Bloodlines: Currents

by Mechele Armstrong

  “How about fuck off?” Crude, not his usual, but Henri couldn’t get control of himself. And fighting his inner animal the way he was, it didn’t bode well for a fight with Bellario. He would need all his skills to take on the vampire, who was older than most Henri fought. He wanted that blood in front of him, though. He bared his canines. “That original enough for you? Enough of a challenge?”

  Bellario’s smile was honey-sweet, though slightly bloodstained. “Not hardly.” He rose to his feet. “I will not leave him alone. He’s going to be mine.”

  “The hell he is.” Clenching his hands so tight his fingernails almost drew blood, Henri paced in front of Bellario, the motion helping to rein in the monster inside. He had to concentrate beyond what lay in front of him. “Why? So many young men in the village. Why that one?”

  “You can’t feel his power? The great Henri Baptiste can’t tell what he has?” Bellario stood as if he were a sentry over the body. “You would disappoint me if you can’t sense what the boy has inside.”

  Blood. Henri shook his head quickly on that thought, more for himself than Bellario. Bellario wasn’t of his line, so reading his mind was a little harder, and Henri had strong mental faculties and was older. Henri’s shields were firmly in place, so Bellario probably hadn’t caught the slip. If he had, it would be disastrous. There were too many ways Bellario could use it.

  Henri took a deep breath. What was Bellario talking about with Nathan? What did he know?

  “I feel your animal. It’s leashed for the moment. But it wants free. So strong.” Bellario reached down to turn over the nameless young man. He cupped a hand to hold some blood out to Henri. “Look at your prey. Look how easy it is. You can take all their blood. And what fine dining they are.”

  Henri shook his head. “No. I am more than that.” He panted, his heart rampaging to keep up with the needs of his body.

  “You’re an animal. As we all are.”

  “No!” Henri shook with resistance. He would not go over and lick the blood from Bellario’s hands. He was better than that. Not an animal. Never an animal. He pushed down the beast with all the might his psyche had.

  Two vampires came in range to Henri’s senses. Straightening, he watched warily for them to approach, moving into a fighting stance. “Stacking the odds?”

  Bellario shot out a laugh like a bullet from a pistol. “Hardly. As if I’d need to do that. I...was still hungry.” He shrugged his shoulders, the movement shaking his tunic. He smoothed it down, along with his breeches. “I needed more. As you do.”

  Before Henri could deny it, the others came within sight range into the clearing. They hesitated when they spotted Henri. They were newly made, only a few weeks old if that, but they could tell he was older and strong. Both had weak psyches. Both let the blood thirst rule when Bellario didn’t. Both were no more than the rats Henri had once fed on. Henri’s eyes narrowed. They needed elimination.

  Bellario urged his cohorts forward. “Come on. Come on now.”

  They had within their clasp a struggling girl. She was only about eight or nine, wearing her night clothes. They had probably taken her from her bed near her sleeping parents. They would be none the wiser until morning. Damn Bellario. His kind would prey on children, but most preferred adults due to the amount of blood. Children were smaller. However, most communities wouldn’t miss a child or two at this time, which is why they were sometimes the preferred hunt. Families were large. Children still died often. It was slowly changing with the industrial age. Which meant vampires would soon have to change, too.

  Bellario wouldn’t live long enough to have to change.

  The young vampires sidled forward, pushing her sobbing frame in front of them. When she saw Bellario, she stopped the noises, though her eyes widened, and her resistance grew. The vampires were stronger than she was.

  “I needed a dessert.” Bellario winked at Henri. “Something small.” He impatiently motioned them forward. “Come here, little one. Did they get you out of bed? You look cold. We must get you warmed up.” His voice was melodic and pleasant as he lied to the girl.

  With an unbelieving look, she approached slowly, still being shoved forward by the minions. She dug in her little bare heels to no avail. She shook her head wildly, blond hair scattering.

  No.

  This couldn’t be happening. Not again. Henri shook off his stupor from fighting what was inside him as well as the vampire in front of him. Last time, he hadn’t been there to stop the attack, simply seen what had been done. But with his beast trying to control him, with his hunger what it was, the girl looked scrumptious to him. Her blood would be sugary.

  Bellario put his hand on the girl’s arm.

  “Hold.” Henri growled loudly. The minions took a step back as Henri took a slanting step toward them.

  “What, are you going to stop me?” Bellario arched a brow. It went under his hair. “Or do you want to join me? You know what tender flesh and sweet blood there can be.”

  Henri stopped a mere step away from the girl. His mouth bared again, showing teeth. “Sweet blood.” He rumbled another noise before he managed more words. “I’ll join you. We’ll have a feast.”

  Bellario’s dark eyes glittered in the scant moonlight. “I never would have thought I’d share a meal with you. Not Henri Baptiste.” He pushed the compliant, frightened girl out to him. “I’ll even be a good host and offer her first to you.” One hand gripped her shoulder. “Maybe we can work out something about Nathan while we feed.” Bellario’s heart sped up with his lie. He had no intentions of working anything out about Nathan. He did plan to take out Henri, whether in a fight or an ambush.

  Henri grabbed the girl as Bellario let her go. Instead of grasping her to feed, he pushed her behind him. “Unlikely.” His small knife came out as the minions set upon him. Young and inexperienced, they were no match for his speed and skill. Several stabs later, they lay on the ground. It wouldn’t kill them. The spilling of their blood would only incapacitate them long enough for him to take on their master.

  “Henri, you don’t want to fight me. I sense you. Your animal. Your struggle. Join me. Don’t do this.”

  “I do want this.” Henri panted heavily, watching Bellario’s every move. “You don’t know me. Don’t ever think you do.”

  Bellario sneered. “Pity. I had hoped we could work this out in a more civilized way.” He moved a step backward. “I must take leave of you now.”

  “Not until...”

  A whimper behind him made Henri’s head snap around to look. One minion had managed to heal himself enough to grab at the girl’s ankles. Snarling, he was trying to get her foot into position and bite her. He needed to replenish what Henri had spilled. She kicked, whimpers escaping her as she tried to move away. Her face beseeched Henri to assist her.

  “Please. No.” She continued to struggle. His mouth snapped at her heel before she managed to pull it away

  “Dammit.” Even as he headed for the young one, Henri’s head swung back to Bellario.

  He ran for the trees. “We’ll fight another time. Perhaps Nathan will join us on our next encounter. He’ll be mine.”

  Bellario disappeared into the night as Henri stomped the vampire’s head to the ground. Keeping his foot on top of the other vampire’s head, Henri pried his hands from the girl’s foot. He could have pursued Bellario, could have hunted him. Instead, he had to take care of these two and return the girl safely to her bed, but at least, he’d get a decent meal.

  With their tests of each other over, Bellario wouldn’t be so at ease next time. And neither would Henri.

  * * * * *

  Nathan looked up as the door was yanked open. He’d been sitting in the dark, enjoying the night sounds, doing some reflecting on what had happened and what was to come. His greeting died before it passed through his lips.

  Henri stalked in, slamming the door behind him. The house shook with the force of it.

  Nathan lit the lamp he’d kept handy for when Henr
i returned. Henri’s appearance did nothing to reassure Nathan that anything was well. The older man’s eyes glittered in the low light. His hair lay tousled on his head. His whole body clenched and didn’t release. Tension radiated from him. Nathan had seen him high strung and pissed before. This was an extreme emotion, even beyond that. He tumbled toward Nathan without saying a word.

  Nathan swallowed. The silence was disconcerting. He rubbed a hand down his bare chest and stomach. The emotions rolling off of Henri rumbled around the room. They were turbulent, thick, raging, so much so it was as if they hung in mid-air.

  Taking a deep breath, Nathan skimmed off the top. Having done it a few times now, he had a little more control over his actions. Even so, the emotions crashed into him, making him groan with the force that they impacted. He’d managed to close the gate of his mind before taking too much.

  Again, he was awed by how much control Henri had to possess to have these feelings and stay sane. How did he do it? It was all Nathan could do not to charge around and tear up the room. And he’d only imbibed a bit.

  Henri stopped pacing a few meters from Nathan. His head swung around to gaze at him. The eyes were still wild, but slightly calmer. Henri was taking himself back over. “What did you do?”

  Nathan shrugged his shoulders. He wasn’t sure he could explain it, nor would Henri believe him. Henri’s eyes followed the movement before centering on his throat. “I don’t know.” If only he had more power, or more control of what he did have. He could help Henri. Right now, not enough was being pulled off to make much of a difference. But how could he change it? He wasn’t even sure how he took in the emotions to start with. Experimenting could be dangerous for both of them. And he wasn’t sure that Henri would let him willingly into his mind.

  “You shouldn’t play with things that you don’t know enough about.”

  Nathan couldn’t help a grin, even with the situation at hand. “I can’t help myself.” Especially where Henri was concerned. He’d have had sex with him in the open today, damn the consequences, if Henri hadn’t stopped them.

  “You’re going to get hurt.”

  “By who? You?”

  Henri slammed a fist into the wall. The sound ricocheted harshly around the room. “Yesss. Me.”

  Nathan stood up, approaching Henri with two small steps until he stood right in front of his shaking form. “You won’t.”

  Henri’s head shook almost imperceptibly. “You don’t know that. You don’t know anything about me.” His chest rose and fell with his heavy breathing. He was almost panting.

  “Yes. Yes, I do know you.” Nathan knew enough. Somehow, he sensed goodness that lurked behind the turbulent emotions, behind the monster, which would keep Henri from ever truly hurting him. Henri would die first before letting that happen, which was something he didn’t know about himself. Couldn’t he sense that part of his psyche? The sanity? No, he must not be able to. Henri thought himself a monster, and fought it daily. One day, Nathan would have to teach him about his inner self so that he’d truly believe he was more than the danger inside.

  Nathan raised a hand, cupping Henri’s face. He stroked the strong jaw gently with his thumb. Crazy thinking. Who said they’d be in each other’s company long enough for Nathan to show Henri anything? Not to mention Henri, sophisticated world traveler, probably didn’t want to be shown anything by the country bumpkin.

  Henri leaned into the caress as if starved for Nathan’s touch.

  Nathan’s cock engorged more, springing up between his thighs. His hand trembled. Henri wanted his touch. Nothing could have made him more turned on or bolder than that.

  He held Henri’s head, diving in for a kiss. He kept it light, gentle, his mouth merely skimming along Henri’s, who tasted of something metallic. It was not unpleasant, especially when mingled with the taste that was uniquely Henri.

  Nathan lost himself in the kisses.

  Henri’s hand came around to caress the back of Nathan’s head. The light touch jangled along his nerves.

  Henri pulled back to murmur, “Are you sure about this?” His hand wound through Nathan’s hair.

  “Oh, yes.” His hands enveloped Henri in an embrace. He stroked along Henri’s firm buttocks. Henri’s cock shifted into him, pressing against his clothed skin. Oh, they needed to be naked. Nathan shoved his own cock into Henri, his hips thrusting forth, meeting Henri’s slow pace.

  Henri grasped the top of Nathan’s pants and motioned them down his hips. Nathan helped to free himself, his cock enjoying the cool night air that wrapped around it as soon as it was freed. Henri’s admiring eyes toward his body warmed him even more, until his body was raw heat.

  Immediately after his own pants were kicked off his ankles, Nathan grabbed the bottom of Henri’s shirt. “Your turn.” He’d get to see the body he’d dreamed about.

  Batting away Nathan’s hands, Henri hurriedly pulled the shirt over his head and unclasped his pants to let them fall down to the floor.

  Henri was magnificent. There was no other description. The clothes made his bulk look as if he was pudgy. There wasn’t an ounce of fat on him. He was firm, muscular. Dark hairs sparsely broke the otherwise smoothness of his skin. And between two tree trunk-like thighs stuck out a huge cock. Not that Nathan had seen many, but it seemed large. A sheen of moisture graced the tip of it. He wanted his body everywhere on Henri’s.

  “Done looking?” Henri arched a brow.

  “Oh, yes. For now.” He could look upon Henri forever. But right now he wanted his hands to go where his eyes had been.

  Henri had him in his arms quicker than Nathan could move to get to him first. Their mouths dueled as their bodies clasped together, rubbing side to side. Henri’s body was so hot in the coolness. He smelled of earth and of night. Another scent rested behind those two. It was coppery, heavy and thick, familiar, but Nathan couldn’t identify it. There was also a slight burning scent, as though Henri had been near a fire or ashes. Both of those were more evident up close.

  Henri pulled him even closer and the smoothness of Henri’s body made Nathan let out a moan, which Henri took inside his own mouth. Their bodies meshed together to join almost as one.

  Nathan couldn’t catch his breath, so frenzied had their kissing become. “Yes. Yes.” He dipped his body down to brush his cock against Henri’s. Henri grunted and pressed his cock back against Nathan’s. Flurried motions soon had their hips thrusting in time with each other, rubbing their cocks together.

  “Bed.” Henri’s hands were all over Nathan’s body. His mouth barely lifted from Nathan’s.

  Was he crazy? No way was Nathan letting him go even to travel a few steps to the bedroom. “Here.”

  “Bed. Don’t make me carry you.”

  Nathan snorted. “As if you could.” They were both so evenly matched with muscles, neither would be able to lift the other. Who would come out on top wrestling? They’d have to find out. Not playing fairly, Nathan grasped Henri’s cock in firm hands. Henri’s whole body lifted up, breath rushing out of his lungs. Nathan squeezed tightly around it. “Here.”

  “Fine.” Henri’s voice came strangled, rough and raspy.

  Nathan sank to his knees, keeping his hands on Henri’s member. More fluid leaked from the tip to drip onto Nathan’s finger. He lifted his hand, twirling the tip into his mouth before sucking on it. “Sweet.”

  He pressed a small kiss to Henri’s end, making Henri’s eyes roll back in his head. He then sucked Henri more fully into his mouth, bearing down on him with suction.

  Henri wobbled but kept on his feet with a soft grunt.

  Nathan puckered his mouth, steadily moving up and down along Henri’s length. He lost track of how many times he took it in. When his hands reached around to fondle Henri’s balls from behind, Henri lost it. His hips shimmied. He thrust his cock so far down Nathan’s throat Nathan almost gagged, but he managed not to at the last second. Not pulling back in the slightest, Henri took over the rhythm, making it fast, making Nathan take H
enri’s cock far down his throat as long as he could, until with one harried thrust, his come shot into Nathan’s mouth. It took several jerks to expend it all.

  Nathan took in every drop, milking Henri’s flesh for as long as he could. He pulled his mouth away from the now flaccid cock. “You do taste sweet.” He ran his tongue over his lips, taking in every salty taste.

  “Hmmmm.” Henri lowered himself to the floor to clutch Nathan into his arms. Their bodies rested against each other

  Would Henri do the same to him now? His lovers to date hadn’t been talented in that respect. They’d mainly gone to sleep after anything they’d done, or left him alone. He’d been left to finish himself too many times to count.

  One of Henri’s hands dropped to cup Nathan’s erect cock. “Ohhh.” He shifted his hips, giving Henri better access. Henri’s firm touch almost had him shooting a load then and there. So Henri was going to pleasure him. That, combined with what he’d given Henri, made his throat constrict. Henri would be the perfect lover.

  Henri’s hips rocked against him. “Nathan.”

  “Yes?”

  “Have you ever been with a man?”

  “Yes.” Nathan blew out a deep breath. His heart hummed along a pulsing melody. “Not a pleasant subject, though, especially right now here with you.”

  Henri ruffled his hair with his free hand. “I know it’s awkward. But I need to know how far you’ve been. I don’t want to hurt you. Or make you uncomfortable.” Henri moved the second hand down to join the first. They cupped and tickled his rod and balls. Each touch brought him closer to some edge, but didn’t take him over it. Dammit, he wanted to plummet across.

  “You...won’t...hurt me. Ahhhh.” The potent sensations had never been this electric before. Let me come.

  Before he could complete what he wanted, Henri had him flipping over onto his stomach. Henri’s erection had already returned. His once soft cock now stood as hard as it had been before.

  Nathan drew up to ask him what exactly he was doing back there to be sure he knew what would come next.

  But Henri’s hands found Nathan’s ass and his balls again, making thinking difficult. Nathan wiggled with the touching of his sensitive flesh. Henri’s hands knew where to touch to cause the ultimate in sensation.