by D. J. Manly
She clicked her tongue. “I have only the police vehicle here.”
“Are there any spare ones?”
She sighed, then nodded. “It’s against my better judgement, Tyler, and if you weren’t…”
“I know, I know. I promise I won’t play any games with it.”
She eyed him, then reached in the drawer and handed him over the computer access code. “It’s in the parking on the roof, Alma twenty three.”
“Thanks,” he said before ducking into the bathroom. True enough, there was another door. It opened into a long corridor. He ran down the hallway and took the nearest exit.
Once off the roof, Tyler felt a certain sense of freedom he hadn’t felt for a long time. He needed to see Bryce. He didn’t care what the transformation had done to him. He loved him. He needed him. And if finding him meant his life, then so be it. There was no living without him.
CARNAL DELIGHTS
There was eye candy everywhere. He was surrounded by it. And anything went. He walked into the backroom of the Manbar where sexual debasement was taken to its lowest common denominator. Some of it was a definite turn off, and he would have considered himself far from a prude.
Back on the dance floor, men rubbed their half naked bodies together. A naked man got up on the stage in the front and began to take off his clothes. Dino watched him with amusement. It was amateur night. Anyone could jump up there and strip. Some of them should have left their clothes on.
Several men came and brushed themselves up against him. He felt someone touch his hair. He gave the men a guarded glance. There were two of them that definitely piqued his interest, one a blond with incredible blue eyes and another with short dark curly hair.
He walked into a deserted corner and motioned to them to follow. One of them undid the zipper on his leather jacket and pulled it down. The other yanked his tee-shirt out of his pants, sliding his hand up underneath. His pants were being unzipped; a hand began to fondle his sex. His head went back as the tee-shirt was bunched up under his chin. Lips explored his chest, his nipples as he felt his sex being exposed to the air. Hands moved down his thighs to his calves. A velvet mouth enclosed his hard sex and began surrounding it with an enthusiastic tongue.
Dino moaned softly, his eyes flashing red in the darkened corner. He placed his hands in someone’s hair, urging his sex deeper into his throat. The other one pinched and teased his nipples, then lowered his mouth to one.
Suddenly, a sensation shot through his body, a sensation of alertness. He stiffened and pushed the two protesting men away from him. Joey. Moving his head, he scanned the room. He took a quick intake of breath. There he was. So, he had come looking for him.
Dino pulled down his tee-shirt and adjusted his sex back into his pants. With a slow smile, Dino ran his hand over the two men who were waiting. “Come,” he whispered, walking out of the shadows and into the light. They followed obediently.
He focused on the stripper on the stage and silently he told him to get off.
Immediately the man collected his clothing and stepped down off the platform to scattered applause.
“Follow me,” Dino said to the two men. “Continue what you started with me, up there. Let’s give them a show.”
The blond grinned deviously. “You’re a wild man. I like that.”
“You have no idea,” Dino told him, stepping up on the stage with the two of them on his heels.
As soon as he was on the stage, he was met with whoops and hollers. Men left what it was that they were doing to gather round and watch the show.
* * * *
Tyler was in the bathroom when he heard the commotion. He hadn’t heard it that rowdy here in a long time. He walked out into the room. His eyes widened suddenly. Bryce! To all appearances it looked like Bryce, except if it was possible, this man was even more beautiful. It might have been his eyes, or his hair which seemed longer and shiny. Whatever it was, it was evident from the reaction in the room that it was addictive. But what in hell was he doing up there?
Dino was now more than aware that Tyler Rose was standing among the onlookers. He didn’t have to invite the two men to resume their prior activities; the blond one was already stripping off his jacket and his tee-shirt, while the dark haired one pulled his zip back down and fell to his knees.
Tyler bristled. God damn him. What in hell was this all about? Was he trying to punish him? Okay, so you hate me, so you want me to suffer. You’ve made your point.
But, my love, I haven’t even started to make you suffer, came the reply in his head.
The words settled into his mind as if he had spoken them out loud. Tyler swallowed something hard in his throat. Nothing is making me stand here. I can walk away. But even as he thought it, he knew that he wasn’t going anywhere.
He watched now as the man on his knees enthusiastically sucked his cock. And who could blame him? The other was behind him now, running his hands over his chest, brushing his sex across that incredible ass of his.
Dino’s head was back. He closed his eyes. It wouldn’t do for people in the crowd to see his eyes, although he doubted that anymore was looking at his eyes. Dino pushed the one on the floor back now, giving the crowd a view of his erect cock.
The crowd let out a collective moan.
Dino smiled. He motioned to the two men to take off their clothes, which they quickly did. Pushing them both against the wall, he directed the dark haired one to place his hands above him over his head. He roughly pushed his legs apart and then took the belt from his pants and tied his wrists together.
Tyler sucked in some breath. Already his cock was as hard as rock. He licked his lips as other men in the crowd silently masturbated.
Dino knew what this was doing to him. Slowly he ran his hands down the length of the body in front of him. He reached out and pulled the other one closer. Forcing him to bend over, he began to stimulate him with his fingers causing him to moan out loud. With his other hand, he tormented the other one’s sex.
The two men were moaning with abandon.
Dino suddenly looked right at Tyler. He actually leered at him. Then suddenly he released the man’s wrist and took his place against the wall. The men secured Dino’s wrists above his head and then began to make love to every inch of him.
Tyler felt himself moving. He pushed his way through the crowd. He bounded up on the stage and before anyone could react, grabbed one then the other of the two men and shoved them away. One fell backwards, caught in the arms of some very ornery men in the crowd. The other grabbed Tyler and the fists started to fly.
Dino lowered his hands, easily getting loose from the belt that was placed haphazardly around his wrists. He put his pants back on, then with his arms folded across his chest, he stood back and watched the fight.
He couldn’t help but smile. Tyler was no fighter, but then neither was the other guy. It was a ballet of hit and misses.
Finally, the manager came tearing up on stage. He did a double take when he saw that one of the men was Tyler Rose. “Break it up, you two,” he barked.
The naked man picked up his clothes and scurried off the stage.
Tyler looked over at the manager.
“Tyler Rose, you should be ashamed of yourself,” he chastised him. “A man in your position, making a fool of yourself over...” he cast Dino a look.
Dino suppressed the urge to laugh as Tyler gave the man a murderous look and wiped some blood off his lip. “Go back to managing your club before I close down this…this…sleaze pit.”
“If your grandfather was alive,” the man sputtered.
“Well, he’s not. And like it or not, I’m the reason this club even stays in business,” Tyler glared at him.
The manager lowered his head and quietly walked away.
Tyler then turned to the rest of the crowd. “There’s nothing left to see here, so just go back to whatever you were doing!”
People in the crowd slowly began to go off in different directions.
&
nbsp; Tyler turned around now to look at the man standing in the corner. His heart ached to look at him.
Their gazes met.
The expression on Bryce’s face was unreadable.
Tyler sucked in some breath, anger bubbling to the surface. “Thanks so much for the show,” he sneered, wiping at his mouth again.
“Glad you enjoyed it,” he replied, bowing his head.
Tyler took a step towards him. He let his gaze travel over him. He had always been beautiful but now there was something else. There was this intoxicating sexuality about him that was so intense it made Tyler feel light headed.
“It comes with the territory,” he said deeply.
“What does?” Tyler blinked.
“Intoxicating sexuality,” he murmured.
“You…how did you…? You can read my thoughts?”
He nodded.
“Then it’s true, you are a…?”
“Vampire,” he whispered, his gaze settling on the blood that was sitting on Tyler’s swollen lip.
Dino leaned down and picked up his tee-shirt and jacket. The song, “Let me get into your skin,” began to pump out of the speakers. The dance floor filled with people.
Tyler’s gaze followed him as he silently brushed past him and moved across the room. Oh no, he wasn’t getting off that easy.
He bounded off the stage and followed him. The relief from the music seemed almost painful when he reached the outdoors. For a second, he thought he was gone, but then he saw him, leaning against the wall of an adjoining building.
They stood just a few feet from each other.
Dino had put on his tee-shirt. He held his jacket in his hand, squeezing the material in his fist.
“You tried to kill me the other night,” Tyler managed, not able to take his eyes off of him.
He lifted an eyebrow. “If I had wanted to kill you, you’d be dead.”
“You were in my room,” Tyler accused.
“You wish,” he scoffed.
“Stop being such a smart ass,” Tyler snapped. “I guess I should know.”
“I thought about it...” he sighed, his handsome face half hidden in the shadows.
“You did more than just think about it. I have the marks to prove it,” Tyler told him, moving aside his sweater to show him.
He didn’t seem interested. “It wasn’t me.”
“Then who was it then? Are you trying to tell me that there are still vampires in Ruby City?” Tyler demanded.
“I am the only vampire in Ruby City,” he told him.
There was a silence.
“I was going to kill you,” he told him without emotion, “but I think there might be better ways to punish you.”
“Killing me softly, like you did tonight?” Tyler looked down at the ground.
“Um, did I succeed?”
“What do you think, Bryce?” Tyler asked bitterly.
“Dino. Bryce is gone,” he quipped.
Tyler shook his head. “Bryce is part of you.”
“What do you know about it?” he growled. “Do you know what it feels like to be me?”
“No,” Tyler said softly, “but I see the same man, somewhat altered but…” Tyler threw up his hands. “You’re right; I have no idea what I’m talking about. All I know is that Thor believes I was some kind of mistake that kept you from your destiny. He doesn’t believe in our eternal love.”
“Well, apparently you and Thor have something in common then,” he said, his deep voice as cold as ice.
Tyler gasped as he saw his eyes glow red for a second in the darkness.
“Scared?” he asked, taking a step closer.
He could see him now, and all he felt was love and desire. He wanted to touch him, even if it meant it might be the last thing he ever touched. Tyler shook his head. “No. I’m not afraid of you. You need to hear me, Bryce.”
“Dino,” he replied softly. “When you left me on that planet, you left Bryce behind. You left me to the mercy of those creatures and they took my life. They made me this,” he hissed. “You made me this.”
“No,” Tyler shook his head, tears in his eyes. “I had no choice but to leave you. Thor said you were one of them already, that you couldn’t leave the planet. I never betrayed you, my love. I…”
“My love?” he mocked, raising an eyebrow. Then he uttered a cruel laugh. “When that prick had me in his grasp, you were there, you and Ethan. You told me you loved Ethan, you told me you...”
“I thought I could save you,” Tyler cried out. “Ethan made me say that. If I hadn’t gone along with him, he was going to kill us both. Surely you don’t believe that I would have chosen Ethan over you...especially not after what we’d shared the night we were captured?”
“Don’t even speak of that,” he said between clenched teeth. He paused for a moment, than in a motion not even visible to the human eye, he lunged for him.
Tyler felt himself in his iron clad grip. His breathing grew shallow as Dino pressed his hard body close to him, one hand held him around the throat. He saw his jaw open, saw the pointed tips of his fangs emerge. It was the most erotic and terrifying thing he’d ever seen in his life.
“If you’re going to kill me, then do it.” Tyler looked up into his eyes, which were glowing faintly in the moonlight. “But I have always loved you, whatever name I have called you by. And I will continue to love you, in life, or in death. If you can look at me now, and not know this, then you have never truly loved me.”
He was shaking. The tears were running down his face.
Dino met his eyes. Then he leaned his face forward and gently licked the blood off his lip. The wound began to heal. He hesitated a moment, then stepped back.
Tyler searched his face. He ran his own tongue over the place where his had been. “I love you, Dino. I’ve always loved you, through this life and all the others we’ve shared.”
Suddenly he said, “I know that.”
Tyler let out a sound that resembled a sob. He held out his arms. “Then come here and let me hold you.”
“It’s not that simple anymore,” he said, moving his head from side to side.
The wind began to blow fiercely around them now. A drop of water spattered onto Tyler’s head. “Of course it’s simple. We love each other. What can be simpler than that?”
“I’m not mortal anymore, Tyler. I’m a creature in an age where I should be extinct.”
Tyler blinked. “No one needs to know.”
“The others know,” he said, moving closer. “And if you stay with me you will be in danger.”
“From who?” Tyler asked him, reaching up to touch his face. “You’d never hurt me.”
“Not me,” he said softly, closing his eyes as Tyler caressed his cheek. “Thor. He is jealous of you.”
“Thor?”
“But I thought you said…?”
“I sent him away. He’s gone for now. The other night he tried to kill you.”
Tyler gasped, moving backward. “Then it wasn’t you?”
“I told you,” he said, searching his eyes. “How could I kill you? Even if you did betray me, I…”
“But I didn’t.”
“I know that now. I felt it when I was near you,” he said, finally drawing Tyler into his arms.
Tyler closed his eyes as he let his arms tighten around him. “You are saying that Thor could try it again?”
“Um,” he nodded. “Not could, he will, especially if he knows we are together.”
“Because he wants you for himself,” Tyler’s jaw tightened.
“It’s a bit more complicated than that.”
Tyler smiled up at him. “I think you like to make things complicated, my love. It’s old fashioned rivalry as far as I’m concerned. He wants you and I have you.”
Dino laughed. “Something like that. But like you and I, he believed that we are destined to be together. And they consider me to be their leader.”
“I know.” Tyler hugged him closer.
&nbs
p; “And being what I am now…well…it won’t be easy,” Dino told him, stroking his hair.
“Make love to me,” Tyler said softly, burying his lips in his neck.
“Here?” He laughed.
“No,” Tyler replied, stepping away from him. If he stayed in his arms like that for much longer they would be making love right here. “I have to go back to the sky patrol office and collect my shadows,” he grinned. “Come to me later tonight. I’ll leave open the…”
“There’s no need.” He gave him a knowing look. It began to rain.
Tyler gave him a quick kiss on the mouth. “Don’t keep me waiting too long.”
* * * *
Dino nodded, lifting a hand as Tyler ducked back inside the club and made his way to the parking spaces on the roof.
For a long time, he stood there in that alley, rain coursing down his face. Of course his heart felt lighter knowing that Tyler hadn’t betrayed him after all. He was angry at Thor for having manipulated him like that. But he was not completely optimistic about his future with Tyler. Nothing was the same anymore. He knew that if Tyler was going to be safe, tonight would be the last night they would spend together.
LOVE MOST BITTERSWEET
Tyler made sure that the bodyguards saw him safely tucked into his room. He told them that he didn’t want to be disturbed under any circumstances. “I’m exhausted and I want to sleep. I’ll call for you if I need you,” he said.
They went off on their merry way.
Tyler lit candles around his huge four poster bed, giving the room a dreamy look. He took off all his clothes and then lay down, closing his eyes. “I’m going to dream you until the very moment I can touch you,” he whispered.
“I’ve been waiting for you, Joey,” a deep voice said.
Tyler smiled, snuggling down into the pillows. “I’m here.”
“I know,” the voice said, “and so am I.”
Tyler’s eyelids flew open. He sat up. There he was, standing in front of him, his long hair damp and windblown, his leather jacket in his hand. “Bryce,” he said softly. Then swallowing, he licked his lips and said, “Dino.”
