Cake (49 page)

“
It’s bad manners to touch someone without introducing yourself,” I said as I glared down at him. “If you do it to me again, I will crush your wrist, then your forearm, and up. Do we have an understanding?” He nodded, cradling his hand to his chest when I released it. “I don’t want to see you here tonight. Get out.”

As I lifted the binding and the man staggered away, biting back a whimper, Claudius walked over to me.

“
Well, I can see that you have been taking your lessons from Nightshade quite seriously,” he said, obviously impressed by what he’d seen.

“
I have to, she carries a big stick, and she ain’t afraid to use it,” I said.

Xavier, I don’t see any drinking going on.

And she wasn’t the most patient of animals either.

I’m getting to it. Keep your fur on.

Claudius laid a hand on my shoulder. “For a moment, there, your shield dropped. You thought it was Marcus, did you not?”

“
Not nice to point out someone’s weakness, Father,” I answered, ducking my flushed face and turning quickly toward the crowd, but not before the multi-pierced girl gave me another once-over. Get away from the door before she decides to pounce, I told myself.

“
You know nothing good can come from this,” Claudius called after me. Getting away from the door girl? Only good could come from that.

“
Xavier.” Claudius caught hold of my arm and turned me, bringing his hand up to my cheek. He wasn’t going to let this go? Fine…

“
Have you managed to kick him out of
your
heart?” I asked. “If you have, then tell me how to do it.”

You know I have not,” Claudius said as he kissed my forehead gently. “Go and feed. Remember you have to Flame tonight. You are too weak for your own good.” He pushed me forward into the crowd just as another beat-driven tune kicked in.

The bodies around me began to move en masse, and I danced with them, letting my eyes flit around me, looking for someone to nibble and using the power of my mind to seek out what I wanted. If it were done right, no one even knew that you’d rifled through their private thoughts. It was akin to pulling off a table cloth. You leave all the plates standing in their original settings, but you also expose everything underneath.

A feminine touch brushed past in my head, and I backed up to it, swimming in her mind. Wishes and brief hopes flashed by, along with the knowledge that what she wanted from life wasn’t possible.

Dancing up to the girl I had been scanning, I gave her my best smile. Joy flashed across her face, but it exploded in her mind as I leaned in and nuzzled her neck. I searched for a pleasurable memory of hers and pulled it up for her as I fanged her, right there on the dance floor.

I took my ten sips hungrily, and then I laved her neck with my tongue, ending by giving her gentle kisses along her collar bone. Her hand came up and tangled in my hair, and I caught it, lifting her fingers to my lips and kissing her knuckles. Then, giving her another sweet smile, I backed away into the crowd.

Very smooth, my Lord Emperor. Very gentle. I am proud.

Shade’s compliment was like a pat on my head.

Darn, and me without my date book.

Why do you need a date book?

I wanted to write down the date that I actually got praise from you.

Hmmmp.

I laughed out loud. Who knew that Hellcats could grouse when they get one-upped?

Someone bumped me from behind. Or should I say, humped. Turning, I saw a tall, skinny young man gyrating behind me, well within my personal space. Seeing me look at him, he licked his lips and did a little shimmy, thrusting his hips forward.

When you go mind-walking, you deserve what you see, but at no point was I bending over and taking it from this person while wearing nothing but black, patent leather high heels and a smile.

Go.

At my unspoken command, he danced off with a strange leer on his face. I shivered as he moved away. I certainly didn’t want anything he was offering.

A hand gently touched my shoulder. I spun around and looked up—and up—and up. Talk about a tall drink. If this kid weren’t into basketball, it was a loss for that sport.

He had to bend down to reach my ear. “Dance with me?”

There was a shyness and sweetness in his voice that I liked, though I was going to need a ladder if I intended on getting near his neck. I brushed his thoughts and discovered that he was coming to terms with his sexuality. I’d been there, done that.

Grabbing his hand, I pulled him after me to the edge of the dance floor where I had spied the small step that led up to the bar. I got up on it and turned around to face him, realizing he was still going to have to bend over rather painfully in order for me to fang him. And I also found out that he was a virgin in every sense…My kiss was to be his first.

Placing soft kisses along his jaw, I moved towards his mouth, stroking my tongue along his lips and then trying to dip inside. He kept his teeth clenched tightly together.

Open, there’s nothing to be afraid of.

He parted his lips, and I taught him how to french kiss as I ran my hands through his hair. Pleasure shot through his mind, and I played that back to him as I kissed my way up to his neck.

He was a big boy, so I took fifteen swallows before sealing him up again, and as I licked at his skin, he closed his eyes and threw back his head in pleasure. He was going to be beautiful when his body filled out his height.

I looked out into the crowd. There were predators out there, and I could sense that a few had zeroed in on us. I knew I couldn’t leave him to their tender mercies, because they didn’t have any. He would end up like me, unable to appreciate gentleness because deep in his wounded heart, he wouldn’t feel like he deserved it. Holy crap, where did that come from? Concentrate, I told myself. I needed to get this kid out of here for his own good. I brushed the crowd lightly again with my mind and then blinked. Whoa.

“
Come here,” I called out softly and physically, urging the longing desire I felt coming from the person I had found.

A small blond came out of the crowd, his large, blue eyes locked on…Peter. So, that was the name of my tall drink, and this kid had been eating his heart out for the could-be basketball star for years. Peter had noticed the boy but was afraid of rejection. He had gotten so big, so fast and had been teased by others unmercifully for it. He hadn’t been sure that the boy’s adoration was anything more than mockery. Damn, I’m Dr. Love.

I turned the tall boy around to face his admirer and whispered, “Show him what you learned.”

A gentle push from me, and they tore into each other with a frenzy I didn’t expect but sure as hell enjoyed.

“
Okay, kiddies. It’s time to take this outside,” I laughed.

“
You’re not going to bite me?” The small boy was pressed back to Peter’s front, the tall boy’s arms loosely sitting over his slender shoulders.

“
Do you want me to?” I asked incredulously.

“
It was nice. You’ll like it.” I glanced up at Peter’s words, but he only had eyes for the little blond, staring down earnestly at him.

I touched the small boy’s cheek. “You want a kiss first?”

“
Please,” he nodded.

I treated the blond boy to the same lesson in kissing, and then Peter held him gently as I fanged his slim, pale neck. He was so small that I only took five swallows from him. Then I licked the wounds closed as his head fell back and rested on the taller boy’s chest.

“
Take him home,” I told Peter, “And don’t come back here.”

As they turned and walked away, I let their memories fog over until they were only left with those of them kissing each other so wantonly.

You’re nice, Xavier. You’re about a quart low yet before you can share.

Roger that. I’m going in.

I stepped back out onto the dance floor, where I could feel all the different essences sweeping through me. I hadn’t realized just how weak I truly was. I started dancing to the beat, and that invisible fuck-me-now cologne I wore must have kicked in because in no time I was surrounded.

It was just like having my very own party platter sampler around me. And boy, did I sample the nibbles! Drinking from the revellers was like supping on Jell-O shooters. One is nice, five is better, but ten is…Where the
hell
are my legs? I think I got some high octane from the last one I fanged.

Put your sunglasses on, Xavier, you’re starting to show. Come up to the second level, and head for the back corner. I’ll come to you there.

I waved at the people still gathered around me, kissed another hand courteously, and then headed off the dance floor, making my way to the stairs and taking them two at a time.

Reaching the top, I looked back down at the crowd, and my eyes picked out Claudius. An older man had him pinned in a corner, but little did the foolish man know that he had picked on the wrong prey. He was a pure predator. Father, I mean. Claudius looked up at that moment and noticed me wearing my shades. I saw his smile, and I knew he would be along in a minute.

There were a few people up on the landing with me, but they were too busy doing things to each other to start taking any notice of what was going on around them. I looked around, searching.

Shade? Where are you?

To the very back. Take a seat. It’ll take a while.

Why?

I can only drink from you as a little cat. So it’s going to take longer.

Finding a place that was covered in shadows, I sat down on the floor. I could feel the bass of the pounding music beating through the concrete wall behind me, hitting my back. It was sort of comforting and mildly arousing at the same time, though I oofed as Shade landed in my lap before jumping off and standing to one side of me.

Jeez, Xavier, you could have told me you had a hard-on.

I’m burning up here, kitty. Whatever you’re going to do, you better do it quick.

I ripped open my wrist and laid the bleeding wound out before her.

I won’t do this to you again, Shade. I’ll eat regularly from now on. I’ve been stupid.

Thankfully Shade was quiet, returning no snide remark to my comment. But that was probably due to her profound hunger. I could feel her desperation as she licked frantically at my wrist. She needed essence as much as I did, though she couldn’t do anything about it, unlike me.

I’m sorry.

Patting her back gently, I closed my eyes and rested against the vibrating wall. It was a trance-inducing thing, her lapping and the music playing. I don’t know how long I sat there, or if I even fell asleep, but I did know that someone was hissing my name.

Xavier!

“
Uh?”

I’m done. Heal your wound.

Opening my eyes, I immediately discovered that I had my crystal vision back, meaning I was in Flame. I brought my wrist up to my mouth and sucked on it, the sweet taste of blood and essence mixing on my tongue. I delighted in the tangy flavor for a moment before I began licking the wound closed. Where was Marcus?

I stilled, trying to focus. I’d meant Claudius. Where was Claudius?

Xavier?