* * * * *
…and a normal looking street, except that it was covered in glittering hoar frost. The trees stood white and lacy, the street glowed milky white, for the light seeping through the low, heavy clouds was filtered, not nearly as harsh as Los Angeles in June.
He could feel the cold on his skin, even though when he tried to look down at himself, he couldn’t do it. His gaze instead moved out and around, taking in the street. Far ahead, at the top of the street, there was a domed building that stood as white as the trees. It seemed to reach up into the clouds themselves.
There was very little traffic on the street. It was early morning, although Rafe didn’t know how he knew that.
Just ahead, on the intersection, was a building that was all glass at the front, rising through four stories. The glass was clear of frost and he could see people climbing the stairs inside.
There were people walking around on the street, hurrying up the sidewalks, bundled up in coats and boots and gloves.
And there were two people on the sidewalk next to him. They had their arms around each other. The man had his back to Rafe, but it was the woman that Rafe could not turn his attention away from.
She was very young, barely into her early twenties, but she was quite beautiful in a way that matched the frosted surroundings. She was staring up at the man with deep puzzlement. “Why are we here?” she demanded.
“I don’t know…” the man replied slowly, but just then there was a shout from across the street.
“Arlene! What the fuck!”
Another man, on the other side of the street, was standing with his hands on his hips, glaring at the pair. His face was red with sudden anger, the sort of anger that some men seemed to switch on a dozen times a day— or perhaps they never switched it off. The anger bubbled below ground their entire lives, driving their fury, their hatred and bigotry, their sense of entitlement and their cruelty. He was in his late twenties or early thirties, this one.
At the man’s scream, the woman in the other man’s arms gasped. “Peter!” She moved hesitantly toward the man on the other side. “Oh, God, Peter,” she breathed and looked back at the first man. “How can we be here?” she demanded, fear making her voice weightless.
“Rafe!” The call came from behind him. Rafe ignored it. He wanted to see this play out. “Rafe, come on, come back, wherever you are.”
Rafe knew that voice. He watched the woman stagger back into the other man’s arms, then he was being pulled, tugged, ripped backward, away and up, tumbling so that the land flashed and rolled.
He closed his eyes.
* * * * *
“Rafael! Look at me.”
Someone was tapping his cheek, and not lightly. The name came to him. Alex.
He opened his eyes and saw the room where he had laid down on the bed. He looked down. He was still lying on it, but the covers and the sheet had been tossed aside. So had the pillows. He was naked and lying on his side, almost completely curled into a ball.
It was daylight outside. Early morning light.
Alex was leaning over him. He had changed from the casual trousers he had been wearing when Rafe arrived. Now he wore jeans, that hugged his hips and made his legs seem very long indeed, and a knitted Henley shirt with a collar and long sleeves. He straightened up as Rafe focused on him. “Welcome back.”
“How long was I gone?” Rafe stretched out carefully, exploring his body for kinks or aches as he straightened, but he felt great.
“You were out for fourteen hours.”
“Out?” Rafe asked. He sat up.
“It looked like you were unconscious, but your heart rate was far too high. Speaking of which…” Alex turned and picked up something from the bedside table and held it out. It was a blood bag. “I owe you and you are probably ravenous. Your heart has been working the entire time.”
As soon as Rafe saw the blood, his incisors descended. He swallowed and reached for the bag, the keening building in him like a whirling tornado.
“I’ll wait outside,” Alex said.
“Stay. It doesn’t bother me,” Rafe said. He bit into the bag and tore the corner open. He fed hungrily, aware that Alex had moved back to his chair and was observing again. But for Rafe, feeding in the presence of others was a common thing. He had learned long ago to stifle the instincts that said any vampire nearby was a threat to his supply.
The bag was very nearly empty when he felt the urges diminish and he carefully put it back on the tray with a sigh and retracted his incisors. “Exactly what I needed, thank you.”
Alex inclined his head. “You’re a welcome guest in my home. It was only fitting I take care of your every need.” He put the tablet aside and got back onto his feet.
“Did you get your observations, doctor?”
“Yes, I did. Did you find the experience worthwhile?” Alex picked up the tray and moved it onto the tall bureau. The blood was only room temperature, so from that far away, the scent would not bother either of them.
Then Alex turned back to the bed and Rafe watched him move. He was very graceful for such a tall man. When he stopped next to him, Rafe’s heart gave a little tick. He looked up at him. “Who took my clothes off?” he asked curiously.
“I did. You would have torn them off if I had not, and I do not think you would fit my clothes. I didn’t want to send you home in a bathrobe.”
“Thank you for that,” Rafe said sincerely. He stretched again and felt the movement of muscles beneath his flesh. Everything seemed delightful to him, from the touch of the morning breeze on his skin, to the feel of the cotton sheets beneath him. “I feel so good.”
“Good,” Alex repeated, and thrust his hand into Rafe’s hair and held his head steady while he leaned down and kissed him.
Immediately, Rafe could feel his body grow taut and heavy with tension and delightful pleasure, as slow as the serum he had watched moving in the bottle. His heart started to beat as Alex thrust his tongue deep into his mouth.
I will seduce you, he had said, and was making good on his promise.
Alex’s hand cupped his thigh, just above the knee, then slid gently up along the muscle, his thumb stroking in feather-soft touches. It was an electrifying sensation and Rafael groaned into his mouth. Not for a moment did he think about trying to direct him, like he might have with anyone else. It had been a long while since he had been seduced instead of being the initiator, so he let it happen and reveled in the feelings and the tingling pleasure it invoked.
His thighs were already apart and now his cock stiffened in almost painful anticipation. His balls were heavy with tension.
Alex let his mouth go. “Move over,” he said curtly, his hand falling away, too.
As Rafe moved over to the other side of the bed, Alex swiftly undressed, dropping his clothes to the floor. Under the clothing, Alex had a body that looked strong. There was muscle there, just not an overabundance of it like Veris had. His thighs were heavy with it, and an image flashed through Rafe’s mind of Alex on horseback, a keffiyeh—the Arab head cloth—and white robes whipping out behind him as he galloped across the reg, the flat stony plains.
Alex didn’t sit or sprawl on the bed the way Rafe had expected he would. Instead, he kneeled on it. His cock was rising, stiffening and was a pleasing sight—nicely thick and long. Surprisingly, he was circumcised. The flare of the head of his cock was thick, too.
Rafe’s heart picked up a bit faster. He was aroused as hell and had to fight the impulse to reach for him.
Alex pushed on his shoulder, making him lie down. He kissed him again, briefly, then trailed his lips over his chin and down to his nipples, which he bit gently and tugged. It was a surprisingly sensation and made Rafe hiss.
He didn’t linger there. His lips moved down over his stomach, making his muscles quiver, then paused over his cock. Rafe could see Alex was watching his cock twitch in anticipation, and there was a small smile on his lips.
He gripped the shaft and Rafe groaned
again. He caught his breath and said what had to be said; “Don’t do anything you don’t want to—” and sucked in his breath in a gasp as Alex’s mouth closed over his cock, his sentence unfinished and forgotten. He gripped the edge of the bed, his fingers pressing into the mattress, as Alex worked on him. He knew what he was doing, even though for him, this was the first time to give this particular pleasure instead of receiving it.
Rafe tried to watch what he was doing, but the building excitement was too much. He laid back and his eyes drifted closed. His hips gave little thrusts that he tried to quench, but couldn’t.
At the very last second, when he could feel the swirl in his balls and the tightening in his scrotum that heralded the most amazing orgasm, Alex halted and straightened. There was a smile on his face.
“Gods, you…!” Rafe groaned.
“Indeed,” Alex agreed. His voice was thick. “The drawer there.” He nodded toward the nightstand on that side of the bed.
Rafe slid the drawer open and wasn’t surprised to find a tube of lubricant there. He tossed it to Alex, who caught it one handed and unscrewed the lid.
Rafe’s heart had been slowing. Recovering. Now it leapt again as he realized what Alex intended.
Alex took a grip on his own cock and spread the lubricant along its length. It was an intriguing sight, watching him stroke himself. “Don’t stop,” Rafe whispered.
Alex glanced at him. “You like watching, hmm?” His hand kept sliding up and down.
“I like everything about you.”
Alex’s smile was warm. “Then you’ll like what happens next.”
I know I will. Rafe didn’t voice the thought aloud.
Alex pulled him around on the mattress, so his hips were at the edge of the bed. He bent and picked up one of the discarded pillows, and pushed it under his hips.
“For someone who has never fucked a man before, Alex, you’re a complete natural. Anyone would think you knew what you were doing.”
“I’ve been researching,” Alex said, and gave a small smile. “Porn is very educational.”
“And arousing.”
“That, too,” Alex agreed easily, with not even a touch of embarrassment. He spread Rafe’s knees and ran his hands down his inner thighs. “In truth, I’m following my instincts. This all just seems….right.”
“It is very right,” Rafe agreed. Alex was stroking his fingers over his engorged cock and his attention returned to his towering orgasm that sat in the pit of his stomach, waiting. His body was throbbing with the need to come. “So fuck me,” he said, “and hurry.”
Alex gripped his cock and pushed it up against Rafe’s cheeks, sliding up against the muscle. The sensation was delightful and Rafe held his breath. It was this part of lovemaking that he liked, that he couldn’t get from a woman, although there were aspects of sex with a woman that were just as pleasing and unique.
He made himself relax as Alex pushed inside him and paused, waiting for him to adjust. The pause let Rafe relax even more. Alex knew what he was doing. Whether it was past experience with a woman, or his research, it didn’t matter. Rafe could trust that he wouldn’t hurt him.
Alex slid fully inside and paused. He cleared his throat. “It’s not so different.”
“Not so much,” Rafe agreed hoarsely.
“But it is different. Very nice…but different.” He withdrew slowly and pushed steadily back in again and Rafe groaned.
Alex began to thrust in earnest, slowly at first, but without pause. A small furrow appeared between his brows as his focus turned inward to his own pleasure. “So tight,” he muttered.
He picked up Rafe’s hand and curled his fingers around his own cock. “I lack the finesse right now,” he said unevenly.
“I have no doubt.” Rafe’s voice was just as broken. His breath was uneven and hurried. He gripped his cock and stroked it, as Alex thrust in quick, hard little movements, and watched Alex’s climax bloom and take him. The tendons on his neck strained and his hips worked hard, driving him in deeper and faster.
Just the sight of Alex climaxing was enough to push Rafe over the edge. He came with a hoarse, low cry, his cum pooling on his stomach.
They both grew still and silent except for their breathing, which was loud and harsh.
Rafe was still hard and throbbing. “More,” he said hoarsely. “I need more.”
Alex withdrew from him. “Exactly what I was thinking.”
“Then you liked it. Good.”
Alex gave him a small smile. “I liked it with you. Any other man…I would have to think about it long and hard.”
Rafe rolled over and onto his feet on the floor, hiding the silly smile that wouldn’t quit. It was stupid how warm and sentimental Alex’s comment made him feel. “Then let’s have more,” he declared.
Chapter Six
Alex gripped the other side of the kitchen counter, leaning over it as Rafe held his hips from behind. His heart was hurrying along, harder and faster than he had ever experienced before. All for this moment.
“I’ll be gentle,” Rafe murmured.
“No,” Alex said shortly. “Just go slow. I can take it.”
“Horny bugger.”
“Only with you and not even then, if you don’t hurry up.”
“I’m salivating. Shut up.” The blunt probe that was Rafe’s cock pressed up against him, and Alex found he was pushing back with his hips, welcoming him. Rafe pushed inside, spreading him and Alex caught his breath. This was where it was different. This sort of possession wasn’t possible with a woman, not even with a strap on dildo, which was a soulless alternative that had never appealed to him. He couldn’t say why this was so good, but even before Rafe was fully inside him, Alex already knew that this was something he was going to repeat. The sense of rightness had persevered, even as Rafe had brought him out to the kitchen and bent him over the counter, for support, this first time.
There was no coyness, no hesitation. No doubts.
Rafe paused, letting the muscle adjust and relax, then pushed deeper, still. Alex could feel him inside. The sense of fullness was astonishing…and good.
“Man, you are going to finish me off way too quickly,” Rafe muttered. He slid out once more, then pushed back in, in the slowest thrust Alex had ever experienced. But this time, the barrier to entry wasn’t there. Rafe slid home. He was slick and warm, for his heart had been racing since long before Alex had kissed him and so his body heat had risen.
Alex groaned. “Faster,” he demanded.
“Maybe.”
“I’ll heal, damn it. Faster.” He clenched the counter harder. His cock was pounding, even though it was not receiving any direct stimulation. With a little bit more encouragement, he thought he might actually climax, just from what Rafe was doing to him. He hissed in pleasure as Rafe’s speed picked up infinitesimally and his balls throbbed.
This was so much better than he had thought it might be, even after watching hours of porn and researching endlessly on the net. How it felt couldn’t be explained in video and wasn’t explained anywhere else. Coyness? He didn’t care. Now he had discovered how good it was to fuck a man—to fuck Rafe, to be precise—he intended to do it often.
Alex could feel Rafe’s hips shifting as his pleasure rose. His grip on Alex’s hips tightened and his breath shortened. “Damn…” he muttered and began to thrust in earnest; heavy, hard strokes that made Alex’s own climax leap upward, through his body from his toes. He could feel himself clamping around Rafe as the climax whooshed through him, and groaned his pleasure.
Rafe’s fingers dug into his hips and he gave a choked sound as he came. Alex could feel that, too, and it wasn’t disgusting or alien. It had the same sensation of rightness.
Rafe fell against his back, breathing heavily. He was still buried inside him. “Gods above!” he breathed.
“Yes,” Alex agreed heartily.
Rafe pulled out of him and the empty sensation was a novel one, but Rafe gave him no time to explore the feel
ing, for he pulled him back up onto his feet and turned him around to face him. His hand curled around Alex’s neck, and his body pressed up against him. He was almost glowing with heat.
He looked into Alex’s eyes. “I think you might be a habit I could pick up far too easily.” His own black eyes were frank. Honest.
Alex shrugged a bit. “I might be open to a return round,” he said indifferently.
Rafe’s lips parted in surprise. Then he grinned. “Asshole. I thought you were serious, just for a second.”
“Then you aren’t as accustomed and casual about this as I thought.”
Rafe’s smile faded. “I don’t fuck men just for the sex, no,” he said slowly. “Nor women, come to that. I’ve had far fewer relationships with men than women, but that wasn’t by design. It just happened that way.” He hesitated. “I think you might be unique, though.”
“Oh? Why?”
Rafe cleared his throat. “I’m having a small family get-together tonight. My grand-daughter is in town for a couple of days. I like to catch up with family whenever they will sit still long enough to talk some. Why don’t you come?”
“And meet your family?” Alex asked quietly. “In what capacity?”
Rafe rolled his eyes, just a bit. “My lover, of course.” He kissed him gently.
* * * * *
Bruce started pawing at the front door and for a moment, Sydney thought he was asking to be taken for another walk, but they had only been back in the apartment for just over an hour.
Then the door chime sounded and she slowly hauled herself up from the sofa to answer it.
Alexander stood on the other side, urbane and sophisticated in a slim-line tailored suit. “I’m not disturbing you, am I?” he asked.
“No, not at all. I’m trying to read, but it’s not fun, so mostly, I’m bored out of my brain. Come in.” She was very glad to see him and it wasn’t anything to do with being bored—or very little, anyway.
Alex stepped in and greeted Bruce by ruffling his neck hair and scratching behind his ears. Bruce responded by drooling even more, his mouth hanging open happily.
Kiss Across Deserts Page 8
