City of Dragons: Of Flesh and Blood (56 page)

Doing this somehow
fed
Heikman. But Farley could tell it wasn’t giving the Lesser-Bred enough, fast enough. He wasn’t getting sated. Farley had to turn this. Only problem was he was locked down tight with three…no four…pieces of steel sticking out of his body. Not to mention his arms were practically severed.

Heikman pulled out another blade.

Farley hissed. “Wait…wait….”

The Lesser-Bred shook his head. “No waiting…no more waiting.”

“Give me your mouth.” Farley jumped when the point of the knife raked across his ribs.

Heikman’s eyes came open and they were angry, hard. The blade punched home and this time something tore inside when Farley screamed. Ichor coated the back of his throat and when he coughed, it blew out in little sprays.

Farley said, “Listen to me, asshole--”

“I warned you…” Heikman’s voice was breathy and his smile beaming.

Farley fought against the urge to pass out. “It’s the scent…give me your mouth. You
need
--” Heikman reached up and slid the IV line completely open. The rush of Human blood to Farley’s system made everything spin. “God…God…please….Fuck…” Now he couldn’t remember what it was he needed to do. It was something important. Something that would save his life.

Heikman gave the blade in his side a twist. Black stars burst in front of Farley’s eyes while the euphoria of Human blood kept him from going under.

Tears streamed down Heikman’s face and his body trembled. “Close, so close.” He frowned. “I’m sorry…I have to keep going.”

Heikman reached for another blade and spread his hand wide over Farley’s stomach.

Oh, hell no.

Farley had been opened up once across the gut and that was a road he was not going to go down again. Heikman leaned in, his breath coming quick.

“Listen to me, Heikman. It’s the scent…that’s what you need.” Farley picked his head up so the man would see his eyes if he would just look up. When he did, Farley said, “Give me your mouth…let me
feed
you.”

“How?”

“Scent…the pain…” Farley dropped his head against the table, too tired to hold it up.

Heikman moved close enough that Farley could feel his breath on his chin.

Heikman said, “Then what?”

“I can sate you. I can give you what no one else can. I’m Food. Let me
feed
you.”

A hand slipped around the back of Farley’s head and he wondered briefly if Heikman was going to ram a blade up through his skull. Closer and their lips almost touched. Farley concentrated on dragging in air. The pain in his side grew sharp. He exhaled, feeling the blood bubble in his throat. Heikman opened his mouth and drew in the breath. His eyes fluttered and his hand tightened on Farley’s neck. “More…”

Farley tried but he couldn’t get enough air. Heikman made an angry sound and slammed his mouth against Farley, sucking the breath right out of his lungs. Farley slipped his tongue into the man’s mouth.

Heikman growled and jerked back.

Farley said, “Taste it…”

Heikman did, and his angry expression transformed into pure hunger. He caught Farley’s mouth and plunged his tongue deep. A hand closed around Farley’s throat. The other landed on the blade jammed in his clavicle. The Lesser-Bred was insatiable, alternating between trying to choke Farley with his tongue and twisting that fucking knife in his shoulder. When Farley was pretty sure he was about to start checking out, Heikman seized up. His teeth raked against his lips and he barked a surprise into Farley’s mouth.

Farley could taste the man’s climax and feel the wet heat across his groin. The Lesser-Bred’s expression said it all. He hadn’t expected to actually orgasm over the exchange or be sated.

Looking dazed, Heikman climbed off Farley and staggered a little as he headed for the door. He paused, head hanging, body trembling. “I’ll have Lor clean you up.”

Yeah, he’d let Lor clean up his mess. Just like he let Lor clean up everything else, including Junily…

Wasted and knowing it, Farley laughed. It was a high pitched sound bordering on madness. “You’re a real son-of-a-bitch.” Farley dragged in a breath. “He was young, so young. Man, I hate you.” He coughed, spitting more blood.

Heikman’s gaze went to the IV bag . “You won’t for very long. You’ll need me, Farley, and what I can give you.”

Farley tried to sit up but was met with resistance. That’s right…he was chained.

Like a dog.

He made a woofing noise. “I’m surprised you don’t make me wear a collar. Oh wait…you do. Holy fuck, I
am
a goddamned puppy.”

Heikman frowned. “I’ll get Lor.”

Farley said, “That’s right, you go get God but you tell him if he calls me ‘little one’ one more time and I’m adding his jolly-green-giant ass to my list of who-I’m-gonna-skull-fuck!”

The door shut and Farley cursed. He pulled against the chains. “Get this shit out of me!” There was no getting loose.

And Garrett wasn’t going to come for him.

He was alone.

High as a freaking kite and totally, utterly, completely--

The door opened.

“What? Miss me already?” Even drunk, Farley recognized the scent flowing in the room on eddies of movement.

Fuck.

“Well, well.” Darco strolled into the room, his movement completely Human. His wardrobe suggested he’d been hanging out with emo-vampire kids again, or maybe he just liked the whole black-on-black and face metal bit. His cobalt blue eyes slid up Farley’s body and flicked to the wall where the IV hung. He frowned.

And he actually looked unhappy.

“Who did this to you?” Darco swept a pale hand through the blood pooling on the tile ledge and sucked it from his fingers.

Farley dropped his head back. Maybe his Brother wasn’t real. Hallucinations were known to happen when he was on the sauce. God knew his stupidity was endless.

“Farley…” Darco never called him by his name.

A hand touched his cheek. Farley looked at the Male, who had his eyes on the blades buried in his body. The expression on his face was unfamiliar. Concern?

Yeah riiiight!

“How the fuck did you get in here?” Christ, was that his voice? Farley sounded like the poster boy for speech impediments. His eyes rolled up to the IV bag. Now that he wasn’t getting cut up, everything was going straight to his brain…oh, and lower parts. A giggle leaked out of his clenched teeth.

“I go where I need to go.” Darco grabbed the blade in Farley’s shoulder and yanked it out. Farley howled and tried to kick while squeezing out a line of curses. Darco didn’t even give him time to breathe before yanking out the rest.

By the time the last blade hit the floor Farley was gasping for air and half-sober as his body used up the blood supply healing the gaping holes and ripped tendons.

When Farley could drag in enough air to form words he said, “Take it out. Christ…get it out of me.” He twisted his IV hand and tried to rub the port loose. Darco surprised him by doing what he asked, then he reached for the shackles binding his wrists. They must have had some type of bolt method because he could feel Darco’s hands make a twisting motion.

Once Farley’s arms were free they started another new game of fun-with-pain as the overstretched muscles pulled tight. When his ankles were undone his legs gave an encore. Farley rolled to his side and waited for his body to relax. A line of heat came across his shoulder. He rolled his eyes up. Darco’s face was inches away.

Still feeling just a little giddy, Farley smiled and said, “Have I ever told you that I love your eyes…” A hand touched his back and Farley could feel his
Brother
tracing the still-healing bruises running down his spine. His insides shot off with pangs as Darco’s fingertips brushed lower.

“I told you I would not share you. That I would come for you.” The cold-as-ice tone was back in Darco’s voice. “I can’t afford to lose you to the static. Things have to change,
Little Brother
.”

Shivers made Farley’s limbs twitch. His teeth chattered. “I wish you’d make sense when you talked to me. Just once…I’d like to have a n-normal c-conversation.”

Darco gave a nod like he agreed. “Now tell me…who tried to take you from me?” White points peeked out from under his lips and gold flecked in his dark blue orbs. Farley was very familiar with that look. It meant his Brother was thinking painful thoughts.

Farley said, “Can’t you just get me out of here?”

“Give me his name.” Darco’s lips brushed Farley’s ear. “I’m going to show him real pain. I’m going to teach him true suffering.” Teeth clipped his lobe and Darco’s tongue chased the burn.

“Why?”

Darco sighed. “He tried to take what is mine. You are mine,
Little Brother
. I choose to share you with the Female, I choose to let you walk among the Chetrah, but you are mine. Never forget that.” His fingers danced along Farley’s shoulders then stroked his ribs. He startled like he’d caught himself committing a taboo and pulled away.

“Heikman…Roger Heikman.” Farley said it only because Darco pushed him. He couldn’t deny he wanted the fucker to die, but letting his
Brother
loose on anyone was never a good thing.

“I told you I would kill them. All of them.”

Darco turned toward the door.

“Wait…don’t leave me. Christ, Darco, get me out of here.”

His Brother tossed him a look. “I will never leave you, Little Brother. But I think I should take care of this first. You smell too much like
food
.” He licked his lips. “And there will be plenty of time for that. Later. Forever.” He slipped his hand under his shirt and stroked his stomach. “I’ll find you soon enough. I can always find you.”

“Shit…Darco…” Farley pushed himself upright but the Male was already gone. The door to the hallway stayed ajar.

Farley tried to ease over the edge of the table and stand but his legs didn’t want to cooperate. No, he was coming down off a straight line of Human blood and feeling like a burnout.

Feel nothing! He was a burnout.

His feet hit the floor and he promptly tipped over and landed against the wall. Farley got a real good view of the red puddle forming at the end of the disconnected line. He clenched his eyes shut and tried to ignore the smell. He needed to get out of here.

No, what he needed was a taste…

He tried to swallow but his throat was so dry. So parched. The cramps in his stomach drew him up.

Fuck…no…please…no.

Somehow, Farley managed to turn away then with shaky arms. He pushed up and got his legs underneath him. With a lurch he aimed for the door, forcing his muscles to extend and shove him forward. There were guards down the hall on the left, just outside of the room he’d been staying in.

But Darco had gone that way.

A strange sort of dread came over Farley. With his hand on the door he looked down the hall. Yeah, it was as bad as he thought. Bright red bursts painted the walls. High velocity arterial spray. Darco had torn their throats clean out. They didn’t even have their guns palmed.

Probably never saw him coming.

But then Darco was like that. Farley knew from experience the bastard could move in a way no other Kin could. And he never hesitated in killing.

Another shove and Farley was out in the hall. He took a few steps, fell, and got up again. Maybe it was the fact that the blood had been delivered straight-line into his vein, but Farley knew the DTs when he felt them. He’d suffered for weeks after centuries worth of cravings, and this? Well, it felt like a decade-long binge at the least. Killing that MKFK member hadn’t even felt this bad. It was like Heikman had done something to the blood.

Made it stronger. More potent.

By the time Farley got to the end of the hall he was sweating like a pig and shaking so hard his teeth threatened to chip. His hearts hammered behind his ribs and even though he wanted out of here, he couldn’t deny he also wanted to go back.

Should have taken it with me.

The IV bag was still hanging on the wall leaking all its insides out into the floor.

Farley’s brain told him to get out, but his body told him what it needed to feel better. The biological battle made him crumple on the floor. Heikman was right. He wanted to stay. Needed to stay.

A high pitched bloodcurdling scream made Farley jerk his head up. The sound came from his fancy cell. And it didn’t stop. It just got louder, more desperate…

Farley started another round of push just as Lor stepped out of the elevator heading his way. Farley decided if there was a God of Kin he would look like Lor.

“What’s going on?” There was blood on his shirt, arms, and hands. Lor smelled like Junily and death. His yellow eyes flicked up the hall, and he knelt down and pulled Farley upright. “Where is Heikman?”

“You don’t want to know,” Farley said.

Lor picked him up. He glanced down the hall like he was actually thinking about heading toward that terrible noise.

“Trust me…he’s pissed off my
Brother
. You don’t want to watch.”

Lor headed back towards the lift.

“Can you get us out of here?”

“I can’t leave.” Lor punched in a code and the doors shut.

“Fuck that. Heikman’s dead.” Or soon would be.

“Even if he’s dead, I have to stay.” A low rumble eased out of Lor’s chest.

“Christ, Lor…Heikman isn’t coming back on this one.” A pain shot through Farley’s gut. “I’ve got to get out of here. I need to get to the laundry chutes. Do you know how to get there?”

“I will take you.”

“And you’re coming with me, right?”

“I cannot.”

“Goddamn it, if you stay here you’ll eventually wind up like Junily.”

“I know.”

Farley looked up at him. “Why the hell would you stay, then?”

Lor said, “The hatchlings… They have no one but me.”

The door opened and the giant’s long legs carried him down the hall. Shouts echoed from up ahead and four Humans with guns drawn came barreling up the hall. Lor turned as they fired. Farley held his breath as the impact echoed through the Male’s body. But he didn’t go down.

“You’re in a restricted area, Lor. On the ground, now!”