Fic: New Boy (Jared/Jensen, R)
Title: New Boy
Rating: R
Pairing: Jared/Jensen
Word count: 7057
Summary: Vampire!Jared falls in love with Human!Jensen and decides to turn him. He gets a bit more than he bargained for.
Warnings: Vampire AU, dark-ish, more of a dark beige. Also brief mentions of Jared/Jensen/OMC
Notes: Gift fornobeforethat who asked for vampire AU with vampire!Jared and human!Jensen. You also said you had a love for dark fics and monster fics, so I hope this hits all the spots ;-) Many thanks to the lovely and wise dear-tiger for the quick beta.
New Boy
“It is time, Jared,” said Elder Jeffrey.
Jared blinked. “Um, time for what?”
Elder Jeffrey sighed. “Time for you to take a mate.”
“Oh, right. Yes, that,” Jared said. He’d been suspecting (and dreading) that this was why Elder Jeffrey had summoned him to his office. He would be celebrating 30 years since his turning later this year and many of the Elders seemed to believe that it was high time he took a mate. He was one of the few vampires in his age group still unmated; apart from Chad of course, who didn’t really count. Chad liked to describe himself (unironically) as a boy from the Bronx with a lust for life, despite the fact he wasn’t alive nor from the Bronx. No one expected Chad to settle down and take a mate, but Jared was a different matter. He had a reputation, through no fault of his own, for being steady and reliable. Of course they wanted him to take a mate.
“Of course, it is not an Elder’s job to decide who a vampire should take as a mate. But we have high hopes for you, Jared, and we expect you to choose wisely. There are many worthy vampires from other clans who would make excellent mates and I would be happy to arrange such a meeting. If this was something you would like to consider?”
Jared could feel Elder Jeffrey’s dark eyes boring into him. Some people said that Elder Jeffrey could read minds. Jared knew it was a skill only a few vampires had mastered, and Elder Jeffrey was far too young to have mastered it, but still… Jared could swear that guy knew what he was thinking about 98% of the time.
“Um, thanks, Elder Jeffrey, that’s a really great offer and I’m flattered that you think I’ll choose wisely and that I’ll, um-“ he trailed off, losing his train of thought as Elder Jeffrey’s gaze seemed to get ever more penetrating. “Um, yes, okay,” he finished up weakly.
Elder Jeffrey cleared his throat. “I have heard talk of your,” here he paused for dramatic effect, “friendship with a human male.”
Jared felt a blush rise up his throat and spread across his face, his cheeks burning hot. (It was a myth that vampires didn’t blush or that they were cold to the touch).
“Yes, well, he’s just a friend, really,” he said at last.
Elder Jeffrey waved his hand. “Of course, as I said, it is not up to me to dictate who should become your mate, Jared. I have faith that you will make the right choice.” He paused and Jared gulped and nodded. “You may go.”
Jared didn’t hesitate. He turned and fled.
**
The place where Jensen worked was busy when Jared slipped in through the door. Jensen was working the bar with his usual proficiency, mixing drinks and taking orders, giving the occasional lucky patron a flash of his perfect smile to earn himself a couple of extra dollars. His eyes locked with Jared’s as Jared pushed himself into the throng, and Jared was pleased to note the flicker of a genuine smile twist over Jensen’s face. He was wearing his usual work uniform of thin cotton tee and low rise jeans. It was a look that was unreasonably attractive on him and Jared took the opportunity to ogle as he waited to get served.
It took another ten minutes for the crowd to clear some, by which time Jared had managed to snag himself a stool at the bar (not his favourite stool, but Jensen always told him he needed to learn not to get so personal about it). Jensen came over with Jared’s usual beer and took a long pull on it before he thrust it across the bar at Jared.
Jared raised an eyebrow. “You serve all your customers like that?”
“Only my favorites.”
“Yeah?” He pressed his tongue into the side of his cheek and tilted his head to peer up at Jensen.
“Oh yeah,” Jensen said. He leaned onto the bar, folding his bare arms on the polished wood. The light over the bar made the hairs on his arms look golden and Jared stared down at them as Jensen slowly edged his fingers closer to brush against the side of Jared’s hand.
“What time do you get off tonight?” Jared said.
Jensen glanced back over his shoulder at the clock above the bar. “Another two hours.”
“I’ll wait,” Jared said.
Jensen grinned at him and straightened up, moving towards the other end of the bar to serve some new customers.
For once, the two hour wait seemed to go past too quickly. Normally, Jared found the wait frustrating. Sure, watching Jensen work was always a pleasure and Jensen always made sure he was kept well supplied with beer. Jensen found it hilarious that Jared could drink so much and not be affected by it. A fact he attributed to Jared’s size and not any other more sinister reason, though, seriously, why would Jensen even think it was something else? Like all humans, Jensen believed that vampires didn’t exist, and Jared had no plan just yet as to how he was going to explain that one to him.
Anyway, so normally, Jared hated waiting for Jensen to finish up his shift. Jensen was a class A tease and loved to deliberately wind him up, bending over to give Jared a perfect view of his ass, low-rise jeans riding down to expose his tight boxer briefs, then in the next moment, stretching up to grab a bottle from a higher shelf, giving Jared a tantalizing flash of more bare skin, and generally shaking his booty way more than was necessary to just serve a few drinks.
Tonight it seemed way too soon by the time Jensen was helping Rob the bouncer to throw people out and clean down tables. Jared went outside to smoke a couple of cigarettes while Jensen cashed up. Unlike alcohol, nicotine did have an effect on him, and he found his nerves dissipating a little as he tried to figure out the best way to explain to his… God, he didn’t even know what Jensen was to him? They certainly weren’t boyfriends or partners or anything like that. Jensen claimed to not want another boyfriend, saying he’d been hurt in the past, and Jared, well, he wasn’t exactly in a position to be someone’s boyfriend.
“Hey, still here?” Jensen said.
Jared turned around and watched Jensen step out of the bar, hand cupped around his mouth as he popped a cigarette between his lips. The flair of his lighter momentarily lit up his face, casting warmth and shadows on his long eyelashes and full lips. Jared swallowed back the nerves and attempted a smile.
“Yeah. You expecting someone else?”
Jensen took a long drag on his cigarette, cocked up his eyebrows. “No. Just you.” He put his hand on Jared’s arm, his grip tight. “Let’s go,” he said.
**
As soon as they got back to Jensen’s apartment, Jensen was on him, stripping off his shirt and pants with the same easy fluency he mixed drinks, pushing Jared back onto the bed and climbing all over him. It was quick and hard and almost brutal and Jensen rode him with his hands braced on Jared’s shoulders hard enough to leave bruises, not that the bruises would last long on Jared’s skin. Jensen fell asleep afterwards and Jared held him close, keeping his face pressed to the back of Jensen’s neck to breathe in his scent, hearing the loud thunder of Jensen’s heart in his ears, like it was calling his name: Ja-red, Ja-red, Ja-red…
The Clan Book taught that knowing your mate was a gradual process. It didn’t happen straight away like romance fiction likes to make you believe, but was a slow and indelible journey that took place over time. It didn’t happen to every person you become intimate with, but you would know it when it did happen. You would crave that person, you’d long for their presence. You’d want to drench yourself in their scent, you’d want to mark them, and in time, it would get more and more difficult to be apart. That person would become as necessary to you as drinking blood. Eventually, the only remedy would be mating, and in Jared’s clan culture, once you were mated, you were mated for life.
Jared could remember feeling terrified the first time he read about mating in the Clan Book. He was a newly turned vampire back then, still reliant on his sire and his sire’s mate to teach him everything about his new un-life. The concept of being with another person for all eternity was overwhelming to him. He was still getting used to the idea he was going to live forever and never get old. It took him a long time to adjust. Years went past and he never changed, still looking exactly as he had when he was turned, while other people and the world around him changed beyond recognition. He watched his family age from afar, because it wasn’t like he could go back to his mom and dad and sister and tell them the truth: I’m a vampire. They’d think he’d gone insane. So he let them believe that he was missing. It was hard - knowing that they were out there, grieving for him, missing him, but it was also kinda surprising how easy it got after a while. He watched them grow up, watched his sister get married and have her own children, watched those children get married in turn, and it got easy, and he got used to being alone.
And then he met Jensen.
He couldn’t put his finger on the moment Jensen became important to him. He couldn’t separate the time in his head from when Jensen was just another human he had sex with to a time when Jensen was someone he couldn’t stop thinking about, someone he craved like he craved blood. He just knew that he didn’t want to live without Jensen.
Jensen was sleeping in his arms, the little spoon to his big spoon. Jared tightened his grip around him, pulling Jensen’s sleepy pliant body into his own. He nuzzled his mouth into Jensen’s messy hair and inhaled the scent of his sweat and shampoo. He could feel his fangs grow, his gums throb with want as the steady thump-thump of Jensen’s pulse seemed to sink into every pore in his body.
He didn’t think he could wait any longer.
**
Jensen was burning up, and he was - God - he was so fucking thirsty. His lips were cracked; his mouth felt like it was full of sawdust, his throat scratchy like he’d swallowed fibreglass. He was sweating, the sheets sticking to his body as he twisted and turned, trying desperately to get comfortable. He would sell his right arm for a glass of water right now. He blinked, tried to open his eyes, but everything was swimming and swinging and swooping and he felt like he’d drank an entire bar - scratch that - like he’d drank the entire contents of three liquor stores. His head was pounding, his entire body weighed down like he was buried underneath a pile of cement.
“Jensen?”
The voice sounded familiar, but he couldn’t focus. He tried to open his eyes, but - God - his eyelids were so heavy and his head was swooping and thudding and-
“Jensen, shh, hey, it’s okay. It’s me, it’s Jared.”
Jared. He tried to think, Jared. He’d been at the bar and Jared was there too and Jared had come back with him and he couldn’t remember anything else. Something must’ve happened to him. Did someone drug him? Had someone roofied him? Was he sick, ‘cause fuck, he felt sick. He didn’t remember feeling this bad when he had the fucking norovirus and that had sucked beyond the telling.
He tried to form Jared’s name with his lips, but they were too dry, too cracked. If Jared had some water then he’d probably get down on his knees and worship the guy - if he was capable of it.
“Shh, it’s okay, just - you need to drink this,” Jared said.
He rolled his head in the direction of Jared’s voice. God, everything was so fuzzy and it all hurt so damn much. He felt something press against his cracked lips and he was parting them without thinking. He opened his mouth and drank, gasping and silently loving Jared with every part of his body for giving him this desperate relief. He couldn’t tell how much he’d drank by the time his poor aching brain began to realize that what he was drinking wasn’t actually water at all. Or at least, it didn’t feel or taste anything like any water he had ever drunk. It was thick and warm and salty and sweet all at the same time, like the best kind of bitter hot chocolate. Whatever it was, it tasted and felt amazing and he was glugging and inhaling it down like his old dog, Rudy, used to scarf down his water after Jensen had taken him on a five mile run in the Texas heat.
He stopped to catch his breath, panting and still aching all over, though he was beginning to feel a little better, like the moment straight after vomiting when the nausea dissipated for a few seconds.
“Hey, you okay?” Jared whispered.
He still couldn’t really speak, so he groaned something and rolled his head towards Jared’s hand. He could tell it was Jared’s hand as it felt so freaking enormous cupping the side of his face.
“It’ll be okay, man, you’ll see,” Jared said softly. “I’ve got you, I’m gonna look after you now, Jensen.”
The second time Jensen awoke he felt much better, though his head was still sore and his throat dry. He opened his eyes and winced. Everything was so very bright, which was weird because the curtains were closed and no lights were on. It was probably some lingering effect of whatever the fuck virus he’d gotten. He closed his eyes and slumped back into the pillow, then immediately, he sat back up again, peeling his eyes open.
He was… well, he had no freaking idea where he was. This wasn’t his bedroom in his apartment. This wasn’t anywhere he recognised at all. Shit. What the fuck had happened? Was he in a hospital? The room didn’t look like any hospital he’d ever been to before. He slid the covers off, slowly swinging his deadened limbs off the edge of the bed. He placed one foot on the cold linoleum, took a breath and pushed himself into a standing position. It didn’t last long. He wavered, losing his balance, and fell back on to the bed with an ouff of mattress springs.
“Jensen?”
He whipped his head up, wincing at the sudden movement. Jared had just appeared by the door and was watching him with obvious concern.
“You shouldn’t be out of bed. You’re still sick,” Jared said, moving forward. “C’mon, get back into bed.”
He put one of his enormous hands on Jensen‘s shoulder and pushed him backwards into the mattress. He pulled the covers up, tucking them around Jensen’s body.
“Where am I?” Jensen asked.
“This is my place,” Jared said, plopping down onto the edge of the mattress.
He’d never seen Jared’s place before. Whenever they hooked it up, they always went to Jensen’s place. Jensen lived alone, no annoying roommates, it was easier that way.
“But why - what happened?”
“You’re sick,” Jared said. “Luckily, I was with you. I brought you here. You probably don’t remember it.”
Jensen shook his head. “No. But work, what about work?”
“Don’t worry, I told them you were sick. It’s all okay.” Jared smiled that bashful smile that made him look younger than Jensen knew he was. He reached out to stroke Jensen’s hair, caress the side of his face. Jensen could feel the rasp of his own stubble against Jared’s fingers. He probably had quite a lot of growth; he hadn’t shaved for-Shit. He had no idea how long he’d been stuck in this bed.
“What day - what time is it?”
“Wednesday,” Jared said. “You’ve been out for 4 days.”
Fuck. Jensen swallowed, blinked at Jared. “I-“ he started to say again, but Jared cut him off, putting his hand on his shoulder and pressing him back down into the bed. “Shh, go to sleep, Jensen. You need to rest. Get your strength back.”
He felt his eyes grow heavy, and slowly he sank down into the bed.
***
“How is he?”
Jared looked up from his vigil over Jensen to see Elder Jeffrey silently enter the room. “Uh, okay, I think,” he said.
Elder Jeffrey nodded and moved to put one hand on Jared’s shoulder. He gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Good, that’s good.”
“He drank from me,” Jared continued. “And when I drank from him...”
“How did that feel?”
He shivered, casting his mind back to the moment he finally - finally - bit into Jensen, the hot sweet rush of Jensen’s blood in his mouth, the exhilarating, overwhelming sensation of Jensen’s heartbeat fading as he drained the lifeblood from him.
“It was incredible,” he whispered. He’d known then that this was right; nothing had ever felt this good or this perfect before. It was a vindication of what he’d already known: Jensen was meant for him. They were supposed to be together. And now they were.
He tilted his head back to look up at Elder Jeffrey who was watching him approvingly, his eyes warm and expression intent. “I didn’t realise that would feel this good. Even now - I can feel. The connection between us. I can feel him.”
Elder Jeffrey smiled and gave him a pat before he removed his hand. “That’s as it should be.” He straightened and rounded the bed to take a seat, bowing his head to gaze down appraisingly at Jensen. “I must admit that he is extremely well favored. I can see why you wanted him.”
Jared swallowed, flicking a look at the Elder. He was staring at Jensen with an intensity that made Jared’s skin prickle. Jared gritted his teeth as he watched Jeffrey lean down over Jensen and graze the backs of his knuckles against Jensen’s cheek. He watched with clenched fists as Jeffrey’s fingers dragged down over Jensen’s pale face and down to caress his throat, just skimming the mating mark that Jared had left on him.
“No,” he hissed out, unable to stop himself. “No, don’t, don’t touch him!”
Elder Jeffrey removed his hand and turned to look at him with an expression that was half indulgent and half knowing. Jared was standing, his hands in fists, a growl building at the back of his throat.
“It feels wrong, doesn’t it?” Jeffrey said. “Someone else touching him. That is natural, Jared. He is yours, after all.” He ducked his head and took a step backwards, uncharacteristically deferent. “I’m sorry, but...” he glanced back down at Jensen and shrugged, not completing his sentence. “Perhaps I should leave you to it. Please come see me when you’re both ready.”
Jared swallowed and felt the tension drain out of him once the door closed behind him. He had never felt the urge to strike another member of his clan. He had always been known as a tolerant and peaceful vampire, unlike some of his more hot-headed nestlings.
“Jared?”
He jumped and whipped his head around to look at Jensen. Jensen was blinking up at him, his face creased into a frown.
“I think I’m better,” Jensen said. “I feel better.” He shifted up into a sitting position, letting his head fall back against the wall. “Fuck, I’m hungry, man. You got anything to eat in this place?”
Jared stared at him, his mind going fast. This was it, the big moment. He cleared his throat. “Jensen, there’s something I need to tell you.”
**
“No way! Just - no fucking way, Jared! You’re insane! Vampires aren’t even real! Vampires are just- they’re just--” Jensen halted in his pacing around the room, his chest heaving up and down. He spun around and pointed a finger at Jared. He was shaking,; Jared could see that, see the way his hand shook as he held it out to gesture at Jared. “Stay away from me!”
“Jensen,” he pleaded, taking a step towards him.
“No, seriously, you are certifiably insane!” Jensen took a stumbling pace backwards.
“Put your hand on your heart,” Jared told him.
Jensen stared back at him, unblinking and wide-eyed. “What?”
“Do it. Like this.” Jared demonstrated, putting his own hand on his chest, spread-eagling his fingers over the place where his heart used to beat. Not anymore of course, now it was just a dried up piece of old jerky. “Your heart not’s beating. Feel it, Jensen. Put your finger on your throat, on your carotid. There’s no pulse there anymore. ”
With shaking fingers Jensen placed his hand over his heart. He gulped and Jared saw the slow trickle of a tear roll down his cheek. He raised two fingers to his throat, grazed them over his pulse point.
“What did you do to me?” he whispered.
Jared swallowed, feeling his stomach crumple in on itself. This time Jensen didn’t fight him when he gathered him up in his arms. “Please,” he said, cupping the side of Jensen’s face and tilting his head back, forcing their eyes to meet. “Please, I had to. I love you. I had to.”
Jensen’s expression was stricken as he tried to fight the embrace, to struggle from Jared’s arms. “You could’ve just asked me to move in,” he said, his voice dull and pathetic. “I’d’ve said yes.”
“But you always said - you said you didn’t want a boyfriend.”
Jensen tipped his head back to look up at him. Another tear slipped free and rolled down his cheek. “I would’ve made an exception for you. I thought you were the right guy.”
“I am the right guy.”
“You’re not even a guy - you’re not! Jesus, what am I now? Am I dead? What the fuck am I, Jared?”
“You’re mine,” Jared said. “And I’m yours. And we’re going to live forever, Jensen.”
Jensen shook his head and went limp in Jared’s arms, not putting up any protest as Jared dragged him back towards the bed. Jared pulled him down onto the mattress, tangled their arms and legs together, pulling Jensen back against his chest, spooning him as he’d done when they’d slept together the night he’d turned him. He kissed the back of Jensen’s neck, felt Jensen stiffen, though he made no attempt to get away.
“Listen to me, you need to feed. That hunger, the gnawing pain in your belly, the way your skin feels so tight and painful. That’s your body telling you that you need to feed.”
“You asshole, you fucking asshole,” Jensen hissed between gritted teeth. He turned his face into the mattress. “You did this to me.”
“I can make it better,” Jared promised. He raised his own wrist to his mouth and bit into it, fangs tearing through the pale flesh. The blood seeped dull and thick to the surface and he felt Jensen flinch in his arms and try to move, scenting the sudden coppery tang of fresh blood. He braced himself over Jensen and brought his wrist to Jensen’s mouth. Jensen jerked his head to one side, trying to get away from him, but Jared leaned in closer. “C’mon, please. You gotta, you gotta feed. It will make it better, I promise. Please, Jensen.”
Jensen was trembling underneath him; Jared could feel the tremors running through his own body. Jensen was shaking with the effort of holding back and not giving into the hunger. He could see the color flood into Jensen’s cheeks, the sweat bead around his hairline as the bloodlust began to overwhelm him.
He snarled and snatched for Jared’s wrist with both hands. He yanked it to his mouth and sucked hard at the bleeding wound, his new fangs grazing and then sinking into Jared’s skin.
Jared gasped and clutched at Jensen’s waist with his free hand, feeling his cock thicken as Jensen drank noisily and greedily. Jensen was snarling, the sounds tumbling from his lips more animalistic than human, his fangs buried as far as they could go into the fleshy part of Jared’s arm.
Jensen was shaking by the time it was over. He released his vice-like grip on Jared’s arm and collapsed back into the mattress. He rolled onto his back. His mouth and chin were stained with blood, his lips impossibly rosy and skin fever-flushed. It felt like a long time before he spoke, “It’s not what I thought.”
Jared swallowed, darted him an uncertain look. “What do you mean?” He felt weakened, a little light-headed. Jensen had taken a lot from him; he would need to feed very soon himself. But first, he needed to be sure that Jensen - his mate - was okay.
Jensen licked his lips, deliberately dragging his tongue through the drying blood. “It feels strange. Like-“ he stretched out one arm, raising it above the both of them into the air. He flexed the muscles, twisting and working his wrist, uncurling and curling his fingers. “It feels like fire, like there’s something inside of me. Something surging and moving and - I’m not explaining it well.” He turned his head to one side to look at Jared and grinned that teasing, wicked grin that Jared recalled from Jensen’s nights flirting with him at the bar. “It feels like I’m on E, like I’m high. Does it always feel like this?”
“Sometimes,” Jared answered. “But this time - it’s special. I’m your sire and your, uh, your mate.” He tripped over the word, feeling his cheeks heat up in embarrassment.
Jensen cocked up an eyebrow. He looked completely different from only moments before, when he’d let those tears roll down his face, cursing Jared for what he’d done to him. He looked in control now, satisfied and entirely comfortable in his skin. He stood up from the bed, rolled his shoulders backwards, like he was working out some kinks. His movements were lithe, more fluid and smooth.
He looks like a vampire, Jared thought with a surge of excitement, recognising the new easy movements, the way Jensen cocked his head and moved more freely around the room. He had seen this before: newly turned vampires initially resisting the change, cursing out their sires. But they always ended up embracing it; they couldn’t help it, the bloodlust, the power, how it felt to feed, and afterwards, the contentment and satisfaction, the sensation of all that blood rushing through them; everyone gave into it in the end.
Jensen had more reason to give into it than any normal newbie vampire. Jensen was already mated. Jared hadn’t been mated when he’d first been turned. Maybe if he had been, it would’ve been easier. He couldn’t remember anymore the sadness and anger and desperation that had come over him when he first realised what had happened to him, but he knew the basic facts: how he’d fled the nest, tried to run back home, but collapsed on the way there, too weak from the new turning. He’d resisted so much the Clan hadn’t been sure he would survive, but he hadn’t been ready to give up his old human life: his parents and sister, college and his friends and even his crappy part time job in the shoe store. He hadn’t wanted to give up any of it.
Of course he’d given in in the end, but he’d sworn that it would be better for Jensen. He would make sure of that. At least, Jensen didn’t have the same family ties he’d had. Jensen was barely in contact with his family. Jensen was a loner, working that bar at night, sleeping during the day, hooking up with random guys before he’d slipped into the thing with Jared. Jensen was practically nocturnal already; all these things would help. And Jared would be there with him the whole time.
“Are you okay?” Jared said.
Jensen paused in his pacing and turned to face him. His face was still streaked with blood, his eyes still mostly pupil. The blood he’d just drank (Jared’s blood) would be working around his bloodstream now, making him feel invincible. Jared couldn’t remember anymore how he’d felt after that first feeding, the rush and jolt of power and euphoria. He only got that on occasion now, it had been so long. But he could remember the feeling in his body afterwards, like he was floating on air, like his skin wasn’t big enough to contain all of his insides, like there was not enough space in the room. He guessed that if he’d known what Ecstasy or any other drug felt like, then he might have compared it with that too.
“So, are there, like, do I have powers?” Jensen asked.
“Well, you’ll be stronger and you won’t get old.”
“Huh. So that part’s true.”
“It is. Eternal youth. You’re going to be 24 forever.”
Jensen nodded, looking thoughtful. “So how old are you? ‘Cause I always thought you were my age.”
“I was 23 when I was turned.”
“And now you’re, like, two hundred or something?”
Jared smiled at him fondly. “No, I’m not that old. This isn’t Twilight, man.”
“What? Are you telling me I won’t sparkle if I go outside?” Jensen raised his eyebrows in mock-horror.
Jared’s smile got wider. “Nope. Afraid not.”
“Fuck, can I even go outside? I won’t spontaneously combust or anything. Like on Buffy?”
“Forget everything you’ve ever seen on TV,” Jared told him. He got up from the bed and walked towards Jensen. Jensen tilted his head back. His fangs still hadn’t fully retracted, Jared could still see them poking through his gums. Jensen would need to learn how to hide them, that was something Jared would have to teach him. The thought made him feel warm inside. He would enjoy teaching Jensen everything. He bet Jensen would be a quick learner. After that initial freak-out, he was certainly taking the news pretty well. Sure, it was mainly due to the bloodlust and blood-haze from his first real feeding - and that was something else Jared would have to teach him, how not to get too carried away in a blood-haze - but Jensen was his mate, his responsibility, he would make him the best vampire he could possibly be.
As if reading his mind, Jensen asked, “So, that thing you said about being my mate? What does that mean exactly?”
“Um, pretty much what you think it means,” he said. He slid his hand up Jensen’s throat to cup his cheek. “It means that I made you mine. Forever.”
**
One year later...
Jared marvelled at how he never got sick of this. It had been a year, and Jensen felt as good pressed up against him as he had the very first time Jared had taken him out after his turning. Jared pulled him closer, feeling the music pound through their entwined bodies and rattle through their bones.
Jensen was moulded around him, his thigh pushed between Jared’s legs, his hands curled around Jared’s neck and his mouth wet and moist against Jared’s throat.
“Hmm, he’s here again,” Jensen murmured into Jared’s skin.
Jared growled under his breath and looked up, scanning the crowd.
“By the bar,” Jensen indicated with a jerk of his head.
Jared looked in that direction. Sure enough, the boy - he couldn’t stop himself from thinking of him that way - was standing by the bar, anxiously scanning the crowd. He looked even younger than Jared remembered, too young to be here. They’d picked the kid up two, no, three times before, and taken him home to play with. They’d been careful each time, only drinking a little from him. Jared knew how these things worked, and he’d made sure that they never took more than a pint of blood from the kid - not enough for him to notice on top of the alcohol. And anyway, it wasn’t like the kid hadn’t gotten his pleasure too, they’d made sure of that. Jared didn’t want any trouble with the humans.
Although drinking directly from humans was permitted by Jared’s clan, there were established rules and methods of doing it. Making sure that the human never figured out what was happening, for a start. Jared had never fed directly from humans that often before he met Jensen, it was risky, and he always felt weird and even more like a predator than he knew he was. Jensen, on the other hand, didn’t seem to have any such qualms. He was in love with the hot sweet taste of living blood, and not the diluted stuff they got from the blood bags.
Jensen had stopped dancing and was surveying the boy with the kind of look in his eyes that could only be described as predatory. He licked his lips. “Can I?” he asked.
Jared felt his heart sink but he was nodding in agreement before he even realized it. Jensen shot him a grin that was all teeth, and took off, dragging Jared after him as he threaded through the crowd and towards the bar.
“Hey, kid,” Jensen greeted him.
Jared saw the boy double-take and then flush furiously as his eyes came to rest on Jensen’s and then Jared’s faces. “Um, uh, hey,” he gulped. “I wasn’t sure that you would be - I meant that you-“
“Shhh,” Jensen murmured. He leaned in to cup the boy’s cheek, staring down into his wide blue eyes. “Do you want it again?”
Silently the boy gulped again and nodded, his lips trembling and eyes tracking over Jensen’s face as Jensen smiled toothily and dragged one finger slowly over the boy’s cheekbone.
“That’s good, ‘cause so do we. Don’t we, Jared?” He looked over his shoulder to smirk at Jared.
Jared smiled back at him, feeling like a parent about to let his child have another go on the swings. He didn’t want to take this kid home again. It was dangerous to get involved with the same person over and over, to give that person more opportunity to figure out what you were and what you wanted from him. Sure, he’d gotten involved with Jensen, but that was different. He’d fallen for Jensen, he’d wanted to mate him. Jensen was already mated; he didn’t want anything from this boy except to have some fun with him. It wasn’t fair on any of them.
Still though, he wasn’t going to deny Jensen what he wanted.
“Jared, Jensen.”
Jared whirled around in surprise to see Elder Jeffrey emerge from one side of the bar. Jensen looked up from where he had one arm slung around the boy’s neck and looked over at Jeffrey. He rolled his eyes, the movement almost imperceptible, and whispered something into the boy’s ear. The boy laughed abruptly and then clamped his mouth shut, flushing again. Jared felt a momentary spark of annoyance and glared at both him and Jensen, but Jensen was looking serene and innocent, looking across at Jeffrey with a welcoming smile.
“Jeff. Hey, so good to see you,” he said.
Jared bristled a little with embarrassment. Jensen had never gotten the hang of titles or rituals within the clan. He just rolled his eyes when Jared tried to explain to him that he really couldn’t address Elder Jeffrey as Jeff, it just wasn’t the way things were done. Annoyingly, Elder Jeffrey didn’t seem to mind too much, never berating Jensen as he would’ve done Chad, or anyone else - anyone who wasn’t Jensen, in fact. And yes, it really hadn’t escaped Jared’s attention that Elder Jeffrey had a decided soft spot for Jensen, which Jensen was well aware of and loved to play on both to his own advantage and to make Jared jealous.
Elder Jeffrey grinned and moved to pull Jensen into a hug that was way too long and lingering by Jared’s assessment. Jared swallowed down the growl in his throat, feeling the eyes of the kid - David, he should really remember that, it had been three times already after all - on him, Jensen and Elder Jeffrey. Admittedly, Elder Jeffrey did look out of place in this crowd, with his jean jacket and stonewashed denim jeans and biker boots.
“So, what are you two kids up to?” Elder Jeffrey asked.
Jensen pushed his tongue into the side of his mouth and slung his arm around David’s shoulders again, pulling him forward. “We’re making friends. This is David. David, say hi to Jeff, he’s a friend of ours too.”
David held out his hand, stammering out a hello. Elder Jeffrey took the hand, running appraising dark eyes over David. Jared could actually see his pupils dilate, the tilt to his gaze that was the telltale sign of blood-hunger. Well it was tough shit, Jared thought, that little piece of ass was theirs, and he wasn’t in the mood for sharing. Elder Jeffrey could either go find himself something else or go back home and suck on a blood bag. Really, the guy didn’t belong here at all and he definitely had no right to be touching Jensen like that.
“It’s nice to meet you, David,” Elder Jeffrey said.
David blushed and ducked his head. Jensen was right about one thing, the kid really was too damn adorable. Jared licked his lips, remembering the sweet, juicy taste of the boy’s blood and the way he’d kissed the taste from Jensen’s mouth after they’d both fed. He felt Jensen’s eyes on him and he cut him a look. Jensen was watching him knowingly, that playful smirk at the corner of his mouth. He licked his lips ostentatiously and Jared felt the accompanying flush of want and lust in his belly and cock.
“We should be going,” he growled out.
“Already?” Elder Jeffrey said, looking towards Jensen. Jensen just shrugged and clapped him on the shoulder. “See you later, man.”
Jared looked over his shoulder, the smile fading as he noticed Elder Jeffrey’s eyes tracking Jensen all the way out of the club.
**
“Can I keep him?”
Jared looked across at Jensen. He was slumped in one of Jared’s armchairs, glass of Scotch in hand, watching David where he lay, barely conscious on the bed. The boy was naked, covered in their spit, blood and come. He was breathing shallowly, his eyes closed into a deep unnatural sleep. His eyelashes were fluttering, his cheeks pale and forehead clammy. Jared could just about remember enough from his human days, learning first aid at college and being taught that these were all the classic signs of shock. Maybe they’d gone a little too far this time. They should probably be dumping his pretty little ass at the emergency room right about now.
“Don’t you think he’d make a nice pet?” Jensen said.
Jared blinked and looked his way. “Huh?”
Jensen smiled at him, a fond indulgent sort of a smile. “You weren’t listening to a word I was saying.” He got up from the chair, stretching his hands up above his head, lithe and satiated and languorous. He dropped down onto the edge of the bed and ran a hand over the sharp cut of the boy’s hipbone. “I was asking if we could keep him.”
Jared swallowed down the flare of jealousy and anger at the words and the look on Jensen’s face. He shook his head, trying to keep his expression even. “No, you know we can’t.”
“How about if we turn him?”
“Jensen, c’mon, we can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“Well, ‘cause it won’t be fair for a start. ‘Cause he’s probably got a family and a job and-“
“Like I had, you mean?” Jensen cut in.
Jared hesitated. “That was different.”
“Why?” Jensen tilted his head, his eyes narrowing. He was still touching the boy, petting and caressing him like you would pet a dog or a cat.
“Because I wanted you to be my mate. He’s not,” he gestured at the boy, “we’re not going to mate him.”
“But you didn’t ask my permission to turn me. How was that fair?”
“Jensen…”
Jensen sighed and fell backwards into the bed, the mattress springs squeaking under his weight. He rolled onto his side and propped himself up on one elbow. He loomed over the boy, nuzzling his face against the boy’s soft pale cheek. “But he smells so good. And it would be so easy, Jared.” He lifted his head, pouting when he gaze met Jared’s. “Why does he get to live when I didn’t?”
Jared watched him, feeling a lump in his throat start to form. Jensen was right, he hadn’t given him a choice, he’d taken Jensen’s life and he hadn’t even thought about it. He’d wanted Jensen so badly that he hadn’t thought about whether Jensen wanted it too. It was lucky that Jensen had taken to being a vampire so well. Rather too well, the thought crept into his head, but he quashed it quickly.
Jensen was the first vampire he had turned, he’d never wanted the responsibility before then, but Jensen was looking at him expectantly, an accusing look in his dark gaze. If Jared didn’t give into him now... if he didn’t give Jensen what he wanted. What then? Jensen wasn’t going to leave him, he couldn’t, they were mated. But Jensen might hold it against him; he might start to resent Jared. He hated the thought of Jensen resenting him for something. Perhaps this could be some sort of reparation, a chance for him to show Jensen how much he meant to him.
Finally, he nodded, giving in. “Okay, yeah, do it.”
Jensen’s answering grin was dazzling. Jared got up and wandered over to the drinks cabinet, topping up his whiskey glass and closing his eyes when he heard the sound of Jensen biting into the boy.
Rating: R
Pairing: Jared/Jensen
Word count: 7057
Summary: Vampire!Jared falls in love with Human!Jensen and decides to turn him. He gets a bit more than he bargained for.
Warnings: Vampire AU, dark-ish, more of a dark beige. Also brief mentions of Jared/Jensen/OMC
Notes: Gift fornobeforethat who asked for vampire AU with vampire!Jared and human!Jensen. You also said you had a love for dark fics and monster fics, so I hope this hits all the spots ;-) Many thanks to the lovely and wise dear-tiger for the quick beta.
New Boy
“It is time, Jared,” said Elder Jeffrey.
Jared blinked. “Um, time for what?”
Elder Jeffrey sighed. “Time for you to take a mate.”
“Oh, right. Yes, that,” Jared said. He’d been suspecting (and dreading) that this was why Elder Jeffrey had summoned him to his office. He would be celebrating 30 years since his turning later this year and many of the Elders seemed to believe that it was high time he took a mate. He was one of the few vampires in his age group still unmated; apart from Chad of course, who didn’t really count. Chad liked to describe himself (unironically) as a boy from the Bronx with a lust for life, despite the fact he wasn’t alive nor from the Bronx. No one expected Chad to settle down and take a mate, but Jared was a different matter. He had a reputation, through no fault of his own, for being steady and reliable. Of course they wanted him to take a mate.
“Of course, it is not an Elder’s job to decide who a vampire should take as a mate. But we have high hopes for you, Jared, and we expect you to choose wisely. There are many worthy vampires from other clans who would make excellent mates and I would be happy to arrange such a meeting. If this was something you would like to consider?”
Jared could feel Elder Jeffrey’s dark eyes boring into him. Some people said that Elder Jeffrey could read minds. Jared knew it was a skill only a few vampires had mastered, and Elder Jeffrey was far too young to have mastered it, but still… Jared could swear that guy knew what he was thinking about 98% of the time.
“Um, thanks, Elder Jeffrey, that’s a really great offer and I’m flattered that you think I’ll choose wisely and that I’ll, um-“ he trailed off, losing his train of thought as Elder Jeffrey’s gaze seemed to get ever more penetrating. “Um, yes, okay,” he finished up weakly.
Elder Jeffrey cleared his throat. “I have heard talk of your,” here he paused for dramatic effect, “friendship with a human male.”
Jared felt a blush rise up his throat and spread across his face, his cheeks burning hot. (It was a myth that vampires didn’t blush or that they were cold to the touch).
“Yes, well, he’s just a friend, really,” he said at last.
Elder Jeffrey waved his hand. “Of course, as I said, it is not up to me to dictate who should become your mate, Jared. I have faith that you will make the right choice.” He paused and Jared gulped and nodded. “You may go.”
Jared didn’t hesitate. He turned and fled.
**
The place where Jensen worked was busy when Jared slipped in through the door. Jensen was working the bar with his usual proficiency, mixing drinks and taking orders, giving the occasional lucky patron a flash of his perfect smile to earn himself a couple of extra dollars. His eyes locked with Jared’s as Jared pushed himself into the throng, and Jared was pleased to note the flicker of a genuine smile twist over Jensen’s face. He was wearing his usual work uniform of thin cotton tee and low rise jeans. It was a look that was unreasonably attractive on him and Jared took the opportunity to ogle as he waited to get served.
It took another ten minutes for the crowd to clear some, by which time Jared had managed to snag himself a stool at the bar (not his favourite stool, but Jensen always told him he needed to learn not to get so personal about it). Jensen came over with Jared’s usual beer and took a long pull on it before he thrust it across the bar at Jared.
Jared raised an eyebrow. “You serve all your customers like that?”
“Only my favorites.”
“Yeah?” He pressed his tongue into the side of his cheek and tilted his head to peer up at Jensen.
“Oh yeah,” Jensen said. He leaned onto the bar, folding his bare arms on the polished wood. The light over the bar made the hairs on his arms look golden and Jared stared down at them as Jensen slowly edged his fingers closer to brush against the side of Jared’s hand.
“What time do you get off tonight?” Jared said.
Jensen glanced back over his shoulder at the clock above the bar. “Another two hours.”
“I’ll wait,” Jared said.
Jensen grinned at him and straightened up, moving towards the other end of the bar to serve some new customers.
For once, the two hour wait seemed to go past too quickly. Normally, Jared found the wait frustrating. Sure, watching Jensen work was always a pleasure and Jensen always made sure he was kept well supplied with beer. Jensen found it hilarious that Jared could drink so much and not be affected by it. A fact he attributed to Jared’s size and not any other more sinister reason, though, seriously, why would Jensen even think it was something else? Like all humans, Jensen believed that vampires didn’t exist, and Jared had no plan just yet as to how he was going to explain that one to him.
Anyway, so normally, Jared hated waiting for Jensen to finish up his shift. Jensen was a class A tease and loved to deliberately wind him up, bending over to give Jared a perfect view of his ass, low-rise jeans riding down to expose his tight boxer briefs, then in the next moment, stretching up to grab a bottle from a higher shelf, giving Jared a tantalizing flash of more bare skin, and generally shaking his booty way more than was necessary to just serve a few drinks.
Tonight it seemed way too soon by the time Jensen was helping Rob the bouncer to throw people out and clean down tables. Jared went outside to smoke a couple of cigarettes while Jensen cashed up. Unlike alcohol, nicotine did have an effect on him, and he found his nerves dissipating a little as he tried to figure out the best way to explain to his… God, he didn’t even know what Jensen was to him? They certainly weren’t boyfriends or partners or anything like that. Jensen claimed to not want another boyfriend, saying he’d been hurt in the past, and Jared, well, he wasn’t exactly in a position to be someone’s boyfriend.
“Hey, still here?” Jensen said.
Jared turned around and watched Jensen step out of the bar, hand cupped around his mouth as he popped a cigarette between his lips. The flair of his lighter momentarily lit up his face, casting warmth and shadows on his long eyelashes and full lips. Jared swallowed back the nerves and attempted a smile.
“Yeah. You expecting someone else?”
Jensen took a long drag on his cigarette, cocked up his eyebrows. “No. Just you.” He put his hand on Jared’s arm, his grip tight. “Let’s go,” he said.
**
As soon as they got back to Jensen’s apartment, Jensen was on him, stripping off his shirt and pants with the same easy fluency he mixed drinks, pushing Jared back onto the bed and climbing all over him. It was quick and hard and almost brutal and Jensen rode him with his hands braced on Jared’s shoulders hard enough to leave bruises, not that the bruises would last long on Jared’s skin. Jensen fell asleep afterwards and Jared held him close, keeping his face pressed to the back of Jensen’s neck to breathe in his scent, hearing the loud thunder of Jensen’s heart in his ears, like it was calling his name: Ja-red, Ja-red, Ja-red…
The Clan Book taught that knowing your mate was a gradual process. It didn’t happen straight away like romance fiction likes to make you believe, but was a slow and indelible journey that took place over time. It didn’t happen to every person you become intimate with, but you would know it when it did happen. You would crave that person, you’d long for their presence. You’d want to drench yourself in their scent, you’d want to mark them, and in time, it would get more and more difficult to be apart. That person would become as necessary to you as drinking blood. Eventually, the only remedy would be mating, and in Jared’s clan culture, once you were mated, you were mated for life.
Jared could remember feeling terrified the first time he read about mating in the Clan Book. He was a newly turned vampire back then, still reliant on his sire and his sire’s mate to teach him everything about his new un-life. The concept of being with another person for all eternity was overwhelming to him. He was still getting used to the idea he was going to live forever and never get old. It took him a long time to adjust. Years went past and he never changed, still looking exactly as he had when he was turned, while other people and the world around him changed beyond recognition. He watched his family age from afar, because it wasn’t like he could go back to his mom and dad and sister and tell them the truth: I’m a vampire. They’d think he’d gone insane. So he let them believe that he was missing. It was hard - knowing that they were out there, grieving for him, missing him, but it was also kinda surprising how easy it got after a while. He watched them grow up, watched his sister get married and have her own children, watched those children get married in turn, and it got easy, and he got used to being alone.
And then he met Jensen.
He couldn’t put his finger on the moment Jensen became important to him. He couldn’t separate the time in his head from when Jensen was just another human he had sex with to a time when Jensen was someone he couldn’t stop thinking about, someone he craved like he craved blood. He just knew that he didn’t want to live without Jensen.
Jensen was sleeping in his arms, the little spoon to his big spoon. Jared tightened his grip around him, pulling Jensen’s sleepy pliant body into his own. He nuzzled his mouth into Jensen’s messy hair and inhaled the scent of his sweat and shampoo. He could feel his fangs grow, his gums throb with want as the steady thump-thump of Jensen’s pulse seemed to sink into every pore in his body.
He didn’t think he could wait any longer.
**
Jensen was burning up, and he was - God - he was so fucking thirsty. His lips were cracked; his mouth felt like it was full of sawdust, his throat scratchy like he’d swallowed fibreglass. He was sweating, the sheets sticking to his body as he twisted and turned, trying desperately to get comfortable. He would sell his right arm for a glass of water right now. He blinked, tried to open his eyes, but everything was swimming and swinging and swooping and he felt like he’d drank an entire bar - scratch that - like he’d drank the entire contents of three liquor stores. His head was pounding, his entire body weighed down like he was buried underneath a pile of cement.
“Jensen?”
The voice sounded familiar, but he couldn’t focus. He tried to open his eyes, but - God - his eyelids were so heavy and his head was swooping and thudding and-
“Jensen, shh, hey, it’s okay. It’s me, it’s Jared.”
Jared. He tried to think, Jared. He’d been at the bar and Jared was there too and Jared had come back with him and he couldn’t remember anything else. Something must’ve happened to him. Did someone drug him? Had someone roofied him? Was he sick, ‘cause fuck, he felt sick. He didn’t remember feeling this bad when he had the fucking norovirus and that had sucked beyond the telling.
He tried to form Jared’s name with his lips, but they were too dry, too cracked. If Jared had some water then he’d probably get down on his knees and worship the guy - if he was capable of it.
“Shh, it’s okay, just - you need to drink this,” Jared said.
He rolled his head in the direction of Jared’s voice. God, everything was so fuzzy and it all hurt so damn much. He felt something press against his cracked lips and he was parting them without thinking. He opened his mouth and drank, gasping and silently loving Jared with every part of his body for giving him this desperate relief. He couldn’t tell how much he’d drank by the time his poor aching brain began to realize that what he was drinking wasn’t actually water at all. Or at least, it didn’t feel or taste anything like any water he had ever drunk. It was thick and warm and salty and sweet all at the same time, like the best kind of bitter hot chocolate. Whatever it was, it tasted and felt amazing and he was glugging and inhaling it down like his old dog, Rudy, used to scarf down his water after Jensen had taken him on a five mile run in the Texas heat.
He stopped to catch his breath, panting and still aching all over, though he was beginning to feel a little better, like the moment straight after vomiting when the nausea dissipated for a few seconds.
“Hey, you okay?” Jared whispered.
He still couldn’t really speak, so he groaned something and rolled his head towards Jared’s hand. He could tell it was Jared’s hand as it felt so freaking enormous cupping the side of his face.
“It’ll be okay, man, you’ll see,” Jared said softly. “I’ve got you, I’m gonna look after you now, Jensen.”
The second time Jensen awoke he felt much better, though his head was still sore and his throat dry. He opened his eyes and winced. Everything was so very bright, which was weird because the curtains were closed and no lights were on. It was probably some lingering effect of whatever the fuck virus he’d gotten. He closed his eyes and slumped back into the pillow, then immediately, he sat back up again, peeling his eyes open.
He was… well, he had no freaking idea where he was. This wasn’t his bedroom in his apartment. This wasn’t anywhere he recognised at all. Shit. What the fuck had happened? Was he in a hospital? The room didn’t look like any hospital he’d ever been to before. He slid the covers off, slowly swinging his deadened limbs off the edge of the bed. He placed one foot on the cold linoleum, took a breath and pushed himself into a standing position. It didn’t last long. He wavered, losing his balance, and fell back on to the bed with an ouff of mattress springs.
“Jensen?”
He whipped his head up, wincing at the sudden movement. Jared had just appeared by the door and was watching him with obvious concern.
“You shouldn’t be out of bed. You’re still sick,” Jared said, moving forward. “C’mon, get back into bed.”
He put one of his enormous hands on Jensen‘s shoulder and pushed him backwards into the mattress. He pulled the covers up, tucking them around Jensen’s body.
“Where am I?” Jensen asked.
“This is my place,” Jared said, plopping down onto the edge of the mattress.
He’d never seen Jared’s place before. Whenever they hooked it up, they always went to Jensen’s place. Jensen lived alone, no annoying roommates, it was easier that way.
“But why - what happened?”
“You’re sick,” Jared said. “Luckily, I was with you. I brought you here. You probably don’t remember it.”
Jensen shook his head. “No. But work, what about work?”
“Don’t worry, I told them you were sick. It’s all okay.” Jared smiled that bashful smile that made him look younger than Jensen knew he was. He reached out to stroke Jensen’s hair, caress the side of his face. Jensen could feel the rasp of his own stubble against Jared’s fingers. He probably had quite a lot of growth; he hadn’t shaved for-Shit. He had no idea how long he’d been stuck in this bed.
“What day - what time is it?”
“Wednesday,” Jared said. “You’ve been out for 4 days.”
Fuck. Jensen swallowed, blinked at Jared. “I-“ he started to say again, but Jared cut him off, putting his hand on his shoulder and pressing him back down into the bed. “Shh, go to sleep, Jensen. You need to rest. Get your strength back.”
He felt his eyes grow heavy, and slowly he sank down into the bed.
***
“How is he?”
Jared looked up from his vigil over Jensen to see Elder Jeffrey silently enter the room. “Uh, okay, I think,” he said.
Elder Jeffrey nodded and moved to put one hand on Jared’s shoulder. He gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Good, that’s good.”
“He drank from me,” Jared continued. “And when I drank from him...”
“How did that feel?”
He shivered, casting his mind back to the moment he finally - finally - bit into Jensen, the hot sweet rush of Jensen’s blood in his mouth, the exhilarating, overwhelming sensation of Jensen’s heartbeat fading as he drained the lifeblood from him.
“It was incredible,” he whispered. He’d known then that this was right; nothing had ever felt this good or this perfect before. It was a vindication of what he’d already known: Jensen was meant for him. They were supposed to be together. And now they were.
He tilted his head back to look up at Elder Jeffrey who was watching him approvingly, his eyes warm and expression intent. “I didn’t realise that would feel this good. Even now - I can feel. The connection between us. I can feel him.”
Elder Jeffrey smiled and gave him a pat before he removed his hand. “That’s as it should be.” He straightened and rounded the bed to take a seat, bowing his head to gaze down appraisingly at Jensen. “I must admit that he is extremely well favored. I can see why you wanted him.”
Jared swallowed, flicking a look at the Elder. He was staring at Jensen with an intensity that made Jared’s skin prickle. Jared gritted his teeth as he watched Jeffrey lean down over Jensen and graze the backs of his knuckles against Jensen’s cheek. He watched with clenched fists as Jeffrey’s fingers dragged down over Jensen’s pale face and down to caress his throat, just skimming the mating mark that Jared had left on him.
“No,” he hissed out, unable to stop himself. “No, don’t, don’t touch him!”
Elder Jeffrey removed his hand and turned to look at him with an expression that was half indulgent and half knowing. Jared was standing, his hands in fists, a growl building at the back of his throat.
“It feels wrong, doesn’t it?” Jeffrey said. “Someone else touching him. That is natural, Jared. He is yours, after all.” He ducked his head and took a step backwards, uncharacteristically deferent. “I’m sorry, but...” he glanced back down at Jensen and shrugged, not completing his sentence. “Perhaps I should leave you to it. Please come see me when you’re both ready.”
Jared swallowed and felt the tension drain out of him once the door closed behind him. He had never felt the urge to strike another member of his clan. He had always been known as a tolerant and peaceful vampire, unlike some of his more hot-headed nestlings.
“Jared?”
He jumped and whipped his head around to look at Jensen. Jensen was blinking up at him, his face creased into a frown.
“I think I’m better,” Jensen said. “I feel better.” He shifted up into a sitting position, letting his head fall back against the wall. “Fuck, I’m hungry, man. You got anything to eat in this place?”
Jared stared at him, his mind going fast. This was it, the big moment. He cleared his throat. “Jensen, there’s something I need to tell you.”
**
“No way! Just - no fucking way, Jared! You’re insane! Vampires aren’t even real! Vampires are just- they’re just--” Jensen halted in his pacing around the room, his chest heaving up and down. He spun around and pointed a finger at Jared. He was shaking,; Jared could see that, see the way his hand shook as he held it out to gesture at Jared. “Stay away from me!”
“Jensen,” he pleaded, taking a step towards him.
“No, seriously, you are certifiably insane!” Jensen took a stumbling pace backwards.
“Put your hand on your heart,” Jared told him.
Jensen stared back at him, unblinking and wide-eyed. “What?”
“Do it. Like this.” Jared demonstrated, putting his own hand on his chest, spread-eagling his fingers over the place where his heart used to beat. Not anymore of course, now it was just a dried up piece of old jerky. “Your heart not’s beating. Feel it, Jensen. Put your finger on your throat, on your carotid. There’s no pulse there anymore. ”
With shaking fingers Jensen placed his hand over his heart. He gulped and Jared saw the slow trickle of a tear roll down his cheek. He raised two fingers to his throat, grazed them over his pulse point.
“What did you do to me?” he whispered.
Jared swallowed, feeling his stomach crumple in on itself. This time Jensen didn’t fight him when he gathered him up in his arms. “Please,” he said, cupping the side of Jensen’s face and tilting his head back, forcing their eyes to meet. “Please, I had to. I love you. I had to.”
Jensen’s expression was stricken as he tried to fight the embrace, to struggle from Jared’s arms. “You could’ve just asked me to move in,” he said, his voice dull and pathetic. “I’d’ve said yes.”
“But you always said - you said you didn’t want a boyfriend.”
Jensen tipped his head back to look up at him. Another tear slipped free and rolled down his cheek. “I would’ve made an exception for you. I thought you were the right guy.”
“I am the right guy.”
“You’re not even a guy - you’re not! Jesus, what am I now? Am I dead? What the fuck am I, Jared?”
“You’re mine,” Jared said. “And I’m yours. And we’re going to live forever, Jensen.”
Jensen shook his head and went limp in Jared’s arms, not putting up any protest as Jared dragged him back towards the bed. Jared pulled him down onto the mattress, tangled their arms and legs together, pulling Jensen back against his chest, spooning him as he’d done when they’d slept together the night he’d turned him. He kissed the back of Jensen’s neck, felt Jensen stiffen, though he made no attempt to get away.
“Listen to me, you need to feed. That hunger, the gnawing pain in your belly, the way your skin feels so tight and painful. That’s your body telling you that you need to feed.”
“You asshole, you fucking asshole,” Jensen hissed between gritted teeth. He turned his face into the mattress. “You did this to me.”
“I can make it better,” Jared promised. He raised his own wrist to his mouth and bit into it, fangs tearing through the pale flesh. The blood seeped dull and thick to the surface and he felt Jensen flinch in his arms and try to move, scenting the sudden coppery tang of fresh blood. He braced himself over Jensen and brought his wrist to Jensen’s mouth. Jensen jerked his head to one side, trying to get away from him, but Jared leaned in closer. “C’mon, please. You gotta, you gotta feed. It will make it better, I promise. Please, Jensen.”
Jensen was trembling underneath him; Jared could feel the tremors running through his own body. Jensen was shaking with the effort of holding back and not giving into the hunger. He could see the color flood into Jensen’s cheeks, the sweat bead around his hairline as the bloodlust began to overwhelm him.
He snarled and snatched for Jared’s wrist with both hands. He yanked it to his mouth and sucked hard at the bleeding wound, his new fangs grazing and then sinking into Jared’s skin.
Jared gasped and clutched at Jensen’s waist with his free hand, feeling his cock thicken as Jensen drank noisily and greedily. Jensen was snarling, the sounds tumbling from his lips more animalistic than human, his fangs buried as far as they could go into the fleshy part of Jared’s arm.
Jensen was shaking by the time it was over. He released his vice-like grip on Jared’s arm and collapsed back into the mattress. He rolled onto his back. His mouth and chin were stained with blood, his lips impossibly rosy and skin fever-flushed. It felt like a long time before he spoke, “It’s not what I thought.”
Jared swallowed, darted him an uncertain look. “What do you mean?” He felt weakened, a little light-headed. Jensen had taken a lot from him; he would need to feed very soon himself. But first, he needed to be sure that Jensen - his mate - was okay.
Jensen licked his lips, deliberately dragging his tongue through the drying blood. “It feels strange. Like-“ he stretched out one arm, raising it above the both of them into the air. He flexed the muscles, twisting and working his wrist, uncurling and curling his fingers. “It feels like fire, like there’s something inside of me. Something surging and moving and - I’m not explaining it well.” He turned his head to one side to look at Jared and grinned that teasing, wicked grin that Jared recalled from Jensen’s nights flirting with him at the bar. “It feels like I’m on E, like I’m high. Does it always feel like this?”
“Sometimes,” Jared answered. “But this time - it’s special. I’m your sire and your, uh, your mate.” He tripped over the word, feeling his cheeks heat up in embarrassment.
Jensen cocked up an eyebrow. He looked completely different from only moments before, when he’d let those tears roll down his face, cursing Jared for what he’d done to him. He looked in control now, satisfied and entirely comfortable in his skin. He stood up from the bed, rolled his shoulders backwards, like he was working out some kinks. His movements were lithe, more fluid and smooth.
He looks like a vampire, Jared thought with a surge of excitement, recognising the new easy movements, the way Jensen cocked his head and moved more freely around the room. He had seen this before: newly turned vampires initially resisting the change, cursing out their sires. But they always ended up embracing it; they couldn’t help it, the bloodlust, the power, how it felt to feed, and afterwards, the contentment and satisfaction, the sensation of all that blood rushing through them; everyone gave into it in the end.
Jensen had more reason to give into it than any normal newbie vampire. Jensen was already mated. Jared hadn’t been mated when he’d first been turned. Maybe if he had been, it would’ve been easier. He couldn’t remember anymore the sadness and anger and desperation that had come over him when he first realised what had happened to him, but he knew the basic facts: how he’d fled the nest, tried to run back home, but collapsed on the way there, too weak from the new turning. He’d resisted so much the Clan hadn’t been sure he would survive, but he hadn’t been ready to give up his old human life: his parents and sister, college and his friends and even his crappy part time job in the shoe store. He hadn’t wanted to give up any of it.
Of course he’d given in in the end, but he’d sworn that it would be better for Jensen. He would make sure of that. At least, Jensen didn’t have the same family ties he’d had. Jensen was barely in contact with his family. Jensen was a loner, working that bar at night, sleeping during the day, hooking up with random guys before he’d slipped into the thing with Jared. Jensen was practically nocturnal already; all these things would help. And Jared would be there with him the whole time.
“Are you okay?” Jared said.
Jensen paused in his pacing and turned to face him. His face was still streaked with blood, his eyes still mostly pupil. The blood he’d just drank (Jared’s blood) would be working around his bloodstream now, making him feel invincible. Jared couldn’t remember anymore how he’d felt after that first feeding, the rush and jolt of power and euphoria. He only got that on occasion now, it had been so long. But he could remember the feeling in his body afterwards, like he was floating on air, like his skin wasn’t big enough to contain all of his insides, like there was not enough space in the room. He guessed that if he’d known what Ecstasy or any other drug felt like, then he might have compared it with that too.
“So, are there, like, do I have powers?” Jensen asked.
“Well, you’ll be stronger and you won’t get old.”
“Huh. So that part’s true.”
“It is. Eternal youth. You’re going to be 24 forever.”
Jensen nodded, looking thoughtful. “So how old are you? ‘Cause I always thought you were my age.”
“I was 23 when I was turned.”
“And now you’re, like, two hundred or something?”
Jared smiled at him fondly. “No, I’m not that old. This isn’t Twilight, man.”
“What? Are you telling me I won’t sparkle if I go outside?” Jensen raised his eyebrows in mock-horror.
Jared’s smile got wider. “Nope. Afraid not.”
“Fuck, can I even go outside? I won’t spontaneously combust or anything. Like on Buffy?”
“Forget everything you’ve ever seen on TV,” Jared told him. He got up from the bed and walked towards Jensen. Jensen tilted his head back. His fangs still hadn’t fully retracted, Jared could still see them poking through his gums. Jensen would need to learn how to hide them, that was something Jared would have to teach him. The thought made him feel warm inside. He would enjoy teaching Jensen everything. He bet Jensen would be a quick learner. After that initial freak-out, he was certainly taking the news pretty well. Sure, it was mainly due to the bloodlust and blood-haze from his first real feeding - and that was something else Jared would have to teach him, how not to get too carried away in a blood-haze - but Jensen was his mate, his responsibility, he would make him the best vampire he could possibly be.
As if reading his mind, Jensen asked, “So, that thing you said about being my mate? What does that mean exactly?”
“Um, pretty much what you think it means,” he said. He slid his hand up Jensen’s throat to cup his cheek. “It means that I made you mine. Forever.”
**
One year later...
Jared marvelled at how he never got sick of this. It had been a year, and Jensen felt as good pressed up against him as he had the very first time Jared had taken him out after his turning. Jared pulled him closer, feeling the music pound through their entwined bodies and rattle through their bones.
Jensen was moulded around him, his thigh pushed between Jared’s legs, his hands curled around Jared’s neck and his mouth wet and moist against Jared’s throat.
“Hmm, he’s here again,” Jensen murmured into Jared’s skin.
Jared growled under his breath and looked up, scanning the crowd.
“By the bar,” Jensen indicated with a jerk of his head.
Jared looked in that direction. Sure enough, the boy - he couldn’t stop himself from thinking of him that way - was standing by the bar, anxiously scanning the crowd. He looked even younger than Jared remembered, too young to be here. They’d picked the kid up two, no, three times before, and taken him home to play with. They’d been careful each time, only drinking a little from him. Jared knew how these things worked, and he’d made sure that they never took more than a pint of blood from the kid - not enough for him to notice on top of the alcohol. And anyway, it wasn’t like the kid hadn’t gotten his pleasure too, they’d made sure of that. Jared didn’t want any trouble with the humans.
Although drinking directly from humans was permitted by Jared’s clan, there were established rules and methods of doing it. Making sure that the human never figured out what was happening, for a start. Jared had never fed directly from humans that often before he met Jensen, it was risky, and he always felt weird and even more like a predator than he knew he was. Jensen, on the other hand, didn’t seem to have any such qualms. He was in love with the hot sweet taste of living blood, and not the diluted stuff they got from the blood bags.
Jensen had stopped dancing and was surveying the boy with the kind of look in his eyes that could only be described as predatory. He licked his lips. “Can I?” he asked.
Jared felt his heart sink but he was nodding in agreement before he even realized it. Jensen shot him a grin that was all teeth, and took off, dragging Jared after him as he threaded through the crowd and towards the bar.
“Hey, kid,” Jensen greeted him.
Jared saw the boy double-take and then flush furiously as his eyes came to rest on Jensen’s and then Jared’s faces. “Um, uh, hey,” he gulped. “I wasn’t sure that you would be - I meant that you-“
“Shhh,” Jensen murmured. He leaned in to cup the boy’s cheek, staring down into his wide blue eyes. “Do you want it again?”
Silently the boy gulped again and nodded, his lips trembling and eyes tracking over Jensen’s face as Jensen smiled toothily and dragged one finger slowly over the boy’s cheekbone.
“That’s good, ‘cause so do we. Don’t we, Jared?” He looked over his shoulder to smirk at Jared.
Jared smiled back at him, feeling like a parent about to let his child have another go on the swings. He didn’t want to take this kid home again. It was dangerous to get involved with the same person over and over, to give that person more opportunity to figure out what you were and what you wanted from him. Sure, he’d gotten involved with Jensen, but that was different. He’d fallen for Jensen, he’d wanted to mate him. Jensen was already mated; he didn’t want anything from this boy except to have some fun with him. It wasn’t fair on any of them.
Still though, he wasn’t going to deny Jensen what he wanted.
“Jared, Jensen.”
Jared whirled around in surprise to see Elder Jeffrey emerge from one side of the bar. Jensen looked up from where he had one arm slung around the boy’s neck and looked over at Jeffrey. He rolled his eyes, the movement almost imperceptible, and whispered something into the boy’s ear. The boy laughed abruptly and then clamped his mouth shut, flushing again. Jared felt a momentary spark of annoyance and glared at both him and Jensen, but Jensen was looking serene and innocent, looking across at Jeffrey with a welcoming smile.
“Jeff. Hey, so good to see you,” he said.
Jared bristled a little with embarrassment. Jensen had never gotten the hang of titles or rituals within the clan. He just rolled his eyes when Jared tried to explain to him that he really couldn’t address Elder Jeffrey as Jeff, it just wasn’t the way things were done. Annoyingly, Elder Jeffrey didn’t seem to mind too much, never berating Jensen as he would’ve done Chad, or anyone else - anyone who wasn’t Jensen, in fact. And yes, it really hadn’t escaped Jared’s attention that Elder Jeffrey had a decided soft spot for Jensen, which Jensen was well aware of and loved to play on both to his own advantage and to make Jared jealous.
Elder Jeffrey grinned and moved to pull Jensen into a hug that was way too long and lingering by Jared’s assessment. Jared swallowed down the growl in his throat, feeling the eyes of the kid - David, he should really remember that, it had been three times already after all - on him, Jensen and Elder Jeffrey. Admittedly, Elder Jeffrey did look out of place in this crowd, with his jean jacket and stonewashed denim jeans and biker boots.
“So, what are you two kids up to?” Elder Jeffrey asked.
Jensen pushed his tongue into the side of his mouth and slung his arm around David’s shoulders again, pulling him forward. “We’re making friends. This is David. David, say hi to Jeff, he’s a friend of ours too.”
David held out his hand, stammering out a hello. Elder Jeffrey took the hand, running appraising dark eyes over David. Jared could actually see his pupils dilate, the tilt to his gaze that was the telltale sign of blood-hunger. Well it was tough shit, Jared thought, that little piece of ass was theirs, and he wasn’t in the mood for sharing. Elder Jeffrey could either go find himself something else or go back home and suck on a blood bag. Really, the guy didn’t belong here at all and he definitely had no right to be touching Jensen like that.
“It’s nice to meet you, David,” Elder Jeffrey said.
David blushed and ducked his head. Jensen was right about one thing, the kid really was too damn adorable. Jared licked his lips, remembering the sweet, juicy taste of the boy’s blood and the way he’d kissed the taste from Jensen’s mouth after they’d both fed. He felt Jensen’s eyes on him and he cut him a look. Jensen was watching him knowingly, that playful smirk at the corner of his mouth. He licked his lips ostentatiously and Jared felt the accompanying flush of want and lust in his belly and cock.
“We should be going,” he growled out.
“Already?” Elder Jeffrey said, looking towards Jensen. Jensen just shrugged and clapped him on the shoulder. “See you later, man.”
Jared looked over his shoulder, the smile fading as he noticed Elder Jeffrey’s eyes tracking Jensen all the way out of the club.
**
“Can I keep him?”
Jared looked across at Jensen. He was slumped in one of Jared’s armchairs, glass of Scotch in hand, watching David where he lay, barely conscious on the bed. The boy was naked, covered in their spit, blood and come. He was breathing shallowly, his eyes closed into a deep unnatural sleep. His eyelashes were fluttering, his cheeks pale and forehead clammy. Jared could just about remember enough from his human days, learning first aid at college and being taught that these were all the classic signs of shock. Maybe they’d gone a little too far this time. They should probably be dumping his pretty little ass at the emergency room right about now.
“Don’t you think he’d make a nice pet?” Jensen said.
Jared blinked and looked his way. “Huh?”
Jensen smiled at him, a fond indulgent sort of a smile. “You weren’t listening to a word I was saying.” He got up from the chair, stretching his hands up above his head, lithe and satiated and languorous. He dropped down onto the edge of the bed and ran a hand over the sharp cut of the boy’s hipbone. “I was asking if we could keep him.”
Jared swallowed down the flare of jealousy and anger at the words and the look on Jensen’s face. He shook his head, trying to keep his expression even. “No, you know we can’t.”
“How about if we turn him?”
“Jensen, c’mon, we can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“Well, ‘cause it won’t be fair for a start. ‘Cause he’s probably got a family and a job and-“
“Like I had, you mean?” Jensen cut in.
Jared hesitated. “That was different.”
“Why?” Jensen tilted his head, his eyes narrowing. He was still touching the boy, petting and caressing him like you would pet a dog or a cat.
“Because I wanted you to be my mate. He’s not,” he gestured at the boy, “we’re not going to mate him.”
“But you didn’t ask my permission to turn me. How was that fair?”
“Jensen…”
Jensen sighed and fell backwards into the bed, the mattress springs squeaking under his weight. He rolled onto his side and propped himself up on one elbow. He loomed over the boy, nuzzling his face against the boy’s soft pale cheek. “But he smells so good. And it would be so easy, Jared.” He lifted his head, pouting when he gaze met Jared’s. “Why does he get to live when I didn’t?”
Jared watched him, feeling a lump in his throat start to form. Jensen was right, he hadn’t given him a choice, he’d taken Jensen’s life and he hadn’t even thought about it. He’d wanted Jensen so badly that he hadn’t thought about whether Jensen wanted it too. It was lucky that Jensen had taken to being a vampire so well. Rather too well, the thought crept into his head, but he quashed it quickly.
Jensen was the first vampire he had turned, he’d never wanted the responsibility before then, but Jensen was looking at him expectantly, an accusing look in his dark gaze. If Jared didn’t give into him now... if he didn’t give Jensen what he wanted. What then? Jensen wasn’t going to leave him, he couldn’t, they were mated. But Jensen might hold it against him; he might start to resent Jared. He hated the thought of Jensen resenting him for something. Perhaps this could be some sort of reparation, a chance for him to show Jensen how much he meant to him.
Finally, he nodded, giving in. “Okay, yeah, do it.”
Jensen’s answering grin was dazzling. Jared got up and wandered over to the drinks cabinet, topping up his whiskey glass and closing his eyes when he heard the sound of Jensen biting into the boy.