Waning Moon (7 page)

Gabriel bit his inner cheek and stomped a foot onto the ground in frustration. “You’ll honestly help me? No lies?”

The man grinned like a jack-o-lantern. “Of course! I never go back on my word.”

The boy considered his words for a brief moment and a spark of hope ignited within him. Maybe, just maybe, this man, this vampire, could actually find the cure to his illness. Could help him live, could help him move on. It was worth trusting this man, if only for his own selfish purposes.

“I’m Gabriel,” the boy muttered.

The man replied with a wide grin, “What an interesting name. I am Alexander. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Gabriel.”

Their hands locked in a firm shake and for the first time in his life, Gabriel felt genuine hope that maybe, just maybe, he could live to become what he had always aspired to be.

A doctor.

“I have to sleep too, you know,” boomed Alexander as he swung his legs onto the bed and the mattress dipped with his weight.

Tony yawned, thought of his strange dream, brushed it off, and glanced at his watch. It was nine in the morning and he cursed himself under his breath for sleeping so damn long. He had work today and if he arrived now, he’d just be told to go back home since they probably already got someone else to fill in for him. He punched a fist onto the bed in agitation and sighed.

Gabriel stirred beside him and cracked open his honey-colored eyes. “What time is it?” he asked tiredly.

Tony replied bitterly, “It’s nine.”

“Oh. I need to sleep more then.”

Alexander threw the covers off the duo and yanked Gabriel from his slumber. “You’ve already slept long enough and I’m tired as hell. Before I go to sleep, I want you two to try on the outfits I bought you. You need to look presentable for our guest tonight.”

Gabriel yawned and staggered against the wall. “Just one more hour, please, master.”

Alexander shook his head. “No, no more sleep until you try on the clothes I got you both. They’re on the loveseat. Gabriel, yours is the white suit and Tony’s is the purple one.”

“Purple? A purple suit? You gotta be kidding me.”

“I thought the plum would go lovely with your pretty auburn hair. Now try it on and see if it fits.”

Tony was going to complain more but he received a stern look from Gabriel that said “do what he says or else.” Biting back all further complaints the were-panther stripped to his boxers and carefully took the suit from its plastic covering. Gabriel watched as Tony’s muscles rippled and flexed when he spread his arms to slide them into the sleeves of the suit. Tony was slim but well-built and Gabriel had to keep reminding himself not to jump the man right then and there and to let him try on the outfit his master had taken the time to buy him.

Gabriel and Tony looked stunning in their new clothing. Tony feeling like a movie star in his plum outfit that was snug and fit just right on him, not too long and not too loose for his small five-feet-six frame.

Alexander clapped his hands. “Excellent, excellent. You both look wonderful! You can take those off now and come back to bed.”

“How did you know my size?” Tony asked.

“I took an educated guess.” The Master of New York winked.

They quickly got into their regular clothes and Gabriel hopped back onto the bed. Tony stood still while staring at the floor. He wasn’t tired anymore. Being a morning person, he was raring to go to work but he was afraid of what his boss would say about being late—way too late to come in. So he sent her a text apologizing and saying that he had a fever and then paced nervously around the room.

“Aren’t you going to join us, Tony?” Alexander asked.

“I’m not tired,” Tony responded.

“Ah, I should’ve known better. Well, you can read a book or something while you wait for it to be night. I have a lot of books in my private library that’s just to the right of this room.”

Gabriel spoke. “Tony, come here for a bit.”

As if some invisible strings had attached themselves to the were-panther’s limbs, Tony swiftly obeyed the vampire and sat onto the edge of the bed. Gabriel tousled his hair and gingerly caressed his cheek. “Will you be all right tonight when we meet my master’s sire?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. I have you with me.”

Gabriel kissed the back of Tony’s hand and let his fangs slide out. “I’m hungry.”

“Then go ahead and drink,” Tony told him.

The vampire was fast to bury his fangs into Tony’s arm. The were-panther let out a strangled gasp as the toxins from the bite brought him to the pinnacle of pleasure. He moaned deeply as that familiar sensation of pure bliss webbed around his body and trapped him in a cage of wild ecstasy. His eyes fluttered madly as Gabriel sucked at his blood long and hard and released more and more venom inside him until Tony became limp and collapsed onto Gabriel’s lap.

His body convulsed as Gabriel pet his head in tiny strokes and whispered, “Sorry, Tony, but lie like that for a bit more. I do love that vacant look of yours as you’re lost in the effects of my bite.”

“You’re lucky there was a bed here,” Tony remarked as he let his body relax and Gabriel kept smoothing his hands through his hair.

“You like my bite, don’t you, Tony? Isn’t it wonderful?” Gabriel whispered.

Tony’s body spasmed as his back arched in pleasure. “It feels really good.”

Gabriel smiled. “I know. Now let yourself become lost in it for a little. Then you can go and read a book and I’ll be up soon. Before you know it, it’ll be night and we’ll be meeting a real master vampire.”

“You’re the only master vampire I need to know,” Tony said with a slur.

Gabriel licked his lips. “You’re so cute when you’re high off my bite. Its effects are even greater than normal since I just woke up from my sleep, too.”

Tony let his head loll onto Gabriel’s chest and clutched the sheets at his sides. “Going to sleep,” he whispered.

The vampire turned to his master who was already in his death-sleep and then focused his attention on his adorable servant. Tony was lost in sleep again and Gabriel laid his head against the mound of pillows behind him and thought about what to do after he met with his great sire that night.

He’d help Tony. Yes, he’d help him with that bastard Lukas. He’d even kill the bastard for Tony with his own two hands. And then he’d do what Alexander wanted him to—he’d find the person who was killing and eating vampires.

As all these thoughts flossed through Gabriel’s mind like a movie tape, Tony grabbed at his arm and squeezed. He grinned and settled into a comfortable position, his servant lying his head on his chest while snoring loudly.

*

Tony was stiff as a board when he awakened. Anxiety chewed at the corners of his mind like a mouse at a wedge of cheese. He had been so sure earlier that he could see the master vampire without any qualms and now he wasn’t so sure he could even be in the same room with the person. He stood beside Gabriel who waited by the doorway to the tattoo shop as Alexander went to greet his sire.

Soon Alexander walked to the duo while leading a tall, slender man with short black hair and the standard golden vampire eyes. Mikael made Tony feel like an ant, he was dressed so professionally in a gray plaid suit complete with a cerulean tie and handkerchief. He stopped before Gabriel and Tony and examined them with a wry smirk.

“Gabriel, I’ve heard many good things about you. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He extended a hand for the vampire to shake. Then he turned to Tony. “And this is your new servant, correct? Tony Blair, it’s so nice to meet you.”

Gabriel fished his Purell from his pocket and lathered some onto his palms before speaking. “Mikael, it’s an honor to meet you.”

Mikael beamed happily. “The pleasure is mine, Gabriel. Now, if you’ll excuse me I have to speak with Alexander in private.”

“Of course.”

Gabriel and Tony stepped aside as the master vampires strode past them and descended the stairs. When they’d shut the door to the downstairs, Gabriel looked at Tony and exhaled.

“Well, it looks like we were only needed for a greeting. What do you think of going to my house for the night?”

Tony’s jaw dropped to the floor. He had gotten all worked up, all fancy-dressed, just to meet the guy for five seconds and then go? He balled his hands into fists and seethed. “That’s it? That’s what I got all dressed up for? To see the guy briefly and then leave?”

“Yeah. Vampires don’t like to waste time. We usually get our business done as quickly as possible.”

Tony scoffed. “I can’t believe I was all nervous for nothing!”

“Sorry.”

Tony shrugged. “It’s okay. And I’m going back to my apartment. I’ve had enough of you vampires for a while.” He began to go to the door.

Gabriel barred the doorway. “Tony, wait! Let me come with you. I’m really worried about you. Those hyenas are still out there and there’s your sire, Lukas, who wants you to fight for position of beta. I’m afraid that he will show up and…”

“And what? Torture me? He’s already done that enough, one more time won’t make a difference. And don’t you have a killer to look for, anyway?”

Gabriel mumbled, “Yes, I do, but you’re much more important. Please let me go with you! If only for tonight. After all, I am the master and you are the servant.”

Tony rolled his eyes, felt an incomprehensible pull to let Gabriel do as he wanted. Was this what he meant when he asserted that he was the master? That he had absolute and total control over Tony’s will? The were-panther ground his teeth together and seethed. “Fine, fine. You can come with me, sheesh. But I am going to fight and you’re gonna train me, remember?”

Gabriel scratched his chin. “Oh, yes. I almost forgot. If you’re really intent on doing this, then yes, I will train with you.”

“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go. Where can we train? When we’re done, we’ll go to my place.”

Gabriel paused. “The park. That’ll be the perfect place to do it.”

“Lead the way.”

* * * *

Tony flopped onto the couch exhausted. Gabriel had worked him vigorously. He’d made him run for an hour straight around the perimeter of the park, and then again for another hour in panther form. A small crowd of people had gathered to watch him and his nerves were a train wreck. After running, Gabriel had made him bench press a fallen pine tree and then run more. He was drenched in sweat and told Gabriel to wait in the living room and watch TV while he got into the hot shower.

The water was soothing against his body throbbing from using muscles he hadn’t used in a while. It beat against him in a calming rhythm, sang a relaxing lullaby as it splashed against Tony’s skin, and streamed down him in thin rivulets. He reached for the shampoo bottle when a pair of hands enclosed around his eyes and Gabriel whispered silkily, “Guess who?”

“G-Gabriel!” Tony exclaimed, flustered. “When did you…Why are you in here with me?”

He spun so quickly that he slipped and Gabriel caught him in his strong arms before he hit the bottom of the shower. The vampire helped him to his feet. Tony couldn’t help but drink in the gorgeous sight of Gabriel standing before him wet and naked, his long spill of obsidian hair clinging to his shoulders and back.

Gabriel encircled his hand around Tony’s waist and pressed his mouth against his ear, nibbled the lobe lightly, and suckled on the end. Tony let out a strangled moan as Gabriel’s hand slipped up and down his shaft in feathery touches. The vampire grinned to himself and pinned Tony’s hands to the wall as he readied himself to enter the other man and halted.

Tony’s voice was hoarse as he begged, “What are you waiting for? I want you inside me.”

“You’re so fun to tease,” Gabriel uttered and penetrated Tony. Tony moaned again, this time louder and longer, and Gabriel grunted as he pumped at a nice, slow speed, making sure Tony felt him completely and wholly.

Tony’s body glistened with pearly luster from the water spraying onto them as he gasped in pleasure. Gabriel rode him like a stallion as the pace quickened and his hold on Tony’s hands tightened as he linked his fingers through the other man’s.

Tony was the first to come and Gabriel kept riding him, eagerly thrusting in and out, until he could no longer hold himself back and burst his warm seed. Tony’s legs felt like jelly and his knees buckled and he was enveloped by Gabriel’s arms and carried from the shower into the bedroom.

Gabriel grabbed a towel from the closet and wiped Tony off and then himself, and lay on the bed with the were-panther. Tony gazed longingly at him with verdant green cat’s eyes, and he rubbed his chin against Gabriel’s shoulder before falling back onto the bed.

“I’m tired,” he mumbled, and Gabriel nodded. The vampire pulled the covers over them, switched the lights off, and embraced Tony to his chest.

He was not going to let Tony fight. He would find another way to please Lukas. What that way was, though, was still partially uncertain to him.

The vampire waited until Tony was asleep and carefully got off the bed and padded into the living room.

He bared his fangs as he faced the man that had so crudely tortured his Tony for so long.

Lukas.

The End

Publisher’s Note

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Elisabeth Popolow lives in central Pennsylvania and has always harbored a deep passion for writing. When she's not typing on her laptop she can be seen spending her time either reading a book or working with her horses. She hopes that her readers enjoy her works as much as she does writing them!