Close the Door, Pull the Shades - Leverage - NC-17
Fandom: Leverage
Title: Close the Door, Pull the Shades - Part One
Pairing/Characters: Nate/Eliot, mentions of the rest of the team
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 2912
Summary: Eliot knows a secret that Nate keeps hidden, a secret that could lead to death, or to a relationship neither one of them had ever anticipated. When a bad job sends Nate off the deep end, Eliot's attempts to bring him back without someone dying changes everything.
A/Ns & Warnings: This is, as is becoming usual, havenward's fault. Although it started with merry_gentry's first vampire!Nate prompt on comment_fic. thus, this is a vampire!Nate fic. As such, this will include biting and some blood play. It will be a rather dom!Nate in places, but certainly not a sub!Eliot in the traditional sense.
Somehow, this isn't what Eliot was expecting when he told Nate that he needed revenge, but maybe it should have been. He was the only one who knew, the only one who'd seen this side of the man.
"Nate." Eliot's voice is low and in Nate's ear from behind. They've both lost their earpieces in the fight. The smell of blood is in the air, some of it the mark's, some of it Eliot's…and if he can smell it, it must be twice as bad for Nate because it's got Nate just that much closer to gone.
Eliot's got a hand on Nate's chest, pulling him back. "It's enough."
"No." Nate growls it, and Eliot knows that if he really wants it, if Nate presses the issue, Eliot can't hold him.
"He's down, Nate. He's done."
Eliot turns, gets in front of Nate, tossing his hair back out of his face. Nate's eyes are dark, his brow ridges raised as the blood lust grows. He has to get Nate out of there before he does something he'll regret.
Eliot moves closer, pressing himself against Nate. The scratch down his neck is still bleeding and Eliot pulls his hair back, exposing the torn skin, letting the smell fill the small space between them, offering the blood, offering himself.
Nate licks his lips, giving Eliot just a flash of his teeth, sharp and dangerous. "Eliot."
It's a line they haven't crossed, though they've crossed a number of others. Eliot's eyes flash to their mark, who is climbing to his knees behind Nate. He needs to keep Nate distracted or he'll kill the man and that isn't what this was about.
Eliot fists a hand in Nate's hair and pulls him in, pressing his face in toward Eliot's neck. The first touch of tongue is hesitant, but Nate groans as the taste spreads over his tongue, and Eliot takes a step backward, knowing Nate would come with him now. He keeps them moving away from the bleeding man on the ground…keeps moving until Nate's restraint fails, and then Eliot just tries to keep from dying as Nate's fangs dig into his neck, Nate growling and drinking until Eliot's vision is swirling, his cock filling and coming in seconds without ever being touched.
Just before the dark swoops in on him, Eliot feels Nate pull back, sees his face, back to normal now, swimming over him. "Eliot! Damn it!"
"You shouldn't have done that."
He isn't fully awake, his body heavy, cold. Eliot opens his eyes slowly to find Nate sitting on the coffee table beside the couch where he is laying. Nate's watching him as though he might vanish…or maybe die. "I could have killed you."
Eliot's hand snakes up to his neck, finding thick bandages as memory floods him. The fight, the way Nate lost control, the way his face changed, the way he bit Eliot. Nate bit him. Nate was right, he could have died. Somehow he'd known that Nate wouldn't kill him though. Trusted him not to. "You didn't."
Nate's face softens a little as he runs a hand through his hair and looks away. "But a part of me wanted to."
Eliot sits up slowly, groaning as his cock rubs against wet denim and he remembers that too. Nate glances at him, at his crotch and Eliot blushes. "It's normal." Nate says softly, looking away again. "But Eliot…you don't know what you've done. Now that I've tasted you…"
Eliot reaches for him, turning Nate's worried face back to his. "So tell me."
Nate's eyes close and Eliot can almost feel his turmoil. "Once bitten, always near." Nate says quietly. "I'll get possessive, crave more. I'll want to taste you, keep you…"
Eliot's eyes trace his face as he smirks slow and easy. He leans in, kissing at the lines of worry on Nate's face. "See now? That doesn't sound so bad."
Nate stiffens, but doesn't quite pull away. It isn't the first time they've sat with one of them hurt and the other one fighting back guilt while caring for them. In fact, it wasn't that long ago right here on this couch in Nate's apartment that Eliot had discovered what Nate was. That time it had been Nate on the couch, Eliot playing nursemaid.
He'd be the first to admit he didn't handle it well at first. He knew enough about vampires to know that most of the time the act of turning them did more than change them physically, and the last one he'd run into in Bejing had been the most sadistic fuck Eliot had ever known.
And yet, he was still here. In fact, he'd grown protective, helping Nate keep his secret, guarding it as if it were his own and the bonding between them…well, this wasn't the first time they'd kissed, although usually Nate kissed him back.
Eliot sits back, frustrated. He'd been pushing to take this the next step, but Nate had always resisted. Eliot figured he was afraid of how Eliot would react if he lost control, but now that that was out of the way…
"It's not some damn romantic novel, Eliot." Nate says. "You don't want to be a part of this."
"You should let me be the judge of that." Eliot responds, reaching for him again.
Nate pulls away, stands, turns for the kitchen because Eliot can't understand what he's asking, what he's saying…what he's done…and Nate isn't sure he can explain, isn't sure he wants Eliot to understand.
Controlling himself has never been easy, especially around Eliot. The smell of him alone is enough on some days to undo him. He stalks away toward the kitchen, but Eliot doesn't give up easily, following Nate into the kitchen where he's pouring whiskey into a glass.
Nate can still taste him, the blood, hot and thick on his tongue…fire and sin and life his for the taking, temptation hovering a breathe away. Nate groans when Eliot touches him, the craving still fresh.
He'd only barely managed to stop himself before, when Eliot had bared his neck, when his weakness was stronger than his desire to keep Eliot safe and safely outside of this life. His fingers twitch around the glass and he lifts it, draining the alcohol to chase away the taste of Eliot in his mouth.
"I'm not afraid of you." Eliot says softly, a hand sliding into Nate's hair to turn his head.
It's a bad idea. Nate knows he should send Eliot away. Far away…but there's blood and whiskey burning inside him and he can feel the heat pouring off of Eliot, smell the sweat dried on his skin, taste the salt and copper and warmth…and it's late…so very late..
"You should be." Nate responds, all the warning he gives Eliot before he's closing the gap between them, taking his mouth, accepting what Eliot is offering, even if Eliot doesn't really know what that means.
Nate knows. Nate knows all too well, but once Eliot moans into his mouth, once his body bends pliant and calm under his hands, Nate is caught, trapped, his body filled with need that goes beyond blood. He wants, something that hasn't happened in so long he'd forgotten the feeling.
He hasn't had anyone since Maggie, since he'd nearly killed her because he couldn't control himself, and maybe he's learned some control since then, or learned how to use alcohol to blunt the need, but there isn't enough alcohol in the world right now, not with Eliot kissing him back and pushing him into the counter and shit…shitdamnfuck Eliot tastes like sin, like his first after…well just after and he doesn't want to think of that, so he pushes Eliot back, puts his hands in Eliot's hair.
And maybe there's that touch of fear that might save them both, but Eliot swallows it down, lifts his chin, bares his throat. Nate can't…can't, won't…not so soon, so he licks instead, a long line up Eliot's neck, up to his chin and then he's back at his mouth again…and all it does is feed his desperation, his need.
His body is tight, hard…his cock straining, needing. Always bad after feeding, it's only worse with Eliot so there, so ready, so giving…and when Eliot's hands find his zipper, when Eliot's hands are inside his pants, Nate feels the last of his control slipping away.
He growls in warning, but damn Eliot isn't listening or doesn't care and Nate doesn't want to hurt him but if they don't slow this down he will….he'll take everything Eliot's giving and then everything else and when it's over…No. Nate pulls on the fistful of hair, hard enough that Eliot understands. Nate's teeth are clenched, fangs biting into his lip.
"I need you to see what you're getting into bed with." Nate grinds out, opening his mouth. He can taste salt and sweet, smell the pounding blood in Eliot's veins.
"I know what you are." Eliot responds, his hands lifting back to Nate's cock, but Nate tugs again, pulling him back.
"No. Look at me." Those eyes are nearly as intense as Nate's own as they rise to meet his. "You need to realize that if we do this, there's no going back."
Eliot lifts both hands to Nate's face, and the smell of blood is strong as he pulls Nate to him, kisses him deep, his tongue running over fangs until he draws blood…just a little…like a promise.
Nate can't think past more now, fuck now and he's only barely aware of his hands ripping into Eliot's jeans, of pushing Eliot over the counter, but the heat…the heat of him as Nate sinks into him is incredible, nearly pushing him over the edge all by itself. Eliot's hand slams the counter in time to Nate's thrusting and even though it has to hurt, has to burn and then he's shoving back into Nate and all thought is gone.
The world goes dark as he comes, collapsing into Eliot, pressing him into the counter as Nate's knees buckle. Somehow Eliot keeps them up and standing, manages to get them moving and out of the kitchen, and the next thing Nate knows, he's curled up in his bed, the blinds closed up tight and curtains drawn to keep out the light and Eliot is in his arms, eyes already closed as sleep pulls him under.
Eliot is a little disoriented when he wakes in the dark. Light bleeds in around the blinds, so he knows it's day, but there's no other indication of time. The bed is empty, and he knows that when he crawled into it, Nate had been there. He slides out of the bed, pads through the house to the kitchen.
He blushes a little as he remembers, his ass clenching. Nate looks up from the table where he's setting down plates. "I don't need as much sleep."
Eliot nods, feeling somehow like he's trespassing, like maybe he should go.
As if sensing his thoughts, Nate catches Eliot's hand, pressing his lips into the palm, and Eliot might have called him on the girly action, but then Nate's tongue is on his skin, over the pulse in his wrist and Eliot can't even form words for a moment.
"Sit. Eat."
Eliot does as he's told, sliding into the chair, feeling strangely exposed in his boxers and nothing else. His stomach is growling and the smell of the steak on his plate is making it worse. "Eat." Nate says again as he sits, setting a glass beside his plate. Eliot's eyes dart from the glass to Nate, then down to his steak.
"After last night I figure you can handle it." Nate says quietly.
The air between them is different and Eliot kind of feels like he's playing a colossal game of catch up. He digs into the steak and potatoes so he won't have to figure out what to say, but Nate has that covered.
"I'm sorry if I hurt you. It's been a while." Nate sips at his glass and to Eliot's surprise cuts into his own steak, though his is significantly more rare than Eliot's. "You probably have a million questions and don't even know how to ask them."
True enough, but Eliot had done some research…and there was the bastard in Beijing. "You aren't my first-I mean you are---but-" Eliot closes his eyes and shakes his head. "I knew a man in China. He was…like you. Only not." Yeah, this is not exactly the way he'd wanted this conversation to go.
Nate nods slowly. "I know."
Eliot puts his fork down and looks at him. "You what?"
"It's in your file. Lo Chan Fen. He hurt you."
Eliot nods. "That's one way to look at it."
"He didn't feed on you though."
"No. Never did figure out why. He made sure I knew what he was."
"He was going to…I imagine anyway. He'd have liked to keep you."
Eliot isn't sure what that means, and Nate doesn't seem inclined to elaborate. "I escaped."
Nate eats quietly for a few minutes and after watching, Eliot returns to his own eating. He's starving and all the eating he is doing isn't really helping. Nate gets up and goes to the stove, coming back with another steak and putting it on his plate without even asking. "So maybe I should hit the highlights?"
He sits and drinks from his glass, wiping his mouth on a napkin. "It happened just before my son died. I was desperate. She told me I could save him and I believed her. By the time I had recovered enough from the turning, he was too far gone for anything I might have been able to do."
Nate's voice is thick with emotion and he doesn't look up, doesn't leave room for questions. "She didn't lie, it was just too late. I probably could have…but I was in Geneva and traveling gets difficult after the transition. I never saw her again."
He drinks the last of the blood in his glass and gets up to pace. "The first few years were difficult. The hunger is…incredible. Maggie…well, my leaving was the best thing I could have done for her. And before you have to ask, yes I have killed. The first one couldn't be helped. She brought him to me when I woke. That's a hunger you never want to know. After that there were two more. Would have been three if you weren't there last night."
Nate's hands fall on his shoulders. "Hell, it was almost you last night."
"I knew you would stop." Eliot says quietly.
"How? I didn't know if I could."
It's Eliot's turn to lift Nate's hand, pressing his lips to the palm the same way Nate had. "I did. I trusted you."
"Eliot Spencer trusting someone?" Nate asks softly, though the ending falls into a soft moan as Eliot's tongue slides over his skin.
"You. I trust you." Eliot stands, pulling Nate to him.
"Why?" Nate's voice is a whisper, his eyes glittering with specks of black that Eliot has come to recognize as the beginning of his change. "Why would you trust me?"
"Because you're a good man." Eliot responds, kissing him. The world tilts under him and Nate's hand on his shoulder is the only thing that keeps him from falling.
"Easy. I drained you pretty good last night, and then there was the whole sex thing. You need to get your strength back." Nate holds the chair for him, like they're on a date and it makes Eliot smirk. "You're going to need to learn to take better care of yourself." Nate slides into his own chair. "Or one of these times it will be too much for you."
Eliot raises an eyebrow and chews on his steak. "One of these times…meaning we're going to do that again?"
Nate rolls his eyes. "I meant what I said, Eliot. Once bitten, always near. If you want out, you'll have to leave. The country. I'd eventually get over the craving once I couldn't smell you…but as long as I can, I'll go crazy if I can't have you."
"Wait, you can smell me?"
Nate's eyes close and a look comes over his face. Eliot's seen that look sometimes, but never knew what it meant. "Stronger now. You're inside of me."
Eliot snorts at that. "I recall it was you inside of me. I'm all over your kitchen cabinets."
"Funny." Nate lifts his glass in salute, but it's empty so he takes it to the sink instead. "But I'm serious."
"I'm not going anywhere." Eliot promises.
Nate's fingers thread through his hair and pulls his head back. His kiss is nearly savage, and when he pulls back his eyes are more black than before. "When you're done eating, take a shower, relax, sleep. I'll be back in a few hours. I have business to deal with."
"I could come with-" Eliot starts to stand, but Nate pushes him back into the chair.
"You need to eat. I'll bring you back some vitamins. You should start taking them. You need to get enough sleep, eat right. I don't want to kill you slow any more than I want to do it fast because I can't control myself. I'll be back."
The kiss on his forehead is far more gentle, and then Nate is gone and Eliot is alone.
Title: Close the Door, Pull the Shades - Part One
Pairing/Characters: Nate/Eliot, mentions of the rest of the team
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 2912
Summary: Eliot knows a secret that Nate keeps hidden, a secret that could lead to death, or to a relationship neither one of them had ever anticipated. When a bad job sends Nate off the deep end, Eliot's attempts to bring him back without someone dying changes everything.
A/Ns & Warnings: This is, as is becoming usual, havenward's fault. Although it started with merry_gentry's first vampire!Nate prompt on comment_fic. thus, this is a vampire!Nate fic. As such, this will include biting and some blood play. It will be a rather dom!Nate in places, but certainly not a sub!Eliot in the traditional sense.
Somehow, this isn't what Eliot was expecting when he told Nate that he needed revenge, but maybe it should have been. He was the only one who knew, the only one who'd seen this side of the man.
"Nate." Eliot's voice is low and in Nate's ear from behind. They've both lost their earpieces in the fight. The smell of blood is in the air, some of it the mark's, some of it Eliot's…and if he can smell it, it must be twice as bad for Nate because it's got Nate just that much closer to gone.
Eliot's got a hand on Nate's chest, pulling him back. "It's enough."
"No." Nate growls it, and Eliot knows that if he really wants it, if Nate presses the issue, Eliot can't hold him.
"He's down, Nate. He's done."
Eliot turns, gets in front of Nate, tossing his hair back out of his face. Nate's eyes are dark, his brow ridges raised as the blood lust grows. He has to get Nate out of there before he does something he'll regret.
Eliot moves closer, pressing himself against Nate. The scratch down his neck is still bleeding and Eliot pulls his hair back, exposing the torn skin, letting the smell fill the small space between them, offering the blood, offering himself.
Nate licks his lips, giving Eliot just a flash of his teeth, sharp and dangerous. "Eliot."
It's a line they haven't crossed, though they've crossed a number of others. Eliot's eyes flash to their mark, who is climbing to his knees behind Nate. He needs to keep Nate distracted or he'll kill the man and that isn't what this was about.
Eliot fists a hand in Nate's hair and pulls him in, pressing his face in toward Eliot's neck. The first touch of tongue is hesitant, but Nate groans as the taste spreads over his tongue, and Eliot takes a step backward, knowing Nate would come with him now. He keeps them moving away from the bleeding man on the ground…keeps moving until Nate's restraint fails, and then Eliot just tries to keep from dying as Nate's fangs dig into his neck, Nate growling and drinking until Eliot's vision is swirling, his cock filling and coming in seconds without ever being touched.
Just before the dark swoops in on him, Eliot feels Nate pull back, sees his face, back to normal now, swimming over him. "Eliot! Damn it!"
"You shouldn't have done that."
He isn't fully awake, his body heavy, cold. Eliot opens his eyes slowly to find Nate sitting on the coffee table beside the couch where he is laying. Nate's watching him as though he might vanish…or maybe die. "I could have killed you."
Eliot's hand snakes up to his neck, finding thick bandages as memory floods him. The fight, the way Nate lost control, the way his face changed, the way he bit Eliot. Nate bit him. Nate was right, he could have died. Somehow he'd known that Nate wouldn't kill him though. Trusted him not to. "You didn't."
Nate's face softens a little as he runs a hand through his hair and looks away. "But a part of me wanted to."
Eliot sits up slowly, groaning as his cock rubs against wet denim and he remembers that too. Nate glances at him, at his crotch and Eliot blushes. "It's normal." Nate says softly, looking away again. "But Eliot…you don't know what you've done. Now that I've tasted you…"
Eliot reaches for him, turning Nate's worried face back to his. "So tell me."
Nate's eyes close and Eliot can almost feel his turmoil. "Once bitten, always near." Nate says quietly. "I'll get possessive, crave more. I'll want to taste you, keep you…"
Eliot's eyes trace his face as he smirks slow and easy. He leans in, kissing at the lines of worry on Nate's face. "See now? That doesn't sound so bad."
Nate stiffens, but doesn't quite pull away. It isn't the first time they've sat with one of them hurt and the other one fighting back guilt while caring for them. In fact, it wasn't that long ago right here on this couch in Nate's apartment that Eliot had discovered what Nate was. That time it had been Nate on the couch, Eliot playing nursemaid.
He'd be the first to admit he didn't handle it well at first. He knew enough about vampires to know that most of the time the act of turning them did more than change them physically, and the last one he'd run into in Bejing had been the most sadistic fuck Eliot had ever known.
And yet, he was still here. In fact, he'd grown protective, helping Nate keep his secret, guarding it as if it were his own and the bonding between them…well, this wasn't the first time they'd kissed, although usually Nate kissed him back.
Eliot sits back, frustrated. He'd been pushing to take this the next step, but Nate had always resisted. Eliot figured he was afraid of how Eliot would react if he lost control, but now that that was out of the way…
"It's not some damn romantic novel, Eliot." Nate says. "You don't want to be a part of this."
"You should let me be the judge of that." Eliot responds, reaching for him again.
Nate pulls away, stands, turns for the kitchen because Eliot can't understand what he's asking, what he's saying…what he's done…and Nate isn't sure he can explain, isn't sure he wants Eliot to understand.
Controlling himself has never been easy, especially around Eliot. The smell of him alone is enough on some days to undo him. He stalks away toward the kitchen, but Eliot doesn't give up easily, following Nate into the kitchen where he's pouring whiskey into a glass.
Nate can still taste him, the blood, hot and thick on his tongue…fire and sin and life his for the taking, temptation hovering a breathe away. Nate groans when Eliot touches him, the craving still fresh.
He'd only barely managed to stop himself before, when Eliot had bared his neck, when his weakness was stronger than his desire to keep Eliot safe and safely outside of this life. His fingers twitch around the glass and he lifts it, draining the alcohol to chase away the taste of Eliot in his mouth.
"I'm not afraid of you." Eliot says softly, a hand sliding into Nate's hair to turn his head.
It's a bad idea. Nate knows he should send Eliot away. Far away…but there's blood and whiskey burning inside him and he can feel the heat pouring off of Eliot, smell the sweat dried on his skin, taste the salt and copper and warmth…and it's late…so very late..
"You should be." Nate responds, all the warning he gives Eliot before he's closing the gap between them, taking his mouth, accepting what Eliot is offering, even if Eliot doesn't really know what that means.
Nate knows. Nate knows all too well, but once Eliot moans into his mouth, once his body bends pliant and calm under his hands, Nate is caught, trapped, his body filled with need that goes beyond blood. He wants, something that hasn't happened in so long he'd forgotten the feeling.
He hasn't had anyone since Maggie, since he'd nearly killed her because he couldn't control himself, and maybe he's learned some control since then, or learned how to use alcohol to blunt the need, but there isn't enough alcohol in the world right now, not with Eliot kissing him back and pushing him into the counter and shit…shitdamnfuck Eliot tastes like sin, like his first after…well just after and he doesn't want to think of that, so he pushes Eliot back, puts his hands in Eliot's hair.
And maybe there's that touch of fear that might save them both, but Eliot swallows it down, lifts his chin, bares his throat. Nate can't…can't, won't…not so soon, so he licks instead, a long line up Eliot's neck, up to his chin and then he's back at his mouth again…and all it does is feed his desperation, his need.
His body is tight, hard…his cock straining, needing. Always bad after feeding, it's only worse with Eliot so there, so ready, so giving…and when Eliot's hands find his zipper, when Eliot's hands are inside his pants, Nate feels the last of his control slipping away.
He growls in warning, but damn Eliot isn't listening or doesn't care and Nate doesn't want to hurt him but if they don't slow this down he will….he'll take everything Eliot's giving and then everything else and when it's over…No. Nate pulls on the fistful of hair, hard enough that Eliot understands. Nate's teeth are clenched, fangs biting into his lip.
"I need you to see what you're getting into bed with." Nate grinds out, opening his mouth. He can taste salt and sweet, smell the pounding blood in Eliot's veins.
"I know what you are." Eliot responds, his hands lifting back to Nate's cock, but Nate tugs again, pulling him back.
"No. Look at me." Those eyes are nearly as intense as Nate's own as they rise to meet his. "You need to realize that if we do this, there's no going back."
Eliot lifts both hands to Nate's face, and the smell of blood is strong as he pulls Nate to him, kisses him deep, his tongue running over fangs until he draws blood…just a little…like a promise.
Nate can't think past more now, fuck now and he's only barely aware of his hands ripping into Eliot's jeans, of pushing Eliot over the counter, but the heat…the heat of him as Nate sinks into him is incredible, nearly pushing him over the edge all by itself. Eliot's hand slams the counter in time to Nate's thrusting and even though it has to hurt, has to burn and then he's shoving back into Nate and all thought is gone.
The world goes dark as he comes, collapsing into Eliot, pressing him into the counter as Nate's knees buckle. Somehow Eliot keeps them up and standing, manages to get them moving and out of the kitchen, and the next thing Nate knows, he's curled up in his bed, the blinds closed up tight and curtains drawn to keep out the light and Eliot is in his arms, eyes already closed as sleep pulls him under.
Eliot is a little disoriented when he wakes in the dark. Light bleeds in around the blinds, so he knows it's day, but there's no other indication of time. The bed is empty, and he knows that when he crawled into it, Nate had been there. He slides out of the bed, pads through the house to the kitchen.
He blushes a little as he remembers, his ass clenching. Nate looks up from the table where he's setting down plates. "I don't need as much sleep."
Eliot nods, feeling somehow like he's trespassing, like maybe he should go.
As if sensing his thoughts, Nate catches Eliot's hand, pressing his lips into the palm, and Eliot might have called him on the girly action, but then Nate's tongue is on his skin, over the pulse in his wrist and Eliot can't even form words for a moment.
"Sit. Eat."
Eliot does as he's told, sliding into the chair, feeling strangely exposed in his boxers and nothing else. His stomach is growling and the smell of the steak on his plate is making it worse. "Eat." Nate says again as he sits, setting a glass beside his plate. Eliot's eyes dart from the glass to Nate, then down to his steak.
"After last night I figure you can handle it." Nate says quietly.
The air between them is different and Eliot kind of feels like he's playing a colossal game of catch up. He digs into the steak and potatoes so he won't have to figure out what to say, but Nate has that covered.
"I'm sorry if I hurt you. It's been a while." Nate sips at his glass and to Eliot's surprise cuts into his own steak, though his is significantly more rare than Eliot's. "You probably have a million questions and don't even know how to ask them."
True enough, but Eliot had done some research…and there was the bastard in Beijing. "You aren't my first-I mean you are---but-" Eliot closes his eyes and shakes his head. "I knew a man in China. He was…like you. Only not." Yeah, this is not exactly the way he'd wanted this conversation to go.
Nate nods slowly. "I know."
Eliot puts his fork down and looks at him. "You what?"
"It's in your file. Lo Chan Fen. He hurt you."
Eliot nods. "That's one way to look at it."
"He didn't feed on you though."
"No. Never did figure out why. He made sure I knew what he was."
"He was going to…I imagine anyway. He'd have liked to keep you."
Eliot isn't sure what that means, and Nate doesn't seem inclined to elaborate. "I escaped."
Nate eats quietly for a few minutes and after watching, Eliot returns to his own eating. He's starving and all the eating he is doing isn't really helping. Nate gets up and goes to the stove, coming back with another steak and putting it on his plate without even asking. "So maybe I should hit the highlights?"
He sits and drinks from his glass, wiping his mouth on a napkin. "It happened just before my son died. I was desperate. She told me I could save him and I believed her. By the time I had recovered enough from the turning, he was too far gone for anything I might have been able to do."
Nate's voice is thick with emotion and he doesn't look up, doesn't leave room for questions. "She didn't lie, it was just too late. I probably could have…but I was in Geneva and traveling gets difficult after the transition. I never saw her again."
He drinks the last of the blood in his glass and gets up to pace. "The first few years were difficult. The hunger is…incredible. Maggie…well, my leaving was the best thing I could have done for her. And before you have to ask, yes I have killed. The first one couldn't be helped. She brought him to me when I woke. That's a hunger you never want to know. After that there were two more. Would have been three if you weren't there last night."
Nate's hands fall on his shoulders. "Hell, it was almost you last night."
"I knew you would stop." Eliot says quietly.
"How? I didn't know if I could."
It's Eliot's turn to lift Nate's hand, pressing his lips to the palm the same way Nate had. "I did. I trusted you."
"Eliot Spencer trusting someone?" Nate asks softly, though the ending falls into a soft moan as Eliot's tongue slides over his skin.
"You. I trust you." Eliot stands, pulling Nate to him.
"Why?" Nate's voice is a whisper, his eyes glittering with specks of black that Eliot has come to recognize as the beginning of his change. "Why would you trust me?"
"Because you're a good man." Eliot responds, kissing him. The world tilts under him and Nate's hand on his shoulder is the only thing that keeps him from falling.
"Easy. I drained you pretty good last night, and then there was the whole sex thing. You need to get your strength back." Nate holds the chair for him, like they're on a date and it makes Eliot smirk. "You're going to need to learn to take better care of yourself." Nate slides into his own chair. "Or one of these times it will be too much for you."
Eliot raises an eyebrow and chews on his steak. "One of these times…meaning we're going to do that again?"
Nate rolls his eyes. "I meant what I said, Eliot. Once bitten, always near. If you want out, you'll have to leave. The country. I'd eventually get over the craving once I couldn't smell you…but as long as I can, I'll go crazy if I can't have you."
"Wait, you can smell me?"
Nate's eyes close and a look comes over his face. Eliot's seen that look sometimes, but never knew what it meant. "Stronger now. You're inside of me."
Eliot snorts at that. "I recall it was you inside of me. I'm all over your kitchen cabinets."
"Funny." Nate lifts his glass in salute, but it's empty so he takes it to the sink instead. "But I'm serious."
"I'm not going anywhere." Eliot promises.
Nate's fingers thread through his hair and pulls his head back. His kiss is nearly savage, and when he pulls back his eyes are more black than before. "When you're done eating, take a shower, relax, sleep. I'll be back in a few hours. I have business to deal with."
"I could come with-" Eliot starts to stand, but Nate pushes him back into the chair.
"You need to eat. I'll bring you back some vitamins. You should start taking them. You need to get enough sleep, eat right. I don't want to kill you slow any more than I want to do it fast because I can't control myself. I'll be back."
The kiss on his forehead is far more gentle, and then Nate is gone and Eliot is alone.