Becomes the Rose (5 page)

The vampire began grinding against Tarin as he worked his fingers deeper into the desired body. Curling his fingers, he searched for the hidden nub, rubbing and stretching the oiled inner walls of Tarin’s channel and smiled as Tarin suddenly groaned loudly. He repeated the motion, brushing the bundle of nerves while twisting his fingers inside Tarin, stretching, slicking, relaxing, and preparing him fully for their ultimate joining. The two fingers slid back and forth easily, and then three rubbed relentlessly over Tarin’s pleasure spot.

Tarin cried aloud as the fire in his groin unfurled and the blaze of need enveloped his whole being. Boyce took his time preparing him; his ministrations achingly slow until Tarin was desperate to finally feel Boyce inside him. His breathing was little more than harsh, shallow pants when Boyce removed his fingers and positioned himself to easily enter him.

Tarin’s buttocks rested on Boyce’s thighs, one leg over the vampire’s shoulder, the other held out wide. Although he was exposed and vulnerable once more, Tarin was unafraid and unashamed. He could see his lover’s eyes staring at his prepared portal, and he felt as if only Boyce could fill the suddenly aching void that the loss of the vampire’s fingers had created.

The vampire sought his gaze, and Tarin gasped from the intensity reflected in Boyce’s eyes. It was as though his lover’s face had sharpened in some way, becoming more angular, losing all softness. His eyes were alight with a cold blue fire. At that moment, Boyce smiled, his lips curving to reveal his teeth, his incisors sharp, glistening, and inhuman. Then the cold fire in his eyes seemed to heat and his eyes took on the look of a man gazing at one he loved and deeply desired. Tarin’s heart soared and he smiled, nodding, and eagerly lifted his hips in blatant invitation.

It was everything Tarin had hoped for and more. Boyce entered him slowly, lovingly, filling him more with every gentle thrust, giving him time to adjust. Tarin encircled his legs around the vampire’s waist, and he pressed his heels against the tightly toned cheeks as they flexed and relaxed. When fully sheathed, and Tarin was ready, Boyce moved gracefully, deeply, and smoothly. He leaned over Tarin who found his body responded as if they had already spent an eternity learning and perfecting their movements. He held onto Boyce’s arms which were now braced on either side of his head and concentrated on the ecstasy of their lovemaking.

Boyce dropped his head and Tarin moaned softly as butterfly kisses and light nips were dusted over his face and neck. Finally the vampire’s lips brushed against his neck. Their caress was tender and Tarin understood the request. He turned his head and teeth began to press to the already rosy mark. He felt his throat pierced, the blood flow, and he gave himself willingly to be taken fully.

Boyce continued to thrust into him, his movements growing in speed and yet massaging Tarin’s sweet spot with ease time and time again. Tarin moved effortlessly with him, desire, love, and need continuing to build until he was almost unbearably aroused. All the while he could feel Boyce’s mouth on his throat, sucking steadily until Tarin was lightheaded, although he was unable to decide whether it was from Boyce’s feeding or his own high state of arousal.

He felt their heartbeats gradually aligning until they became a single, strong cadence. He moved to clasp Boyce’s head to his throat, urging the vampire to take more of his living essence as he knew they were truly as one. His hands were pinned over his head, and Boyce’s hips began a volley of short, sharp, feral snaps that created a barrage of erotic sensation against his prostate. Tarin opened his mouth in a silent scream of ecstasy.

He came hard, tumbling helpless in the maelstrom of an orgasm far beyond any he had ever experienced before. Pleasure crashed over him like a tidal wave, drowning him, and he gasped for air. Boyce’s mouth left his throat and the vampire bellowed his own completion. Tarin moaned at the sensation of the unexpectedly hot, wet pulses of the vampire’s seed coating his quivering channel, burying deep in his willing body. He was overwhelmed by the sheer bliss and as Boyce’s mouth sealed over his, Tarin’s world slowly faded to grey.

* * * *

“Wake up, love. It’s time for you to leave.” The words were like knives in Boyce’s heart. He had lain with Tarin, watching the human sleep. Everything about his love was committed to memory; the way he looked, sounded, smelt, felt, and tasted. Part of him wanted to selfishly keep the boy with him, another hoped he would return next Halloween. Another wished that, once in the world beyond their accursed place, Tarin would find a joyous life without a vampire who only existed for fleeting seconds before being trapped once more.

However, as Tarin’s eyes opened, the vampire was almost overwhelmed by the depths of love and devotion that shone for him and him alone.

“Let me stay,” Tarin murmured. Boyce could see Tarin was still drained from their extended lovemaking.

“You cannot,” Boyce said, his voice thick with anguish and regret. “My lessers and minions would die for you,” he added, knowing he was being unfair. “Is that what you want?”

“No,” Tarin gasped. He felt as if his heart was breaking as Boyce helped him dress and his things were brought to him.

There was a garage he could enter from the house in which the beautiful silver Rolls Royce Phantom was kept. Around it were all the members of Boyce’s family, and they each hugged Tarin tightly in turn. Last of all was Eric, and the youngest vampire’s tears fell freely down his cheeks.

“I won’t forget you, Tarin,” he whispered. “Be happy.”

Unable to speak, Tarin shook his head mutely as his eyes sought out Boyce. The vampire stood immobile, his face devoid of emotion. He might have been carved from granite. Tarin got into the car as directed by Flynn.

“It’s breaking his heart, too, boy,” the blond murmured as he shut the passenger door. “But he has to be strong for all of us, for you.”

Nodding, Tarin was surprised that Boyce slid into the driver’s seat and then he stared as the lessers and minions armed themselves before Boyce nodded and the doors opened.

Flynn and Jorge shot forward, intercepting the figures that lurked nearby.

“Now, Master!”

The voice was Flynn’s and the car sped forward, making Tarin gasp at the sudden movement. It would only be a short drive from Boyce’s house to the end of the road but it was one now fraught with danger. He gave a sharp yelp of fear as a vampire’s face pressed against the window before a sharp movement of the car dislodged it from the Phantom’s roof.

Tarin felt fear, and shock sent adrenaline coursing through his veins. He was aware of Boyce speaking.

“This is not usual for Anton and his people. We do not fight. We are too evenly matched. It will achieve nothing.”

Tarin shuddered.

“They will not harm you. I will turn them all to dust before I let them lay a hand on you.” Boyce’s voice was hard and cold, and his eyes never left the point ahead where he could now see the mist that was the demarcation area for the end of his world. He put the car into neutral, letting it coast. “I will always love you. Be safe, my love.”

The words came unexpectedly and before Tarin could react his lover dived from the car. Tarin gave a yell of shock as the car shot forward from the powerful shove of the vampire clan leader. He grasped the wheel to steer the car straight but could not immediately reach the brake. He shot into and through the mist before he could bring the car to a halt.

It took yet more precious seconds to get out and begin to run back. He could not leave Boyce. He had to get back. As he plunged into the mist, he could hear the sounds of the fighting that had continued, and then he heard words that turned his blood to ice in its veins.

“Anton has spiked the Master. He needs help.”

“
No!
Boyce!
”
Tarin
screamed
as
he
raced
forward
,
and
then
he
fell
to
his
knees
,
a
keening
wail
of
agony
torn
from
the
depths
of
his
soul
rending
the
air.
The
mist
had
vanished
,
leaving
him
kneeling
in
the
middle
of
a
deserted
road.
“
Don
’
t
you
die
,
Boyce.
Don
’
t
you
dare
die.
I
love
you.
I
’
ll
be
back.
I
swear.
Next
year
…
”
The
words
died
on
his
lips
as
wracking
sobs
shook
his
frame.
He
crawled
to
the
lone
,
gnarled
tree
at
the
side
of
the
road
,
buried
his
face
in
his
hands
,
and
sobbed.

The vintage Phantom sped over the deserted road. Tarin glanced down at the supplies on the passenger seat. He hoped they were enough. He’d driven this road almost every month since the November of the previous year. He felt as if he knew it better than the roads of the city of his birth, long since left behind.

He’d left behind everything other than what currently sat in the car; resigned from his job, sold his house, and bidden farewell to friends and family. They thought he was going travelling for a year. Tarin knew he was going to find his destiny. If Boyce had died, Tarin would still not go back. He had found his life to be cold and empty without the vampire’s love to keep him warm. If Boyce lived, then Tarin would demand he be turned or sired or whatever the real term for becoming a vampire was.

He readied himself for whatever he might find as the mist came into view and, keeping one hand on the steering wheel, reached for one of the weapons at his side.

Bursting through the mist, he tried to assimilate what was happening. He could see Boyce being dragged by Martha and Carole as Edward fended off a thick-set, brutish man. Growling in the back of his throat, Tarin stood on the accelerator and rammed Edward’s attacker, uncaringly watching as he was thrown into the air.

“Get him in, Martha, the rest of you too,” he shouted, leaning back to open the rear passenger door. As they struggled to get the limp, bleeding figure inside, Tarin snatched up one of his weapons.

Screeching in rage, Anton sped towards them and as he closed on the car, Tarin leant out of the window and fired his gun. A stream of water struck the vampire, and he dropped instantly, smoke rising from him where it had caught exposed skin.

“Eric, no!”

Turning at Flynn’s anguished cry, Tarin saw the young vampire writhing helplessly on the ground, a wooden spike through his thigh. Flynn was already engaged in battle, as were Jorge and Monique. Glancing back to ensure that the human members of his lover’s family were safely inside the car, Tarin put his foot on the accelerator and shot forward once more.

“Prepare to die.”

Although Tarin could not hear the words, he could read them and see the hatred in the eyes that looked down at the helpless Eric. He saw the vampire cast a glance of love, sorrow, and regret in Flynn’s direction. It was with no little sense of satisfaction that Tarin rammed the car into Eric’s attacker, watching Eric’s eyes widen as a stream of holy water cascaded over the fallen assailant to leave him writhing and screaming. Tarin met Eric’s gaze with determination.

“Help him in,” Tarin ordered.

However, before anyone could move, Flynn, Jorge, and Monique were there. Flynn gathered his lover in one large arm and stood on the car’s footplate, holding the passenger door with the other.

“Jorge, Monique, go back to the house and have Ewan open the garage doors. Stop for nothing and no one, Tarin. The Master is bleeding too freely. He needs to be tended.”

Tarin did not need to be told twice. He obeyed the blond vampire, keeping his eyes firmly fixed on the house ahead and trying not to focus on the sounds behind him.

Overhead the sound of thunder rumbled ominously, and lightning illuminated the sky. Flynn frowned as he held his injured mate. There had never been a storm in all the time they’d been trapped. Glancing around, there was no suggestion of rain, and it did not feel as if there was moisture in the air. If anything, it felt cloyingly still. He pushed it from his mind. He had far more pressing things to concern himself with.

He gave a sigh of relief as the car sped into the garage, and Ewan closed the doors solidly behind them. They would be safe for now. A vampire could not enter where they had no invitation. However, he was certain that Anton would settle for nothing less than slaying them all. While their Master remained incapacitated, he would have to take charge and ensure he protected them all.

Especially the courageous young human who was the beloved of his Master.