Blood Sacrifice: Vampires of Blood and Bones

by B. A. Stretke

  “Yes, but it only heals; it does not change you into a vampire. That part of the lore is not correct. Vampires are born, not created.” Bastian clarified.

  “What you told me.” Theo began, and Bastian nodded. “The things you said about your life and your experiences and your age, are they all true?”

  “Yes, it’s all true. I never lied to you about myself.”

  The discussion continued with Master DuCane describing his life and the founding of Coven DuCane, how they remained hidden, and the necessity for their anonymity was explained. He didn’t go into great detail but made it clear what would happen to his people, the other supernatural beings, and the human population if word of their existence ever became known.

  He used the hunters as a reference and what they have done to many shifter individuals and families. “The hunters are a fringe group and not widely believed as credible, which is what has saved us so far. We maintain the myth, and we maintain the safety of everyone.” Master DuCane pressed the importance of anonymity.

  Ismael contributed only a few comments, but his presence went far in providing the grounding and strength to help bring the truth and clarity to Bastian’s beloved Theo Hawke. Ancient vampires like Master DuCane and Ismael had the power to still the air and calm the mind.

  …

  Theo, at first, thought he dropped into an alternate universe. The battle in the woods culminating in third-degree questioning at the Palace of Louis DuCane had his nerves in a knot and his mind scrambling.

  Bastion told him of Deputy Clark’s murder at the hands of hunters, people who track and kill paranormal beings. Clark was a cougar shifter, as was Korbin, Lawrence, and a good share of the Sheriff’s department. He answered all his questions regarding the letter submitted by Sheriff Korbin.

  “Lawrence was like those things that attacked you. He was insane, and half shifted on Main Street in the middle of the afternoon. It was a terrible thing, and Lawrence was a terrible man. Ira Shaw put him down when he went after Ira’s beloved, Sawyer Dawson. He was put down similarly to how we put down your attackers in the woods. It was ghastly for the onlookers and took several teams from the Coven to contain it and clear the memories of everyone present.” Bastian laid his hand palm upwards next to Theo’s thigh in a clear request.

  Theo paused for just a moment before placing his hand in Bastian’s, knowing on some level that the support would be worth it, and it was. “How are you defending the populous against these creatures? Where are they coming from, and how can they be stopped?” Theo was a public servant at heart, and his training rushed to the surface of this conversation.

  “We thought Lawrence was an isolated case until you showed up, and the mutant cougar shifters started coming out of the woodwork,” Ismael added to the discussion. “We have people combing the countryside looking for the source of their affliction and looking for Arlo Korbin. The cougar shifter who attacked you at the motel was an acquaintance of Korbin’s, and we believe whatever is going on Korbin is tied in somehow.”

  “As far as the populous, my men are protecting this area and its people as they have done for centuries, just as they protected you.” Master DuCane stated and stood up, signaling that the marathon question and answer session was about to end. Ismael also stood and walked over to Master DuCane’s side.

  “You have a lot to consider, and we don’t take lightly the fact that this is hard for you. It’s a world, a reality that until now has been nothing but a myth, but know that your pledge of secrecy is paramount to the safety and longevity of that world. Not just Coven DuCane, but all species of paranormal that live and thrive among the humans depend upon your secrecy.” Master DuCane was holding his attention captivated as he drove home the magnitude of this secret and the consequences if it were shared.

  “We don’t wish to upset you, but for the sake of our world, we cannot allow you to leave until we have your promise that our secret is safe with you.” Master DuCane looked directly into Theo’s eyes, and he felt the power of this man surge through him.

  “I understand.” Was all that Theo could give him at this time. He needed to think, and he needed time. Sharing this confidence was not something he considered, but he needed to think. He was squeezing Bastian’s hand, craving the strength that Bastian was somehow giving as Master DuCane continued to bear down on him.

  “We’ll leave you now. Get some rest, and we’ll talk again.” Master DuCane stepped back from Theo regarding him for a moment longer, and then he and Ismael left. Theo heard the door close and turned to gaze at Bastian once again. The man was always there to either save his life or support him during a stressful confrontation. He was always at hand, thank goodness.

  He tested his movement and realized he could stand up now if he chose to, although he was certain if he tried to leave, he would be detained. He was on a short leash; he recognized that much, and he completely understood their apprehension in giving him too much freedom and the risk that he exemplified.

  His head was filled with vampires, shifters, magics, and ghosts apparently since Bastian had not denied their existence during their talk last evening. All these groups existing in the same space and time with humans, within the daily grind of human existence for centuries, since the beginning of time.

  The truth leaked out in myths but was cloaked in disbelief and doubts that kept its reality unknown and doubted. He knew for a fact he wouldn’t be the one to break the secret that would destroy their peace and the peace of mankind.

  Theo didn’t know a single individual apart from perhaps Lisa that could hear this and understand it as truth and not come at it with guns blazing. They would fight to establish dominance and control and then sort out the meaning later. The world has been standing just fine without this knowledge. No one needed to know. Just as he balked at describing the Palace to Lisa, his instincts right now were telling him to follow Bastian’s lead.

  “Six hundred and eighty-seven years upon this earth. You fought in the Hundred Years’ War. You fought with the Black Knight, battled Kings, and served Louis DuCane, the conqueror of nations. This is all true. It’s your history, your heritage. How do I ever measure up in your eyes, General DuFort?”

  CHAPTER NINE

  Bastian felt like his emotions had been pulled through a wringer leaving him exhausted and on edge and ready to just take his beloved right here where they sat. His need to claim and protect was roaring in his brain as his instincts were sharpening to a fine edge. He needed his beloved safe, secure, and claimed. Theo was openly taking comfort from him, which was a step forward, but Bastian wanted so much more.

  “The man that you have presented yourself to be is everything I had hoped for when dreaming of my beloved. Your loyalty and dedication to your job are only outdone by your empathy and understanding of life. Your ability to assess and adjust for the best interests of all concerned. You are perfect in my eyes, and my regard for you will never be conditional.” Bastian told him the truth.

  Theo unexpectedly leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. It was light, just a breath of contact, but it resonated with Bastian’s soul. “I really don’t know what to make of you, Bastian. I’m drawn to you in a way that belies my better judgment, and that doesn’t bother me. The attraction I feel is beyond interest or curiosity; it’s a complete emotional takeover. In any other place and time, I would openly and aggressively be pursuing you.” He paused for a soft chuckle and glanced away for a moment, slightly embarrassed by his confession.

  “I held onto you like a lifeline during my interrogation, so I won’t lie and try to pretend that I am unaffected by you. I am very affected by you, Bastian.” Bastian listened and held onto Theo’s hand as the man opened his heart to him. “I trust that when you said I was your beloved and all the implication that bears that you were being honest. I now know that you’ve been honest since the beginning I was just too unaware to realize it.”

  Theo turned back to face him and, after a moment, continued. “This entire thing is
mind-boggling but also fits with everything that I’ve found. The missing link in my investigation turned out to be the fact that monsters are real.” He paused again, clearly anxious about what he was sharing. Bastian felt the urge to reassure him and did so by placing his arm around Theo’s shoulders and drawing him near.

  “Korbin’s letter was written as a betrayal to his kind and his community. He was willing to burn everything down simply to punish one man, Louis DuCane. He needs to be found and stopped.” Theo’s shift in perspective was spot on as usual for the young man. He was a good man, and his instincts always went in the direction of his concern for others.

  “He will be. Every paranormal group in the state and beyond has been alerted to his treachery and the danger he presents to their existence. He is not the first to betray our kind; it happens as it does in any society. We will find him, as we have done all the others over the centuries, and he will pay.” Bastian pulled Theo a little closer, bringing him up tight to his side.

  He was calmer now and, although overwhelmed, was not losing himself in the details. He believed them, and he believed Bastian, and that was the most important step so far. He would, in time, work out the rest. Theo was sharp and sound and resilient; he would come to terms with this new reality and adapt.

  “You are my beloved, and what you have told me of your understanding is all true, but there are other things you should know.” Bastian thought it as good a time as any to get everything out into the open so as to hopefully move along his claim to bond and begin their lives together.

  “You are aware that I am over six centuries old, and I still have a long life ahead of me bar any tragic accidents or encounters. We aren’t immortal, just hard to kill.” He clarified. “When we bond, your life will extend to match mine. You will live for centuries by my side.” He saw Theo’s eyes widen at the prospect.

  “With that said, you will outlive family and friends. You will watch them grow old and die while you stay young as you are now.”

  “They will have questions.”

  “Which you cannot answer.”

  Bastian turned in his seat and held Theo, tilting his head to look down into his gorgeous yet relentless blue eyes. “The moment I saw you in Keller’s office, you became the center of my life. My heart exploded with a love and a need that humbled me on the spot. I’ve waited centuries to meet my beloved, and now here you are seated beside me wrapped in my arms.” He took Theo’s lips in a possessive kiss, one that made demands and left him scorched by his ardor.

  Bastian was normally a patient man, but as their connection grew stronger and he’d had but a taste of his gorgeous lover, he was finding it harder and harder to deny himself. It was impossible for him not to push for more as he felt his and his body reacting to his nearness and his fang begin to descend.

  He pulled back and looked down into those eyes once again and saw a desire that matched his own. Theo was not completely sure of himself, and he was still deep in the act of processing everything that was thrown at him this night, but like Bastian, his basic need for more contact and his instincts to bond won out over the uncertainties.

  Theo suddenly took control and slipped his arms around Bastian’s neck and pulled him down for a kiss that owned and left Bastian’s heart, pounding out of his chest. He was strong for a human and was using every bit of his muscle to take what he wanted. Bastian let him dominate and satiate his needs and went with the wave of passion and hunger that captivated his beloved.

  The room was filled with desperate groans and eager demands as Theo began to tear at Bastian’s jacket and pull at the buttons of his shirt. Bastian let his hands rest lightly on Theo’s sides as the man feverishly undressed him. First, the jacket was off, then the tie and the shirt was ripped open since the buttons proved to be too much of an obstacle. Bastian reveled in his beloveds desperate and fixated desire.

  “Whatever you want, my love.” He said as the kisses Theo was raining upon him moved to his throat and down to his chest, where Theo gave his keen attention to every square inch. Bastian was on fire with the demands of his beloved. He held on but continued to allow Theo to explore and discover everything he desired.

  “I want you, Bastian.” Theo groaned with a huskiness derived from his urgency.

  “I’m yours, Theo,” Bastian stated easily as he stretched out against the sofa. Theo teased and tasted and then suddenly sat up and quickly removed his own jacket, tie, and shirt, obviously needing more contact, more sensations. Bastian ran his hands down Theo’s chest, feeling the softness of his skin and the defined hardness of the muscle beneath. He lay splayed out onto the sofa with Theo half on top of him. He wanted to move things to the bedroom but feared breaking the intensity of the spell that currently surrounded them.

  …

  Theo wasn’t sure what had come over him, but he couldn’t and wouldn’t stop now. He wanted Bastian DuFort so badly he couldn’t see anything except this man. He’d felt it from their first meeting in the Sheriff’s office, and the man continued to get under his skin as the hours and days past with a carnal need for him constantly growing. This new revelation of the supernatural and his own place in this world just fueled the already raging desire that in one moment flared completely out of control.

  Bastian kissed him hard and with purpose, and that seemed to give him the freedom to go after and claim what he knew in his heart to be his. This was beyond rational explanation, but emotionally, it made all the sense in the world. He wanted Bastian naked, but for now, he would be satisfied with all the skin he could bare. The sofa was not the ideal place, but he was too far gone to move elsewhere. He couldn’t stop, not now.

  The need to get at more of Bastian’s body drove him to focus on releasing his belt, popping the button, and lowering the zipper to discover Bastian too preferred to forego underwear. Oh, what a sight, there in the palm of his hand was the hard excellence he ached to experience. Without further thought, he dropped to his knees at the edge of the sofa and swallowed that throbbing hardness to its root and held on palming the orbs that pulsed and tightened in his hand.

  Bastian’s hands were in Theo’s hair, tunneling through to hold him as Bastian made a few deep trusts down Theo’s throat. Theo felt Bastian’s hands shaking and his hips losing control as Theo took him deep, increasing the pressure and heat in an attempt to drive the ancient and magnificent vampire warrior out of his mind.

  …

  Bastian was losing his mind with the way Theo was letting himself go. Bastian was not a small man, and yet Theo took all of him and came back for more. He plunged inside over and over while Theo fought for control. Bastian could not concede he needed to come, so held tight and began a punishing beat that Theo did not refuse but rather fell into the rhythm.

  His lover was neither shy nor restrained, their coupling was wild and frenetic, and the best Bastian had ever experienced. He thrust deep within Theo’s hot moist embrace and came holding him in place as Theo took everything he had to give, swallowing and stroking him for more. Bastian strained and came again from the pure thrilling pleasure of his beloved’s touch.

  Bastian caught his breath and abruptly pulled out and stood, grabbing a shocked Theo by the waist and tossing him over his shoulder, moving quickly with a speed that probably confused his sweet lover. He needed to have Theo in his bedroom horizontal, and he needed that right now. Tossing him onto the large bed, he grabbed Theo’s pants and pulled them off along with his shoes and socks. Nudity was a must at this point.

  He’d enjoyed his beloved’s marvelous cock earlier in the evening, but the encounter was too brief and left him wanting so much more. Theo lay there looking every bit as debouched as Bastian was feeling, and it was so exhilarating. This was his beloved open and accepting, and there, there for him. He took off the remainder of his own clothing, everything that Theo had not removed, and walked over to the side of the bed and just looked at his beloved. “You are so beautiful.” He whispered roughly and ran his fingertips down the center
of Theo’s torso down to the tip of his hard cock, jutting so firmly from a nest of dusty blonde curls. Theo lay back with a quick jerk and a soft moan. Theo was sensitive and alive to his touch.

  Feeling the fever building once again and the need to be buried inside his beloved clouding his mind and pushing his reason, Bastian leaped onto the bed and straddled Theo’s hips. He ground down against the heated cock pressed so hard against his ass and then slipped down to lay on top, chest to chest, and cock to cock.

  Bastian took Theo’s lips in another punishing kiss, tasting himself upon his lover’s lips and lighting that unquenchable fire once again. Theo’s arms were around him, and the kiss grew deeper and more carnal as he bucked upwards, looking for the friction and pressure he needed. Bastian stayed his hips with one hand while gaining back control of the kiss.

  “You make my blood burn.” He said and allowed Theo to roll him onto his back with Theo now seated on top. He needed to take the lead; Bastian could feel it to the depths of his being. Theo needed this control for now, and Bastian would gladly give it to him. Without words, Bastian reached to his left and extracted a small bottle of lube from the bedside table. He handed it to Theo as their eyes bore into one another.

  “I need you,” Theo stated softly on a groan as he pressed his ass down onto Bastian’s straining cock. Bastian pressed upward, feeling the heat of Theo’s inner thighs against the sensitive cock head, sending a shock wave that exploded across his nerve endings. The constant intense sensations left him trembling.

  He watched as Theo poured lube onto his fingers and reached back to begin stretching himself. The sight was the most erotic thing he’d ever witnessed. He took Theo’s cock in hand and began a slow stroke circling the head with his thumb and gathering the precum that was leaking so profusely and using it for friction. The expressions chasing each other across Theo’s face were leaving him spellbound, unable to look anywhere except at that delicious vision of wanton desire.