A Bite of Fulfillment

by Charlie Richards

  Seth sure hoped he was right. It’d taken nearly two weeks to set up this little BBQ. The first time, the detective had cancelled because his son had needed a hand moving furniture. Evidently, the man needed to move out of his girlfriend’s home at a moment’s notice. Seth wondered what had caused the sudden explosion of the relationship. Then again, maybe the split had been brewing for a while. Damned if he knew.

  “And if he does show, then what?” Xavier muttered. “He didn’t seem exceptionally receptive at the house,” he pointed out.

  “He was on duty. Maybe he was worried about mixing business with pleasure?”

  “Maybe.” Xavier tone didn’t really make it sound like the vampire believed that explanation. Before Seth could think up another alternative, since he hadn’t really been paying attention at the time—he’d been too wrapped up in his own issues—Xavier hissed, “There he is.”

  Seth followed his friend’s line of site and spotted the man. He stood maybe five foot ten and wore faded blue jeans and a blue and white checkered button-down shirt. His thick gray hair looked damp, like maybe he’d showered recently.

  “He’s a good lookin’ guy,” Seth commented.

  “Yes.”

  At Xavier’ one word answer, Seth focused on the vampire. His friend’s lips were slightly parted, his breath coming in short pants, as he eye-fucked the detective…practically drooling.

  “Whoa, Xavier,” Seth warned. “Tone it down, there. Ya don’t want to send him running.”

  Xavier seemed to visibly shudder, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed hard. “You’re right, of course,” he whispered. He tore his gaze from the human and looked at Seth. Frowning, he asked, “I haven’t dated in over two hundred years, Seth. Just what the hell do I say to the man?”

  “Wow…uh, been a while, huh?” Seth teased, trying to wrap his mind around being alone for that long. Xavier shrugged. “Well, do you have any kids?”

  “Yes, twenty-nine of them.”

  Seth snorted. “Okay, admitting how many you have might not be the best idea, but maybe you could commiserate over the difficulties of raising a son? Surely at least one of those children was a boy,” he teased.

  Xavier laughed, his tension easing from his body. “Yeah. Twenty-seven of them, actually.”

  Chuckling, Seth quipped, “Wow, talk about carrying on your family name.”

  The older vampire grinned. “Gotta do what I can,” he retorted.

  Lifting his beer, Seth saluted the man, then took a long swallow of the bitter brew. Seth looked up when a shadow fell over them. He smiled upon seeing his lover.

  Damn, will I ever get used to thinking of this sexy man as my lover?

  Nothing could have prepared him for his vampire’s seemingly tireless desire for him. There were times when his body felt like he’d been ridden hard and put away wet. Then, other times, Adalric worshipped him with mouth, hands, and tongue, leaving him a sweaty, twitchy pile of satiated nerves. Just thinking about their energetic bouts of lovemaking caused Seth’s shaft to thicken in his jeans.

  Adalric chuckled. “Those are thoughts better left for later, darling,” he crooned.

  Seth smirked. Reading my mind again?

  Didn’t need to. Your thoughts were written all over your face, beloved.

  Flushing, Seth silently cursed his fair skin. Adalric winked, then nodded toward the man next to him. “You remember Detective Hanson, don’t you, Seth?”

  Rising from his chair, Seth smiled and held out his hand. “Glad to see you under better circumstances, detective.”

  “Owen, please,” the man replied, taking his hand. “And I’m glad you seem to be doing so well.”

  “Me, too.” Seth flashed a grin toward his lover and added, “Couldn’t be happier.”

  “Geez, all this sappiness is enough to make anyone sick,” Peter piped up from where he sat on Toni’s lap. He snickered and quipped, “Get a room.”

  Seth snorted. “Like you have any room to talk,” he retorted, waving a hand at him and the hand the enforcer had under Peter’s shirt. “At least all our hands are visible.”

  “Jealous much?” Peter replied haughtily, the perfect queen. He looked slyly over his shoulder at Toni. “Besides, we just have great sex together. It’s not like we’re in love or anything.”

  Opening his mouth, Seth snapped it shut just as quickly. Am I in love with Adalric? He didn’t know. Shouldn’t it be too soon for such an emotion? He’d only known the vampire, what? A month or so?

  “That’s enough, Peter,” Toni growled. “Stop causing trouble.”

  Peter huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. Toni shook his head, used his free hand to cup the human’s jaw, then he captured his mouth in a carnal kiss that would surely distract him from his irritation.

  Rolling his eyes, Seth returned his focus to Owen, who was pointedly looking away from the making-out couple. “Hey, have you met Xavier?” he asked, indicating the silent vampire on his other side. “He has a son, too. I bet you can swap war stories.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Owen said, offering his hand to Xavier.

  After just a second’s hesitation, Xavier reached out and clasped the detective’s hand, obviously fighting a case of nerves. “Likewise,” he murmured huskily.

  The two men stared at each other, their hands clasped, for far longer than customary between two men…well, two straight men anyway. Even Seth could feel the chemistry between these two and he’d be the first to admit that he could be more than a little oblivious.

  Suddenly, Owen cleared his throat and pulled his hand away and shoved both of them into his pockets. He frowned, then looked at Seth. “How’d you know I have a son?”

  Seth shrugged. “Catlin said that’s why he postponed the BBQ a week.”

  “Oh, uh, yeah. He’s having some trouble with…” Owen shook his head and waved a hand. “It doesn’t matter.”

  Deciding his friend needed some alone time with his beloved, Seth stepped away. “I’m gonna find the john, then get another beer. Anyone want a refill?”

  “Wait, I could—” Owen started, taking a step back.

  “Nonsense,” Seth cut him off. “Have a seat and take a load off,” he insisted, pointing at his vacated chair. “I won’t be but a minute.”

  “Uh, yeah, sure, then I’ll take a beer,” Owen said uncertainly.

  “Me, too,” Xavier said. “Thanks, Seth.”

  Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match…

  Adalric sang in Seth’s head and he just managed to force back his snort. His vampire caught his hand before he could take three steps and reeled him back in. Adalric captured his lips, thrusting his tongue in deep, ravishing his mouth. When Adalric finally broke the kiss and grinned down at him, Seth struggled to get air back into his deprived lungs.

  “Hmm, you do look good flushed, my beloved,” Adalric crooned. “Don’t be long. I’ll miss you.”

  Seth knew that wasn’t the only reason he shouldn’t be long. His vampire was still worried about the unrest in his coven. In the past two weeks, Edwin had disappeared along with Chad. He knew the enforcer’s betrayal had cut Adalric deeply. The vampire had been with Adalric for over sixty years.

  “I won’t be,” Seth assured, giving his lover’s hand a squeeze.

  Adalric growled softly, but then Darian stepped through the back gate, looked around the back yard, and headed toward the coven leader. Adalric pecked one more quick kiss to Seth’s lips before letting him go and turning toward the tracker.

  “I need to talk to you,” Seth heard Darian mutter to Adalric as he moved away.

  Seth strode across the yard, waving toward Catlin where he manned the grill. “Hey, man, where’s your john?”

  “I’ll show you,” offered Gallo, Catlin’s shifter mate.

  Seth had heard the slender African American turned into an appaloosa horse. He had to admit, he’d be interested in seeing that, but figured it’d be rude to ask.

  “Thanks, man,” Seth replied
.

  He followed Gallo through the sliding door. Once the sliding door was closed behind them, Gallo glanced over at him shyly and asked, “So, what’s it like being mated to a vampire? Does he…does he drink your blood all the time? Does it hurt?”

  Well, it seemed the shifter wasn’t quite as shy as Seth had pegged him. He chuckled and shook his head. “Yes, he drinks my blood.” Seth tried not to think about what an odd thing that was to admit. “And, no, it doesn’t hurt. It’s actually quite pleasurable,” he added, waggling his eyebrows at the smaller man.

  Gallo laughed, his blue eyes sparkling, as he led him through the dining room and pointed toward a hallway. “First door on the left.”

  “Thanks, man,” Seth said, patting Gallo on the shoulder as he passed him.

  He caught himself whistling happily while he took care of business, and snickered at himself. Washing his hands at the sink, Seth smirked at his reflection. “You really do got it bad, Seth,” he commented.

  Upon that admission, he gripped the sides of the sink and took in his sun-bronzed skin, the light in his hazel eyes, and the rosy glow on his cheeks. He ran a hand through his hair, which had grown shaggier than he’d ever allowed it to get while working as a fireman.

  “Damn,” he whispered. “I really do love the vampire.” He frowned. “Do vampires love back?”

  A knock on the bathroom door jerked him from his confusion. “Just a sec,” he called, shoving away from the sink. He dried his hands on a towel, then unlocked the door and pulled it open. Before he could recognize who stood on the other side of the door, a hand came up and slammed a foul-smelling cloth over his nose.

  Seth struggled on instinct, but his limbs quickly grew sluggish. Just before darkness clouded his mind, he heard a cold chuckle and someone mutter, “Not so tough now, are ya?”

  Seth swallowed, trying to get moisture down his too-dry throat. It wasn’t the first time he’d woken, but since a blindfold covered his eyes, and whatever they’d knocked him out with made his head muzzy, he knew he’d drifted in and out for a while.

  Muffled voices caught his attention, and he forced himself to focus.

  “Why don’t we just kill him?” whined a voice that Seth recognized as Chad. Seth curled his lip. The vicious little worm. “Then you can finish off Daystrum and we can rule the coven together.”

  “That’s not the way takeovers in a coven work, Chad,” replied a deep voice Seth didn’t recognize.

  Chad huffed irritably. “I don’t see why not. Loren and Spieron would back you. You said you were gonna make them your second and enforcer anyway. Why do we have to wait?”

  “Because ever since that asshat, Damune, went rogue in Colorado, the Vampire Council has been keeping a sharper eye on everything,” the other man—who must have been a vampire—replied. “They don’t want attention drawn to us, and your damn stunt with the cops didn’t help matters. It just made it that much harder to get Adalric’s stupid human alone.”

  Seth bristled, wondering if that was Edwin. He sure didn’t consider himself stupid, which meant he really needed to think. He was tied up somewhere. Could he get himself loose? As quietly as possible, Seth tried to get his bound hands down over his butt so he could get them in front of him and remove the blindfold. Too bad he couldn’t dislocate his shoulder. When the pain in his wrists became too much, Seth stopped his struggled and lay uncomfortably on the wooden floor.

  Frowning, he inhaled deeply. Turpentine, dirt, and something else. Why did the scents seem familiar?

  Seth? Damn it! Answer me now!

  Seth cringed at the anger screaming from his lover’s tone. He kicked himself for not remembering earlier that he could speak to his lover telepathically.

  Seth!

  Shit! I’m here. Stop shouting. I already have a headache. I just woke up, he snapped back.

  Seth. Thank the gods. Where are you, beloved? Where has Edwin stashed you? I’ll be there as quick as I can.

  Damn it! I don’t know. I was unconscious when they brought me here and now I’m blindfolded. Seth grimaced. He hated admitting his ignorance.

  “Here they come,” Chad said.

  Seth wondered who he was talking about.

  Is there anything you can tell me?

  Just a sec. They’re talking again, Seth told Adalric, trying to concentrate on the people talking outside his little prison.

  “Good,” Edwin grunted. “About fucking time. Adalric will be frantic by now. It’s time to give the fucker his ultimatum,” he sneered.

  Shit! Spieron and some guy named Loren are in on it, too. They’re about to give you an ultimatum, Seth admitted.

  Ultimatum? What ultimatum?

  Step down or die?

  Damn them. If they harm one hair on your head I will make them pay!

  I love you, too, Seth quipped.

  For several seconds, he didn’t get a response, and it hit him what he’d said. You love me? Adalric finally asked.

  Wasn’t exactly how I planned to share that, Seth grumbled mentally.

  He heard the pleasure loud and clear in Adalric’s next comment. Too bad. You can’t take it back. After another heartbeat, he added, And I love you, too.

  Seth couldn’t stop his grin, even considering the situation. Good. Now save me and we’ll profess our undying love properly.

  Count on it. Just stick tight and—

  Hold on! Someone’s coming in. Seth really didn’t like the fear that bled through their connection, but he couldn’t seem to control himself. He’d seen what a rogue vampire could do and if these guys were going against Adalric, surely they could be none too sane!

  Try to get them to remove the blindfold so you can see where you are, Adalric urged.

  Okay.

  Seth nearly squealed when a hand grabbed his shoulder before the blindfold was ripped unceremoniously from his eyes. “We don’t have much time,” a voice Seth vaguely recognized said.

  The hand was gone, and Seth blinked several times, desperately trying to get his eyes to clear. Finally, he turned his head and discovered Spieron at his back. He just stopped from lunging away from the vampire when he felt his bonds fall away from his hands.

  “Spieron? What are you doing?”

  “There isn’t time,” the man hissed. “Can you walk? They won’t be gone long.”

  Seth wasn’t certain, but he rolled to his knees, nodding anyway. He took a chance and glanced around. I’m in one of the gardening sheds. Tell Xavier it’s the one with the extra fertilizer. He’ll know the one.

  That’s good, darling. How’d you find out?

  Spieron is helping me, Seth said as the vampire tugged him to his feet. Even as he said the words, Seth wondered if that was a good idea. Was Spieron really on the up and up? He tried to pull away, asking, “Why are you helping me? I thought you were in on it…”

  “I am,” Spieron hissed. “I would have just gone to Adalric when my buddy Loren told me about his and Edwin’s plans, but who do you think Adalric would believe? A vampire who’s been in trouble before and has been here barely a decade? Or his friend of nearly a century?” He wrapped his arm around Seth’s waist and tugged him to the door before opening it and peeking out.

  Seth had to admit, the guy had a point. He wouldn’t have believed him if he were in Adalric’s place. “Okay, where are we going?”

  “If we can get to…shit!”

  “Wha—” Seth cut his word off when he heard Chad’s whining voice in the distance.

  “I didn’t mean to forget it. Besides, it’s not like we were that far away,” he grumbled.

  “Let’s go.” Spieron yanked him out the door and hustled him deeper into the gardens.

  A shout behind him followed by Edwin bellowing for Loren told Seth his kidnappers weren’t far behind, and although he could take on Chad when he was healthy, right now, he wasn’t. Not to mention, there were two vampires out there. How could Spieron take them on his own?

  Adalric, you’d better hurry the fuck up. We�
��re being chased through the gardens!

  Chapter Twelve

  Adalric roared in frustration. “Drive faster,” he ordered angrily.

  He knew he should have returned to his home. Unfortunately, he hadn’t listened to his gut. Instead, he’d listened to Toni. The enforcer had been worried if they were that far out of town, they’d have trouble getting to Seth once they figured out where Edwin had taken him. Now, he wanted to throttle the vampire, even though he knew it wasn’t really the other man’s fault.

  Why the hell would they have him there? The answer hit him just as quickly. It was a power play. By forcing him out while having his beloved right under his nose, Edwin would be proving without a doubt that he was the stronger, more cunning vampire.

  No way in hell will I give my coven up to Edwin!

  Finally, they pulled up in front of his mansion and Adalric burst from the limo. His claws out and his eyes hazed as he streaked around the building, his steps silent on the grass. Rounding the corner, he swept his gaze over the lawn. He saw nothing, but his sense of smell picked up his beloved’s scent.

  What part of the garden are you in?

  Near the spitting mermaid.

  Spitting mermaid? What? Where is that? He paused at the entrance and listened. He could hear the occasional scuff of shoe on paving stone or crunch on woodchips, but due to the many twists and turns of the garden path, he couldn’t accurately ascertain direction.

  Shit! You don’t know your own fucking garden?

  A fact I’ll be sure to remedy, Adalric snapped mentally. Just give me a damn clue.

  The thud of bodies and a cry of pain reached Adalric. Figuring he had a better shot at finding them in there by scent, Adalric sprinted down the path.

  He could mentally hear Seth’s exasperation when he answered. It’s near where we had lunch yesterday! Hurry! I don’t think Spieron can fight these two alone much longer!