A Bite of Fulfillment

by Charlie Richards

  “Fine,” Seth grumbled. “I’ll stay in line. You won’t even know I’m around.” He wriggled a bit, trying to get out from under Adalric.

  He tightened his grip for just a second because he really enjoyed lying across the human, even if he had to keep his body in check. He wanted to tell Seth that hiding in his room wasn’t an option either, but there would be time later—once the human had settled in—to explain the responsibilities of being the beloved of a coven master. Deciding the biggest issues had been discussed, Adalric leaned down and brushed his lips over a clearly surprised Seth, then quickly drew away and sat up.

  A glance over his shoulder showed him Toni and Gerald’s gazes fastened out the window, expression’s stoic. The enforcer and tracker, respectively, had been the only vampires Adalric had kept with him while staying with Maelgwn. Even though the gargoyle’s home was friendly, it would be out of character for him not to have some protection. He also knew they’d never speak of this incident unless Adalric requested it, which he wouldn’t.

  Straightening his shirt and brushing the wrinkles from his slacks, Adalric watched Seth slowly push into a sitting position. Seth had drawn his brows in a look Adalric already recognized as confusion. Interestingly enough, now that he’d gotten the man talking, he didn’t seem to shut up.

  “Why’d you do that?” Seth asked.

  Adalric gazed at him levelly. “Better you to be armed with information than have you stumbling through and possibly endangering yourself.” He curved one side of his mouth into a smirk. “Or one of my coven members, for that matter,” he added. “I’d hate to have to kill someone for touching you.”

  “I meant the kiss,” Seth clarified. “Why do you keep kissing me?” Then his eyes narrowed. “Wait, touching me? You’d hurt someone for touching me? Why the hell would you do that?”

  Oh, shit. What was it about the human that made him blurt out information he’d planned to keep…well, not secret, but just to himself for the time being. Adalric mentally scrambled to come up with an answer. The sight of his mark on Seth’s neck gave him the out he needed.

  He reached up and gently traced the mark. “Marking you wasn’t just for protection from violence,” he said softly. “It’s to protect you from unwanted advances.” There. That sounded perfectly plausible. Right?

  Seth lifted a brow in an expression that looked surprisingly like a challenge. “What if they’re wanted advances? Do I need your permission or something?”

  Adalric just managed to trap his snarl in his throat. The very idea that his beloved would go to another vampire—or human, for that matter—for pleasure sent a burning rage through his veins. His companions knew it, too, because both Toni and Gerald fidgeted in their seats.

  To Adalric’s relief, the limo came to a stop right then. Without waiting for his driver to open the door, he shoved it open and climbed out, pausing just long enough to glare at Seth and snap, “Yes.” He turned his attention to Toni and ordered, “Show Seth Goodwin to his rooms.”

  Striding away from the vehicle and into the mansion, Adalric knew his thunderous expression was what drove everyone from whichever room he passed through. They didn’t even cast curious glances. They just went.

  That suited Adalric just fine. He had an attempted murderer to catch and a beloved to seduce. He didn’t need anything else on his plate.

  Chapter Four

  Seth watched Adalric go in stunned silence. From the grimace on Toni’s face and the slight shake of Gerald’s head, he figured they might know more about what had set the vampire off than Seth did. He didn’t think he should care, but the little niggling feeling in his chest was a firm indicator that he did. Maybe he felt this way because Adalric had saved his life a couple weeks before, stopping the rogue and his friends from killing him and Bobby.

  Geez, my life has become way too complicated.

  “Uh, how come I feel like I should apologize for something?” Seth muttered as he climbed out of the car.

  “Maybe you should consider having a decent fucking conversation,” Toni grumbled.

  Frowning, Seth followed the man. He wasn’t entirely certain if the guy had meant for him to hear his words or not. Well, too damn bad. Seth had heard and wanted to know what the hell it meant.

  Except, just as he opened his mouth to demand an explanation, Gerald led the way through the door. Too preoccupied with first, Adalric’s warning, then having him sprawled over him—because, damn, the guy felt amazing holding him down, all hard muscle and heady masculinity—Seth hadn’t paid much attention to the front of the house. Maybe he should have. As he took in the massive marble-floored foyer and double set of stairs, Seth realized this wasn’t a house, it was a fucking mansion.

  A hand on his back got him moving again, and a glance over his shoulder told Seth that it was Toni beside him. He would have jerked away from the touch, but the vampire wasn’t actually looking at him. Instead, as Toni urged him up the right stairway and into that wing, the guy offered warning looks to anyone who didn’t move out of their path fast enough.

  The second floor sported lush carpets in medium tan and brown swirling designs, the walls were a light brown. Intricately carved crown molding ran along the top and Seth just stopped himself from standing on a wingback chair clearly meant for decoration and touching the tiny flowers and vines etched into the wood. He figured he stared like a slack-jawed yokel, but really, he couldn’t help himself. Never in his wildest dreams would Seth imagine staying, even for a night, in a place like this.

  These vampires are loaded!

  When he finally walked into the room obviously meant to be his, since somehow, his suitcase already rested at the foot of the oak four-poster bed—which he could just see through the doorway on the far side of the front room—Seth’s jaw finally did open in shock. Rich greens and blues covered three of the walls, complimenting the floral artwork on the walls.

  On the final wall, a mural of a garden took Seth’s breath away. He felt as if he could walk right into one of the stone pathways that disappeared amongst the foliage. Stepping into the bedroom proper, he saw the mural continued and he reached out and traced a vine.

  “My God,” he whispered in wonder.

  “Looks like he likes it,” Gerald murmured behind him.

  “Yep,” Toni replied softly. “Adalric will be pleased…once he calms down anyway.”

  Seth turned, glancing between the two waiting men. “This really is something else. Tell Adalric thank you.”

  Toni crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes narrowing as he studied him. Seth felt a bit like he was being assessed, but for what reason, he didn’t know. Finally, Toni stated, “Look, it’s not really my place, but I like my leader happy. So, if you could get your head out of your ass and not make remarks about sleeping with someone other than Adalric, I know everyone here would appreciate it.”

  Seth felt his face heat. He’d made the offhand comment on instinct because he’d been worried Adalric might have felt his growing erection while lying on him. The second the words were out of his mouth, he’d known they were a mistake.

  Grimacing, Seth nodded. “Yeah, not my finest moment. I just…I don’t appreciate being manipulated and railroaded into moving here, even as nice as it is,” he said, glancing around at the stunning, comfortable room. Through an open door on his left, he saw a bathroom, and a glass door to his right appeared to lead to a balcony.

  “Well, if your beloved spouted that shit, you’d be pissed, too,” Gerald muttered.

  Seth whipped around from where he’d started heading toward the balcony. “What did you say?” Bobby had explained mating to him and he knew the term vampires used when they found their other half was a beloved. Seth’s gut churned. Surely Adalric didn’t think…

  “Way to go, dumbass,” Toni griped, punching the other man on the arm.

  “Ah, shit.” Gerald rubbed his shoulder. “It just came out.”

  “Oh, hell, no,” Seth growled. “Are you telling me the reason Adalr
ic dragged me here is because he thinks I’m his…his…” God, he didn’t even want to say it. “That lying bastard!” he roared upon seeing both men’s sheepish expressions and the way they exchanged looks. “Where is he?”

  Brushing by them, Seth yanked open the door and headed into the hall. He had no clue where to go, but that didn’t stop him from stalking back the way they’d come, ignoring the other men’s cries of wait and hold on and you need to stay here. Like hell he’d stay there, as if he were some little wife waiting for his man to get home at the end of a long day.

  Seth heard footsteps behind him, but didn’t slow his pace. It wasn’t until he’d returned to the first floor and the foyer that he paused. Well, shit. Now what? A hand landed on his arm, tight enough to, well not hurt, but it sure as hell wasn’t a gentle hold. Seth spun around, yanking his arm out of the other man’s grasp, surprised to discover it wasn’t Toni or Gerald behind him.

  A blond man glared right back at him. Younger than Seth’s own thirty-two by a good number of years, he stood a couple inches shorter, although his shoulders were broader and his arms were roped with muscle. He had a lean waist and his jean-clad legs appeared just as ripped.

  Seth had to admit, he was a good looking man and felt a little surprise that he didn’t feel an iota of attraction for him. Perhaps that was due to the stranger’s blue eyes glittering with loathing that Seth didn’t understand.

  “So you’re him, huh?” the man asked, his tone belligerent.

  Not knowing what the guy meant or what he was after, Seth lifted a brow and crossed his arms over his chest. “Excuse me?”

  “You might think you can take Adalric from me, but you can’t,” the guy hissed. “He’s mine.”

  Seth’s sudden surge of possessiveness surprised him, but he couldn’t stop from curling his lip and smirking. “Not while I’m around.”

  The other man snarled and lunged toward him, his hands reaching for Seth’s neck. Bringing his hands up between them, he knocked the other guy’s arms away. Even as he stepped in close and landed a hook to the man’s jaw, it didn’t escape his notice about how ridiculous this was. He was fighting over a man he didn’t want…did he?

  A fist in his gut refocused his attention.

  Using skills learned through grappling with other firefighters in the gym, Seth stepped left, using his left hand to push his opponent’s arm away from him. He immediately followed that with several quick strikes to the man’s torso. Following that up with an open palm to the guy’s ear, he then cupped the back of the man’s head and jerked down as he lifted his knee, nailing him in the stomach.

  The guy gasped, doubling over, just as Seth knew he would. He jumped up, then used his downward momentum to slam an elbow into the guy’s spine. As the guy arched and cried out in pain, Seth finished the maneuver by grabbing the back of the man’s shirt and pulling backward as he swept a foot under his attacker’s leg, toppling him to the floor.

  He withheld the follow-up kick to the ribs when he heard shouting above him. Backing carefully, he split his attention between the downed man and the top of the stairs. He watched Toni and Gerald pause and stare at them in shock.

  Looks like they finally caught up with me.

  His attacker groaned and rolled to his side and Seth refocused on him. The guy opened his eyes and hatred gleamed from his gaze, although he made no move to get up.

  “Son of a bitch!” Toni growled, running down the stairs. “What the hell happened? What happened to Chad?”

  “Chad? Is that the guy’s name?” Seth asked dryly. He inspected his hand and flexed his fingers. It was never comfortable slamming his hand into someone and he didn’t understand people who became boxers. Fucking painful! “He didn’t introduce himself before attacking me.”

  “Shit! He attacked you? Chad, how could you be so stupid? Adalric was willing to let you stay, but now?” Gerald shook his head as he helped Chad to his feet. “Let’s go get you checked out.”

  Toni gripped Seth’s hand as they walked away, Chad in sullen silence. “Let me take a look at that,” Toni urged softly.

  Seth pulled out of his grip. “I’m fine,” he snapped.

  “You sure?”

  “I’d know if I wasn’t. This wasn’t my first dog and pony show,” he replied roughly.

  Nodding, Toni pointed back toward the stairs. “How about I take you to Adalric,” he suggested.

  Shaking his head, Seth took a step away from him. “Naw, it’s okay. I think…uh—” He really needed a place to think, and he didn’t want to go back to his room right away. Remembering something Adalric said the day before, Seth asked, “I’d like to check out your gardens. Adalric said you have one.”

  Toni’s brows went up, but he didn’t say much, just nodded, and led him deeper into the mansion. He pointed out a set of double doors, telling him it was an entertainment room. From the amount of noise that could be heard, Seth figured there’d be plenty of people in there. Toni also pointed out the kitchen and dining room, finally leading through a mudroom and out a back door.

  Seth stared around the massive patio, impressed with not only the size and comfortable looking furniture, but by the mostly naked men and women laying out on them. Toni waved toward them, murmuring, “You’ll be introduced to everyone eventually, but these are a few of the humans that live with us, so it’s not like you’ll be alone, ya know?” He raised his voice and called, “Peter, wave for me.”

  A lithe, auburn-haired man levered up on his arm and looked their way. The word, twink, flashed through Seth’s mind, what with the guy’s lean lines and slender form. A grin spread over his face, lighting his green eyes.

  “Hey, Toni. Welcome home!” he greeted, the pleasure at seeing the vampire more than apparent by the way he licked his lips, let alone his next words. “Anything I can do for you? Who’s your friend?”

  “Just relax, babe,” Toni replied, a twinkle lighting his eyes. “This is Seth Goodwin. He’s in the blue room.”

  That really got the guy’s attention. Peter rolled to a sitting position and winked. “Ya mean the blue room that was just remodeled?” He grinned. “Nice to meet you, Seth. You need anything, you give me a holler. Kay?”

  “Uh, sure,” Seth replied, giving the guy a smile.

  Geez, people actually live here with the vampires just…to feed them? His stomach clenched. Do vampires think we’re cattle?

  “The gardens, obviously, are that way,” Toni said, pointing. “I need to report to Adalric what happened. You going to be okay on your own for a bit?” he asked, glancing around as if assessing the safety of the area.

  There appeared to be quite a bit of tension tightening Toni’s features, and it didn’t take a rocket scientist to know what caused it. Somebody attacked Seth under this vampire’s watch. “Maybe I should go with you,” Seth suggested. He didn’t want Toni in trouble for something he had no control over.

  The vampire flushed and shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll tell him where you are. You, uh, you sure your hand’s okay?”

  Lifting one brow, Seth fisted his hands on his hips. “Ya want me to punch you with it and prove it to you?”

  Toni barked out a laugh. “Oh, you are going to keep Adalric on his toes, aren’t you? Go enjoy the garden.”

  Seth didn’t need to be told twice.

  He turned and waved over his shoulder as he crossed the large lawn and headed through a rose-covered trellis. He admired the pink mini blooms, inhaling deeply of their scent. Walking along the gravel path, Seth took in the vibrantly colored flowers giving off a myriad of scents.

  As Seth strolled, he checked stems, leaves, and petals, impressed to find everything healthy and strong. Smiling, he paused at a particularly colorful display of tulips. There were red, orange, yellow, and even purple blooms. In fact, he even noticed some of several colors.

  Taking a step back, his brows shot up. He grinned, chuckling softly. The blooms created vibrant streaks of color swirling around each other. No blooms
mixed up the intricate trails as they twined together. “Wow,” he murmured, impressed. It must have taken years to get everything just right.

  Seth moved on and eventually stumbled across a section of open soil, a wheelbarrow of manure and flats of chrysanthemums nearby. He glanced around, but didn’t see anyone and couldn’t resist.

  He started planting.

  He hadn’t been at it that long…only managing to plant about half a dozen blooms or so, when a throat clearing startled him. Seth rocked back on his heels and looked over, discovering he was no longer alone.

  A tall, slender man stood over him. His narrow features, regal bearing, and the silver at his temples and streaked through his short, black hair gave Seth the impression he’d look better in a tux holding a glass of wine rather than the small spade he actually held.

  “Hello,” the man greeted, sweeping his gaze over Seth. “I leave for an hour to grab a steak and when I return, I find I’ve been replaced. Should I be concerned?” The slight upturn at the corners of the distinguished man’s lips lightened his words, letting Seth know he wasn’t actually upset.

  Seth chuckled and rose, dusting his hands as he moved. “Hey, uh, sorry,” he said, waving toward the bed of tilled earth. “I’m really not taking your job or anything. I just love tinkering in a garden every now and then. You, uh, your tulip field is amazing.”

  The man’s mouth curved into a pleased smile. “I’m glad you like it. So few bother venturing out here unless they’re with someone, and then…” He shrugged. “Their minds are on other things.”

  Snorting, Seth nodded. “I bet.” He held out a hand. “I’m Seth Goodwin.”

  After just a second of hesitation—and did he just sniff discreetly?—the other man accepted the handshake. “Xavier Agueda. A pleasure.”

  Seth smiled back. “You really do have a magnificent garden.”