by Mandy Rosko
“You returned to me with excuses,” Wiktor screamed, “hoping to ignore your duty! And look what has befallen my good friend.”
Lord Veturious spoke as though he thought Jackson had allowed Seth to escape on purpose, and that he thought, perhaps, that Jackson had even aided Seth in doing just that. He’d voiced the accusation to Jackson earlier, and he’d foolishly laughed in his master’s face at the ridiculousness of it.
Jackson had nothing to laugh about now. Nothing was amusing anymore. He wanted to die.
“Kill him,” Winchester said, narrowing the one eye he could open with anger and disgust. “He failed as leader, and this happened. Kill him now.”
Jackson waited for it. He wished he was able to look into Wiktor’s eyes, defiant to the last, but there was nothing left for him to give. He only hoped the next alpha would be able to better see to the pack, and protect the servants in what small ways they could.
“No.”
Jackson’s eyes snapped open wide. He wasn’t facing his master, head turned down, so neither vampire noticed.
“No?” Watching their feet, Jackson saw the injured doctor march up to Lord Veturious, heard the soft jabbing of a finger into a chest.
“That worthless fleabag…he is the reason I have been deformed! And you! You should have sold Sampson to me when I asked for him, and none of this would have happened in the first place!”
Maybe Jackson had a little more life in him than he thought he did, because he couldn’t help but think, and quirk his lips over, the fact that it wasn’t Jackson’s fault Winchester got his ass handed to him, or even that Seth had escaped in the first place. It was Winchester’s for being an utter pussy. The vampire didn’t know how to defend himself, even with all of his strengths, and he was a coward.
“Proper werewolf care requires that their packs have an alpha to lead them,” Wiktor said. Jackson could just picture him sneering at the taller vampire. “I can do nothing permanent until his pack has accepted that he is not qualified to lead and chooses a new one.”
“For the love of— Force them to choose a new alpha now.”
Now Jackson did take the time to look up. Winchester pointed his hand toward the men stationed at each angle of the pool, and the door.
Werewolves, all in human form, in their professional black suits and sunglasses, even in a room with dimmed lights and tinted windows.
They were also part of Jackson’s pack. Each werewolf under Wiktor’s employ was. There couldn’t be two packs under the same roof without both head alphas going at each other’s throats. Made for hired help that couldn’t be counted on.
The face Jackson found first was Joey’s. The kid stood as tall and imposing as every other guard in the echoing room, but Jackson could feel the poor guy’s unease as he watched the show. Every werewolf in the room knew that, had it not been for Jackson’s decision, Joey would’ve easily been strapped in a chair next to him.
As the head alpha, Jackson would’ve been punished anyway. No point in dragging anyone else down with him.
“All of you,” Winchester called. “Pick a new alpha, now!”
Wiktor clenched his jaw, a visible sign that the man was fighting to keep from revealing his fangs. “I can see why you have such trouble with your guard dogs. They will decide, and soon. Their nature will not allow them to keep Jackson as their leader after witnessing his punishments, but for now ’tis impossible.”
Winchester seethed.
“You shall have his head, I give you my word on that, friend, but for the moment…” Wiktor snapped his fingers and Joey and Damon stepped forward. “Unchain him and bring him into the basement. You are all to have a new leader chosen in forty-eight hours, and until then, I want sentries out on patrol. I want someone to track Sampson’s scent and I want it done now.”
He and Winchester turned their backs and walked away, like kings standing amongst servants, which was almost true.
Damon and Joey could barely touch the silver manacles that held Jackson in place, but they were as gentle as they could be as they worked to release him.
“I’m sorry,” Joey said when Veturious and Winchester were out of the pool room. His chin trembled slightly, and had it not been for the sunglasses masking his eyes, Jackson knew he would see that puppy dog look that would get the kid thrown into the servants’ den with all the other waiters and butlers and sex slaves.
No. Joey was no hunter material by any stretch of the imagination, omega that he was, big omega, but Jackson wasn’t about to—he would be damned before he let the kid’s body get sold to rich, heartless humans who thought that fucking a werewolf meant they were walking on the wild side.
He’d seen what it had done to Seth. It wouldn’t happen to the kid.
Jackson glared at him. He had to summon all of his strength just to speak. “Get whatever sorry-ass thoughts inside your head out…You can’t afford to let them see you weak.”
Joey— Joe, Jackson had to tell himself, call him Joe— cleared his throat and nodded, his neck tight, and though he was no less gentle, he worked faster to take the silver off of Jackson. He and Damon hefted Jackson between them, each putting an arm around their shoulders.
“You need to pick a new alpha,” Jackson said. “Start the trial fights. Damon, you can—”
“Shh, sir. We’ll handle it,” Damon said, scarred hands gripping Jackson a little tighter. “Get your rest.”
Jackson would growl over being told what to do later. Right now he would rest, despite the unbelievably stupid fact that the only reason he would be resting was to be strong enough for his own execution.
* * * *
Seth ignored the giant bathtub and ran a hot shower in the separate stall. It was such a girlish thing to have, a separate tub, but he still couldn’t help eyeing it as he walked out and toweled off.
Whatever, he’d have a bath later, once he got out of the state with Sammy and was able to relax. Hell, he’d buy a frickin’ hot tub just to celebrate. He spent more than an hour in that shower stall, yet the water had never run cold. Seth was sorely tempted to get back under the spray.
He pulled out a brand new toothbrush instead and spent the next ten minutes brushing his teeth, flossing, and gurgling back mouthwash, loving the feel of it. There were no electric razors, or even the old fashioned kind, but Seth never managed to grow a beard, so it was a non-issue. He found some cologne and hair gel instead.
He never thought he was a vain guy, but he wanted to go all out.
Especially since this all looked like prime stuff he was using. And this was just for the guest bathroom. When done, completely satisfied of his work, he went back to his room and sat on the edge of the enormous bed. Seriously, it was huge considering this was only a guest room.
Only the best for a vampire lord.
Ben had grinned like he’d stolen from the cookie jar when he’d sucked back on Seth’s neck. I was curious to see if that worked, he’d said.
Seth was curious about something, too.
He leaned back, throwing the towel away, and spreading his legs slightly. He was hard. The vampire dream hadn’t been enough to quench a year’s worth of pent-up frustration, and he wanted to see if he could do better while they were both wide awake.
Seth put the mental image of Ben between his knees, sucking his cock. He tried to imagine the look of his mouth wrapped around his shaft, his dark hair as he bobbed his head, Seth’s fingers gripping the strands.
He really hoped this was working and he was calling to Ben and not just sitting there with a grin on his face and his erection pointing up at him.
God. Even just thinking it made him...
He gripped himself, he had to. The fantasy was too good, and he was getting the painful case of blue balls doing all this imagining, and though it wouldn’t be nearly as fun if this calling thing didn’t work, it would satisfy for the moment.
The second door inside the bathroom slammed, and Seth jumped, grinning as he heard stomping footsteps on the ti
le before the other door leading into Seth’s room burst open. There he was, filling the entire frame. His shoulders were bare, he’d taken his shirt off, and on his feet he wore no shoes and no socks. His black pants were undone and rumpled, as though he’d thrown them on in his haste to get here.
Man must’ve slept naked, because Seth couldn’t make out any hint of boxers or briefs beneath the jeans.
Ben did not look pleased. “I was sleeping,” he gritted through clenched teeth.
Seth let his eyes fall to the place between Ben’s legs. A smart-ass remark sat on the tip of his tongue at the bulge there, but he kept it to himself. “I gave you more than an hour.”
Ben stared at him, hard, along his jaw and down to his hips. Seth’s dick was still in his hands, and now there was no doubt in his mind that Ben had heard his summons, that he had seen the images that Seth wanted him to see.
“You a Nymph or something?”
Seth stopped stroking himself. “You mean nympho?”
“Almost the same. We only just unchained you, someone wants to kill you, and my friends, but all you can seem to think about is fucking. Were you a Nymph before you were transformed?”
Ben repeated that last bit slowly, as though Seth were some kind of an idiot, which, maybe he was. A Nymph? Seriously? He’d thought he’d hit the jackpot when he found out that vampires existed and immortality could be gained, and then the werewolf thing nearly made him pass out. It took a long while to convince him there was such thing as sun sprites, and now Nymphs?
It kind of irked him how the other man was able to show so much restraint, even while contemplating that Seth might be of a species that apparently did little but procreate. “You didn’t mind my behavior last night. If you try to say it was because of the dream space, I’ll fucking clock you,” he said when Ben opened his mouth to protest.
The shocked expression on Ben’s face lasted for a hair of a second before a daring smile spread over his face. “I could take you.”
“Prove it, get over here.”
Ben still did not move at his command. “Seriously, no one can still be that horny.”
At least it was a compliment.
Seth looked again at Ben’s crotch, this time being more obvious about it. The man blushed and shifted, and holy fuck did that blush ever smell sweet. He doubted a man, even one as big as Ben, could take being fed from much more, but Seth still ached for a taste of his blood. It was humming with desire, practically calling Seth’s name even though he wasn’t thirsty for it.
Ben still wasn’t coming toward him.
“Fine,” he said. “If you’re really so curious, I’m not a Nymph and never was. You want to fuck me and I want to fuck you. And considering I haven’t been laid in a year, we could be lying in a minefield somewhere and I’d still be trying to make a play for it. Satisfied?”
Ben cocked his head, thinking over what Seth had just said, and then he said, “All right.”
He was over to the bed in two long strides, pushing Seth back into the fluffy quilts. His body was heavy and hot and holy fuck that mouth was back on his neck.
Seth opened his mouth and released a low moan. Fireworks, honest to God, red, blue, and every other neon fizzy color exploded behind his eyes. He nearly came.
Not a good way to go. It took all of Seth’s will power to pry Ben off his neck and push him down. Luckily Ben was the kind of person who went with the flow. He went down easy, sliding back off the bed and onto his knees, pulling Seth down until his legs hung comfortably over the edge.
He spread himself wider, propping himself onto his elbows to watch as his cock disappeared between those pretty pink lips. His eyes rolled and he collapsed onto his back.
“Oh, fuck. That’s nice.” It had been way too long.
Ben kept his pace slow and steady, bobbing his head in a fluid motion, his tongue swirling around the head as he came back up before going down to the base once more. His mouth wasn’t even working overtime. It was just a nice, slow, and steady torture.
Seth propped his leg over Ben’s shoulder and just continued to enjoy the ride, his hips lifting and falling to get more of that ball-tightening sizzle. The pulsing building of pleasure that spread from his cock and balls to his stomach and legs and up his chest before leaving his mouth in breathy sighs.
Ben pulled his mouth away entirely too soon, his voice raspy from the recent throat work. “Oh, baby, I want to fuck you.”
Seth’s eyes flew open. Ben likely hadn’t meant that in the sense that Seth hoped he did.
But then his mouth was sucking back hard on Seth’s prick like it was a Popsicle, and all thought left his mind.
Again, it didn’t last. Ben’s hands gripped Seth’s thighs and roamed up and down his skin, then around to his ass, gripping, massaging. It felt good in that same relaxing way as the blow job for the split second it took before Ben’s fingers teased around Seth’s hole.
He pulled his leg off of Ben’s shoulder and sat up. The abrupt movement had Ben in turn pulling his mouth away from Seth’s dick with a sudden pop.
“What are you—” Ben didn’t get the chance to finish as Seth pushed him to the ground, putting his body on top of Ben’s, pinning him and wiggling his hand between their legs and beneath the open pair of jeans. He made a grab for Ben’s cock, and the other man bit his lips together to suppress his pleasured moan, banging his head back into the carpet.
“Don’t move a muscle,” Seth commanded, gripping Ben’s engorged penis tighter as if to emphasize the order.
“What the fuck?” Ben demanded as Seth got up off him, all but jogging his naked ass back into the bathroom, searching through drawers and in the medicine cabinet until he found— yes!
“What are you doing?” Ben hadn’t moved, but from his position on the floor, his head was turned up as far as it could go to see what Seth was up to. He looked pretty amusing.
Seth waved around the bottle in his hand, and Ben grinned.
“Easy to forget about that after last time.”
Seth nodded. “We’ll have to try it again.”
It wasn’t lube, but it was hard to imagine the owners of this house would keep it stocked in rooms they didn’t use, even for people who put every other luxury in every room. For a vampire, however, keeping bottles of sunscreen in every bathroom wasn’t uncommon.
Seth knew that much about his new race. They could definitely use this.
“Get those jeans off and get on your hands and knees,” Seth ordered, coming back into the room and getting on his own knees down next to Ben. He winced as his knee throbbed with the new position.
“Thought you didn’t want me to move.”
Smart-ass. “Whatever. Just try and keep a little quieter this time. There’s another vampire here, and I don’t want him hearing this.”
Ben looked at him hard for a moment, green eyes intense and searching before he sat up. Seth didn’t move as one of Ben’s large hands cradled the back of his neck. “We’re going to do this, but next time, if you want there to be a next time, you’re getting on your knees for me.”
Seth shivered, and not entirely in a good way.
Fuck.
Chapter Ten
Ben wasn’t the kind of man who would make demands on a rape victim. The knowledge of what had happened to Seth should have made Ben self-conscious about his every action. Would saying something like that set off an emotional roller coaster? Bring back harsh memories? Cause the lover in question to blow up on him, and, in this case, become violent?
That last one was especially a concern, considering Ben had made it his business to guard this house and the people who lived here.
There was too much room for error, which was why Ben tended to stick it out with the confident ones, or at least, the ones who’d appeared confident. It had been one of the things that had attracted him to Cedric.
Maybe it was because Seth was still so sure of himself, still walked tall and didn’t cower at Ben’s touch that made him want the ot
her man despite what must be a truckload of emotional baggage.
Whatever it was, Ben couldn’t keep his distance.
Despite that, if Seth wanted him as much as he said he did, then some ground rules needed to be set. Ben enjoyed being in control of the situation as much as the next guy, and there were only so many times he could put his back to Seth and let his guard down to hand his ass over. Seth was a man he still didn’t know much of except for a terrible recent history that would fuck up the mind of even the strongest individual.
“All right,” Seth said.
The alarm in Ben’s head went apeshit. Too easy. That was way too easy. Something about that wasn’t right, but Ben wasn’t about to push it and have a heart-to-heart while his cock throbbed between them.
He nodded, turned, and got to his hands and knees instead. “If you even think about attacking me while I’m like this—”
“I get it, I get it. I won’t get far before you chase me down, right?”
Ben smirked. “I was going to say that you wouldn’t get beyond the thinking stage of any plans you might be coming up with. If I so much as get the vibe that you’re going to plow your fist into my head, I’ll teleport you into the sunlight outside.”
With Seth’s hands on Ben’s hips, he could feel the way the other man shivered at his threat.
Seth cleared his throat. “Got it.”
Ben sensed Seth’s approach behind him, and he heard the pop of the sunscreen cap coming off. He could just see Seth in his mind’s eye, lathering that lotion on his fingers, shifting closer, readying his hand and—
Ben’s body instinctively clenched up at the intrusion, his muscles attempting to push out Seth’s fingers, which only made it easier for the other man to slide them inside. Ben grunted. It wasn’t like he was still ready to take in the intruding digits. Technically, what had happened last night didn’t happen at all, even though Ben had awoken from his daydream, whatever it was, and needed to get into the bathroom fast before Cedric could see the wet splotch in his pants.
