BLOOD LURE
J.P. Bowie
34
“Uh… Maybe we should go get our seats?”
Jared’s smile was enough to set Joey off again, but he merely said, “Yes, that is a good idea.”
The concert was good, but Joey had neglected to take a jacket, forgetting that California nights can turn sharply chilly after sunset. Halfway through the first part of the concert, he shivered, and Jared put an arm around his shoulders, pulling him in close to his body. It was strange, Joey noted, that Jared’s body didn’t feel warm, yet there was a definite comfort in being pressed to his side.
He rested his head on Jared’s shoulder and let the swell of the orchestra’s symphonic string section carry him into another world, another time. In his mind’s eye they were standing on the marble floor of a vast veranda. Moonlight flooded the space, empty but for the two of them as they danced—
danced
—slowly across the floor, their bodies swaying together, Jared’s right hand on the small of Joey’s back, slipping down to caress his butt.
Oh,
yeah
…
Just as before, he lifted his face to Jared’s, craving his kiss.
Joey blinked, shaken from his dream-like state by the sound of applause around him.
He looked up at Jared who was smiling gently at him, and Joey had the uncanny thought that Jared knew exactly what he’d been dreaming about.
During the interval Jared disappeared on the pretext of visiting the restroom. When he returned he was carrying a sweatshirt with the logo ‘
Music of the Night’
emblazoned across the front.
“Here.” His smile was disarming. “This will keep you warm during the second half.”
“Oh, wow.” Joey was touched by Jared’s thoughtfulness. “But you shouldn’t have.”
“I can’t have you catching a cold on our first date,” Jared teased. “Besides it will serve as a souvenir of our evening together. One I hope you will always remember.”
“Are you kidding? I’ll never forget tonight.” Joey slipped the sweatshirt over his head then shook out his rumpled curls.
“How do I look?” he asked, imitating a model’s pose.
BLOOD LURE
J.P. Bowie
35
“Beautiful,” Jared murmured, his dark eyes gleaming in the soft light cast from the decorative lanterns overhead. “And so very desirable I have to exert every ounce of my self-control in order not to ravish you right here, right now.”
Joey felt emboldened by the obvious lust in Jared’s smile and words. “You will come home with me after the concert, won’t you?”
“Wild horses wouldn’t keep me away.”
All right.
Joey thought he could just about wait through the concerts second half.
Joey gave Jared a puzzled look as the taller man paused in the doorway to Joey’s apartment. “Are you having second thoughts?”
He hoped the teasing inflection in his voice masked the apprehension that Jared had, after all, changed his mind.
You have to invite me in
…
“Of course you’re invited in,” Joey blurted, not realising until after he’d said the words that he hadn’t actually
heard
Jared’s request. It had been more like a thought. The moment was immediately forgotten when Jared stepped inside and took Joey in his arms. Jared’s lips on his created such an overwhelming surge of desire in Joey that he found himself trembling in Jared’s arms. Trembling with the longing to be taken body and soul by this man, to be filled by him, to give himself unconditionally—and
forever
.
Joey was momentarily startled by that last thought, but the power of Jared’s kiss overtook his senses again and he gave himself up to the sensation of the man’s tongue skimming over his, reaching each and every part of his mouth. Joey eased himself back a little, shucking off his new sweatshirt before tackling the buttons on Jared’s shirt. He wanted to feel Jared’s bare skin pressed against his own,
needed
it more than he’d needed anything in his life. He gasped as what was left of his clothes simply fell from his body.
What the—?
But there was no time for further thought, caught as he was once more in the snare of Jared’s arms, their naked bodies writhing together, their lips locked in another rapturous kiss. Jared scooped Joey up into his arms and carried him through the bedroom’s open door. They fell onto the bed, their naked limbs entwined, their tongues still exploring BLOOD LURE
J.P. Bowie
36
each other’s mouths. Jared’s kisses seemed to act like a sensuous drug on Joey’s senses, heightening them, drawing him into a state of rapture that, until then, he’d never known.
Jared’s mouth latched on to Joey’s left nipple and Joey groaned out his pleasure as Jared nibbled and licked at the sensitive, hardening flesh, before trailing his lips over to feast on its twin. Joey bucked and writhed under Jared. “Want to taste you,” he managed to gasp. “Want you in my mouth.”
Jared straddled Joey’s chest then leant forward, the head of his cock brushed Joey’s lips, the scent and spicy taste of his pre cum bringing Joey to near ejaculation. Joey opened wide, taking the glistening head into his mouth, his tongue swirling up and down the length of the hard pulsing shaft. Joey’s hands caressed Jared’s thighs, slid up the sides of Jared’s sleekly muscled torso, then down the length of his spine to cup his buttocks and pull him deeper into his mouth.
A long groan escaped Jared’s lips. His body shuddered as he repressed his urge to come. He wanted more from this first time with Joey. Although he knew his powers would make him ready again soon after his climax, he wanted to take his time making love to Joey, to bring him sensations that perhaps he’d never experienced.
He already knew Joey was far from innocent, that the young man had bedded many partners over the years, yet there was nothing blasé in Joey’s approach to sex. Joey enjoyed sex, and Jared knew he was enjoying it very much with him. He wanted Joey to enjoy it even more. He looked down at his engorged cock sliding in and out of Joey’s mouth, at the expression of bliss on the young mortal’s face. Their eyes met, their gazes suffused with want and need, and in that moment Jared knew this was the man who would change all his previous thoughts of a future lived alone.
He pulled back, releasing his cock from Joey’s mouth, despite the mumbled protests. He traced a random trail of kisses over Joey’s forehead, his nose, his mouth, the hollow of his throat, scraping lightly at the soft skin with his fangs. Joey writhed under him, pushing his body upward, presenting his ass to Jared’s rock hard erection. Joey clung to Jared’s muscular body, arms and legs wrapped around him, binding them together in a passionate embrace.
Jared’s fangs pricked gently at Joey’s throat. Drops of blood pooled on Jared’s tongue, inflaming his senses, bringing his cock to an almost impossible hardness. He licked the blood BLOOD LURE
J.P. Bowie
37
from Joey’s throat, sealing the tiny wounds. Joey groaned, tightening his legs around Jared’s torso as he reached for a condom.
“Fuck me,” he whispered, tearing at the condom wrapper with his teeth.
Jared’s dark blue eyes gleamed with desire as he quickly sheathed himself. He raised Joey’s legs to gain access to his small puckered hole, kissing his way up both Joey’s thighs until he reached the prize he sought. His tongue swirled around the entrance, then probed deep inside to bathe the soft, silken membrane with his saliva.
Joey bucked under him, a whimper escaping his lips, his hands clutching at Jared’s shoulders. Jared guided his cock into the cleft between Joey’s butt cheeks, pushing beyond the tight ring of muscle surrounding Joey’s opening. Joey’s body stiffened and he cried out, but Jared knew that what was spinning through Joey’s mind and body was not the sensation of pain, but of sheer rapture.
Joey flung his arms around Jared’s neck, arching upward, impaling himself on the full length of Jared’s cock. The vampire gasped as he was imbedded in Joey’s hot depths. He shuddered and waves of ecstasy rolled over him. He lifted Joey up and onto his lap. Joey’s legs encircled his slim hips and they fucked, chest to chest, lips to lips, the rhythm they created increasing with a preternatural power and intensity.
Jared crushed Joey’s body to his, and his young lover cleaved to him, meeting every thrust from Jared’s powerful body with his own eager downward plunge. They were both moaning now, tongues meshing and tussling in each other’s mouths. Joey’s arms tightened around Jared’s neck. A strangled cry escaped his lips, and Jared felt the heat of Joey’s climax as his cum spurted up between their tightly pressed torsos. Jared’s own orgasm ripped through him seconds later, the force of it sending him even deeper inside Joey as he emptied himself into the condom.
Jared fell backwards onto the bed’s comforter, holding Joey tightly clasped to his body.
Their mouths sought each other for another hungry kiss that seethed with raw passion. Joey mumbled words into Jared’s mouth, unintelligible words of wonder and longing, formed in his mind and known only to Jared.
BLOOD LURE
J.P. Bowie
38
At some point in the wee small hours of the morning Joey awoke to the pleasurable touch of Jared’s fingertips gently stroking his chest.
“Can’t you sleep?” he asked, snuggling against Jared’s hard body.
“I’m restless at night,” Jared admitted. “Usually I fill the night hours with work or reading, and catch up on my sleep during the day.”
“Really?” Joey flipped on the bedside lamp. He turned in Jared’s arms to kiss his lips.
He smiled. “Isn’t that what they call nocturnal?”
“Exactly. “ Jared returned Joey’s kiss before intoning in a low, sexy voice, “I am a creature of the night.”
Joey shivered. “I like that. I knew there was something different about you.”
Jared chuckled, then his expression became serious. “I have something to tell you, Joey.
I have to go away for a few days. Some urgent business has cropped up. My friends Marcus, Joseph and I must attend a meeting in Alberta, Canada. I’ll be out of town for a few, perhaps even several, days.”
“Oh…” Joey tried to hide the crushing disappointment that welled inside him.
“That…that’s too bad. When d’you have to leave?”
“Tomorrow evening.”
“That soon. Maybe we could meet for lunch tomorrow?”
“I’m afraid not.”
“What time are you leaving? Can I drive you to the airport?”
“Uh, no. That has been taken care of. But thank you for offering.”
“I feel like you’re suddenly giving me the brush off.”
Jared kissed Joey gently. “I most certainly am not. I’m sorry I had to spring this on you so soon after our wonderful time together, but I will make up for it when I return.”
“Promise?” Joey stared into Jared’s dark blue eyes, hoping against hope he wouldn’t see an awkward, averted gaze.
“I promise, and I will call you every day that I’m gone.” Jared’s hand caressed Joey’s face then slid down the length of his torso to hold Joey’s burgeoning erection in a light grip.
“Now that you are awake, perhaps I can start making up for it right now.”
“Mmm…” Joey hooked a leg over Jared’s thigh. “Sounds like a plan to me.”
BLOOD LURE
J.P. Bowie
39
Just before dawn, Jared stood by Joey’s bed, gazing down on the young man’s face, sweet and free of care in repose. He trailed his fingertips over Joey’s mouth.
“
Szép almokat
,” he murmured, in his native Hungarian. “Sweet dreams.”
He walked through to the living room and onto the balcony beyond the sliding glass door. For a moment or two he stared out into the still darkened sky, and wondered if he would ever see Joey again. Tomorrow his chances of continued immortality would rest on the mercy of the Vampire Council. Until after their decision, his future was uncertain, and if he was found guilty and the sentence was death, he would ask Marcus to erase all memories of himself from Joey’s mind. He could not let Joey think he cared so little for him that he had simply walked out of his life. No, better Joey forgot him, never knew him at all…
With a sigh he jumped atop the balcony rail then launched himself into the chill morning air. As he streaked towards the Hollywood Hills, not even the quickest eye would see him in flight.
BLOOD LURE
J.P. Bowie
40
Joey’s original disappointment when he’d wakened and found Jared gone after their night of lovemaking had been soothed when Jared phoned in the late afternoon. He’d been sweetly contrite, and Joey, not wanting to sound petty this early in their relationship, had told him it was okay and to have a safe trip.
Jared’s unexpected departure from Los Angeles prompted Joey to take a couple of days off work and spend the time with his parents earlier than he’d planned. After a quick phone call to let his mother know he’d be in Santa Barbara later that evening, he called Jared’s cell to let him know he’d also be out of town.
Seemed like a good idea, just in case Jared got back to LA earlier than he’d originally thought.
His mother had sounded tired. No wonder, he mused, as he drove north from LA.
Coping with his dad’s failing mental health was a tremendous strain on her, not to mention the sadness she must feel watching the man she’d loved for thirty years deteriorate with every passing day. His dad wasn’t even that old, not quite fifty, but the last time Joey had been home, Bob Ryan had looked like a shadow of his former self. The man Joey remembered as tall and vital, with a ready smile and a slightly off-centre sense of humour, had been reduced to a shambling, old beyond his years man, with an unfocused stare and little conversation—little that made any sense, that is.
Too bad that with all the modern technology available, they still couldn’t come up with a cure for people like his dad.
His mother was out front watering her beautifully cared for flower beds when he pulled into the driveway of the house in which he’d been raised. The house that, with a little help from their parents, his mom and dad had bought just after they were married. Just two blocks away was the house where Chris and his parents had lived until they’d taken over the winery left to them by Chris’s grandfather. He’d have to remember to drive over there and visit them while he was home.