The Vampire King: A Love Story

by B. A. Stretke

  “I enjoy the peace, the calm, and the beauty of flowers. Working in here relaxes my mind calms my thoughts.” Arman moved his hand up Liam’s back and rested it on his shoulder. Liam dropped his head to the side, brushing it with his cheek, and what a lovely response that was. Arman smiled, satisfied, and also eager for so much more.

  He watched as Liam slowly traveled the room and admired his collection, taking pictures and asking questions. It was a camaraderie that he hadn’t expected. The shared interest was definitely a bonus in his objective of fostering a bond between them.

  “I’ll keep your address private when I present these pictures to the Society. I’m sure you don’t want random enthusiasts stopping by.” Liam said as he took a few more pictures with his phone. He was such a considerate gentleman, but there was no danger of anyone stopping by. Liam was the only one able to see the mansion, Fate had deemed it so, but that was knowledge for another day.

  They talked for a while longer once Liam had his photos and came back to stand with Arman. He was curious about so many things, some questions Arman could answer, some he could not. Magic played a big role in much of what took place in the conservatory, so Arman was vague, and thankfully Liam accepted it as simply a gardener keeping his secrets.

  “Come, and I’ll show you to your room.” Arman again wrapped his arm around Liam’s waist and led him from the conservatory and out into the expansive hallway that connected the conservatory to the main house.

  …

  Liam was so pleased with the photos he’d been allowed to take. Most people guarded their plants and flowers and wouldn’t allow outsiders to take pictures or even accept the promise to keep the address secret. Arman was amiable and generous in every way, more than Liam would have thought. The man obviously was used to more polished companions yet treated Liam with kindness and thoughtfulness.

  He didn’t miss the arm that wrapped around him or the hand that rested on his hip, but it didn’t feel presumptuous or weird. The touch was easy and open, with no demands and no pressure. Although Liam doubted that he’d deny this man anything, he asked as the heat between them seem to be growing.

  They arrived much too soon at their destination. The staircase was a gorgeous example of Victorian architecture and design and possessed the short rise that was common in regal old homes. Made the climb so much easier to the second floor. The room he was directed to was down another hallway located to the left of the grand staircase.

  Arman opened the door and switched on the light showing a large room of bright color. It looked fresh and ready for occupancy. “I hope you will be comfortable here,” Arman commented as they stepped into the room that was a picture of classic Victorian design.

  “This is a lovely room,” Liam assured. “Thank you again for taking me in.” He added as he turned to look up at his host.

  “You’re very welcome,” Arman answered while looking down at Liam with those beautiful dark golden brown eyes. Liam had never seen eyes so deep and expressive. For just a second, as they stood there together, Liam thought that Arman might kiss him. It was there in his eyes, and his touch and the pause gave Liam hope, but, in the end, Arman simply released him and took a step back.

  “Good night Liam.” He said and hesitated for just a beat before leaving the room and closing the door.

  “Good night,” Liam responded softly to the closed door. Was he mistaken? It was so close he knew that it was but nothing. The vibe was one of interest, and the contact spoke of intent, yet nothing, not even a kiss. Maybe the guy liked to tease people get them all hot and bothered even if he had no desire to follow through.

  Liam walked over to the large expanse of bed and sat down; pulling out his phone, he tried to get a signal. Still, no service wasn’t a surprise considering how deep he was into the bush and the storm's severity outside. He wondered if anyone would notice him missing. Perhaps Sharon if she bothered to try and reach him by phone, but he doubted she would.

  He lived alone in one half of a duplex and never got to know the couple next door. His family was not close and scattered across the country, so he would have to be missing for months before one of them would notice. He had a couple of friends, but they didn’t talk every day, so he would have to be missing for some time before raising any concern.

  The Iris Guild would follow up on him simply because they wanted information on the golden iris, not for any concern for his health or welfare. But it was better than nothing. He smiled at his crazy thoughts because his life was of his own making. He didn’t like being responsible to people, so he had kept his social life to a minimum. He liked it this way and falling off the map and nobody noticing was just an unfortunate aspect of the life he liked to lead.

  He turned out the overhead light and switched on the lamp by the side of the bed before stripping down to his boxers and getting comfortable in the softness of the comforter and pillows. This was a fabulous bed so much nicer than the concrete slab he slept on every night. It wasn’t long before he turned off the lamp and fell into a deep sleep with a tall, handsome stranger dominating his dreams.

  …

  Arman was kicking himself for not going in for the kiss. His heart was pushing him, but his mind interfered with doubts causing him to step back. The disappointment on Liam’s face nearly had him grabbing the young man and kissing him senseless, but the time had passed. His opportunity vanished as soon as he stepped back, making it look as if he weren’t interested. He would have to repair that impression as soon as possible.

  He’d never courted anyone like Liam before, and he was finding that it wasn’t easy. To pursue and to persuade was his focus and his head would not get in the way again. Instinct was important, and he would take heed from henceforward. In the past, as master and leader, he had no difficulty currying favor with whoever caught his eye. It was easy because it was temporary, and he wasn’t looking for a relationship per se.

  For the past eight hundred years, Arman had waited for his beloved, always leaving any relationship that seemed to be getting too intimate for fear that it would interfere with his destiny. He never had to work at getting someone because he never cared if the relationship faltered and died, but now it was all different. Liam was his life, the gift he waited for, and ultimately thought it was lost to him but now lay in his guestroom asleep, sweetness and light radiating within him.

  Arman sat back in his chair and closed his eyes, reaching out to his beloved, feeling the fullness of his presence and luxuriating in his warmth and character. The man was pure of heart and mind, a feature Arman had rarely encountered when dealing with others, especially humans. Liam was serious and intelligent but possessed a wonder of the world, something usually lost in childhood. Liam was a marvel, and Arman was eager to get to know him on every level and introduce him to the impossible and the magical.

  He flexed fingers on his right hand several times, feeling the rush of energy flowing and the power of his dormant magics waking and feeding from the power that Liam had instilled. His vampire was reacting to the presence of his beloved. No vampire could exist forever without their beloved.

  He’d managed for so many centuries simply because of his innate power and magic, but even he could not go on forever. Most vampires began to fade after a few centuries if their other half was not found. Arman had managed over eight hundred years, but the last hundred had been rough, very rough. If it hadn’t been for Russel and Esmee, his heart would have extinguished by now. They held out the hope for a future, a future that was made manifest today in Liam Gabriel.

  He was pulled from his thoughts by a knock at his door. “Come in.” He said and stood up, turning towards the door. Esmee and Russel walked in together with matching expressions of hope.

  “It’s him,” Esmee stated but also waited for confirmation.

  “It is,” Arman answered swiftly. “Liam Gabriel is my beloved. At long last, he has arrived.”

  “Fate, what a fickle bitch she is,” Russel said as he placed his hands
on his hips. “She makes you wait until near death with the jackals howling at your door, and then she sends you relief and not a moment too soon.” He shook his head, and Arman smiled at his friend.

  “Let us not look a gift horse in the mouth.” He quipped.

  “Better late than never, I say.” Esmee joined in.

  “Yes, and now I have to convince the young man that he belongs here with me and that his life has been cosmically intertwined with mine. I don’t know if he is familiar with our kind or if the paranormal will be a particularly difficult hurdle for him.” Arman took a deep breath and considered all that lay ahead to convince this man to stay.

  “He’s your beloved Arman. He will need you just as much as you need him. He’s human, but Fate’s pull cannot be denied.” Esmee reminded in the firmest tone he’d heard her use in a long time. The feelings of the inevitable had fallen away, and they were all eager to see life return to the Grande Belle Maison.

  …

  Liam was in the thralls of one of the best, most lustful dreams of his life, staring Arman Rainier when something outside the dream startled him. With a sudden jerk, he came awake, shaking off the fantasy and sitting up. What was it? Was it part of the dream? The room was silent now, but he was certain something was there. Someone had spoken to him. Reaching over to the side table, he clicked on the lamp. It gave a soft subtle glow to the room, enough to see every corner. He was alone; no one was there.

  Had someone called to him? He couldn’t remember exactly what it was that woke him. A noise loud enough that it penetrated his sleep, but what was it? Liam threw back the comforter, got out of bed, needed to use the bathroom, and thought that perhaps he should have locked his door before going to sleep.

  He walked over to the door first and saw that it was already locked. Arman must have locked it on his way out. Looking carefully about the room, he saw nothing that could explain what had woken him. After finishing in the bathroom, Liam made his way back to the bed, sat on the edge, and just listened. Liam was about to turn out the lamp and go back to sleep when he again heard something.

  It was outside his door but was easily heard. Liam stepped closer to the door and listened. There it was again, and it sounded like a voice calling his name. If someone in the household wanted him, why would they try to contact him in such a manner? They would simply knock on his door, but there was no knock, just a now faint voice saying his name over and over.

  Apprehensive at first, he stood by the door motionless and waited, and gradually the curiosity overtook his usual caution. Unlocking the door and opening it, he took a tentative look out into the hallway but did not yet leave the room. He saw nothing but the dark hallway illuminated by the frequent lightning flashes and heard nothing but the crashing of thunder. The storm was still raging, but the house was quiet, dead quiet.

  The voice beckoned him onward, leaving his room and walking slowly down the dark hall. Quickly glancing around, Liam saw no signs of anyone nearby. He had a fleeting thought that he should return to his room and put the disembodied voice out of his mind. The marshes and bayous of Louisiana held a level of strangeness unlike other areas, and the voice was probably best left unheeded.

  Liam began to turn around, intent on returning to his room, when the voice grew louder and more insistent. That should have been a sign to run back and lock his door, but instead, he pushed forward one step at a time, hyper-alert. A part of him was worried that there was someone actually in distress.

  A large room opened up to his left, and he took a tentative step through the ornate archway. Before him was a room filled with antiques. History dripped from its polished woods and aging tapestries. A wall of windows floor to ceiling consisting of innumerable small pains of aged glass called him forward. It looked out from the second floor onto a ragged stone terrace below surrounded by the encroaching forest.

  He felt mesmerized by the light flashing, and the wind whipping the branches and leaves. It was wild and yet beautiful in its unrestrained, chaotic fashion. The trees parted, and a figure began to emerge from the forest of darkness.

  It was misty white elongated like a person moving forward on the current of air, not walking, just approaching floating arms outstretched and a face of stark white terror. Liam could not tear his eyes away. Although not from the entity directly, the mouth moved, and the voice touched him. The sound echoed in his ears and in the dark room, penetrating the aged glass as the form moved ever closer.

  He wanted to turn and run but felt nailed to the spot needing to keep his gaze on this thing. It was warning him, telling him to go to get away before he was trapped forever. It came rushing at the window, and Liam startled gasp for air, and jumped back as it slammed against the panes yelling for Liam to run.

  Liam turned and ran from the room, running full-on into a solid form that grabbed him and held him fast. He struggled for freedom, terrified by what he’d seen and heard. His mind was splintering as a blind panic overtook him.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Arman had dressed for bed in a pair of silk pajama bottoms and stretched out on his bed to rest. But his mind was so far from sleep, filled with hopes and fear and the unknown. He wanted to rest and be ready for his beloved when he woke in the morning, but only a fitful relaxation was achievable. Thoughts of his beautiful beloved but a few doors away asleep kept him keenly aware of his needs and desires.

  Liam was a true beauty. Arman had always preferred the human species when it came to lovers and donors. Their warmth and depth intrigued and excited him, knowing how everything said and done was felt to their core. Finding that his beloved, whom he waited a lifetime to meet, was human, male, and gorgeous lit a fire in his soul that burned hot and expectant.

  He reached out again, touching his beloved’s mind not as intimate as he would be able to when they were bonded, but even now, he had the ability to roam the edges of Liam’s thoughts and emotions. It was not what he expected when he touched Liam’s mind. Instead of sleepy dreams, he was hit with an uneasiness that concerned him. Liam was not asleep. He was awake and worried.

  Arman quickly sat up and focused on Liam’s emotions. He sensed that the young man had left his room and was presently wandering the halls confused and distressed. Arman immediately headed for his door, determined to find Liam and calm whatever had caused this upset.

  Everything had been going fine; what possibly could have happened to put him in such a state? He rushed down the hall, and when he rounded the corner into the great hall, he saw what had upset his beloved; it was Celeste. He had thought that the presence of his beloved would be enough to drive her and her kind away but apparently not.

  He saw her slam the window terrifying his beloved. He raised his hand, forcing her energy back and away from the building, making her cower in his presence. She was still weaker than he, even with her hoard of underlings juicing her power.

  She wanted Arman’s power. She laid in wait for the end so as to lay claim to Arman’s magic. But that story has been revised now that Liam has arrived. Her only option now would be to scare Liam away and disrupt their bond. It was a terrible thought and a genuine threat.

  In his terror, Liam ran into Arman as he tried to get away, and Arman wrapped his arms around him, pulling him up tight to his body, holding Liam safe and secure as he continued to shake with fear.

  “What the hell was that?” He stammered and put his arms around Arman, holding him as if he saw Arman as his protector, which he was. Arman was delighted in the reaction but saddened by the fact his beloved had been so frightened.

  “What did you see?” Arman played it safe, leaving it to Liam to describe his experience and see how he processes the event. Liam laid his cheek against Arman’s bare chest, and Arman raised his right hand to thread his fingers through the soft blonde hair. He also dropped a kiss to the top of his head in an offer of support and comfort but mostly because he needed to kiss his beloved.

  “I’m not sure. It was crazy. I heard something, it woke me up and I came
out into the hall and followed the sound. It was calling my name, I think. It wasn’t very clear.” Liam was struggling to explain but also trying not to sound ridiculous. He doubted his observation. “It might have been just part of an overactive imagination. I thought I saw a figure coming at me out of the storm. It scared the shit out of me.” He was more open with his speech as he snuggled closer to Arman.

  The feel of Liam’s bare skin pressed so hot and wantonly against Arman’s was a dream come true. He was wearing only a pair of snug boxers that covered very little, and Arman ached to drop his hand and caress that luscious ass so round and firm and to feel that firmness in the palm of his hand.

  “The marsh can be strange at night and especially during a storm. The play of light and darkness can be very disorienting.” Arman attempted to soothe Liam’s frantic thoughts. His fear was subsiding, but his agitation was still present. He continued to hold onto him, demonstrating his mood, and Arman had no complaints whatsoever. He would gladly stand there and hold this beautiful man all night if need be.

  “I should have shown you my room so that if something came up in the night, you could have come to me; I’m sorry, my love,” Arman spoke softly and pulled Liam closer to him, wrapping him in his love and protection.

  “You smell so good.” The words came out, and then Liam stiffened as if suddenly realizing what he’d just admitted. Arman quickly reciprocated.

  “You smell good too, my love. Like summer rain and wildflowers.” Arman dropped another kiss to the top of Liam’s head but was more obvious about it this time. Liam did not resist and continued to hold him close.

  Without further conversation, Arman shifted his hold slightly so as to urge Liam to walk with him. He held him tight to his side, and Liam maintained his grip as well. Arman directed him back down the hallway a few yards and then stopped.