by Alexia Ward
“The Lansing Journal,” Steve remarked.
“Yes, that’s it.”
“How could you cast a strong spell like that? You aren’t a witch?”
“No, we aren’t, but my father knows a spell to erase someone’s memory. It’s something every vampire knows, carried down from elder vampire to his or her children. I guess it’s to keep our species a secret from the human world.”
Steve scowled. “The past eight years of my life have been a lie? An illusion your father imposed on me?”
“It wasn’t a lie. From what I see you’ve become a big-time reporter.”
“Yeah, my career blossomed, but I didn’t have you in my life to enjoy it with.”
Victor grumbled, desperately trying to hold back tears. “You never found someone else?”
“No. I never wanted to, but I didn’t know why until now. I was still in love with you.”
“I still love you, too, Steve. I’m sorry for what we did, but I would do it all over again if it would keep you safe.”
“So in other words, now that this spell broke, you’re going to cast another one to make me forget you again?”
Victor stared at him speechless.
Chapter Sixteen
Now that things had completely unfolded, everything made sense.
Steve had honestly thought he was losing his mind. But in truth, he was getting it back.
The vertigo and nausea had thankfully vanished minutes ago. He stared at Victor. His hair was long, tied in a ponytail, and he was clean-shaven, but he still looked as handsome as he did eight years ago.
Steve was sure he looked older to Victor. He didn’t have any gray at his temples eight years ago like he had now, or the deep grin lines.
So much had changed in all that time, but not his love for Victor. He loved him to his very soul.
He should be angry and hurt with Victor for what he did, but he couldn’t. If he had been in his shoes, he would have done anything to protect Victor, too.
Who was to blame was Victor’s conniving, controlling father. He was the one who had robbed them of their happiness for eight years.
And now that Steve’s memory had returned, would Victor wipe it again to protect him from his powerful elder vampire father?
Victor stared deep into Steve’s eyes, remaining speechless for what seemed like an eternity.
When he finally opened his mouth to speak, his cell phone vibrated. He glanced at the screen and raised his finger. “Let me get this call, and then we’ll talk.”
Steve wondered if it was Victor’s father on the line asking if Victor had erased his memory once more.
Victor turned his back to him and began to pace around the hotel room. “You’re sure?” was the only thing Steve could make out.
“Okay, thanks. Bye,” Victor said, before gliding his finger over his phone screen to end the call.
He peered at Steve. “That was Luca. Do you remember my brother?”
“Yes, I do.” Steve liked Luca. Victor and Luca were very close. Luca had always been sweet and kind to Steve.
“He was calling me about your investigation.”
Steve jerked his head, confused at the correlation. “How does he know about my investigation?”
“I heard you and Harry discussing it.”
“You did?” Steve’s voice hitched.
“I’ve been spying on you.” A look of guilt glinted in Victor’s eyes. “I wanted to know the reason why you were back in town and how long you were staying.”
“You couldn’t wait until I left?” Steve shot back.
With hurtful eyes, Victor frowned. “Of course not. If I could keep you here with me forever, safe and in my arms, I would.”
Steve’s heartstrings tugged. He regretted his harsh words. “I’m sorry. I know you would. Go on.”
“I think I know who is responsible for the recent missing persons’ cases you’re investigating.”
“It’s your father, isn’t it? He’s killing them. Or is he turning them into vampires?”
Victor shook his head. “No, my father isn’t that much of a monster. He doesn’t turn everyone into vampires. Only humans he finds worthy of being his children.”
“Like you.”
Victor nodded. “Except I didn’t turn out to be that worthy. He keeps telling me I’m a disappointment.”
“I’m sorry. He’s evil and doing it to hurt you. Victor, you are the most wonderful person, vampire. You’re a million times more humane and kinder than your father.”
Deviating back from the tangent they’d strayed onto, Steve asked, “One or more of the vampires he had turned are doing this?”
“No, it’s forbidden. Vampires cannot kill humans. Only elder vampires can do so.”
“Like your father wants to do to me.”
“I won’t let him!” Victor growled.
Steve smiled, tapping his knee. “I know.” He leaned in and kissed him sweetly on his lips before asking, “If it’s not your father or a vampire, who is it?”
“Luca found out that there is a rumor going around the vampire community that there are a group of renegade wolf shifters who are killing humans not only here in Hell and Livingston County but elsewhere in Michigan.”
Steve left his mouth agape. He was utterly flabbergasted.
Chapter Seventeen
Never in his wildest dream would Steve have predicted the paranormal had something to do with his investigation. A band of renegade wolf shifters were abducting people.
“Are they killing them?” he asked.
“Yeah.” Victor nodded.
Imagining the unimaginable, Steve probed further, “What are they doing with the bodies?”
“They’re cannibals.”
Steve shivered while his stomach twitched. “They’re eating humans?”
“I’m afraid so. That’s why my father is meeting with another elder vampire nearby so they can put a plan into action to capture them and stop this madness.”
Acrid bile rose into Steve’s mouth. He envisioned a wolf shifter eating human flesh. In his mind’s eye, the shifter was in his wolf form, but that didn’t make the image any less revolting. It was an abhorrence any way one looked at it.
He had wanted to report on the people missing, but now that he knew the true reason behind the disappearances he wondered if it should be reported. Steve knew about vampires and wolf shifters through Victor, though humans didn’t know about these paranormal creatures that lived among them pretending to be human, but were far from human as one could possibly get.
If the world found out that these legends were real, it would unleash pandemonium.
He wondered if that was the reason why Officer Reinhold wasn’t willing to give Steve and Harry any leads. Did he know about the rogue wolf shifters? Most probably yes.
Did Officer Reinhold know about vampires, too? That was certainly a possibility. He may even know about Helder, as well. Helder was considered like the Godfather Vampire from Hell. Did Helder the Tyrant have the police force under his thumb?
It would be a logical assumption since Helder wanted to keep his lineage and species separate, and a secret from humans. The best way to do that would be to have the police force under his control.
“When is your father returning?” he asked.
“He told Luca he’d be away for a few days.”
“And what happens when he comes back?” Steve returned to their previous conversation that had been interrupted by Luca’s phone call. He took a sip of water, quenching his parched throat.
“I’m not following you?” Victor blinked, appearing puzzled.
“When he comes home and finds out about me being in town, will he want me killed? Or will you erase my memory and send me on my way again before his return?”
Victor furrowed his thick black eyebrows. Sadness reflected in his beautiful crystal blue eyes.
“Do you think I would do that again?” He shook his head in dismay. “My heart was dead when I lost you
. Now that you returned I’m alive again. How can I let you go?” He knelt in front of Steve who still perched on the couch. He cupped Steve’s cheeks with his cool open palms, staring deeply into his eyes. “I love you. You make me whole. You make me human. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Tears misted Steve’s eyes. “Yes, I want that, too. But your father won’t allow it.”
“If we run away, he won’t be able to do anything.”
“Won’t he look for you?”
“Yes, but we’ll always keep a step ahead of him.”
“You want to always be looking over your shoulder?”
Victor grinned encouragingly. “Yes, if it means we can be together.” He kissed Steve passionately.
He slid his tongue into Steve’s mouth, looping his. Steve’s heart skipped a beat, and his breath locked in his lungs.
Wanting to take things to a more intimate level, he purred. “Mmm, I want to fuck you.”
Victor sighed deeply. “Oh, now that is a wonderful idea.” He stood and without speaking, scooped Steve into his arms with ease.
Steve gasped and giggled. “What are you doing?”
Victor shifted his gaze toward the bed. “My knees prefer to rest on the soft mattress instead of the hard floor when you fuck my ass.”
Steve growled. “You make it sound like I’m rough.”
Victor nuzzled his nose, grinning. “You’re not rough. You’re gentle and intoxicating, my little sex nymph.” He set him on his feet beside the bed and unzipped his jeans.
Steve chuckled, wiggling out of his snug briefs. “That’s me, Steve the Sex Nymph.” His cock stuck out excited and wet, emphasizing his new designated title.
When Victor bent on the edge of the bed, sticking his scrumptious ass practically in Steve’s face, Steve’s breath hitched.
He had forgotten how perfect Victor was. His skin glistened. His sculpted muscles were defined in the room’s soft lighting.
Steve glided his wet cock up and down and around his ass.
Victor purred. “Mmm, fuck me now, baby. I want to feel you deep inside me.”
Steve took a deep breath as he slid his cock slowly into his ass. He closed his eyes, relishing every divine sensation. The coolness of Victor’s ass sent shivers of ecstasy rolling over Steve. Goose bumps spread over his back and legs while his cock hardened further.
In and out he moved, the heat in him intensifying until he no longer felt the coolness of Victor’s asshole.
He quickened and deepened his thrusts.
Victor moaned, arching his back. “Ah, yes. So good.”
Those words catalyzed Steve’s arousal, doubling it as they caressed his ears.
The pressure in Steve’s balls as they pushed against Victor’s muscular ass cheeks edged him closer to his peak. He felt like they’d explode with the compression. He thrust deep, erupting in Victor’s ass. His cum rushed out, filling Victor’s ass and spilling onto his long, toned legs.
Steve leaned over him while they stood entwined. He tried to catch his rushing breath while Victor came.
Steve couldn’t help but beam in jubilance. This was how it was going to be with them for the rest of his life—unbelievable sex, love, and complete happiness.
Chapter Eighteen
Steve stared at Victor’s departure, wondering if things would work out. Could they pull this off?
From what Victor had told him, Helder’s reach was far and wide. He had many informants and control of a vast territory. How could Victor and Steve hide from him for the rest of their lives? They’d constantly be in fear of exposure. What type of life could they be able to lead with this pressure relentlessly lingering in the back of their mind?
The only other option was for Steve to head back to Lansing and try to forget Victor, or have Victor cast a spell to suppress Steve’s memories. That would certainly not be living. He’d felt incomplete these past eight years and never knew why until his memories resurfaced. It was because Victor wasn’t with him. Victor made him whole and happy.
How could he go back to his empty, lonely life? He couldn’t.
He and Victor belonged together. And if they’d have to spend the rest of their lives constantly looking over their shoulders to do it, then so be it.
Victor was almost at the elevator while Steve continued to observe him. Victor’s lithe gait marveled Steve. He was six feet five and weighed two hundred and twenty pounds, all muscle, yet he walked with such poise and elegance.
When they’d first met in the library almost ten years ago, that was the first thing that caught Steve’s eyes. It looked like Victor floated in the air when he’d waltzed across the library.
Steve hadn’t intended to bump into him literally when he’d reached for the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. He hadn’t heard Victor’s silent approach and had been caught completely off guard when he felt his cool fingers brush against his hand as they reached for the same book.
But he was grateful it happened because it was the catalyst to their friendship and eternal love.
His heart warmed thinking of Victor. He wrapped his arms around himself, remembering their embrace and lovemaking. He smiled then sighed counting the minutes until Victor returned.
He’d told Steve he was going to talk to Luca. His brother would help them with their escape. He’d be back as soon as they came up with a plan.
Steve’s stomach suddenly gave out a loud, bold growl. He glanced at his watch, realizing he hadn’t had any lunch. His and Victor’s lovemaking had made him hungry.
He wondered if Harry would care to join him for a late lunch. At the same time, they’d discuss what to do next. They had planned to return to Lansing on the next train out. But that had all changed now. He wasn’t going to accompany his friend and colleague back. His life there and his work at Virtual News Here and Now had ended.
He’d miss Harry and wished they could keep in touch. But unfortunately, it would be too risky and dangerous. Helder could have his contacts in Lansing look into Steve’s life there. He could easily find out that he had left The Lansing Journal to work as a journalist for Virtual News Here and Now. That would set off a domino effect. Helder could follow the timeline and uncover that Steve and Harry worked together on many assignments in recent years and had become good friends.
He’d have his spies follow and monitor Harry’s activities to see if he received any phone call or made contact with Steve.
Steve had to sever contact with all his friends and colleagues for everyone’s safety.
He needed to start with Harry.
He waited until the door closed once Victor entered the elevator to head back into his room.
He grabbed his cell phone and began to text. Want to join me for a late lunch?
As usual, Harry replied within a couple of minutes. Had lunch already but will tag along to get a coffee and muffin.
Steve answered back, Great. I’ll meet you at the café downstairs.
He slipped his phone in his deep front jean pocket. He contemplated how he was going to say good-bye. It was going to be really tough. He’d miss his good friend.
Chapter Nineteen
Victor wondered if the walls had ears. Was this a smart move or one of the dumbest he’d ever made?
After leaving Steve, he’d headed home to talk to Luca. Maybe he should have asked his brother to meet him someplace else other than under the very roof of the vampire he was trying to run from.
But then again, his father had eyes and ears everywhere. There wasn’t one ideal place they could meet risk-free.
Once he entered the twenty-room mansion, he walked to the back staircase, rather than taking the stairwell closest to the entrance hall.
It led directly to Luca’s private quarters. As he neared his destination, he heard the rumble of faint music. It got louder and louder until he realized it was emanating from Luca’s door.
He rapped on the door’s black veneer finish. It swung open almost instantly as if Luca had been st
anding behind it waiting for his arrival.
“Hey, bro. Come on in.” Luca swept the air to his right side, making way for Victor’s entry.
“You’re listening to The Beatles?” Victor crossed his arms and leaned against the wall after Luca shut the door.
“Yeah, aren’t they your favorite band?” he asked while he motioned above and then to his ear.
Understanding where Luca was leading this conversation, he said, “I love them. Can you raise the volume?”
“Sure. Have a seat and enjoy the music.” Luca tapped on his cell phone that was virtually connected to his Bluetooth speakers resting on the coffee table facing the couch Victor sat on.
The Yellow Submarine soundtrack played louder when Luca perched himself beside him. He leaned in close to Victor’s ear. “The music will wash out our voices. As long as we speak low, no one will hear us.”
Victor widened his eyes in astonishment. “You found a bug in your room?”
“No, but these walls are practically paper thin. Anyone in the adjacent rooms can hear us.”
He tapped his brother’s fidgety knee. “So what did you want to see me about?”
Victor didn’t know how to broach the subject, so he simply came out with it. “Steve and I are going away together.”
Luca shook his head, blinking uncontrollably. “Did I hear right?”
“Yeah, you did. We’re running away.”
Luca half laughed instinctively. “There is nowhere you can run to.” Then realizing his brother was dead serious, he asked with a worried face, “What happened? I’m guessing Steve’s memory returned?”
“Yes, it did.”
“Then why didn’t you cast a new spell to suppress Steve’s memory?”
Victor bowed his head, exhaling audibly. “I realized I couldn’t go through with it. The past eight years without him have been agony. I can’t let him go again. I love him and want to be with him.”
