Hugh nodded. “I see you’re up-to-date on science. Yes, I drink cloned blood, but you must be aware of its drawbacks.”
“Only fresh blood has the necessary adrenaline and endorphins to fully replenish a vampire.”
Hugh smiled. “Excellent. So, I drink cloned blood nightly, but I must have a fresh feeding every few days. When coupled with sex, that sustains me quite well. Hunting is dangerous and impractical, so this is my solution.”
“It makes sense.” Chris frowned, trying to think of a delicate way to phrase the question he wanted to ask. Carefully, he picked his words. “Are men your preference?”
Hugh shrugged. “Sex is sex, Chris. I’ve had women assistants in the past, but I find they often want more than I am willing to give. They give in to romantic ideas of love and marriage, forgetting ours is a business arrangement. I’ve yet to have that situation arise with a male assistant, so I tend to pick men. If that makes me gay, so be it. I am beyond labeling sexuality.”
Chris nodded, not sure how to respond. It was all so businesslike and efficient. That suited him for a regular job, but it seemed a cold way to approach the more intimate aspects of the position. Still, it was for the best. He could understand Hugh not wanting emotional entanglements. He wasn’t going to want more than an employer-employee relationship from Hugh. The situation could work out lucratively for both, as long as he could get past his squeamishness at the idea of sex with another man.
A vampire, actually. Sex and blood-drinking. Chris quivered at the thought, not certain if he was repulsed or excited by the prospect. Regardless of his mixed feelings, the opportunity to work for Hugh Klein was too good to pass up. “I will do whatever you ask of me.”
“Excellent.” Hugh broke off, a paroxysm of pleasure crossing his face as he came. His breathing was slightly ragged when he spoke again. “Emory is leaving me on Friday morning. You’ll start then.”
Chris held out his hand to seal the verbal contract. When their fingers touched, electricity seemed to spark between them. He pulled back, clasping his hand into a fist. Was it his imagination, or was Hugh equally unsettled by their brief touch? He cleared his throat, trying to buy time to erase his confusion. “I won’t let you down.” He hoped he spoke the truth, that he could really give Hugh what he needed. The physical reaction of his body told him he was more than up to the task.
Chapter Two
Chris moved in Friday morning and spent the next few days occupied with mundane business tasks. The master vampire was sometimes awake by early afternoon, but he rarely ventured from his room before nightfall. In his years as a vampire, Hugh had mastered many things, but did not yet have immunity to sunlight. Always, he remained on edge, wondering when Hugh would call on him to perform sexually, but his apprehension grew with each hour that brought him closer to nightfall. He had grown almost impatient with waiting when the other man finally summoned him. His homework sat on the desk, unfinished, as he left his room to hurry to Hugh’s study. His stomach was a bundle of nerves, kinked into a knot, when he knocked on the door and awaited permission to enter.
“Come in.” Hugh sounded as remote as ever. He could have been paging Chris to fax documents for all the emotion in his voice. But Chris knew it had to be for something else ‑‑ after all, the master vampire hadn’t fed, or had sex, since Chris moved in. Unless he had found sustenance from elsewhere. Why did that possibility give him a strange pang in his chest?
Chris entered the room, walking over to the desk to stand before his employer. “You sent for me, sir?”
Hugh waved him over. With a hint of trepidation in his step, he walked around the desk, stopping a few inches from Hugh.
Hugh smiled. “I can hear your heart thudding around in your chest about a mile a minute.” His amused expression revealed a hint of fangs. “Try to relax.”
Chris nodded, his dry mouth making it impossible to speak.
“I’d say I won’t bite, but we both know that’s not true.” Hugh reached out to grasp Chris’s wrist, bringing him closer. He retained his hold even when Chris was standing as close as he could get. “But first ...”
Chris nodded. He tried to act as though he went down on men every day as he started to kneel. Hugh’s hand on his shoulder made him halt in the process, and he looked at him with curiosity. “Did I do something wrong?”
Hugh shook his head. “Not at all. I don’t want you to do that yet.”
His brow wrinkled in a frown. “But I thought ‑‑” Tingles of electricity arced up Chris’s arm as Hugh began to caress his wrist.
“When I drink from you, I need you to be aroused. It’s unlikely your first time giving oral sex to a man will be pleasurable. So, I will pleasure you.”
A new attack of nerves plagued Chris when he pictured the man in front of him on his knees, his mouth around his cock. He shivered, excited at the prospect.
“Why don’t you sit on the desk, Chris?”
He perched on the edge of the desk, hands balled at his sides. Every nerve in his body hummed with anticipation as he waited to see what Hugh would do next. A ragged exhalation shattered the silence when the other man unzipped his jeans and parted the opening in one smooth motion. Chris’s cock sprang to life to meet Hugh’s hand when he maneuvered the white briefs under his testicles.
Hugh smiled. “Your cock pleases me. Your size is generous, without being outlandish.” He held the shaft in his hand, squeezing gently. “I like your pubic hair too. It’s just a shade darker than your brown hair, but not shaggy or unkempt. Perfect.”
“Thanks.” He barely choked out a response to his master’s praise. His penis jutted forward, swaying slightly with each minute movement of Hugh’s hand. When he began sliding his cupped hand up and down his cock, Chris moaned. Women had given him hand jobs before, but this was different. He was accustomed to soft hands, tipped with a slight sting of nails extending from feminine fingers. Hugh’s hand was solid and muscular, with roughened skin. He also worked Chris’s erection with a sense of surety none of his female partners had possessed.
“That’s it. Give in to the sensation.” Hugh pumped his fist again, alternating the pressure he applied, using more at the base than the tip. “Let yourself come, Chris. Don’t be ashamed of your pleasure.”
Chris had tipped back his head, but he jerked it up again at Hugh’s words. He met the other man’s eyes, losing himself in the shadowy gray pools. The master vampire had been correct. He was holding back, embarrassed to find the other man’s touch so enjoyable. It was as though the other man’s words freed his inhibitions. With a moan that might have been a word if Chris weren’t so lost in sensations, he gave in to the pleasure Hugh incited. Spasms rippled through his cock, and hot spurts of semen shot from the head, splashing across the other man’s hand. He thrust against the velvet fist enclosing his member until the last drop of arousal flowed from him.
Panting, Chris slumped forward. He was vaguely aware of Hugh releasing his semi-flaccid cock and standing up. It wasn’t until the other man’s lips brushed against his neck that he realized Hugh was about to feed. An iota of self-preservation almost made him jerk away from the questing mouth, but Chris forced himself to remain still. He had agreed to see to all Hugh’s needs.
“Relax.” Hugh’s statement was a wash of warm air against the bend of his neck that left Chris shaking with renewed desire. A second later, the hot sting of his teeth sliding through Chris’s skin made him gasp. A flash of pain accompanied the moment, but quickly faded. The low sounds of Hugh delicately feeding from his lifeblood filled the study, but it was a soothing melody. All Chris’s fear and uncertainty drained away, and he surrendered to his master’s ministrations, feeling the urge to give Hugh everything.
It seemed much too soon that Hugh had finished. He lifted his head, wiping his mouth discreetly with the back of his hand. His half-smile seemed to make Chris the center of his world, as did the gleam of approval in his eyes. “Very pleasing, Chris.”
“Uh, thanks, sir.�
��
“Hugh, remember?”
Chris nodded, too dazed by what had transpired to tell the other man he couldn’t think of him as anything so mundane as Hugh. “Yes, sir.”
Hugh chuckled, a deep sound that made the touch receptors in Chris’s skin vibrate. He patted his cheek. “I think you’ll do nicely as my assistant.”
“I only want to please you.”
His eyes darkened to smoky intensity. “So you have, Chris.” His lips were soft and moist against Chris’s when he brushed them against his mouth. Hugh seemed as surprised as Chris by the tender gesture when he lifted his head. “I’m sure you will continue to please me.”
Chris spoke from his heart, shocked at the words flowing from him. “I’ll do anything you want me to, sir.” Right then, he wanted to drop to his knees and take Hugh’s cock into his mouth, to worship the other man’s shaft and try to give him the same degree of pleasure the other man had gifted to him.
Hugh squeezed his shoulder. “I’m happy to hear that. Now, finish your homework and leave me to my paperwork. Sunrise will be here before I know it.”
With a nod, Chris left him. Disappointment weighed heavily on him as he closed the door behind himself. He touched his fingertips to the warm wood, feeling bereft. It wouldn’t have taken any amount of persuasion on Hugh’s part for Chris to continue the sensual exploration of sex with the other man. He briefly wondered if he was now gay, but found he didn’t care if he was. There was more to Hugh than he had ever imagined, and Chris couldn’t wait to find out everything about the vampire that he could. There were so many ways to make that happen, it made Chris tremble at the possibilities.
Chapter Three
Hugh held off sending for the young man as long as he could, until hunger and desire had worn a hole in his insides that ached for fulfillment. Never before had he denied himself the need for sex or blood. His assistants had always provided a service, and they were interchangeable. Until now. What made Chris so different from the other men, and the few women, who had aided Hugh throughout his long years?
Driven by need and frustration, he used the intercom to page Chris three days after their first encounter. He hadn’t yet determined why he was experiencing such tumultuous emotions around the young man, but knew he couldn’t wait any longer for sustenance while trying to figure it out. It was disconcerting the way his heart raced the minute the other man tapped on the door of his bedroom. Hugh made his voice gruff to hide his confusing emotions. “Come in.” He remained sitting on the huge bed, wearing nothing but a silk robe he had shrugged on after his shower, when Chris entered..
Chris walked forward with eagerness he seemed to want to hide from Hugh. With a smile, Hugh briefly entertaining the thought of telling him he could hear the thunderous rush of Chris’s heartbeat, could smell the nervousness and excitement pouring off him. He decided against saying anything, because he had no right to strip bare the other man, to rob him of his protective illusions.
Hugh held out his hand, pleased when Chris took it without a hint of hesitation. Chris knelt on the floor before him, and Hugh’s cock twitched with anticipation, as his stomach growled with hunger. The roast beef he’d had for dinner couldn’t satisfy his hunger, not in the way sex and blood could.
Chris arched his neck, his lips parted. Hugh turned his head when he realized the man was trying to kiss him. “No.” Seeing the hurt confusion cross his face, Hugh softened his tone. He put his hand on Chris’s shoulder. “That’s too personal. It leads to emotions that I don’t want to have to deal with. Do you understand?” At Chris’s nod, he cupped his cheek. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I know, sir. I just thought ... well, it seemed like the thing to do.”
Hugh nodded, knowing he was responsible for the young man’s confusion. After all, he had given Chris a spontaneous, if brief, kiss at their last encounter. He still didn’t know why he’d done it, so couldn’t offer an explanation of his contradictory behavior to the man before him. “It would be if we were in a relationship. Ours is one of business. All I need from you is arousal and blood. It’s a simple exchange.” He stroked his cheek again. “I can smell your arousal. Does this excite you?”
Chris dropped his head. “Yes, sir. I didn’t think it would, but ‑‑”
“It’s okay to be aroused by what we’re doing.” As he spoke, Hugh smoothed his hands down Chris’s arms.
“I know. It’s just, well, there’s a woman I’m into. I didn’t expect to enjoy this.”
Hugh smiled. “It’s rare to find work we enjoy.” With a gentle motion, he cupped the back of Chris’s head to guide it down to his cock. The other man pushed aside the robe to free his erection seconds before sliding his mouth around it. Hugh sighed when Chris’s moist mouth took in all of him. His first few bobs were clumsy, but still enjoyable. Hugh tightened his hand in Chris’s hair and showed him a steady motion, which he settled into easily. “That feels good. Suck me.”
Chris applied suction as he moved his head up and down, finding a pleasing rhythm that made Hugh arch his hips. When Chris swirled his tongue around the head of his cock, Hugh’s body tightened as his orgasm started to wash over him. He lifted the hand Chris had braced on his thigh, bringing the wrist to his mouth. As his cock convulsed, releasing spurts of satisfaction, Hugh slid his teeth into the vein. Chris sucked in a long breath around his cock, his body stiffening at the intrusion before relaxing. The change in breathing prolonged Hugh’s orgasm, causing him to suck more forcefully than he might have otherwise. Only Chris breaking away from his erection, his face a mask of pleasure and pain, made Hugh aware of what he was doing. He pushed away Chris’s wrist roughly. Disconcerted by his loss of control, he reacted badly. “Leave me.”
Chris rocked back on his heels. “What? Have I done something wrong?”
“Get out,” Hugh snarled, baring his fangs. Regret mingled with satisfaction when he saw Chris’s fear as the other man scrambled to his feet and raced from the room. It was only after his lover left that he collapsed against the bed, tears burning in the back of his eyes, with an unsatisfied ache filling his stomach. He tried to tell himself the void was only hunger, but couldn’t ignore the telltale emotions swirling through his mind that made the conclusion a lie.
A combination of emotions drove Hugh from his bed in the middle of the night to seek out Chris ‑‑ hunger, desire, and remorse. The scent of Chris’s body reached his nostrils as soon as he cracked open the door to the guest room where Chris had taken up residence. The mix of musk and heat emanating from his assistant made his mouth water, and the rumble in his stomach increased in intensity.
Hugh glided to the bed, laying the tube of lubricant he’d brought with him on the nightstand as he watched Chris sleep. His motions were tender when he pushed back the covers and slipped in beside Chris. The younger man stirred in his sleep, emitting a soft sigh as he snuggled against him. He smoothed his hands through the fine brown hair covering Chris’s head, his long fingers catching in the waves at the nape of his neck. When Chris opened startled brown eyes, Hugh placed a finger against his lips to muffle the cry of surprise.
“Sir?” Chris asked against his finger, his breath a wash of hot air that made Hugh’s skin tingle in reaction.
“I need you.” As he spoke the words, Hugh acknowledged the deep truth in the statement. Not since his wife’s murder during the Necro sapien Containment Agency’s Paris Raids in 1934 had he felt anything like the need consuming him. It displeased him on one level, to have to deal with the unwanted connection, but on another, it was a happy event. During his time alone, he had become convinced he had burned out on emotion and would never truly feel again. That it should be the young man curled against him inspiring his rediscovery of emotions was surprising. He smiled, trying to ease Chris’s apprehension. “Don’t be frightened.”
He turned his head from Hugh’s hand. “I’m not. I’m only confused about why you’re in my room.”
“As I said, I need you.”
“No.” Hugh startled Chris by darting forward to touch his lips to Chris’s. The other man stiffened at the intrusion, but his resistance faded quickly. With a moan, Chris relaxed against him, parting his lips to give Hugh access to the inner depths. He swept his tongue inside, exploring the moist recesses. Chris met his tongue thrust for thrust, his enthusiasm for the kiss evident in every move he made.
Hugh’s own enthusiasm was almost shocking. By no means had he been celibate since Lynne’s death, but there was a vast difference between mechanical sex acts used to induce desire he could feed on and having a meaningful encounter with a partner.
He chuckled, his reverie disrupted, when Chris pushed him into the mattress to climb on top of him. He straddled Hugh, and his grunts of pleasure were more satisfying than any blood meal Hugh had ingested in recent memory.
With clumsy, but energetic, motions, Chris smoothed his hands down Hugh’s chest to caress his stomach. His mouth devoured Hugh’s, this time with him taking the lead. The experience was so unfamiliar that Hugh didn’t think to protest. He relaxed under the other man’s passionate onslaught. It was only when Chris caught his tongue on one of Hugh’s fangs, and rich blood bloomed in his mouth, that Hugh lost his ability to stay relaxed.
With more haste than finesse, he stripped Chris of his utilitarian white briefs, leaving him naked. He cupped Chris’s buttocks, rubbing the other man’s cock against his thigh. Ribbons of arousal leaked from the tip, painting Hugh’s thigh. His own penis twitched in reaction, swelling fully against Chris’s flesh.
“That feels so good, Hugh.”
Chris’s voice was little more than a rasp, and he had clenched his teeth, giving an appearance of pleasure bordering on torture, as he tried to stay in control. It was the use of Hugh’s name for the first time that really caught his attention. A new wave of tenderness washed over him, and he released Chris’s buttocks to cup his face, bringing him close enough for another deep kiss.
The Bite Before Christmas Page 16
