by J. P. Bowie
No! In my fury, I almost punched a hole in the wall. You cannot leave me out of this, Marcus!
Joseph, listen to me…if we storm the place, Darius might just harm Micah out of spite. It would be better if I tried to reason with him. Let me do this, my friend. If I fail to sway him, then I will call on all of you to help overpower him.
Despite my desperate need to know that Micah was unharmed, I could see the sense in Marcus’ reasoning. However, it took all my self-control to overcome my feral instincts to want to tear Darius apart.
Try to stay calm, Joseph.
I am trying. Just let me go with you to Darius’ lair. I promise I will not interfere until you say I can.
Very well—but I will hold you to that promise as a point of honour.
Understood. Let me know when we can leave.
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Micah
I was dreaming—I had to be dreaming. So much of what had happened in the last few days had seemed like a dream to me, even though I knew I was wide awake and surrounded by reality. But now…
In a daze, I remembered going to meet Ron in the little café off Montmartre Boulevard.
The cute waiter who’d been so perky and friendly the day before, had seemed jumpy and distant, as if I was the last person he wanted to see that day. He’d brought me coffee—and that was the last thing I remembered.
How had I got from the café to this strange room? Where the heck was I?
A voice, low and husky, whispered in my ear, “You are in my home, Micah. I bid you welcome.”
I sat up, the short hairs on the back of my neck prickling with alarm. “Who are you?”
A figure appeared from the shadowed recesses of the room. A tall, startlingly
handsome man with a mane of blond hair stared back at me from eyes that riveted me to the point of breathlessness…eyes of a shade I had never seen on any human. Amber eyes that burned with a slow intensity, making me shiver—but not with fear…something else.
A vampire.
Only vampires have eyes that can hold you immobile, and make you feel as if you
would do anything they ask of you.
“I am named Darius,” he said, his sensuous voice lulling me into a feeling of warmth.
“Have you heard of me, Micah?”
I nodded, unable to take my gaze from his. “You lead the Dark Forces,” I said, my voice shaking slightly. “Why am I here?”
He smiled, showing perfect white teeth with no sign of fangs. “I have claimed you for my own.”
“Yes…” I did not move away as he sat on the edge of the bed and leaned over me.
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“Joseph has relinquished his claim on you.” He stroked my face with his long fingers.
“He had not the courage to fight for your love. He acknowledged that I was the better man, more fitting to be your suitor.”
His voice was soothing, his unblinking eyes held a promise of sincerity, and I found myself believing every word he said, sinking back onto the bed, allowing him to lie over me and press his body against mine. His kiss was like nothing I had ever known. His lips on mine brought an intense heat to my groin, and a hungry need to be taken by him, owned by him.
His lips moved over my skin, sucking on each nipple, tracing an erotic pattern across my chest. The point of his tongue lingered over my navel, probing gently, causing my body to arch in ecstasy, then he took me in his mouth and I cried out, a hoarse guttural cry of sheer animal pleasure. He shifted over me, bringing his own hard cock to my lips, and without hesitation, I drew him into my mouth, laving the hot flesh with my tongue. He groaned, and I found myself exulting in the pleasure I brought him. I sucked long and hard, pulling him deep into my throat, somehow finding the skill to take all of his engorged erection without choking to death.
It seemed I had lost all reason, all inhibitions, all traces of self control as we explored every inch of each other’s bodies, his hands reaching, teasing, bruising flesh, lips and teeth sucking and biting, bringing me pain and pleasure until the line between the two sensations became blurred and uncertain.
“Micah, Micah,” he crooned in my ear. “I will make you mine forever. No one will ever take you from me, after this day.”
And again I believed him.
The power he exuded was overwhelming. His sweet breath intoxicated me, making me unaware of anything or anyone other than Darius. I lifted my legs and wrapped them around his waist, opening to him as his erection pushed its way into me. Despite the pain, his eyes locked on mine held me in a steady rapture. His movements over me, his pulsing rhythm inside me brought me to a state of near delirium. I writhed beneath him, holding him as if to never let this exquisite pleasure end.
We climaxed together, his semen scorching my intestines with its hot fiery blast, while my orgasm ripped through me, leaving me drained and breathless in his embrace. He DUET IN BLOOD
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collapsed on top of me, his hands clutching at my hair, pulling my face to his, his lips grazing my throat. I moaned as I felt the scrape of his fangs on my skin.
“This will make you mine forever,” he whispered.
“Yes, make me yours, Darius.” I turned my face from his, exposing my neck to his bite, but as I did so, a feeling of terror and revulsion swept through me. Without the hypnotic gaze from those amber eyes, reason took hold of my senses – and a fierce pain burned inside me.
A tremendous banging sound had him leaping off me, growling as he listened intently.
Then a low and sinister chuckle escaped his lips.
“Marcus. Well, well, well…” He looked at me, a baleful gleam in his eyes. “He seeks to rescue you, Micah, but you will tell him you love me, and it is your desire to stay with me, won’t you, my love?”
I stared at him, confused and disoriented, only slowly becoming aware of what had just passed between us. I looked down at my body glistening with my spent semen, and I was filled with shame.
“Joseph,” I whispered.
“He is no longer of any consequence,” Darius sneered. “You are mine now, and if you do not do as I say, Joseph, Marcus, and the rest of your friends will die.”
“Why have you done this?” I asked him, my mouth dry with fear.
Darius giggled, an ugly sound coming from him. “Because I could. And now brave
Marcus comes to take you from me. Well, let’s see, shall we?” He made some kind of motion with his hand and a door I hadn’t seen before swung open, a tall familiar figure appearing, framed in the doorway.
“Marcus,” I whispered, my shame intensifying as his eyes strayed over our naked
bodies. His gaze locked on mine, and I felt his gentle compassion wash over me like a soothing balm.
“Darius,” he said, his voice low and deadly. “I would not have thought that even someone as vile as you would sink so low as to violate another’s soul-bonded lover. Your followers will revile you for this.”
“They will know nothing of it, my dear Marcus,” Darius sneered. “After I kill you and Joseph, the mortal will become mine in body, spirit and blood. He is already my thrall. He DUET IN BLOOD
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revelled in our lovemaking. Joseph, did you hear that? I know you are here also, so why not come in, and see for yourself how willing the boy was—how sated he is now!”
“Dear God,” I moaned. Jumping off the bed, I pulled on Darius’ arm. “Joseph,” I yelled.
“Please don’t come in here!”
“Micah!” Marcus strode into the room. “Stand away from him, now!”
His warning came too late. Darius grabbed me by the throat, swinging me around in front of him. As Joseph ran into the room behind Marcus, Darius hooked his arm around my neck, then licked me from below my ear to my shoulder blade.
I shuddered with revulsion, the spell he had cas
t over me, now completely broken in Joseph’s presence.
Darius growled in my ear. “Tell him you will go with me, Micah. Tell him that, and I may spare them both.”
“Don’t listen to him,” Joseph, his beautiful face grey with worry, pleaded with me. “He never tells the truth. Going with him will not spare our lives. This will be a struggle to the death between us.”
Darius chuckled. “He’s right,” he whispered, his lips on my ear. “But you will be mine, willingly or not. Eventually, you will forget Joseph ever existed.” His cock was pressing against my butt, reminding me of how much he had hurt me. I struggled to free myself, but he merely laughed quietly in my ear, holding me tighter in his embrace.
“You have spirit,” he purred. “I like that.”
“Let the mortal go,” Marcus said, taking a step nearer. “If there is any honour left in you, you will face me like the leader you think you are. If you defeat me, then you will allow Joseph the chance to avenge me.”
“And when I kill him also…” Darius snickered, the touch of his lips on my skin now making me feeling physically sick. “Micah will be mine forever. Very well.” He pushed me aside, and he was suddenly clothed in a loincloth and breastplate like a Roman gladiator, complete with a wicked looking sword. “Wizard magic, Marcus. I hope you are duly impressed.”
“Wait!” Joseph cried. “Marcus is unarmed!”
“His choice,” Darius yelled, slicing the air with his sword. “This is my territory, my rules, and the mortal my prize.”
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I tried to run to where Joseph stood but found I couldn’t move. Darius must still have had some power over me.
“Joseph,” I mumbled weakly. His eyes fixed on mine, and he held out his arms. I felt as if a weight had been lifted from me, and I almost fell as I stumbled forward to where he waited to clasp me in his embrace. His arms about me gave me some hope that this might not turn out as badly as it looked. But an armed Darius who had combined his vampire powers with black magic must surely outmatch Marcus, despite his vampire speed and strength. I made a silent vow that if Darius, by some horrendous twist of fate, killed both Marcus and Joseph, I would take my own life rather than have that guy touch me again. Even as I thought that through, I still could not imagine Marcus being anything other than the victor…but fate can be so damned cruel at times.
I felt Joseph’s body tense as Darius lunged with lightning speed at Marcus, the point of his sword raking across Marcus’ chest. Blood stained the front of his shirt, but Marcus seemed to not notice he’d been cut. He moved with a panther-like grace as he circled his enemy, dodging the many more thrusts and jabs Darius aimed at his body.
Snarling with impatience, Darius suddenly conjured a dagger into his left hand,
throwing it with deadly accuracy at Marcus. I gasped as Marcus caught the dagger by the handle and hurled it back at Darius. The speed with which he threw it caused the knife to become no more than a blur before my human eyes, but somehow Darius managed to avoid being struck and once more charged in, his sword slashing at Marcus who leaped back, slamming into the wall behind him.
Darius closed in, but Marcus evaded the sword’s vicious stab to his belly, grabbing Darius’ wrist and wrenching the sword from his grip. The two vampires, now evenly matched, wrestled in deadly silence. The muscles on Darius’ back bulged as he engaged in a test of strength against Marcus. For a moment or two, I thought he might just force Marcus to his knees, but with a burst of his supernatural prowess, Marcus snapped both of Darius’
arms down to his sides, spun him round and had him trapped in a neck-breaking headlock.
Darius writhed and squirmed in Marcus’ grip but could not escape. His handsome face twisted with rage, he choked out a string of what sounded like gibberish to me—then he simply vanished, leaving the three of us alone in the room.
“Coward,” Joseph muttered.
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I clung to him, my body sagging with relief that it was over. Despite the fact that we were now safe, I felt like hell. I ached all over, inside and out, and I wanted nothing more than to get the hell away from this place. As far as I was concerned, Paris, the City of Light had suddenly become the City of Nightmares. Marcus picked up my clothes and handed them to me with a smile of encouragement.
“Thank you,” I mumbled, pulling on my jeans. I could feel his and Joseph’s eyes on me as I dressed. I felt like shit.
Joseph kissed my forehead. “I’m so sorry, Micah…”
I sighed and shrugged. “Wasn’t your fault. No one could have guessed that guy would try something like this. But if you don’t mind, I think I’d like to go home to LA. I’m not sure I can handle anymore of this…excitement.”
I sensed rather than saw them exchange glances, then Joseph took my arm and led me from the room I knew I would never forget for as long as I lived.
Joseph
Marcus regarded me with compassion as we sat together in my living room. I had put Micah to bed as soon as we’d returned to my apartment. He was exhausted, mentally and physically, and so it had been simple for me to will him to sleep. He was worried about the consequences of the sex he had engaged in with Darius. He told me that he felt torn inside, but I assured him the blood we had exchanged would soon heal any damage done by that monster.
Nevertheless, my own soothing words to him did nothing to placate the hatred that stirred in my heart.
“I want to kill Darius,” I told Marcus, hearing the loathing in my own voice.
Marcus was silent for a moment or two, then he said, “You must make Micah forget all that has happened in the past few days. When he returns to Los Angeles, it will be easier for him to adapt to his normal life if the horrors of the past are erased from his memory.”
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“But he is unemployed because of what has happened,” I protested. “He told his
employer that he was in Paris. It’s not that easy, Marcus.”
He frowned as he mulled over what I’d said. “You could will him to stay, Joseph. He could not resist your power.”
“I can’t do that, tempting though it is. I would always feel that I had cheated in order to make him stay.”
“I understand.”
“What do Roger and Ron think?”
“Roger thinks Micah will reconsider his decision to leave when he’s had time to think things through. Ron is not so sure. Both of them said they would talk to Micah when he feels better.”
I sighed with despair. “I will never forgive myself for not being more vigilant. For letting him wander through Paris on his own—”
“He’s a grown man with a will of his own. Besides, Ron and he had toured Paris
together only the day before. No one could have foreseen that Darius would be foolhardy enough to attempt something like this.”
“And if he tries again?”
“I am sure he won’t. I’ve informed one of his lackeys of what transpired, and the fallout has been hazardous for Darius. He values his position as leader of the Dark Forces more than a dalliance with a mortal man.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“In the meantime, let Micah rest. Perhaps Roger is correct in his thinking that he will see things in a better light when he awakens.” He rose and embraced me. “Cheer up, my friend,” he said, kissing my cheek. “At least Micah is home safely with you. We must leave the rest to the Fates. But whatever his decision is, we must honour it.”
I nodded, holding him close. “Thank you, Marcus, for all you have done…and for your friendship.”
“You have that always.”
After Marcus left, I slipped silently into the bedroom where Micah lay asleep. In the glow of the nightlight, I could see his sweet face, his forehead slightly creased in a frown of concern. I sighed. Even in his sleep, he had not thrown off the m
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suffered at the hands of Darius. Gently, I smoothed back the hair that had fallen over his brow. My heart lurched in my chest at the thought of losing him now, but earlier, I had seen the look of shock on his face, and I knew it would be so. Truly, I could not blame him. No mortal being should ever have to endure what he had.
I lay down beside him, holding him to bring him comfort as he slept. His hand touched my face, and he moved closer to me, murmuring my name.
Yes, my love, I am here…and always will be, if you wish it.
He let out a long sigh but did not awaken. As I gazed upon his face, once more
composed with sleep, I thought of what Marcus had said. Yes, I could so very easily will Micah to stay. Just one silent thought implanted in his mind, and he would forget ever wanting to return to Los Angeles. But, as much as I wanted him to stay with me, to live with me forever, how could I do that knowing I had taken away his choice in the matter?
I loved him too much to live through each day wondering what the outcome would
have been had I not taken away his right to make his own decisions. A deep sadness overcame me with the realisation that tomorrow he would be gone from me—perhaps
forever.
I brought his hand to my lips and held it there. For now, I would have to be content to simply lie there and watch over him.
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Chapter Fifteen
Micah
Ron and I were pretty quiet on the flight back to LA. I was all talked out, and he, I think, had figured I had made my decision and had to live with it. Leaving Joseph was probably the hardest thing I had ever done in my entire life, but commonsense told me I had done the right thing. I mean, come on…what kind of life would we have together, always being chased by rogue vampires, wizards, demons and God only knows what else that I’d been lucky enough not to encounter. Yet. Werewolves maybe?
