Crimson, Volume 1

by Sax Alexander

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Blood Trail

  Daryn’s Slayer

  Blood Vixen

  The Chalice and Elise

  Monster Bash

  Blood Oranges

  Serge’s Gift

  Graveyard Games

  In the Cover of Darkness

  Hunting Grounds

  Crimson

  Volume 1

  Breathless Press

  Calgary, Alberta

  www.breathlesspress.com

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Crimson Volume 1

  Copyright © 2013 Sax Alexander, Leona Bushman, Amanda R. Browning, Phong Chau, Louise Hooker, Persephone Jones, DC Juris, Brantwijn Serrah, L.B. Shire

  ISBN: 978-1-77101-017-7

  Cover Artist: Victoria Miller

  Editor: Jo Masters

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  Breathless Press

  www.breathlesspress.com

  Blood Trail

  by

  Sax Alexander

  Chapter One

  “So you’re an insurance agent?”

  “That’s right.”

  Alec’s face lit up with youthful curiosity, and he cocked his head, a half-smile playing about his lips. “Do you enjoy your work?”

  “It’s a living.” William reached for his inner jacket pocket, aborted the gesture, and rested his hand on the bar again. This was probably the worst time to try to quit smoking, but at least the denial of his urge earned him a full smile from his date.

  The dimples in Alec’s face deepened. “Do you smoke?”

  “In New York? In this day and age? Not nearly enough.”

  Alec laughed. The vivacious sound tugged a smile from William too.

  “Does smoking bother you?”

  “Not at all. In fact, I think I like that you do. It makes you seem a little less perfect. Minor vice and all that.” Alec’s fingers dipped into the circle of condensation left by the glass William picked up to drink from.

  Now amusement shaded William’s voice too. “I seem perfect to you?”

  “Obviously not now. You’ve just admitted that you’ve allowed yourself to be corrupted by something.” His playful smile really was charming, and William smiled indulgently as Alec continued teasing. “You look perfect on the outside, but that’s something else altogether.”

  “I suppose it is.”

  “It makes me curious why you didn’t post your picture on the dating site.”

  “I’m sure you can figure out the answer to that. After all, you didn’t post yours either.”

  “I find people willing to take a leap of faith infinitely more interesting than those who go for the obvious.”

  “Well put.” William tipped his glass at Alec, who immediately raised his own. They touched rims with a pleasant clink.

  Alec sipped, appealing pink mouth pursing over the edge of the glass and still curled into a grin at the corners. His smile seemed to be permanent. “You’re a bit of a mystery, William.” The last of his drink disappeared, leaving only the melting ice cubes, and he set the glass back down on the bar top.

  William gestured at the bartender to bring another.

  “Oh? How so?”

  “William Bishop Hawthorne. Run that through Google and guess how many matches you get?”

  He considered that, swirling the contents of his own glass absentmindedly as he held Alec’s challenging, yet good-humored gaze.

  “You Googled me?”

  “Of course, and since you don’t seem interested in guessing, I’ll tell you. Zero.”

  “I’m not big into social networking.” His lips twisted in a wry grin.

  “So it seems.” Alec tilted his head and studied him with seeming seriousness. “Perhaps you lurk. Hiding behind a thousand pseudonyms, emerging from the shadows only to verbally annihilate people making asses of themselves on the Internet.”

  “An endless job.”

  “And thankless. Not as fulfilling as insurance, eh?”

  “What could be?”

  He could get used to Alec’s low, warm laugh that invited him to share in the delight of the joke.

  “I like you, William.”

  “Thank you. Are you really twenty-three?”

  The smile turned wicked. “Don’t worry, I’m definitely of age. Do you want to see my driver’s license?”

  “Maybe later.”

  “You can ask the bartender. James carded me. Hey, James,” Alec called. “You can vouch for me, right? Over twenty-one, yeah?”

  “That’s what the piece of plastic says.” The bartender swept his rag across their section, returning Alec’s one thousand-watt grin. “Another?” he asked William, whisking his empty glass away.

  “Please.” William’s contemplative look settled on Alec. “If I Google you tonight what will I find?”

  “Who knows?” Alec rested an elbow on the bar, fingertips drumming lightly on the polished wood. “Embarrassing pictures? My poetry blog? A virtual blank?”

  “You have a poetry blog?”

  “The possibility exists.” Alec’s bright eyes flickered playfully.

  “I’d love to hear something you wrote.”

  “Your profile says you hate poetry.”

  “Not true. I merely rated it a one out of five on the scale provided.”

  “That doesn’t imply hate?”

  “Deep disinterest.”

  Alec threw back his head and laughed. “Oh, I do like you. Therefore, I’ll confess that I don’t have a poetry blog.”

  “I’m rather disappointed.”

  “What are you saying? That you sense I have a hidden talent for composing poems that would overcome your basic apathy and move you despite yourself? Or is it just that I’m so cute even being treated to poetry of shoddy quality would be a pleasure coming from me?”

  “Both. I have faith in your abilities.” William smirked. “And you are very cute.”

  Alec leaned forward, a fingertip tapping the back of William’s hand. “What about you? What’s one of your hidden talents?”

  “Hidden?”

  An amused snort broke Alec’s teasing pose. “You are full of yourself, aren’t you?”

  He played along, lifting one eyebrow. “Should I hide what I can do?”

  “I suppose that depends. But since you’re so willing to put yourself out there, you should let me photograph you sometime.” Alec sat back and took another sip of his drink, his gaze intent on William.

  “You want to take my picture?”

  “So surprised? You have a very interesting face.”

  William laughed.

  “I mean it,” Alec protested. “Sure you’re gorgeous, but it’s not that.”

  “What is it, then?”

  “What’s underneath the skin.”

  “And you think you can see that?”

  “The camera doesn’t lie.” Alec’s hazel-colored eyes shaded into greenish-gold as he leaned forward, looking thoughtful now. Soft candlelight reflected from the smooth, polished surface of the bar, gently illuminating the planes of his face. “Many people belie
ve a photograph can capture your soul, or at least a bit of it.”

  “Asking for my soul on a first date? Bold move.”

  “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” The impish grin was back, and Alec tilted his head. “It’s a nice night. Want to go for a walk?”

  “All right.”

  Music, lights, and people spilled out onto the sidewalk as they strolled through the night crowds. Alec drank it all in, his smile rarely disappearing from his fresh, young face.

  “I really like it here.”

  “How long have you lived here?”

  “Not long.” He glanced up at William, moving closer as a group of laughing girls in tight dresses and high heels passed them, taking up most of the pavement. “I’ve traveled a bit recently. This is the first place that made me want to stay.”

  William smiled in understanding. “I like big cities too. I spent most of my adult life in East Asia: Hong Kong, Tokyo, Seoul.”

  “Really?” Alec’s eyes lit up. “I’m jealous. I’d love to visit those places. Bet I could get some amazing pictures.”

  “You’re pretty passionate about photography. More to you than just a job?”

  The smile slowly faded from Alec’s face. “Yeah. It keeps me connected.”

  “To what?”

  Those bright eyes searched his face a moment, strangely intent, before Alec shrugged one shoulder. “Everything.”

  “Then, if that’s the case, you can take my picture.”

  “Really?” Alex spun out in front of William, halting him in tracks with his physical presence and his irresistible grin. “Right now?”

  “No.”

  The shine dimmed just a bit until William grinned himself. “On our second date.”

  Chapter Two

  “Are you almost ready to wrap up?” William leaned against a lamppost at the intersection of Bleeker and Christopher.

  His hopeful yet doleful tone made Alec laugh.

  “Nope.” Alec’s teeth gleamed. “You told me we could do this on our second date, but you made me wait much longer.”

  “I was hoping you’d forget. Haven’t you been enjoying the time we spend together?”

  “Don’t sulk. It doesn’t suit you. Stand there and look brooding.”

  William snorted until Alec lowered his camera and fixed him with a stern look.

  “Fine.” William looked off into the distance. Alec was in luck, brooding was a staple in his repertoire these days.

  The camera clicked and whirred rapidly, and Alec’s face appeared again wearing a sunny grin.

  “See! Told you that you could be a model.”

  William snorted again while Alec packed up his camera bag, folding the tripod into manageable size and biting his lip in what William assumed was a valiant attempt to keep from laughing at his obvious discomfort.

  “Aren’t I a bit too old for that?”

  “Tell that to the admiring hordes of both sexes that stopped to stare.”

  “At least half of them were staring at your cute, round ass when you bent over to peer through your viewfinder.”

  The blush that spread over Alec’s face made the awkwardness of posing for photographs in public almost worth it. He really was adorable.

  “Don’t think we’re done yet. I want to go to some quieter places now.”

  “Dying to get me alone?”

  Alec looked up then with a raw openness and a sweet smile that sent an extra strong surge of blood through William’s heart. “Yeah.” The pupils of Alec’s eyes dilated, reducing the hazel irises to a bare halo around the black, and then he ducked his head, zipping up the bag and hefting it to his shoulder as he stood. “Let’s go.”

  “Where to now?”

  “Mm...” He looked at his wristwatch and considered. “Down to Battery Park.”

  “Lead on.”

  Alec looked up quickly. “What?”

  “What?” William returned, an innocent lilt to his voice.

  “You sound pleased with yourself.” Alec’s eyes narrowed suspiciously.

  “I’m having fun. It’s a nice night. There’s a cute, cheeky photographer giving me all his attention. Why shouldn’t I be pleased?”

  The shake of his head didn’t hide Alec’s embarrassed grin. “You really are obnoxious. You know that, right?”

  “But you like me that way.”

  Alec huffed a laugh, but didn’t protest. He settled the bag squarely on his shoulder, casting William an impertinent little smirk before he started walking. William followed, enjoying the sight of the boy’s well-shaped ass in his snug jeans.

  Lengthening his stride, he caught up to Alec, then slowed his pace to match his. “Need any help with that?”

  “I’ve got it.” Alec shot him a look that warned of impending pain if he so much as tried to take the bag from him.

  William threw up his hands and chuckled. “Just asking.”

  They didn’t talk after that. Alec grew almost pensive as he headed toward the station at Sheridan Square.

  Eventually, William bumped his shoulder against Alec’s. “You’re quiet.”

  Alec shot him a quick smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m sorry. Just lost in my thoughts.”

  “Something troubling you?” Conflicting emotions shadowed Alec’s expression, and he pulled his full bottom lip between his teeth, and then began to chew at it with what appeared to be unconscious anxiety. “Hey,” William prompted softly. “You can talk to me. You know that, right?”

  The weight of that troubled stare was almost tangible, and William gave Alec his most reassuring smile. It only seemed make the lines of Alec’s face shift into something melancholy, but he gave a shaky laugh and ran his fingers through his hair.

  “It’s nothing. It’s just that I’ve got this...ex-boyfriend, and I heard he might be coming back to the city soon.”

  William watched Alec carefully. “I take it that’s not good news?”

  Averting his gaze, Alec laughed humorlessly. “Understatement.”

  “Is he going to cause you trouble?”

  “I’ll be fine.” Alec looked up, eyes bright and fierce. “I promise he’ll never bother you.”

  William looked thoughtful, but said nothing, leading them to the station entrance. The air grew even muggier as they took the steps down. William pulled his shirt away from his torso, allowing a brief gust of air from a passing train to waft underneath. His hair fell in disarray across his eyes, and he combed it back with his fingers, meeting Alec’s amused gaze.

  “Hot?”

  “The whole city is going to melt like the Wicked Witch of the West if this heat wave doesn’t end soon. It’s twelve a.m. and it’s still this bad.”

  Alec laughed. “I like it. It feels good—comforting—almost like a hug.”

  William’s eyebrow rose. “A hug?”

  Sheepishly, Alec shrugged. “I know it sounds weird, but that’s how New York seems to me. Kind of like a mother almost.”

  They both fell silent again. Alec looked down the tunnel and William studied him thoughtfully. “You should know she’s a real bitch in winter, unless you’re also partial to icy rain and wind.”

  Alec grinned. “No, not really. But I can’t wait to see the city at Christmastime.”

  “Ah, that is a sight to see.”

  They smiled just as the rattle and wind preceded the arriving train. Their car was empty except for a man in a business suit at the far end, sitting slouched over and nodding off almost immediately as they entered. They stood anyway, despite the empty seats, each with one hand on the bar, facing each other.

  The station disappeared quickly, and the train plunged into the tunnel. At Houston more people got on, talking raucously and obviously drunk. The train jerked as it left the station, and William repositioned his hand, their fingers overlapping around the metal pole. The slow, soft blush that suffused Alec’s cheeks was almost too much. William had to look away, take a long breath through his nose.

  The sulphuric, rotten egg
odor of the Canal Street Station helped. Alec’s nose wrinkled, making William laugh. “I’ve always thought this stop must be a portal to hell considering its charming stench.”

  Alec snickered. “Well, now that I have your soul, where else do you think you’re headed?”

  William’s eyebrow rose. “Heaven? That angelic exterior can’t be a lie.” A grin broke his affected seriousness as Alec cracked up.

  “You really say some cheesy things.”

  “You just don’t know how to take a compliment.”

  “Right. I’m not an angel.”

  “You just look like one?”

  “Stop it,” Alec laughed, kicking at William’s shoe with his own scuffed sneaker.

  “Why? You keep telling me that I’m gorgeous, that I could be a model.” William paused a moment, the corners of lips quirking. “That I have the body of a Greek god.”

  “I never said that!”

  “Sorry, I was just anticipating your reaction.”

  Open-mouthed, Alec stared up at him, his flush beyond pink and moving into a pure scarlet, and then he cracked up again. William watched him, smiling at the results of the laughter: the open, bright smile, the flashing eyes. No trace of pensiveness remained.

  Then the train plunged out of the tunnel and jerked to an inelegant halt at the Franklin Street Station. Caught off guard, William staggered forward, though Alec nimbly kept his footing, his weight shifting with a casual grace that allowed him to meet William’s sudden lunge. Then his smaller frame gave way and they ended up against the shuddering door that led to the next car.

  Their gazes held, neither of them noticing as their car emptied. William could feel his own heartbeat strong and steady as his body pressed Alec against the door, and then Alec’s camera bag slipped from his shoulder, and he rose up on the toes of his sneakers, his hands coming around the back of William’s neck to comb through the thick, dark hair at the base of his skull.

  Their lips met, a tentative first touch that grew into a firm press of flesh. Alec’s lips were warm and soft, and William’s brows drew together while his fingers slid over Alec’s shoulders, up the column of his slender throat. Warm, he was so warm, even his tongue as it slipped into William’s mouth and tangled playfully with his own.