The Guilty Innocent (22 page)

“Hey...I want to thank you for helping me out back there.” Sergio told Xavier.

“My pleasure,” Xavier said with a little nod.

Sergio stood up and walked towards Elise, he held his hand out towards her. She took his hand and together, they walked into their bedroom. I couldn't help but wonder if they were going to make love. I could tell that they did love each other and if my eyes were not deceiving me, Elise might actually be relaxing more around Sergio. Their door closed behind them. I turned and gazed at Xavier.
H
e grinned and began to crawl towards me like a stalking cat. I started to giggle as his fingertip traced up my leg.

“You do realize, that after a vampire has fed, they are
extremely
...frisky!?” he teased seductively as he snaked his way up my leg.

“I'm starting to realize that, but not now.” I said as I batted his hand away, he pouted playfully.

“Why not...wait don't bother to answer that. I already know your response to that question.”
h
e said then he sat back on his heels. “Your morality is was one of your most adorable attributes.” He smiled at me again, I blushed. His smile could always do that to me. I looked up to see John walking back into the cabin. He sprawled on the sofa, his gaze set on Xavier and myself.

“John, I'm really sorry that you have to do this thing tomorrow. I don't know what else to say, I wish there were another way.” I said sympathetically.

“Don't worry, it's not like it's your fault. It is just something I'm going to have to do. Don't beat yourself up over it,” he said, then he flashed me his pretty boy grin. His bright blue eyes sparkling under his long blonde bangs. I was glad that he was handling it so well.

“I'm glad that you're handling this better,” Xavier said as if he had read my thoughts. I nodded my head in agreement.

“Maybe I can get Darian to share some more of his blood with me, eh?” he asked hopefully.

Xavier laughed. “I don't know. You know how fickle Darian can be about sharing his blood, but I'll put in a good word for you.”

“But he made me!” John chuckled, then proceeded to roll on the couch like a cat rubbing its back against a carpet. “I could still taste his blood!” he purred as he put his fingers to his mouth.

“I know exactly how you feel, of course, he's a little more lenient with me,” Xavier teased. John sat up with a quickness, with eyebrows raised, his eyes locked on Xavier, mouth agape in awe.

“You lucky bastard!” he exclaimed. Xavier laughed and laughed.

I had no idea what Darian's blood tasted like to another vampire, I supposed it was the ultimate feast. I could not speak for them, but I knew what it was like for me. Darian had given me his blood once to save my life, it was unbelievably delicious
and
sensual! My entire body tingled with the most pleasurable sensations. I can't imagine what life is like for a vampire, it was no wonder that both Darian and Xavier were bisexual and probably John too, now that
I
think about it!

“Can you two tell me how you met Darian?”
I
asked again, genuinely curious.

They looked at me and nodded. “John you go first,” Xavier suggested.

“No, no,
no, you
go
first, you're
her boyfriend.” John said pointing at Xavier.

“Well
somebody
go first!” I said throwing my hands in the air. Then I remembered something, I looked at John. “John, are you involved with anyone?” I asked. Xavier gave me a quizzical look and John's smile widened.

“Why, are you interested? You know...” John began as he posed on the sofa in what I believe he thought was his most seductive position. He made certain to give me a clear view of his crotch. “I do find you to be a very attractive woman,” he winked at me.

“Keep dreaming!” Xavier taunted. I laughed, it felt good to laugh after all that had taken place, we needed to laugh.

John frowned. “Your loss,” he smiled as he switched positions on the sofa, he looked more comfortable now. “Why do you ask?”

“No reason.”
That's for me to know and for you to find out.
I looked at Xavier. “You go first,” I told him. He held his hands up as if surrendering.

“As you wish,” he said.

He sprawled on the floor in a more comfortable position. Even though I believed he was not trying to seduce me, I was being seduced nonetheless.

He began. “I was thirteen years old, just a street-smart punk kid in Chicago. My father worked seemingly endless hours in a steel mill and my mother was a seamstress who worked in a laundry. Growing up, prohibition was mandated, which pretty much gave organized crime a new avenue. I had always wanted to run with the bootleggers, the gangsters. I used to sneak into all the popular speakeasies just to watch the wise guys do their thing, you know?” Xavier said as he stared forward, recollecting his memories, he smiled.

“I grew up poor...I hope you can imagine how difficult it was for my parents to raise three children-me being the eldest, earning less than the minimum wage of that time. My parents were
strug
gling to make ends meet,
I
do remember thinking that if I could run with the bootleggers,
I
would be able to make a handsome amount of money. I would then be able to lake care of them for a change.” He slowly lay on his back and rested his hands on his stomach as he continued. “I would go to school sometimes if I felt like it. Mostly I'd go to
Vinny's Pizzeria
and run errands for him. He would pay me more than I would earn hawking newspapers. There was a hidden room in the back of the restaurant where some hard hitting gamblers would come in everyday and drink, curse, play poker, black jack, etc.
Vinny's Pizzeria
was the first place I ever saw a man killed. He had been cheating at cards and was found out. A gangster I admired, called “Billy The Gun” shot him down dead right there at the table.” Xavier looked at me and smiled. “I don't think I need to describe what a sight that was for me. I believe you understand.”

He continued. “I remember hiding in the corner of the room, a shocked fifteen year old boy at that time. I watched Billy take his money out of the man's pocket and walk away. Not one person in the place complained or even called the police on Billy. I thought it was cool to be a gangster; everyone respected gangsters or feared them enough not to get on their bad side. Then when I was twenty-two years old, I really wanted to run with Al Cantone. Al was
the
gangster in Chicago, he had pretty much wiped out his competition in the bootlegging business and the police couldn't touch him. I admired him and wanted to be a part of his gang. I wanted to wear the expensive suits, to sleep with the women, to have people fear me, respect me...” Xavier paused.

“What happened?” John asked curiously. I looked up at him and he appeared to be just as enthralled in the story as I was. I had no idea that Xavier
aspired
to be a gangster.

“Well, for three years, I did mediocre jobs for Cantone, like run messages to certain contacts, run some numbers for him, nothing that would make people respect or fear me. Then one day, some money was stolen and I was set up to take the fall. I found out a few weeks later the reason they had selected me as the fall guy. Cantone's mistress had tried to seduce me one night and I had refused her. She then told Cantone that I tried to seduce
her!
Cantone
and
his men took me into an alley and told me what they were going to do to me. I begged them not to kill me, swore I didn't have anything to do with the money that was stolen, but they didn't want to hear it.” Xavier said, then he sat up and looked at both John and me.

“They shot me in the chest twice and left me for dead.
I
lay
on
the cold wet cobblestones, staring at the stars as they faded
in
and out of my vision. Then I heard footsteps approaching me. I thought at first, they had come back to make sure the job was complete, but then I looked up to see the face of the most beautiful man I've ever laid my eyes on. He lifted me up into his arms and then he sank his teeth into my neck. I was too weak to scream and
I
had no idea what the hell was going on. But I did know this, I began to feel ecstasy beyond my wildest desires throughout my limbs and just when I could die a happy fool, he pulled away. He looked into my eyes, I remember hearing him asking me if I wanted to live, he said if I drank from him, I'd live forever.” Xavier sat up and crawled closer to me, he leaned over and kissed my knee. He took my foot into his hands and began to lightly massage the aching muscles. I moaned and closed my eyes, completely enjoying the feel of his fingers as they kneaded the pressure points of my foot.

“Go on,” John encouraged.

Xavier chuckle and continued. “I took Darian's bleeding wrist into my mouth and drank for dear life. I wanted to live and at that point, I did not have anything to lose. With every swallow of Darian's blood, I felt myself regain strength. I could feel the wounds in my chest healing. I could hear his heavy breathing as I fed, I can imagine how much it must have hurt him to bring me over. After it was done, my body ached, my stomach cramped for...I don't know, perhaps five minutes or so. He told me that my body was “readjusting” to the change. But when it was gone it would be gone forever.”

“Darian took me under his wing, taught me things that broadened my horizons, we traveled...became lovers...” Xavier trailed off, chuckling. “He was the first man I ever had sex with but not the last!” he laughed again then grew calm. “However, he is the only man I will allow to dominate me. Well, there are those little instances. But I don't want to get into that.” Xavier said with an offhand gesture, though I could imagine what those “instances” were.

“Darian believes that it would be a waste to limit your options when you have an eternity to live. I admire him, his perseverance, his personality. He has always been honest with me and I appreciate that. You could say
I
fell in love with him the moment we met.” Xavier said thoughtfully.
I
watched his expressions as he pondered his feelings for Darian.

“Well,” he continued. “John, you had mentioned that Darian reminded you of a mafia boss, that is the same way I viewed him. Cantone had nothing on Darian, you could say I was...and still am completely enamored with him.”

He pointed to John. “Okay, now it's your turn.”

“Well, my story isn't quite as interesting as yours,” John said modestly.

“You forget, I know your story and it
is
interesting.” Xavier stated. John smiled sheepishly.

“Well, I was turned about five years ago. I had been working at a gay bar that was well known for its 'back room' activities,” John said then he winked.

“Ahhh, I remember that bar,” Xavier chuckled then he threw me a glanced and abruptly stopped laughing. “I heard about it,” he said covering up his blunder.

“Yeah I bet,” I looked at him accusingly. “Go on John.”

“Well, I was the manager of this bar. I enjoyed it, you know, it was fun. Darian would come in...” John leaned forward, “...Visit the back room, flirt with the staff and patrons, you know, Darian being Darian. I thought he was the most gorgeous man I had ever seen! One night, when he came in and went straight to the
Back Room,
I followed. I wanted to see him fu-having sex. So I walked into the room and there he was. He had two men all to himself. He was giving one oral and the other was on all fours in front of him.” John looked at me and smiled.

Then he continued. “I watched him work over these two men, they both looked like they were in heaven. I felt as though I was hypnotized, I couldn't move...nor did I want to. Then Darian turned, looked at me, smiled and winked. That snapped me out of it, embarrassed, I turned and practically ran out of the room.” John laughed then his face grew serious, his laughter subsided.

“That same night, I got off of work around three o'clock in the morning, I was attacked by four gay-bashers. They beat the living shit out of me and I thought they were going to kill me. But then they stopped kicking and hitting me, and started screaming, two of them fled. I looked up to see Darian feasting on one of my attackers. The man was caught in Darian's hold, his body twitching uncontrollably as Darian drained him. At this point, I didn't know if
I
should pick up what was left of my body and hightail it out of there also. But then, Darian tossed the body to the ground next to the other, and walked towards me. I remember it so vividly. He kneeled down beside me and offered his hand to me. He smiled,
I
looked into his gorgeous green eyes and felt this sort of calm come over me.
I
took his hand and that night, I went to his mansion, he healed me with his blood. But later, we had a problem. I had become addicted to his blood and wanted it constantly!” he said with a devilish grin. “I suppose he got tired of my whining and begging and decided to turn me. I'm not really sure why Darian turned me,” he said thoughtfully.