“I’m not the only one early.”
Axel squeaked and flopped on the bench as he spun around on his butt. West stood looking down at him.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” West held out a hand.
“You left that way.” Axel thumbed over his shoulder before letting West assist him. “Last night, I mean. So I thought you’d come the same way.”
West shrugged then moved to sit by Axel. “I took a different way here tonight. So, congratulations—you won. I’m not surprised. The things you can do on your sandboard are amazing, like magic.”
Axel smiled at him. West hadn’t let go of his hand. It was nice to sit with him and talk. “Thanks. It was a tough competition.”
“When’s the next one?” West asked. “I— How long are you going to be in Portland?”
“A few more days. I’ve got some sponsorship duties to see to.” Axel twined his fingers through West’s. “I’d like to see you as much as possible.” He didn’t press more than that. West had been clear about spending his days with the children and helping out at their school. “How about dinner tomorrow night?”
West averted his gaze.
Axel’s gut clinched. He was about to get shot down.
“I, er. I eat with the kids,” West muttered. “But if you…we could meet later. I don’t want you to hold up on a meal for me.”
Axel couldn’t quite tell what was off about that, about West’s voice or the way he wouldn’t looked at Axel. But since he wasn’t being rejected, he decided to stop overanalyzing and just accept. “That’d be great. Really great. We can meet here and take a cab, maybe go see a movie?”
West bit his bottom lip, then licked it.
Axel only had so much self-control—which in regards to West, was apparently none, since his dick began to firm up.
“We could do that,” West murmured, finally looking at him again.
Axel’s body all but vibrated with need. He wanted… “Any kind of movie you hate? Or any you want to go see?”
West’s cheeks darkened. “Well, I saw a commercial for this new Keanu Reeves movie. I— He’s, er, a favorite.”
“He’s sex personified,” Axel clarified. “And, yeah, I’m in.”
West nodded. “He is hot. I had all the Matrix movie posters with him on them, and one from Point Break. God, he still looks good.”
Axel agreed, and shortly after admitting to their mutual Keanu admiration, West began asking Axel questions about his past and family.
Talking about himself was harder than Axel would have admitted. At least, talking in depth about himself. He had his interview answers down pat, but West deserved more.
“I was a happy enough kid. Only child, like I’d said. My parents split up when I was too young to notice, but they were both in my life.” Then there was the hard part. “I was in a lot of trouble in my teens, though. Angry that my dad was on his fifth wife and busy with her, pissed that Mom always bad-mouthed him while dating losers that sponged off her. I fell in with the wrong crowd and was arrested, did some time in juvie. More than once.”
West’s eyes were huge. “Can I ask what for? If you don’t want to say—”
Axel waved that off. “Nah, I’m not proud of it, and I don’t talk to anyone about it, but you…” He smiled crookedly at West. “You’re not like everyone else. You believe in zombies, and you listen to me.”
“Zombies are a thing,” West agreed. “They’re gross.”
“You have to tell me how you found out about them,” Axel said. “Tomorrow, after the movie.” It’d give him a reason to keep West with him longer. “But me, when I was a kid, I was angry, and I picked fights, I guess. I wasn’t a bully, exactly. At least I don’t think I was. If I saw someone being a bully, I’d intervene, and that’s kinda what I kept doing, because I saw it as a justified reason to get in a fight.” He sighed and shrugged. “Maybe I was a bully bullier. Between that and graffitiing up everything I could, I was gonna get in trouble. Then one night I beat up the mayor’s son when I saw him kicking a stray dog. I was in juvie for a while for that one. Mom and Dad actually talked and got me help. Took a while, but I came out all right.”
“I’d say you came out more than all right.” West shifted as if suddenly nervous. He glanced around then huffed. “I…I’d really like to kiss you.”
Axel’s dick be damned, a kiss was more than he’d hoped for tonight. “A kiss would be awesome.” He slowly leaned in and touched West’s shoulder. “It’d be…perfect.” Axel liked the way his palms tingled where he was touching West. He ran his hand around to cup West’s nape.
“P-perfect.” West gulped, then trembled.
Was that fear or excitement he saw in West? Axel hesitated, trying to decide.
West made the barest sound, a whimper just carried out on his breath. He lowered his gaze to Axel’s lips but didn’t make a move.
Axel caressed the silky skin on the back of West’s neck. “Kiss me.” He wasn’t usually so hesitant, but since he wasn’t sure what West was feeling, he needed the man to make the first move. “Please.”
West moaned softly and Axel was wrapped in a gentle embrace as West pulled him near. “Axel,” West whispered before closing his eyes. He slanted his mouth over Axel’s.
West’s lips were warm and full, a little wet from him biting and licking them. Axel wanted to press up against him, but restrained himself. He parted his lips and licked at West’s.
Tightening the embrace, West moaned again and opened for Axel.
There was no tentativeness to West then. He slid his tongue into Axel’s mouth and began to lay his claim.
Axel opened himself in more than just the physical sense as West delved into him.
He tasted coppery and sweet, and Axel wanted more. He clung to West, sucking on his tongue, his lips, giving West as much of him as West would take.
Had he been willing, Axel would have let West bend him over the bench and fuck him until they both screamed. He was losing himself so quickly, and in only a kiss, it was jarring.
Axel turned his head, panting, trailing wet kisses along West’s jaw and down his neck.
“Jesus,” West rasped, nipping at the upper curve of Axel’s ear. “God, I want…”
Axel did too. So very much. He had to swallow twice before he could speak. “Anything, West. Anything.”
West pulled him closer. Axel straddled his lap and rubbed his aching cock against West’s belly. It was late enough, and dark enough, that he wasn’t overly concerned with someone seeing them.
West ran his hands down Axel’s back, stopping just above the waistband of his jeans.
Axel nipped at West’s neck, intending to suck up a little mark there.
But West went rigid beneath him and shoved Axel off his lap. “Stop!”
Axel landed on his ass on the cement. “What—”
West shot to his feet and turned as if to run.
“West, wait! What did I do?” Axel needed to know. There’d been fear in that cry, and it trumped his own humiliation at being dumped like garbage on the sidewalk. “Please,” he said when West only stood with his back to Axel. “Tell me.”
West shuddered, then to Axel’s shock, West sobbed. Just one hushed sound, but it tore at Axel’s heart and soul. He shot to his feet but didn’t touch West like he longed to. “West? It’s okay. Whatever it is, we can make it better. I’m sorry for—”
“It’s me,” West got out in a stripped voice. “Not you.”
“I’ve heard that before and never liked it,” Axel muttered. “Don’t punish me then, if it’s not me. Don’t leave.” Don’t leave me here. He had no way to contact West, no idea where he lived other than in the city. “Please, just talk to me.”
West took a step away from him.
Axel didn’t understand how his heart could break. He barely knew West at all.
Chapter Twelve
It would be so easy to run. West stood frozen, having taken a step away. Axel pleading with him to tal
k rendered West incapable of fleeing like he’d planned to do. He touched his neck where Axel had nipped, and shuddered. That one small action had sent the nightmarish memories cascading into West.
“West? Please?” Axel’s footsteps were as tentative as his voice. “T-tell me what I did wrong?”
West closed his eyes. If he told Axel the truth, he’d be putting all of the coven members in danger. If Axel even believed him. Why would he? I sure wouldn’t have believed someone if they’d told me vampires existed—not until I was bitten.
“West?”
Axel’s voice was softer but came from closer than before. West listened and could hear Axel’s heartbeat, and scent the metallic tang of his blood. He hated being a predator.
“West?” Axel said again. “Did something bad happen to you?”
The bitter laugh slipped out of him before he could stop it. West opened his eyes and pressed a hand over his mouth. Why wasn’t Axel leaving? Did he really think getting laid was worth this much trouble?
Axel moved around to stand slightly in front of him. “You can tell me, West. If…if you want to.”
West wiped his mouth then scraped his palm over his thigh. He couldn’t quite bring himself to look Axel in the eyes.
“Or you can not tell me, that’s okay, too,” Axel added. “Just, please don’t run off on me and leave me wondering what I did wrong. We were…we were both enjoying what we were doing, then something— I did something you didn’t like.”
West touched the spot on his neck again.
Axel exhaled sharply. “I bit you. You don’t like biting? I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I won’t— We can just be friends. I just don’t want to lose you.”
West raised his gaze to Axel’s. What did that mean, even? Whatever it meant, Axel was sincere. It showed in the worried expression he wore, and the way he wrung his hands. West decided that he could offer Axel some of the truth. Still, he trembled as he spoke. “Someone bit me there, and it was…it was bad. Bleeding and terrifyingly bad.”
Axel recoiled. “Who would do something like that? Did— No, anything else you want to tell me, you can, but I will tell you this. I’ll never do that again, okay? If there’s ever a chance of us, you know. Making out again.”
West watched Axel fidget for a moment. Axel was clearly distressed, and it bothered West. Now that his own panic had ceased, he didn’t want Axel to be upset. It felt like the biggest risk he’d ever taken when he reached out and cupped Axel’s hands in his. “There’s more than a chance, if you think you can put up with me being weird.”
“You’re not weird!” Axel huffed. “God, something bad happened to you.” Then he frowned. “Is it going to bother you if I touch your neck with my hands?”
West thought it over then shook his head. “I don’t think so. It’s only the one area.” Jeez, this is hard to talk about! His cheeks were hot enough that he thought he’d make water boil if he dunked his head in it.
Axel moved closer to him. “Do you want to sit back down?”
He wanted something else, something he considered more important than making out. And after his almost-flight, he needed to ask for it. Even so, West surprised himself by tugging Axel closer. “Can I have a hug?”
Axel was pressed against him a split second later, his muscular body warm and firm against West. They held each other, and West listened to the steady beat of Axel’s heart, the soft, shaky breaths as they embraced.
He knew then that he wanted more than just friendship with Axel, and more than just someone to mess around with. West was beginning to think he wasn’t the ‘mess around’ type anyway.
But there was more than just his own life on the line, and there were coven rules he couldn’t break without risking expulsion. With his siblings settled in and happy, he didn’t want to risk that.
Patience. He could almost hear his mother saying it. She’d always been on the go, never winding down, and waiting had driven her nuts—but she’d done it with a grin, muttering about patience and her lack of it.
He could be patient for Axel, for what they might have. West held on to him a little tighter. He took in the scent and feel of the man, and felt more at peace than he had in a long time.
He needed to get over his stupid neck phobia. West wanted to be normal—or as normal as a vampire could be. Any additional hang-ups beyond the fangs, battiness, and so on were ones he didn’t need.
What he did need, who he just might possibly need, was right there with him. West turned his head just enough to brush his lips over Axel’s.
Axel’s lips parted easily, his mouth warm and welcoming as West slid his tongue in. He could feel Axel tense up, smell need in the air around them.
And West ached. He wanted as he never had before.
Chapter Thirteen
He wasn’t going to screw up tonight. Axel vowed to pay more attention to West’s reactions—if they did anything. They’d talked again after West had finally returned to sit on the bench. Axel couldn’t help but feel there was something huge that West was keeping from him. Maybe whatever went along with that biting incident. His gut cramped when he thought of West being hurt, and he was afraid of what else might have happened to him.
“No pressure.” Axel wrung his hands then snorted at himself. He was so nervous, and something else bothered him about West’s past. Specifically, there had been nothing but smooth, sweet skin on West’s neck. No scarring of any sort that Axel could detect. In fact, he’d been entranced by the texture and the taste of West, and he firmly remembered there not being any kind of marring of his skin where Axel had nibbled.
Axel shoved aside his doubts. Something bad had happened to West, that much was clear. He glanced up in time to see West rounding the corner. Axel stood, smiling so big he’d bet he looked like an utter goofball. “Hey, West. How was your day?”
West blushed and stopped in front of him. “Good. You? When do you have to go back?”
That was a worrisome thing. Axel would eventually have to go home. But, he had his winnings coming soon. “I was going to leave tomorrow, but I’m thinking I’d like to hang around a while. See more of the city. See more of you.”
That blush darkened and West lowered his lashes as he licked his lips. “Oh. I’d like that, but—”
“No buts,” Axel said as he took West’s hand. He didn’t want to hear any arguments for why he shouldn’t stay. “I really like spending time with you, West, and I’m hoping, if we get to know each other and you like me, too, then we can work something out. I’m not but a few hours away from here. Well, five hours or so. We could give this a chance, if you want to.” He’d never moved so fast on a man in his life, but West was different.
West glanced at him. A timid smile pulled at his lips. “I’d like that.”
Axel could have let out a whoop and danced with joy. He settled for giving West’s hand a squeeze. “So, about that movie. Do you want popcorn?”
West looked a little sad. “I can’t. I’m allergic to corn.” A small tic at the corner of his right eye kicked in. “There’s actually a lot of things I can’t eat.”
Axel looked him over. “Wow, you’re really fit for a guy with a restricted diet. Want to walk or take a cab? The theater’s about half a mile out.”
“Let’s walk.” West cleared his throat. “And thanks. You’re in good shape too.”
Axel laughed. “Well, yeah, I bust my butt almost every day.”
“Are you going to continue competing for years?” West asked as they began to make their way to the theater.
“Eh, I don’t know, honestly,” Axel answered. “Truthfully, this isn’t a well-known sport and the winning pots aren’t all that great. I have a little money from when my grandma passed away. I’ve been living off that and competing, but that’s going to run out in the next year or so. Sometimes I think I really just need to grow up and get a real job, a real career.”
“I don’t think you’re not grown up,” West said. “You have a job. It may not pay well, lik
e you said, but lots of people are in the same situation. Working, not earning much. What about sponsors?”
“I have a few, but that doesn’t pay for more than my traveling costs and hotels. Well, and I get some of my equipment for free.” He shrugged. “Still don’t make much.”
They walked hand in hand to the theater. Axel was relieved to see that it wasn’t crowded at all. Not surprising on a weeknight. He bought their movie tickets and skipped the popcorn. Since West was allergic, and he wanted to kiss West very badly, the popcorn wasn’t an option.
Axel got a bottle of water but West declined anything. They entered the theater room for their movie, an action one Axel had been wanting to see. “You like The Rock?”
“How could I not?” West returned. “Think anyone else is going to show up?”
There was a hint of strain in West’s voice.
Axel was paying attention. He frowned, then noted the slightly enlarged bulge at West’s groin. Was West getting hard?
There was only one way to find out. Axel guided West to the back row of seats. “This okay?”
“Yeah.” West sat and Axel took a seat beside him.
Axel looked at him. West had his hands tented over his crotch. “Are you turned on, West?” There weren’t going to be any misunderstandings tonight.
West’s cheeks darkened. He nodded slightly. “You. It’s just because of you.”
It might not have sounded like much praise, but Axel knew it really was. West was horny because of him. Him. Even after last night. Just from being with him.
Axel’s dick perked up and he squirmed in his seat. “Yeah? Well you do it for me, too, West. Not like anyone else has before.”
West looked at him sideways. “Jukie’s pretty sexy.”
“Jukie is pretty damned psychotic,” Axel muttered. “He left me out in the desert that night. Retaliation for breaking up with him over a month earlier. Add in—” Talking about Jukie’s addictions wasn’t cool.
West, however, didn’t seem surprised. “Yeah, I heard.”
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