads up,” Cook promised, rising from his seat at the bar to grab his coat. “Security needs to be tighter than usual tonight.”
Adam turned to Monte. “You don’t have to stay. I have a bad feeling regarding tonight’s ploy, and I am certain it will be hazardous to your safety. Return to your wife and children.”
“I’m not backing out this time, man,” Monte declared, saluting Cook as he strode out of the club. “You saved Ariel’s life; the least I can do in return is to help save yours.”
Adam chuckled softly. “You would be the only human who has the gall to say that to me. I thank you, Monte; your assistance is eternally appreciated.”
Kris watched the exchange from his seat in a booth, relieved to feel that some of the tension was starting to leave Adam. Across him, Tommy was nursing a mug of reheated type O, his normally impassive expression marred by the worried lines on his face.
“You’re being paranoid again, aren’t you?”
“Of course I am,” Tommy declared. “I never feel safe with schemes that aren’t foolproof. They tricked us into following them to Arkansas to divert our attention from LA. I have a feeling that those fuckers trolling around after sundown are spying on us. Heck, they’ve probably devised a plan of attack already.”
“This is why we must beat them to it,” David said softly. “We’ll hold the party tonight; I don’t think they’ll have time to gather their strongest forces if we take their queen first.”
“You think it is wise, then?” Adam asked, watching David with thoughtful eyes.
“…no.” David shook his head. “It is reckless and absurd, but that is what we need right now. By now, I’m sure they have associated us with carefully planned strategies; I am unwilling to give them the pleasure of success because of that bit of information.”
“If you guys are going to stage some cool party, then you’d better start planning,” Brad quipped. “I’ll talk the owner into letting us use the club tonight. You’ll have to shell out some dough, but that’s the only way to keep humans from dropping in on the party.”
“Finances will not be a problem,” Adam assured him. “I am prepared to shell out whatever amount necessary to make sure our plans push through tonight. Brad, might you begin negotiations with the owner as soon as possible?”
“I’m on it,” Brad promised. “You two go on home and get some rest in the meantime; I’ll telephone you at once as soon as I bag the place.”
Tommy arched an eyebrow. “You seem quite confident in your abilities to convince the owner to give us a hand. I can’t help but wonder how you’re going to explain all this.”
“Don’t worry your pretty little head off, Ratliff,” Brad simpered prettily. “I have a few tricks of my own. Did it ever occur to any of you that the owner of the Mayan could be a vampire as well?”
“…you don’t say,” David murmured, amazed. “You mean to tell us that Miss Carmit Bachar is also one of us? How is this possible?”
“Carmit’s only the branch manager,” Brad explained. “The owner is actually Lady Kara DioGuardi. I’m sure you’ve heard of her, Adam.”
“Indeed I have,” Adam agreed. “I met her on a European cruise during my travels. She is a charming lady, but is quite full of herself. She deigned to tell me of the Mayan as her property.”
“Really?” Brad inquired. “And here I was thinking she would boast of all her gains. Ah well, it’s good enough that she’s quite fond of me. She’s vacationing in New Mexico right now, so all I need to do is to put in a quick phone call. It won’t take much to get her to agree; Lady Kara is quite fond of bloodshed.”
“New Mexico, huh?” Tommy scowled bitterly. “Why is it that some vampires get to go out and enjoy their immortality while we sit here and ponder our future?”
“Because the world needs someone to play the role of protector,” David replied simply. “Anyway, Brad is right; we need to get some rest before we venture out tonight. Also, the less activity here, the better. I will use my time to seek aid from our allies in the nearby cities.”
“I’m gonna head out as well,” Monte announced. “Let me do the day errands; most of you guys are pretty much incapacitated in the wake of sunlight. Adam, just text me if you need anything.”
Tommy rose from his seat. “So am I. I’m more useful out there than in here.”
Adam nodded. “Yes, that’s an excellent idea. Be very careful, all of you. Let me know at once if you have any new information.”
“You, my lord and father, should be the one not doing anything reckless,” David said with a wry smile. “Everyone is doing their part to help, so I’m sure we will be fine. Kris, please watch over him for me; you know how he is when he feels the weight of the world rests on his shoulders.”
“I’m not sure if I can stop him, though.” Kris shook his head. “When Adam is on his protector streak, there’s nothing much we can do about it.”
“Relax; I promise I will not do anything rash until tonight,” Adam said lightly. “I can make no promises when faced with threats on the battlefield.”
“Of course; I do not expect any less of any of you,” David sighed. “Perhaps I may say the same of myself. Anyway, we must make preparations. I will see you both later.”
Kris buried his face into Adam’s chest as soon as the door closed behind Tommy, seeking comfort in the circle of his arms. He sighed contentedly as Adam pressed a kiss to his forehead. In moments like these, it was so easy to pretend that they were not about to jumpstart a war that would decide their fates.
“-Lord Lambert!”
Kris jumped back in surprise as a cloaked figure nearly tumbled into the main room, tossing the smoking garment onto the carpeted floor. He gasped upon seeing the burn marks on Taylor’s wrists, realizing that he had gone out in the sun when he clearly wasn’t supposed to.
“What on earth are you doing here, Taylor?” Adam demanded. “Are you not supposed to be resting for tonight? I specifically gave out instructions regarding this matter.”
“I had to come,” Taylor said quietly. “Doctor Grey has a very important message for you. She needs you to come to the lab. Posthaste.”
(PARTE QUATRE)