The Vampire and the Man-Eater (20 page)

"Baby? Are you awake?" Brock petted his hair back from his face, going for another sniff of his armpit. It was irresistible. "Danny?"

When Daniel stretched lazily but never opened his eyes, Brock thought he was adorable. Smiling sweetly, Brock cupped his genitals. Daniel did not get instantly hard, though Brock already was, just the scent of this man made him horny.

Toying with Daniel's soft cock, Brock felt a tiny drop of moisture seep from the tip. Stunned, he lowered down and licked it. "Son of a bitch! Are you human?"

"
Aaaughhhh!"

Brock jolted in terror from Daniel's scream. Stumbling off the bed, Brock fell on his rump and stared up at Daniel in shock.

"What has happened!" Daniel shouted, his eyes wide with dread. Wincing at the tiny shred of sunlight that found its way through the corner of the blinds and curtains, Daniel held up the blanket in fear. "Why am I still here? I will die!"

Brock slowly got to his feet, looking down at Daniel. His eyes. They were hazel, not electric green. "Holy shit."

"Brock! How could this have occurred? I do not understand!"

"Daniel?"

"What!"

"Look at me."

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Daniel did, shaking in fright.

Brock sat down next to him on the bed. "Something happened last night."

"I feel very sick. Very sick, Brock."

Surrounding him, holding him tight, Brock kissed his hair.

He smelled so damn good. Brock went into another snuffling frenzy.

"What are you doing?"

"Smelling you."

"Smelling me?" Daniel sniffed at his own hand. "Oh no."

"Oh yes!"

"No!" Daniel climbed out of the bed, using the wall to find his way to the bathroom. Brock raced after him in excitement.

Under the sign that read, LOVE CONQUERS ALL was the reflection of a beautiful twenty-three year old man.

Daniel covered his face and sobbed.

"No, baby ... please. Don't cry." Brock cradled him.

"I cannot believe it. How is this possible?"

"Are you upset? Talk to me." Gently Brock forced Daniel's hands down from his face.

"I am human again. I am human again!"

Embracing him, Brock held him tight, feeling everything that was human in him. His shaking, his uneven breathing, his pounding heart, his salty tears, and Brock loved every minute of it.

Parting from their hug, Brock searched Daniel's lovely hazel eyes. "Is it a good thing?"

And meeting Brock's gaze as if seeing him for the first time, Daniel kissed him.

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Brock jerked back and shouted, "I can taste you!" instantly pulling him back to his mouth again. Sucking at his tongue, loving the fact that he could really feel Daniel now, tears of joy ran down Brock's cheeks.

Breaking the kiss, Daniel asked softly, "Will you still love me? I cannot make you come like you want to."

"Believe me. You will." Brock cuddled him tightly. "You said you are feeling ill. What do you need?"

"I do not know."

"Come on. Go lay down." Brock helped Daniel back onto the bed. "Let me get you a glass of water."

"Water?"

"Yes. Wait here." Brock kissed him, dancing and spinning to the kitchen as if he were on a cloud.
It can't be! It can't
be!
Filling a glass with water, Brock rushed back.

Daniel was touching his face, his hair, his teeth, as if he had never felt it before. Sitting with him, Brock held the glass for him. "Sip this gently."

At first Daniel recoiled, as if expecting something bad to happen. He swallowed, pausing.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes. Usually it comes right back up again."

They waited.

Daniel nodded, drinking from the glass again. Once Daniel realized he was not regurgitating it, he drank the entire glass thirstily. Holding the empty glass aloft, Daniel waited. "I think it is staying down."

"I can't believe how long it's been since you have eaten. I mean other than blood."

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"I do not know if I can."

"When I used to have the flu or a bad stomach, my mother gave me bland food. Like toast and an egg. Maybe that's what you should do."

"How will I know if I can eat?"

"The same way you drank the water. Have one bite." Brock took the glass and placed it on the night table. "Are you hungry?"

"I do feel a yearning for something."

"Do you want to try?" When Daniel blinked his eyes wide, Brock asked, "Is the water coming back up?"

"No! My penis twitched!"

Covering his mouth to prevent his hilarity, Brock shook his head. "Oh, my God. It's like learning to walk all over again."

"I feel very weak, Brock."

"Yeah, uh, don't jump out of the window, okay?"

"No. I can't do that. That much I know."

Brock held both of Daniel's hands. "This must be very upsetting. You had so much power."

Softening, Daniel whispered, "Now I can have you."

"Was that a fair trade off? Seriously? One measly mortal lifespan?"

"Brock. If you only knew how tired I was of living so long.

Seventy or eighty mortal years is more than enough. I do not want to keep going. It makes one empty." Daniel caressed Brock's cheek. "And you will stay with me?"

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Promise?"

"I will never leave you. Promise."

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"But I do not know if I can make you come like magic any longer."

"Will you stop worrying?" Brock retrieved Daniel's clothing for him. "At least slip on your slacks. I want to get some toast in you."

Holding onto Brock as he helped him get dressed, Daniel was still trembling visibly. Brock felt so badly for him, he only hoped as the day wore on, he would feel better.

After putting on a pair of jeans, Brock escorted Daniel to the kitchen, sitting him at the table. He put four slices of bread in the toaster and started a pot of coffee.

"You okay?" Brock asked.

"Yes. It is just that things look three dimensional now."

"What did they look like before?"

"Intense outlines. Never mind. I like it better this way."

"Your eyes are hazel, not electric green."

"I have only known them as they looked when I was younger. Were they bright green?"

"Like Christmas lights." The toast popped. Brock set two slices on each plate, buttering all of them. He cut Daniel's on a diagonal and set the plate before him.

Daniel stared down at it.

"Take a nibble." Brock bit his and chewed.

Picking up one half, Daniel sniffed it, then licked it. Biting off a corner, he chewed, swallowed and waited.

Brock stared at him, hoping it stayed down. "You okay?"

"It tastes really good."

"Does it? Toast?"

"Incredible. It is rich, smoky, and savory."

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"Is it staying down?"

"Yes. So far."

Brock heard Daniel's stomach grumble. The look of shock from Daniel made Brock roll with laughter.

"What on earth?"

Brock controlled his hilarity. "Oh boy, you're going to really enjoy all the pleasures the human body can offer, and I'm being very sarcastic."

"I have vague memories, Brock, but I do recall some," he turned up his nose, "some very unpleasant things."

"Look, it's all part of being a real, live human being. Take it for what it is." As Daniel devoured his toast, Brock continued to eat his as well. "Not to mention things have improved immensely since the sixteenth century. So on that front it's going to be an easy transition."

"This tastes so good!"

"I'm glad to hear it." Brock poured two cups of coffee, mixing milk in one, and milk and sugar in the other. He set the sweet one near Daniel.

"Coffee!" Daniel inhaled the aroma. "I love the smell of that. I used to stand outside the Starbucks just to get a whiff of it. Does it taste as good as it smells?"

"Sometimes. Depends."

Daniel sipped it, pulling it away sharply. "That burns."

"It's hot. Just let it cool off ... to ninety-eight point six."

"You are taunting me again."

"Yes, but this time you can't kill me. Or at least you don't want to."

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After blowing on it, Daniel tasted it again. "Sweet! I remember sweet tastes. As a child I would do anything for a chocolate."

"I'll keep that in mind." Brock was so in love with this man, he couldn't stop smiling. "What did it, Daniel? What happened last night?"

After another big bite of toast and a sip of coffee, Daniel replied, "That trip I took?"

"Yes?"

"I went to meet my creator. The one who made me a vampire."

"No kidding?"

"Yes. Well. It was an odd visit."

Brock set his cup down and gave Daniel his undivided attention.

"I met up with another, an older one. I won't say his name. They like to keep things quiet."

"Okay, go on."

"Well, I asked where my master was and this vampire took me to a cemetery."

"Is that where he was living?"

"No. He was buried there."

"Then he's dead?"

"Yes, but he was a dead mortal. It was completely confusing to both of us."

"I don't get it."

"Neither did we. But I started to think about it. My master had married and was buried next to his deceased wife. The dates on the stone were also a puzzle. He was born before 202

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me, so it should have read early sixteenth century, but it did not. It was as though he had counted back from the date of his death, to a normal mortal lifespan, and used an arbitrary number for his birth." Daniel paused. "Can I have another slice of that toast?"

"Of course!" Brock stood and put two more pieces into the toaster. Sitting back down, he urged, "Go on."

"Well, I had a few days to think about that fact. My friend assured me it was my master under the earth. And he had indeed died a mortal death. Then a thought occurred to me.

But it was so outlandish I disregarded it. Until today."

The toast popping startled Brock. He jumped up and set it on the Daniel's plate. "Here's the butter."

"Thank you."

Brock covered his smile as he watched Daniel attempting to butter a piece of toast. He was smearing it all over the place. "You need help?"

"I am not an invalid, I just need practice."

"Sorry. So? You disregarded your theory of how your master died until today."

"Yes." Daniel licked the butter off his finger, then the knife.

"That is superb."

"I can't wait to take you out for some real fine dining."

Daniel groaned in longing. "Yes, please."

"Anyway!" Brock waved his hand for Daniel to go on.

"Right. Well, that sign you wrote. That's the answer."

Brock tilted his head. "What sign? You mean that one?"

Brock pointed to the one he had held on the refrigerator with magnets.

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"Yes. That has to be the answer."

"So your master fell in love?"

"It's the only explanation I can come up with. My guess is he met a woman and he fell madly in love with her."

"That's it? All a vampire has to do to become human again is fall in love?"

"You think that is easy?" Daniel choked in irritation. "Find a human to love one of us? Love a monster who sucks people's necks until they drop dead? Good luck."

"Why didn't you kill me, Danny?"

"I originally wanted to toy with you. Like a cat and mouse."

Watching Daniel consume the food, Brock thought about that concept. "What do you mean?"

"Why discuss it? You still ask too many questions."

"Is that enough for now? I don't think you should push it."

Brock took his plate and knife to place in the sink.

"Yes. I will defer to your judgment on matters of human food."

"Clever man," Brock teased as he rinsed the dishes.

"I am defenseless against your taunting, aren't I?"

"Yes and no. Humans have ways of exacting revenge, don't worry." Brock winked. "So?" Brock groaned in exaggeration as if making his point clear. "
Can you move in
now
?"

"If you'll have me. I do think this is a very extravagant dwelling."

"Do you need to get your things? From your place?"

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"Yes. I have some items to collect. Not much. I don't go for material things."

"Okay. I can drive us."

"You don't want to come." Daniel stood setting his empty coffee cup in the sink.

"Why not? I can help you."

"It is a mausoleum, Brock."

Brock winced. "Regardless. If you need the help."

"No. I'll take care of it. I have some other things I need to do as well."

Brock followed him back to the bedroom. "Are you sure?

You're not superman any longer. I'm worried about you."

Daniel paused, backtracking to stand face to face with him.

"Thank you." Daniel kissed him. He blinked, and pulled back.

"My penis twitched again!"

"If you're feeling well by tonight, it'll be doing more than twitching." Brock chuckled.

"Always sex. You are a satyr..."

"Satyromaniac."

"Yes. That. All right. Where are my things?"

Smiling in absolute delight, Brock watched Daniel finish getting dressed. Maybe dreams do come true.

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Pacing, wishing he had gone with Daniel, Brock was a nervous wreck. What if something happened? Daniel was weakened by his transition. Maybe he was lying somewhere helpless. Or what if someone harmed him?