Blood Lure (21 page)

He grabbed a handful of Tommy’s hair and turned the young man’s head, exposing the long column of his neck.

“No,” Tommy whispered. “
Don’t
…”

Marek bit down, hard and fast into the corded flesh of Tommy’s neck. Tommy groaned, too weak to resist. More of his strength drained from him, along with his blood. He struggled to keep his eyes open, but his vision dimmed. He tried to cry out, but no sound except a strange gurgling came from his throat.

Oh Jesus, he’s killing me. I’m dying
…

The pain again, this time sharper, deeper, draining him.

Oh, dear God, don’t let me die
…
please,
don’t let me die…

He sank into oblivion. His last thought was that Andrew had not come to save him.

Marek sprang to his feet as the door behind him was blown off its hinges and crashed into the middle of the floor.

“Uncle!”

Andrew stood framed in the doorway, his raven hair wild and disarrayed, his face livid with rage. For a second his ice blue gaze fell on Tommy’s body lying still and silent on the couch, then immediately back to his uncle’s defiant expression.

“
You
…
murderer
. Your final death is upon you!”

“You cannot destroy me,” Marek snarled. “I created you. You are bound to me for all time.”

BLOOD LURE

J.P. Bowie

139

Andrew stepped into the room.

“I disavow my loyalty to you, Uncle Lazlo. For the crimes you have committed I have the Council’s permission to end your existence.”

A flicker of fear crossed Marek’s face, then he laughed. “You might
try
, nephew, but don’t forget who is the more powerful here.”

“Have you changed him?”

Once again Andrew’s gaze settled on Tommy’s inert form.

“You interrupted me. He will die if—”

“You know it is now forbidden to change a mortal without his or her permission, even in the most dire of circumstances.”

“Oh, la-di-da,” Marek sneered. “Don’t spout that pretentious Marcus Verano philosophical claptrap at me. But tell me, nephew—how did you know where to find me?”

Andrew’s smile was enigmatic. “You didn’t really think you could escape the combined mind bonding of Marcus and Joseph Meyer, did you? You thought to trick us by staying in Los Angeles, but it soon became apparent to them that you had not left the city. Your secret penthouse hideaway is no longer a secret, Uncle.”

Marek’s move would have been a blur to a human eye, but Andrew was even faster. In a flash, he was standing in front of the couch where Tommy lay, preventing Marek from reaching the dying man.

“Impressive,” Marek grunted. “Your skills have improved. You came alone. Why?”

“I am not alone, but this is between you and me.” Andrew moved towards his uncle.

“You had Michael murdered for some nefarious reason I can only guess to be greed. Now you must pay the price for your treachery.”

Andrew launched himself at Marek, lifting him off the ground by his throat. Marek screamed and brought both fists down on Andrew’s skull, stunning him momentarily, causing him to stagger backwards. Marek followed up his blows with a kick to Andrew’s chest that sent him reeling against a wall with enough impetus to crack the plaster.

“Fool,” Marek muttered, advancing on Andrew to finish him off.

He grabbed a handful of Andrew’s hair and smacked his head against the wall with brutal force. The punch Marek landed on Andrew’s face would have shattered bones in a human jaw. Andrew brought his hand up hard under Marek’s chin, at the same time pushing him back with all his strength, sending his uncle spinning across the room. Marek’s legs BLOOD LURE

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140

caught the edge of the couch and he sprawled awkwardly on his back. Andrew was on him in an instant, straddling his chest, his hands anchored around his uncle’s throat.

Desperately, Marek twisted his head back and forth. His hands wrenched at Andrew’s fingers, trying to break the death grip on his throat

“Andrew, don’t,” he gasped. The whites of his eyes turned red as blood vessels burst under the pressure Andrew was inflicting on him. “Andrew! I will share it all with you…”

“Share what?”

“A fortune your grandfather left to you and Michael.” Marek could barely speak, his voice no more than a croak. “More than two hundred years ago. Think of it, Andrew. It’s worth millions, more than enough for you to share with me.”

Andrew’s lethal grip tightened around Marek’s throat.

“Yet it was not enough for you to share with Michael and me. You are despicable, Uncle, and for what you have done to Michael, and now to Tommy, you will die.”

Marek’s eyes bulged and his lips peeled back in a terrible grimace. Summoning all his strength, he levitated from the floor then flipped over, driving Andrew onto his back with sickening force.

Andrew’s grip on Marek’s throat did not lessen. Straining against his uncle’s formidable power he rose from the floor, propelled the man across the room, and with one superhuman thrust, sent him hurtling through the large plate glass window behind the couch.

Without waiting to see if Marek would use his powers to survive the fall, Andrew rushed to Tommy’s side. Kneeling beside him, he felt for a pulse at his throat.

Still there, thank the gods
.
Weak, but there
.

“Tommy, can you hear me? It’s Andrew, Tommy.”

The young fire fighter’s eyes fluttered open. “Andrew…” His voice was barely audible.

“You came to save me, after all.”

Andrew took Tommy’s hands in his. “Tommy, listen to me. You have been drained of almost all your blood. You will die, if you do not drink from me. Do you understand?”

“You—you’re really a vampire?”

“Yes, Tommy, I’m sorry, but explanations can come later.”

He bit into his wrist and held the bleeding wound to Tommy’s lips.

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“Drink from me and be healed. Don’t worry…” Andrew allowed a wry smile to curve his lips. “You will not become vampire.”

The tip of Tommy’s tongue poked at the dark red blood that pooled on Andrew’s wrist, then seemingly encouraged by the sweet taste, he began to gulp it down. His eyes never left Andrew’s as he drank, and Andrew felt his own slowly beating heart quicken with the power of that gaze.

Tommy still couldn’t believe what had happened, what
was
happening. Everything Andrew’s uncle had told him was true. Andrew was a vampire, and he was lying here drinking Andrew’s blood as if it was the most normal thing in the world. This was crazy, but what was even crazier, was what he felt in his heart, in his entire being for… for this
vampire
.

He knew he was in love with Andrew—despite everything, he was in love with a vampire! Oh fuck, what was he going to do about this?

He gazed into the ice blue depths of Andrew’s beautiful eyes and saw himself reflected there, greedily sucking at Andrew’s wrist. He should be filled with revulsion, he should be pushing Andrew out of the way, running from this room and never looking back. But he could not, and it wasn’t just because he was still weak as a kitten—though he could feel some of his strength returning. No, it was because he didn’t want to.

A man in love is never a wise man,
his mother had once told him, and at that moment, he couldn’t help but agree.

And man, what Andrew’s blood was doing to him. He might not be able to take on a charging rhino yet, but the way his cock was throbbing and his heart was pounding, he most definitely was up for a first-class fuck!

He watched as Andrew withdrew his wrist then licked at the wound, his eyes widening as any trace of teeth bites disappeared along with the blood. Andrew lowered his head and kissed Tommy’s mouth gently. Without hesitation, Tommy opened to Andrew, tracing the length of Andrew’s tongue with his own. A long sensual shudder coursed through his body, and finding he could now move his arms, he wrapped them around Andrew and held him tight, grinding their crotches together.

A disturbance at the open door had them pulling away from one another, and Andrew leaping to his feet to defend Tommy from any further danger. A struggling Marek, flanked by Jared and Marcus holding him securely by his arms, entered the room.

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“He was attempting to fly away but we intercepted him,” Marcus explained.

“Who’re these guys?” Tommy asked.

“Good friends,” Andrew told him.

“
More
vampires?”

“I’m afraid so, but there is only one who wished you harm, and he is no danger to you any longer.”

Tommy groaned and fell back on the couch.

This could not be happening!

Andrew stared at his uncle for a long moment.

“I cannot kill you now as I intended,” he said quietly. “I will leave it up to the Vampire Council to carry out the sentence.”

Marcus and Jared released their grips on Marek, and the vampire hissed and threw them all a look of hatred. They knew he understood what that meant. He was free to go, but the Council would send an assassin to hunt him down and execute him—and there was no escaping the one sent to carry out the ruling.

No one ever had.

“Andrew…” Marek’s bone-white face seemed to grow older as he stared at his nephew. “I beg of you, have the Council call off the assassin. I am the only family you have left.”

Andrew shook his head.

“You are wrong, Uncle. Here, in this room, is my family. The men you tried to destroy with your evil plans mean more to me than my existence. You have proven your unworthiness to be called a part of my family. Now go, before I forget my vow not to harm you. The sight of you sickens me.”

“So be it.” Marek sneered at him. “You had better hope that the assassin finds me quickly, for until then you would do well to take note of every night shadow that comes near.”

With a final look of hatred at Andrew, Marek fled from the apartment.

For a long moment after Marek’s words, silence filled the room.

“How is your friend?” Jared asked finally, in his native Hungarian.

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“Fortunately, my uncle didn’t have time to change him. An infusion of my blood brought him back from death.”

Tommy sat up and swung his legs off the couch, trying to stand.

“What are you guys saying? I can’t understand that lingo.”

“My apologies.” Jared walked over to the couch. “I am Jared. We have spoken on the phone.”

“Oh, yeah.” After a moment’s hesitation, Tommy took the proffered hand. “Are you really a doctor?”

“Not really, but I think that now you understand how we were able to help Andrew.”

“Yeah…
that
.” Tommy shook his head as he looked at the three vampires. “You sure know how to liven up a guy’s day.”

Marcus coughed politely. “Well, now that you are both safe, Jared and I will take our leave. I am sure you have many things to discuss.” He touched Jared’s arm. “Come, Jared.”

Jared nodded, but paused long enough to embrace Andrew before leaving with Marcus.

Andrew turned to smile encouragingly at Tommy, and couldn’t resist probing gently at the young fire fighter’s mind. He was relieved to encounter only confusion. Thankfully there was no fear, only uncertainty.

“What?” Tommy asked.

“How do you feel now?”

“You mean physically? I’m great. I guess that
transfusion
you gave me really worked.

Mentally, that’s something else. Looks like there’s a lot to get used to here. I mean, it’s not every day a guy falls in love with a vampire—fuckin’ hot looking though he may be.”

Tommy stood up, swaying just a little.

Andrew stepped forward and took him in his arms.

“You are in love with me?”

“Yeah, am I crazy?”

“Totally. But I’m very glad you are—crazy, and in love with me.”

Their kiss was long and sweet, then Tommy said, “We should get out of here. I want to make love to you, but not here. Trouble is,” he added as Andrew nodded, “I don’t have my bike.”

“We don’t need one.” Andrew’s smile was teasing. “Are you ready for a little adventure?”

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“Another one? Hey!” Tommy laughed as Andrew swept him up in his arms and walked towards the broken window.

“Wait a minute, what are you doing?”

“Taking you home.”

“But—oh, shit, you can’t mean it! Whoa!”

Tommy was strangely silent on the short flight to his apartment. He kept his eyes shut and his face buried in the crook of Andrew’s neck, not looking up until Andrew murmured,

“We’re here.”

“Don’t you dare tell anyone I was scared shitless,” Tommy pleaded as Andrew released him, setting him down on the balcony outside his living room.

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Andrew said, chuckling. “And who would believe it anyway?

My big, brave fireman, scared of heights?”

“Just wait ‘til I get you inside,” Tommy growled.

“I
can’t
wait.”

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No sooner had they entered the apartment than Tommy grabbed Andrew and laid one serious kiss after another on the vampire’s lips.

“You are fucking incredible. Have I told you that before? Wait…” He sniffed at his armpit. “Okay, as much as I want you naked and all over me, I seriously need a shower.

Don’t I smell rank to you?”

“Yes, but I don’t mind.”

“Well, I do.” Tommy pouted. “And you could’ve said, ‘No, you smell great’, just to spare my feelings.”

“I’m sorry.” Andrew grinned. “You smell
great
…”

Tommy raised an eyebrow. “Vampires as comedians? No, that’s too weird.”

Andrew assumed a suitably chastened expression.

“May I shower with you, perhaps massage yours shoulders? Undo the stress you have suffered?”

Tommy narrowed his eyes. “Are you laughin’ at me?”