RW1 Ravyn's blood (22 page)

“So do you love him?” Allasandro asked gently as the other boys dropped off into a deep, healing sleep. Even Salvatore snoozed toward the middle of the pack. Dageus smiled and touched the twin set of fang marks on his neck. Allasandro gave a knowing chuckle. “I see you have it bad.”

Dageus nodded. “I’ve waited my whole life to be able to be with him, and now the moment is right here.” He touched his chest as his heart fluttered at the thought. “I’m scared, terrified that I’m pushing too hard or being too needy. I don’t understand my needs, but he does. He made me his Bride.” He blushed at that statement. Allasandro erupted into hysterical fits of laughter. Dageus glared.

“He made you his Bride? I knew you were the bitch, but I never expected you to admit it so freely!” Ally joked, going into uncontrollable fits.

“The term Bride doesn’t specify gender. It’s the same as a shifter’s mate. It’s just the vampire term for it,” Dageus grumped. Allasandro continued to giggle. “You’re such an asshole!” Dageus hissed, shoving against Ally’s arm. “The next time you’re in trouble I’m leavin’ your ass for Desmond’s cronies.” He rolled over with a huff and tried to fade into sleep.

A few moments later, Allasandro’s groggy voice broke the silence. “I hope you’re happy with him, my brother.” Dageus smiled at the encouragement. Everything was going to be all right. There was only more thing he needed to make his life complete, and he’d get it just as soon as the sun went down.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

“What do you mean they failed? They had four out of five Ravyns imprisoned! Are you honestly telling me they all fell under the sword of one bloody Ravyn?” Desmond growled, smashing his fist down on the arm of his throne. The demon at his feet whimpered his apology.

“No more excuses!” Desmond snapped, using his power to twist the skin off the demon in front of him. “Send my elite in. My Doves will destroy those Ravyns without difficulty. They’ll be running scared, especially after being weakened from the battle. Take them out.
Now
.” The Doves were Desmond’s equivalent to Salvatore’s Ravyns. They were elite warriors only matched by Salvatore’s demon guardians. A female demon whose name Desmond did not recall stepped forward.

“I have news for my lord if he cares to hear it,” she said formally, bowing from the waist and flashing her rather-expansive cleavage for Desmond’s benefit.

“Speak,” he commanded.

She smiled at him and flashed a bit of fang. “The youngest of the Ravyns, Dageus, is mated to a vampire. I got word just today that Master Alex has made him his Bride. If I know anything about vampires, it is that within the first two weeks they are wed they must feed from their Brides frequently. That will weaken the Ravyn considerably. Let them grow comfortable for a few days. Let the Master weaken him for us. Then sweep in, take the Ravyn, and destroy their power. Kill Salvatore. It’s an opportunity that we can’t afford to pass up.” Desmond smiled at the viciousness of this new vixen. He made his decision instantly.

“Done.”

Chapter Forty

An inexplicable pull roused Dageus out of the bed he’d shared with his brothers in the early hours of the evening. He sometimes crashed with them instead of his lover because of how late their practice sessions ran or if he was on the last night shift watching Salvatore. It was barely seven, and he found himself winding his way through Alex’s extensive mansion. Dageus had wanted to spend just a little more time with his brothers before he sought Alex out. But, he didn’t want to wait. Couldn’t wait. He felt the vampire’s need. The door to the Master’s chambers swung open, and he all but raced inside. Alex reclined on the bed, his long hair splayed on his pillow like a fan.

“Come here,” Alex commanded. The silk pajama pants Alex had worn to bed were the only article of clothing that he had on. He was hard and straining against their silken confines. Dageus knew what he wanted, and he desperately wanted to please him.

“You hungry?” he asked cheekily, seeing Alex’s fangs elongate as he grew closer. He ditched his pants and shirt and approached the bed.

“Always,” Alex replied. Dageus climbed into the bed and spread his legs like a virgin sacrifice. Alex twisted his body so that he came to rest between those spread thighs. Dageus gasped as he began placing kisses along his inner thigh.

“Alex. Take what you need,” Dageus demanded. With a grin, Alex unerringly found the vein that ran the length of his thigh and sank his fangs to the hilt.

Dageus jackknifed in pleasure, grabbing Alex’s silken hair and urging him on. It was always like this when he fed. The pleasure and the pain mingled in his mind, chasing away any doubt he might’ve had about letting a vampire consume his life’s essence.

“More,” Dageus begged, feeling the pull on his thigh as his heart began to pound to keep up with the blood loss. His head was swimming, but he felt like he was on the brink of orgasm without ever being touched. He let his head loll back against the mountain of pillows. God, it felt so good.

Alex pulled back reluctantly from his meal. Dageus’s heart was stuttering with effort to continue beating. He gave a last lingering lick to the wound and slid up Dageus’s body until they were face-to-face, with Alex on top.

Dageus tried to grip his arms, but they seemed nerveless. He smiled at himself as his arms fell back from the effort it took to raise them. Alex nicked his own neck with the end of his nails and pulled Dageus’s face forward. His eager mouth latched onto the wound, drawing his blood in great deep gulps.

Alex’s dick jumped in eagerness. He spread Dageus’s cheeks, slipping inside his eager passage with little preparation. “Good boy,” Alex whispered. He started a hard rhythm to their lovemaking that Dageus was eager to meet. It took only four sharp thrusts before they both fell into the abyss.

Much later they lounged in bed with smiles on their faces. “So does this mean you’re turning me into a vampire?” Dageus asked with all playfulness and giggles. Alex stroked his cheek and placed kisses along his jawline. He was still buried inside him, unable or unwilling to let him go.

“If you wish it, someday I may. I’ve given you enough of my blood to keep you young and virile for a century or more.”

Dageus pondered that for a moment, content to lie in Alex’s arms. “If I want to be on equal footing with you though, I’d have to turn?”

Alex shrugged. “In vampire politics, yes. You’d have to turn to be on equal footing, but as a demon, you have tremendous power already. You would give me a run for my money if it ever came down to a contest of wills.” Dageus’s heart tripped at the thought.

“I’d never fight you,” he declared, kissing Alex passionately.

Alex chuckled. “I know, my pet. I know.” Dageus grew quiet for a moment and chewed on his bottom lip in thought.

“What is it my love?” Alex asked.

“Everything is going to change now. I mean, the Ravyns are going to be living here.” Speaking of which, they all needed to pick out their own bedrooms at some point instead of always sleeping in Salvatore’s room. He made a mental note to talk it over with the Ravyns later. He continued. “We’re mated or married or whatever, and you’ll have to present me to the council. It’s just a lot to think about at one time. What if, when the honeymoon is over, you don’t want me?” Dageus swallowed in fear. “What if we go through all this trouble only to find out we’re not compatible? What if—”

“What if the earth rotates backward, the sun stops shining, and the sky turns purple?” Alex interrupted his paranoid tirade. “All of those things are as likely as the disaster you are predicting. Don’t worry, my love. We will make it through any storm that comes our way. I am not without power and strength so that I can take care of you and yours. We will be fine,” he said reassuringly.

Dageus smiled and snuggled closer. “I love you so much, Alex. You have no idea.”

Alex chuckled. “Oh, my sweet one, yes I do.”

Chapter Forty-One

One week later

Kalel waltzed along the same path he’d walked so long ago with a new lease on life. He wanted to confront his personal demons, so to speak, and prove to himself that he was strong enough to walk close enough to the demon gates and not be afraid. He was a little woozy from the night’s excesses, but he was truly happy for the first time in over six years. He looked up into the space some fifteen feet up in the air where the portal sat, invisible to human eyes.

I’m not a victim anymore
.
I’m commander of my own destiny
.

He blinked as he saw the portal’s light flash and a figure drop from the sky. A slave trader? he asked himself. A savage grin lit up his face. He was itching for a fight. Weak or not, he was a bloody Ravyn. The figure was directly in front of him now, walking toward him at a brisk pace. As the person came into the light of the streetlight, Dageus felt his stomach drop.

“You’re Azareal,” Kal said, his chest tight in anticipation. “You’re one of Desmond’s Doves.” The blond-haired giant nodded, drawing his power to him, preparing for a fight.

“And you are my target, Dageus.” Without further warning, he attacked.

Dageus growled, struggling to get up. The weakness within him wouldn’t allow him more than a moment’s strength. The Dove grappled with him, easily shoving him beneath his full strength.

“Damn you!” he screamed, trying to form a connection with his brothers. Alex had fed vicariously this evening, and his strength was sapped. The vampire had claimed that after a few weeks that would fade as the vampire blood took root fully within him.

Alex!
he screamed in his mind. He felt a ricochet of power as Alex noted his distress. He felt the Dove prepare to shift to the other realm and into Desmond’s court. Dageus screamed. He wouldn’t go back. Not when he’d found Alex finally! It would kill him.

* * * *

Alex had been waiting patiently for Dageus to arrive. His brothers had called ahead and said that Kal had decided to walk the rest of the way to the theater house, so Alex wasn’t surprised at his tardiness. He was surprised, however, that Dageus hadn’t contacted him. Dageus didn’t usually wait so long in between correspondences.

He was doing some paperwork for the theater as he awaited his lover’s arrival. He wanted to get it all finished so that he could focus on their bonding ceremony that was scheduled to take place in four months.

Alex!
The voice ripped him out of his happy thoughts.

Baby?
he questioned back. Instantly, he felt the pain shoot through Dageus’s body. Oh bloody hell, he thought. He stretched out his powers, quickly locating his Bride. It had been a long time since he’d used his vampire powers for anything other than dancing. He grabbed a knife of his desk and disappeared into the night.

* * * *

Alex appeared out of nowhere. He jerked the Dove off of his lover with a snarl. He punched him once, twice, three times before throwing him uselessly to the street. Dageus watched, entranced as the Master vampire showed his full strength for the first time. His power whipped around them, kicking up a breeze.

“Don’t ever touch my Bride again!” Alex screamed at the Dove, rage twisting his features into animalistic shapes. “How dare you even
think
to harm him!” Something broke in Alex’s gaze, and he began to breakdown the Dove limb by limb. The demon’s power seemed useless against the enraged Master vampire. He twisted the Dove’s arm until it snapped like a twig.

Dageus tried to push himself to his feet but couldn’t seem to get his grip on the pavement. He had to try and help his Master, yet his Master seemed to be taking care of himself. The blood loss over the past weeks had weakened him too much to be of any use to him. He sighed and managed to sit up and simply watched his lover work.

Seeing Alex defend him made him realize the completeness of his situation. Yes, he was stronger. Yet he wasn’t invincible as the situation had just proven. He would always be weaker than someone but he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Alex would care for him and would protect him no matter what. He felt the last bit of fear leave him at the realization.