by Downs Jana
The Ravyns felt the vampires’ magicks light the air, and each brushed the uneasy feeling of power from them. A female vampire glided down and offered Allasandro a hand with a sweet smile. Immediately he took it. He gazed into the soft brown of her eyes and returned that smile. The other Ravyns tensed as he was lifted into the air.
“This is an audience-participation play, boys. Calm down,” Salvatore commanded, obviously enjoying the cadence. Dageus stepped closer to the entrance at the balcony where Allasandro had been standing.
Salvatore gasped in wonderment as they danced with one another. Allasandro, who was normally quite clumsy when it came to dancing, seemed to have a singular grace as he danced with her. The music abruptly changed, and everyone stopped moving. The vampires didn’t even breathe, and the humans seemed to hold their breath. A single vampire with blond hair dropped from the ceiling into the center of the stage. Dageus froze.
The lover from his dreams danced and leapt across the stage, looking desperately for a partner for his dance. His blue eyes flashed with misery, and even his movements seemed to exude a pained grace. At each turn he was rejected by everyone, and he looked overcome with anguish. Dageus’s heart broke.
“Dageus?” Salvatore asked, putting a hand on his shoulder. Dageus couldn’t hide the fresh tears that poured down his face from his heart. “You’re really susceptible to their magic. You might want to sit down,” Salvatore said frowning.
“No,” Dageus said, unwilling to be parted from the image of his dream lover for even an instant. All those nights dreaming of his sweet face and thinking himself insane. It all made sense now. Everything. Every desire he’d ever had was dancing across the stage, bending and twisting and gyrating in a way that had driven him nuts every night since his transition. Hell, maybe before then, too. It was a vision or something. Some unconscious signal to find this man, maybe it was to kill Desmond. Maybe this was who they had been looking for.
The vampire dancer rose from the stage, moving vertically in a circular motion. He continued until he was eye level with the VIP booth and nearly stumbled midair, seemingly shocked. Blue eyes clashed with gold. Dageus reached out with his right hand just as his dream lover did. The dancer floated closer, and their fingertips touched. A jolt of energy shot up his arm.
“Alex,” Dageus whispered the name, unsure how he knew it but feeling it deep within all the same. Their fingers locked together, and Dageus felt the magic swirl around him.
“Kalel.” His dream lover returned, pulling him into his embrace.
Tony glanced between them with trepidation. “What the hell is happening?” he demanded. Salvatore held up a hand for silence.
“Look at them. Just look at them,” he whispered in awe.
Dageus rose from the balcony and felt something akin to joy take hold on his heart. They began to dance. He didn’t know he knew how to dance, but just like Allasandro, he took to the air and the stage as if he was born to it. Something was different about the way Alex held him in his arms, something far more intimate than what had been shared by the other members of the audience and their vampire partners.
“You have too many clothes on, love,” he whispered in Dageus’s ear. He shivered in desire. How many times had he dreamed of this moment? Please don’t let me wake up, he begged his unconscious mind. Please. Let him hold me for just a bit longer. His eyes shot wide as he felt Alex’s hands on his waist.
“Relax, mon petit. I’m not going to ravish you in front of all these people.” His voice alone caused him to weaken. His jacket fell away, as did his shirt. The crowd cooed in appreciation of his sculpted body. Alex ran his hands over Dageus’s body, throwing off his unneeded clothes, until at last he stood in just his pants, barefoot, on the stage. He wondered briefly when they’d come back down to earth. The music picked up again, and Alex danced around his body cautiously, running a tentative hand over his abdomen.
“You’re so beautiful,” Dageus said aloud, not realizing what he’d said aloud. Alex chuckled.
“Dance for me, my love,” Alex commanded.
With a snap of the vampire’s fingers, they began to twirl around in abandon. They embraced and pressed their bodies against one another before pushing off and spinning away again. Dageus was almost in a frenzy. His movements oddly graceful despite the havoc inside his heart. His mind shut down, and he felt free for the first time.
The music hesitated, and Alex, also seemingly lost in the moment, crushed Dageus to him, his lips slamming down on his. Dageus’s moan filled the theater. They kissed with the singular passion of long-lost lovers. Their tongues tangled, and they both gasped at the contact. Alex ran that same tongue down the side of his neck and lapped at his pulse.
“My love, my love, my love,” Alex whispered, pressing a kiss to his neck with every plea. Dageus’s pulse throbbed under his tongue in time with his erection. Alex angled his hand to cup him through the soft material of Dageus’s pants so that the crowd couldn’t see it. Dageus arched into his touch. If this was a dream, he never wanted to wake up!
* * * *
“How unusual…” muttered the little vampire that had led the Ravyns and their Prince to the booth. He’d joined them just a moment ago with additional refreshments for the VIPs. Salvatore cast him a curious look.
“What is unusual?” Salvatore asked.
The vampire shrugged. “Well, honestly, I’ve never seen the Master take a partner like that onto stage. He has a partner that was assigned and auditioned for this role. I’ve never seen him try a partner from the crowd at random… hmm… he must have seen potential in your Ravyn.”
Salvatore frowned. “Truly?” The vampire nodded. “How strange. Dageus never expressed interest in dancing.”
The vampire shrugged again at Salvatore’s comment. “The best ones never do. After this next scene, you and your men may want to head backstage. It’s the final act in this half.” Salvatore nodded, curiosity goading him on.
* * * *
Meanwhile, back on stage, Dageus felt a foreign part of himself rise as Alex allowed him to slide back to his feet.
“Dance for me,” Alex growled.
He took off and felt his limbs doing things his conscious mind would’ve never guessed he could do. He leapt into Alex’s arms and was suspended above him before being gently let down. He went to twirl away from Alex again, but this time Alex followed, mimicking his movements. He smiled at the familiarity. They chased each other back and forth across the stage, the intensity building to a fever pitch.
They each ducked under the arms of the other and then circled once more before Alex caught him in his grip. They froze with the high pitch of the violin, starring deep in each other’s eyes. Things, emotions, passed between them, and time stopped as they felt each other’s heartbeats. Alex twisted Dageus’s head to the side, exposing the long clean line of his neck.
“May I?” he whispered against his skin. Dageus closed his eyes, and his cock jumped in anticipation.
“Do it,” he ordered before his logical mind could take hold of his actions.
Alex smiled and sank his fangs to the hilt as he ground his body against the man in his grip. The crowd sighed as if they too could feel the release that it gave them. Dageus groaned and panted, his hips undulating helplessly. Alex held his own wrist to the crowd, and they gasped again as a red line appeared on his wrist.
Blood trickled out of the wound, and the crowd cheered for Dageus to feed, to take what the vampire offered. Slowly Alex raised his hand and ran it over Dageus’s lips, a single drop of blood gathered there. Dageus screamed in pleasure, struggling to get closer to him as his fangs held him in place. The music rose to a crescendo and, as Dageus’s lips closed over the wound, the stage went black.
Chapter Twelve
The Ravyns all twittered nervously as the lights reappeared, and all the dancers on stage had disappeared. Salvatore remained silent. He was a little worried himself, but he also knew that if he showed it all the men would panic.
“Where’s Allasandro?” Druas echoed. Light poured from the back entrance to the balcony, and Allasandro stepped forward, back into the VIP booth. He was grinning from ear to ear.
“Wow, man, wow,” he said, sitting down hard in the chair next to Salvatore. “I’ve never felt that much power swirling around the place. That chick, Desari, was fine! You were so right, my Prince! The act was phenomenal. I can’t wait until the second half.”
Tony growled low in his throat. “Can you shut up for a second?! Where’s Dageus?”
Allasandro frowned. “Dageus was out there? Whose partner was he?” Tony growled again in aggravation. The Ravyns turned toward the little vampire.
“Where the hell is our brother?” Germany growled.
* * * *
The brother in question was being held against the Master of Minnesota’s chest backstage. He felt like he was in a daze. What had just happened? He still had the delicious, spicy taste of the vampire’s blood on his tongue.
“It’s all right, my dearest. It’s all right. I have you. You’ve returned to us. I’ll never let you go again.” The vampire seemed to be lost in his own thoughts, and tears of relief slid down his face as he spoke. “Where have you been, sweetheart? Where have you been to pack on such muscles?” he asked appreciatively, still babbling. Dageus had no idea what he was talking about. He was talking like he knew him.
“God, I’ve prayed every day for six years that you’d return to me. Six long years, I’ve missed you. I should have made you my Bride the moment I knew you were my mate. I should’ve told Damian that you were my mate.”
Dageus remembered vaguely that a vampire’s Bride was the equivalent of a Shifter’s Mate, a soul mate, as hokey as that was. Why was the vampire talking about that in regard to him though? His head was spinning.
“Have we met before?” he asked, looking once again to the ice-blue eyes of the one who held him.
The vampire’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Kal?”
Dageus shook his head. “My name is Dageus.” Hurrying footsteps greeted his proclamation.
“It’s true! You found him!” Maddeline exclaimed joyously, throwing her arms around Dageus’s limp form. Dageus glanced at the petite vampire who had begun the dance. Her dark-blonde hair teased his nose with the scent of peppermint.
“Sweetest Kal! You’ve returned to us at last.” Another voice. The voice of Santiago, the head of the line. How the hell he knew that was anyone’s guess. Dageus frowned. The vampire’s dark hair was the same as it had always been. He stood above him, stroking his sweaty hair.
“The way you two danced tonight was beyond anything you’ve ever done,” Santiago continued, “I’d never imagined you two achieving that sort of singular partnership.”
“Does Damian know yet?” Maddeline asked, interrupting Santiago’s tirade. There was a long pause.
“No,” Alex said at last. “Not yet.”
Maddeline’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean, not yet? You haven’t even told him that his adopted son who’s been gone for the last six years is back yet?” Dageus struggled to sit up, even as his head pounded.
“Wait, I think there has been a mistake,” he said weakly. Maddeline smacked Alex’s arm when she saw Dageus sway.
“I can’t believe you actually fed on him in front of all those people. You should be ashamed of yourself, Alex! Santiago, go get him a glass of orange juice.”
Dageus tried to push away from Alex, only to be settled more firmly into his lap. A glass was pressed to his lips, and the cooling liquid helped clear his head.
“Thank you,” he whispered. He looked into Alex’s eyes, and the world stopped turning. His heart skipped a beat at the searing look Alex gave him.
“Leave us,” Alex whispered to the other two fretting vampires. They exchanged a look before bowing out. “Darling, where have you been?” There was an edge in Alex’s voice, something very close to hurt.
“Demontia,” Dageus answered automatically, wanting desperately to wipe the sadness out of his beautiful eyes.
Alex’s eyes bulged. “You were in the demon realm? How did you get there?”
Dageus shook his head. “I don’t remember. I feel like I’ve always been there.” He paused. “I think that there has been some sort of mix up. My name is Dageus. I’m the fifth Ravyn.”
Alex looked at him like he’d lost his mind. “Dageus? Your name is Kalel. I’d recognize you anywhere.”
He shook his head again. “No. I promise my name is Dageus, and my brothers are probably searching frantically for me right now…I…” Dageus hesitated, debating whether or not to share his greatest secret. “I dreamed about you though.” He added the last with no small amount of embarrassment.
Alex cocked one eyebrow in question. “Are you attempting to tell me that the chemistry we shared on the dance floor was from your unconscious mind?”
Dageus nodded. “It’s the only explanation. I mean…I am a demon after all. Creatures of magick sometimes experience moments of clarity when it comes to their destinies.”
Alex looked at him strangely and took his chin in his hand, making him meet his eyes. They stared at each other for a long moment before Alex lowered his head down to Dageus’s sweet lips. The kiss sizzled.
Mewling noises sounded from Dageus’s throat as Alex fed off his mouth. Their tongues danced against one another just as their bodies had in the theater. Dageus and Alex moaned in unison as Dageus turned into Alex’s embrace, bringing their bodies closer together. Dageus’s sweet ass pressed against Alex’s groin, straddling his waist. Alex made quick work of the button on his fly, and the hiss of the zipper was incredibly erotic to Dageus’s ears. As cool air licked at the center of his desire, he moaned again.
Alex broke the kiss to chuckle. “No underwear.” He smirked. “I knew it.”
Alex caught his dick in his firm grip and rotated his wrist in a circular motion on the head, causing Dageus to cry out. This is so wrong, Dageus thought. I shouldn’t want…shouldn’t need his touch this badly. If it was so bad, why was he so very hard and wanton? He knew if he found the act that abhorrent he would at least feel some sort of remorse in his actions. He moaned as Alex crushed his lips back on Dageus’s own as he ground his hips into Alex’s grip.
“What the fuck is that?”
Dageus’s eyes snapped open, and he tore his mouth from Alex’s. His cheeks flushed red as he met the eyes of his brothers.
“Oh shit,” he said aloud. He thanked his lucky stars he was covered because at the moment his desire was trapped between his torso and Alex’s. This would be infinitely worse if his body was bared to his brothers’ gaze. He groaned again. This could not be happening.
“Dude…that’s a dude!” Allasandro said stupidly. Yeah, he wanted to die. Right now. Please, Dageus thought, his cheeks on fire.
Salvatore’s eyes were bulging, and a look of incredulity was pasted to his face like a photograph. Disbelief shone easily through his eyes. It wasn’t everyday that one of his Ravyns was caught in such a blatantly sexual position with another man. After a moment, he shook his head as if to clear it. “Boys.” Salvatore cleared his throat, seeing the abject horror in Dageus’s face. “Give me and Dageus a second.” The Ravyns looked at one another and then walked back the way they had come, looking back over their shoulders in disbelief as they did.
Alex turned Dageus’s chin so that their eyes met, deftly fastening his pants back in a semblance of order. Dageus just squeaked in answer to his silent declaration of love.
“Are you all right, pet?” he asked, running a finger down his face. Dageus was sure the panic showed all over his face as he looked up at Alex. Up until this point he hadn’t felt any sort of fear in the vampire’s arms, but now it was a living, breathing part of him. His brothers knew his secret.
“Do you want to explain this to me?” Salvatore asked. His cheeks were heated from watching the exchange. “I mean,
you’ve never expressed interest in a male before, uh…” Dageus groaned aloud at the delicately put words. Salvatore blushed deeper. “Well, you don’t really need to explain that–just–who are you?” He stumbled, directing his question to Alex. The Master of Haven gave the demon a calculating look. Finally, after a significantly awkward pause in which Dageus buried his face in Alex’s neck, he spoke.
“I am Alexander, Master of Minnesota.”
Salvatore looked relieved. “I was hoping it wasn’t just one of your minions that had messed with his mind. Thank God. Would you mind releasing him from your Thrall now? He’s beautiful, but he sort of has an obligation to fulfill. He is my fifth Ravyn, after all.”
Alex looked at him strangely. “I don’t have his mind in Thrall. He belongs to me. My lost lover, Kalel. Though he doesn’t seem to remember it.” Alex gave him a sweet smile. “I intend to remedy that as quickly as possible.” Salvatore’s mouth dropped open.
“Excuse me?” Salvatore growled low in his throat.
Alex looked him full in the eyes, and they had a sort of “man of the house” pissing contest that only people who are used to getting exactly what they want can participate in. Dageus sighed and struggled to unwrap his legs from around Alex’s waist.
“I think that’s my cue to leave,” he murmured. Alex tightened his grip around his waist, and he seemed to panic at the thought of Dageus going anywhere.
“What do you mean leave? You just got here!”
Dageus went to give a scathing remark at his hurried reply but stopped short when he saw the near tears building in Alex’s striking blue eyes. On impulse, Dageus gripped his cheek and tipped his chin so that their lips were scant inches apart.
“Je t’aime, mon coeur.” He spoke softly. He didn’t know where the words came from or what language it was in, but he spoke them with a reverence that defied explanation. Alex’s eyes widened in surprise, and he closed the distance between them and gave him a sweet, chaste kiss.
