“Which is why Imogene settled for Penry,” Nakano quipped snidely. “Slim pickings.”
It was Nakano’s turn to be slapped in the arm, this time by Imogene. “That is not true, Kano,” Imogene declared. “There are a lot of boys who wanted to be in the position Pens finds himself in.”
Nakano grinned wickedly. “And what position would that be, Pens?”
Although he was still a virgin, Penry loved having his friends think he may have crossed over into more experienced sexual territory, so he just smiled and shrugged his shoulders. Imogene, however, wanted to keep her reputation unblemished. “Get your minds out of the gutter, boys. No one has been assuming any position. And no one will be!” Imogene paused for effect, smoothing out a crease in her little black dress and then pulling up her white gloves so they would rest securely past her elbows, just like she had seen Audrey Hepburn do in an old movie once. “Even if I do partake in another glass of Fritz’s really delicious punch. Phaedra, join me?”
Phaedra downed her glass, which was half full of the spiked drink, the same shade of red as her chiffon cocktail dress, then linked arms with her girlfriend and said in her best faux British accent, “Cheers, mates.”
Fritz shook his head as he watched Phaedra walk away. “Maybe tonight I’ll get as lucky as Ciaran.”
Michael had just recently reconciled to the fact that Ciaran wasn’t gay; now he was forced to try and consider the idea that he might get lucky with Brania, of all people. It just wasn’t something he could imagine. “You really think Ciaran might … you know, with Brania?”
“Look at her,” Fritz said. “I know she doesn’t do anything for ya, but trust me, she’s giving most of the blokes in here a bloody howler.”
Ronan had heard just about all he could handle. “Hey, Fritz, does it look to you like Alexei is trying to hit on Phaedra?”
Fritz turned his head so abruptly it almost made an audible snap. “What? Hey, KGB! Get your own date!”
After Fritz ran off to prevent anyone else from scoring points with his would-be girlfriend, Nakano realized he was the third member of a crowd, a position he refused to remain in. “All this hetero talk is making me thirsty. Later.”
Finally alone, Michael and Ronan stared at each other and smiled. The music changed abruptly from some alternative rock song to a lilting waltz. “Will you listen to that, they’re playing my favorite song,” Ronan joked. Michael laughed, but not completely. He was still unsettled since he knew he couldn’t dodge his father all night long. In fact, right at the moment, he felt as if a pair of eyes was staring down his back. He was half right; there were two pair.
“So it’s true,” Brania announced with Ciaran a few steps behind her. “You two do make an adorable couple.” When Michael turned around, he was prepared to thank her and accept the compliment because it was, after all, the truth. Instead he shouted, “Dad!”
“Sorry it took me so long to get over here,” Vaughan said. “But I had to make the rounds.”
Awkwardly Michael hugged his father, which he thought was the appropriate thing to do until he actually tried to do it, then he felt childish. “Why didn’t you tell me you were going to be here?”
“I thought I would surprise you.”
“Must be something in the air,” Ronan deadpanned, then smiled at his boyfriend’s father. “I’m Ronan. Michael’s friend.”
Vaughan shook his hand and immediately noted the strong grip. When he spoke, he tried to make his the tiniest bit stronger. “Edwige’s son. Your mother’s a lovely woman.”
“Thank you,” Ronan said. “However, I take no credit for how she turned out.”
Nervous about this father-boyfriend conversation, Michael felt the need to interrupt, so he told Vaughan something that he probably already knew. “And Ciaran’s my dorm mate.”
“Yes, we’ve already met,” Vaughan said dismissively.
Well, at least he’s acknowledged me, Ciaran thought. My own mother hasn’t even said hello.
“Brania, may I have this dance?” Vaughan asked. “I promised your father I would make sure you danced at least one proper waltz. You don’t mind, do you, Ciaran?”
His expression unreadable, Ciaran replied, “Not at all.”
After Vaughan led Brania to the dance floor, Ronan turned to his brother. “I’m glad you came.” But ignoring the sincerity in his voice, Ciaran walked away without saying a word.
Between Ronan’s mother, his father, his dorm mate’s surprise date, and Fritz’s punch, Michael’s head was spinning. “Could we please get out of here for a bit? There’s got to be a hidden passageway or an alcove somewhere that we can hide in for just a few minutes.”
Ronan smiled mischievously. “I know the perfect place.” He looked around quickly to make sure Vaughan wasn’t watching them and then grabbed Michael’s hand to lead him toward the far end of the gym. Just as they disappeared behind the tapestry depicting Uriel holding a sword engulfed by flames, Brania turned her head in their direction.
“I must admit I’m a bit disappointed you’re not Michael’s date this evening,” Vaughan said.
Closing her eyes to hear the music better, Brania replied, “I don’t think I’m your son’s type.”
“Oh, come now,” Vaughan scoffed. “Don’t give up so easily.”
Regardless of the century, men always think women speak to be contradicted. Will they ever be freed from their own ignorance? she wondered. And will they ever be capable of just listening to the music? One, two, three. One, two, three. How she loved the waltz. She let the soft, lingering notes of the violin glide through her and wished she could find a man who could touch her in the same way.
“Brania?”
Grudgingly, she opened her eyes. “Do you think I would have worn this dress if I were a quitter?”
Embarrassed, Vaughan abruptly lifted his gaze from Brania’s cleavage to her smirk. “It is, um, quite remarkable.”
Well, if she couldn’t fully enjoy the music, she might as well enjoy this man. He was, after all, just as handsome as his son. She pressed her body closer to Michael’s father and quickly realized someone else was already fully enjoying the moment. “At least one of the Howard men has noticed.”
The only thing the other Howard man noticed was how sweet Ronan’s lips tasted, thanks to the raspberry punch they had been drinking all night. Ronan had led Michael to a small closet that housed everything from extra gym equipment to towels to cleaning supplies. Standing among volleyballs and bottles of bleach was hardly a romantic setting, but the closet was out-of-the-way and very dark, so the boys could imagine they were kissing anywhere—in front of the cathedral, next to a well in an underground cave, away from a father’s disapproving glare.
“I’m sorry to make you go back in the closet,” Michael whispered, swaying lazily in Ronan’s arms to the rhythm of the waltz.
“I understand,” Ronan said, after kissing the palm of Michael’s hand. “As long as there’s room for the two of us in here, I’m happy.”
Michael brought his arms around Ronan. “There’ll always be room for you.”
The time for dancing was over. Ronan pushed Michael back and covered his lips in a flurry of kisses. The metal bar of the shelf pressed into Michael just below his shoulder blades, but he hardly felt it. His entire body was too busy reacting to Ronan’s touch as his strong hands moved up underneath his shirt to stroke his smooth chest. Michael arched his back and rolled his head from left to right, knocking over some bottles, all the while holding on to Ronan’s shoulders for support, afraid he would topple over from the excitement these new sensations were causing. Panting slightly, Michael grabbed Ronan’s hands and led them behind his back so he could rest a moment, but once Ronan’s mouth was close enough to kiss, all thoughts of resting were taken over by desire.
Tugging at Ronan’s shirt, Michael followed his instinct and soon found himself groping Ronan’s chest. Nothing, absolutely nothing, felt better than cool flesh over rock-hard stone. “My Go
d, you feel so good,” Michael whispered.
“So do you, Michael,” Ronan said between kisses, his fingers desperately curious but trying to remain respectful as they played with the elastic band of Michael’s underwear. “Spend the night with me. Please.”
The darkness prevented Ronan from seeing Michael smile, but he could feel his lips move underneath his. “Well, since you said please, how can I say no?” Ronan didn’t respond verbally, but only kissed Michael deeper, pushing him harder against the shelf, which then collapsed, causing a box of volleyballs to topple on their heads. Cackling loudly, not caring if anyone heard them, Michael embraced his boyfriend and whispered in his ear, “I think it’s time for you to take me home.”
Back on the other side of Uriel’s tapestry, Ronan whispered to Michael to meet him at the front door, but just as he was halfway across the dance floor, his father interrupted him. “What’s going on?”
Still reeling from Ronan’s passionate embrace, Michael wasn’t levelheaded enough to feel frightened. He felt wonderful and he didn’t think to hide it from his father. “Ronan and I are leaving.”
“You and Ronan are what?” Vaughan noticed his son’s untucked shirt and a thought popped into his head, something unacceptable, something that he would not stand for. “I think it’s time you and I talked.”
Maybe more of St. Michael’s courage pulsed through his body or maybe he was just making up for lost time and felt the need to be defiant toward his father—whatever the reason, Michael didn’t back down. “We definitely need to talk, but I don’t think you’re ready to hear what I have to say.”
Who the hell does he think he’s talking to? Doesn’t he know who I am? Vaughan felt the fire rise from the pit of his stomach and scald his throat. “I did not go to all the trouble of bringing you here to lose out to some … to lose out to him!”
“I didn’t know that I was trouble, Dad,” Michael shouted. “I thought I was your son!”
Vaughan reached out to grab Michael by the arm as he stormed off but was sideswiped by some kids who ran onto the dance floor to catch the final chorus of the latest chart topper. He would have raced after his son if someone hadn’t grabbed him by the arm, someone who was a lot stronger than she looked. “Vaughan,” Edwige said, “I know you were once married to an American, but that’s no excuse for acting like one.”
She’s mighty powerful for a tiny woman. “Do you know what’s going on here?”
Edwige pulled Vaughan’s arm around her so he could feel the strength and possibility of her back. “I’m a mother, I know everything. Including the fact that no matter how angry you get, how disappointed, it will not change how our sons feel about each other.”
Her back felt incredibly solid, warm, nothing like Brania’s soft flesh, but enticing nonetheless. Vaughan shook his head. He couldn’t let himself get distracted from the problem he had to solve, or could he? If Michael was anything like him when he was a teenager, there was nothing he could say that would prevent his son from acting on his impulse. No matter how inappropriate and unacceptable that impulse might be. Maybe he should collect his thoughts, figure out a new approach, and in the meantime get to know this woman better. “Maybe you’re right,” Vaughan said. “Maybe I should leave him alone for tonight.”
“That’s my boy. Leave the children to explore and perhaps … perhaps the grown-ups should do the same.” Although Edwige spoke to Vaughan, she didn’t take her eyes off of Ronan. She saw him whisper to Nakano and, despite the blaring music, could hear him tell the boy not to come home tonight. Confident that her son was finally going to satisfy the needs of The Well, Edwige turned her sights back to Vaughan and realized she might be able to have her needs satisfied as well.
As the DJ announced that the last song was about to be played, Nakano knew he had no more time left. He rushed over to Brania, who was standing next to, but not talking with, Ciaran. Not that it mattered who was nearby. Brania was his master, so he didn’t need to speak; he could think his thoughts and she would be able to hear him. Sometimes being a vampire was so efficient.
Michael is sleeping over at Ronan’s tonight. It’ll be the perfect time for me to take him.
No. He doesn’t want us to act just yet.
Why not?! This is what we’ve been waiting for.
Brania sighed loudly. Ciaran knew coming to the festival with her was a mistake, but he didn’t think she was going to do such a poor job appearing interested. Well, one more dance and the whole foolish night would be over anyway. Ignoring Ciaran, Brania looked straight ahead and spoke telepathically to Nakano. I don’t know why He wants us to wait, but if you ever question Him again, I will kill you. Done with both the vampire and the teenager, Brania finally spoke to Ciaran. “Before I die of boredom, I’m leaving. I trust you can find your own way home.”
Ciaran was too shocked to respond, so Nakano spoke for him, “Looks like you’re as successful with the ladies as you are with the boys.”
Looking at the vampire, Ciaran was filled with a mixture of jealousy and disgust, but let the latter emotion shape his words. “At least I had a date this evening, which means you’re an even bigger loser than I am.”
Left alone amid the swirl of noise and activity that signaled the end of the festival, Nakano felt the rage boil within him. Ronan had left him, Brania had turned her back on him yet again, and now this one had insulted him. Did no one know who he was? He deserved better than this, better than watching couples all around him pair off as he, the one who was superior to every single person left in this room, was abandoned, ignored. Well, not for long.
As Alistair watched Nakano walk toward the wall of windows, he thought he was just going outside, near The Forest to take a shortcut back to his dorm. He never thought he was on his way to feed. Still, he felt uneasy.
“Well, Alistair,” Sister Mary Elizabeth said, “another successful festival is about to end.”
He heard her words but ignored them. “Sister?”
“Yes, Alistair?”
“Please pray for me,” the headmaster asked. “Please pray for us all.” Long after the front door closed behind him, Sister Mary Elizabeth tried to make sense of his strange request. She really couldn’t, but as she watched the students dancing the final dance of the night, she did as he had asked.
At the edge of The Forest, just out of the glow cast by the festival lights, just out of reach of the Sister’s prayers, Penry held Imogene in his arms, nervous, still unused to holding something so soft, something that smelled so clean. “I …” A lump caught in Penry’s throat, causing him to swallow hard. “I think I …”
Imogene looked up into her boyfriend’s eyes and she knew what he was trying to say; she also knew that he might not find the will to speak the words out loud, but that was okay. She could tell by the quick beating of his heart and the warmth of his breath that he felt the words and for her that was more than enough. She understood.
“I love you,” Michael gasped. He didn’t mean to say it out loud, but he couldn’t stop himself. He had dreamed about being alone with Ronan like this, naked, scared, yet unashamed, and he knew that it would be exquisite, but it had surpassed his expectations. Ronan was powerful and gentle, quick and slow, and above all, loving. He made Michael feel innocent and worldly all at the same time and he said things to Michael that he never thought another boy would ever whisper to him. And so Michael said the words he felt, the most honest statement he had ever made. “I love you.”
Ronan lifted his head from Michael’s taut stomach, which he was smothering with kisses, and paused. He needed to make sure Michael was speaking coherently and not as a result of the passion being unleashed within him. “Do you mean that?”
Michael pushed the covers away and sat up, wrapping his legs around Ronan, so it was just the two of them, flesh to flesh, and spoke the words again quietly and with confidence. “I love you, Ronan. I know I’m young, but I also know that I’ve loved you since the first day I saw you. I think since before I even
came here.”
I am looking at everything I have ever wanted in another human being. “I love you, Imogene.” Penry was almost as surprised as his girlfriend when the words crashed through the air. But Imogene was more surprised when something sharp slashed through her neck.
Nakano moved so quickly, Penry didn’t see him approach them, and then when he saw him dig his teeth into his girlfriend’s neck, covering her mouth so her screams would be stifled, he didn’t understand what was happening. Nakano was acting like an animal. When he tossed Imogene to the ground, Penry got a better look at his face. He looked like one too.
* * *
Ronan pushed Michael back on the bed, their passion and excitement completely out of control. In between kisses and groans of delight, Ronan declared, “Michael Howard … I am in love with you … and I want you to be mine … forever.”
“Yes,” Michael replied, his voice gruff and constricted with so many emotions, “yes, forever and ever.”
Ronan buried his face in Michael’s neck and felt the warmth of his body penetrate his. He held his life in his hands. All he had to do was let his fangs descend and feast on his heavenly, willing flesh.
His blood tasted heartier than he expected. Penry wasn’t virile or an athlete; physically, he was an average specimen. But oh, his blood was something special. Wave after wave of luscious bright red fluid flooded Nakano’s mouth. He took more than he needed because he could; he could do anything he wanted because the boy in his arms was merely human and Nakano was much, much more.
When the release came, it surprised Michael. He couldn’t believe how thunderous it was, much different from when he was by himself. He clutched Ronan’s back and felt the final waves of passion rip through his body as well. He thought he heard him whimper, but then realized his moans were muffled because his mouth was buried in his neck. Michael twitched when he felt the pinch of Ronan’s teeth, then smiled because he had received his first love bite.
Ronan shifted so his body was directly on top of Michael’s. He was trembling, his face flushed, a bit sweaty, and his eyes were moist. He said exactly what Michael was thinking. “That was beautiful.”
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