ALTERNATE: No Risk No Reward

[Black Philip]

Jake heard the movements in the room, and came inside. He looked at Ben, all flopped out on the bed and just wanted the fighting to stop. He approached slowly, and laid on the bed next to his love. He flung an arm around his back and hoped to gently guide his body into a spooning position. Jake wouldn't ruin it by speaking. He just wanted to feel his skin, smell his hair, and enjoy his heat. He knew he'd need answers soon, especially before any siring took place, but if this was their last cuddle, he wanted it to be a good one. He feared it was already over, but the presence of Ben's body was like a life preserver. He'd lay there till Ben spoke, or fell asleep. There was always tomorrow night. Jake wanted to believe Ben loved him, even if he really didn't. He needed the illusion. To face reality was just too grave.

[Trillian]

Ben let himself be positioned but was emotionally exhausted. Sleep was the escape that beckoned and he submitted to it.

*

He woke in the afternoon. Without thinking about what he was doing, because that would allow him to question himself and his motives, he packed an assortment of clothes into a backpack along with his laptop and a few extra items that would keep him fresh. He had a nice amount of money saved up in his account because Jake had been paying him a wage, and he could use it as a deposit on a new place.

He wrote a quick note but lingered at the front door before he went through it. His brain screamed at him

what are you doing
he was going to sire you
he even said he loved you
nobody has ever told you that

but he knew from last night's conversation that Jake was only going to split up with him anyway. It would hurt more if he had to be sat down and explained that Jake had changed his mind, that Ben wasn't worthy, that last night showed him they weren't compatible. Better to just

run away

own it and leave before they were put through that pain.

Jake had eternity to get over it. Ben didn't think it would even take him that long. What was Ben other than some snobby human who'd taken advantage of him, didn't love him back and hated his friends? Maybe Jake would even hate him.

The idea of it twisted in his heart and he left quickly, no longer wanting to think about it. It was just better to be gone.

When the sun went down, Ben had set himself up in a room at a cheap motel, so he wouldn't dip into his savings too much. He stared at the flickering tiny screen of the television and tried not to think about how Jake was taking his absence. No doubt he'd found the note by now. It said: "Find someone better - Ben."

[Black Philip]

Jake expected to wake to find Ben in his arms, but then assumed perhaps he'd gotten up early like he normally did. He half expected to find him at work, or reading a book. He went to the bathroom first and cleaned his face, before changing into some fresh and casual clothes. When he entered the living room and still no Ben, he began to worry. Then he found the note. He read it, and then read it again, and again, and again. He'd left? Jake sat on the couch and folded his hands into his head.

He didn't even tell me goodbye.

Jake pulled out his phone and texted Ben.

Where are you?
Send.

[Trillian]

Ben's mobile chirped and he looked towards it on the bedside table, the screen glowing and casting its light upon the wall. Against his better judgement he reached for it and looked at it, but the screen had gone dark. Ben tapped it to life and read the message. He knew that on Jake's end, his phone would tell him that the message had been viewed.

He didn't want to answer. He could always block Jake from texting him but that had the kind of finality and 'fuck you' moment that he really didn't want to deliver. Instead, he muted it and set it back down, plugging it into the charger. He should really go out and get something to eat, but his appetite was nonexistant. He stared at the television instead and tried not to think about Jake.

[Black Philip]

He saw the read message and waited an hour for a reply. Nothing. He grabbed his phone and tossed it at the wall, shattering it. "Fuck," he yelled, pacing back and forth. His emotions were all over the place and he didn't know what to do. He considered trying to track him down, but he had no idea where he'd gone. He could summon him. The bond would help with the distance. He'd have to come back then. Jake realized that was paramount to kidnapping, and then realized he seemed to care more about this than Ben did. He'd told a man he loved him and the response was leaving. Why had he ever opened up to the little fuck? He let his sadness turn into anger, and it warmed him.

Jake went to the mirror again, and looked himself over. Other than the pissed expression he was looking really attractive. He'd just go back to Risk tonight. He'd find a new boy. He wouldn't love this one. It wasn't worth it. Perhaps he'd get a nice pet and leave it at that. It was having feelings and showing them that had ruined he and Ben. He pushed his love into the back of his mind and hoped it would suffocate back there. He changed into something more slutty and grabbed his keys. He locked up and headed out. Ben could rot wherever he was. He'd get no more love from Jake McCloud.

[Trillian]

*

Three months passed without any more texts from Jake. It had disappointed him but at the same time he had to be realistic - he hadn't really wanted Jake to pursue him. Hadn't he? No. He absolutely did not. Still, he didn't delete Jake's number from his phone and every now and then he would look at that single question.

Where are you?

Ben got a new job as a archives clerk at the city library. It was a better job than the warehouse one he'd left to work for Jake. He also got a tiny but cute apartment south of the city, not too far from where he worked. He didn't go out much other than to take walks through the park or the museum, or hang out in the library itself. He missed the books he'd had access to at Jake's. He missed Jake.

His birthday fell on a Saturday. Ben celebrated it by staying home and binge-watching a television show on Netflix by himself. When darkness fell, his gaze kept returning to the night sky through the window. Risk would be open soon. The chances of running into Jake at Risk were slim to none. He had the White Rabbit now. Ben hadn't let go of his goal to be sired. He'd just hit a bump in the road.

He showered, dressed up in black sneakers, blue jeans, a white shirt with shiny black squiggle patterns down one half, did his hair neatly before running a hand through it and mussing it, grabbed his keys and drove his car to Risk.

Coming back gave him a weird feeling. Risk had been open for two hours already so there was a queue. He went to the back of it and waited until he gradually got to the front. It took forty minutes. Once inside, he looked around, not wanting to go on the dance floor, because it wasn't his thing. The spotlights were colourful and swinging around over the thrashing bodies of the dancers.

He decided to walk past the booths down one wall. Maybe he could identify a vampire sitting at one, and introduce himself. With his heart hammering and his mouth dry, he headed down that way.

[Black Philip]

What a glorious three months it had been. The White Rabbit wasn't losing money, and for a bar only open three months that was a miracle. The Anarch faction had rubbed a few snobs the wrong way, but were more or less accepted as a part of the city. Lisa-Joe ran the bar full time, and Jake visited most nights. However, this night he'd gotten restless. Not that he'd told anyone, but he'd been thinking of Ben. Fucking Ben! He was still in there, but now he hated to think of him. His blonde hair and stupidly pretty face reminded the Anarch Baron how weak he'd been. Well, since then he'd had a few quick flings but nothing serious. He'd dumped all of them, especially one who got clingy and told Jake he liked him. What a mistake.

He was here to feed and fuck. That was it. Risk was a better bar to meet nobody humans in because people they didn't know who he was right away.  he wore a cute flannel that had the sleeves cut off. His hair was in a stocking cap, and his jeans were ripped at the knees. On his feet he wore vans. He was a regular little grunge twink. He sat in one of the middle booths, awaiting someone interesting. He shot two humans down. They weren't good enough for him. Then he saw Ben.

"Fuck," he whispered, trying to figure out how to act. He hadn't noticed him yet. Thank God for vampire senses. Should he leave? No. He had another idea. Another human male was walking down the alley, and he was pretty cute. He was shorter than Ben, and more muscly. He didn't quite have that model face, and there was something almost goofy looking about him, but he was still very attractive and perfect for his intended purpose. He caught the humans' eye. Ben was getting closer.

"What's your name," he asked quickly.

The human was forced to answer. "Bryant. Bryant Mitchell."

"Do you think I'm hot Bryant?" Again the human was forced to answer. His eyes were wide with fear.

"Yes," he admitted. He started walking towards Jake, the vampire calling to him.

"Kiss me," he ordered, and the human did just that. Jake timed it so that when Ben finally got in range he'd see an attractive human in Jake's arms, tongue down his throat. True he'd used Dominate to do it, but there was no time for a talk. He'd wipe the boy's memory later, after Ben saw.

[Trillian]

Ben, scanning booths, of course saw Jake at just the right moment. He stopped, his shock obvious. He stared just a little too long, watching the pair kiss, heated and passionate. His throat clenched and his stomach dropped. It was like a car wreck that he couldn't look away from. It was so painful it was like a bright light flaring in his face, one that brought an intensity of heat enough to burn.

He whirled away, feeling the sobs catching in his chest and his eyes itching like he was going to cry again. He was not. He was not! Hurrying back the way he'd come, intending to leave Risk, he went into the exit corridor and body-slammed someone tall and hard. He started falling to one side but an icy hand grabbed his elbow and hauled him back upright.

"The night's still young, love."

Ben looked up at a pale twenty-something looking vampire with a lion's mane of blonde hair, who was smirking at him.

"Sorry," he breathed, and started around him, but the blonde vampire took his elbow again.

"No, no, you're out of breath. Let's go somewhere you can catch it."

Ben didn't have it in him to argue against a vampire clearly intending on making him apologise some other way. He didn't want to insult him so he nodded and the pair of them went back into the main club area. Ben kept his face turned from the row of booths and when the vampire he was with started heading that way, he balked.

"No! I... I don't want, uh..." He was aware of the tightening grip on his arm as he was stared at. "Take me to the back rooms instead," he suggested, because he didn't want to suddenly strut past Jake with some other vampire. It would look like a cheap comeback to finding Jake locking lips with some other guy. There were no back 'rooms' though - only gauze curtains of multiple colours sectioning off areas. It opened a whole new set of issues for Ben to deal with, but he figured he'd be giving this blonde vampire his blood by way of apology.

"Excellent idea," the vampire replied, his face breaking into a sunny grin. "Much better than you blowing me in a booth," he said.

Ben hoped that had been a joke as he was marched to the back rooms.

[Black Philip]

Bryant was a good kisser, and Jake's aura had drawn him in. This part was pleasant. He liked the vampire now and forgotten all about his reservations. Jake didn't care either way. He was a prop piece for Ben's benefit, nothing more. When Ben didn't come down the aisle, Jake got bored and a little disappointed. He'd wanted to do the whole oh hey Ben. How's life? This is Bryant. He broke the kiss and Bryant stared at him stupidly.

"You're so cute," the entranced mortal giggled. Jake stared back in annoyance.

"Thanks, you too," he grumbled. Bryant didn't seem to notice.

"Thanks mister vampire," the human agreed, grabbing Jake's arm and resting his head on the vampires shoulder. He was affectionate. That was different. Ben had been physical, but not dripping with admiration and not star struck. This Bryant kid seemed to be what he was missing from Ben. However, what was he exchanging? Why couldn't he just go to Ben and confront him about how he left? He decided that he needed to do that and that Bryant here could, and would, wait. He told him to stay near the booth and that he'd be back soon and left to go back to the main club area. He and Ben's bond had long since expired so he couldn't track him that way, so he just started searching. He would look through the whole club as quick as he could without making a fuss. He considered Ben might've left when he saw Jake kissing Bryant. He hadn't seen the blonde vampire yet, and had no idea what he'd find when he located Ben.

[Trillian]

Ben was steered into the back rooms where the blonde vampire found a chaise behind a sheer curtain. It was at the very back section and in the corner, so they had two walls as well.

“Nobody will disturb us here,” the blonde vampire said with a lecherous grin. His hand was on the small of Ben's back where he was pushed towards one end of the furniture. The leonine vampire sat close to him, wedging Ben between himself and the curved arm of the seat. The blonde traced an appreciative finger down Ben's face and ended on his lips where he stroked across before asking a question. “Now what had a pretty thing like you running so quickly out the door?”

The vampire's fingers clutched at Ben's chin momentarily before an arm snaked around his shoulders. He sure was handsy.

“I didn’t want to bump into my ex,” Ben mumbled, figuring he might as well be truthful because vampires could read his mind anyway.

“And is your ex a mortal or...?"

“Vampire.”

This seemed to intrigue the blonde vampire as he shuffled slightly around, crossing his legs at the knee towards Ben and started toying with the flesh of his neck on the opposite side of where he sat. Goosebumps pricked Ben's skin and he licked his lips, drawing the other blonde's gaze to them.

“And how long ago did you leave him?” The vampire huffed when Ben told him and he flapped his free hand. “Have you been with a vampire since?” His smile grew when Ben shook his head no. “With anyone?”

Ben looked away. He didn’t want to talk about the intimacies (or lack thereof) of his life after Jake. He had no doubt Jake had readily moved on. He was sexy, social and a vampire. Lots of people would’ve thrown themselves at him. Ben had seen just tonight how effortlessly Jake had moved on. It had felt like a stab to his chest.

 “We can take care of that right now, then. How about you start us off on your knees and I’ll give you a nibble and we see what happens from there?”

Ben blinked at the blatant forward suggestion and understood that the comment in the main room hadn’t been a joke at all.

“No.”

The blonde froze and Ben's heart hammered in his chest.

“No?” The question was repeated back at him with a smirk. “Pretty boys like you throw themselves at me all night long, for three main reasons.” He waited until Ben made eye contact with him. “One, I’m sexy as all fuck. Two, I’m over two thousands years old, and that demands respect. And three, I have this dragon tattoo on my neck.” He swiped his hair aside and Ben's eyes widened. He knew what it meant. “I see you understand that I’m an Oligarch.”

More importantly, he would be the one Ben needed permission from to become a vampire himself. This blonde vampire, who Ben could now identify as one called Lazarus because he’d read the name in the paper that Jake got delivered, was his ticket in. He couldn’t refuse him without consequences.

“Is it still a no?” Lazarus asked. When Ben shook his head, Lazarus' smile grew cruel. “I thought you’d change your mind. You’re not a silly pretty boy, after all.”

“Ben, my name is —

“Love, I don’t care. Just wrap your mouth around my cock and let’s get this show started.” Lazarus’ fingers pressed painfully into Ben's shoulder until he squirmed.

“No, I don’t...” Ben pressed his lips together and turned his face away.

“A shy one, hmm? We can do this the other way around, then,” Lazarus crooned, and he started nuzzling along Ben's neck. Ben's thoughts started to contest, a part of him wanting to end this moment and leave, but another part of him wanted to stay, because he wasn’t getting over Jake and maybe this would help.

Fangs entered his neck at the same time as Jake started looking in the back rooms after exhausting the rest of the club. Ben's familiar whimpers and sighs would draw Jake to the far corner, if he cared to look further, if he dared to interrupt. Lazarus, meanwhile, was discovering that his shy prize was turning into a grabbing, squirming, uninhibited body - his favourite sort of reaction. He didn’t care if the youth he'd picked up was in two minds. Right now he seemed willing for sex and Lazarus was working on the clasp of the mortal's jeans.

[Black Philip]

The club was busy at this point, and yet no Ben to be found. Jake grumbled curses under his breath. The human was forgotten. He was insignificant, and Jake's frustration rose higher and higher as he searched for his ex-love. A few other vampires eyed him cautiously, his aura letting off his mood. Most moved aside as he searched, while a few of the older ones stared with disapproval. Finally, he reached the back rooms, and heard Ben's specific coos and moans, those indicators of pleasure and feeding. Those were his sounds, and he was filled with hatred for the scum that currently was drinking from his favorite neck!

He saw me and then went and found the first thing with two teeth he could find. Pathetic.

Jake didn't see the hypocrisy that he'd done that exact thing to Ben, a little bit of vampire double standard being applied. Plus, Ben had fucked him over enough that he deserved a little revenge. In fact, what better way to say fuck you then to interrupt his little date? He didn't sense any impressive mental aura, and so figured some fledge had a hold of him. He tore back the curtain with a dramatic flourish, a twink scorned if there ever was one!

"I bet you think this is fucking hilarious you little... oh fuck."

The blonde hair and tattoo gave away Ben's new suitor. It was the vampire Oligarch Lazarus. A weak chuckle escaped, and a nervous smile overtook his face as he was frozen in place with embarrassment.

[Trillian]

As soon as the curtain drew back, Lazarus removed his fangs from Ben’s neck. He didn’t take care of the puncture wounds, intending on telling whoever had interrupted them that they could fuck right off. But after the statement filtered through to his mind and he saw a lovely looking dark vampire standing in the doorway oooking sheepish, he realised who had walked in on them. It certainly made things a little more interesting and a lot spicier.

Using the hand still hovering over Ben’s crotch - he’d undone the button and had been working on the fly - Lazarus gestured towards the dark vampire and swept his hand forward, gesturing for him to enter.

“You must be the ex that this one mentioned,” Lazarus declared about a semi-hypnotised Ben, still coming down from his horny high. Glossy eyes were beginning to focus as two thin trails of red forged a path down his neck to his shirt collar. “He’s a little shy so perhaps you can come back with us to mine and we can rev him up together? What do you say, care to share a drink?”

Ben, by this time realised that Jake

oh no not Jake, this is the worst
Timing is terrible he couldn’t have
Come here to save me from
Lazarus, did he just.... offer me to Jake?

was looking at them. He was horrified and ashamed to be caught in this position. He hadn’t wanted to give Jake any further distress but he’d done it anyway. How humiliating to be discovered in this position with someone else. It would be a sweet revenge for Jake, to be able to make a snide comment about how cheap he was or how Jake didn’t drink from garbage. There were many choices available. Worse, he might even take up Lazarus’ offer and suggest they find someone better, leaving Ben here alone.

Or he might accept.

It would be sad and pathetic of Ben to want that, to wish to become a piece of scrap to be used and discarded. It would be shameful for him to feed into his fantasy of turning back the clock before he’d made the shit decision to leave. He couldn’t go back in time but he could grovel at Jake’s feet in the role of humble human. How awful. How pathetic. Why did he want that, then? Why did he hope Jake would say yes?

Even with the hope, he couldn’t bring himself to look at Jake. He stared at the floor instead, hoping for a fantasy. It expecting rejection.

[Black Philip]

Jake was confused how to proceed. The most powerful and influential vampire in town had just beckoned him inside the little hide away. He moved forward and drew the curtain back over the trio. It was so tight in here with three people. Ben was firmly between them and he could feel his familiar warmth. He almost wrapped his arms around the human as an instinct, his arms raising but then dropping back down to his side. Lazarus was handsome. He'd never been this close to him. It was also not often that Jake was speechless, and the jump from angry to confused and sheepish had left him feeling dazed. Then there was the blood on Ben's neck. He knew how good it tasted, and Lazarus would see the all too familiar hunger creeping forward in the younger vampire's eyes.

He wanted them both, and struggled to make sense of all that was going on in this moment. Hadn't he been moments away from cursing out Ben? Now, he was as close to him as the night they'd met. Lazarus would have his way with Ben no matter what. Had Jake not walked up he figured Lazarus would be finishing up the feed and his original hand placement told him that he had more planned. He hated Lazarus a bit for not sealing Ben's wounds, and quickly justified that he could stay because he was protecting Ben. That was it. He would keep him safe from Lazarus by playing along. How grateful he would be when Jake stopped the ancient from going too far if he tried. Maybe a third party was the gateway they needed to talking, and perhaps fucking was a way to getting to that conversation. Ben and he had always connected more physically than verbally. Maybe this was fate.

"I'm in," he told Lazarus, moving in and licking the blood that had trickled down Ben's neck. He looked up at Lazarus, waiting for further instructions. He couldn't look at Ben directly. Some invisible force told him to keep his focus on the other vampire.

[Trillian]

The action of remaining in the curtained booth and the words that went with it had Ben's mind reeling while his heart soared. Instantly his heart rate picked up, causing the trickles of blood to move a little more rapidly down his neck and staining his shirt collar.

Now with Jake looming over him licking his neck and Lazarus' arm around him, Ben felt crowded and overwhelmed yet strangely satisfied. Lazarus on his own would’ve been intimidating and tense, but Jake's presence was familiar and comfortable. The two together had him feeling like the ribbon on the rope of a tug of war yet Jake's acceptance calmed him. His hands moved around Jake, eyes closing, relishing the returning hold.

Lazarus watched the reunion with dark fascination. These two would out on a pretty show for him; light and dark, victim and predator, demure and confident. He sensed that the boy would be more willing with the ex-lover in the room. After an erotic drinking session, they would all leave together to Lazarus' new apartment within walking distance from Risk and tumble into his king-sized bed together. He didn’t care if these two worked out their shit or not. Right now he just wanted to play with them, and they seemed ripe for that.

He liked the obedience from the younger vampire. He liked the yes/no challenge of the mortal. As far as he was concerned, they were his two favourite things. Lazarus was hard just thinking about it.

When Jake looked at him, Lazarus undid his jeans and pulled himself out of them. “I’ll have your hand while you drink. Then you can give me your mouth while I have my turn from him,” he ordered. It could’ve been a suggestion but he wanted no argument, he shuffled over on the chaise so Jake could sit between him and Ben.

[Black Philip]

It was odd to Jake, but he felt strangely at peace here with Ben again. They were together, if nothing else, and he hoped that maybe this would lead to talks on the other side. That was all the thinking his brain could manage before Lazarus made his demands clear. Jake normally had a problem with authority figures, and considered if Lazarus was less attractive, and didn't have Ben, that he might've said no to all this. It was the perfect storm of Ben, long blonde hair, and horniness. He moved his body to profile both men, and grabbed Lazarus in one hand, and Ben's throat with the other. He wanted to cut off just a bit of air flow, enough to make the human even more lightheaded than he was already.

He moved into the open wound and began to properly drink. It tasted so familiar, and yet for all the times he'd drunk from Ben he'd never tired from him. It was as sweet and pleasing as the very first time. He couldn't help but spare a thought to the wriggling little want creature Ben turned into when being fed from. It made him hard to think of it. He couldn't free himself though. His other hand was busy stroking the most powerful vampire in town. Jake felt the ancient stiffen, and he made sure to focus as much on his technique as could be spared while feeding. He wanted Lazarus pleased. After all, it was the Oligarch who'd managed to reunite Jake and his love. He owed him so much already.

Once Jake had taken his fill, he removed his hand from Ben's throat and licked the blood that had stained it. Without a word of transition, he dropped to his knees, and began to service Lazarus with his mouth. He was still between them, forcing himself to be the focus somewhat. Lazarus could still easily reach Ben, but it would bring the mortal's crotch close to the action at hand. Maybe, Lazarus would want him to blow Ben too. He could hope of course. He decided that the surreal nature of this whole encounter would have to be thought over later. Now was about fun.