The Witch's Brew

by Brenda Cothern

  “Thank you, Lawrence.” Mikael stood from in front of the Hunter.

  The Witch’s Brew family was outraged and everyone attempted to speak at the same time. Mikael held a hand up to quiet them and started across the small room toward Chris. Rita reached him first. The punch she threw hit Chris square in the jaw. It snapped his head to the side and Mikael was sure it would have flattened Chris, even though Rita was smaller, if it hadn’t been for Lawrence controlling Chris’ mind and making him remain motionless.

  “You fucking son of a bitch! Why? What the fuck!” Rita shouted.

  She pulled back to swing again and Adam intervened by catching her wrist. When she began to fight his restraint, Adam wrapped her up in his arms and moved her away from her now former friend.

  “Yes, why is the question, Chris,” Mikael said softly as he approached the human he had trusted.

  “You are all unnatural,” Chris spat out. “Monsters who don’t deserve to walk among the true owners of the world!”

  “Wow, totally indoctrinated.” Travis shook his head.

  “Everyone but Adam, George, and Lawrence, go home. I will see you tonight,” Mikael ordered, but it was clear his family wasn’t happy with being told to leave. Still, they obediently left.

  “Lawrence?” Mikael glanced at his friend after the rest of his family departed.

  “His thoughts are his.” Lawrence shook his head sadly.

  “Stay out of my head you fucking freak!” Chris yelled.

  “Who is Robert to you? Just another Hunter?” Mikael glanced back to the life drinker Hunter.

  “He’s no one,” Chris growled out. “Just another freak like the rest of you!”

  The wince that crossed Robert’s face was just as clear as the hurt that shone from his eyes. Chris was lying and Mikael wanted to know why, so he turned back to Lawrence.

  “Robert is his boyfriend,” Lawrence began. “They’ve been dating since high school; since before Robert was turned.”

  The news that Robert had been turned sometime over the last ten years made Mikael ill. Chris started working at The Witch’s Brew when he was twenty-three. The human was almost twenty-eight. If a life drinker was purposely turning humans against their will to become Hunter’s and had been doing so for at least ten years, they had a larger problem than Mikael had expected.

  “Is your Sire still alive?” Mikael turned his attention back to Robert. The young life drinker remained silent.

  “He disappeared two years ago,” Lawrence informed after plucking the information from Chris’ mind.

  “Where did he go?” Mikael asked without looking away from Robert.

  “They…” Lawrence started, but stopped speaking when Mikael raised his hand.

  “Robert, do you know how damaging a mindbender’s talent can be to a human mind? No?” Mikael wasn’t surprised at the silence that greeted him nor the look of panic laced concern Robert’s eyes shot to Chris. “The longer Lawrence is in Chris’ mind and searching for the answers to my questions, the more brain cells he is frying. The damage can’t be reversed. In fact, it could cause a stroke or turn Chris into a vegetable. Or,” Mikael paused for effect, “kill him outright.”

  “No, please,” Robert finally spoke.

  “Shut up, Robert!”

  “No, Chris. I won’t let them kill you.” Robert looked away from Chris and back to Mikael. All fight had left him. “What do you want to know? I will tell you, just don’t hurt him.”

  “Where did your Sire go?” Mikael asked again.

  “I don’t know. He just stop showing up at the scheduled meetings.”

  “And his name?” Mikael hoped Robert’s answer would be the name of someone he knew. He was disappointed when Robert spoke.

  “Andrew.” Robert glanced at Chris again. “We don’t know his last name.”

  “How many are in the Chicago chapter?”

  “There are six of us, now.” Mikael raised a doubtful brow. “There were more, but the others just stopped coming to meetings after Andrew did.”

  Mikael glanced at Lawrence. “He’s telling the truth,” Lawrence confirmed from reading Chris’ mind.

  “Please stop,” Robert begged. “I won’t lie, but please stop messing in his head.” True fear of what could happen to Chris if Lawrence continued to search his boyfriend’s mind was evident in Robert’s tone.

  “It’s clear you love him,” Mikael observed. “The question now is what to do with you both.”

  “You might as well just kill…,” Chris started, but Robert shouted, “No!” before his boyfriend could finish.

  “That is one option,” Mikael said honestly. “Though not one of the options which I prefer.”

  “What would you prefer?” Robert asked hesitantly as if afraid of the answer.

  “Lawrence can wipe every memory Chris has of the supernatural world, which would include you,” Mikael nodded at Robert and the heartache his words caused was evident in Robert’s eyes.

  “Or?” Robert asked quietly before he realized there was another option. “You can turn him.”

  Mikael didn’t say anything, but instead looked to Chris. The shock on his former family member’s face was evident, but Mikael couldn’t tell if his shock was because of the idea of being turned or the fact his lover suggested such a thing.

  “Chris?” Mikael prompted the human for an answer.

  “Please, Chris. I love you and can’t lose you,” Robert pleaded with his longtime boyfriend. “We could be together forever.”

  Mikael let the silence settle around them and only chanced a glance at Adam to gauge the man’s reaction to Robert’s words. He was sure Adam hadn’t had time to process that he was now practically immortal. However, Adam’s expression didn’t display whatever he thought about the idea of possibly living forever.

  “It must be your choice, Chris.” Mikael finally shifted his attention back to the human he had trusted for several years. “But, I won’t be the one to turn you. Teach you both, yes, but not turn you.”

  Chris didn’t even look at Mikael. He didn’t look at George or Adam either. He only had eyes for Robert whose gaze pleaded with him to choose this option over never knowing their love at all.

  “I can’t live without you, Chris,” Robert whispered as tears began to fall.

  Adam could plainly see Chris’ internal struggle as he collapsed onto Adam’s bed. Adam was sure Chris’ ass planting on the edge of his bed had nothing to do with Lawrence releasing his control on the man. It was clear the two men were deeply in love, just as it was clear Chris was struggling with his decision.

  “You hate what you are,” Chris pointed out softly to Robert.

  “I love you more,” Robert countered.

  Silence settled around the occupants of the room again. Adam had never been in love so he couldn’t relate to what either man was feeling. Still, the decision to become a vampire or lose every memory of a loved one wouldn’t be difficult for him. Love was a rare thing as far as Adam was concerned. So, even as angry as he had been at Mikael for turning him, he knew thatif he was in love that would be his choice.

  “Do it, then,” Chris finally decided and shifted his gaze away from his lover to stare at Mikael.

  “I won’t be the one who turns you,” Mikael reminded. “And it won’t be here.”

  “Okay,” Chris agreed quietly.

  “Lawrence,” Mikael said and knew it would be the last request he would make of the mindbender when it came to Chris. Ensuring Chris went back to his apartment needed to be done.

  Adam saw Lawrence nod and Chris stood. There was no doubt that they were going to return to Mikael’s apartment at The Witch’s Brew. Mikael helped Robert stand and no one stopped the young life drinker from crossing the room and embracing his lover.

  “Chris will ride with George,” Mikael stated. “Lawrence, thank you for your help.”

  “That’s what I am here for, Mikael.” Lawrence smiled and nodded to Mikael before he left the apartment.
r />   Reluctantly, the two lovers broke apart and Chris followed George out of the bedroom then the apartment.

  “Robert, you will ride with us,” Mikael informed.

  “I don’t know how to do this,” Robert admitted when they reached Adam’s shattered apartment door. “Will it hurt him? I don’t want to hurt him.”

  “I will help you,” Mikael assured. “And it won’t hurt him if he is willing.”

  Or already dying, Adam thought, but said nothing as he followed the two vampires out of his apartment.

  ~~~

  Mikael’s apartment still looked like a war zone with its shattered walls, but Adam barely noticed. He was too focused on Mikael and the two lovers who stood in Mikael’s living room. His mind was spinning about what he was about to witness. Mikael’s reassuring hand on his lower back told him that Mikael felt every emotion that currently coursed through him.

  “We will be fine now, George,” Mikael told his head of security. “You should check on Rita.”

  “I am sure you will, but I’ll wait in the office just the same.” George met Mikael’s gaze. “Travis and Randy are with Rita, but I’ll check on them when this is finished.”

  “Very well,” Mikael conceded to George’s desire to make sure he would remain safe.

  Relief flooded the link he shared with Adam, but it didn’t totally erase the trepidation he still felt from the man. Mikael nudged Adam toward his bedroom after telling Chris and Robert that the turning would be more comfortable there.

  Robert inhaled sharply when he stepped into the room and saw the damage. “This is what will happen afterwards?” Robert waved at the human shaped indents in the plaster.

  “No. Chris is willing,” Mikael reassured Robert. “This,” Mikael mimicked Robert’s wave at his damaged walls. “Was a misunderstanding.”

  Adam snorted and ignored the looks both Chris and Robert shot in his direction. “We resolved my misunderstanding.”

  A jolt of arousal from Mikael entered their link and Adam had to clear his throat and smother his lust for the other man. He knew that it was how they resolved his misunderstanding which caused Mikael to flood their link with desire. There would be time to explore more of that later.

  “So, what do I do?” Robert asked nervously. “I don’t remember much from when I was turned.”

  “Lay down, Chris,” Mikael indicated his bed.

  Once Chris had followed his order, Mikael explained not only what Robert should do, but what they should expect. He also told them that sex would help distract them both from thoughts about what Robert was about to do and what Chris was about to become.

  After that, Mikael led Adam from the room. He didn’t stop in his apartment because he wanted to give the young men some privacy. His bedroom door was shattered all to hell, after all. They settled on the couch in Mikael’s office. George must’ve been satisfied that Adam could keep Mikael safe because he only gave them both a nod before leaving. Adam had too much information to process to do anything about the sudden arousal he felt from sitting so close to Mikael.

  ~~~

  Two days later, Adam and the rest of his new family were back to work as if nothing had happened; like Chris’ betrayal wasn’t still affecting them. Chris’ turning was uneventful and Mikael allowed the newly turned vampire to keep his position on their security staff. He also hired Robert. There was so much to learn and Adam wasn’t the only one who needed to be educated about his new existence.

  Robert was learning their existence wasn’t a blight on the human world they all lived in. Chris was adjusting just as well as Adam. The only one who hadn’t forgiven Chris fully was Rita, but she was trying.

  Adam was back on the balcony monitoring the club. It was his favorite zone to work even though it was where he had died. He enjoyed working close to where he knew Mikael was in the club. The low hum of arousal he felt coming through their link didn’t hurt, either.

  Feeling Mikael’s want for him only stroked his own desire for the man. They were going to have to do something about it soon because it was seriously starting to become a distraction for Adam. As if Mikael read his mind, Adam felt the man’s presence even closer than he normally did.

  Mikael once more stood by the door that led to the hall which would take him to his office. He’d only been watching Adam lean against the balcony rail for about a minute before the man turned and looked directly at him. Mikael smiled innocently, but knew Adam would feel that his desire and want was anything but innocent.

  “Rita, relieve Adam.”

  “On my way,” Rita replied.

  Adam heard the exchange in his ear piece and raised an inquiring brow at his boss. The club lights decorated them both in various colors, but Adam didn’t need a solid light on Mikael to see the man. His enhanced vision allowed him to see his boss clearly when the man gestured for him to approach. However, even if his eyes weren’t so sharp now, the feelings Mikael flooded through their link would’ve told him that Mikael wanted him close. Close enough to act on the arousal that now had turned into full-blown lust. It was a lust that fired up Adam’s.

  Mikael had resisted his desire for Adam for two days. Memories of their one time together plagued him and made him mad with hunger for a repeat. He did his best to shield Adam from his lust, but was sure he wasn’t the only one resisting his desire for a repeat. Every time they were close or even made eye contact, he was assaulted with a want that wasn’t his own.

  Adam only waited long enough for Rita to relieve him before he headed toward Mikael. His boss didn’t wait for him before he vanished down the hall toward his office. By the time Adam entered the hall, Mikael had already disappeared. The level of lust he felt in the link ratcheted up and flared his own. He couldn’t reach Mikael’s office fast enough.

  Mikael left his office door open. It was something he never did and knew Adam understood this because the moment the man entered; he closed the door behind him. Mikael barely waited for the door to click shut before he moved. He just couldn’t wait any longer.

  Adam’s back hit the door hard enough that the fucker cracked. But the noise barely registered in his mind when Mikael’s mouth attacked his. He gave as much as Mikael was giving and when the taste of blood entered their kiss, he didn’t balk. Adam knew it was his fangs that had nicked one of them. He just didn’t have control over them yet, but couldn’t seem to care as he became lost in Mikael’s taste.

  Mikael was hungry; hungry not for blood, but hungry with lust. He could feel Adam’s hunger as well and it matched his. This only spurred him on more. Mikael tore at Adam’s clothes. Pushing up the security T-shirt to feel all of the large hard muscles of Adam’s chest before he fumbled with Adam’s jeans. He could feel Adam’s lust climb higher. Not just through their link, but through the man’s jeans as his hard-on was pushing relentlessly against him.

  Adam was just as desperate to feel Mikael’s skin. His hands moved off Mikael’s hips to his shirt. One good yank was all it took to send buttons flying and expose the smooth pale flesh of Mikael’s chest. Adam’s hands covered Mikael’s chest and his fingers, pinky and ring, pinched nipples which caused Mikael to twitch and moan into their kiss. Adam needed more.

  Mikael didn’t even pause when Adam moved them. He’d had the man pressed against the door, but now Adam had him sprawled out on his desk.

  “Need you.” Mikael broke their kiss to pant out. “In me. Now.”

  “Yes.” Adam groaned and took Mikael’s mouth again in another bruising kiss.

  Adam had no idea which one of them managed to get their pants open. Just like he had no idea how he now found Mikael naked from the waist down. All he knew was that he had to be buried in the hot tight heat of his boss. Whether it was his lust and want or Mikael’s through their link didn’t matter when he hitched Mikael’s leg up onto his hip.

  Mikael thrust up. His cock was beyond aching and throbbing, but his need to have Adam in him was greater than even the desire for friction that would grant him relief.
He brought his other knee up and hooked his leg around Adam’s waist to give himself the leverage he needed to thrust his ass toward Adam’s hard cock that was leaking on his thigh.

  Adam’s want was driving him crazy with need. But he wasn’t too consumed to realize he had no wish to hurt Mikael. Fucking without lube would hurt the man. So, when Mikael took his cock in hand to put him in position, Adam forced himself to pull out of their hungry kiss.

  “Lube,” Adam panted desperately against Mikael’s now bloody lips.

  “I’ll heal,” was all Mikael offered before he pushed his ass onto Adam’s hard cock.

  “Fuck,” Adam grunted and froze.

  It didn’t matter that Adam became as still as a statue. Mikael didn’t care as he used his legs to push himself further on to Adam’s cock. The sensation of being stretched, that painful pleasure, only spurred him on. Only made him want to feel more.

  Adam pushed up from where he was leaning over Mikael’s spread out body on his boss’ desk. He stood upright, hands on Mikael’s hips, but just resting there and looked down to where they were joined.

  The pressure on his hips and ass from his boss urging him to move forward barely registered as he watched Mikael force his cock deeper. It was that sight that set Adam’s control loose. His hands tightened on Mikael’s naked hips and he thrust forward harshly.

  The noise that escaped Mikael’s throat when Adam pushed forward was a cross between a whimper and a scream. He no longer had to encourage the man to bury himself deep. Adam thrust wildly into him and Mikael was sure this was what heaven felt like. He met every one of Adam’s thrusts with one of his own and his orgasm caught him totally off guard.

  Seeing the ecstasy on Mikael’s beautiful face only moments before the white ropes of his orgasm decorated his chest and abs was all it took for Adam to join the man in orgasmic bliss. Adam fell forward while his hips still plunged erratically. He was panting too hard to kiss. Too hard to even sink his fangs into Mikael and taste the deliciousness from only a few days ago.