Last Chance (23 page)

Reluctantly Aric rose from the bed. He stretched his arms over his head and arched his back, easing his muscles. Turning to his lover, he smiled. “Better hurry and change. He's not going to be too happy with our decision.”

Stu got a wicked gleam in his eyes. “Yeah, and I for one can't wait to see his reaction.”

Stu leaned against a rusty pole, watching Corbin pace. Aric was giving Johan another shot of serum as the vampire rested on a cot, drugged just enough to prevent his escape. Johan looked perfectly content. He smiled with an impish glint lighting his eyes. Stu thought how beautiful he looked with his blinding smile—and then thought about his brother's odd reaction to it. Corbin's complexion blanched as he turned away, muttering obscenities under his breath. Stu had never seen his brother so agitated.

“Cor, we can relieve you for a while. Why don't you get something to eat?” Stu asked. Anything to dispel the tension in the room.

Corbin turned to Aric. “This was your damn idea. How much longer do I have to babysit this cretin? My patience is wearing thin.” His hand motioned in an arc, sweeping in the floor of the flour mill.

They had set up a cot for Johan until they decided what to do with him. Corbin had been elected for sentry duty since Stu and Aric had classes and other responsibilities at school.

“It's going to take a while,” Aric replied. “He's been a vampire for a long time.” He patted Johan's arm.

Johan smiled back and squeezed Aric's hand. “Thank you.”

Corbin glared at Aric, his jaw set tight. “I can't stay here forever. I have my work and my life to get back to.”

Johan yawned and lazily stretched his body. He kept his gaze pinned on Corbin. “Bored already? Wish you could run a stake through my heart instead?”

Corbin stalked to the border of salt, shaking his fist. “I still can,” he snarled. “If I had my way, you
would
be dead. There's nothing to redeem, as far as I can see.”

Stu pushed back from the beam and frowned at his brother's venom. “That's not fair. We've already seen progress. Right, Aric?”

Aric packed away the needle and his supplies. He slung the backpack over the back of the chair before answering. “He's been a vampire for over two hundred years. You can't expect the serum to work overnight. It might take a few months…a year, even.” He frowned, and Stu could almost read his lover's mind—
if it works at all.

Aric continued, speaking to Corbin's concern. “Since I've been taking it, I've noticed changes. I feel fewer cravings for blood, and my fangs are less pronounced when I do get the urge. I've checked my blood markers, and they look promising.”

Johan sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the cot, then gripped the metal edge. His usual insolent expression turned serious. “I do feel different, but I smell the scent of all your blood. Very sweet.” His gaze swept over Aric, then Stu, landing lastly on Corbin, and his mouth curved into a sly grin. “Except the smell of
your
blood nauseates me. Maybe
that
is an improvement.”

“That does it. I'm killing him now.”

Stu bit back a smile as he grabbed Corbin by his shoulders. “Calm down. He's baiting you.”

Aric shook his head. “Look at the positive signs. He hasn't drunk blood in the last few days, and he's doing okay. He might not completely lose the urge for it, just like I might never be done with it completely either.”

Stu went over to Aric and gave him a tight hug. He stroked his silky hair. “Are you okay?” he whispered into his lover's ear.

Aric pulled back. “More than okay, as long as I have you.”

“Always, babe.”

Corbin snorted loudly. “Cut it out, you two. This isn't a lovefest. We need to make some decisions.”

Stu circled his arms around Aric's waist and pulled him on his lap as he sat in the only chair in the room. “You need to take him home with you. To San Francisco.”

Johan tossed back his hair and laughed. “Oh, you are evil.”

Corbin growled. “No way.”

Seeing Corbin turn several shades of red amused Stu.
It served him right for being so uptight. What Stu was about to say would ice the cake. “It makes sense.” Stu shifted Aric to get more comfortable. Aric wiggled in his arms, and Stu's cock stirred. Time to get home, and fast, but first… “I can't watch over him.”

Corbin stalked over to them and peered down at Aric with a fierce look in his eyes. “This was your idea, so you take care of him.”

Aric smiled, and Stu noticed it was one of his incredibly virtuous smiles that never failed to throw people off their game.

“I would”—Aric shrugged—“but I have my final evaluation coming up, and after that I'm going to England with Stu.”

Stu held in his belly laugh, but it was difficult. He'd never seen this much explosive rage within Corbin. Smoke was practically coming out of every pore. Johan could certainly trigger his brother's temper. But it wasn't as if the vampire was giving Corbin much trouble. In fact, he was being quite cooperative. Aric had plenty of compassion for the poor soul and the willingness to overlook the vampire's past. Stu would reserve judgment on how he felt about Johan for a few more months.

“I'll teach you how to administer the serum.” Aric went on. “We'll visit periodically and perform tests to evaluate his progress.” He turned to Johan. “Is this okay with you?”

Stu noticed the evil gleam in Johan's eyes as he nodded his consent. A twinge of doubt about the strix's sincerity crept in, but he pushed it aside. Corbin could handle one recovering vampire.

“It looks like I have no choice,” Corbin stated.

Stu gently nudged Aric off his lap and rose to his feet. Turning toward his brother, he said, “If you're not hungry, we're going.”

Corbin crossed his arms and glared.

“See you tomorrow, Johan.” Stu took Aric's hand, the connection sending a delicious thrill through him.

Johan waved good-bye and lay back down on the cot. He crossed his arms and legs and closed his eyes. Corbin followed them to the staircase in dead silence.

Stu gripped his brother's shoulder. “I don't want to cause you trouble, but you can see this is the best solution.”

“Why do you care how I feel? You both decided this without me.”

Was his brother pouting? “You know I care. But we explained already why we can't do it.”

“So now I'm supposed to set up an orphanage for recovering vampires?”

Stu chuckled. “Not a bad idea.”

Aric piped in. “Isn't it better to heal than to kill?”

“It won't always be the preferred method of stopping them.” Corbin frowned. “I can't turn my back on the old ways just to pacify your beliefs. Not all of them will want to be redeemed.”

Stu took his brother into a hug. He pulled back and saw the concern in Corbin's eyes. “It's just, if we can help some of them, then it's worth a try.”

“I've always said you're too good for this. Go.” Corbin shoved Stu toward Aric. “And Aric…take care of him for me.”

Aric curled his arm around Stu's waist. He looked at Stu, who returned his gaze and smiled. As he looked into those beautiful blue eyes, a bolt of understanding struck his heart. Stu would never leave him. Their relationship had the strength of a thousand men.

Aric smiled back at Stu. “Yeah,
Cor
, I'll take care of him, for as long as he'll have me.”

Last Chance

The Tiger Within

Viki Lyn is a successful writer of edgy, erotic, sexy man love. Sparked by a keen interest in yaoi, also known as Japanese Boys Love manga, she began her own love affair with male/male romance. After reading and collecting whatever she could get her hands on, she created the popular Yaoi Rose review site. Once she wrote her first man love romance, she was hooked. Inspired by the reality that romance between lovers is a hope more than a guarantee, Viki's characters are fiercely independent. Her stories are an eclectic mix but it is always romance that drives the story to its final happily-ever-after.

A native of California, Viki travels the world in search of inspiration but calls Arizona home. She shares her beautiful adobe home with her wonderful husband and favorite man (fictional or real).