Don't Drink the Holy Water (13 page)

Axel gulped. “He kills them?”

“No!” West said vehemently. “No, I mean, of course not. Herve wouldn’t do that. He’d…” Crap, what he
would
do wasn’t necessarily a whole lot better. “He’d erase me, and your knowledge of vampires, from your memory. It’d be as if we never met.”

Axel gasped and scooted back a foot or so. “What? What the fuck? How could he do that? And what about Yolanda, and Jukie? What about them? They’ve met you! Would he do some funky mind-erase shit on them? And what if he fucked up and left us all mush-brained, or he erased something else important to us? How the
fuck
could he do that?”

West dared to move closer to Axel as he spoke. “I don’t know. Maybe he’d just erase the memory of what I am, then. I hadn’t thought about the others. Herve is the coven leader, and he has abilities, like he can put people, and vampires, in a trance. I guess he can remove memories too.”

“That’s horrible.” Axel scowled. “Seriously fucking horrible.”

“How else can he protect our kind?” West asked. “Murdering people is out of the question. It’s wrong, and I know the memory wipe isn’t right, either, but what would you expect him to do to ensure our safety, when humans fear anything and anyone different from them?”

“I don’t know, but the idea of someone fucking with my brain is too creepy to contemplate. How do we prevent that?”

West wavered on answering, because the only way around that was to get a commitment out of Axel, and forcing him to do that was wrong. “We have a week to decide what we want.”

“A week?” Axel glared at him. “I have to leave in a couple of days—”

“Stay, for the week,” West pled. “Come back to the coven with me, and see what we’re like.” Herve might kill him for making the offer. West refused to retract it. “Meet my family and stay with me.”

Axel didn’t appear to be reassured. “Blood. How do you—?”

“I don’t take from a human,” West assured him. “I did when I was first turned, well, from Claude, who turned me. Then I reached the point where I had to have blood other than his, and I couldn’t. I couldn’t bite someone, like I was bitten. They brought me bags of blood, like the donation kind. I don’t ask how, I just use it when I have to.”

“Oh.”

How could one word carry so much disappointment? And what was Axel disappointed about?

West was afraid to ask. “Other vampires have mates, human mates, that they’ve formed a willing bond with. They are lovers, committed to each other.”

“And the vampires they’re with feed off of them,” Axel said, extrapolating correctly.

“Well, I don’t think—okay, feed, I guess, is a word you can use for it, but they’ll tell you, the humans and vamps both, that it isn’t about feeding.” West had seen the bond between mates. It was intense. “That’s a necessary part of it, but it’s something both mates enjoy. It brings them closer together and extends the life of the human, too.” Gods, he sounded like some kind of used-vamp salesman, although he wasn’t used, much.

Axel’s eyes widened. “And?”

“And,” West drawled softly, that fluttering starting in his gut again. “And Herve says he can’t have a human knowing about us, unless that human is committed to us. Unless you are committed to me. I told him, it’s too soon. We’ve only just met—”

“Is that what you think?” Axel said quietly.

West wasn’t sure what he thought, and said as much. “I don’t know, Axel. I want you, and not just sexually. You smile and it makes me feel so good deep inside. I think of you all the time, but we haven’t known each other long. Not long enough for me to ask you to become my mate.”

“Why not?” Axel demanded, standing up and fisting both hands on his hips. He glared at West and was magnificently handsome as he did so.

West had to swallow twice before he could speak. “B-because I’m a mess and you don’t know me, and you’d have to take on raising my brothers and sisters with me because we’d be a family, and I’d have to bite you and—”

“Bite me,” Axel demanded.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Axel blinked. Had he really just demanded that West bite him? His fingers went numb.

West licked his lips, his cheeks pinking as he averted his gaze. “No. I don’t— I mean, vamps can bite people who aren’t their…their partner. Not…not once they’re mated, not then. Once a couple declare themselves mates and exchange blood, it’s a done deal.” He flicked a glance at Axel. “So I could bite you, but I won’t. Not when I’m already hungry.”

Axel could swear his neck was growing warm right where he’d imagine West biting him. “You wouldn’t kill me, though. Right?” Well,
that
question hadn’t come across as confidently as he’d hoped.

And why the
hell
was his dick growing hard again?

West shook his head. “I wouldn’t risk you. I’m…I’m scared of trying.”

“You don’t trust yourself.” Axel didn’t ask that time. He knew it was the truth.

“How do I know I won’t turn into a monster like the ones that bit me?” West questioned. “I don’t. I’m already hungry. I missed my usual serving of blood, and I only ever take the least I can get by with needing. I won’t risk you.”

Axel gave in and touched his neck. His dick grew even harder. It finally clicked that it wasn’t fear making his pulse race and his body tingle. Fear didn’t give him an erection.

“You won’t hurt me.” Axel took a deep breath and told his libido to settle down. “West, I’d let you bite me. I—”

“No!” West leaped up from where he’d sat on the bed. He paced away from Axel. “No, please, stop saying that. You may trust me, but I can’t trust myself, not when I’ve missed feeding, and I want you in so many ways. After I’ve taken care of that hunger, when I don’t feel so on edge, I would be willing to discuss it. Not until then. Not until you’ve seen the coven, the way we live, the…the relationship between mates and then, if you’re ready, if you don’t want to run away screaming, then I’d like you to meet my brothers and sisters.” West turned and dipped his head. “If you think you might want to have something more enduring than the usual human relationships.”

The phrasing confused Axel, then he remembered. “Vamps live forever.”

West shrugged. “I don’t know about forever, but for a long time, yes. So do their mates. The blood exchange does that. So mates, human mates, they end up having to leave behind their family and friends.”

“Because I wouldn’t age, not like they would,” Axel murmured. Jesus, he’d said that like he was actually considering doing it.
Because he was
. The connection between him and West was undeniable, and while maybe Axel wouldn’t have chosen for them to be bound together as vamps had to be with their mates, at least not without months of dating, he got that time was an issue. He even understood Herve’s reasoning. The idea of having his memory screwed with was terrifying, though.

But not as terrifying as the thought of losing West.

Axel closed the distance between them. He cupped West’s jaw. “West, look at me.”

Once West raised his eyes to Axel’s, and Axel saw the pain and fear, the longing there. Any lingering fear Axel had vanished as he pressed his lips to West’s.

Axel felt West shake, heard the gasp that sounded almost like a sob as West parted his lips, his tongue seeing Axel’s immediately. He clung to Axel before sliding his arms around Axel’s waist.

Axel pressed against West, needing to feel every inch of the man that he could. He wanted, plain and simple. He wanted West, and though the need was simple and pure, there was so much more going on that complicated such need.

And Axel could either let it interfere even more, or he could decide what he wanted. Who he wanted. It was fast, so fast his head spun from it, but time wasn’t on their side in this.

As Axel moved even closer, backing West up against the wall, he knew what his decision was going to be. He couldn’t walk away, and short of any jarring, immoral revelations about the coven in general and vamps in particular, he was going to be spending a very long time with West.

“Take me home with you,” Axel murmured minutes later, his body thrumming with need. “Take me to your home, get the blood you need.” Then Axel was going to get that bite, and he’d make sure it was something they both enjoyed. West wouldn’t ever fear biting him again.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Maybe he should have called ahead, West fretted as they neared the coven.

Axel’s head was swiveling around like he was following some kind of invisible tennis game.

“What’s the matter?” West finally asked.

“I was just—” Axel laughed and swiped at his mouth. “Aw, man, it’s gonna sound stupid, but I was surprised by the area we’re in. Guess I thought a coven of anything would live in some dark, scary old mansion. Sorry, I told you it was stupid.”

West wasn’t offended. “It’s fine. From what I understand, Herve couldn’t find a crumbling haunted house big enough for his coven, so he bought that place.” West pointed at the very upscale apartment complex. The large, stone gargoyles mounted on top of the roof gave the property an air of affluence. “It has a large courtyard in the middle of it. The apartment building itself is built in a square shape with the center being the outdoor area. It’s a nice place to live.”

“And fuckin’ huge,” Axel muttered, eyes wide. “Jeez. How many people live there?”

“A lot,” West said. “I’ve been here for a few months and I still don’t know everyone.” He took Axel by the hand and twined his fingers with Axel’s. “Come on. I’m already nervous and I see someone peeking out the blinds at us.”

Axel squinted. “I can’t see shit. Where?”

West pointed to a spot by the main entrance. “There.” He doubted Axel could see it. “The blinds and curtains are always pulled tight in any room vamps may be in. During the day, the human mates and kids have set rooms that they open up to the sun, and they go outside too.”

Axel gripped his hand. “You’re not the only one who’s nervous. What should I expect?”

“Well—”

West’s explanation never came because the door opened and Terrence came bounding out.

“Hey there! What a surprise! You two look
adorable
together, by the way!” Terrence jogged over to them and fluttered his lashes. “Almost sweet enough to melt this cynic’s heart.”

“Terry,” Axel muttered. “I remember you. How are you?”

“Oh, I’m fine, fine,” Terrence answered, flapping a hand at Axel. “How’s Jukie?”

Axel shrugged, an internal pang of worry zipping through him. “Same, last I checked. In a coma that he may or may not ever come out of. Yolanda is with him.”

“That’s too bad,” Terrence murmured. “I’m so sorry. It hurts to lose people, even if you aren’t close to them anymore.” He pasted on a bright smile. “Anyway, come on in. Herve’s probably in the lobby by now, growling and pacing. I’m surprised he hasn’t come outside yet.”

Axel grimaced.

“It’ll be fine,” West assured him. He hoped he wasn’t lying.

Terrence ran ahead of them like an eager puppy.

“Is he always so energetic?” Axel asked.

“As far as I know, yeah.”

They entered the complex and sure enough, Herve was waiting for them.

Herve arched one red eyebrow at West.

West felt himself blush. “Herve, this is Axel. I told him about the deadline, and I thought—”

“
I
asked to come here,” Axel cut in. “I need to know as much as I can to make an informed decision.”

Herve snorted at that. “Please. You only need to know whether or not you care enough for West to make a commitment to him. Everything else is secondary, with the exception of the children, of course.”

Axel narrowed his eyes at Herve. “So you think I should have just dove in and said bite me?”

Herve’s other eyebrow went up.

“Tried that,” Axel huffed. “West wasn’t ready.”

“West?” Herve asked.

West blinked at them both.
What the heck? They’re ganging up on me?

As if reading his mind, Axel scooted closer to him. “I respect West more for that. I was acting impulsively, and this is a really serious thing.”

“That it is,” Herve agreed. “And I will wipe your memory without the least amount of guilt.”

Axel nodded. “Yeah, got that message already.”

Herve turned his attention to West. “Is there a problem? Do you think he isn’t someone you could spend centuries with?”

West’s mouth went dry. He coughed.

Axel glared at him.

West licked his lips. “I want Axel to be certain. And…” God, it was so hard to admit, but he had to be honest, with Axel and Herve. “And I’m scared to bite him.”

Herve’s eyebrows shot even further up his forehead. “You’ve not bitten him
at all
?”

West shook his head.

“But…” Herve frowned. “Well, usually vamps have taken a nibble of their chosen humans by this point. The humans don’t always know that’s what’s happening because of the substantially increased pleasure they derive from being bitten. Still, you’re afraid to do it?”

“Substantially increased pleasure?” Axel asked at the same time West answered, “Yes. I don’t want to hurt him like I was hurt, and if the memories come back while I’m doing it…”

Herve’s eyebrows finally returned to their rightful place. “Ah, but that, I can help with, West. Simply let me ease the memories down some. Not erase them,” he added quickly. “Dull them, that’s all.”

“No,” Axel said. “No fucking with his memories. I mean”—he turned until he was facing West—“not unless it’s what you want?”

That would be the easy way out, but West wasn’t thrilled with the idea of Herve messing with his memories any more than Axel was. “No. I have to be strong enough for you.”

“You are,” Axel whispered. “And I’m strong enough for you.”

“Syrupy sweet,” Herve proclaimed. “Definitely mate material. Come along, Axel, and let’s give you a tour. Then I’ll leave you two alone for the hour you’ll have left before the kids get up.”

Terrence waved at them from the corner. West had forgotten the man was even in there. He waved back.

Terrence gave him two thumbs up then raced away to the living area.