by Eve Newton
“So, she is pregnant then,” Cole whispers. Everyone hears him and goes still. This is the first real confirmation they have had and even though they all knew it was true, it hits the four men hard and they all seem to crumple as one.
Corinne nods gently and whispers back, “I’m sorry.”
“I say we give my plan a shot,” Devon says, taking charge. “We have nothing else in our bag of tricks.”
“What plan?” Corinne asks warily.
Devon fills her in, and her eyes widen in surprise.
“It won’t work,” Constantine says stubbornly.
“She is Empress. It will if we can just get her here,” Devon replies just as stubbornly.
“Empress?” Corinne asks with a frown. “Empress?”
“Yes, her Tiamat is dead,” Devon says. “She is Empress over there.”
“Dead?” she asks incredulously. “No, how can that be?”
Everyone looks to Devon for an explanation, which is not to his liking. “How the fuck should I know?” he grouses.
“You are the one who has spent time with her,” Constantine points out nastily.
“Not talking,” Devon replies with an angry flush.
“Just fucking then,” Xane says. “Not exactly helpful.”
“If I knew it would come to this, I would have asked,” Devon says, but then makes an irritated noise as he hears his own words.
“Uhm,” Corinne says. “Tiamat is a true immortal. She cannot die.” She looks and sounds apologetic and they all look back at her in concern.
“I was there when Other Lincoln and Other Xane said She was dead and that Liv was to become Empress,” Constantine says.
It gets up Cole’s nose that he calls Other Liv, just ‘Liv.’ He knows it is because he regards Liv as Aefre and nothing else.
Corinne shakes her head again. “I don’t know what to say,” she says.
“Are you saying that She isn’t dead in the Other Worlds?” Constantine asks.
“Worlds, plural?” Corinne asks in return.
“Ah, yes. We have come across another,” Constantine says. Xane looks away and fiddles with his cigarettes. Cole finds that suspicious and is about to ask what is he hiding, when Corinne says, “Another? Where Tiamat is dead?”
“Yes. Other Aefre is also Empress over there,” Constantine says.
Oh, now she is “Other,” Cole thinks.
“Oh my,” Corinne says, fanning herself with her hand. “But how? It’s impossible. Or at least we certainly do not know of anything that can kill Her.”
“Hm, curious. But not exactly high on my list of things to figure out,” Constantine says, getting back to the matter at hand. “Aefre is my only concern.”
“I wish I could help,” she says. “I will see if there is anything else we can do.”
Constantine nods at her as she Teleports off, and they are all left to ponder the news she brought.
“Well, that wasn’t exactly helpful,” Xane finally states.
“No,” Constantine agrees and sits back down at his desk, well, Liv’s desk, to continue staring at his map.
Cole stands then. He needs to drink, and he definitely needs a shower. He goes to peer at what Constantine is looking at, but it is all foreign to him. It’s some sort of supernatural cartography, including mathematics and science. He wasn’t the sharpest kid at school. All he had were his looks, his athleticism, and the ability to become someone else in the blink of an eye. He was picked for every lead in the school plays and he didn’t find it hard to find work when he left home. He scraped by for a year with a few commercials before he got a TV role and the rest is history.
“I’ll leave you to your, whatever this is,” Cole mutters and leaves the library on Constantine’s grunt. He heads towards the kitchen and grabs a blood bottle out of the fridge. They had to throw all of Liv’s away so there is just his. He wonders why he is still doing this. Dawn has returned and without his sire’s disapproving glare, he could be killing left and right to get what he needs. But he knows as soon as she returns, she will be cross with him and that is something he just couldn’t bear. He chugs it down and grabs another to take upstairs with him. On second thought, he grabs a spare and, knowing even as he goes upstairs that Cade will refuse it, he will offer it anyway.
He knocks gently on Cade’s door and when there is no answer, he pushes it open. He peers round the door and is surprised to see Jess sitting on the bed stroking Cade’s hair while he sleeps. She looks up and smiles, but at Cole’s frown it disappears. “This isn’t what it looks like,” she says quickly.
No, it never is. “Does Devon know you are in here?” Cole asks.
She shakes her head and climbs off the bed. “I just come to sit with him sometimes. He’s in such bad shape.”
Sit with him and touch him in a way that only lovers would. Cole may not be book smart, but he isn’t stupid. He knows exactly what he saw. “How long have you been sleeping together?” he asks her as Cade wakes up.
“We aren’t,” she stammers.
“Sure, whatever,” Cole says, not in the mood for lies. “Here.” He throws the bottle to Cade, who just lets it fall to the ground.
“Don’t want it,” he says mutinously.
“Don’t have it then. Suffer more than you have to,” Cole says.
Cade just glowers at him and pulls the sheet over his head.
He turns to stare at Jess, who backs out and then he follows her. It isn’t his business who she screws, but he will be damn sure that if it is Cade, he will tell Devon about it. It will be up to him to dispense whatever justice to his charge that he sees fit.
He slowly drinks his other blood bottle and pushes open the door to their bedroom. He hasn’t slept in this room since they moved here. He doesn’t think Constantine has either. Neither of them wants to go to bed without Liv. He throws the empty bottle in the trash, not caring he didn’t dispose of it correctly. Not that it makes much difference in the Underworld, he supposes. He turns on the shower and strips off. He makes sure the room is steaming before he steps in. He can’t feel the scorching water, but he hopes that one day it will warm the chill inside of him. He sinks to the floor and lets the water beat down on him. He grabs Liv’s lavender shower gel and opens the bottle. He sniffs it as he lets the tears he has been holding in go and for a few moments, in his solitude, he wallows in his self-pity. The scent of the lavender churns his stomach and his balls are aching for a release. He touches himself, wishing it was Liv, stroking himself with a hand full of lavender scented bubbles. But it is useless. He is either too weak or just completely broken that he can’t even get it up anymore. If Liv is in the Dragon Realms worried he is cheating on her, then she needn’t be. Even if he had the energy for a bang, or the desire for someone else, he wouldn’t be able to perform anyway. Even though he is desperate, it is just hopeless, so he lets himself go and stands up. He dries off, still smelling Liv’s shower gel all over him and with a towel slung around his hips, he walks back into the bedroom.
Devon is sitting on the bed waiting for him and he looks up. “Hey,” he says.
“Hey. What’s up?” Cole asks, wondering why Devon is in here.
“Just wondered if you wanted to feed again,” Devon says nonchalantly, holding up his wrist. “You said it helped,” he adds.
“Yeah, it did. I just wasn’t sure…I wasn’t going to ask,” Cole stammers.
Devon shrugs and takes off his Rolex as he rolls his shirt sleeve up.
Cole goes to sit on the bed next to him, suddenly feeling very naked in just his towel and slams his eyes shut again before he sinks his fangs into Devon’s wrist. It’s just easier if he can’t see anything. Once again, the taste of him swells through Cole and he stifles his need to moan and bite harder. How is it he tastes just like their sire, but without the burning, spicy aftertaste? Does he taste like this too? Does Cade? He feels Devon’s hand tighten around his and Cole realizes he is gripping his hand. This is too weird. He pulls back and he hea
rs Devon sigh. Is he supposed to offer a feed in return so Devon can also get some comfort? He is unsure so he doesn’t say anything. Devon is straightforward and always speaks his mind. If he wants something in return he will ask, Cole is sure about that. He lets his sibling go and hurries to the dresser. He pulls a t-shirt over his head and he feels less vulnerable. He turns back around. Devon has stood up and is rolling his sleeve back down. Cole knows he has to say something about what he saw before.
“Err, did you know that Jess and Cade have slept together?” he blurts out.
Devon’s eyes meet his blankly and Cole thinks he has made a mistake in telling him.
“Yes, I know,” Devon says. “She told me.”
Cole blinks in surprise. “Oh,” he says.
“Why do you tell me this now?” Devon asks.
“She was in his room when I went to check on him. It was obvious,” Cole says with a slight shrug.
“They were doing it?” Devon asks with a raised eyebrow.
Well, good for fucking him if he can get it up, Cole thinks with a grimace. “No, but she was, well, there was an intimacy there I didn’t expect to see,” he finally gets out.
“Oh,” Devon says shortly. He does not look impressed, but she should know how Devon feels about Cade.
“Sorry, man,” Cole mumbles.
“I don’t kill the messenger,” Devon says with a slight smile. “Unlike our sire,” he adds with a wink.
“So, I did right in telling you?” Cole asks, feeling like a loser jackass for seeking approval.
“Yes, of course,” Devon says. “But no harm, no foul. I already knew.”
“Okay, good,” Cole replies.
Devon opens the door, but then turns back and with a brief smile says, “Thanks for having my back, though.”
“Anytime,” Cole says, and Devon nods and leaves him alone again. He is feeling a lot better now. Nowhere near even fifty percent, but that is a damn sight closer than he was yesterday.
There is a soft knock at the door, and he opens it wondering who on Earth it could be. To his relief, he sees Dawn. She is looking pretty and plump and perky and he smiles at her as she says, “Hi! Feeding time.”
He had forgotten she was coming. His brain has lost all capability of functioning correctly. She has been coming at this time every day for how long now?
“Come in,” he says and opens the door wider for her.
She grins at him and he sees the adoration in her eyes for him. He thought Liv was being a bit silly when she made mention of Dawn’s feelings, but since then he has seen it when he looks closely. It makes him feel good, but he won’t act on it.
Or will he? His heart is starting to beat faster, and his breathing is getting heavier as he watches her undo a few buttons on her tidy blouse and pull on the neckline to expose her creamy throat. He feels a stirring and suddenly he is Iron Man down there. He swallows loudly and starts to sweat. What the fuck? He has never found Dawn attractive before. She is pretty, but in a cute way, with her curly blonde hair and a button nose and rosy cheeks. She is short and curvy with big, round breasts and not at all his type. But that doesn’t matter to him right now. His cock is suddenly connected to his fangs, and as they extend, so does it. He grabs her and spins her around, pressing his shaft into her back and she gasps. He bites down on her sharply and she moans as he slides his hand in between her legs and rubs her mound over the soft denim jeans.
“Ooooh,” she whispers and drops her head back even further.
He knows he is being a complete douche. She is with Scott and he is married to the love of his life. The woman he promised he would remain true to no matter what. But with Devon’s blood coursing through his veins, he is suddenly on fire, and the ache in his balls can finally be released. He walks her to the bed and retracts his fangs. With a quick flick the button of her jeans has popped open and he lowers the zipper. He pushes her down and she kneels on the edge of the bed as he pulls her jeans right off her and dumps them on the floor. Her plump ass is quivering before him and he reaches out to yank the strap of her panties and they tear free. They too end up on the floor and he has lost all rational thought. The only thing his mind is consumed with is the thought of his wife pregnant with another man’s child, a man she is currently shacked up with in a place that he can’t get to. He deserves this. He is owed this by her and for the first time in weeks he can get the release he so desperately needs. He drops his towel and squeezes Dawn’s ass before he parts her legs. He is inside her without a care for anyone else except himself. She is soft and wet, and he groans as he hears her breath hitch. She wants him to do this to her and right now that is all he can think about. He slams his hips against her backside, and she cries out. “Oh, Cole,” she gasps as he pounds her harder.
He shuts his eyes and concentrates on the only thing that matters to him in this moment. He can feel it start to build and as his cock detonates inside her, she screams his name as the wave hits her and she shudders against him. He opens his eyes and he continues to thrust the last of his orgasm into her as he hears Devon say behind him, “I forgot my watch, oh! Jesus Christ.”
Cole turns towards the door where Devon is standing stock-still staring at him while he has his dick buried inside his Feeder. He pulls out and stoops to retrieve his towel. “Dev, man, this isn’t what it looks like,” he starts, knowing it is exactly what it looks like.
It always is.
But Devon has started to walk away.
Fuck.
Cole scampers after him into the hallway and catches him before he opens the door to his bedroom. “Dev, please, I can explain.”
Devon regards him closely and asks, “What is there to explain? It looks exactly like you were fucking your Feeder.”
“I didn’t mean to,” Cole says to him urgently. “It just happened.”
“Oh, she lost her jeans and you accidentally fell into her, cock first?” Devon retorts. “Geez, you know you don’t shit where you eat around here. Liv will go fucking ballistic.”
“I know,” Cole says woefully. “But that’s part of the problem. She isn’t fucking here and the rest…do I really need to tell you how I feel?”
“No, I know you are suffering,” Devon admits. “Your secret is safe with me. Just don’t let me see it again.”
“Done,” Cole says, but feels like he has to add more. “I haven’t been able to, you know, for a while. I needed to so badly, but I just couldn’t. When I drank your blood and it tasted so much like hers it kick-started something in me.”
Devon stares at him so seriously that Cole wishes he hadn’t said as much as he had. Devon is going to think he is weird or gay and probably avoid him for the rest of eternity.
They gaze at each other for the longest time, and then as luck would have it, Jess opens Devon’s bedroom door, just as he asks, “My blood gave you a hard-on?”
Chapter 2
The Underworld, January 2014 – Cole, Devon, Constantine & Xane
There is a long, awkward silence as Jess glares first at Devon and then at Cole. Cole has no idea what to do with his flushed face. He wants to run back to his bedroom, but Dawn is still in there and he can’t face her either. He is in such a dilemma, but is saved, if you could call it that, as his bad luck doubles.
Constantine runs up the stairs asking where the Hell everyone has gone. “Am I the only one still concerned with finding my wife?” he asks. He stops to stare at the three standing in the doorway and then another woman joins them in the hallway, tumbling out of the master bedroom in disarray with her underwear in her hand. She quickly stuffs it into her jeans pocket as she sees them all looking at her and it doesn’t take Constantine long to put two and two together. He slams Cole up against the wood paneling and grips his throat, ready to rip his head off.
“Wait,” Devon says, putting his hand on Constantine’s arm and standing too close to Cole. “It’s not what it looks like. It was me,” he says.
“What?” Cole stammers dumbfounded that De
von just took the blame for him.
Constantine lets Cole go and shifts his gaze to Devon. “You fucked that slut on my wife’s bed?” he asks in disbelief.
Dawn whimpers at the word “slut” and she goes to run down the stairs in horror, when Xane appears, taking the stairs two at a time, clearly here to see what the ruckus was all about.
“What in Hell is going on here?” he bellows over Dawn’s crying and Constantine’s accusations to Devon.
“It seems that Devon has decided he would rather take a moment of enjoyment rather than concentrate his efforts on finding Aefre,” Constantine says, even though he is more than sure that Devon took the blame for Cole. But as Devon is standing that close to Cole, it is hard to tell which one of them stinks like sex.
Xane looks to Dawn, who shrinks back, and he sighs. “Must we do this in front of the help?” he asks in a haughty tone worthy of a Demon of his stature. “You are free to leave, dear,” he adds and gallantly steps aside so that Dawn can make her escape.
Cole watches her go with a sinking stomach. He is never going to see her again. It all just gets too much for him and he slides down the wall and slumps to the floor, resting his head on his knees.
“What’s with you?” Xane asks him, not overly concerned, just irritated by all this weakness he is witnessing everywhere he turns.
“He needs rest,” Devon says, crouching next to Cole to remain close, hoping to confuse Constantine’s senses for a while longer. “Proper rest.”
“He needs his sire,” Cole adds as he looks up at Constantine.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Constantine grumbles. “Fine, take what you need, but I will only do this once, so make it count.” He rolls up his sleeve and everyone hears Jess draw her breath in, Devon most especially. Cole’s eyes nearly pop out of his head when Constantine crouches in front of him and offers him his wrist.
“Hurry up,” he growls as all eyes are on him and he is most uncomfortable with everyone watching this. He wouldn’t mind if it were Aefre, but this is not his thing. He doesn’t offer his blood about to every Vampire who wants it. It is powerful, even more so now, and intoxicating, and the high can be addictive. It is also an intimate gesture reserved for the only two people in his life that he is capable of feeling anything for.
