Roleplay City
Infusco => INFUSCO: Enter The Shadows => Alternate Realities => Topic started by: Existentially Odd on March 09, 2019, 04:00:27 AM
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Kerr took a wary step back as the padlock began to glow red. Within a few pulses, the colour changed to a bright gold and spread away from the padlock, over the bars of the large cage, encircling it with a loud hum that even his mortal hearing could detect. As soon as the glow travelled back to where it had begun, it faded and the carbon steel bars looked like any other jail in the land. Well, in form at least.
"What do you think your sire will make of that, Pretty?" he leered, looking from the small vial he held - which he'd dripped onto the padlock, as per his instructions - to the blonde vampire he'd trapped in his cage. He didn't look very happy, which only pleased Kerr more.
He hadn't been too sure about accepting this job - he usually worked for himself, hunting supernaturals across the country, eradicating evil where he found it. There was a network of hunters he could call on when things got tough but the hunting community was nowhere near as sophisticated as this Oligarchy crew. They'd called him to this city because his reputation preceded him and because they didn't want to get their hands dirty. Well, apparently they didn't want to be seen touching this case and couldn't afford to be seen favouring death for one of their most long-lived members... but that was exactly what they wanted.
This pair - Lazarus the old one and his fledgling, Ben - were more trouble than they were worth. They were fucking monsters, as far as Kerr was concerned. Because they were powerful and causing such a scene, the Oligarchy had promised Kerr more benefits than he'd ever seen if only he'd catch them and dispose of them. A remote mansion by the beach, fully kitted out with a basement holding area, mythically-enhanced carbon steel bars for the cage, metre-thick, warded stone walls and more magical gadgets than he'd ever seen in his whole twenty-eight years of life had been gifted to him up front. The money was as unlimited as his access to resources, it blew his mind. He was used to sleeping rough and travelling rougher. This was like a dream come true.
Kerr wasn't sure he trusted all of it, frankly, but it hadn't led him astray so far. The ring they'd given him truly had blocked Ben's mental powers when Kerr approached him at Venture, and intrigued him enough to accompany Kerr back to 'his place'. Once inside the mansion, however, the vamp had been caught in a modified Devil's trap strong enough to knock him out, allow Kerr to get magical cuffs on him and carry him down to the cell. The final step had been the magical sealant, to protect the cage from attacks from within and without.
The witch that had performed the ceremonies over the rug, the cuffs and the viscous black liquid in the vial had given Kerr some serious qualms about whether she was friend or foe. He'd asked why she didn't take care of these vampires by herself, only to be told she was a card carrying member of the Oligarchy, an Oligarch as it were. Again, impropriety kept her out of direct action, though she had plenty of advice and a magical dagger to hand off to him to end the old bastard.
Lazarus was the challenge. It had been Kerr's idea, after examining all the evidence he'd been presented on what the pair got up to, to trap the younger one first and use him as bait to attract the sire. Supposedly the 'young' one was over a hundred years old, for he'd been noted causing trouble with his sire for at least that long, but the old one was over a thousand. Kerr couldn't wrap his head around what being on the planet for a thousand years would be like; he'd have seen every bit of recorded history unfold. He'd have lived through it.
It was a damn shame. Kerr had respect for the supernatural community that kept to themselves and did their best to coexist symbiotically. He wasn't one of the black-and-white nutters that identified a supernatural and had to kill it just because it was there, he could be persuaded to be lenient. The world was full of assholes and there was no harm in thinning that stupid, ignorant herd if it became necessary. It was the ones who harmed innocents that he couldn't - and didn't - abide. Like this guy.
Kerr grabbed a nearby stool and perched on it, the heel of one boot hooked on the bottom rung, the other on the concrete floor of the basement for balance. He shivered involuntarily because it was fucking cold in the basement and he was only dressed in jeans, a green T-shirt and a leather jacket. His hair was short at the back and on the sides but a little longer on top; he'd styled it with a bit of wax before he went to the club but hadn't bothered to shave. The two-day old dark brown stubble on his face gave him an edgier look, he thought. Prettying up wasn't really his thing and it had worked on the hot-looking blonde in the cage before him, luckily.
Playing the part of enamoured bite-boy hadn't been too much of a stretch with this vampire. His eyes were fucking amazing and even though he wasn't physically as big as the guys Kerr usually dated, he had a tight body and charisma to burn. Evil motherfucker. What a waste.
"So where is he, anyway?" Kerr asked, watching the vampire intently. There was only a camp bed, pillow and blankets in the cell besides Ben.
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Ben was intensely agitated, furious with himself for getting caught. Kerr had used himself as a honey-trap and Ben had fallen for it like a star-struck ingenue. What a fool he'd been. He'd even noticed the gaudy ring on the mortal's finger and though it an eccentricity instead of being the reason why he wasn't able to penetrate his thoughts. Oh, and he'd been seduced by that idea, hadn't he? After almost two hundred years of knowing what everyone was thinking all the time - including his sire - the draw to spending a night with a sexy man who had a natural block had been too enticing to give up.
He'd been a fool. Now he'd become bait for Lazarus. There was no other reason for keeping him alive. Lazarus was wily though, suspicious of everyone. He didn't have Ben's mental prowess so wouldn't rely on his abilities to save him. He wouldn't charge into an unknown house, either. Ben had learnt how to watch a place for months before taking it over - a gradual progression from random drive-bys to overnight observations from a safe distance. He doubted Lazarus would ever feel secure about this house, especially knowing Ben had come in here and not come out again. He'd know Ben was alive, and he'd wonder why he wasn't communicating with him. The handcuffs had somehow blocked Ben's ability to send a call for help along his bond, yet he still felt bonded to his sire. A clever magic, this one. If Lazarus thought him dead, he'd simply move on.
Kerr - if that was his real name - held eye contact with Ben as he sat on the floor of the cage. Ben intended to try different things to get the cuffs off his wrists. Mental assault had done nothing, so now he would do the opposite. Meditate. Calm. Peaceful. But Kerr ruined the attempt with his talking. Ben stared, and was stared at.
The first question had been an empty one; rhetorical and with no other purpose than to lord it over Ben for getting caught. He said nothing, watching the cage change colour before it became normal again. He doubted Lazarus would be able to pull it apart.
The second question sounded like it expected an answer, so Ben answered it. Not with the truth, though.
"We picked up three groupies last week. I got tired of the orgy after a couple of nights. Lazarus was still in the mood for fucking so I left him there. "
Perhaps with a little bit of truth; it had happened a few months ago, but Ben hadn't tired of it after a couple of nights. He and Lazarus had lasted a couple of weeks until the party took a dark turn and then they'd been forced to dispose of the bodies.
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Kerr's lip curled instinctively, repulsed by the notion of an ongoing orgy with two murdering vampires. It left him with a helpless, hollow feeling inside and, even though he didn't have details, he began to convince himself of all that he'd been told. These two were the worst of the worst and they needed to be put down.
"How old is he, anyway?" Kerr enquired, wondering if the millennium estimation could truly be accurate. After a thousand years, how did sex even still rank as important enough to have, let alone investing in orgies? There were nights Kerr was so bone weary, he couldn't imagine touching another being, let alone going to all the hassle of fucking them. Maybe there was something aphrodisiacal that happened during the turning process. That was the only thing that made sense. "Isn't sex just... all the same after a hundred years or so?"
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"He's quite a lot older than me," Ben supplied, not caring to give Kerr the kind of information that could be used against Lazarus. His sire should have as much of an element of surprise as possible. If they were expecting a two-thousand-year-old vampire, then they could plan for one.
Ben's smile grew at the second question. "Oh, Kerr. You should've let me take care of you before you locked me up. I would've made your eyes roll into the back of your head."
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Kerr was affronted by the notion but his pulse quickened despite it. It'd been difficult enough to feign confidence in approaching Ben at the club, though he'd managed to use his nerves to his advantage. He'd told himself that it was getting so close to a dangerous vampire (without wielding a machete) that had got his heart racing so hard but with a similar reaction striking him now, at the mention of having Ben inflict eye-rolling sex on him, had him wondering.
The blonde vampire was attractive, certainly, but he wasn't worth losing his life over. He decided to ignore the offer completely.
"How old are you, then?"
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Ben smirked, seeing that Kerr couldn't hide his expressions anywhere near as well as his thoughts - but that had been something else Ben had liked about him at the club. Stupidly he'd thought that meant Kerr wasn't a deceptive type.
Such a silly assumption.
"Older than you."
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Kerr rolled his eyes. "Duh. How close are you two? You and Lazarus?" he frowned. Really, he was wondering how long it was likely he'd have to wait for the older vampire to make a move to reclaim his fledgeling. With Ben not being particularly forthcoming in the conversation department, if it went on longer than a few days, it was going to be too long.
He'd have to make a decision about how long he was prepared to wait before he called the operation a failure, killed the asset he had control of and tried a new tactic with the sire. He really hoped it wouldn't come to that. Hearing that the pair were inseparable would reassure him somewhat.
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Ben continued smiling, but his eyes glittered.
"He'd slice you in half to get to me," he said. "That's what you want to know, isn't it?"
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Kerr shrugged. "I'm more interested in how long I'll have to put up with you until that happens, actually."
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Ben's smile faded by degrees as he sobered.
Closing his eyes, he focussed on the magic bindings that were his handcuffs. He wanted to get a feel for them, to listen to them, to sense what was going on with them. After a moment he could hear a faint whine, or perhaps it was better described as a high pitched buzz. He zeroed in on it, unsure if it was coming from his wrists or if further in the house there was an appliance that needed attention.
No, it was definitely coming from the bindings. That meant they were powered, needing charging. They would eventually diminish on their own, unless he charged them. What would charge them? Perhaps struggling. He wouldn't do that, then. He would remain calm, unriled, no matter what this Kerr person said to him. He had to be patient, peaceful, until he broke the first barrier.
He opened his eyes and looked at Kerr again. "It depends on his stamina," he said. "Once Lazarus has finished emptying into those boys, he'll come look for me."
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Kerr pulled a face, finding the reference to the other vampire's sexual prowess distasteful. As soon as he did, however, he saw pleasure in Ben's eyes. Damnit, he needed to stop reacting to the sickening details of the vampires' activities, whether it was sex, drinking or killing. It was so difficult to control his own disgust.
"Okay. So, not long," he murmured, imagining it would only take a night or two to finish 'emptying' into the mortals. That was good. Better if this situation didn't drag on. He regarded the seated vampire curiously. He looked like he was concentrating on something. Kerr watched him for a little longer, noting the way he was subtly shifting his shoulders, moving his hands in his lap. The cuffs. Kerr grinned.
"They'll hold for seventy-two hours. After that, I can either get them recharged or take them off. We'll see how good you've been. And maybe, if your daddy's come for you, it'll be a moot point," he shrugged.
During the planning phase, he'd been exposed to two schools of thought regarding this duo: one, they should both die for their heinous crimes and two, the younger was influenced by the senior so if he got taken out, the junior might be reformed. Admittedly, the reformed notion was only floated by the witch but Kerr'd had a lot to do with her, so he was willing to give it a go. There was no sign of repentance yet, but it was still early in the piece.
It was no doubt naive of him, but he liked to think that something so beautiful on the outside was capable of beauty inside, too.
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When Kerr said 'so not long' sotto voce, Ben chuckled.
"Could take him weeks. He likes to play with his food," Ben said, then raised an eyebrow when Kerr referenced the cuffs. "How are you going to recharge the cuffs without coming in here?" he asked. "Won't it be too dangerous? To get so close to me?"
As a different idea, Ben wondered if the two magics close to him would work with or against each other. His cuffs would be a binding spell, the cage would have a strengthening spell, or a protection spell. They might be different enough to dispel the other. Ben got to his feet and braced himself before he touched the cuffs to the bars.
The cuffs might come off, the cage might crack, he might get thrown across the cell, or absolutely nothing might happen.
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Kerr wasn’t sure what would happen when the cuffs contacted the bars either, so he watched with interest. When he’d first been brought to this opulent house, he’d thought its charm was in the sprawling manse above ground but the witch quickly dispelled that notion when she brought him down to the basement.
Constructed specifically for the purpose of holding powerful supernatural creatures, the foundations of this house were laid with consecrated stone from somewhere overseas. The witch had said there were inscriptions of protection from evil intent and of restriction in the layer beneath the floor (apparently the bars, which made the free standing six by six metre cage in the centre of the room, were embedded in two layers of stone top and bottom) and the bars were inscribed, too. They had plenty of latent magic but when Kerr had poured the liquid on the lock, everything had been awakened (he’d thought it an unusual term to refer to a cage... he’d ‘awakened’ it, like it was living, but he hadn’t questioned it) to keep Ben where he was put.
The cuffs were different, temporary magic, an extra precaution for Kerr’s personal safety because he had to get Ben from the front door down into the basement. The witch had referred to them as having a dampening curse but he didn’t know what they suppressed or how, exactly. The Devil’s trap Ben had walked into when Kerr had brought him ‘home’ had knocked the vampire unconscious long enough for him to get the cuffs on and carry him down to the basement.
Ben had felt surprisingly comfortable to heft and Kerr had secretly marvelled at his own stupidity - did he think the older and more powerful a being got, the heavier their bones would be? It made sense that they got lighter, the more he thought about it. They weren’t carrying lots of heavy blood in their bodies and maybe even their organs had dried up and turned to ash inside? He was planning to write in his journal about it when he had the chance.
Either way, he’d got Ben to the cage without brushing the cuffs against the bars and now here they were, with everything activated. He wasn’t sure, but it looked like the vampire didn’t get the cuffs near the cage. As soon as his hands got close, the bars either side glowed orange and twin arcs of electricity shot out and zapped him. Kerr began to grin as Ben snatched his hands back, though it looked like the electric charge hadn’t hurt him.
Kerr’s bag vibrated on the floor a short distance away at the same time, however, which caused him to flinch, too. Belatedly, he remembered the egg-like stone he’d been given by the witch. It was set to shake to alert him any time the cage was attacked. He had a vast assortment of crystals, minerals and rocks in the ornate box she’d given him, all set to glow, vibrate or spin when different protective features of the house were breached. He really should get them set out, he decided.
Given his human vulnerability, the witch - at the Oligarchy’s behest, he assumed - had provided him with numerous early warning systems for when Lazarus finally showed up. What hadnt impressed him about that had been the nonchalant way she’d shrugged and commented that they’d all work but might not buy him much time, considering how old Lazarus was... but they were there anyway. He told himself it was better than nothing.
“I’m not the one who’ll recharge them,” he told Ben offhandedly. He didn’t really want to call the witch in to recharge the cuffs because he didn’t want her identified by Ben, so he was really hoping it wouldn’t come to that, despite Ben’s insistence Lazarus would take his time.
Kerr shivered and looked around, assessing the basement now that Ben was here and he could relax somewhat. Everything in him had been focussed on executing the first step in his plan, he’d given little thought to what would happen with him once that was done, only in how he’d deal with Lazarus. Now he was seeing a flaw in that.
The basement was huge, compared to most homes (but then, the home above was huger than most homes, too). Windowless and with stair access at one end, the room stretched away in echoey, stony sombreness for at least twenty metres around the cage, in all directions. It had a small bathroom built into one corner, a work bench against the opposite wall to where he now sat (the wall had racks and hooks for holding tools but it was empty, the bench heavily stained with dark marks he couldn’t define), two bar stools (one of which he was perched on), and the furnace for heating the entire house in another corner but that was it. The heat apparently wasn’t piped to warm up the basement, which was very inconvenient.
There was a choice of fluorescent and normal lights set into the ceiling at regular intervals. He’d only turned some of the orangish normal lights on, at this stage (there was a panel of switches at the bottom of the stairs and a mirroring set upstairs at the basement entrance) so he could see the cell and where he stood. Most of the large space was shadowy to him and it was so empty, the waves crashing against the cliffs far below were audible as a constant, murmuring rhythm, even to his human ears.
The house upstairs was fit for a king, but he couldn’t afford to be up there when Lazarus came. Strategically, his optimal position was close to Ben, but he wasn’t set up for living down here - he didn’t even have a table to set out his alert stones on, let alone his gear. Plus, it was fucking cold. He needed to shop, he decided. The only safe time to do that would be in the day, when Lazarus was unlikely to make a move. He hoped.
“Do you sleep in the day?”
-
The zap had been unpleasant but he'd got away in time before he'd been burnt. He'd felt the tingling of something akin to fire, and it had worried him that his cuffs might burst into flames. If he got truly desperate, he could always brace himself for it and give it another go. Maybe they'd overcharge and explode. He might lose his hands so... worst case scenario and only attempted if he was desperate.
When Kerr interrupted his thoughts and asked him about his most vulnerable time, Ben lied to protect himself.
"In a manner of speaking," he said, as if Kerr was only half-right. "It's not really sleep, it's like... meditation," Ben said, then pulled a face to imply that wasn't quite right either. "We go into a relaxed state. It's quite difficult for very young vampires to break, unless they're under threat of destruction. Instincts tend to kick in."
He didn't want Kerr sneaking into his cell during the day and killing him.
"I'd keep me fed, too," Ben pointed out, looking soberly at Kerr. "If you want me to have a reasonable conversation with you and not turn into a beast, I should really have some blood tonight. I'd been planning on taking some of yours while we fucked." He watched his words elicit another reaction from Kerr so he decided to goad him some more. "I wouldn't have taken from your cock or anything. I would've only sucked on that. Maybe drank from high up on your thigh instead, to heighten your orgasm." He gave a demure smile in juxtaposition of his erotic words.
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Kerr couldn’t help it. By the time Ben finally shut up, he was flushed, his breathing had quickened and his lips were pressed together. His teeth were clamped on the backs of them to stop them from quivering, so hard it hurt. Only the thought he’d draw blood got his jaw releasing. He swallowed, his mouth watering. Intense awareness fluttered through him, even though he hated himself for it.
He hadn’t forgotten the potency of kissing the vampire, in an effort to lure him into this predicament. Certainly, he’d been nervous about his plan working but getting close to the handsome monster had disarmed Kerr in ways he hadn’t expected. The kiss had been hatefully erotic; he didn’t make a habit of frenching death but he’d been overwhelmed by the sensation of Ben’s tongue in his mouth. He’d told himself that it was okay he’d liked it, because he’d needed to act the part and it’d made him convincing enough for it to work.
Hearing lewd suggestions now that had - to his great shame - briefly run through his head when he’d been in Ben’s arms didn’t make him hate himself any less. Part of him wanted everything described. He was clearly under some emotional distress, after the successful completion of his plan. Or perhaps the vampire had some sort of thrall going on. Either way, he’d think more clearly tomorrow night, act more together after some sleep and a chance to reset himself... and not like some virgin that went weak at the knees the first time his cock was mentioned.
Kerr cleared his throat.”Right. How often do you feed?” He was aware that older vampires didn’t need to drink as often as younger ones and he had bags of blood in the fridge upstairs for Ben’s use but he didn’t know if it was enough. That was why he’d asked the guy’s age, but he’d had to be a dick about answering.
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"As often as possible," Ben replied. Perhaps not the answer Kerr was after but it was one of the more honest answers out of Ben's mouth. He was fairly sure he didn't have to feed daily anymore, but Lazarus liked to wile away his nights drinking and fucking, and Ben had got into the habit of consuming blood daily in order to sharpen his mental abilities.
Already he was far advanced on his sire, but he wasn't going to tell this Kerr person that.
"Don't give me animal blood, either, unless you want me throwing up all over your clean cell," Ben added imperiously.
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Kerr brayed a laugh, pleased that the subject had shifted to one he had more definite (and less vulnerable) feelings on.
"What would you throw up? And why would I care? It's not like I'd have to live with it, sleep near it, walk around it," he smirked. "You'll get what you're given. You say you become a beast if you don't get regular blood?" he enquired with interest, trying to imagine what that would look like and how much damage the cage would do to Ben if he lost control. "Does that mean you'll kill yourself because you've got no other option?" he asked with the same amount of feigned sweetness as Ben had adopted when talking about drinking from his thigh... damn, he needed to not think about that.
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Ben stared at Kerr for a long moment, then he eye-rolled. "You only got me here because you're hot and I was horny. And arrogant, I guess."
He fixed Kerr with another stare. Cold, and calculating.
"You're hot for me, and I don't need to see it in your expression even though you give yourself away. I can see it in the dilation of your pupils, hear it in the quickening of your breath and the beat of your heart and see the twitching of your cock beneath your clothes." He chuckled at Kerr's expression, but he had more to add.
"You ask if I will kill myself? I won't have to. You'll take good care of me, because you want to fuck my mouth and find out what it's like to be with someone who doesn't gag or need to breathe. I know you don't like me as a person, but you wouldn't mind slipping it in. I know that look, I've used it to get me what I want - a drink, a fuck, whatever - so I can use it to barter for my life."
Ben shook his head. "I know you'll struggle with the moral dilemma of it, perhaps for a few days, probably more when you either kill Lazarus or he gets away and then there's the 'what if' I present. You'll give in to your temptation because men always do. And the best thing about it is you can call it my 'punishment' for the crimes I've committed against your kind, and feel powerful every time you bend me over or have me on my knees. But that's okay. I'll prepare for that, just in case Lazarus can't get me out of here. My existence won't be much different - just whose cock I'll suck."
He played close attention to Kerr's reaction.
-
At first, Kerr was mortified and the thought of being with Ben began to do everything the vampire said but then... it became too much. He said too much. It was like the sun coming out from behind a cloud, stark and obvious. He didn't mean any of it. He couldn't. He was just being pornographic to toy with him, to amuse himself. To get a rise.
Kerr's mouth twisted and he exhaled a disbelieving puff of air through his nostrils. "Oh really?" he asked drolly, getting off his stool and taking a step closer to the cage, folding his arms and peering skeptically down at the shorter man. "You don't strike me as the subservient type. As if you would ever let a simple human be on top," he scoffed. His dark brown eyes glittered, declaring he was pleased with himself for seeing the flaw in Ben's sexual descriptions.
-
Ben knew he'd lost him for a moment, but then there was that delicious phrasing.
"I've let mortal men go on top. I like a nice hot cock inside me," he said. "All this sexy talk is getting me horny again. I never did get to play with you," he said, pouting.
Ben undid his pants and reached down into them, beginning to stroke himself in front of Kerr. He lay back on the ground but turned his head to keep eye-contact. It would drive the mortal away, he was sure. Offend his sensibilities. If he stayed and watched, though, that meant Ben might not even need Lazarus to save him.
See what happened.
-
It felt like the entire world went still, to Kerr. Everything in him froze as Ben started playing with himself. He felt his eyes widening, his jaw dropping, his heart pounding. He could force his eyes into a squint and clamp his teeth together but he couldn't stop the rest of his body reacting with a mix of horror and arousal.
Oh shit. Oh fuck. His dick, he's really touching it... oh Gods. He's really doing it. Right there. Asshole. He's such a fucking asshole, playing with me like this. Hate him. I have to hate him. Gods but he's beautiful, those eyes... he's getting harder. It's... he's...fuck.
He was so thankful for the ring on his finger that blocked his thoughts, especially when they degenerated into gibbering nonsense in his head. He wanted to walk away - he should just go up and get Ben some blood, that might stop him - but couldn't help feeling like if he did that, he'd never save face again. Ben would have succeeded in intimidating him, which was what this was all about. He didn't care about Kerr, he just wanted to amuse himself while he waited for his sire, and getting under a human's skin was the best entertainment on offer.
Kerr didn't move, didn't unfold his arms, didn't look away. Fuck this crass vampire. He didn't deserve the hollow victory of Kerr's embarrassment. Why should he feel embarrassed? It wasn't like he was rolling around on a cold stone floor with his hands down his pants...
And then, neither was Ben. He was smiling, his pouty red lips an enticing curl in his beautiful face, his eerie silver blue eyes glowing as he pulled his prize all the way out of his pants and stroked it properly. He licked his hand, looking deep into Kerr's eyes and the human began to feel like he was falling, into the hole he wished would open up around him. He wanted to stare defiantly into Ben's eyes, thinking, 'Fuck you, asshole!' type thoughts and showing he was unmoved by this ridiculous show - he was a grown fucking man for fuck's sake, it wasn't like he hadn't seen this sort of thing before - but he couldn't.
He was moved by the show and he found himself watching Ben's hand stroke up and down his lovely cock hungrily, occasionally allowing his gaze to connect with Ben's. Every time he did, it shot through him and straight down into his groin, causing his own hardness to twitch and pulse with want. The hole inside him was as big as the one he was falling into, he was pretty sure. He hadn't slept with anyone for months and now he was looking straight at pure temptation while it performed just for his pleasure.
No, not his pleasure. His punishment. As payback for trapping the vampire in this cage in the first place, stopping him killing innocent boys and to lure his monstrous sire close enough to kill. Kerr needed to keep that straight. Ben was a monster, a sick murderer with no humanity, no respect for human life, no moral compass to guide him. He was...
Ben made a little noise, enticing Kerr to look up into his eyes again and when he did, it was like they were physically touching. Kerr's chest heaved as he did his best to control his breathing when Ben's body shuddered and milky liquid spurted out of him. Kerr watched helplessly as the vampire closed his hand around it and smeared the cum down his length, making it glisten whitely in the muted lighting. Kerr licked his lips and swallowed before he risked speaking.
"Well. I guess I better get you a towel and some soap with your blood," he said huskily and turned and walked away.
It took every last bit of restraint he had not to run up the basement stairs and when he got to the kitchen he practically sprawled across the bench in an effort to hold himself up. He couldn't see anything he was actually looking at, his senses were filled with Ben, the scent of his cum, the shine of his cock, the lust in his eyes. He couldn't think straight and his thirsty body wasn't helping.
Impulsively, Kerr ran up another two flights of stairs, seeking a bathroom as far away from the basement as he could get. When he found one, he lifted the toilet seat, unzipped and masturbated into the bowl unceremoniously. He was so moist with pre-cum, his hand slid easily up and down and he was done in about ten pumps, leaning on his free hand on the cistern, his body shuddering out its obsession with Ben. He hoped.
When he was rational again, he washed his hands three times (though it was very unlikely the vampire wouldn't smell what he'd done anyway), got a fresh towel and the soap and headed back to the kitchen. While he heated a whole bag of blood on a medium heat in the microwave, he searched the kitchen cupboards for a large rubbery container that he could fill with water and push between the bars to allow Ben to clean up. There was no way he was opening the door after that display. He should've thought about allowing him to wash and put a bucket in before he jailed the vampire, but he'd reasoned that he wouldn't need to shower. He didn't even sweat, how smelly could he get?
Clearly, Kerr hadn't had enough imagination.
He found what he was looking for in the laundry. It was a large pink rubber peg bucket. He filled a skinny water bottle with a lid with warm water, put it with the towel, soap and warm bag of blood in the bucket and gathered his tongs to take downstairs. The witch had given them to him with the blood bags, knowing he'd need to pass the vampire's sustenance through the bars to him. They were almost a metre long and made from a shiny black substance he suspected was obsidian. He wasn't sure if they had magical properties or were just good for remaining at a distance. He headed back downstairs to see what Ben had got up to while he was gone.
-
Ben had listened to Kerr moving around upstairs, debating whether he should be in a different position when the mortal returned. He hadn't expected to put on a show but Kerr had stoicly watched it (perhaps not so stoic, as Ben had noticed his rod had thickened in his pants into something magnificent).
He lay on the ground, thinking about how to use Kerr's desire for him. The only thing he could do was paint himself as mostly non-threatening. He'd been non-threatening enough in the club for Kerr to pick him up. Their kisses had been passionate, they'd ground into one another, smiling secret sexy smiles and then rushing to Kerr's home together for a night of fulfilment. At least Ben had some of it, though not in the way he'd imagined.
He would have to approach this in stages, and he'd have to play the role of 'horndog teen' that Lazarus liked so much. In that respect, he and Kerr hadn't seemed so different. Looking young helped. He'd also have to be careful to say just enough, for Kerr had appeared dubious during some of Ben's chat with him. He'd have to channel his inner Goldilocks.
When Kerr came back, Ben was in the same spot. He was giong to play the 'long time to recover from orgasm' card. Hopefully, Kerr would let his guard down over it. How many times would it take? Ben didn't know if he had the kind of stamina required to take on the role. Horndog teen was getting results already, though. Might as well keep going.
Keeping his eyes slightly unfocused, Ben sat up and used the water bottle to pour away his semen and then dried himself with the towel. It didn't take long before he was drinking out of the blood bag; and if it wasn't human, he really would feel nauseated and travel to the bars to chuck it up.
-
Controlling the tongs and poking everything through the bars one thing at a time without touching them - he pictured a game of 'Operation' and wasn't sure if he'd get zapped like Ben had if the tongs touched - had been challenging. Still, it occupied Kerr's mind enough that it kept his focus, rather than him looking at Ben still laying on the stone floor. He was roused by the blood being put n the floor of the cell and it must have been human blood the Oligarchy supplied, because he didn't vomit it up.
There were another six bags still in the fridge. He'd had a week's supply. He prayed he wouldn't need it all.
While Ben drank, Kerr ran back upstairs and fetched his laptop, Returning to his former seat, he set the computer up on the other stool, pulling it between his legs, and began shopping online for the things he wanted to make this space liveable. Some of the shops were open twenty-four hours so he found quickly he could place orders now, then he'd just have to go in and collect them once the sun came up and Ben was asleep - or meditating, whatever. He'd be back at the house in no time, set up and then he could sleep for the rest of the day, too.
Sharing this space wasn't going to be as easy as he'd thought it would be when he was only planning to be close to Ben to better intercept Lazarus. Ben had seen to that. But he was determined to act like it hadn't bothered him and go ahead with his plans anyway. Lazarus could turn up in sixty minutes or sixty days. He needed to be vigilant and ready.
~*~
When Ben came out of his meditation (which looked a lot like sleep, as far as Kerr was concerned, but he didn't want to start an argument about it) the next evening, he would find Kerr had transformed the area between Ben's cell and the basement stairs. He'd set up a camp bed much like Ben's against the far wall (with manchester, because it was easier to get out of in a hurry than a sleeping bag was) and two trestle tables running perpendicular, bearing his laptop, a large television screen, a collection of notebooks and a line of early-alert stones. There was also a small cook top with a pot on it, a kitchen chair, a bar fridge with a loaf of bread and some fruit on it and, in front of the tables, a recliner armchair and an enormous four-bar electric heater. He was sick of freezing in this stone hell.
He'd picked up all his purchases as soon as he was able, had created his living space and was asleep by ten o'clock that morning. He'd slept for six hours, which wasn't much but he'd wanted to be awake before the sun went down. He'd done a workout (at the other end of the basement, he'd set up a workout space with floormats, a sit up ball, bench and some free weights), run a few laps around the cavernous space and showered. His hair was still wet. He was wearing jeans, his boots and a black T-shirt tonight. He'd also shaved, liking the feeling of being completely clean... before Ben woke up and no doubt muddied his clear-thinking waters.
He was making himself a ham sandwich when he noticed Ben wake up. "Do you want blood straight away or do you prefer to have it at the same time you got it last night?" he enquired politely.
-
Ben ignored the question in favour of looking at Kerr's setup.
"Does the house upstairs have a smell you can't get rid of? Because you can use baking soda for that. Or spray some room freshener." He looked back at Kerr. "Hang on. Is all this because you're infatuated with me?" he smiled, delighted.
-
"Yes," Kerr smiled, opting for uncharacteristic sarcasm. "I find I can't be more than ten metres away from you at any given moment and the beds upstairs are just too damn comfortable. I'd much rather be in this freezer with you, just so I don't miss a moment of gazing upon your pretty face. This is all because of you," Kerr finished warmly, nodding as he spread his arms wide to indicate his little home, butter knife still in hand.
After a moment, he went back to making his sandwich. "You didn't answer my question," he pointed out drily.
-
Ben's lips curled into a smile. "It's because of what I did for you yesterday, wasn't it? You sure you don't want to sample the goods?" he approached the bars, keeping his hands away from them, feeling the tingle when he got close. He was able to press his face between the bars and stick out his tongue, proving he could reach a fair distance. "Come here. Let me taste what I missed out on yesterday." He sank to his knees. "Just the tip. Go on. I can't bite you if I'm licking you like a lollipop." He grinned and curled his tongue for good measure.
-
Something very similar to those actions had occurred in Kerr's dreams, causing him to awaken to his afternoon alarm erect and wanting. He'd run it off, pleased to not succumb to Ben - even though it was Dream Ben - again. Still, because it aroused the memory of that lust in him, he blushed and coughed slightly around his ham sandwich, forcing himself to chew a couple more times before he swallowed so he didn't choke. He deliberately avoided eye contact.
Tonight, he'd set himself up for a long night of ignoring the younger vampire and waiting for his sire to arrive. He felt like tonight would be the night, which was why he was eating early. He needed energy. "Maybe later," he told Ben, pleased with how cool and calm he sounded. He got a can of Coke out of his fridge and took it and his sandwich over to the swivelling recliner at his trestle tables, inspecting his alert stones carefully for anything so much as a wobble.
As he sat, he pulled his nearby journal over to re-read the notes he'd taken while the witch talked, telling him which stone went with which zone of the house's protection. He pondered taking notes on Ben next. Other hunters would be interested in anything he learnt, spending time in close quarters with a vampire.
He'd already learnt that Ben liked blood every night, which meant he was possibly not as old as predicted. But did he need the blood or just like the blood because it was available? He supposed, because he'd never got an answer about when Ben wanted to drink, he'd find out by the end of the night. He'd heard numerous stories of vicious vampires, glowing red eyes, bloodied fangs and ripped open throats. He'd never seen it himself
Ben's eyes are the most amazing silver blue, they don't look real but they'd never turn red, surely?
but with a prime specimen locked behind ten layers of protection, it could be the time to find out. Maybe after Lazarus was dead. It didn't seem safe to tempt fate and have Ben turn rabid before then.
He switched his sandwich to his other hand and reached for a pen to make note of these thoughts in his book.
-
Not getting much of a rise, Ben lay back on the cement floor and placed his legs up on the bars. The ceiling of his prison was quite tall, and he'd wondered about the size of it - the how and why.
After half an hour of staring, he had a question to ask. "Can I have books?"
It was deathly boring. Kerr was doing nothing but scribble down notes. He'd worked out it was notes from the way Kerr moved his pen across the page. A different motion would be sketching. Ben wondered what other kinds of entertainment he'd be allowed.
"And a guitar. And some watercolours and paper to go with." He couldn't see Kerr from his position on the floor, and his legs and raised feet were blocking his view of the mortal who'd captured him.
-
Kerr swivelled on his recliner, turning to face the cell. His journal on his lap, he leant back to contemplate this request. He realised that Ben's boredom could work in his favour., if he was clever. He didn't really want to give the vampire books because he was wary of supplying his enemy with missiles that could be hurled at him but the benefits could outweigh the risks.
Without saying anything, he went upstairs. It took him a few wrong turns to locate the library he was sure he'd walked past at some stage but he found it. It had a large collection of books but it was very eclectic, giving the impression that many of them had come to be here when they were abandoned by their owners during brief stays. He gathered up a collection of fifteen books, ranging from a Mills and Boone romance to a self help business guide. In between, there were a few bestsellers, Stephen King novels and some science/psychology/astronomy titles.
Kerr stacked his enticement carefully and held it close while he got it down the stairs. He placed it near the cage, where he'd left his tongs, then dragged the kitchen chair over. He sat, a pen and his journal in his lap once more. He looked expectantly at Ben. "How about I trade you books for information? If you tell me things I want to know and I feel they're the truth, I'll give you exactly the book you want." He reached over and made sure Ben could read the spines of all the titles as he spoke. "If you don't answer or I think you're lying, you either get no book or one you don't want. What do you think?"
If Ben didn't agree, the stack of books could just stay right where they were and no-one would read them. It didn't worry him.
-
He listened to Kerr moving about upstairs, trying to imagine what rooms were where. He was fairly certain he knew where the library was, because there was no sound in the world quite like removing a book off a shelf. The cell didn't interfere with his hearing, anyway. He wondered where the kitchen was and how much blood Kerr was able to give him tonight.
Once Kerr returned with a good collection of books, Ben sat up and eyed their titles. He laughed at Kerr's negotiation tactic, thinking it transparent and infantile. He couldn't suggest or charm Kerr into giving him the books because of the cell's magic. He couldn't refuse to play without giving up the boks. A puling, resentful part of him wanted to turn his back on them because Kerr's idea was just... stupid. Except he wanted the books too much.
"Fine, ask away," he invited, and sat cross-legged near the bars, ready to take one when it was offered to him through the cell's openings via the black tongs. Kerr wouldn't know a truth from a lie anyway.
-
Kerr's smile was charmingly honest; he was pleased by the success of his negotiation, even if Ben seemed to resent agreeing. Or maybe he was so pleased because of Ben's regret.
"So. How often do you need to drink blood and how often do you actually drink it? I'm wondering if I have enough," he admitted, smiling above his poised pen, ready to take notes.
-
Ben doubted Kerr would like the answer, but he figured he might as well give him the truth because it gave him nothing much.
"I haven't had cravings since I was a first made fledge because I drink two or three times a night, every night."
He eyed the psychology title and pointed to it. "I'll have the yellow book, thanks." Then he smiled.
-
Kerr ignored the power of that smile as he looked at the pile of books, got the one Ben nominated out... and placed it on top. He gave his prisoner a reprimanding look.
"Take a guess, then. I know you're well over a hundred, so I assume you won't need a lot. If you're not being gluttonous, will one bag of blood a night be enough? Too much? It's in your best interests to answer me, you know," he advised.
-
"I didn't realise that guessing was an appropriate response. Fine. One donor a night," Ben said flippantly. He really didn't know, but he had skipped nights once or twice without a donor and hadn't suffered - but he also trained vigorously and without his sire's input, so there was no telling how much he needed. He always thirsted more after using his abilities, so it made sense to him to keep his strength up. "Give me the yellow book now, because I did what you wanted and if you're going to reward me with fuck all, I'm going to tell you fuck all."
He glared at Kerr.
-
Kerr obediently proffered the book Ben had requested, using the black tongs. Holding Ben’s penetrating gaze was even more difficult up this close and Kerr pondered the wisdom of his decision. When each look went so deep inside him that it was like a physical touch - a welcome physical touch - he was putting himself directly in temptation’s way.
“How did you end up sired by Lazarus? Where’d you two meet?” He asked next.
-
Ben took the book and slid it away from the bars, towards his cot. At the next question he thought about the night he and Lazarus had got together. It had been a rushed negotiation and had required a lot of sacrifices and proving. But it had paid off in the end. He didn't really want to tell Kerr the whole truth.
"I was a dogsbody at a tavern, sweeping up and serving drinks, that kind of thing," he lied smoothly. "He was in there, hunting. I caught his eye but he already had a man with him, about the same age as him. I mean he looked the same age," Ben corrected. "I didn't know any better." This part was true enough, though he was glossing over a lot of necessary details. "Lazarus had paid for a room upstairs and wanted me to... uh... clean it up." He realised he'd stumbled over the lie, so justified it. "He didn't really want to, I just thought it at the time." Yes, play poor sweet innocent Ben going to tidy up the scary vampire's room. "That night I found out what he was and pleaded for my life. I was willing to do more for him than the other guy, so he swapped us out."
Ben smiled slyly at Kerr. "He took every advantage. If he'd been in your place, he'd have taken me to bed before locking me in here. More fool you. Cost me a good time, too," he added with regret. "I felt how big you are at the club. Such a shame you don't want to use it on me."
-
Kerr's hand stilled momentarily, his notes about Ben's beginnings halted as the vampire's final comments registered. He didn't look up but Ben would no doubt be able to tell he was blushing because even the tops of his ears felt hot. He cleared his throat subtly, trying to sound nonchalant as he threw an offhanded comment at Ben.
"Yeah well, lot of good it does me," he muttered, trying to deflect the conversation away from what he might have experienced with Ben. He might have actually felt what it was like to bury himself inside someone for once, instead of taking things sooo slowly he almost fell asleep before he got anywhere and being careful only to put his tip in - or, if he was really lucky, to go in as far as was comfortable for his partner. Most men, when it got right down to it, were scared of his cock; he rarely got to be on top and he never got to let loose. His size was a curse more often than a blessing.
A vampire might've been different, might've allowed him to relax enough to enjoy himself fully, might've healed any damage he did before it even became an issue so they'd have both had a fantastic time for once in his life. It wasn't right to want sex with a vampire, it made his skin crawl at the perversion even as his heart fluttered with the thrill of doing something so wrong but... ah fuck. He needed to stop thinking like this. It wasn't enough that Ben had to keep teasing him, now he was joining in and torturing himself with 'might've's and thoughts of how good fucking an aberration could be? He was sick to even like the idea of it.
Kerr took a breath and squared his shoulders, looking at what he'd written.
- tavern boy
- Lazarus travelling through
- cleaned the room
- found out he was a vampire
- willing to do more, got swapped out?
"So you were willing to become a vampire?" he guessed, deliberately choosing a version of Ben's words that wasn't filthy in nature. Even if he was wrong, at least his guess wouldn't lead to more embarrassment on his part.
-
"Not at first, but Lazarus wasn't so willing to make me one, not when I was so much fun to drink from." He gave Kerr a curious look. "I was like you, initially. I saw him as a monster. Drinking blood, forcing his desire on others, hearing and seeing what normal people couldn't. He was a demon. I thought he was some kind of a sex demon, he had an unnatural stamina for it. Over time I realised it was just a facet of fun for him, a thrill that he wasn't yet bored of. It didn't take long for me to figure out he loved a power-struggle. I was unpredictable. Sometimes I denied him, sometimes I begged him for it. He's smart, too. You don't get to be two... uh... too old without being smart," Ben finished, annoyed at himself for the slip and hoping Kerr hadn't realised which 'two' he'd meant.
-
Kerr nodded as he wrote, not noticing the slip because he was too busy imagining what life with Lazarus the sex demon was like for a mortal. Terrifying was his first guess, but Ben seemed exhilarated in the telling of it - he’d obviously always been someone who played games to his own advantage. He seemed to relish the role of power-hungry fledgeling. Was that still their relationship? Ker held his questions off log enough to offer Ben another book of his choosing but then he got back on track with growing enthusiasm for the tale.
It occurred to him that everything out of Ben’s mouth could be a lie but he seemed fairly genuine so Kerr was taking it all as a fast growing story. What choice did he have? It wasn’t necessarily giving him anything he could use in his pursuit of Lazarus yet - particularly if Ben was lying to him - but it was entertaining!
“So where were you born? How old were you when you met Lazarus? How long did it take before he decided to fledge you? When did you stop seeing him as a monster - when you started mimicking him and killed someone?” Kerr hazarded. Questions and conclusions were coming to him so fast he was forced to ask before he lost his train of thought.
-
Ben was pleased that Kerr seemed oblivious, scribbling his notes and barely looking up.
Ben opened his mouth to answer where he was born but Kerr rode over the top of it and he closed it again. He listened, paying attention to each question and logging what he would or wouldn't answer - he would answer them all without giving specific vampire ages - but then the final question came and his expression shuttered.
He moved to his feet, glaring at Kerr before moving to his yellow book. When he picked it up, he made a statement.
"I'm done. This book is all I want," he lied, sounding as hostile as he looked. Ben moved to his bed and sat on it, staring at the cover for a long moment and then opening it up to stare at the half-title page for an even longer time, his thoughts going inward.
-
Kerr blinked at Ben, realising a couple of things simultaneously. The first was that Ben was a very smooth liar, because Kerr believed him when he said that he didn’t want any more books - and he’d watched the vampire salivate over the pile he’d brought, so he knew it was a lie. Damn. The second was that he’d hit a nerve but he wasn’t sure why. Was it calling his sire a monster? Insinuating he was the same?
“I insulted you,” Kerr hazarded. “I’m sorry.” He watched Ben carefully, wondering if the monotone apology would do anything to change the situation.
-
Ben, who didn't get to hear apologies often and usually not unless Lazarus wanted something from him, turned his head to look at Kerr. A hollow expression on his face, he gave a brief nod and went back to staring at his book. Kerr's apology woke him up enough to turn the pages a few times until he got to a table of contents. He looked them over as he spoke again.
"I was sixteen when we met. Nineteen when he finally gave in and fledged me." Ben turned the page and pressed it down when it was at the first chapter. "He was using me as bait to attract someone to drink from. I got jumped on and attacked by a group of men whose sensibilities I offended." Ben flapped a hand. "Lazarus made short work of them but I'd been vulnerable. When he found a knife on one of them, he realised he could've lost me."
-
"Did he love you then? Is he capable of love?" Kerr asked, fascinated by the way the simple words painted such a graphic picture in his mind. He shouldn't have been surprised by the power of Ben's words, he supposed, they'd been affecting him the whole time.
Still, the notion that Lazarus had been using a nineteen year old as bait - because he couldn't be bothered doing the work to lure a bunch of hooligans himself? Because he wasn't good at it back then? Surely not - offended him on Ben's behalf. It was a stupid idea, as far as Kerr was concerned. Ben didn't strike him as the type to lure willingly and the phrase 'whose sensibilities I offended' just proved that.
-
Love. Lazarus certainly used the term a lot, but not as Kerr imagined.
"He doesn't say it, but we've been together a long time. I know he loves me," Ben said, but even he could hear that he was trying to convince himself. "I love him," Ben shrugged. "He can be refined, but he's also really primal. I guess I like his unpredictability as much as he likes mine."
Sometimes, though, Lazarus' propensity for violence just got too much and Ben would put a great deal of effort into throwing one of his infamous orgy parties. They only happened once every decade or two, but they tended to satisfy Lazarus' hunger in other ways. They were starting to get bigger and weirder, as more and more vampires would attend them from around the world.
-
Kerr did his best to stop his eyebrows climbing into his hairline, wanting to keep his face as impassive as possible, even though he was completely surprised by Ben's words. He knew Lazarus loved him? He liked his unpredictability? The vampire sounded like a jilted teenager doing his best to get the attention of his crush but Kerr was loathe to reveal this unfavourable impression.
"His reputation is certainly about how primal he is," Kerr agreed. "He's left a lot of bodies in his wake, through the years." Instead of asking a question, Kerr let the statement hang, wondering if Ben would respond better to such prompts.
-
"He fluctuates," Ben said, frowning. "It comes and goes in waves. He can go decades without leaving behind a dead body," Ben said, not quite sounding proud about this achievement but for Lazarus it was a pretty big deal. "You shouldn't separate me from him... he'll get worse. When he gets bad, I know how to reel him in."
He knows I don't approve, Ben thought but did not say. He didn't want to assign blame to his sire, even though he was the one doing all of the killing. Ben let it happen insofar as he didn't know how to stop him, but he considered it to be the same crime. He was helping Lazarus get away with it after all.
-
Kerr felt an unexpected wave of sympathy for the younger vampire. He'd been with Lazarus since he was sixteen, which explained a lot. His entire world view had been shaped by a monster. It was a miracle he was as cognisant of the world as he was, given his background.
"Ben... I'm not planning to keep you separated from him as an experiment. He's done too much for too long and he will only continue to get worse," Kerr said huskily, his tone gentle as he stated a brutal truth. "I'm planning to kill him. Can you think of any other way to stop him?"
-
Ben knew he was bait for Lazarus - he wasn't so naive, but he wouldn't have believed Kerr would have believed it off him. Ben had meant for him not to be separated from Lazarus even temporarily... or if Lazarus never came, for Ben to be killed and separated permanently. He certainly didn't think this was an experiment.
However, Kerr's tone gave Ben different ammunition to play with. Even though the other knew Ben was over a hundred (and in reality he was twice that), he still trusted his eyes more than his mind. Ben knew he was pretty, and he looked young, and those two things offered him an innocence he really didn't deserve. Even after the sexual moves Ben had made on Kerr, even after he'd openly manipulated the conversation, Kerr suffered on his behalf. Ben could play another victim.
But did he want to?
On the heels of the realisation, and feeling how much it grated on him, no, he didn't think he could play a victim even if he did want to. He fell in that space of being too cunning to look innocent and not cunning enough to pull it off.
"You don't need to stop him," Ben said. "He scoops up the risk-takers or those too stupid to know better. He's thinning the herd and quite frankly, your population is out of control. Mine isn't, so destroying your predators isn't necessarily the best decision to make."
There would be no coming back from that.
-
Kerr blinked a few times, stupefied by the cold logic of the argument as much as the blunt delivery. Disappointment swiftly followed, because he'd thought Ben was different. He'd thought there was hope for him. He was younger and should be more in touch with his humanity, he didn't have the reports of violence that Lazarus did, he hadn't been ordered to kill Ben at all costs. Part of him had been determined that, when this was over, he'd be able to let Ben go.
Ben's statement contradicted that notion soundly.
"That's... certainly one way of looking at it," Kerr said, still processing the implications of Lazarus' 'generous' murders. Being a Hunter, Kerr was trained to protect the human race at all costs, had come into the life because he'd inherited a love for it from his parents and uncle. He'd never stopped to question whether the human race deserved to be protected, by their nature, he'd always known them to be thus.
But Ben's insinuation that the world was better off without the stupid, the foolhardy, the ignorant resounded with the part of him that watched the news some nights. It echoed the sentiments he secretly felt when he heard about another massacre, weather disaster or war that had killed tens, hundreds, thousands; the poor bastards were probably better off. The world was on the brink of environmental disaster, humans frequently showed less human decency than the monsters he hunted and none of it looked to be slowing down. Handbasket loaded, Hell here we come!
Still... natural selection was a pitiful argument and he was ashamed of the part of him that rejoiced a little when there were fewer world and people problems to think about because some catastrophe or other had befallen them and there were less people in the world. Generally, he satisfied that urge by Hunting, telling himself that he was making the world better by ridding it of evil... But did the culling of one necessarily outrank or deserve it more than the other? Was it his place to be judge and executioner (he'd worried about that more often in the last couple of years as his kills had risen and his reputation had blossomed along with them)? Was he any better than the monsters he put down? Perhaps it was truly about balance and destroying Lazarus could well tip the scales unfavourably.
What the fuck am I thinking?
Taking a sudden, cleansing breath, Kerr straightened up, closing his pen inside his notebook for now and rubbing a hand over his face. He obviously needed a change of pace. He got up out of his kitchen chair, returning his belongings to his work table. Maybe he should do another workout to clear his head? Frowning, he turned to look back at Ben.
"Are you hungry? Want your blood now?" He never had got a straight answer to that question, he realised.
-
Ben figured the frown was for him when Kerr went pensive. He waited for the arguments about how the innocent didn't deserve to die, and had a reply waiting that innocent people died every day... but Kerr said nothing. With his hands still upon the book that was open on his lap, Ben stared at Kerr, waiting him out. His captor seemed to blink himself back into the present and shook off whatever it was he'd been thinking about.
The next question was answered immediately. "I'd like it, yes," he said, keeping his mouth pressed tightly on the 'please'.
-
Kerr had brought the microwave and Ben's blood bags down when he'd set up his kitchen area; they were in the bar fridge beside his butter, milk and soft drink cans (that he suddenly wished were beer, even though he was expecting Lazarus to trigger one of the alarms any minute and he'd need to be on top of his Hunter game). He put the bag in the microwave on the setting he'd used the night before and organised a travel mug to pour it into when it was done - it would be classier than passing the bag through, was tall and skinny enough to fit between the bars and the lid would stop it spilling if the tongs slipped.
Standing there, numbly watching the bag go round on the lit up turntable, his thoughts turned pensive again. It really sucked that, along with his reputation, his doubts about his chosen field of work were rising. Ben wasn't the first monster to give him second thoughts. He'd let a werewolf that promised to lock herself up every full moon - from then on - go a few months before, because she was a mother who'd been travelling home from working a double shift when the full moon rose. She hadn't meant to rip three cows apart - and they'd only been cows, he'd justified... in the same way Lazarus and Ben would likely say 'they were only stupid people'. Damnit. Where was the line? He was afraid he might've already crossed it.
Still frowning, he poured the blood into the mug, capped it and carried it towards Ben's cage. He scooped up his tongs as he passed the pile of books, intending to pass the mug through to Ben closer to where his bed was. Kerr's thoughts were restless, pondering a workout but not feeling excited by the notion. Perhaps he'd be better off waiting 'til sunup and taking himself off to get laid. It'd been too long and Ben kept getting him worked up. There was a guy that lived in the city that he knew he could go to, another Hunter. They'd hooked up whenever he passed through. The guy was pretty into him, though, and a sixth visit within a year would give him ideas Kerr didn't want him to get.
He was so preoccupied that, despite holding the tongs in one hand, he approached the cage and held the mug out near the bars with his other, where Ben could get a hold of him, if he wanted.
-
And he did want. Ben had set his book aside and was strolling casually towards the bars when he'd realised the blood would be passed to him soon, but when Kerr got nice and close, he instinctively called on his celerity (something Lazarus was able to teach him to do) and grabbed Kerr's wrist, pulling on it so that Kerr was slammed into the bars but stopped at his shoulder because now there was resistance. He still held the mug - had a death-grip on it, in fact - and Ben plucked it out of his hand with the hand that wasn't holding onto the man who'd trapped him.
Still holding Kerr, Ben thumbed off the lid and drank down the blood, skolling it. It was awkward holding Kerr and drinking while being cuffed. Awkward enough that a tiny rivulet of red escaped from the side of his lips and ran down his chin. He tossed the plastic thermos away from himself, sending it clattering to the other side of his cell, and felt Kerr's muscles bunching under his hand, tugging and pulling to no avail.
"Stop it," he said, bowing his head to wipe away the driplet with the back of his free hand, smearing it before making a few more attempts and finally getting rid of it. "You'll hurt yourself."
With a seductive smile, Ben lowered to his knees, angling Kerr's arm down with him. Kerr was still extended, caught up to his shoulder. Ben held Kerr's arm by the wrist with both of his hands now, turning it so that it was palm down. "Would you like to know how sharp my fangs are?" he grinned. "Open your fist. Put your fingers in my mouth," Ben invited, then planted a kiss on the top of Kerr's fist and then licked the seam where Kerr's index and middle fingers were. He hummed and gave Kerr a devious smile.
He wondered if Kerr knew he could've ripped his arm right off. Instead of violence, he preferred seduction. It might not be the right play, but it certainly wasn't the wrong one. He was certain Kerr was into him. He would use that again and again until Kerr let him out of this cage.
-
FUCK!
Kerr's distraction disappeared the instant he was grabbed and adrenaline pounded through his body, accelerating his heart rate to the point where he could hear it thumping in his ears. He fought, yanking back so hard that it wrenched his shoulder and signalled he should stop fighting as Ben suggested but he couldn't. He couldn't believe he'd been so stupid! Panic and fear bled into his racing veins, stirring his emotions and bringing tears to his eyes. He had the presence of mind to keep the left side of his body away from the bars so that the ring on his hand and the tongs were kept out of Ben's reach but otherwise he was a trapped animal, held at Ben's mercy.
His eyes widened as Ben knelt and asked about his fangs' sharpness before he invited him to... put fingers in his mouth?? "What?" he asked in disbelief. "No! Let me go, please," he begged, trying to pull back because the instinct to get away was too strong to fight.
Then Ben licked him. His poor, confused body was now flooded with tingles of excitement, awareness of his hand's proximity to Ben's mouth getting all of his attention. He stopped struggling to get away, his breath fluttering in and out of him as he watched his hand open involuntarily. His fingers splayed but didn't press forward, they just hovered between him and Ben, shaking as he waited to see what would happen next. "Let me go," he whispered.
-
"Aren't you doing research?" Ben suggested, not letting Kerr go. The splayed fingers were perfect and he put the tip of the middle finger in his mouth first, dragging his fang across the pad of his finger before he applied just enough pressure to pierce it. He sucked on it then, tasting a tiny amount of Kerr's blood before slowly engulfing Kerr's finger to the middle knuckle, then back again. He caught Kerr's index finger into his mouth as well, but there was no sharp slicing with his fangs - just showing Kerr by the use of his fingers what it might be like upon his cock.
Ben shuffled forward on his knees so that Kerr's arm was slightly bent, a bit more relaxed to enjoy it, hopefully giving Kerr's (likely) aching shoulder some relief. He gazed up at the mortal man as he took those fingers as deeply as possible and held them there, massaging them with his throat muscles - not gagging, not breathing, but slickening them. He shuffled forward some more on his knees until his handcuffs were dangerously close to the cell bars and were sending him tingles to remind him. His hold on Kerr's wrist was loose now as he worked his head back and forth upon the fingers. The tiny slice on Kerr's fingertip had closed up naturally, but Ben could still feel its imperfection there.
-
"I was just... "
curious about you and Lazarus... and you
Kerr frowned, his focus splintered, making it very difficult to finish a sentence, let alone think. He watched Ben's lips move sensuously over his fingers, looking up at him through silvery blue eyes while his cool tongue stroked and swirled and it was the most erotic view Kerr had ever had. They didn't make porn with this attention to detail, this mindboggling sucking of helpless fingers. Every undulation of Ben's throat, every flicker of his tongue was transferred to his groin by Kerr's mind and other parts of him began shaking weakly as his cock stiffened.
When he felt himself swaying forward, wanting to get even closer, some wild survival instinct kicked in at last. Without preamble, Kerr tugged on his hand, finally recognising the necessity of getting it out of Ben's mouth and back on his own side of the bars (mostly). "Stop!" he yelled at the same time, though it sounded unconvincing even to his own ears.
-
Ben let the hand go, disappointed that Kerr hadn't invited him to try out the real thing. He hoped his move had made progress for him rather than reversed things. He watched Kerr pull away from the bars hastily, almost stumbling - maybe he was stumbling, for Ben had released him altogether but not at the same time as when he'd yanked or anything.
Ben licked his lips, recalling the flavour and texture of Kerr's skin more than his blood. He had thick fingers with manicured nails because they hadn't scraped Ben's throat. He didn't know if Kerr did them himself or professionally, but it was something he would imagine in better detail now - those warm hands on his body, exploring and investigating every inch of his skin. Ben's eyelids fluttered for he was seducing himself with Kerr's image, but it wasn't too long a reach - he'd become trapped because he'd been looking forward to enjoying Kerr after all.
Ben remained on his knees near the bars, his hands cuffed and settled in his lap, watching Kerr.
-
Kerr was released unexpectedly and it threw off his balance. He recovered from falling by staggering back a few steps and dropping into a crouch, his left knee on the stone floor and his body hunched into a defensive huddle over it. His left hand was holding his right arm at the wrist, like the limb was now bleeding and needed to be elevated to slow it down. He looked at Ben with wide, horrified eyes, awash with rage at his own stupidity, relief that he was still alive and lust so powerful it left him quivering.
He stared back, trying to sort through everything, wondering why he hadn't been killed then telling himself not to be stupid; Ben wouldn't kill him while he was still locked in the cage. He'd get out first. Ben would wait to kill him until he was out, it was only logical. The vampire was capable of running at that level of clear-headedness whereas he, idiotic and vulnerable mortal that he was, couldn't get past his own arrogance enough to respect what he was toying with here.
Kerr was completely out of his depth and this vampire was fucking caged and a tenth the age of the one he was supposedly going to kill. He was fucking insane to think he was capable of that! He hadn't managed to last one night with Ben without putting himself in mortal peril, how the fuck did he think he'd cope with someone a thousand years older, faster, stronger, wilier? He couldn't.
Ben's gaze was adding to the pressure mounting inside him and Kerr lowered his head to rest his forehead against his lofty arm, placing his elbow on his raised knee. Could he get out of this? Sure, the Oligarchy wanted to keep their hands clean but didn't they want the job to succeed? Cold realisation flooded through him as he realised his life was also insignificant to the organisation that had employed him. He'd been aware of it, sure, but only on an intellectual level. They knew how ineffective he'd be up against a thousand year old vampire, though. They'd given him every advantage they could, sure, but these resources were likely a drop in their well. It would be fantastic if Kerr succeeded but if he died in the process? Oh, well. They'd have to move to plan B or C or whatever came after him. They had a supply of powered beings at their disposal, they were just hiding behind him because it suited their bureaucratic manoeuvrings.
Kerr had never felt so powerless as he did right then and he was content to wallow in self pity. He'd signed a contract with the Oligarchy, agreeing to go through with this charade. There'd even been a charming monetary bonus going to his mother, should he die in the pursuit of his prey. Now, he understood that that payout was likely certain, he resented his blind faith in signing that deal. And his own arrogance. He was always successful, why should this time be any different, especially with the setup and cool toys he was offered? Fuck them. Fuck him. Fuck Ben.
He lifted his head and looked at the vampire, his expression devastated. "There's no way I'll be able to kill your sire, is there?" he asked hollowly. It didn't really require an answer, for he knew the truth, but he braced for Ben's confirmation anyway.
-
Ben shrugged at the question. "He's two thousand years old," he said, finally giving up the correct information because he could see now that Kerr was second-guessing his ability. It wasn't a lie, it was a plea. "He survived by being wily. He's seen entire civilisations build up and turn to rubble, merely due to the passing of time. You want him to value the lives of mortals like he hasn't watched them destroy each other for two milennia and you call him a monster for his survival. He cares for me, he does... but he won't risk himself for me. Your idea was a good one, but he's too old to sacrifice."
Except Lazarus had constantly told Ben that he'd never met anyone like him, and that he was a good find. Ben was a trophy that Lazarus wouldn't be able to replace with the same lustre. Even if he found someone who was better than Ben, the comparison would always be there and it was hard to compete with a memory.
"If you're wondering why you aren't dead," Ben said, for if their positions were reversed, he would wonder. "It's because I've killed before and I find it unpleasant. I'd much rather fuck than kill. You might be surprised, but he's the same. When you finish me, you'll anger him." Ben shrugged again to indicate he didn't know how things would go after Lazarus was angry. He would become unpredictable.
-
Two. Thousand.
At the news, Kerr dropped to the floor in a sprawl, shoulders drooping as he watched Ben incredulously. Lazarus was twice the age he’d been told he was and Ben’s argument was convincing; why would a being that had been around that long care about humans? He’d seen millions die to plague, war, famine... anything a horseman could throw at them and more. But people always made more people, the supply was only growing exponentially. Why even fucking bother?
Even as he thought it, guilt washed through him. It was worth bothering because all those people mattered to someone and, fundamentally, no race, colour or creed should matter more than others. Seeing one species as food for another was morally unsound by that argument, forget about the impact of lives lost on people who cared. Like his family when his father had been killed by a demon.
“I never really intended to end you,” Kerr admitted dully. Ben was being honest; he might as well follow suit. “You were always a soft contingency. Lazarus is the hard one, the one I must end. I figured I’d let you go, once I had him. You haven’t got his record. Now I know why.” An errant thought occurred and he uttered a short, bitter laugh. “I’ve probably got more kills in twenty-eight years than you do in one hundred, seeing as you don’t like it and it’s my job.” There was no mirth in his eyes as he shared his realisation, just resignation and confusion.
-
“I’m older than a hundred, add another seventy years,” Ben replied, correcting Kerr’s mistake because he could see he was making better progress with the truth. Being told he’d be released was probably a lie, but it still made him look at Kerr a little more favourably.
“I love him, I can’t let you kill him. I know he’s a fucking pain and that he doesn’t value life as much as he should, but I honestly do have some influence on him. If you release me now, I can take him away from this country... I can convince him to travel with me. If we return, we will be gone long enough that we will no longer be your problem,” he said, then gave Kerr a sly look, “unless you’re sired for your talent in hunting our kind down.”
-
Kerr made a sort of, "Pfffk!" noise and flung his hands apart resignedly when told he also had Ben's age wrong. The Oligarchy had either vastly underestimated the age of this couple or they'd lied to him, to downplay the threat to his life. Cynically, the latter seemed more likely. They'd certainly gone all out with the gadgets and the methodology, trying to give him advantages he'd thought extravagant. Now he knew better.
He gazed thoughtfully at the magical cage imprisoning Ben as he was told the vampires could leave the country - and his lifetime - and never bother him again. It caused a pang inside him that he swiftly and surprisingly identified as regret, imagining Ben and Lazarus remaining exactly the same as he remained exactly where he was, in the job he was in, until he withered and died or was taken out. He'd never see Ben again. Never know what it was like to--
The mention of siring startled him out of his melancholic reverie and brought his gaze sharply back to Ben. "What? Why would I be sired to hunt?" he exclaimed, offended by the notion. It'd be like switching sides and playing for the opposition. That would be an even bigger move than letting Ben go to collect Lazarus and get him out of the country.
His heartrate picked up at the thought of it and he told himself it was because he was horrified.
-
"I imagine as you get more skilled, better at your job, that your employers would not want to lose you as an asset. You wouldn't need these magics after enough time," Ben's handcuffs slipped down his arm as he gestured with them and also at the cell and towards Kerr's ring. "You wouldn't be able to lure a vampire using yourself as bait, like you did with me... or maybe you would. We're a sexual bunch, I've noticed. I suppose when you've lived long enough, there are very few things that excite you. Sex is a good old standby for that."
Ben shifted so that he was on his backside, his knees becoming uncomfortable from holding him so long without any cushioning beneath them. "After a few centuries you'd be quite formidable. Especially if your employers let you keep your gadgets. You'd have to be looked after the first couple of years though, to make sure you don't have any accidents." Ben frowned. "I did my most killing the year I was made before I learnt to control it. Lazarus didn't interfere. He thought it would make me more like him. Admittedly it did, at the start. I had to suppress my emotions or else I'd go mad with grief. I still never enjoyed bringing death to mortals. Lazarus... he doesn't get excited by it, murder doesn't satisfy him... if it did I'd have left him a long time ago... but if he has to sacrifice a human for his own survival, whether it be food or security, he'll do it." Ben murmured thoughtfully. "Hmn, I thought I would as well, I'd always told myself I would, but I had an opportunity and didn't take it, so apparently not."
He'd spoken far too much, but Kerr seemed to be an enraptured audience. Ben liked that he was listening without scribbling.
-
Kerr flushed at the last statement, feeling a surreal mix of awe and embarrassment as he put himself in Ben’s place and acknowledged that he could’ve killed Kerr in an effort to survive but hadn’t. The fact that he hadn’t didn’t make sense to either of them, which only compounded the surreality of it all.
If he imagined himself dead right now, how would that affect everyone he knew? His family? He was saddened to admit that deaths in his line of work weren’t common but they happened. A couple a year. Those folks that passed were mourned hard, spoken highly of and then forgotten as time rolled on. There were always more rogue monsters to put down in the name of protecting humanity. His mother and brother would miss him, raise a glass with the crowd at his wake, tell everyone he died too soon doing what he loved and drown their grief in vodka.
He had no close friends, no significant others, just occasional repeat hookups that would speak fond words and not express how he’d pissed them off by snagging their kills, competitively got to jobs before they could to boost his reputation or left their bed to do all of the above and didn’t call them til the next time he wanted something. Everyone knew what he was like, but no one would tell the truth about the dead - especially if he died taking on a job too big for himself.
It was fucking miserable.
Kerr sighed and repositioned himself, raising his knees and hooking his elbows around them, hands linked in the space between. He could still feel the throbbing echo of Ben sucking his fingers without too much trouble... he tried to push it out of his mind. Being told about how strong he’d become if he was a vampire didn’t excite him and the life Ben spoke of didn’t sound any better than the one he was currently contemplating being lost to him. What would it matter how long you lived if you didn’t matter to anyone? If they didn’t matter to you? At least Ben had Lazarus - or vice versa. Either way, they had each other and... sex? Was that even enough?
“My ‘employer’ is me. This is just a one-time gig I was approached with, by someone who’d got wind of my hunting reputation. None of the magic is mine. I know a few warding runes, an entrapment spell or two - nothing big enough to enchant objects or pour out the juice this lot does,” he mused, lifting the ring finger on his left hand to gaze at the ring on it.
What would happen if he took it off? Would Ben Dominate him to let him out? A thrill of excitement raced through him. Would that be enough of a slip-up that they wouldn’t punish him, just tear up the contract, fire him and take all their magical shit back? Could that work? He looked back at Ben, some life coming back into his rich brown eyes.
“They have me locked in to a pretty tight contract. I’m supposed to kill Lazarus, like I said. But everybody makes mistakes... right?” he asked lightly, beginning to work the ring along his finger.
He didn’t do it quickly, he wanted to think the ramifications of this through - he’d be entirely at Ben’s mercy, did he want that? He hadn’t killed him last time, so Kerr felt he’d be safe this time, right? - but he was too excited by the notion that he’d found a loophole in which everyone won. Lazarus would live, Ben would get him out of the country for years, the Oligarchy wouldn’t know he’d basically let Ben go free (and willingly voided his contract) and he could get the fuck out of this city and do something about finding a life that mattered.
People always said near-death experiences gave you a new perspective on life. Fuck, they were right.
-
Kerr speaking of his hunting reputation (one that didn't precede him, unfortunately) caught Ben's attention, but he didn't understand why Kerr would call himself his own employer when he next stated that he'd signed a contract with someone else. He answered to another person, or entity... an organisation or whatever it was that Lazarus had pissed off. He needed to know more about them; who they were, how many hunters had been sent after him and Lazarus. He supposed it was likely Kerr had no idea about the latter, for why share such sensitive information, but if Ben knew what he was up against, he and Lazarus could do something about it.
If he got out of here.
He watched Kerr working the ring. The hunter was fatalistic about it. Ben was transfixed by the small movements, but he tore his gaze away. He meant to keep his expression neutral, but he couldn't help the smile that forced its way on his face. It was a small smile, but an obvious one. His eagerness for Kerr to allow him control refused to be suppressed.
And that was when Lazarus set off the alarms.
-
Kerr froze, his gaze drawn to the spinning egg-like rock across the room. Uncertainty rose, and he glanced back at Ben as he shoved the ring back on. Despite the sense of overwhelming doom infiltrating his body, he surged to his feet as the next crystal in the line began to vibrate, followed by the one beside it starting to rock.
So fast.
He barely had time to think, his instincts took over and he ran for the knife the witch had given him. He cursed himself for not wearing it, even though he'd been fairly certain the elder vampire would come tonight. He ran as fast as he could but it still felt like he was running through glue. The rate the alarms were being tripped, he thought the vampire would be in the house by the time he got the knife.
The witch had taught him how to set another trap at the bottom of the basement stairs, and he'd done that in the daylight, as instructed. She'd said it would be stronger than the one that had knocked Ben out because it was using the power of the stones beneath the basement floor, but he wasn't sure it would work. Had she known he was two thousand or not?
Kerr reached the knife and pulled it out of its scabbard, whirling towards the stairs with it held firmly in his hand. It was a wicked-looking hunting knife, the blade engraved with runes and the handle made from carved bone. It was warm in his hand and that was all the thought he had time to register before the door at the top of the stairs slammed open with so much noise he was pretty sure it'd been ripped off its hinges.
-
Lazarus could smell Ben and the mortal downstairs. He also got a whiff of old sex and even older magic. He heard ragged breath, the drip of sweat, and felt shifts in the air... but not Ben in his mind. It was unlikely that his progeny wouldn't give him warning. He could sense him down there.
"Ben, love," he whispered.
"Lazarus," Ben breathed back, to let his sire know his position. "He means to kill you."
"What weapons?" Lazarus continued to whisper.
There was a very long pause before Ben finally answered. "Magic. There are traps. Blades."
Lazarus growled, a rumble deep in his chest of his discontent. The mortal was sure to hear that, certainly not their soft conversation.
"He was about to let me go," Ben said in a normal speaking voice. "He was going to let us leave."
"He's tricking you, love," Lazarus replied, so that the mortal could hear. "I'm disappointed in you. Getting caught. Believing him."
Ben lowered his eyes to the floor. "Because it was true."
"Then have him release you and come up the stairs to me," Lazarus scoffed, but then added on another whisper, "but before you do, end him."
-
Kerr whirled towards Ben when he first spoke, then spun towards the stairs when Lazarus did, his heart in his mouth. It was difficult to speak past the terror constricting his throat and contemplate his imminent peril. "I-I'm not tricking him," he told Lazarus. "B-but there's... he can't get up the stairs yet." He needed to de-activate the trap at the bottom for either vampire to pass, it was his last line of defence.
Kerr turned to look down at his trestle tables of magical goodies, seeing the keys for unlocking Ben's cell and the handcuffs. They didn't look much like keys because one was a vial of liquid to dampen the activation of the cell and the other was a counteractive crystal for the cuffs. He pocketed the crystal and picked up the vial, walking towards the cell still wielding the knife in his dominant hand. He uncorked it with his teeth but then paused, looking at Ben.
Again, his heart stammered in his chest but his emotions were too complicated to unravel and figure out why. Mainly, he was terrified and seeing that his choices were pretty clear: Kill Ben (didn't want to), Kill Lazarus = live ( a highly unlikely outcome); don't release Ben, lure Lazarus down and kill him, Ben would no doubt hunt him down for vengeance if he left him alive = death; let Ben out and allow him to deal with Lazarus as he'd promised, worry about the Oligarchy punishing him = the lesser of two evils and he'd possibly live. Possibly.
He wanted to say something profound, to plead for his life, to ask for advice... find the words that would convince Ben that this shouldn't be his last night on the planet. He couldn't think of anything. "I guess I'll let you out then," he said quietly. "Please... " He didn't know how to finish the sentence, so he poured the vial on the focal point in the cage's door. It behaved much like locking it had, except this time the glow was a brilliant white. Kerr pulled the door open, dropped the empty vial and reached into his pocket for the crystal to remove Ben's cuffs. He lowered the knife slightly as he held out the crystal, watching the vampire's amazing eyes.
He realised he was holding his breath.
-
Ben was amazed when Kerr fetched something to use on the bars. He got to his feet and stepped away, shielding his eyes when the magic interacted with the cell door. When Kerr approached him, knife in one hand and crystal in the other, Ben stepped forward and offered his handcuffs, certain that the knife wouldn't be used on him. Not now. His release had come a lot easier than he'd anticipated. His seduction of Kerr had been so complete that he'd even bargained for Lazarus' life - not something he'd anticipated he could do. He supposed Kerr had been in the right frame of mind, but Ben was going to take a lot of the recognition for this. He'd obviously played it perfectly enough.
His handcuffs melted off him and he relished the sensation of freedom. True freedom. There were so many paths he could take; he could end Kerr now and go to Lazarus, call Lazarus down and declare he was safe and then end him himself, leave Kerr and do as he said and take himself and Lazarus out of the country.
Instead, he reached up and ran his hands through Kerr's hair, testing his grip on it whilst looking at his lips. His other hand reached for the knife, attempting to take it off the mortal as he closed in for a kiss.
Upstairs, Lazarus waited at the doorway, feeling that something had happened but unsure what. Ben was smarter than him though, and he had all the information, so he stayed where he was and listened to the soft shuffling noises coming from below.
-
Kerr flinched away from Ben, trying to step back but ending up held tightly by the head and awkwardly arched instead. His hair was fairly short but that didn't seem to matter. Ben reached for the knife and Kerr pulled it away, hiding it behind his back and squirming in Ben's hold in an effort to keep the knife out of his reach, his balance somewhat compromised and his hope failing. But still, he fought.
"Stop it, I don't want to hurt you," Kerr warned through gritted teeth. It occurred to him that Ben didn't need the knife to kill him, so what did he want it for? Some sort of symbolic killing, using the weapon that would've ended his sire? "You can't... get out of ... here," he said between grunts, "if you kill... me. I have to dis... arm the trap!"
-
Lazarus waited impatiently when he heard that Ben was free but something else was happening and there was talk of another trap.
“Don’t be foolish. I can take possession of your mind and take the knife off you, then instruct you to undo the trap. Unless you mean to jam it into my ribs, hand it over,” Ben ordered. “Willingly.”
Lazarus huffed audibly. “Ben, stop fucking around and just do what you suggested.”
Ben replied outwardly even though he was able to do it telepathically. “I want to take him with us.”
“What the fuck do you want a hunter for? To slay us in our sleep? Just do your trick and let’s go.”
“No,” Ben insisted, and licked Kerr’s neck before speaking softly to him directly even though Lazarus would hear. “He'll do what I want, won’t you, Kerr? Leave this bullshit behind. Don’t let them use you for their savagery, let me use you for intimacy. I'm what you’re aching for,” he said as he shifted his hips forward, brushing up against Kerr's groin.
“He’s a dangerous toy, love. He’s going to stick you with that knife,” Lazarus predicted.
-
When Ben licked his neck, it shivered through him so hard his neck muscles cramped, sparking pain because he then couldn't move his head to relieve it. He was left floating in that minor agony as he tried to move his other hand away, expecting Ben would go after the mind resistance ring if he didn't get the knife, to force him to do the things he'd just threatened. It left him in a vulnerable position, held in place by Ben and helpless to defend against his thrust - physically, at least.
"Fuck you I will," he snarled even as his body betrayed him by lighting up with tingles and bucking firmly back. The words were meant to argue the claim that he'd do what Ben wanted, but they also answered Lazarus' warning neatly - he had no intention of sticking a cursed knife inside Ben, even in his compromised position.
Kerr tried to tell himself that his crotch parry was his only way of fending the vampire off - which was true - and that he didn't enjoy it - which wasn't. This entire scenario of being held captive and helpless in a vampire's grasp had, at some twisted point, moved from his worst nightmare to an erotic fantasy and it only made him angrier and thrustier as he squirmed, using his hips and chest to attempt to gain some leverage. "We had a deal! Let me go, I'll let you go and you take him away," he ground out.
He didn't anticipate the Oligarchy would look favourably on his failure but he wasn't about to surrender any of the toys they'd entrusted him with to add insult to injury, nor was he about to willingly surrender to being a vampire's plaything. Sure, he'd likely suck on his own fingers while he wanked (to fully immerse himself in the fantasy) for the rest of his life, but that was by the by. He saw the connection he'd felt to Ben as a way to escape with his life and his dignity and he wasn't ready to accept that he could have only one.
-
Ben was trying to sell the idea to Lazarus.
He can tell us about the bounty on our heads, why it's there, how far it reaches. He's also a nice piece of ass.
Though he would prefer not to share Kerr and figured he wouldn't have to. Kerr was a far cry from Lazarus' type - more like Ben himself. As if Lazarus had a direct line to Ben's true thoughts, he heard the whisper that came next - harder to hear over Kerr's panting and heartbeat, so close.
"We don't always agree on what's sexy," Lazarus muttered.
Ben focussed on Kerr, feeling his denial and disappointed with it. Kerr had aligned with him so much as to release him instead of doing what he was supposed to do (and frankly, Ben would've been surprised if Lazarus didn't become ensnared in the magical trap - it was an unusual thing). Ben thought Kerr might keep his word and release him after Lazarus was reduced to ash, or maybe do the opposite of what he said and keep Ben caged to perform for him. He would've, too, for a while anyway. This literal following of the deal was frustrating.
Kerr's writhing motions were turning him on, unfortunately, so Ben did as asked - he let Kerr go, pushing him away. He wasn't going to force it; he would only ever push so far - much like his sire (though Lazarus would always go right up to the edge). He'd wanted the knife and/or the ring as a memento, too, but Kerr was being a bastard about it, denying Ben not only himself but a little keepsake.
Ben huffed and adjusted himself in his jeans before turning and reaching out a hand towards his cot. Kerr would see the yellow psychology book that lay upon it tremble and then fly into Ben's hand. He held it to his chest and then gestured with his free hand for Kerr to undo the magic trap.
"Go on, then. Let me out of here, and regret not accepting what I could have done for you," he said, then added slyly, "and to you."
Lazarus' voice floated down the stairs to them, at a volume both of them would hear. "How many rejections have you had now, love? An even dozen? Your hunter is in a very select group."
Lazarus was exaggerating. With Ben propositioning mortals multiple times a week, there were lots of rejections, but he had far fewer knockbacks than Lazarus, who poured his charm on too thick and ended up sounding sleazy. Still, it was obviously a sore point for his sire who dealt with it by over-complimenting Ben's looks and charm into being something godlike or equally ridiculous.
"He is," Ben agreed softly, which both shut Lazarus up and gave Kerr something to think about.
-
Kerr was thrown off balance in more than one way. Pushed away from Ben with gusto, he stumbled, managing to keep himself upright by grasping the end of the closest table and causing the television on the next to shake precariously. Then he saw a masterful display of telekinesis and was told he was in a select group because he’d rejected Ben. There was a bitter irony in that statement that the vampires would’ve laughed at if they’d been able to read his besotted mind right now.
The thing that threw him the most, though, was that Ben had let him go. Because he’d fought. It seemed to matter to him that Kerr was willing, which was just... astounding. Was it a matter of pride that the vampire he’d tricked many times in many ways now got his supplication? Would he relish the notion that he’d broken Kerr down to the point where he not only let him and Lazarus go, but he also surrendered all his assets and willing body, too? Or was he something even more rare, an honourable creature?
Kerr wished he could find out but he didn’t have the luxury of time
unless you go with them, to study them
learn everything
fuck Ben like you want
seriously, why not? What else do you have going for you?
It would make this scenario more convincing
you’d escape the Oligarchy and
be with him
Sex? Is that all this is about? Stupid, I can get sex anyw-
not with a vampire
not with HIM
he matters
Why not do it?
or perspective to figure it out. He shook his head as he picked up the discarded scabbard and sheathed the knife, fighting off his tumultuous thoughts as if he was conversing with someone. He needed two hands and to be thinking clearly so he tucked the knife into the waistband of his jeans (where Ben could reach it as easily as he could, if he truly wanted the knife and not just to test Kerr’s loyalty) as he approached the bottom of the stairs. It didn’t feel right to turn his back on Ben but he was more wary about what would come down the stairs than creep up behind him.
Truthfully, he hadn’t been told how to cancel this trap, just turn it on. He’d suspected it was different to anything he’d ever done because the witch had painted some sort of liquid (he’d suspected blood but she’d kept it to herself, her body shielding her actions much like his was to Ben right now) around the stones in rune-like gestures before telling him he should activate after the young vampire was trapped and when the sun was in the sky. Most traps worked the same way, though; destroy a part of their construct and the whole trap was voided, or undo the trigger.
Since he only knew how the trap was set, the latter idea was all he could go on. Praying his logic was sound, he stood before the space with his shoulders back, hands lifted and performed the activation ritual in reverse. From the first arrangement of his hands pressed together over the space, he felt wrong but he also knew he had no choice. He couldn’t exactly call the witch for advice. He pulled his hands apart, bending his hands towards his wrists as he did, describing a square. Twisting his thumbs downward, his fingers splayed, interconnected and separated, flicked back together and then described a backwards roll around each other before his fingertips pushed together, arms held parallel to the ground.
By the time he performed the final manoeuvre - pulling the line of his arms apart by jabbing his elbows towards the east and west simultaneously (for the basement was carefully oriented, he’d been told) - he was feeling deathly ill. When his arms reached the final position, an invisible wave of intense power pulsed outwards from the base of the stairs, rolling over him like he was in the ocean being dumped by a wall of water. Kerr, being closest to the point of origin, was knocked sideways even as his body doubled over and he began vomiting. As the remains of his earlier meal sprayed out of him indiscriminately, Kerr fought to stay on his feet and conscious but the retching didn’t stop and he lost his battle for lucidity after a few drunken staggers.
Kerr collapsed on the stone floor near Ben’s feet (mostly face-down, luckily), his body still heaving bile out of him, unconscious. His final thought, before blackness engulfed him, was that he was unsure if he’d even turned the trap off.
-
Ben watched the movements Kerr made with interest, alarmed when the air changed and electrified - only it felt different from electricity. It had a sensation of thick air. He took a step back before Kerr was flung away, retching and reeling and blacked out. Lazarus moved away from the top of the stairs when it felt like he was standing in fast-moving water, pressing himself against the wall beside the doorway. Ben received some of the brunt of the magic and was thrown against the bars of his cell with enough force to cause him pain.
Then it was over.
Lazarus dawdled at the top of the stairs a minute longer before racing down, at Ben's side and looking him over. His love was in one piece though looked dazed.
"Kerr," Ben said, "is he...?"
Lazarus looked over but didn't bother going to him. "He's breathing," he said, helping Ben to his feet. "Are you taking him with us or leaving him here?"
"He didn't want to come," Ben said.
"Since when does a mortal's wishes bother you?" Lazarus laughed.
"I'm not you, Laz. Anyway, this one is different."
Lazarus scoffed, then saw the scabbard a distance away. He made sure Ben could stay on his feet without help and went to it. He offered it to Ben, who tucked it into his pants and then went to Kerr.
"He's not in a good state," Ben said, the smell of vomit pungent and over-powering. He picked up Kerr and moved upstairs with him.
"I thought we weren't taking him?" Lazarus asked as he followed behind.
"We're not. I'm going to clean him up and put him to bed."
"You're a little old to be playing house with dolls?" Lazarus said, then he was inspired. "Ooh, actually, I've had the best idea. What if we set up a house and fill it with street trash? They'll do whatever we want to them if we clothe and feed them and give them a place to live."
Ben moved out of the basement and pulled a face as he went upstairs, looking for a bedroom - preferably one with an attached bathroom.
"And how do you propose we set up this house? With all the money we don't have? And how would we feed and clothe this merry band of thieves? With the food and clothing we don't have?"
"Since when have we needed money?" Lazarus scoffed.
"Since you wanted a house full of fucking street-kids," Ben replied, rolling his eyes. "The ideas that come out of your head aren't always winners."
"You lack vision," Lazarus muttered, but he lapsed into silence, fantasising about his idea, glossing over the details.
Ben found a room he liked and lay Kerr on the floor where he could undress him. Lazarus watched from the doorway.
"How'd he capture you, anyway?"
"One of those magic traps," Ben replied, working on Kerr's clothes.
"You didn't scan his mind?"
"He has some kind of block on him. I couldn't get a reading off him."
"And you went home with him anyway?" Lazarus asked with obvious surprise. "Not your usual careful self, Ben. Were you so eager to fuck him that you threw caution to the wind?" At Ben's silence, Lazarus laughed. "You should've done him in a back room."
Lazarus eventually grew bored watching Ben take care of the human and wandered the rest of the house but didn't go downstairs again. Ben filled the tub with warm water and was aware of the scabbard digging into his side. He tossed the sheathed weapon onto the bed before returning and putting Kerr into the tub. He wet a washcloth and soaped it to bathe him. He hadn't got far, having washed Kerr's face, neck, shoulders and both arms and was doing his chest when the mortal stirred.
Ben continued stroking the cloth on his chest, though didn't move further, wanting Kerr to be properly awake before he moved downward. He didn't think Kerr would be feeling very sexy after his purge. He'd probably be feeling rather ill, so taking advantage of his naked body wasn't an option.
-
Kerr flinched when he came to and immediately regretted it as pain exploded everywhere, particularly threatening to tear his head off at the neck. He started to reach for it but stopped when the loud sound of splashing water set off miniature fireworks in his brain and every muscle screamed at him to slow down. His hand dropped harmlessly back into the water and he opened his eyes carefully.
It was dark, which he was thankful for, but it made it difficult to figure out what was going on. He was naked, in a tub full of deliciously-warm water. He was definitely not in the basement's spartan bathroom, then, it only had a shower stall. There was a shadowy figure beside him attached to a hand swiping his chest; he assumed it was Ben and that he'd been taken somewhere beyond the house they'd been in, his willingness to accompany the vampire not a factor after all.
Pleasure bloomed in his chest and he told himself it was just because he was glad he was alive and being looked after.
"Ben?" he queried, his voice little more than a croak. Still, he gained an affirmative answer and asked the vampire what had happened. When his own actions were described to him, he had no recollection of them. The story sounded like a tale of someone else. He remembered beginning the de-activation spell and feeling off but that was all. Vomiting everywhere; now that was an unusual side effect of fucking up an incantation. How impressed the vampire must have been to be confronted with so much humanness in one go. He was only glad he didn't lose all his bodily functions - unless he had and Ben was just trying to protect him from being embarrassed. The thought warmed him but it was swiftly followed by a startling thought.
"Lazarus!" he cried, recalling that the ancient vampire had arrived and told Ben to leave him behind. Ben clearly hadn't listened but Lazarus hadn't forced the issue and killed him, either (obviously), so where was the ancient? When told he was around somewhere, Kerr didn't find the answer comforting. He only realised then, completely out of logical order, that the de-activation had been successful in the sense that Ben had passed through it but he thought he'd partially triggered it with his clumsy actions.
Kerr relaxed back against the curve of the bath, liking Ben's attention. The vampire had gone to a lot of trouble for him and even though he knew he should be despairing over being stolen, he was too sore and sorry for himself to bother. Ben's touch was gentle, the rhythm of it soothing... and a little inappropriate, he realised, as the hand and washcloth slid down his stomach.
"Wow, I really got it everywhere, didn't I?" he chuckled but his amusement faded swiftly as pain stabbed him in the backs of his eyeballs. He scrunched his eyes shut, breathing carefully through it. "Fuck, my head hurts," he whispered. The bathroom's echo wasn't helping. He cocked an eye open, looking at the shadow he knew to be Ben. "I don't suppose you got my stuff before we left the house?" he enquired quietly, not imagining Ben stopped to pack his gear and collect his toiletries but really hoping he had, because he needed about ten headache tablets right now and they were with his toiletries.
If he was in the right frame of mind, he'd have been frantic at the thought of losing belongings that were irreplaceable, rather than worrying mainly about pain relief tablets - the numerous journals of notes and recollections of kills he'd been cataloguing throughout his life, the laptop he used to back everything up on, magical gadgets he needed to give back. His wallet and phone were also pretty important. Had they used his car to drive away? That would be some consolation, as he loved his Camaro SS. His clothes, too. He'd have to go back for them when Ben let him go. He hoped the Oligarchy would neither read his stuff nor throw it away.
Without thinking, he covered Ben's hand with his own, his thumb caressing the top of his wrist in a gentle and loving gesture of gratitude and contentment, following wherever it strayed and closing his eye while he listened to Ben's answer and let him do whatever he wanted.
-
Ben watched as Kerr fumbled and made tiny sounds of pain, though they sounded more like sounds of pain escaping his body rather than his voluntarily making them. With his questions, Ben realised Kerr had thought them gone. He'd found the ring on Kerr's finger when he'd been washing that hand, and because of everything downstairs, knew it was the reason Ben couldn't see into his head. It was a combination of frustrating and refreshing, similar to what he experienced with Lazarus because his sire was particular about Ben speaking telepathically to him, wanting it kept to a minimum. Ben hadn't made an attempt to take the ring off.
He liked that warm hand on his, holding him lightly enough so that he could still move in swirls. He got very close to Kerr's flaccid penis before moving aside and washing the tops of his legs, slowly moving to his inner thigh.
Softly, a little louder than on breath, he spoke to Kerr (and ignored his questions). "If you take a little blood from my wrist, it will heal you. Might give you a slight boost, as well," he said. Then he added, "temporarily."
-
Kerr’s nose wrinkled but he wasn’t game to move any more than that - nor even open his eyes. “Drink your blood?” he asked quietly, vaguely disgusted by the thought of it.
Still, he was in a great deal of pain and it was tempting - he might start thinking straight. This diminished state didn’t allow him much of a defense against Ben, not when all he wanted was to stay still and float until everything went away. He was lucid enough to recognise that that wasn’t very smart with a vampire bathing him and another even more dangerous one prowling around nearby.
“And it wouldn’t turn me into a vampire, right? Promise?” he asked childishly, unsure that he should trust Ben on this but haviing a vague memory of hearing this was possible. Some groupie somewhere had told someone once that vampire blood healed you and gave you a high of some sort. His thoughtful tone declared that he wouldn’t take much convincing.
-
"I promise," Ben said. The hand that wasn't on Kerr's thigh moved to his mouth, and he pressed his inner wrist down on his fang before moving it rapidly along, slicing it open in a way that wouldn't heal too quickly. He winced at the pain of it, aware of the blood that ran down his arm. He quickly pressed it against Kerr's lips for him to swallow, knowing that it wouldn't taste like human blood. It had been a long time since he'd fed on it, for his making was a distant memory, but he recalled that the very first drop had tasted like salted milk and then it had changed as he'd taken from Lazarus more and more, each swallow effectively becoming more glorious. Ben wouldn't let it go too far - it couldn't anyway, his skin would mend beneath Kerr's mouth, cutting him off after a minute or so.
As Kerr first tasted, Ben waited for him to latch on. Once that happened, Ben returned to washing - stroking Kerr's thighs, wondering if Kerr's hand upon him would guide him elsewhere.
-
Kerr opened his eyes when the bloody wrist was pressed to his lips, though he still couldn’t see much of anything. Because he was keeping movement to a minimum, his hands stayed beneath the water and he just moved his lips against the cool skin. Detecting a rivulet of blood, his tongue chased it down, lapping gently, if hesitantly... at first.
He’d expected the coppery bitterness he associated with the taste of his own blood but that wasn’t what he tasted at all. It was more viscous than he expected; it reminded him of salted, unsweetened honey. The more he drank, the sweeter it seemed to become and then another funny thing happened - he was able to see. Eyes widening, he turned his head and not only could he see Ben clearly (though it was like he was out in the moonlight, everything cast in a whitish blue glow), it didn’t hurt!
He unlatched from the wrist and looked at it in wonder. “It’s closed,” he breathed, then looked back at Ben. The pain was gone and in its place, his veins were beginning to hum, like his blood had figured out how to sing as it seeped through him. “I feel wonderful,” he added, grinning. “It wasn’t just a story!” His delight was obvious but his expression stuttered as he looked into Ben’s eyes.
“Your eyes are amazing,” he whispered before he reached up and clasped his hands either side of Ben’s face, uncaring that he dripped water everywhere. He pulled him close and pressed his closed lips to the vampire’s, tensing momentarily when he felt a spark explode between them. He giggled; that hadn’t happened when they kissed in the club. His lips fell out of the smile and into another kiss, opening and closing first over Ben’s lower lip and then his upper before he pulled back.
“Thank you,” he breathed, amazed at just how... well, amazing Ben looked just then. He could barely stop looking up at him, so caught up in the moment was he. Everything felt brilliant.
-
Lazarus had heard the hunter cry out his name and was strolling upstairs to see what would pass. He dawdled in the corridor as he heard Ben speak about his blood, promising it wouldn't sire the mortal. Pfft. Mortals were daft creatures. At the low spoken conversation and sounds of kissing and tiny splashes, he figured they would graduate to the bed. He didn't want to miss the show so he moved the armchair that was against the wall into the corner - Ben was sure to hear, but he didn't comment on it - and sat upon it, getting comfy. Maybe the hunter would see him straight away, maybe he wouldn't. As long as the show went on, Lazarus didn't care.
Ben leant further forward to better press a kiss onto Kerr's lips, their passion obvious even before he started caressing Kerr's thighs, eventually working his way onto the stiffening member and then stroking it slowly and firmly. He pulled back after hearing Lazarus setting himself up to watch and figured it would be a good idea to perform for him to get him on side. He wanted Kerr to come with them, and it was looking that way, and it would be indulgent to have two lovers with him.
He stood, pulling away from Kerr and stepping back from the tub, unbuttoning his shirt but wanting Kerr to take it off him. If Kerr didn't leave the tub straight away, Ben would take another step back, toeing off his shoes and kicking them aside, unbuttoning his jeans but not unzipping them because he didn't want them to fall off his hips. He could see Lazarus peripherally but didn't look his way. The bed was at Ben's back.
"What about now, Kerr? Do you want me on my knees now?"
Lazarus' smile was broad and he unfastened his own jeans and shoved a hand down them to hold himself.
-
Kerr likened the feelings he was experiencing to being tipsy. It was as if he’d had one beer too many to drive but not enough to completely throw everything off kilter. He felt energised but relaxed and everything was wonderful - brighter, louder, more intense. Intellectually, he knew he shouldn’t be encouraging Ben, that he should probably be keeping his distance so that it was easier to pull away when the time came but... there was a sense of inevitability about all this, too.
He’d wanted to fuck him since they met in the club and the temptations he’d endured in the past twenty-four hours had only enhanced that desire. Being cured of all ills by drinking vampire blood felt like a cheat but it also made the thought of doing sexual things with someone who no longer had a heartbeat more palatable. Who was he kidding? The unnaturalness of it had always been a draw and why should he bother putting up a fight now? The kidnapping was done, he was Ben’s prisoner now, technically.
When Ben pulled away, Kerr whimpered, bereft of the vampire’s touch on his cock and his mouth all at once. He stood up, water cascading off him dramatically; in his heightened state, it felt like an infinite caress. Stepping somewhat clumsily over the edge of the tub, he scrunched his toes as he found the bathmat, finding it soft to the point of tickling. He looked around for a towel as Ben retreated towards the bedroom a step, getting rid of his shoes and then offering to get on his knees.
Kerr grinned ruefully at him. “I reckon I want you anyway I can get you,” he admitted, swiping the towel over his body in the most cursory manner he’d ever ‘dried’ himself, before tossing the towel aside and advancing on Ben. It was such a terrible idea to do this, he knew it, but he was unable to fight it. He grabbed Ben by the hips, pressing his thickened cock to his clothed groin and wriggling meaningfully.
As his hands slid around to cup Ben’s ass and he leaned forward to capture his mouth in another kiss, movement from the corner of his advanced-visioned eye caught his attention and he jumped. “What? Who... Lazarus?!” he guessed, stepping sideways in an effort to put Ben between he and the ancient, attempting to hide his nakedness. Since he was quite a bit taller and broader than Ben, he could only hide the most important bits. “Hi?” he said to Lazarus, blushing when he saw where the other’s hand was.
-
Ben had intended on dropping to his knees when Kerr approached... before he could even reach out and touch him. He was momentarily distracted observing Kerr's naked body gleaming its wetness, sorry that Kerr had bothered with a towel at all. What did it matter if he dripped on the floor? He looked delicious.
And then naked Kerr was upon him, pressing firmly and holding him close. The discovery of his sire gave them both pause, and Ben didn't shift, lest he spook Kerr.
"Indeed," Lazarus cooed in silken tones. "Please, continue." With his free hand he gestured towards them. Ben laughed softly and sank to his knees, turning and reaching for Kerr's engorged cock at the same time. The motion was fluid and before Kerr could understand what had even happened, Ben was holding him at the base of his shaft while licking and sucking on the head, peering up at him. Because his back was to Lazarus, his sire wouldn't have a good view but he wasn't about to force too much on Kerr all at once.
Lazarus, unable to watch Ben's performance, looked at Kerr's face instead, to see how his progeny was affecting him. He didn't have to guess when Ben devoured Kerr's full length, that much was obvious in Kerr's expression. Imagining and remembering Ben's mouth upon him, Lazarus freed himself from his jeans all the better to stroke himself with.
-
Kerr felt frozen in place, unwilling to move away from Ben, scared to anger Lazarus by asking him to leave. His blush felt like fire emblazoning his face but then Ben knelt before him and the warmth moved lower, swirling across his skin, lighting it up with tingles and goosebumps. Ben’s mouth and throat were exactly as tight and wonderful as he’d anticipated, not at all cold or inhuman.
Oh, Gods...
It felt like he was a flame, a beacon of lust and sensuality, alive and beautiful and so, so aroused. He’d never been so hard, so needy, so filled with emotion. What the fuck was the vampire blood even doing to him? The thought was fleeting because Ben’s tongue undulated beneath his cock just then and he shuddered as it travelled deep into his balls, drawing on them.
“Fuck,” he whispered in awe, running his fingers through Ben’s hair until he got a grip on his head much like the one Ben had had on him earlier in the evening. It seemed a lifetime ago and also as if there’d been nothing meaningful in his life until this moment. “Jesus. You’re going to make me cum so hard if you keep that up,” he warned, his muscles beginning to bunch. He shifted his feet apart and bent his knees, bracing himself as he got closer to his climax.
The way he was feeling right now, he would cum and be ready to go again in about two minutes.
-
Ben took Kerr deep into his throat and held himself there, massaging Kerr's cock as he mimicked swallowing, letting his muscles ripple along the mortal's length. He could only imagine what such a thing was like - Lazarus had never felt obligated to return the favour after Ben had shown him that trick as well. It always worked wonders.
He sent a message to Lazarus: Use your celerity so he doesn't see you move the knife off the bed, then you can taste him on my kiss. He might let you join us if we do that.
Lazarus purred, liking the effect Kerr was having on Ben. He would keep the hunter around for that, if nothing else. But still, he didn't like the idea of that asshole moving around when they were daylight sleeping. It was true enough that he and Ben could both avoid having to succumb to it (Ben having a much harder time of it even though he was training himself to), but it made Lazarus cranky if he didn't get it too many days in a row - even if he had a playmate to entertain him.
Lazarus tucked himself back into his pants before he rapidly took the knife and put it under the bed before returning to his chair. Kerr might have seen a blur, but that would be all, even with his enhanced vision. Lazarus stood and waited for Kerr to orgasm down Ben's throat before he slowly prowled to them. Ben released Kerr's dick after drinking what had poured into him, then rose to his feet, sliding a hand up Kerr's naked chest but looking at his sire, who was taller than both of them. Lazarus ducked his head and kissed Ben in front of the mortal who he'd just sucked off, and the elder murmured his pleasure at Ben's desire to include him.
He reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a plastic tube that looked like a short toothpaste, but it was lube. He offered it to Kerr, then Ben, then back to Kerr and back to Ben, before asking: "Or should I use it on myself, to slide into whoever's willing?" He eyed Kerr, wanting to drive it hard into this fucker for stealing Ben away and putting him in danger, but Ben took the lube.
"You're just watching for now, Lazarus. Until Kerr says yes to you," Ben said. Lazarus grunted his discontent but retreated to his armchair. He lost his jeans on the way and sprawled into it naked from the waist down, holding himself again and waiting for the games to begin.
Ben eyed Kerr, who looked a little overwhelmed at what had just happened in front of him.
"So do you want to wait a bit and drive yourself deep inside of me? Or feel what it's like for me to plunge into you?" Ben said, and moved in to lick Kerr's lips. "We have hours before the sun is up, and I want to tire you out."
-
Kerr was thoroughly intimidated by Lazarus, wishing he wasn’t there because he was so shy in his presence. He was so old yet he seemed like any other horny guy interested in a threesome, it was disconcerting in its relative normalcy. To hide his feelings, he cast only surreptitious looks the ancient’s way and kept his gaze mostly on Ben. He was relieved when Lazarus moved back to his chair, even if he was now rocking out with his cock well out, too.
“You deserve to be rewarded after that,” he said humbly, gripping Ben’s chin and lapping playfully at his lips in return. “Fuck me,” he entreated subserviently, pushing Ben’s shirt off his shoulders and running his warm hands all over his chest and back.
It became easy enough then to ignore Lazarus’ presence while he undressed Ben. He still felt shaky and euphoric after his amazing orgasm but it inspired him to worship Ben accordingly. He licked and kissed his torso, nibbling here, swirling his tongue there, brushing his hands across Ben’s pants and cupping him to tease before undressing his lower half for similar attentions with his mouth.
Once Ben was naked, Kerr yanked the covers off the bed and lay him down, pressing the length of his body against him. He kissed him languorously, his hands roving, squeezing and stroking before his mouth lowered to suck Ben properly.
Briefly, he thought about the fact that Lazarus was getting a good view of his ass while he toyed with Ben but then the younger vampire took charge and started preparing Kerr for sex and he was distracted again. He lay on his side and arched back against Ben as fingers moved inside him, scissoring expertly and causing his invigorated cock to twitch already.
“You’re so good,” he sighed, squirming against Ben like a cat in heat. He supposed doing nothing much but fucking willing boys for a hundred and seventy-three years had to result in some truly expert skills and he shouldn’t be surprised but he was. And thankful. His hands reached behind him, grabbing for Ben’s hip, panting and grunting as he encouraged him to progress their union.
-
Ben opened the packet and slickened his fingers and then his own throbbing cock, eager to experience Kerr, surprised that he would be willing to allow the power of a vampire into him. Ben had thought that Kerr would.be most comfortable the other way but this was going to be a pleasure he would relish. He sensed rather than saw Lazarus stand from the armchair once more, and knew what was coming. He was glad he'd saved some of the lube.
Let me be inside him on my own for a bit, Ben requested, not wanting to split his focus with Kerr to begin with. Lazarus was being greedy, not allowing him his own experience but he supposed he might have given his sire a scare and needed to make it up to him in some way. Plus, he was asking for a lot, to let their hunter join them.
Ben exchanged fingers for cock, gliding in smoothly because he'd worked Kerr's body well. Just near the end, as he almost entered to his full length, did he meet resistance. Slowly he pushed that little bit farther, eliciting a groan from Kerr before he remained as he was for Kerr to grow used to the feel of him. He started moving, passing the lube to Lazarus when he got close enough but not watching his sire or paying any attention to him as he slowly thrust in and out of Kerr.
It was glorious. His movements became a little more erratic as wet fingers entered him from behind, causing him to gasp and pump Kerr. He did enjoy being in the middle, and it had been a while since he’d allowed it. Lazarus placed his fingers into a position where he could merely hold them in place and Ben slid in and out of them while also doing the same with Kerr. It was heady and euphoric.
Knowing that Lazarus would be entering him soon, Ben moved forward to kiss and lick Kerr's neck, his arm a steel bar on Kerr's chest and fingers once again gripping what strands of his hair as well as he could. He prepared Kerr for the bite as well as he could and slid his fangs into his neck an instant before Lazarus thrust into him. Pleasure and pain rolled together and he grunted even as he drank, closing off the wounds after only a light drink, just enough for Kerr not to notice or care that there was another with them on the bed.
Ben matched Lazarus' thrusts, moving back to meet him as he drove forward, feeling like an extension of his sire's cock, drifting on the pleasure of their sex. He was close to orgasm and announced it. Lazarus took this as a cue to pick up the pace, hammering himself into Ben and driving the trio's sexual pace until first came Ben's arrival, followed by Lazarus after another half minute. Lazarus didn't care about the mortal but he was sure that there would have been another orgasm in there too.
-
Kerr sighed his pleasure as Ben withdrew his fingers and slid into him, keeping his own hands away from his fattening cock so he'd last longer. Slow at first, it felt like his heart was jumping hurdles because every time Ben pushed his dick into his ass, the power of it shivered throughout his body and he held his breath until Ben pulled back and dragged another guttural sigh from him. On the heels of the best headjob of his life, the fuck had him quaking with lust from the beginning.
When Ben buried himself to his hilt, Kerr groaned loudly, relishing the feel of his balls being nudged and ground by Ben's as he performed a neat little circle to check Kerr was okay with him that far inside. "Fuck me," Kerr sighed, no longer able to resist encircling his own cock with a hand as Ben took up the challenge and settled into a rhythm he could stroke and get lost in. The sound of slapping flesh and the particular squelch of a lubed dick being squeezed into a tight, receptive hole was a music that he'd never fully appreciated until his hearing was enhanced.
At first, he didn't understand why Ben's pace faltered when he began to pump into him in earnest but the added noises of wet, lubed digits sliding and slurping in and out of a fuckhole that wasn't his clued him in soon enough. Kerr shuddered helplessly, believing he was being fucked by two vampires, the penetration passing through Ben and into him. "Fuuuuck," he grunted, closing his hand around the bottom of his cock and squeezing, staying well away from the tip so he didn't blow his load. He tried not to think too hard about what was happening but it was very difficult not to envy being in Ben's position right then.
When Ben shifted behind him, locking him in place as he changed the angle and rode him a little higher, Kerr didn't think anything of it. The sharp pain in his neck was a wake-up that had his eyes springing open in fear. Adrenaline shot through his body as every instinct in him tried to fight, arms and legs flailing, his ass clenching down on Ben's cock as the blood began to flow from his neck. By the time he realised he was being drunk from, the pleasure hit him and it changed his life. Warmth emanated from his neck, throbbing in his groin so hard he bucked against the air. He stopped fighting, waiting to catch the intense waves of pleasure as they poured through him, moaning breathily instead.
"Fuck! Ohhhh fuck!" he yelled then laughed giddily as everything kicked into high gear at once. He left one hand pumping his cock while the other reached around to grab at Ben. His teeth bared in a feral snarl, pleasure rocketed through Kerr as he groaned and sighed and begged for his hole to get fucked harder, all while he writhed mindlessly and clenched Ben's cock, his fingers digging into the vampire's flesh wherever he grabbed. He might have touched Lazarus at one stage and encouraged him to fuck Ben's ass, he wasn't sure; everything was a blur of slippery holes, hard cocks and an awareness he'd never known himself capable of. His skin was too sensitive, too tight, too perfect around him, holding in such heightened lust that he felt like he was fucking the sun while the universe rammed him from behind.
When Ben emptied into him, Kerr came hard, crying out a few more filthy requests without shame (mainly because he was barely aware of what he was even saying). Every muscle in his body locked momentarily while he mentally high-fived infinity and then he began to float back down into his joyfully-used, satiated body. The ripples of pleasure from the bite were still ebbing through him, his hips still pistoning gently and his cock drooping but still thickened. Ben wasn't even soft before he pulled off him and twisted, fighting if he had to in order to turn around and face the young vampire.
"Jesus, fuck, I get it now. Why you guys get groupies," he panted, still catching his breath as he grabbed Ben's head and kissed him passionately, uncaring of the stickiness smearing between their groins and stomachs as he pressed himself hungrily against the vampire. His extra-entity skin was zinging with all the new places it was being touched and he felt like he wanted to absorb Ben inside it so he could understand just how FUCKING INVINCIBLE he was feeling right then.
-
Ben kissed him back, keen on experiencing everything he could with Kerr. He definitely had seduced himself with the hunter whilst trying to get him on side. It hadn't been difficult... if he hadn't been interested in the first place, Kerr's honey trap wouldn't have worked.
Lazarus watched them kiss. He'd remained embedded inside Ben after reaching his peak and he wondered how long it would take him to harden again. With this display, he didn't think it would take long at all. Maybe ten-fifteen. Maybe longer because he'd only just come off from an orgy - he hadn't expected Ben to initiate another.
He was greedy for Ben's kiss and he started nuzzling his progeny's shoulder, making his desire known. When Ben continued kissing the mortal, Lazarus shoved them apart (but not with too much force) and demanded his own kisses. Ben complied willingly, moving from one kiss to the next, liking the new and then the familiar. Lazarus' hand stole down Ben's body, caressing his chest, stomach, hip, then he broke the kiss and looked at where Kerr had rolled to. He rumbled a purr deep in his chest at what he saw; not too far removed from what he liked. His gaze lowered and his eyebrow twitched.
"Oh Ben, looks like you might need a middle-man to prep you for that thing. Fingers, then me, then him," Lazarus laughed, finding himself hilarious - though he meant what he said. "How soon do you think you can go again? We can tag-team him and see who makes him cum again. Hard to tell who did it this time."
"Not a competition," Ben said, reaching out for Kerr to lay close to him.
-
Kerr was ravenous and lost in Ben’s mouth, tingling with the cocktail of vampire blood and whatever the fuck was released from a vampire’s fangs when he drank - it had to be something, because, even lost in the depths of the high as he was, Kerr recognised that this wasn’t normal. Sure, he had the usual healthy libido of a twenty-eight year old guy but he’d never been an Energizer bunny like he was now. It was like he’d had one of those little blue pills, he just wanted to fuck and fuck and fuck.
He mewed forlornly when he was shoved in the chest and Ben’s lips were torn away from him. Momentarily, he followed after them with pooched lips of his own but then Lazarus’ head was there, large and hungry all over Ben’s face and Ben was kissing him back so Kerr retreated. Watching didn’t give him the same thrill, he yearned to reconnect to Ben but he knew he couldn’t.
Hatred burned in his chest as he watched the two vampires make out, the jealousy in his heart just as powerful as the lust had been a second before. A tiny, rational part of his brain realised he was experiencing wild emotional swings because of the blood combo but he was unable to drag that rationality to the forefront with every other emotion thumping through him.
When Lazarus stopped pawing Ben to look at him, Kerr’s gaze lowered coyly. As much as he resented the ancient, he wasn’t stupid enough to challenge him outright - though he wasn’t interested in fucking him. This was the asshole that made Ben’s life miserable by killing and fucking and fucking things up; he didn’t deserve to get what he wanted all the time.
When Ben pulled him close again, Kerr complied, unable to resist the younger vampire’s lure. Before he kissed him again, though, Kerr reached up a hand and cupped Ben’s face. Pressing the tips of his fingers to Ben’s cheek, Kerr swiped his large thumb across Ben’s red, red lips. Once and then again, his intention obvious; he wanted to eliminate Lazarus’ stain from Ben’s mouth before he kissed him again. “I don’t want to fuck him,” he whispered to Ben as he did. Satisfied he’d wiped the ancient away, Kerr then moved in for another kiss.
-
The whisper could have been screamed at the top of Kerr's lungs - Lazarus wouldn't have heard it any less. He laughed like Kerr had something deliciously funny, but his next words had a warning in it. "Oh, you won't be fucking me, love. I'll be the one fucking you. Maybe put you in the middle for a bit of fun, yeah?"
Lazarus crawled across the bed and sat on a propped up pillow, his back to the headboard. He slapped the tops of his thighs.
"Ben, get me hard," he said. "If your new playmate gets hard before I do, he gets to give it to you first. Otherwise, he can blow you while I have you again. Yes?"
Ben looked up at Lazarus from his vantage point further down on the bed and then back at Kerr, kissing him some more before replying. "He won't touch you until you want him to."
"Until he begs me to," Lazarus said, then laughed and slapped his thighs again. "Ben."
"Sounds like it could be a fun game," Ben said, grinning at Kerr and reaching down to give him a quick, single stroke before leaving him and crawling to where Lazarus lay. He would usually lie between Lazarus' legs, but this time he stayed on his knees and bent over, his backside available for Kerr to use if he grew erect first. Lazarus' seed glistened around his hole and trickled down his legs. That kind of thing turned on Lazarus and he hoped it would give Kerr the same affect.
Ben swallowed Lazarus in one go without teasing, figuring he could try and give Kerr every advantage - but it was too obvious what he was doing and Lazarus growled at him to do it properly, so Ben started humming and flicking his tongue. Lazarus leant back, his eyes drooping shut, enjoying the vision before him and the sight of Kerr watching. His gaze was fixed on Kerr's face.
-
Kerr was immersed in touching and fondling Ben as they kissed; he barely registered the conditions of Lazarus’ little game until Ben’s lips were pulled away from his. His jaw was aching from all the kissing but he couldn’t resist sucking on Ben’s tongue or shoving his own into the vampire’s mouth to be sucked on when those ruby lips came back in kissing proximity.
When Ben crawled away from him, Kerr rolled up onto his knees, watching him go with an expression like a lovesick teenager. It was only at that point that he realised what was at stake; fuck Ben or suck Ben while Lazarus fucked him again. No. He’d be damned if had to lay under that show.
He searched around the bed with his eyes, desiring the slippery feel of lube as he stroked himself with his dominant hand; it would make it go faster and time was of the essence just then. Spying the discarded tube, he pounced on it and squeezed it on his fattening dick. He barely got a drop. Realising it wasn’t enough, Kerr looked around, wondering if there was any more...
Ben’s glistening ass winked at him. His mouth watered as he walked over to it on his knees, abandoning his cock in order to squeeze the tight, pale globes beckoning to him. Cum and lube were everywhere and his first instinct was to withdraw but then he got an idea. His breath quickened and his cheeks flushed with desire as he smeared his cock all over Ben’s ass and thighs. He closed his eyes and moaned as he did it, his hands caressing Ben as much as his own dick, sliding between Ben’s legs to massage his balls and stroke his cock in time with the strokes on his own.
It worked wonders in greasing his cock up - he was awfully glad they were vampires and couldn’t get diseases in that moment - and Kerr opened his eyes as his body quickened with renewed desire. He pressed his groin close to Ben’s ass, bumping balls with him while he rested his large cock on top of his ass and back. He was right handed but, holding Lazarus’ gaze defiantly, he rubbed his cock with his left this time.
Lazarus wouldn’t understand, he knew that, but, while he pulled his cum-smeared dick with his left hand, he put the fingers of his right into his mouth. They didn’t taste great but sucking on them just as Ben had gave him a boost of lust so powerful he whimpered and shuddered against Ben’s ass, memories of Ben wanking in front of him in his cage, sucking on his fingers and then his dick earlier on overwhelming him. He wanted more. He stroked his erection faster, grinding the fronts of his thighs and his balls on Ben, slapping his ass with his now-hard cock and relishing the loud smack noise it made.
Sucking so hard on his own fingers they were almost down his throat, Kerr opened his eyes and looked down, preparing to guide himself into Ben’s ass. In his horny haze, he’d forgotten there were rules to this manoeuvre and that he had to check with Lazarus first.
-
Lazarus got more of an eyeful of what Kerr was up to than Ben, who felt rather than saw Kerr's ministrations. He continued to lick with gusto for Lazarus was nowhere near hard enough and was unlikely to spring into action before Kerr did. Ben could still feel the ghost of his sire inside him and he was keen to experience Kerr now. Just as Lazarus had wanted, he'd loosened Ben up.
Ben still groaned as Kerr pushed into him, forgetting to lick and suck as he was stretched. "Yeah... yesss," he panted and pushed back, forcing more of Kerr into him when the mortal took care not to penetrate too quickly. It felt amazing; he felt full and pain mixed with pleasure, just the way he liked it. Ben often wanted to go to the edge of what his body would take, and Kerr didn't need anything else to do it with, unlike his sire who would use toys on him. This... was so much more satisfying, even though Kerr wasn't fucking him hard enough. No mortal had that kind of strength - but in its newness and with the sparks it brought, Ben though Kerr was perfect.
Lazarus gripped Ben's hair and pulled his mouth off his cock so he could spread his legs wider and force Ben's face into but mostly under his balls. He watched as Kerr inserted himself even as he felt Ben's tongue lick soundly, punished for his failure to get Lazarus hard. He would use his hand on his half-erect cock instead and if the urge struck him, would order Ben to turn onto his back so Lazarus could sit on his face for Ben to tongue his hole. Then Kerr would have to look at Lazarus while he fucked his love.
He would forgive the hostility for now. It might even be fun to toy with it - to get this hunter bastard jealous because he did seem very possessive over Lazarus' belonging. But it would get old fast if he couldn't play with Kerr as well - or at least treat him as badly as Ben didn't seem to want.
After some more grunting strokes, Lazarus gave his order. "Flip him over so you can see his face," he told Kerr. "He's so pretty when he cums," he enthused, wanting to sell the idea before he took it away.
-
Kerr paid very little attention to Lazarus once he was inside Ben - his eyes just about rolled back in his head when Ben exclaimed his pleasure and pushed back into him. Kerr couldn't believe it was happening; he'd never been in so deep, never been encouraged to display such abandon. He moved slowly, relishing every tiny, explosive little sensation as he slid in and out... in and out of the vampire.
His fingers were out of his mouth now and he gripped Ben's hips to keep him in place, teasing himself as well as Ben with his moderate, savouring pace. He stared at Ben's back in rapture, occasionally running his hands over his skin and reaching around to stroke his cock as he pumped faster. He was being careful not to speed up too much both because he didn't want to hurt Ben and because he wanted it to last. Forever would've been fine by him.
Lazarus' voice advising him to flip Ben over finally drew Kerr's attention and he looked up into the taller blonde's guileless eyes. He noted that Lazarus was stroking himself but didn't think beyond it. He leant forward, pressing kisses along Ben's spine as he draped himself along him, trying to get closer to his face. Flipping him over to be able to kiss him while they fucked would be very nice indeed but he couldn't make it happen without cooperation. "Ben?" he enquired huskily. "You wanna' turn over?" It was pointless to speak quietly because they could all hear everything but the urge to speak solely to Ben was too much to fight.
-
"Yeah," Ben breathed back but he doubted Kerr would hear with his face buried in Lazarus' ballsac. He ended up answering by wriggling around, finding Kerr keen enough to help him so they could look at one another. For a brief moment he thought it was good of Lazarus to give him this... and then he realised that this was Lazarus he was dealing with and he hated not being the centre of attention. He glanced up, technically behind himself just as Lazarus shifted and sat down firmly on his face.
Ben grunted his disapproval but he didn't want his sire pissed at him so he went along with it, shifting so that his mouth and tongue were in the right place to poke into Lazarus' puckered hole and using his hands to get his ass cheeks apart so Ben could get better access. His tongue had pretty good reach and it wasn't long before he felt his sire quivering beneath his touch. Ben reached a hand around to grab Lazarus' cock and take over pumping it. If Kerr slowed down at all or stopped, Ben would abandon the ancient's staff to do a come-on gesture for Kerr to continue. He couldn't send mental messages unfortunately and his mouth was a bit full.
"Fuck him hard," Lazarus instructed, his hands massaging Ben's sides and raised hips before he returned Ben's touch and gripped his cock while Kerr decided whether or not to continue. From here he had a good view of the mortal entering and exiting Ben's body. "I fucking kid you not, he likes it when you do him so hard he can't walk. Speaking from experience," Lazarus added, bristling.
-
Kerr felt offended and frightened when Lazarus sat on Ben's face - not just because they couldn't kiss but also because he instinctively thought Ben would suffocate. Then it occurred to him that they didn't breathe, which filled him with awe. They didn't have to breathe. They could do anything they wanted. It was an enlightening revelation broken by an impatient wriggle and gesture from Ben. He'd slowed down, following a rainbow trail of fascinating thoughts.
Grinning, he returned to pushing in and out of Ben, intimidated by Lazarus' sprawl along his fledgeling's body. He looked every bit the predator in that moment, dominating his kill and a shiver ran down Kerr's spine as he realised... he was. When told he should fuck Ben hard, he wasn't sure whether to believe it or not. But then he remembered the loud sounds of slapping when Ben was in the middle and he believed Lazarus was telling the truth because Kerr had heard it done to Ben. Ben had certainly not complained.
With a tiny shrug that was aimed more at himself than anyone else, Kerr looked down at all the bits of Ben he could see. It wasn't much but he could control what he was doing and Ben's legs... so he did. Grasping the younger vampire's ankles, he pulled them together and rested his legs along the front of his body, a foot either side of his chin. Hugging the legs tightly, Kerr adjusted his kneeling position for better traction and began pumping faster.
Ben's ass squeezed him encouragingly and it was all the signal Kerr needed. Turning and burying his face against a foot, Kerr sucked toes and nipped arches as he increased the pace, licking Ben's heel and his ankle in place of his face. It was insane to bestow such passion on a foot and it made him want to laugh but he didn't because the power of it, combined with the fucking, swept him away anyway.
Kerr had never pounded into anyone as hard as he did to Ben. Sweat beaded on his upper lip and forehead as his hips pistoned, the sound of flesh slapping almost deafening as his fingers dug into Ben's thighs, holding him in place while he fucked him as hard as he could. If Lazarus wasn't doing anything to Ben's cock, he would certainly stroke it but it would be brief because he needed both hands to brace himself. He hadn't thought he'd cum again but the frenetic pace and the boggling sensation of fucking Ben's tight, deep well of an ass made him realise he was wrong.
With a cry so deep and loud it sounded like it came from his feet, Kerr came in Ben's ass, the deposit minimal but the orgasm shatteringly good. "FUUUUUCK!" he screamed, gasping for air as his chest heaved and every muscle in his body quivered with exhausted satisfaction. He hung onto Ben's legs a little longer, unsure if he was going to collapse on the bed or fall backwards off the end of it. He opened his eyes to see what Ben and Lazarus were doing, ready to topple down beside Ben... as long as Lazarus was going to be on the other side.
-
As Lazarus felt himself twitch and twerk at the rising pressure, he was aware that Ben's tongue started rolling around inside his hole with gusto. Nobody could tongue fuck as good as his fledge - it was one of Lazarus' favourite things about him. He took over from Ben's hand on his cock, and with a few more tugs he gushed the remainder of his seed down Ben's chest and stomach. He liked the look of it there, at the smell of it. The bed was still rocking as Kerr began to frenzy fuck Ben's body. Lazarus smeared his cum, covering every inch of Ben's torso that he could, still enjoying the feel of Ben's tongue inside his ass.
When Kerr finally came, Lazarus eyed Ben's hard-on. He swung his leg over and dismounted Ben's face, pausing to look back at him and receiving a dreamy smile. Good. He shifted around as Kerr fell on Ben's other side in a heap, panting hard. In the meantime, Lazarus arranged Ben to be his little spoon and stroked his cock for it had been mostly ignored. He kept his strokes slow and deliberate until Ben was whimpering and pleading for more, then he sped up until Ben spurted through his fingers and onto Kerr. Lazarus pressed his hand against Ben's mouth, watching his fledge clean his own cum off Lazarus' hand and relishing how Ben never said no and just did whatever Lazarus wanted.
Kerr better not mess with that.
-
Ben's blood was finally working its way out of Kerr's system because he was experiencing a definite sense of sobering up as he was covered with Ben's emission. Watching Lazarus service Ben (after himself, of course) roused the final remnants of his enhanced emotions. He resented the ancient's interference; he'd wanted to be the one to help Ben achieve his peak but he hadn't been lucid when his chance was available and then suddenly the two vampires were hugging one another and excluding him.
He was tired, emotional and possibly coming down from a drug he'd never experienced. He didn't feel like himself and he also wasn't the type to feel this possessive. Not over someone he'd known a couple of nights! He needed space, a night of sleep and, hopefully, perspective. Deciding he'd start with space, Kerr got up off the bed (shakily) and went into the bathroom to shower. He veered towards the bath on the way, pulling the plug to let the water out and picking up the soap to take into the shower with him.
The sight and smell of his vomit-infused clothes got him thinking as he stepped under the warm spray. He had no gear, no clothes and no idea where he was. He was sexually replete but emotionally bemused and didn’t even know where he’d be sleeping. In between a couple of vampires on a cum-stained mattress? Was there even any food nearby (he doubted they’d care about his needs in that level of detail but he was fucking starving after all the sex)? What were the conditions of his release? What had he got himself into?
It was so much easier to think when he wasn’t staring at Ben’s beautiful face or touching him but he didn’t like the empty feeling that accompanied those thoughts. At all.
-
When Kerr left for the bathroom, Lazarus encouraged Ben onto his back on the bed and kissed him passionately, tasting his seed and not minding it one bit. Ben was his, and it was evident in the passionate return of his kisses.
"Sunrise is almost on us," Lazarus whispered and left the bed. He wasn't as shaky as the mortal had been but he'd certainly been affected. He pulled Ben up, who was unusually light-hearted and giggly. Hmn, interesting. "Come on, let's find another bed. This one's used up."
Ben could hear Kerr in the shower and headed for it, but Lazarus pulled him back. "I need to tell Kerr not to leave," he said.
"You think he'll come back with more hunters?" Lazarus said, not keen on trusting him. "I can stay awake the day."
"He won't do that, but he might leave if he thinks I used him."
"Write a message, then," Lazarus said, moving to the bedside drawer and checking it. He was lucky that whoever had the house liked being prepared. There was a box of tissues, a large pump-action lube bottle, a sleep mask and a notebook and pencil. Lazarus pulled the whole drawer out and carried it with him to Ben, who looked at it, then inside it, then smirked at his sire before reaching in and taking the writing implements out.
Lazarus left the room with his drawer of items, searching for somewhere else to sleep. Ben quickly wrote out a note and put it on the foot of the bed.
Kerr,
We are sleeping
in another room
for the day.
Please don't leave.
Ben.
He found Lazarus in a room a little further down the hall. This one didn't have a bathroom attached but they didn't need it. The bedside table had Lazarus' extra drawer on top. The queen-sized bed looked comfortable and the window had thick drapes upon it. Lazarus made sure the window was shut and that the curtains properly covered every crack in the window but he still decided to drape the bedspread over it, completely covering the square.
"There's a bathroom across the hall," Ben said, having spotted it before stepping into the room Lazarus had chosen for them. His sire joined him and they showered next, functionally. The house was opulent enough that their water temperature didn't interfere with Kerr's. They were done much faster and towelled dry in a piecemeal fashion. Ben was dry but Lazarus was dripping when they returned to the bedroom. After Lazarus placed the tallboy in front of the door so nobody could get in without pushing the furniture over, he commanded Ben to properly dry him, which his fledge did without complaint. They stole secret, happy glances at one another and Lazarus was grateful to Kerr for this companionable, agreeable youth. Ben's mood was uplifting.
He would've fucked him again if he'd had the energy or motivation. Right now he was just spent. The two lay side by side beneath the sheet and blanket in the darkness of the room. After a few minutes, Lazarus sidled over for more kissing, and they kissed and pecked each other's lips until Ben fell asleep.
-
By the time Kerr was done with his shower, his vision was back to normal, which meant that he couldn't see much at all when searching for his earlier-discarded towel. The realisation only made him grumpier. He turned on the light, dried himself off and secured the towel around his hips before he headed back into the bedroom, filled with trepidation. The note on the end of the bed left him feeling hollow and abandoned. He embraced the anger that swiftly followed and stomped out of the room, intent on figuring out where the fuck he was so that he actually could leave. Why the fuck would he hang around to be a third wheel if he could help it?
Ben's haunting eyes and the memory of his addictive touch all over his body followed Kerr along hallways and down stairs that he quickly realised were familiar. When he got to the kitchen, he stopped and looked around in disbelief. "Fuck off," he told the air crankily, thumping down to the basement where all his stuff was. He made a beeline for his fridge, downing a Coke in about two swallows and eating a fistful of ham straight out of the packet while he buttered most of the rest of his loaf of bread. He grabbed another drink and sat with his sandwiches in front of his computer once they were made, eating and drinking and typing once he'd begun to fill the empty pit of hunger inside of him.
He journalled his experiences with Ben and Lazarus while he ate - not the sex, but everything that had led up to it. The near-death, the telekinesis, the failed trap disarm and the after effects, the consumption of vampire blood and its effects. He could only manage impressions, hasty notes and feelings that he didn't want to forget, because exhaustion was lurking at the periphery of his senses, ready to take over as soon as his body gave up on lucidity and turned its remaining energy to digesting the belly full of food he'd just given it. His eyes drooped repeatedly and he tried to shake himself awake every time he nodded off, in order to finish the sentence, the note, the thought.
Deciding he needed more caffeine, he got up and went to the fridge, standing beside it while he drank yet another Coke. He looked around while he did, marvelling at just how different the basement looked without Ben in the cage. It was cold and ominous, sending a shiver down his spine. He didn't want to sleep here alone but nor did he want to go upstairs and find somewhere nearby like an obedient little junkie.
Please don't leave.
Fuck him. Why shouldn't he leave? There was nothing here for him. The vampires were reunited, Lazarus was either looking at him like he was a tasty snack or an offence whose neck he wanted to snap, Ben just seemed to want him for fucking and then there was the threat of the Oligarchy. He'd have to own up to them that he'd failed and he couldn't predict the consequences. If he was in his right mind, he'd call them right now and get someone else to finish the job he couldn't, while the vampires were vulnera--
He couldn't even finish the thought. Contemplating ending Ben filled him with the same hollow clench that'd attacked him when he read the note. The 'WE' note. The note that made his place in the food chain clear, even while instructing him that he had no options. No, fuck that. He did have options. He'd fulfilled his side of the bargain; he'd let Ben and Lazarus go and he wouldn't turn them in to the Oligarchy. Why could Ben possibly want him to stay, when he had his sire and they were completely coupled up? It was just a power trip, it had to be. Or he'd enjoyed the fucking, maybe. It wasn't anything real and Kerr knew he was a fucking idiot for even letting a sliver of hope enter his heart.
Decided, Kerr got dressed, packed up all his gear and put it in his car. It took him multiple trips and lots of Tetris channelling to get everything in but he did it, eventually. He gathered up all the magic stuff, too, planning to drop it off at the Oligarchy the next night (once he knew Ben and Lazarus had had ample time to escape) when he owned up to his failure. He was dismayed that he couldn't find the knife but when he made a final trip back upstairs to write his phone number on the bottom of Ben's note, he searched the room on a hunch and found it under the bed. Shoving it in his jeans, he walked out of the house and drove into the city. It was mid-morning and the sun was hurting his eyes worse than usual, so he stopped at the first semi-decent motel he came to.
Securing a room for the day and a night, he parked outside it with relief, barely able to keep his eyes open any longer. He brought his clothes, food and the box of magic trinkets in to keep beside his bed, undressed and flopped onto the bed. He managed to put his phone on to charge on the bedside table and drop the mind-blocking ring inside the magic box before he fell into a deep, dreamless asleep.
-
Lazarus woke first. He looked at his sleeping fledge and stroked his brow before kissing it. While it was nice that Ben had shifted gears when it came to sex, he didn't like having to share his progeny with Kerr. It would've been fine if the other man had been into it, paying Lazarus his dues, but all he'd received were filthy looks and competitive touches on Ben.
The sun had still not finished its travel below the horizon and the sky was a blaze of angry reds and oranges but Lazarus was restless. He shifted the dresser out of the way of the door and moved naked into the corridor. Squinting against the light momentarily, his eyes adjusted quickly and he sensed no heartbeats in the house. Good. He'd fucked off then, but he might be getting the Oligarchy or other hunters to help him finish Lazarus and Ben, so they had to get moving. Lazarus went into their old room (that stank of sex, still) and pulled on his jeans. He found the note and the scribbled mobile number on it.
He took the note into the bathroom and ripped it up into little pieces before flinging them into the bowl, making sure they all went in there before flushing the toilet. There. Gone. If the fucker had wanted to stay with Ben he would've stayed in the house, not expect Ben to call on him like they were courting. The courting bit was over. They'd had a sound fucking. The deed was done. No more.
He lifted up the bed to bring the knife back to Ben, who'd been quite taken with it, it seemed. It wasn't there. He definitely remembered tossing it under there. Kerr must have claimed it before leaving. Ugh. How annoying.
Lazarus dropped the bed and returned to Ben. Not wanting to be bested by that mortal gimp, he started stroking his sleeping fledge, playing with his limp penis until after some time it started twitching. It alerted Lazarus to the fact Ben was coming to. He began to stroke with more enthusiasm, until Ben was making small grunts and sighs in his sleep. Lazarus reached for his drawer for the giant lube bottle and pumped some of it into his hand and fingers, so he could stroke and finger Ben at the same time. Sleep still had a hold of him, Lazarus could tell Ben was trying to come out of it but couldn't yet because the sun was too strong, but the delightful part was he still showed his eagerness with his whimpering and his hard-on. After a reasonable amount of prep where he could slide two fingers and a thumb into Ben's hole, he thrust himself into it and started pumping away. He only hesitated when Ben mumbled Kerr's name, then renewed his motions with rage, shoving Ben face down on the mattress so he could lay atop him and get some proper hard thrusts in there. He would fuck that name out of Ben's mind.
Ben's eyes fluttered open about halfway through the sex, the position awkward and Lazarus' thrusts not quite hitting the right part of his body for him to get full enjoyment from it. He pulled his knees up, changing the angle and pushing himself back into his sire, who grunted his pleasure and kept going for a lot longer than Ben was wanting. He'd been dreaming of Kerr, of waking up with him, and initially he'd thought that had happened but no, it was his sire and he shouldn't have been surprised. The ancient vampire was sex-crazed and insatiable. While he was being fucked so mercilessly, Ben's mind drifted through the house, searching for Kerr and failing to make a connection. At first he quailed and tensed, causing Lazarus to compliment the constriction of muscles, and then, to spite Kerr for leaving, he responded to Lazarus' sex with gusto until he was sore all over again.
Disgusted with himself, his sire and with Kerr, Ben got out of bed and showered before dressing and searching the house. Gone. Everything was gone. Kerr had taken himself and his things and left. His note was gone, too. Perhaps the mortal had torn it up or maybe he'd kept it as a memento. It was hard to know what Kerr had been thinking. The ring had been a buffer for all sorts of things.
"You charmed him enough to save my life," Lazarus said from the doorway of the basement. He didn't want to go back down there and Ben was dawdling. "You thanked him with your body, like he wanted. Anything else you thought would happen is sentimental nonsense. Let's go before your influence on him lessens and he sends other hunters to finish us off."
Ben knew Lazarus' words were sensible. Ben had romanticised the impact he'd had on the mortal, and even though the sex had been magnificent, it was just sex. The attraction between them had been palpable but not enough to keep Kerr here. He was disappointed but not so much that he would risk himself further by staying here.
Ben joined Lazarus upstairs and together they left the house, intending on moving north and then towards Europe. Ben had a good grasp of French and Lazarus had been fluent in it once before and could be so again.
-
When Kerr awoke, he was initially convinced that the cold bed beside him was Ben. His questing hand roved up and down it, a groggy smile forming on his lips even as his body quickened at the thought of the vampire. It turned into a frown as lucidity surfaced and he realised the truth. It was dark and he was alone. He'd walked away and made it to safety. He rolled over and checked his phone, his heart sinking when he saw there were no new messages. Best to get on with it.
Sighing heavily, he took a wake-up shower and got dressed a little more nicely than usual, wearing black trousers and a pastel blue dress shirt. He didn't bother with a tie, preferring to leave the top two buttons undone and rolled the sleeves up to his elbows. Black boots completed the look. Because he wasn't in any rush, he took his time using up more of his food and watched some TV while he waited for the time to pass, checking his phone for a message every minute or so and trying not to think about Ben too much.
It was almost midnight when he arrived at the Oligarchy with his box of souvenirs. He parked in their underground carpark, wondering if they'd demand back the items he'd purchased on their dime, and went upstairs to the foyer. At the front desk, he tried to pull a swift exit by placing the ornate wooden box holding all the return items (including the ring and the knife, unfortunately) in front of himself and talking quickly.
"Hi there, I'm Kerr Galvin and I need to return these items. They're Oligarchy property. I was commissioned to do a job and I'm afraid I failed. My targets escaped and I have it on good authority they're going to leave the country. Since I know I won't be able to fulfil my obligations, could you just get this back to, uh, whoever's in charge - I don't remember the name, sorry - and give them my sincerest apologies? Thanks!" he finished brightly. When he turned to leave, he had a face-full of chest to contend with. His upper arm was grabbed in a vice-like grip and he was forced to march alongside the man mountain towards the elevators.
Kerr did his best to talk to his puppeteer, begging, coaxing and commanding him to let him go, to no avail. They got into the lift and he could feel it going downwards. His heart rate picked up as he anticipated he was just being forcibly removed from the premises and marched to his car but that hope faded when they didn't go down enough floors. The doors opened on a hallway lined with doors. His handler walked him to the right and opened a door at random.
He was deposited unceremoniously into a small space he could only describe as an interrogation room; two chairs facing each other on either side of a table that had metal bars set into it for handcuffs. It was bolted into the floor, the chairs weren't, he soon found out. There was a camera high in the corner but nothing else save the furniture. Kerr inspected everything (realising the door was locked and the table fixed to the floor straight away) before slouching into one of the uncomfortable chairs with a sigh. He was thirsty and hoped he wouldn't have to wait long but there was a sense of trepidation in the pit of his stomach that whispered all sorts of scary things to him.
Could he be killed for failing at his job?
-
The door opened. Two men entered the room. The door closed and clicked locked behind them.
One was young looking, late teens or early twenties. Muscular, brown hair and eyes so dark they looked black, long eyelashes and a strong jaw. Skin like white marble. He moved to the corner of the room closest to the door and stood facing the table, arms folded against his chest, wearing a bespoke navy suit over a pinstriped white shirt.
The second man Kerr recognised though they'd never spoken to one another. Halen. Warm brown hair, golden eyes and copper skin. Dressed in an immaculate woollen dark grey suit, the jacket unbuttoned to reveal a black silk shirt beneath with black satin swirls that caught the harsh light and reveal their gloss. The dragon tattoo on the side of Halen's neck was breathing fire - the point of difference that separated the Luminary from his Oligarchs. He carried a glass of water with him and he set it on the table in front of Kerr before sitting on the chair opposite.
Halen gave Kerr an intense look, gesturing for him to drink from the glass of water if he hadn't already.
-
Kerr sat rigidly when they entered the room, a string of curses running through his mind as he saw who it was. He watched the vampire take up his point position then stared at the Luminary. He hastened to drink the water so quickly he misjudged the distance, bumped it, spilt it, grabbed it. He didn’t drink from it, merely put it closer to his side of the table while he rolled his sleeve down to his wrist and used it to wipe the water up. They stared at him the whole time.
fuckshitfuckshitjesuschristfuckshitjesuschristfuck
I’m going to die. They’re here to kill me. Will they let me call my mother to say goodbye?
HOW DID THEY EVEN KNOW I WAS THIRSTY. COME ON!!
fuckshitfuckshitfuckshit...
Finally, the water had all seeped into his sleeve and Kerr pulled that arm back, dropping it to his lap while he used the other to drink the water. He almost gulped it and choked, his heart hammering in his throat interfering with the process. He put the glass down and stared some more at the Luminary. “Thank you,” he croaked, fear constricting his voice so much that it sounded like he hadn’t drunk at all.
-
There was a pause, a gravitas as Halen watched this display before him. Kerr's guilt was obvious. It was the specifics he didn't yet know.
"You're supposed to give us a briefing," Halen said. The briefing should've happened in an office or meeting room, and Kerr's briefing was supposed to have occurred after a success. His record had been immaculate, that's why he'd been hired. However, his failure wasn't the reason he'd been brought in here. Returning all of his items after failure was. Not requesting more time or assistance after failure was. Looking nervous and acting suspiciously after failure was. No explanation of why he'd failed was.
-
Kerr licked his lips, looking at the water because staring into the coppery eyes of the golden-hued man was too intense. He was doing his best to lock down his nervous tics; his left leg wanted to bounce, his fingers wanted to run and dance, he wanted to slouch and wriggle. He did none of it, holding himself still. But he could not look into those eyes easily. And he’d thought Ben’s eyes were amazing.
“You’re right. I deliberately didn’t follow protocol because I’m ashamed. I’m not used to failing,” Kerr offered quietly, shrugging one shoulder. “Even with all the preparation, I made a stupid mistake. I let the younger one get hold of me. The intel you had wasn’t great; Ben’s a hundred and seventy-five and Lazarus? He’s two thousand. Anyway, it all unravelled after Ben grabbed me. It was my fault. I just wanted to return your stuff and go.”
It was all true enough but the devil was in the details and he began thinking through everything else that happened after Ben sucked on his hand, despite realising he should lock his thoughts down, too. Startled, he looked at the vampire in the corner. The cursing started up in his head again and he tried his best to concentrate on that.
-
Halen frowned darkly.
"How unprofessional. You will give your briefing first in spite of your embarrassment. Now," he said firmly.
-
Kerr’s eyes closed briefly as he took a deep breath. After he exhaled, he shifted so that he was directly facing the Luminary and looked him in the eye.
“The plan went well as far as luring Ben into the trap. We had a strong physical attraction and he came back to the house with me willingly. Once in the cage, he was angry and taunted me about him, Lazarus, my attraction to him.”
Kerr was uncomfortable with the depth of just how attracted to Ben he’d been and he blushed, even as he described it as clinically as he knew how. He didn’t trust that there hadn’t been surveillance in the house and he knew they could get details out of his mind though, so there was no point lying. Skimming the version he wanted to present out of the truth... that was where he decided he’d sit.
“On the second night, Ben opened up to me a little more. I offered him books to pass his time, bartering them for information. I gained the information about Lazarus’ true age and his viewpoint on mortals and death. I was... swayed by the realisation that, to him, millennia have passed and he’s seen the rise and fall of civilisations, colouring his view of the sanctity of life. I was so caught up in thinking about it, I passed blood to Ben with my hand, not the tongs, and he grabbed me.”
Kerr paused for another breath and this one was shakier, as was his voice when he continued speaking.
“He could’ve ripped my arm off but he didn’t. He let me go. It shook me to my core and I lost all faith in my ability to execute the plan. Then Lazarus arrived and I was so... scared that I let Ben out of the cage to appease him. Ben had promised me he’d take Lazarus out of the country and I believed him. When I tried to disarm the daylight trap, I triggered it and got knocked out. Ben helped me. He cleaned me up and fed me some of his blood to heal me. As soon as I could, I got to safety, away from them. I know I messed up but they shouldn’t be in your city anymore. They’re someone else’s problem now.”
He swallowed some more water, trying to make what seemed to be a tiny glass last. He was only getting thirstier with the amount of sweating he was doing.
-
Halen listened to Kerr's story, the only time he reacted was the part about him being so scared that he let Ben out of the cafe. He frowned minutely, his copper eyes flashing brighter.
There was a long pause, then he spoke - specifically, he repeated Kerr's final line.
"They're someone else's problem now. Someone else's problem. Now." Rage built inside of him, evident in the way his jaw worked and his throat muscles clenched. "Your plan to lure the sire using the fledge... worked. Your plan to draw him towards the traps... worked. You had the trap at the bottom of the stairs ready for the Ancient."
He looked evenly at Kerr, knowing that this experienced hunter was not simply scared. Fear would have made him alert. Something else had him bartering with the Ancient.
"Win," he said.
The vampire in the corner flicked his gaze from Kerr to Halen and back again. Within moments Kerr would feel a whispery tickle inside his mind, and then his mind would speedily move through the entirety of his mission. Going to Risk. Luring Ben. Capturing Ben. Talking to Ben. It slowed minutely at the show Ben had given him on the floor before speeding up again. More talk. Books. More talk. The hand grab. It slowed again, more obviously this time as Kerr remembered the vision and sensation of Ben sucking on his fingers. Sped up, but not as fast as before. The warning bells. The deal. Waking up in a bedroom. Having sex. Having more sex. There were a few reversals as Kerr's memory decided it wanted another look, then another. Orgasm.
Win grunted softly as he left Kerr's memory and his hands moved to the front of his suit pants, hiding what had grown there. "Sex," he said.
"Again? But the ring stopped his charms." Halen half-turned to look at Win and then his gaze dropped before he huffed his disappointment and faced Kerr again.
"The fledge has other charms."
Halen stared at Kerr assessingly. "Did the fledge indicate he has control of his sire?"
-
Kerr winced at Halen's display of anger, half turning his head away as he expected to be struck. It didn't happen but something worse did; he was forced to relive everything.
He tried to fight it but there was no point. He gritted his teeth and bore it instead, mildly surprised when the juiciest parts of his memories were replayed. Huh. He glanced at the vampire in the corner, suppressing a smirk when he saw him shift uncomfortably. All of this made him uncomfortable so he was spitefully pleased to see it effect someone else.
Kerr flinched when Halen spoke next. Again? What did that mean? Had they tried this before, and Ben had seduced his way out that time, too? Kerr flushed with embarrassment, wondering if he was making an incorrect assumption or whether he'd been played for a fool. He reluctantly lifted his gaze to meet the fiery eyes of the imposing man opposite him. He sighed.
"To a degree, yes. Ben doesn't enjoy killing people - he made that clear - and he didn't seem to like Lazarus being so... flippant about it, I guess. He told me he can go a long time without killing and that when he gets bad, Ben knows how to 'reel him in'. Those were his words. I don't know how but he warned me not to separate him from Lazarus or he'd get worse and, as I said, promised to take him away for an extended amount of time. Beyond my lifetime, was the impression I got."
But all that was before the sex and he wrote me a note, asking me not to leave. And I did anyway. He thought of his phone but it hadn't buzzed with a message alert in his back pocket so it was hardly worth telling them he'd given over his number or talked about the connection he'd felt with Ben. He didn't want to sound like an idiot. Well, any more than he already did.
-
Halen snorted his displeasure at what Kerr said and abruptly stood. "You represented your species as weak of will and intelligence," he declared. "You will not find work in your chosen field again." He left the room, pulling the door open so violently that it slammed into the wall.
Win blinked but didn't flinch, though his eyes roved over Kerr's form. "Cue your exit," he said, then moved through the door as well.
-
Kerr's jaw dropped as he was told he'd never hunt again. It was one thing for him to be questioning his life choices, it was another thing completely to have the choice made for him. He sighed again, his shoulders slumping. He should be grateful that all they were going to do was ruin his reputation and he hadn't lost his life.
Aimlessly, he left the building and drove back to his motel room. He found a bar within walking distance that stayed open late enough that he could get rolling drunk and manage to stagger back to his room in one piece, so it finally felt like something was going his way by the time he lay his head on the pillow just before dawn.
Housekeeping banging on the door when he should've been checking out was a rude shock. He hadn't planned to stay in the city but he really had nowhere to go and he was in no condition to breathe, let alone drive, so he slunk to the reception and paid for another night. He'd decide what to do once his head wasn't being attacked by jackhammers and he wasn't throwing up every half hour. He slept the day away, waking up in the early evening, starving.
Just as he was finishing his dinner in a nearby diner, his phone beeped with a message. He picked it up to read it.
-
The number was unknown. The message hinted at something very specific.
Why did you leave?
-
Kerr's heart took immediate refuge in his mouth. He stared at the words for a long time, trying to decide how to answer. The fact was, he wasn't even sure why he had but the time was dragging and he needed an answer. He came the closest to the truth as he knew it.
I didn't want to be stuck in the middle. It seemed the smartest choice for both of us.
-
The returning reply took just as long as his own pause.
I thought you had fun in the middle.
After the second hand in Kerr's room swept around once and nearly lapped again, and as Kerr made to type a reply, another message came.
Have you left the city?
-
Kerr frowned, tilting his head as he regarded the first message. It didn't sound like something Ben would say - not only because it was Ben who'd been in the middle - it seemed... cocky somehow.
It sounded more like Lazarus.
He blinked, trying to reconcile what he was seeing with what he knew of Ben. It made sense that Lazarus could've got hold of his number first and was cat fishing him. Now his heart sank. He could ask who it was but would they even tell him the truth? He bit his lip, pondering what to say next when another text came in. It was easier to answer that one.
No, I'm still here. Sitting in a booth in a diner. Where are you? I hope you got far away.
-
The delay was very long this time. It took another twenty-five minutes before he got a reply.
i want to see you. Will you meet me at the Detour at midnight?
The hotel was just on the outskirts of the city.
-
In all that time, he'd read every text message from the unknown number countless times, over and over until he'd memorised them. Still, he kept scrolling the screen up and down, lamenting his answers, wishing he'd said something other than what he had - something that would've magically drawn Ben into speaking with him properly. Something that implied how miserable he was feeling, not being able to see the vampire again and having chosen this course of action for himself.
Even though he hadn't thought it at the time, he'd decided now that his mystery texter definitely was Ben. It had to be! The cocky one about him liking it in the middle had been Ben flirting with him - it wasn't as if the vampire hadn't said much filthier things to him from his cage and in the bedroom upstairs. Of course it was Ben! He'd read everything from an imagined Lazarus perspective and a Ben perspective and the messages sounded much more like Ben than his sire. It had to be him.
Still, when the latest message finally came and his entire body gasped with the joy of not being ignored any longer, Kerr was given pause. Going to meet Ben at a hotel on the edge of town at midnight? Where would Lazarus be, in the room next door? In bed with them? He shifted uncomfortably in his booth, looking around himself self-consciously. His mind shouldn't have gone straight to sex but... what else was he supposed to think, under the circumstances? They'd meet in a room, Ben would be beautiful and alluring, there'd be a bed... they'd use it, of course. It wasn't like he was looking for some sort of wedding or a commitment ceremony or something. This thing between them could only ever be casual... right?
Still, the threat of Lazarus gave him pause, enough that he didn't reply immediately, either. He paid his bill and walked back to his motel room, staring at the phone so hard he ran into a letter box and an open gate along the way (the latter banged up his knee pretty well). By the time he got into his room and flopped down onto his bed, it was nine o'clock. Three hours. Why not his room right now? he wondered. He considered trying to arrange it that way but finally decided this was a test of loyalty. He hadn't stayed when he'd been asked not to leave, to try to fuck with this or refuse now would earn him no faith and likely no contact ever again. As much as he wasn't looking for something long term, neither was Ben. All they had was here and now. He'd take what he could get.
I'll be there.
At exactly ten to midnight, Kerr's car growled into the visitor's carpark of the Detour Hotel. He parked it and got out, adjusting his clothing as he headed towards where the rooms were, hoping Ben would quickly give him some sort of indication as to his whereabouts. He carried his phone in his hand, mainly because it couldn't fit in his pocket. He'd spent the last two and a bit hours preparing for his date. He'd showered, shaved and styled his hair, giving it a bit of volume on the longer parts on top and drawing a curl over his forehead towards his right eye. He'd applied a minimal amount of cologne, just enough to smell alluringly masculine without being overbearing (thoughtfully considering how sensitive to smells vampires were). He was wearing leather pants that kept no secrets, boots and a flowing white pirate-style shirt with the laces over his chest loosely done up. His keys were held in the hand not holding his phone.
I'm here. Where do I go? he asked via text, looking around cautiously.
-
The answer came quickly this time, as though waiting for Kerr to message.
Room 14, on the second level.
There were eight rooms at the motel with another eight above them. A cursory glance would be enough to let Kerr know which stairwell was closest to the room he needed. The door to the room was closed but not locked, the curtains drawn (but twitched). Somewhere in the distance a dog barked, and someone's television set was playing too loudly but nobody was cursing them out. Most rooms had a glow from a television set but fourteen was dark. The night was cool but not chilly though the breeze had some bite to it.
-
Kerr was disappointed Ben wasn't standing in the doorway to greet him but he also liked the cloak and dagger feel to everything. The darkened room beckoned and his heart started beating faster with anticipation. He walked quickly to the closest set of stairs, taking them two at a time in order to reach his destination faster.
When he reached room fourteen, he tried the doorknob, pleased it was unlocked. He transferred his phone and keys to one hand and opened the door with the other, pausing in the doorway of the darkened room warily. He was no doubt framed by the light behind him but he could barely see anything inside - the lit up screen of his phone threw only enough light to see that there was carpet beneath his feet.
"Ben?" he asked quietly, having doubts and reaching for the light switch that he assumed was conveniently beside the door. He didn't want to be surprised by Lazarus and the impenetrable darkness in the room gave him a queer feeling that he might be. He wanted to see what was going on and be sure it was Ben waiting for him.
-
The light switch was farther along the wall than he’d anticipated, and as Kerr stepped sideways to reach it, the door closed gently behind him. Nobody was nearby, it had been done telekinetically. When the light switch was flipped and the room buzzed to an ethereal yellow glow, the vampire standing in the opposite corner of the room was revealed.
Not Ben. Not Lazarus either.
Win gave him a sheepish smile but also pressed a thought into his head.
Please don’t be mad. I didn’t think you’d come if...
If he knew the truth, that Win wasn’t the charismatic blonde that Kerr had been enchanted by.
“We can talk about Ben, if you like. I can... I can make the memories feel real... if you like,” he offered with a pained smile, as if he knew Kerr would balk and run away.
Win licked his lips and shifted his weight, waiting for the worst to happen while hoping for the best.
-
Kerr's expression was no doubt comical as his mouth dropped open yet his head partly turned and pulled back into his neck in shock, momentarily creating a false double chin. He recognised the vampire from the Oligarchy interview room - the one that had gone through his mind!
"How... ?" he began but even as he asked the question, he understood. The fucking vampire had gone through his mind. It was obvious. He'd seen everything that had happened during the threesome and afterwards, when he'd found Ben's note. He'd 'seen' Kerr's fucking phone number as he wrote it on the paper - or he'd got it from his contact information at his place of work. Either way, he'd known the note was the lure needed to get Kerr here.
That explained the how but the why was still a mystery. Kerr's head righted itself but a deep frown and look of confusion remained on his face. It took him a moment to process everything the vampire had said and he didn't notice that part of it was in his head, part was spoken. He was too busy looking for clues in his words.
I can make the memories feel real if you like... what the actual fuck was he talking about?! Did he seriously think Kerr was here for a booty call??
You are
But not with him!
This is fucking insane
Kerr scraped his lower lip gently with his teeth, staring at Win and thinking. Any of his thoughts were probably on a platter for this guy to read but he couldn't help wondering if there was some advantage to be had in this situation. Something that could, oh, maybe get him his reputation back, somehow? He wasn't sure how it might work but it was enough of an inkling to keep him in the room to find out more, rather than just spinning on his heel and storming out. All the effort he'd put in to dressing up and looking good shouldn't go to complete waste but... he knew nothing about this guy! He'd had a weird name, too... Flynn? No... odder... Win! That was it.
"You're... um, going to have to give it to me a little slower, Win. Why am I here? Is this... official Oligarchy business?" Kerr queried, twirling a finger between them and then pointing at the carpet to indicate he meant his summons to the motel room.
He looked the vampire over, considering his looks carefully. He seemed young - younger than Kerr - similar in age to Ben, really. His eyes were interesting in their darkness but his eyelashes were what caught Kerr's attention. They were pretty. He was pretty, though his jaw was more masculine. Pretty was definitely Kerr's type but he'd been too busy shitting himself last night to even notice Win. Now, it just felt wrong to think favourably of the vampire, until he knew more about what was going on, anyway.
-
Win was grateful Kerr had frozen long enough for him to make his plea, but he stood nervously as he waited for the human to decide what to do and say while his mind caught up.
Kerr looked amazing. Win made sure his gaze stayed on Kerr's face as much as possible but those pants - ohmygod. The whole outfit, really. It made Win feel under-dressed. He'd done his best to dress nicely for Kerr but wished he'd been braver. Black sneakers, black jeans, a white polo where only the collar could be seen over an emerald green sweater. Kerr looked ready to walk into the most daring nightclub. Win looked ready to meet friends at a diner.
He couldn't help but scan Kerr's thought process even though it wasn't something he made a habit of. The previous night he'd merely stood by until Halen activated him by speaking his name. Then he'd perfunctorily gone through Kerr's mind. Through Kerr's eyes he'd seen that Ben was sexier than ever and his stomach lurched before he'd embraced it and watched it all greedily, wishing that Kerr had been more accepting of Lazarus. It would've been perfect, then.
Kerr's questions made sense but Win was afraid of them. Kerr now had a lot of power over him. He'd risked a lot in doing this, taking a gamble on the thoughts and feelings Kerr had while he'd been with Ben.
"Um," he tackled the easier of the two questions first. "The Oligarchy doesn't know I'm here. I... I used your memory for your number, I didn't go through their records. They..." he fiddled with the sleeve of his sweater. "Um. If they knew I was here I'd... I'd lose my job at the least. I... would probably be imprisoned?" he guessed. They'd go through his mind as well using one of their other contacts and he'd be screwed. All of his secrets would be out. "So... I'm kind of hoping you won't tell them?"
He didn't like how he was forming everything as a question, but everything about this was questionable. The light's buzzing was starting to feel loud and oppressive, so he mumbled 'excuse me a second' and moved closer to Kerr so he could take the remote off the television stand so he could turn the television on and then mute it. A cowboy movie was playing with bright desert scenes. Win moved closer to Kerr, approaching slowly and then reaching past him to flick off the light. The room was bathed in a warm glow. The television also had a buzzing sound but not as loud.
"Um, as for why..." he said softly, wanting to be cool and sexy but feeling too awkward so he took a step back out of Kerr's personal space. He was struggling to admit the truth in a way that wouldn't sound perverted. "I feel like you and I are, um, connected. I mean, we both feel the same way about..." But not quite. "Your experience was um, kind of like mine. But... that was before he..." Win huffed. "Ben lied to you. He's a liar. He wasn't working at the inn. We picked him up in the street."
-
Right.
Kerr stared wordlessly at the vampire while he replayed his words over and over. They twisted and turned in his mind, collecting feverish thoughts and conjuring vivid images that made him feel less stable by the second. He wobbled over to the bed because it was the closest thing he could reach safely. He resisted the urge to stick his head between his knees to dispel the wavy feeling but he leant his elbows on his thighs and supported his chin in his hands, only trusting his eyes to move in Win’s direction.
“Okay. So,” he said, trying to keep everything in order while he responded but then words failed him again as his brain took off on another tangent. Which part to address first? “So you know Ben and Lazarus and you’re into Ben because you were with Lazarus when he picked Ben up on the street and you had a threesome with them and the Oligarchy doesn’t know any of this, am I right?” Kerr hazarded in one long breath.
-
Win pressed his lips tightly together, knowing he'd said too much when Kerr reacted so visibly. He held out a hand to steady the mortal but stopped before he actually touched him, unsure if Kerr would accept his help. He'd lured him here on bad information after all. There was no reason Kerr had to trust Win at all, other than to be as honest as possible and hope Kerr believed him... and didn't turn him in.
Kerr's guess was kind of there but Win didn't think he had the details and the details in this case mattered.
"Um." He really had to stop saying 'um'. "Kind of?" And he really had to stop making everything sound like a question. "I'm... I was already... when I was with Lazarus... I was his fledge. Am his fledge. He fledged me." Win crossed his arms then dropped the position, shoving his hands into his pockets instead but that felt dumb so he took them out and eventually settled with one hand on his hip. "Uh-m," he gave a little cough. "So... I'll tell you about the night I met Ben. I'd fed and we were heading to a different part of town when I saw him. He was so pretty. Is so pretty. I remember Lazarus was angry with me for talking to him, because he was a whore boy. Lazarus prefers to corrupt the innocent," Win said, then gave Kerr an abashed smile, for Win had very much been a corrupted innocent. "Anyway. I was hooked. I insisted I wanted him. Lazarus relented and we went to the closest inn to have... have sex. Lazarus didn't touch him until after I was done. He was going to bleed Ben dry, I guess, but the way he reacted was..." Win cleared his throat. "It was sexier than what we'd done. It felt more genuine. Lazarus had sex with him after all and we took him with us to... uh... use." Win whispered the final word and looked at the carpet. "After some time," he looked back at Kerr, "Ben convinced Lazarus that he would make a better fledge and they left me." He sighed. "So the Oligarchy knows that all this happened, but they think it means I hate them. But I don't."
His eyes widened as he watched Kerr to see how his reaction to this sordid tale would play out.
-
Kerr felt less overwhelmed as Win continued to speak and he straightened up to watch him, finding the vampire's nervousness endearing. It seemed genuine but who could tell with these creatures? He'd known he was being lied to by Ben but it hadn't mattered because he'd just written everything down for his own knowledge anyway. He'd have lied in his place, too. It was the parts Ben had lied about that intrigued Kerr now. He'd been ashamed to admit he was prostituting himself to survive, even after almost two hundred years? Had he been trying to impress Kerr or suppress his shame?
Kerr's hands brushed slowly back and forth along his legs as he listened and processed Win's story. The feel of the leather stretched around his muscular thighs was invitingly smooth and the gesture conducive to keeping him thinking straight. Win was another of Lazarus' fledges. How many did the guy even have?
"You should... maybe you should sit down," he suggested to Win, nodding at the bed beside him because the vampire's awkward position changes were becoming painful to watch. He found it ironic that it was the supernatural being in the room that was adorably uncertain of himself, rather than the mortal that had been duped into showing up. "So you spent three years or so travelling around with Ben and Lazarus and then they just left you out? Why? Because you were in love with Ben?" Kerr guessed, hoping the part Ben had told him about being sixteen when he met Lazarus and nineteen when fledged were true. He was relieved that the Oligarchy knew of Win's background, if not the secrets in his heart. That seemed appropriate, to Kerr.
-
Win stared at Kerr's hand movements on his pants, glad that he wasn't likely to blush and wasn't getting a hard on or anything... though thinking about it made him overly aware of himself and Kerr and he was starting to feel changes between his legs. He pulled his gaze away but looked back at Kerr's suggestion to sit beside him. Without a word, he accepted Kerr's suggestion and moved to the bed, sitting very close to Kerr and then feeling obvious about it so he shifted away, but not too far. He did his best not to stare at the leather pants, though they were very easy to look at now.
"Um... about that, yeah. Three years of... it was bliss. We were pretty happy with one another. I was in love with Lazarus initially, and it grew to include Ben. But neither of them loved me back," he shrugged to indicate it no longer bothered him, and it didn't usually, but the feelings surfaced whenever he came into contact with Ben or Lazarus again even if the contact was second-hand, like it had been through Kerr. "I was too needy for them. Once Ben learnt how to get Lazarus obsessed with him, he convinced him to fledge him, too. It changed after that. They started... I don't know. I wasn't enough for them."
-
Kerr raised his eyebrows, captivated by Win's phrasing. "How did Ben get Lazarus obsessed with him? Sex?" he guessed, thinking that couldn't be all of it, surely.
He turned his upper body to look at the vampire beside him, his hands still now that they were sitting quite closely together. He'd held in a grin when Win had sat almost in his lap and then moved away a little. He really did want to be as close to Ben and Lazarus as he could get.
-
"That, too. He was willing to do whatever it took," Win said. It was the part of Ben that had disappointed him (and also impressed him and filled him with awe and trepidation); his ambition.
He met Kerr's stare and licked his lips, a nervous habit rather than a come-on gesture, but his gaze dropped to Kerr's lips anyway before raising to meet his eyes once more.
"I... When I saw your memories, I... it brought a lot of... of feelings back. A lot of old desires. It's... I can replay them, but... it's more powerful if... if..."
He clammed up, losing his courage.
-
“Whoa,” Kerr said, holding up a hand and shuffling back a little (but he was too close to the end of the bed to get far so his move had little effect). “You can look at my memories or whatever you need - though, having spent all those years with them, I’m sure you’ve got even more exciting stuff than we did to look back on - but I’m not interested in being your little Ben stand-in doll or whatever you’ve got in mind,” he insisted, waving a hand between them.
It occurred to him - belatedly - that he was eliminating all possibility of getting help from Win by turning him down but he hadn’t even established how things stood with him and the Oligarchy anyway. He might concede to the vampire for no gain and feel like shit for it. Or vice versa. It didn’t occur to him that Win might be interested in him for him. It was all about Ben.
“I don’t know you but you should know, what I did with Ben, that was really out of character for me. I’m not that easy, usually,” he confessed, blushing profusely because his memories would definitely not have given Win that impression.
-
The rejection caused his stomach to flip-flop and Win felt immediately sick with shame. He shook his head and backed away, apologising as he went.
"Sorry, I... I know what I did was wrong," his gaze dropped to Kerr's leather pants before he cast it towards the window. "I don't think you're easy, I think you... you're like me. You got caught up in it. Ben knew you were attracted to him so he used it. He's very good at... at doing that. He uses whatever he knows about you." Win cleared his throat. "I... I thought maybe..."
He stopped before he continued with that thought. Kerr had already said no, he shouldn't ask again.
"Um, sorry I tricked you. Uh... I'll go. You can keep the room if you want." Win stood up and his gaze raked over Kerr's form, lingering on the sexy outfit, at how much effort he'd put into himself for Ben. Win focussed on the blood blond for a moment. "They're... they're not too far away. Maybe Ben will come back for you. I would." He gave an embarrassed smile and turned to leave.
-
"Wait!" Kerr yelled, springing to his feet in an effort to keep Win from leaving. It turned out awkwardly since Kerr jumped with all his might and Win stopped far more quickly than he'd anticipated he would - he practically jumped into the vampire's arms and then had to grab hold of him to steady himself and not headbutt the guy. He blinked, hanging onto his upper arms. "Uh... sorry about that," he said and laughed as he unnecessarily brushed nothing off Win's chest and then let him go, stepping back a little.
"Thanks for waiting. I wanted to say that you didn't even have to trick me. I still would've met you if you were honest and told me you wanted to talk about Ben and Lazarus. You didn't have to lie. I'm interested in their story and yours. I mean, if you want to meet up again sometime, that'd be cool. I don't know where I'll be or what I'll be doing... is Halen really going to torpedo my hunting reputation?" he asked worriedly, frowning at Win.
-
Win gave Kerr a startled expression at the leap and hold, then his wide eyes relaxed. He wasn't threatened by Kerr but he was certainly intimidated by him. He was a vampire hunter, after all. He'd killed many of Win's species.
"Sorry," he said again when told he could've been honest. He'd been strangely excited when texting Kerr, playing the part of Ben. He'd thought he'd lost Kerr at the sexy 'fun in the middle' comment, figuring he'd gone too far. He'd been proud of himself and then incredibly nervous when the meeting had been made. He'd arrived at ten and then waited two hours.
Halen. Another man that scared the crap out of Win.
"Yes. He doesn't threaten and not follow through. He's... he's done worse for less. You got off lightly. He really wanted Lazarus dead."
-
Kerr gnawed on his lower lip, frowning. He realised he wasn't holding his phone and keys and turned around to see that he'd left them on the bed. That was good. He turned back to look at Win again, still thoughtful.
"I wanted to kill him... I could've killed him. But... I was weak for Ben and I didn't want to break his heart - or whatever it is he has that binds him to Lazarus. Plus, I figured I owed him for not killing me. I was so weak, wasn't I? And it's... this is a lot more of a sacrifice than I was prepared for, y'know? I don't know what's next for me. I have some savings but if I can't hunt, what else is there? Are there any jobs going at the Oligarchy?" he laughed, doing his best to fight off the wave of helplessness threatening to drown him.
His attempt at humour fell as flat as Win's attempts at seduction had and he realised he was being just as forward. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry. This isn't your problem, I... I'm sorry," he declared, shaking his head, wincing and swiping his hands in front of himself like he could erase his pathetic whining. This was why they'd invented bars, Jesus.
-
He nodded enthusiastically when Kerr described Lazarus and Ben, and how easy it was to be weak for them. But then Kerr moved on to his job and Win felt somehow betrayed.
"What else is there if you can't hunt vampires, you mean?" Win asked after a moment. His words were hostile but his tone was soft, and a little sad. "Halen's influence isn't worldwide. Europe and the Americas, maybe. Probably not even South America. Asia or Oceania, not at all. You can keep... hunting."
He should've realised how attached Kerr was to it. He'd flicked through memories when the human had been having doubts... he should've realised it had been part of Ben's charm and that Kerr would return to his core beliefs.
-
It was now Kerr's turn to find standing awkward because the way Win spoke... it made him feel terrible. He ended up holding his right elbow with his left hand; somewhat defensive but mainly childish.
"I just feel... lost," he admitted quietly. "Ben mightn't be the most upstanding guy but what he said... I connected with that as much as with him. He was right and it was something I've been thinking about for a while, if I'm honest. It really doesn't make sense to worry too much about people when there are always more people. The world's population is out of control - to the point we're killing the planet. Yet my whole life, I've been all about killing off supernaturals when they harmed humans? I've only hunted a few vampires. It's mostly been demons and the occasional were. But what right do I have to end anyone's life, just because I'm good at it?" he beseeched, shaking his head and sighing.
He dropped his elbow and went back to the bed, flopping down on it again. "My problem is, I have a very specific skillset and an unpopular base of knowledge about a very limited group of beings. It's not something I can put on my resume and rock up for a job at Walmart, is it? Or, what? Join some dojo and become a trainer for... what? People that have no hope against supernaturals and only limited chances against each other? I mean, this city is probably my best chance at changing things around and being good at something, what with the leylines and the high percentage of supernaturals. Maybe I could tend bar at Venture," he laughed but there was no humour in the sound.
He was aware he was being a miserable bastard but Win seemed sympathetic and it made him feel better to voice his deepest, darkest fears to a complete stranger that sort of knew all about him anyway - he'd been in his head, after all.
-
Win had heard that argument before, and not just pulled out of Kerr's memory. The human race had been procreating out of control for a long time and it had been a concern even before now. It was boggling how long the human civilisation understood that they were doing the wrong thing in plundering the world for their short term benefits. It was always for the next generation to stop, to change. None of them had... and that was only in Win's not quite two centuries. It had been how Ben had won Lazarus over... justifying his kills.
Win admired Kerr's form on the bed, standing over him and smiling slightly when Kerr mentioned Walmart. Funny. Win sat back down on the bed beside him, initially not brave enough to lay down beside the mortal, though his passion and his heat were a big drawcard. He knew the attraction was only one way; easy or not, he hadn't given Win any signals that he was attracted to him and Ben had clearly won him over. Win was nothing on Ben. He wasn't going to try anything though, he was just going to... lie beside him.
Go on. Lie down. Just do it, coward.
He lay down, a little more stiffly than he would've liked, and covered it up by putting a hand beneath his head. It felt awkward but he imagined it might look alright. His sweater was rising up at his waist a bit weird and the polo sleeve was pulling strangely at his arm. He ended up shifting, turning on the bed so he could lie on his side and look at Kerr. He didn't want to roll on top of Kerr though, so he bounced his way around, raising his hips and shoulders in sequence until finally he was looking at Kerr. He supposed he'd bounced the mortal around a bit and was mortified by how stupid that would have seemed.
"There's lots of jobs for mortals in the know," Win said. "I don't know that you'll get anything with vamps needing daytime errands run because of your... uh, status as a hunter, but humans are certainly necessary to the Oligarchy as well. They... uh... " he didn't know how to finish his sentence, so he just plunged ahead. "Have donors. Not what you're looking for, I expect, but... yeah, just... look around. You'll find something."
Smooth.
-
Kerr quirked an eyebrow as Win wriggled around on the bed trying to get comfortable, bouncing him all over the place. The movement registered his phone sticking into his ass so he lifted his hips and pulled it and his keys out, dropping them on the floor before settling back down, his hands back on his stomach, fingers interlaced.
The jolting was a nice distraction from his misery and there was some good news at the end, once Win was finally settled. Well, sort of good news. Kerr wanted to know how vampires in general would even know he was a hunter but he didn't ask. Halen would probably take out a fucking billboard announcing it or something. Publish it in the paper. Send every vampire a text. Put it in neon so it'd light up the night sky. Anything to fuck him over because he'd fucked up so royally. His head lolled to the side and he looked up at Win, a curious expression on his face. God, the vampire's eyelashes were just ridiculous up this close.
"The Oligarchy pays mortals to give their blood? Like, they take it out of them with a syringe and put it in a bag or... drink it straight from their necks?"
When Win told him it was the latter method, Kerr's eyes widened and he giggled through a blush.
"Fuuuuuck," he laughed, his shoulders lifting off the bed for the duration of his expletive. "That'd definitely be interesting! When Ben did it - well, but I also had his blood in me, maybe that made a big difference? - but when Ben drank from me I got so horny I wanted to fuck everything. It was nuts!" he laughed, chopping the air with his hand for emphasis. "That happens a lot though, right? It wasn't just me? Vampires would be used to it - like at the Oligarchy, they'd just ignore it and get on with their night like it was nothing, yeah?" Kerr enquired, brushing his hands together twice and then splaying them outward like he was a blackjack dealer showing empty hands at the end of a deal.
The Oligarchy struck him as the epitome of professionalism - they were fucking him over after some bad business, so they were definitely serious mobsters. He imagined that everyone that worked there had the same level of zeal so a sex-crazed mortal humping their leg while they drank his blood would be looked upon with disdain and not taken advantage of, right? If he signed up for that job, Kerr was pretty sure his selectiveness when it came to sleeping around would change. Radically. His idealism faltered even further when he connected that Win was an employee of the Oligarchy and his conduct tonight hadn't been completely above reproach, so...
-
Win was surprised about Kerr's assumption. He felt awkward all over again, for he'd indulged with a few donors on multiple occasions. He mostly kept to his favourites, and they all understood it was casual. The donors weren't interested in dating anyone - they were paid very well and all of them wanted to remain romantically unattached.
"Uh..." He wondered how to put it. "They frown on paying for it. If a donor resorts to prostitution, they're certainly out. But... but consent is up to them."
He'd never heard of anyone being rejected though he doubted that the rejected party would advertise it.
-
Kerr bit the inside of his lower lip thoughtfully. Win hadn’t really reassured him that the Oligarchy was filled with impassive professionals but he had confirmed his guess that the bite affected others the same way it did him. He’d surmised it had to, based on evolutionary pragmatism; getting your neck bitten and blood pulled out of you wasn’t an obviously desirable state. There had to be some lure to make it an appealing prospect for the victim. Sexual gratification was an oldie but a goodie, he supposed.
“Okay, so you’re saying that they don’t want donors that sign up to get paid for getting their rocks off but it’s acceptable, as long as you don’t go into it with that attitude? And the donor and the vampire leave it up to the donor if they want to fuck? Or it’s a mutual decision? How much does being a donor pay, anyway?” Kerr scoffed, thinking it might be something like a hundred bucks a bite (even as he thought that, he mentally adjusted down to fifty, feeling a hundred was too high). It hardly struck him as a job.
-
"Um," Win said, blinking his surprise as Kerr pursued the line of questioning. The idea of Kerr being a donor... He closed his eyes and tried to act as professionally as Kerr had suspected that the Oligarchy did. Mostly they did, but the donors could bring vampires to their (weakened) knees. "So they don't care why you want to be a donor as long as you keep yourself free of drugs and alcohol, that you're available at any time of night when you're rostered to be drunk from... every fortnight is the rotation, so that's why there's around a hundred donors on staff. Because they get a free room at the Chambers on the eleventh and twelfth floors, free meals from the kitchens, and a free wardrobe, they don't get paid a lot. I think it's around forty-five thousand a year? There's not a lot to spend it on, though. A bunch of them go on holidays during their two-week turnaround. Some are saving up because they don't want to be donors forever. Um... I have noticed that they're all... all the donors are... sexy in some way. You'd fit right in." Win gave a dubious chuckle.
-
Kerr’s jaw dropped at just how wrong he’d been. By his calculations, donors were getting close to a thousand bucks a bite and they got free lodging, meals and clothes? That sounded too good to be true! Not that he didn’t believe Win, it was just... those were insane perks for a little bit of blood taken. Sure, there’d be awkwardness if he got all horny at them but that was probably mostly due to Ben’s blood being in him anyway. His senses had been off-the-charts heightened. It wouldn’t be that bad next time, he’d be vampire blood free. He’d be able to control himself much more easily.
His eyes glistened with excitement at the prospect of easy pay, though he spared Win a wry look when told he was sexy. The vampire was only into him because he wanted to role play being with his sire and Ben. Kerr was convinced he wasn’t seeing him for him. Still, it was a nice compliment; he worked hard on his body, needing to be in to shape for the gruelling job he did. Had done. He needed to get his head around that change, too. Giving his blood to vampires might not be the best way to do it but it was certain to be shocking enough that it’d be a swift kick along that path.
“Thanks,” he said simply in response to the compliment, smiling at Win. “I’m gonna’ do it. I’m gonna’ apply. Can I do it at any time? Do you think Halen will’ve told them to turn me away?” he asked nervously, suddenly doubting that this dream job could be his if the Luminary had anything to do with it. He wondered if he might be so bold as to ask Win to put in a good word for him but... he had no idea what role the vampire even played at the Oligarchy. He mightn’t be nearly important enough to have any influence on anything.
-
Win was completely shocked. Kerr was going to apply? He was going to apply! The idea of him being in the donor ranks excited and terrified him. He'd be able to drink from Kerr... but he'd be refused for the rest of it. That was okay, wasn't it? He knew it would be safer for him not to drink from Kerr at all - not when he had an erotic response and Win found him appealing and he had pornographic memories of Ben and Lazarus to look at.
"Yes. Yes, you can apply any time. The interview process is... is a bite. The contract is fairly thick. You'll have to sign it and agree to everything before you can be a donor. You'll be locked in for... uh, the minimum is two years but they might want you longer. You'll... uh, you'll need some... some references." He cleared his throat. "The... your memory with Ben and Lazarus would be a good reference for how, um, how keen you are on... on vampires. The donors are, uh, um... they don't... they get a say of course, they give consent, but... you're more likely to be hired if you're... uh, into it." Win shrugged. "Contract says you can reject everyone and they can't hold it against you. Only the vampires not interested in sex as well as blood would end up drinking from you."
Win would not be one of them. Yes, it would definitely be easier not to drink from Kerr... even though he really, really wanted to.
-
Win's more detailed explanation had a sobering effect on Kerr. "Oh," he uttered, disappointment dampening his excitement and bringing him crashing back to reality.
Win said he could refuse to have sex with vampires but the implication was that he was unlikely to get the job in the first place, if that was his attitude. Well, shit. He'd have to be a hell of a lot easier, if he wanted easy money. And two years minimum? Yes, he was looking for a change in his life but the idea of being locked down made him feel stifled (and there was no way he was going to sign another contract with Halen that he was likely to renege on). He was used to roaming the country, staying in a different town every few nights, nowhere permanent and nothing holding him down except the need to finish a job, get paid and move to the next one.
Was he actually contemplating tying himself down, willingly consorting with supernaturals and having sex with a different vampire every two weeks? Was it worth it? So much was still unknown... and he felt his 'reference' with Ben was tainted. He gulped, glancing worriedly at Win. He didn't know if he could do it. Just straight up meet someone, ask them how their evening was going and then let them attach themselves to his neck while he got... excited? It grated, the possibilities and the unknowns, it made him feel like there was an itch beneath his skin he couldn't get to.
"Will you drink from me? Right now?" he pleaded with Win, reaching over to grasp his arm again. "I had Ben's blood in me last time and I-I don't know what I'm actually like when the drinking happens without it. Maybe I'm not so bad and maybe they won't want me. Or... I dunno', I just, I feel like I need to know for sure before... before," he repeated weakly. "And this is kind of close to recreating what it'd be like, i guess. Just me and someone I don't know very well in a room with... expectations," he swallowed. They'd both had expectations coming into this meeting. Just because they hadn't lined up didn't mean they weren't there. The sex had been on the table for both of them, more or less.
-
Win looked like a startled rabbit in the golden glow of the television screen.
A number of responses came to his addled mind; that Ben's blood wouldn't have altered Kerr's response, that Kerr was going to have the sexy reaction with anyone that bit him (provided he wasn't resisting), that Win wanted more than just a bite - he wanted to gnaw those leather pants off Kerr and gobble up what lay beneath them, that Kerr didn't have to be a donor - they could join up and follow Lazarus and Ben and maybe be allowed to return to them.
He said none of those things. What he did say was; "Okay."
But because he didn't want to take advantage of the situation, he pulled in a breath and released it as a sigh. "I should ask though, when you're in the middle of the bite and you end up wanting more... can I... do what you ask?"
It was a loaded question. Really, he should've phrased it in the negative. 'Would you like me to stop' not 'let me do it'. He could live with himself if the phrasing of the question gave him a positive answer though. No regrets at all.
-
Kerr was truly torn and his expression was pained as he looked up at Win.
On the one hand, he didn't want to spoil this nice little bonding feeling they had blossoming between them. He was on his way to trusting Win (rightly or wrongly) in much the same way he'd built up a relationship with Ben - through discussion and a sharing of information. There hadn't been that initial spark of lust but he found Win beautiful and enjoyed looking at him. He seemed endearingly unsure of himself, which evoked Kerr's protective instincts, oddly. He felt more comfortable with him now than he had when he first walked into the room, that was for sure, but was he ready to fuck him? No.
On the other hand, he needed to know if he could do it. Would he hate himself afterwards or would there be enough pleasure that he could dismiss those potential feelings of shame and do this gig for two years? Was he capable of distancing himself emotionally from an act he'd only ever performed when he was really sure of himself, with people he really liked? Could he even volunteer to supplicate himself to random vampires? He kind of needed to have the whole experience to know, so telling Win to hold back or only bite him a little bit would be pointless.
He took a shaky breath, releasing his answer as he exhaled. "Sure. Whatever happens, let it happen. I need to know what it's going to be like and... at least I'm a bit connected to you. Sort of," he laughed softly, his hand trailing along Win's arm and down to his hip. His thumb slid beneath the hems of his sweater and shirt, stroking the cool skin beneath. Funny, Kerr was beginning to feel very hot all over; the leather pants didn't help. He wondered if Win had brought lube but didn't want to ask in case it seemed like he was wishing for that outcome. Which he kind of was, he supposed. Ugh! "Did you bring lube? I-in case?"
-
Win, who had been hoping to share Kerr's memory of Ben-sex with him and make it feel real between them by stroking one another, had brought lube on the chance Kerr would want to do more. Win was a little disappointed that he wasn't going to experience the full effect of emotion and sensations to pair with the memory, but this was... so much better, really. He found Kerr attractive (especially in his current outfit) and that had only become much more pronounced when he'd discovered that Ben had thought so too. It had enhanced it to a ridiculous level... to the point where he'd done a seriously insane leap of faith (more like leap of lust).
Kerr's hot fingers on his flesh were like small points of searing lust that travelled straight into his groin. The question came through a haze. "Yeah, I did," Win said, feeling like a pervert when he pointed at the bedside drawer unit beside Kerr. "It's in there." He'd wanted to squirrel it away so it wouldn't be seen.
His gaze dropped to Kerr's tight pants. Oh, they were so... WOW... but they looked like a headache to take off. His gaze raked Kerr's form back to his eyes and he realised how much he'd been staring.
-
Kerr took a breath and got himself into the mindset he had whenever he was researching for a job. Prepared, calm and focussed. He rolled over and got the lube out of the drawer, pleased that Lazarus' fledge knew how to purchase lube in decently-sized containers, rather than stupid little tubes. He picked his keys and phone up as well, putting them on the bedside table too. As he toed his shoes and socks off standing beside the bed, he asked Win about whether his shirt should be on or off - what was the optimal amount of skin for a bite? Where was access best?
Win stammered out an answer about him not needing the shirt off and there being other, more pleasurable places to bite from - such as his thigh - and that threw Kerr into a bit of a tizz, wondering if that was a likely request of a donor. Win admitted that it wasn't common between Oligarchy employees and donors, it was more a thing between a vampire and their pet, which led Kerr down a whole new tangent of understanding. 'Pets' were a thing! And the Oligarchy registered them like dogs or cats. Weird.
Even though Win had told him it wasn't necessary, Kerr untucked his shirt from his pants and took it off, tossing it on the back of a nearby chair. He hadn't intended to do this but he began to like the desirous looks Win was casting over his body. It started to feel like he was interested in him, after all, which made him relax - and even show off a little. For a start, he flexed his muscles a little more than necessary, taking his time moving his shoes and socks out of the way. He thought Win's eyes were going to pop out of his head when his hands drifted to the string holding his pants closed and he began to unlace it... slowly. He grinned, liking the effect it had on the vampire when he separated the halves and they gaped just enough to show he wasn't wearing underwear (of course).
Kerr then sauntered around to Win's side of the bed and helped him get his shoes and socks off then leaned down to help him remove his shirt and sweater, making sure his warm hands touched as much of him as possible. When he encouraged Win to move higher on the bed, he performed his awkward caterpillar impression again but Kerr didn't mind the view; the bulge in Win's pants made him feel powerful and even more sexy. When he got back onto the bed, he did it by sliding over Win.
His research mode kicked in again as he asked about positions and Win gave him options; on his side facing Win, on his back, on his side facing away. Because Win had been on his side, Kerr rolled onto his too - facing away - and backed up against the vampire's front. With another deep breath, he told Win he was ready.
For all his hesitation and uncertainty when speaking, Win was the opposite when it came to biting. Kerr had barely any time to register surprise at how swiftly and masterfully he inserted his fangs before the emotions he'd been so sure he'd be able to control overcame him once more. It was like immersing himself in a warm bath on a chilly autumn day. The sensation spread across his entire body at once, raising every hair and giving him goosebumps, causing him to gasp and grind his ass against Win. It was electric and comforting all at once, an all-over sigh and awareness of being alive and vital, filled with life and lust. He felt desired and free, the pulling at his throat the epicentre of every erotic signal zapping across his body, awakening a need in him that was so deep it felt like he'd never fill it up.
It was far more intense than it had been with Ben.
Win was smart enough to drink only a little at first. He hastily closed off the wound when Kerr grabbed his hand and shoved it down his pants, using the vampire to pull him free and help him stroke his cock to full life. When it wasn't enough, he turned onto his back, rolling the leather down his body in a smooth and practised motion before helping Win out of his pants. The lube was used, their hands stroked and their bodies bucked; Kerr wasn't quiet or reserved. He kissed Win hungrily, begging for more drinking and fucking in a haze of lust so powerful it felt like his mouth was filled with the taste of hot ginger and his blood was again singing through his veins. A lucid part marvelled at how it felt like his blood was superheated and he needed the counterpart of the vampire's coolness to ease the intensity. Symbiosis? He couldn't think much beyond that.
After a couple of hours of uninhibited fucking, they lay spread across the bed, limbs tangled and replete. As Kerr drifted back, he became aware of all the places he ached but he decided he definitely liked it. Again, his head lolled and he looked at Win with a smirk on his face. He didn't feel shame, which pleased him. He felt... happy. Could he do it with unknown others? Probably. It was only every couple of weeks, right?
"I guess you got what you wanted, after all," he chuckled at Win. It was sort of a shame he'd set the meeting to start at midnight. Kerr supposed the vampire would have to be leaving soon, to be home by dawn... wherever home was. "Where do you live?"
-
Win's awkwardness was gone now that he was spent. He gazed wondrously at Kerr's face, his fingers running over the sexy smirk and committing it to memory for later use.
"At the Chambers," he said. "Being on staff I have an option to keep a room there. It's bigger than the donor rooms but not ostentatious like the penthouse suite," he said, scoffing. "I use the second bedroom as my studio and Halen likes my work so... I think he keeps me around for that even though I'm supposed to be his interrogator. I've never interrogated anyone in my life," he chuckled.
-
Kerr raised his eyebrows. There was so much more to the Oligarchy than he anticipated. "You paint? And give your art to Halen instead of interrogating people - is 'interrogating' code for 'reading peoples' minds?" Kerr enquired, his thoughts flowing from one aspect to another like water.
-
Win grinned. "Halen is a sucker for art. He loves talking about it and he takes me to galleries with him so he can discuss it with someone who understands art history and techniques and such. He likes my work but he's very selective about what goes into his penthouse. And yes, an interrogator means mind-reader. They have other interrogators because I'm a bit too young for the role - humans and fledgeling vampires or young fae are all I can read. They generally spill the truth as soon as they're brought to trial though, out of fear."
Win pressed his lips together after that, not liking how some of them had been punished.
-
Kerr's expression shifted into a mix of guilt and sadness. "I guess I got off lightly, losing my career, then." He fell quite for a moment, then appeared to shake himself out of it. "But you sound pretty close to Halen. Are you and he... " he paused to waggle a finger down towards where their naked bodies were still resting against one another, "an item? Or is he straight?" Kerr hadn't been in the room with the Luminary very long. He hadn't been able to read him in that way.
-
Win had been fielding these questions about his relationship with Halen for a while, so it was easy enough to talk about it.
"Oh no, he's never shown an interest in me. I don't know what he is. Asexual, maybe? But I have heard rumours that he's a beast in bed, but it all seems very... rumoury." Win rolled his eyes. "He's dark and sexy like you but he's way too intimidating. Like you," he giggled. "But, you know, you're less... firebally."
He stroked Kerr's skin - his shoulder, arm, thigh. Kerr was a beautiful specimen. If he was a sculptor he would've made all sorts of naughty statues using Kerr as a model. It led to a vague thought of what having sex with a sculpture would be like. Was it a thing?
-
Kerr frowned. "'Firebally'?" he queried, wondering what that meant. He assumed that perhaps Halen was a fire demon.
-
Win murmured and nodded. "Mmm, yeah. Scary for anyone, especially vampires." He frowned. "I don't want to talk about Halen anymore. I want to talk about what you're going to do next. Are you going to come back with me?" he asked hopefully. Win planted a few kisses on Kerr's lips. "Maybe spend the day in my room? You can call for food and stuff to be delivered. Then when I wake up we could go get the forms and stuff."
Win had the next night planned out before Kerr had a chance to respond.
-
Kerr raised his eyebrows, beginning to see what Win meant about Ben and Lazarus finding him too needy. He hadn't been invited to day sleep with Ben (meditate... ha!) and he was further surprised that Win trusted him enough to offer to share his bed during the day... but turning up the next night with Win to apply for work at the Oligarchy couldn't hurt his reputation, surely? Especially if he was with the guy that had the Luminary taking him to art galleries and keeping him close for interrogations (low stakes ones, but interrogations nevertheless).
His eyebrows lowered and he grinned as he rolled on top of Win, grasping his hands and pinning them beside his ears as he held his torso above the vampire. "Sounds good to me, but I have to go get some of my gear from the motel I'm actually staying in, first. It's on the way into the city. Do you have a car here or do you want to ride with me? And you're sure you want me spending the day with you? I'm cool with getting a sneak peek at what the food'll be like if I get the job."
Kerr's grin widened as he thought about being a donor in the building where Win lived and worked. "Am I ever even going to meet another vampire if I become a donor or will you drink from me every two weeks?" he teased, playacting suspicion.
-
“I have a car here,” he said, agreeing to take Kerr to wherever he needed to go because Kerr was coming back with him! He grinned his pleasure up at Kerr, wriggling playfully in the hold and making sure he didn’t break it even though they both knew he was stronger of the two.
“I do have my favourites and I wouldn’t mind you being one of them.” His smile faltered. “Will you... “ he stopped when he realised he’d been just about to ask if Kerr would give consent to other vampires. They weren’t an item or anything but he was quite taken with Kerr, and the idea of him being with Declan or Jake or Hugh any number of the vampires that worked or visited the chambers made him feel unwell. He didn’t mind sharing with Ben and Lazarus because they’d had a connection independently and it had brought them together and he’d even put in for time off. They’d be confused to see him come back.
“I’m surprised you didn’t ask me to take you to Ben and Lazarus as soon as you found out about my connection with them, you know? I even asked for time off.” He laughed and thought maybe it was better this way. He could have a thing with Kerr. The rejects could enjoy each other.
-
Kerr was distracted from thinking about them driving their own cars and him having to detour to his motel on the way to the Oligarchy by Win's unfinished question. Would he what? Would he like that? Would he mind? Would he insist on seeing others so an unhealthy attachment that wouldn't lead anywhere wouldn't form? There were so many possibilities!
All of those questions were blown straight out of his head when Win mentioned he could take Kerr to Ben and Lazarus. He could go to Ben. He dropped off Win and onto the bed beside him, feeling shaky and lightheaded as he sat up and hugged his knees. "Wh... how? How could you take me to them? You asked for time off work so you could take me to Ben? You know where he is? You've known this whole time?" he asked weakly.
He was repeating himself and no doubt asking everything out of order but that was because his brain was scrambled by this mind-blowing information. Funny, he hadn't felt ashamed of what he'd done with Win until the moment he was told Ben was accessible to the vampire.
-
Win's smile faded when Kerr retreated and voiced questions so viscerally. He was confused. Had he not been listening when Win said he was Lazarus' fledge? Win was pretty sure he'd repeated it a number of times because he'd tripped over the announcement, thinking that Kerr would be taken aback by it. Feeling like their plans to have Kerr as a blood donor was about to vanish, he explained himself.
"Of course. I... I'm Lazarus' fledge," he said, his nervousness returning. He wanted to reverse time, to not have said anything. Maybe Kerr was upset that Win had planned so far ahead he'd asked for time off work. It had been 'just in case'. Much like the lube was. Kerr hadn't balked at that. "I can... feel him. Always." When Kerr gave Win a look of incredulity, he continued. "You used Ben as a lure for Lazarus. You know about this."
Their mental connection had been severed, but the magic hadn't stopped the blood-bond. Ben couldn't give a warning to his sire. The plan was to knock out Lazarus and kill him. Win had to come to terms with that, but he'd secretly wanted Kerr to fail. Halen had consoled him after Kerr had left, impressing upon him that they would try again. As if Win wanted it. He'd nodded and kept his head down, not wanting his expression to give him away.
-
Kerr blinked at Win, his expression incredulous. "How would I know that? Because every vampire is so forthcoming about the details of their connections to each other?! I mean, I suspected there was something but I wasn't relying on it. I just expected Lazarus to find Ben through the process of elimination! I didn't know it was like... like fucking GPS and you could just go to each other at any time! So where are they? Ben and Lazarus? They're supposed to be out of the country," he scowled, suspecting, if Win could locate them so confidently, they couldn't be as far away as Ben had promised him they'd get. Kerr was conflicted about that.
Technically, he was conflicted about everything and part of him regretted that he was taking it out on Win. His life was in flux and he couldn't help but lament that he'd left Ben and Lazarus behind in the first place. He'd done it for noble reasons (and also because Lazarus scared the shit out of him) but it had backfired for him. Regret left a sour taste in his mouth, even as his heart fluttered at the thought of being reunited with Ben. Did he dare? He'd gone to all this trouble with Win, deciding he could be a donor, it was all about to be set in motion... did he want to just walk away from that? For what benefit? Hanging off Ben's every move, waiting for a scrap of his attention, competing with Lazarus? Was he that pathetic?
He pushed his conflict aside while he listened to Win's answer.
-
Win blinked at the force of Kerr's response. Yes, he'd made assumptions that Kerr knew such things, but he didn't think it was so crazy of him to expect that a vampire hunter would know everything about his prey. Kerr's demands to know where Ben and Lazarus were also lent to the sensation of his plans with Kerr slipping away.
He threw his arm across his eyes before he spoke. "I thought the Oligarchy would have confirmed facts with you when they hired you. Why give you all those toys and trust you with all that magic, and not also give you that knowledge?" There was a pause before he answered the other questions. "They're a fair distance away north of here, but more like a night's worth of driving than a plane ride. I don't know how long they'll be there before moving on. Maybe they're heading for Canada."
-
Kerr was beginning to doubt his own knowledge. Had he somehow ignored this very pertinent fact in amongst his briefing? It was entirely possible; he remembered being overwhelmed by all the gadgets, taking notes on how everything worked and feeling intimidated by the technicalities. He'd probably let it slip past him and his experience with vampires was minimal.
He glanced at Win, feeling restless but forcing himself to calm down. It wasn't Win's fault he was ignorant. He took a breath. "So you can't just call them?" he joked but it fell somewhat flat with the tension in the room. He sighed again. "Sorry. What do you want to do? Do you think we should go to them? I mean... is there a point? Lazarus scares me and he doesn't like me. Wh- I'm just not sure what I want to do. This is my life but... ultimately, what do I matter to them, y'know?" he shrugged, feeling insecure.
-
Win removed his arm and stared at Kerr, watching him intensely.
"I can contact Lazarus fairly easily, but he doesn't like telepathy. It makes him angry. He'll only block me. Ben taught him how." He sighed, figuring Kerr would have more questions about that. "Ben's not as easy for me to reach. He's... he blends in with all the other fledglings. Because he and I are similar in age he doesn't stand out. The older ones are... brighter... in my head, but even then they're difficult for me to reach, even if they were close." He shrugged. Why would he want to contact them, anyway?
"I don't think they'll keep us long term, but they'll probably... uh... let us hang around to play with. I... I enjoyed being with them. I didn't want to go to them on my own... and Ben seemed quite taken with you so... uh... I was hoping to, um, capitalise on that."
He waited for Kerr to yell at him.
-
"How many fledgelings does Lazarus have?" Kerr asked. When he was told there were about eighty living ones, his incredulity only grew. Was he making nests dedicated to him or something? How was it that only Ben was with him? It made Kerr nervous that Ben could be so preferred; reminding himself that Lazarus had been around for two thousand years made him feel slightly better but then, Win had said that was all that were living. How many had died off over the years?
And none of them compared to Ben, not even the sweet man beside him. What chance did they stand of having any impact?
"So you think it's a good idea for you to take time off work and me to put my life on hold to drive through the night to catch up with a couple of vampires that are only going to be interested in us for a bit of fucking and then... what? Come back here once they're tired of us?" Kerr asked ironically, telling himself as much as Win. He wanted to see Ben, sure... but this was stupid. What was the point? "Have we no dignity?" he asked on a sigh. "It sounds insane."
-
Win started putting clothes on after answering the question about fledges. It was impossible to know exactly how many there were but it certainly felt like eighty. Give or take ten.
He was pulling on his jeans when Kerr finished his lament about Win's idea to go chasing after a pipedream. He'd never divulged his fantasy to anyone. He'd trusted Kerr with it because he thought the mortal would understand.
"It's what I said," he mumbled to his fly as he pulled it up. He looked next for his shirt and picked it up, pulling sleeves through to get it right way out as he looked at Kerr. "I just wanted to see them. Any dignity I have left they'll strip from me anyway. I don't care."
-
Kerr bit the inside of his cheek, watching Win dress. His simple philosophy was an encouragement Kerr felt he should probably ignore but... he didn't need a lot of convincing to want to see Ben again. His head quailed at the notion but his heart leapt at it... and that was a big problem. He had a lot more invested in his reception from Ben than Win did. It was scary.
"Man, this is a terrible idea but... okay. Let's try and catch up with them. Do you want to go tomorrow night?" Kerr asked uncertainly.
-
Win was on a rollercoaster of sorts. He'd started off on a high when Kerr showed up, then plummeted, then he'd soared to extremes on what felt like a brand new track, and then that had plunged and he'd jumped the rails back onto the original ride. It was emotionally exhausting but at the same time he felt strangely energised.
It helped that he'd had amazing sex with Kerr, and that they might have some repeats on the road to Ben and Lazarus.
"Why tomorrow night? You can drive during the day when I can't." He grinned at Kerr and threw on his polo before heading towards the mortal and throwing his arms around him, unable to contain his glee. "I think we should take my car. I'll come back with you to your place and you can throw stuff in the back of mine. I'll sleep in the back during the day time."
Win's car, Kerr would find out, was a station wagon with blacked out windows.
-
Kerr found, when he was hugged, that he was somewhat overwhelmed but resigned to rolling with it. The course was set, all that was left was to start.
Win didn't seem to mind but Kerr wanted to shower because he was sticky so he ducked in to do that first, using the complimentary soaps and hair products to clean the sex off him. Theoretically, he could be fronting up to Ben in the next twelve or so hours. There likely wasn't another shower in between now and then. He'd rather not see Ben reeking of fucking his co-fledgeling.
After he was clean and re-dressed, Win tailed him to his motel and he packed all the essentials he'd need for an extended period of time into Win's outdated tank of a vehicle; clothes, toiletries, laptop, chargers. All of it lived in his large, olive green duffel bag. The rest was left in his car and, at Win's urging, he drove his beloved Camaro to the Oligarchy's parking lot. It would be safe there for however long they were gone, he said.
With his bag stowed, he climbed into the back of Win's station wagon to see if he could sleep through the remaining hours of the night while Win started out driving. He thought that the blacked-out back end - which felt a lot like a sensory deprivation tank, even if it was soft and extremely comfortable - would freak him out too much to sleep. He was wrong. He fell asleep almost immediately, soothed by the sounds of the road rolling beneath their wheels.
Before dawn, Win woke him up for his turn to drive. Kerr crawled out of the back of the wagon still half asleep but the crisp pre-dawn air went a long way towards eliminating his lethargy. He took a few sharp breaths and rubbed his eyes, slapping his cheeks to help him awaken properly. Win grinned at him and told him to drive basically north east for as long as he could and he'd correct their course when he awoke. Kerr yawned and nodded as he climbed behind the wheel, bringing his sunglasses and phone with him for when the sun started coming up in earnest.
The day passed in a haze of drive-through visits, petrol station and toilet pit stops and the occasional park in isolated places so Kerr could take a nap when he got too weary. In between, he cranked the radio, singing loudly to amuse himself and doing his best not to think about the fact that he was driving monotonously towards Ben. Ben. He didn't know what to think so he didn't. All that left him was feeling, though, and that confused him, too. This gesture was too big, too risky, too much. Would Ben be flattered or freaked out? Would Lazarus be angry? Would Win enhance things or make it worse? Fuck, it was all too confusing. He stuck with driving and singing and feeling.
He pulled into a diner for his evening meal. The sun was almost set and it was completely down by the time he was done eating. He went to the toilet, got a coffee for the road and went out to the car to wake Win. He opened the rear door and sat on the mattress near Win's feet, sipping his coffee and looking up at the purely night sky. "Wake up, princess," he greeted cheerfully. "It's your turn to drive this fucking tank of a thing. Seriously, have you never thought of getting something that has actual fuel efficiency? How far do you think we are away from them?"
-
Win had awoken but stayed in the back of his vehicle, also overwhelmed at what he was doing. The gesture was huge and he'd done it once before with a sour result, but now that he was taking Kerr along, he was sure that he'd be welcomed - for a while, anyway. Maybe ninety something years was long enough that Lazarus would want to pick up with him again.
The car smelt like a combination of food, nature and Kerr. He was trying to pick out specific scents when Kerr himself opened the back door and spoke to him. Win had brought a small bag of clothes, even though he didn't sweat, and wriggled around so he could look at Kerr, half sitting up and careful not to knock his head. He hoped he was putting on his best sexy pose while he took off the shirt he'd been sleeping in and gave Kerr the appropriate length of time to admire him. (Though Kerr was far more muscular and Win was leaner, like a runner - which he had been, couriering messages for nobles when Lazarus came across him and changed his life).
"We're a lot closer," he said, gesturing for Kerr to crawl into the space with him. He would wait out the coffee drinking if he had to. He liked the smell of coffee so it would be nice to kiss it off Kerr's lips.
-
Kerr frowned, wondering why he was being invited into the car but he put his coffee cup down on the gravel (because he didn't want to spill it) and turned to crawl obediently in beside Win. "Geez, check you out with all your really, pedantically specific information," he muttered sarcastically, dropping into place up against the vampire when he reached the top. He groaned as the softness of the mattress cradled his weary bones. "You know, I thought I was awake enough to sit up front with you but... this is niiiice, actually," he sighed, smiling as his his eyelids drooped.
-
Win used his telekinesis to shut the wagon door. Then he rolled up against Kerr and immediately set to kissing his lips, touching his face and then running his hand down his chest, intending on going south and giving Kerr a treat for coming along on this wild ride. He was horny and ending Kerr's shift with a blow (and hopefully starting his own driving shift with a blow) would make for a nice routine.
-
Kerr's eyelids sprang open quickly and he pulled back, grabbing Win's hand in an effort to stop it getting anywhere compromising. "Whoa! What are you doing?!" he cried, then shook his head as if to clear it. "Scratch that, I know what you're doing but... why are you doing it? Aren't we in a hurry to get to them? Isn't Lazarus your end goal?" he asked, his voice rising an octave or two because of his panic.
-
Win's eyes also opened wide as he was stopped, confused and embarrassed by Kerr's rejection.
"But we've... we already..." Of course it didn't automatically mean consent but he'd thought he and Kerr could enjoy each other's company on the way. What did Kerr think was going to happen when they presented themselves to Lazarus and Ben? The couple were hedonists. Was Kerr saving himself for them? Perhaps he didn't want to over-indulge. "Sorry, I... I thought... " he shook his head and gave a laugh like it was perfectly okay, though he hurriedly grabbed a t-shirt from out of his bag and started wriggling towards the back door. "S'okay. I'll, um, get us started. Driving."
Inwardly he cringed.
-
As Win stammered his response, Kerr stammered his in between. "I know, we already had sex, but... no, don't be sorry, it's okay, I just thought...okay. Alright. No problem. I'll just, uh, have a nap. Um... could you pass me my coffee? Thanks," he mumbled as Win got out of the back of the car. Kerr let him go and ran a frustrated hand through his hair, downing most of the coffee in one go.
Fuck, he hadn't meant to make things awkward and he mildly resented Win for forcing him into it. They'd only fucked because he'd been bitten and it turned him lust-crazed, didn't Win remember that bit? He supposed it should be easier to repeat the action than he found it but... in his head, it'd been circumstantial. Out of context... sure, Win was lovely but they were heading towards Lazarus and Ben.
Win mightn't put too much stock in that, but in Kerr's mind, he was heading back to Ben. Only Ben could help him figure out if the connection he'd felt was real or if he was just an idiot. The attraction had caused him to upend his fucking life, it deserved a chance to be explored properly. Sleeping with Win casually wouldn't show Ben his commitment. He couldn't expect anything of the kind from the vampire - and that gutted him to think about - but he still needed to know.
While thinking it over, he fell asleep again. When he woke up, it was pitch black and he realised he didn't have his phone with him so he had no idea how long he'd been out. He felt refreshed. The car was still moving so he slid the blackout divider back and did his best to crawl into the front passenger seat beside Win without kicking him in the head. It wasn't easy but eventually he fell into the seat with a sigh.
"How long was I asleep?" he asked, nodding at the answer he was given. He swallowed, searching around for a drink from one of the water bottles he'd bought and left on the bench seat between them. It made it easier to speak, but he thought the vampire would likely hear how hard his heart was hammering. "I'm sorry about before. I'm probably crazy but it doesn't feel right to fool around with you, not when I'm going to see Ben. I feel... a bit like I'm cheating on him. That's nuts, right?" he laughed self-deprecatingly.
-
"Seven hours," Win said. They'd stopped at close to six and now it was a little after one. He listened to Kerr's explanation and thought yes, it was nuts, but that was Kerr's choice and he wasn't going to force it. If the mortal wanted to be loyal to a vampire who was going to sleep around on him, Ben was likely to be fascinated at the start and tire of it soon after. "Whatever works for you," he said grimly.
He'd felt Ben and Lazarus moving again not long after he'd hit the road. Win had adjusted his driving, heading true north instead of north-east. It was easier to find roads that suited now, but he could sense that Ben and Lazarus were going east as well. He and Kerr were not catching up.
He debated whether to tell Kerr now or at the end of his driving shift and figured Kerr was better off knowing now. At least when Kerr was driving they were actually catching up.
"They're on the move," he said, figuring Kerr would know who he was talking about.
-
“Shit,” Kerr swore softly, looking down at himself. “I’ve been operating under the illusion we’d reach them tonight. The delusion is more like it,” he said with a bitter laugh. He hadn’t missed Win’s neutral answer of ‘whatever works for you’ accompanying his tone of ‘fuck, yes you’re crazy, dickhead’.
He sniffed his armpit and pulled a face. He could smell himself so Win definitely could, even though it hadn’t reached truly sour proportions yet. It’d been twenty-four hours since he’d showered and, as sexy as his outfit was, it’d well and truly lost its charm about four hours into the drive when he’d had to keep unlacing and relacing the leather pants just to take a piss. No doubt the odours in them were flavourful and becoming offensive, too. He needed to change.
“I apologise for my, uh, smell,” he told Win sheepishly. “Lots of roadhouses have showering facilities. When it’s day, I’ll stop at one and shower and change. I’ve used them often. Nearly always get propositioned by some lonely trucker, too,” he laughed, trying to lighten the mood. He shifted in his seat, tugging at his pants as subtly as he could. He’d been asleep and the last thing he’d drunk was a tall coffee. He wanted to piss but he didn’t want to ask Win to pull over just yet. He thought he could hold it a little longer.
-
Win wasn't as offended by the smell as Kerr thought he was. The windows were down because the air was cool. It was only going to get colder the further north they travelled. Soon he'd have to put the windows up and turn the heat on for his mortal companion. He didn't even know if he could classify Kerr as a friend. He watched Kerr fidget and correctly guessed what it meant.
"I'll have to stop soon and feed. I exerted myself on a police officer because he had an issue with my speed and a lot of fucking willpower." Win's night had started badly and had only gone worse from there. "Ben and Lazarus are moving north and east, and they're moving faster than us. That's why I was speeding."
He'd slowed down after getting reamed by the cop and mentally forcing him to go away, but it meant as every hour passed, Ben and Lazarus got that little bit further ahead, and Win had made a wrong turn, thinking he was hopping onto another highway going north but ended up going into a city instead, then he'd had to slow right down and figure out how to get back on the highway as well.
Tonight was a nightmare and Kerr's stink was nowhere near the worst of it.
-
Kerr was quietly impressed by Win’s bad mood. He’d always been so sweet and uncertain, it was nice to know he was fallible. It didn’t make negotiating around it any easier, though; he was travelling in a confined space with someone he didn’t know very well and he didn’t want to exacerbate the situation.
“Sorry I slept so long,” he said, though if he’d been in the passenger seat he couldn’t say for sure anything would’ve turned out differently. “The next big roadhouse you see should suit both our needs.” E fell quiet for a moment, intrigued by Win’s police officer statement but unsure if the vampire would be amenable to talking in his current mood. Only one way to find out. “So people - mortals - have different levels of willpower? Some are harder for you to control?” he enquired cautiously.
-
Win was quiet for a long moment, checking his mirrors and annoyed that the driver diagonally behind him was just sitting there and not passing.
"You need your sleep," Win said, his tone gentler. He fixed his eyes on the road ahead as Kerr asked his questions. He was surprised how much the hunter didn't know. He was right though, that vampires kept that information to themselves. It was only to their detriment to share it.
Look, hunter, this is how weak I am. Behead me.
But Kerr had fallen in love-lust instead, and Win knew how that worked.
"I don't think it's just willpower - most humans are similar enough and... uh, of low enough mental capacity that the differences don't matter. It's their attitude on approach. Whoever's, um, attracted to me will be more compliant and accepting of my suggestions. I don't have to push as hard because they'll accept it. That cop was pissed when he came to my window and because I don't have a licence I couldn't help my suggestion along that everything was alright. I had to give him my library card in the end because he wouldn't accept that he'd already seen my ID. He wrote out a ticket but I had to make him see the wrong numbers on the licence plate and fed him a bad address. He wouldn't leave until I did that." Win mumbled about how he wanted to see the guy's face when he discovered he'd been given bad information.
-
Kerr pulled out his phone and made some notes about willpower as the vampire talked (also: still no text or call from Ben). His gear was in his bag in the back so notes on his phone would have to do for now. He watched Win closely during his description of how annoying the cop had been, his thumbs poised over the screen of his phone and a half-smile on his face.
“You know, you’re really sexy when you’re annoyed,” he noted conversationally, then returned to finishing his sentence on his phone. “So you couldn’t just wipe his memory and make him forget he even saw you?” he asked next, looking back at Win. “Is that even possible or just fantasy movie shit?”
-
The comment earned a wry smile from Win. "Not a surprise you're into it," he said, because Ben and Lazarus were both easily irritated men who let their feelings be known.
Win glanced over at Kerr and shook his head. "Memory wipes aren't a thing I can do yet. I'm too...uh, how to put this? Heavy-handed." He screwed up his nose and shook his head to indicate it wasn't quite the right phrase, but it was the closest he had right now. "Plus it needs a lot more grunt to wipe someone's memory... a lot more than simply making a dozen suggestions. I'll need another century and a load of practice first."
Win shrugged, thinking he'd probably not improve beyond what he could do now. Memory-wiping was something he wasn't interested in. It sounded aggressive and unnecessary.
-
Kerr's typing paused and he frowned at Win. "How old are you at the moment?" he enquired, wondering if he'd be told. "I'm twenty-eight, in case you were wondering," he joked, grinning. "Hey, is Win short for something?" he added, asking something that had occurred to him during his long hours of driving. He didn't even know his companion's full name but he'd fed him his blood, slept with him and then embarked on a crazy adventure with him. Quite the backwards getting-to-know-you pattern. He predicted his name was short for Winston.
-
"Hundred and eighty... uh... three? Um, what year is it?" he asked, looking around the car as though a calendar would pop up in front of him with the answer. "Yes, eighty three," he said firmly. "Nine years older than Ben. Um, vampire years. Well, no, because I'm counting my mortal years in that. Uh... but he was sixteen and..." Win closed his eyes momentarily to do the math and the car drifted lanes enough for Kerr to call out. He corrected and gave Kerr a sheepish smile.
When the question about his name came up, Win pulled the same face as previous, screwing up his nose up. "It's short for Godwin. Please don't call me that."
-
Kerr supplied the year for Win's benefit when it was requested, nodding when his calculations were completed. He did his best to keep a straight face when told hie was travelling with Godwin but it was a losing battle. "Only when you misbehave," he promised and then burst out laughing. "I suppose it was a very respectable name a hundred and eighty years ago," he qualified as he sobered. "And hey, I can't talk. I've copped a lot of shit for my name - not as much as my brother, Aemon, though," he smirked, shifting the conversation back to something more interesting.
"So it was just you and Lazarus for nine years before Ben came along? What was that like?" Did Lazarus ever scare the fuck out you? he wondered but didn't say.
-
Win thought about Lazarus.
"He's... amazing. So beautiful and bold and... savage." Win said the final word like it was a compliment. His eyes went glassy as he remembered how he and Lazarus met and how his life had changed in the whirlwind that followed. He'd been jealous when Lazarus' eye wandered but too meek to complain - a big reason why they'd stayed together for so long. He'd started pointing out boys Lazarus might like to play with, luring them to his sire. Then he'd learnt to enjoy them himself, even though he'd never been captivated by anyone the same way he'd been by Lazarus.
Until Ben. Ben had the physical appeal that Win had lusted after but he'd been better suited to Lazarus. Last laugh.
"We were unburdened. The world was ours to take and it was... bliss, being with him. He's an explorer, an adventurer. Demanding. Impulsive. Free."
-
"Savage I agree with," Kerr mused, debating how contrary to Win he should be. Frankly, it suited his purposes for the vampire to be so besotted with his sire that he wanted to spend endless time with him. It would leave him free to spend unfettered time with Ben.
"Are you happy working at the Oligarchy, then? It sounds organised, rigid and filled with rules by comparison to your life with Lazarus. Do you feel you've changed after all this time and... that's what you like now? And why choose to be part of an organisation that wants to kill the man you love?" he asked in confusion. Win had said he didn't hate Lazarus but he stayed with the Oligarchy, even knowing they were trying to kill his sire - it didn't make sense.
-
Win frowned deeply. "It was... I was... I went back to how I was before Lazarus," Win said. "I don't want him to die, but countless others throughout history have tried to end him. The Oligarchy's reasons were nobler than most. I wasn't going to help them kill him. I was quite pleased when I found out you were going to use Ben to entrap Lazarus. I knew Ben would figure a way out." He glanced over at Kerr and his eyes widened. "Um, I'm sorry you failed but... you know... you're up against people so much more experienced than you and... Ben was properly interested in you, otherwise you wouldn't have... have woken up."
Lived, he was going to say. The implication was there.
-
It gave Kerr something to think about. Ben really liked him, otherwise he'd be dead. Fanfuckingtastic. He began to doubt what he was doing again, putting his phone to sleep and dropping it on the seat. He stared out the window, rubbing the smooth leather on his thighs again; it was a nervous habit while he was thinking, it soothed him.
"Yeah, I had no idea what I was getting into. You're welcome," he murmured sarcastically, snorting at his own ineptitude. Hunting was something he'd never get into again, either, thanks to fucking Halen. Really, the man hadn't needed to fuck him over to the degree he had. He was easily as ruthless as Lazarus. The thought had him looking thoughtfully at Win. He'd traded one dominator for another. Why the fuck didn't he have more confidence in himself?
"Why is the Oligarchy so noble? They don't seem so awesome, to me."
-
Win looked over at Kerr, giving him sad eyes. "Oh, you're just saying that because you got the stick. But they're so well-organised. Every species gets a representative to take their issues to - someone who understands them. And they're all about protecting the defenseless. That's how Ben and Lazarus got into their sights. One of the other Oligarchies sent word of their crimes against mortals and Halen honoured the judgement."
After a moment. "Lazarus is a force but Ben is able to guide him. Together they're unstoppable." He said it wistfully, like a teenager in love with the Bonnie and Clyde romantic tale of love and murder.
-
"I could've stopped both of them," Kerr said quietly, looking out his window again. A sign for an upcoming service centre flashed by in the headlights, offering an opportunity to get out of the car and take a break from the subject of how magnificent the hunting skills of Lazarus and Ben were and how benevolent the Oligarchy was.
"There's a service centre coming up soon. Should have food and showers for me and people for you to drink from," Kerr suggested, turning a thoughtful look on Win. "Could I watch you? Hunt?" he requested, insanely curious about how a vampire came upon someone cold and convinced them to let him drink from them.
-
Win didn't miss the softly spoken comment Kerr made and his hand clutched a little tighter on the steering wheel. After a moment he scanned Kerr's thoughts, to see if maybe he'd missed the fact he wanted to capture or hurt Ben and Lazarus to win back Halen's trust, but there was nothing of the kind, just regret, hot and sour.
He pulled away and Kerr pointed out the service centre sign.
His request put Win in conflict. With his free hand he rubbed his forehead and considered what Kerr might think to watch him. After years of trying different ways of hunting, he found Ben's way was the easiest and best, but he didn't want Kerr to think badly of him. Ben was Kerr's shining star, while Lazarus was Win's... and only the stars could do whatever they wanted and be forgiven for it.
"Didn't you say you get propositioned at truck-stops?" he asked. "It's kind of like that. You don't want to see that, do you?" he asked, wishing he hadn't tagged the 'do you' at the end, because it gave Kerr an opportunity to say yes, yes he did.
-
Kerr raised his eyebrows, his mind conjuring images of what the two of them had done in the Detour, when he'd been drunk from. "So you have sex with them, too?" he asked, surprised.
-
"No!" Win burst out, but re-thought himself, "um, not usually. Not all the time. It's not... I don't just..." He made an exasperated sound and threw a hand up in the air for clarification or inspiration. Whichever came first. "As I said, my talent for suggestion is easier when someone is attracted to me. They become more compliant. I can lead them away. With the bite, they think that we... they end up thinking that I... uh... I don't know what they think exactly. When I scan their mind afterwards to check, they have an impression of sex. I'm fine with that."
And sometimes, if he was in the mood and they were sexy, he would take advantage of their willingness and end up doing the dirty. He hadn't had to hunt like that in a long time though. The donors were simpler, and easier (in all kinds of ways) and being gratified in his bedroom was a lot nicer than picking up some strange mortal to feed from and maybe fuck if the urge struck him.
-
Kerr smiled at Win's discomfort, observing his agitation with growing curiosity... and fondness. He really was adorable. He seemed to be so self-conscious about getting what he wanted out of mortals and was apologetic about how he did it, even to Kerr; he really didn't belong anywhere near Lazarus and Ben.
"It makes sense," Kerr agreed, nodding. "Easier. Less fuss - except maybe for the moaning." Feeling devilish (why was he so drawn to Win when he was awkward? Something was obviously wrong with him to enjoy teasing the vampire so), Kerr smirked as he reached over to squeeze Win's thigh, sliding his hand up towards his crotch but stopping before he cupped anything. He left his hand in place, his pinky finger brushing lightly over Win's dormant bulge. "Do they cum in their pants and everything?" he asked with feigned innocence.
-
Moaning, ha. Yes, the moaning made it awkward.
Kerr's hand on his leg was obvious, unsettling and desirable. He knew he was being teased but he was unable to stop himself feeling so out of sorts. He tried to play it cool with an expression that felt peculiar on his face as he pretended that it was no big deal. But he could feel himself twitching as the warmth of Kerr's palm seeped into his upper thigh. He wanted to squirm beneath it, to try and get that hand to travel higher. It was dangerous while he was driving, it was true, and Kerr really shouldn't play such games when he could feel an onset of thirst, but at the same time he relished it. It was the same kind of teasing that Ben was an expert in and he would rarely follow through, leaving Win a throbbing, aching mess that he would beg Lazarus to satisfy. It had occurred to him on multiple occasions that that was their little game with him, though Ben would deny it and laugh at his lack of self-control.
Kerr's question about cumming in pants startled him into the here and now and he shifted, risking Kerr's hand in pulling away. He'd be so sad if that happened.
"Only if I, uh, if I, uh..." For crying out loud, why had he even started this sentence? "Rub them," he finished, because there was nowhere else to go.
-
"Ahh," Kerr breathed, encouraged by Win's shift in his seat, rather than being discouraged. His hand continued its journey, turning so that all his fingers were on Win now and he was doing what the vampire described, slowly up and down. "And will you do that tonight? Will you rub... your dinner? Is that why I shouldn't watch you?" he asked huskily.
-
Win did his best to concentrate on the road, but the car felt like it was getting hotter, even though the windows were cracked open.
"Um, I'm going to have to," he said lethargically. "Unless... unless... I should pull over?"
He didn't dare look at Kerr, not wanting to see rejection on his face before it came. He was still pained by how the night had started. If Kerr was doing to him what Ben liked to do, and then leave him to take care of himself or with his donors, then Kerr had a savage streak too.
-
"I definitely think you should pull over at that service centre," Kerr agreed, trying to sound aloof.
The problem was, he was seducing himself, remembering what it had been like with Ben, with Win, the power of the bite. He was empathising with an anonymous future victim, envious of the power of the feeling they'd have, that all-over arousal that resulted in a climax that reverberated in the root of every hair on his entire body. He was beginning to ache for it and even though he knew he shouldn't give any more blood just yet, Win was right there and talking about seducing and drinking from someone. Some lucky, unsuspecting someone that wasn't him.
Win was willing to provide him with release - he'd even initiated it, early in the night - and Kerr had stupidly refused, talking about keeping himself pristine. But why deny himself? Ben wasn't expecting him and he'd fucked Win for years. Why would he even care? He and Win were both consenting and the thought of the vampire pressing himself up against a perfect stranger and drinking from them, turning them on and taking what he wanted before moving away was intensely arousing to Kerr. He didn't know why... but he was getting to the point where he was beyond questioning it.
"Then you can find someone to drink from and I can watch you do it and then you can help me shower," he described, his words breathy and uneven because of how turned on he was. "But you're not allowed to touch them. Only me," he ordered, emboldened by the atmosphere in the confines of the car, the scent of lust and aroused men. He wondered if Win would listen to him and was giddy with the thought he might.
-
Bah, it was frustrating how he didn't commit. Win huffed air and focussed on indicating, then directing the car to the exit, not on the hand high up on his thigh, and now Kerr was talking again.
Help... help him shower? Had he heard right? Win stole a glance at Kerr and back out the windshield, before taking a few more peeks. The demand Kerr made coupled with the hand on his leg had Win stiffening the rest of the way. He wasn't going to find anybody to drink from sporting that. He whimpered his desire and then cleared his throat so he would sound more manly. Kerr didn't want to shower with a rabbit, he wanted a man.
"What if they touch me?" he hazarded.
-
Kerr watched as Win took the exit, steering the car towards the service centre. It was lit up like a miniature city, a beacon of life in the early hours darkness for long-distance drivers to swarm towards for refreshment. The petrol bowsers were the front line, the hub of the station, fast food outlets and restroom services spread out behind.
They needed fuel, so Kerr watched to see where Win would go first, noting that there were at least ten eighteen wheelers in the truck parking bays, a couple of RVs and a collection of vehicles much like theirs, sprinkled around the parks near the centre itself. It seemed there'd be plenty of options for Win to choose from, which excited Kerr.
He smirked at Win. "If they touch you, that's fine. You'll have a choice; them. Or me," he whispered, leaning forward to draw Win's earlobe between his lips and suck on it. In this position, he was able to apply more pressure to Win's groin, cupping and squeezing it suggestively. He didn't stay there, withdrawing his mouth and his hand abruptly to allow Win to calm down (and drive properly).
-
The car made a little swerve as Win corrected more harshly than necessary as Kerr touched him through clothes. He licked his lips and grieved the loss of Kerr's hand and mouth on his body, but knew the reason for it. He had to line up for a pump, which was perfect for settling himself down. Nothing like waiting in a queue to kill the mood.
He pulled up to a pump and paid for petrol before filling up the car, eyeing who was available and where he'd catch his most likely prey. The truckers were the easiest target, but there was a guy standing near a parked camper van who kept looking over at him. He was trying to do it discreetly instead of staring, which was what tipped Win off as 'attracted'. It was a benefit for vampires to fledge attractive people - it certainly made hunting a whole lot easier.
As Win headed towards the shop and foodcourt for Kerr to grab dinner and a drink, he noticed there were a few teenaged girls hanging around the entrance checking him and Kerr out, too. They seemed like easy prey but they tended to travel in packs. It would be easier to get one of the men - especially a more muscular one, because they didn't feel threatened by Win and were more likely to enter a private space with him. And there was that guy again. He'd moved to a spot where he could see Win entering the building.
Except he didn't.
He touched Kerr's elbow to get his attention. "Go on in but pay attention to where I'm going. Hang around near me after a couple minutes," he said softly, then headed for where the guy was.
He was older but he worked out. He had the look of a soldier, Win thought. When Win drew closer, he saw the other guy checking him out. He didn't miss the wedding band on his finger, either. Win dawdled until he saw Kerr approaching.
Just watch from a distance and listen for now. He'll spook otherwise.
He stared at the guy until he got challenged about what he was looking at.
"Is that your camper?" he asked, sounding impressed. The guy didn't even look behind him before confirming it was and relaxed, striking up a conversation about how he was taking his family on a trip of a lifetime around the country and how awesome the campervan was. When Win asked where they were, the family man said they'd gone to eat dinner and would be a while. Win asked if he could see inside the camper and was immediately taken up on his offer. Win motioned for Kerr to join him.
When they both stepped inside, the family man (named Gary) started blustering about Kerr's presence but Win touched his chest and confirmed that Kerr was okay, he was just a simple-minded cousin and had never spoken. With Gary's secret not at risk of getting out, he gave a wary look at Kerr before holding Win's hand against his chest and inviting him to feel his muscles because he worked out. Win exclaimed over them, about how firm he was and how he'd love to have muscles like that. He ended up cornering Gary in a nook and sat very close to him. It didn't take long before Gary decided that Win had sent enough signals and he pushed him back and half-lay atop him. Win hadn't expected this kind of move - the repressed ones usually needed Win to do all the work - but it made getting to his neck and biting him a lot easier.
The position was far from comfortable. Gary ended up being a humper and he ground himself into Win who was half-curled in a corner. Win drank a lot from him, mostly to calm him the fuck down, and just as Kerr predicted (which rarely happened), Gary came into his pants. Win shifted out from under him and lay him on what was essentially a booth seat and he and Kerr escaped the camper van before Gary's family returned.
"I'm going to chalk that guy up to being another shitty turn for tonight," Win complained as they headed for the foodcourt once again. He' figured Kerr's promise to shower with him was just another of those shitty turns - a funny way of manipulating Win into letting him watch him feed. After that fiasco, there was no way Kerr had any sexy vibes left in him.
-
Kerr smiled secretly as Win turned huffy again. Admittedly, it hadn't been the sexiest show he'd ever seen but Kerr had felt it was far from a disaster. The important parts had happened; he'd been able to see Win in action (hunting was nowhere near as violent as he'd expected, it was all about finessing and outright lying), he'd had a good view of the bite and he'd seen Gary lose his mind to it.
Win didn't know how predatory and sexy he looked with his fangs in a mortal's neck. Even wedged into an awkward position as he'd been, it'd been all about the drinking for him, his pale hands curled around Gary to hold him in place and his throat working. He'd had Gary grinding into him so he hadn't noticed Kerr leaning against a cupboard, trying not to touch too long while he adjusted himself in his pants. It'd been very difficult. He'd ended up untucking his shirt and doing his best to think of something other than the way Gary was panting faster, his moans getting louder, his face flushing and then his body shuddering with his release. Fuuuuuck; Kerr had been relieved to step out of the van and into the night air.
He had to detour back to the car to get his clothes and toiletries but then they headed inside at last. Win looked like he was heading for the food area rather than the restrooms but Kerr grabbed his hand and tugged him in the other direction. "I can get food to go," he told the vampire, winking at him. "Afterwards."
Kerr was an expert at using public showers but he usually did it alone. Tonight, he dragged Win in behind him, unfazed that there was already another man showering when they walked in. There were four stalls. Kerr chose the one at the end farthest from the other showerer, doing his best to remain quiet as they filed in and Win closed the door behind them. When he turned to face Kerr, his eyes were glinting mischievously and he looked far happier than he had just a few minutes before. Kerr didn't waste any time admiring him, he pushed him up against the solid tiled wall and kissed him hungrily, his tongue crowding Win's and his hands roaming restlessly.
"I love watching you hunt," he whispered, knowing only Win would hear him over the sound of splashing water, "it makes me think of fucking you."
He didn't waste any more energy talking, he used it for undressing them both instead. Once they were naked, kissing and fondling, Kerr shuffled them both under the water and got down on his knees before Win. Swiping his cock back and forth across his lips with one hand, he squinted up at the vampire, swirling his warm hand up his stomach to his chest. With water cascading into his eyes, Kerr didn't last long looking up. He closed them instead and set about rewarding Win for letting him share his feeding session. He didn't have the benefit of not needing to breathe so he was relying on the warmth of his mouth and the flexibility of his tongue to make an impression.
As it turned out, it worked just fine. Win came more quickly than Kerr anticipated he would - which he was very proud of - and then they traded places. Kerr didn't take any longer than Win had, the lead up festivities had done their job well. They washed each other after that, exchanging occasional kisses and a lot of goofy smiles. When it was time to dress, Kerr applied deodorant liberally and pulled on comfortable jeans and a black T-shirt, shoving his other clothes in his bag gladly. Shouldering the lot, he turned to smile at Win. "Ah well, it doesn't look as good but I'm way comfier," he said, referring to his clothes. "And we're not likely to be catching up with them tonight, are we?"
He couldn't help it; despite his question being phrased in the negative, even he could hear the hopeful note in his voice.
-
Win, who'd been talking himself out of any expectations with Kerr all night, had the most amazing experience in the shower. He felt warm and satisfied and happy and pleased about the direction he'd taken. Changing his situation was a lot less scary for him than it had seemed for Kerr, but he was figuring Kerr was enjoying himself now, too.
The way he asked the question reminded Win that there was an end goal. He was excited about the journey... but also about the destination. He wanted to tell Kerr it was good that they were getting to know each other on the way because they were likely going to be paired up together for an entertainment display. Ben would've liked them awkward - Lazarus preferred enthusiasm. He wasn't going to spoil that for Kerr, though. There would be a lot for them to experience. He hoped.
"No. They put some distance between us while we were showering. We closed half the distance when you were driving. We might catch up with them at the end of the week, actually. I think they're heading for Nova Scotia or somewhere around there. They might actually leave Canada from that point so we have to get to them fast. I don't fancy chasing them in Europe. Too many ancient organisations there." He curled his lip, remembering some of the run-ins the three of them had before they'd gone to the States. He finished dressing as well, looking much like Kerr in sneakers, jeans and a tee.
-
It worried Kerr that they might miss the vampires they were chasing. He was all for driving quickly (at the speed limit, though) but what if they didn't get to them on time? Europe? Should they park the car somewhere and fly instead?
He pondered the practicalities of that plan as they emerged from the stall. It was only when they got funny looks from two separate people one after the other that he realised he was holding Win's hand and shocking the backwards sensibilities of some strangers. To maintain the status quo, he dropped the vampire's hand and asked him to take his gear back to the car for him, promising he'd get some food and be there as soon as he could.
As he left the service centre, Kerr saw a frumpy-looking woman herding two bewildered teenagers out of Gary's camper van and he grinned, amused by her reaction. It seemed Gary hadn't recovered from Win's ministrations enough to tidy himself up before his family returned. Kerr wondered what the wife thought had happened - her husband took advantage of his alone time and played with himself to some porn, perhaps? Kerr was oddly proud of Win for having such a disastrous effect on mundane people. The husband was living a lie. He deserved the chance to do better than that. He should be honest with himself; he loved hard dicks and bloodsuckers just as much as Kerr did. Welcome to the revolution, Gary.
Once they were on the road again (and he'd finished shovelling fries into his face to quell the ravenous hunger in his belly), Kerr had some questions for Win. "Okay, two things," he announced, unwrapping a burger to eat next. His body was craving some lean protein and a huge plateful of vegetables but he couldn't afford to be choosy on the road. He'd likely be fat and ab-less by the time they got to Ben, at the rate he was going, which depressed him even more than the bad food did. "One: should we be stowing the car somewhere and catching a plane to them? Two: what ancient organisations in Europe are you talking about? Do we have none here in the States?"
He chewed as he listened to his answers, his seat belt on but body twisted on the bench seat to face Win. He absently admired the way the wind coming through the open window ruffled the vampire's short curls. The imprint of his cock down his throat also made Kerr smile secretively.
-
Win was quiet for a long time after Kerr made a suggestion that they should catch a plane and asked about the European political landscape. Neither question was easy to answer and he struggled with which one he should start with and how to phrase them. He was silent for so long that Kerr said his name and something else, though he wasn't really paying attention, too deep in his thoughts about how to tackle the first lot.
"I don't like flying." It was the simplest way he could express all of his fears. He barely liked driving, but this car was one he felt comfortable in because it was more of a protective shield and a place to sleep if he ever got really stuck. He and this car had grown old together. He knew all of its aches and pains and he was familiar with it. Planes were a place to get crammed into (much like that idiotic camper van), where someone else was piloting (not that he wanted the controls) and being flung into the air where if something went wrong, his immortality was going to do fuck all. Explosions killed everyone. "And besides. My sense of where Ben and Lazarus are going is not like GPS, like you said at the hotel room. If I think about it, I get a sense they're somewhere over there," he flapped a hand slightly to his right, hitting the column of his windshield.
"Um, the Oligarchy is similar to Euro setups, but very different that they govern all the species. There are a lot of old vampires in Europe. A lot. And they don't care about how many people this vampire or that vampire killed as long as it doesn't look attract attention. They do care about how many young vampires are made though, which is why they're not so keen on Lazarus."
Not so keen was an understatement. Win and Ben had both been held captive while they decide whether or not to kill Lazarus' newest fledglings. Ben, of course, had managed to seduce his way out of the cell and into the fucking court. Win had been in his cell the whole time, listening to Ben's stories of what was happening whenever he visited. Win's neck had been far more susceptible than Ben's, if the Ancients decided Lazarus had too many fledges.
-
"They sound scary," Kerr observed after he'd chewed and swallowed some of his burger. "Would Ben and Lazarus even go back to Europe if those vampires have a hard on for Lazarus' head like the Oligarchy does? How come you don't just have their phone numbers, anyway?" he frowned.
It was inconvenient that Win didn't like flying, considering the risk of missing Ben and Lazarus. Kerr resolved to make the most of his day shift; if they had to drive then he'd get as far as he could as quickly as he dared.
-
Win pressed his lips together and gave an amused chuckle (that stayed in his chest) at Kerr's comment about not having their mobile phones. He'd been separated from them (as far as Kerr knew) for over a hundred and fifty years. Cell phones had been harder to come by back then.
"Um, they'll let Lazarus live there as long as he doesn't make another fledgeling. Ben has a way with them that offsets their irritation of Lazarus." He hesitated. "He might make one just to spite them."
He hoped not. He hoped he and Kerr would catch up to them before they left, and that their final destination wasn't Europe like he thought. At least not the most unforgiving parts Europe. They could stay in Spain or something. Just stay away from every other country.
-
It freaked Kerr out that Ben was such an efficient Lazarus handler. Again, he doubted his worth amongst this trio of vampires. Even Win was impressive, though his focus seemed to be in extolling his family's cleverness, their ruthlessness... their ability to charm or offend European vampire royalty as necessary, rather than giving himself any credit. He was still so powerful. There was an invisible line between vampires and mortals and this journey was Kerr's foray to get up close and see past it as much as they allowed him to. What could possibly go wrong?
"Why does Lazarus want a lot of fledgelings? I mean, you said there's a... what'd you call it? The blood bond!" he recalled even as he asked to be supplied with the term he was looking for. "Isn't it, like, the more fledgelings you have, the more confused you'd be? Being connected to eighty people sounds really intense to me! Or am I just imagining it and it's no big deal? Do you have any fledgelings?"
It sounded like a very big deal to Kerr. The power of that bond was the only thing guiding them across a country. If that didn't imply power, he didn't know what did - and multiplied by eighty? It was boggling.
-
"As far as I can tell, they either run away from him or he dumps them. He dumped me, so..." Win shrugged. "But he has Ben now. He's only made one other since Ben - I felt a new presence, though it's shadowier than that." He glanced at Kerr, figuring he should explain that.
"I don't really know what it's like to have so many fledglings. Lazarus is like a beacon to me, I can always find my way to him. Some of his first fledglings are a bit brighter in my senses, especially when they're closer, but Ben... I only really sense him when I'm close. The same city, really. It's like a prickling of the skin but you know which direction to look when you feel watched." Win sighed wistfully. "I wish Lazarus had taken advantage of mental talents. He'd be sooo skilled by now. Nobody would be able to touch him - except the families, of course," he added hastily.
-
"The... European old families, you mean?" Kerr enquired, latching onto the last part of Win's statement even though there was more that had sparked in his mind, seducing his attention. "And what do you mean he hasn't taken advantage of mental talents? Like how... you keep closing doors with your mind?" he guessed, because he'd seen Win do it twice and use influence on Gary to convince him Kerr was a mute cousin (he still hadn't got over that lie but he'd managed not to react at the time).
-
"Yeah, yeah," Win said to Kerr's guess about 'the families' being the European ancients. "Yes, Lazarus' sire died before he learned anything and he didn't know that he could do all that stuff until a lot of time had passed. A lot," Win nodded at Kerr to impress how much 'a lot' was. "And by then he'd been getting by on his physical strengths and his natural charm." Win grinned, once again getting lost in the memory of every time Lazarus had ever seduced him - mostly rehashing the first time they'd met. Lazarus had been so dashing. "But Ben's been practicing since he spent time with the families, and I've been practicing since he has, so we're about on par but I'm better at telekinesis than he is, but he leaves me behind with telepathy. He's very good at touching minds and planting suggestions. Much better than me even though I'm older." He gestured with thumb and index finger to show how little. It was little indeed.
-
"Well, I guess you have it pretty easy at the Oligarchy, not needing to control people to drink from if they live there and come to you willingly," Kerr laughed, teasing the vampire. His smile sobered as he considered Ben's mental talents.
"I'm a bit... worried about that, really. I had their ring last time we met so he hasn't seen into my mind. I mean... what if we get there and he's not interested in seeing us? Will he put a suggestion in my mind that I don't want to be there and I'll turn around and just... go away? It's not like he's called or texted me, even though I gave him my number. It's gonna' be the shittiest thing ever if we get turned away without closure," he said, balling up his empty food wrappers and throwing them into the paper bag with a bit of force.
He shouldn't start playing the 'what if' game but he couldn't help it. There were so many questions and nowhere near enough solutions. It didn't bear thinking on that there were even more drastic possibilities than merely being turned away.
-
Win frowned momentarily. "He won't implant a suggestion unless you don't take no for an answer, and he won't turn you away with nothing. At the very least he'll have sex with you again."
After the hot show Win had seen in Kerr's memory (and replayed for himself while waiting for Kerr in the motel), he doubted Ben would pass up a repeat.
"He asked you to stay, didn't he? He'll take you back. It's me that... that they might not want. But Ben might allow me to stay a while if I bring you to him."
Win stared out the windshield with wide eyes, clinging to the steering wheel a bit tighter. He'd just dropped some very pertinent information that he hadn't intended on sharing with Kerr at all, in case he took it the wrong way.
-
Kerr frowned, reaching over to hold Win's arm instinctively. He could feel the tension in him; the tendons were like steel cables beneath his rigid skin.
"Why wouldn't they want you to stay? Did you... fight? Last time you were together?"
-
Kerr's reaction was different enough to what he'd anticipated that he visibly relaxed. He gave the mortal an apologetic look because he'd thought this information had been deceptive.
But now he felt okay about telling him - because Kerr could see beyond Win's motives. He spoke softly.
"Once Ben was sired, he treated me differently. He eventually grew bored with me even though I tried to keep him interested. He didn't like that I had some influence over Lazarus. So Ben gave Lazarus an ultimatum. Me or him. Lazarus chose him, like we both knew he would."
-
Kerr's expression didn't relax, though he withdrew his hand from Win's arm. It certainly sounded like something to worry about, yet Win didn't seem to hold Ben's ostracism against him - well, he hadn't given Kerr any indication thus far that he did. It would be extremely awkward if Kerr was welcomed but Win was turned away. Would he leave without him? The thought of it set Kerr's heart beating faster with worry.
"How do you feel about Ben, now? Do you hate him for forcing you out? Do you think it's been long enough that his attitude might've relaxed - surely Lazarus will be happy to see you and overrule Ben? As you say, they're not likely to keep us around for long... they'll keep us together, at least for a while... won't they?" He was talking quickly, his thoughts chaining onto one another and coming out of his mouth as soon as the thoughts occurred to him.
-
"I don't know, I have no idea," Win glanced at him before his smile grew mischievously. "It's... exciting though, isn't it?"
He answered the questions in reverse. "I don't hate Ben, no. He's... he still holds my... uh, interest. He's just, it's not his fault. I bring out the worst in him. I made some moves behind his back and... it was always just a game between us. Rebellion and punishment. I took it too far."
-
Kerr mirrored Win's smile automatically, buoyed by his take on it. Kerr worried, Win thought it was exciting. Maybe it was a mortal/vampire difference. Either way, it made him feel better.
He raised his eyebrows, shuffling a little closer so he could easily put his hand on Win's thigh (without the ulterior motive, this time). "Oooh, what did you do?" he sang.
-
For the first time in the journey, Win shook his head. He wasn't going to talk about it. His gaze hardened and he pressed his lips together until after a long pause he spoke again.
"Ben's anger at me was reasonable. I'm hoping it's been long enough."
-
Kerr hesitantly withdrew his hand, all the smiles and playfulness he'd been feeling drying up in the face of Win's seriousness. He gnawed on the inside of his lower lip.
"That sounds ominous. So... you don't think it'll come up? Because if it does, wouldn't it be better if I was forewarned? I don't really want to get caught in the middle of something... dangerous," he hazarded.
-
Win side-eyed Kerr and snorted air out of his nose.
"You're not in danger. Well, nothing will happen to you because of me, anyway," he said, then laughed. His mirth stopped quite suddenly and he apologised. "I'm sorry, that sounded really bad. I know Ben won't hurt you. Not like that."
-
Kerr's mouth twisted sideways as his attempt to get information out of Win was successfully parried. It was his turn to snort derisively, though it became an exclamation at Win's last statement. "Like what? How?!"
-
Win frowned, wondering what Kerr was angling at.
"Physically. Mortally. He would never harm you that way." He wondered what Kerr had been thinking. Emotionally, he didn't say.
-
Kerr tilted his head, his eyes wide and worried as he stared at Win. "Do you think there's a possibility he'll hurt you like that?" he asked softly.
Seriously? He'd done something so heinous to Ben that Ben had forced Lazarus to choose between them and Win was now deciding to go back after however many years without any warning, just hoping everything would be okay? Kerr shook his head at the thought. Cavalier fucking vampires.
-
"I don't know. He didn't last..." time, he thought, but stopped himself just before saying it. "When they dumped me," he said, hoping Kerr would think he'd just thought of a new way to explain himself instead of stopping mid-sentence. "I didn't suffer at their hands."
-
Kerr stared at Win, hoping the weight of it made the vampire feel awkward enough to spill his guts. The road kept rolling underneath their wheels, the headlights picking out a whole lot of trees and the occasional house shrouded in darkness but no explanation came.
"You're really not going to tell me anything, are you?!" Kerr finally exclaimed in disgust, pushing away from Win and shuffling back to his side of the seat more. He supposed this information belonged in the realm of the 'what if' game - it wouldn't become clear until it was. Kerr wasn't important enough to know details until they were unavoidably revealed to him; lowest rung on the food chain and all that.
Sighing impatiently, he turned to look at the windscreen. "How long 'til dawn then, think you can tell me that?"
-
"Couple of hours," he said. He was upset that Kerr was upset with him but he didn't know what to do about it. He didn't want to tell Kerr and it seemed the human was going to hold it against him. "You can get some more sleep if you like. Did you want me to pull over so you can get back there?"
If Kerr didn't reply but made moves to climb over the front seat again, Win would grimly pull over and only continue driving once he was done.
-
What Kerr wanted was to feel he mattered enough to share things with, to know he was more than just a desirable feed and fuck, to be valued for talents other than being daylight-resistant. But he didn’t, he wasn’t and it was his own stupid fault.
Was he investing too deeply in this? Letting his feelings play a part certainly made it seem so and he was aware he was up and down like a fucking yo yo. One minute he wanted to remain pure so he could be cherished, the next he was fine with how much that was not going to happen and he was on his knees blowing a guy he barely knew so that he could reach another guy he barely knew for the same fucking treatment.
And Win had been doing this shit for a hundred years. What the fuck hope was there for him, a mere mortal?
“It’s fine, I can just crawl through,” he said grumpily, beginning to do just that. When Win braked hard and veered onto the shoulder, Kerr was thrown back into his seat, glaring at the vampire indignantly. “What the fuck are you doing? I said I could crawl in! There’s no need to stop because gods forbid I be responsible for slowing us down from you getting your closure fuck or your penance or whatever it is you’re after!”
He threw open his door, intending on slamming it and heading for the back of the wagon (where he’d yank open and slam that door closed, too).
-
Win listened to Kerr's anger and sat passively in the driver's seat, staring at the wheel and not really in the mood for driving. He wouldn't be able to focus on it and Kerr's words had an impact on him.
Closure fuck. It was something like that, wasn't it? He'd already paid his penance. He'd pay for it eternally, too, his first mistake in trying to be like Ben, playing his game and doing it badly. It had backfired. Only Ben could be Ben. Win was... just Win. Just boring Win. Good enough to send on errands or earn a pity-fuck or good in a pinch if one was feeling horny and the other not in the mood.
They'd mistreated him before he was finally let go. Why did he want to go back to that? Because existence with them was exciting?
He sat and thought about it, knowing that Ben and Lazarus were moving away by degrees but unable to feel that specific quality. In an hour he'd be able to tell if he'd lost ground.
-
It took Kerr a minute or so to realise that his absence from the front of the vehicle had had some impact. He was reclining on the mattress, still feeling angsty, when he registered that the car was still stopped. Frowning, he flipped over onto his front and commando crawled towards the divider, poking his head through to look at Win.
"What's wrong? Why aren't we driving?" he demanded but then he got a good look at Win's face and his mood shifted. "You okay?" he asked much more civilly.
-
Win started to look Kerr's way but stopped before he could make eye-contact.
"Yeah, sorry, lost in my thoughts," he said, and turned on the indicator, checking mirrors to see when he could pull out again. There was a lot of traffic and he was going to have to wait for a good sized gap.
-
Kerr could sense Win’s withdrawal and it made him feel like shit. He was striking out at what was apparently the sweetest and most blindly loyal being he’d ever met in his life, all because he had doubts about himself and his own actions. It felt like he’d kicked a puppy.
“I’m sorry,” he said quietly, reaching his arm through the gap so he could curl his hand around Win’s shoulder. The old car was wide so the reach was awkward but he did his best to pat, his thumb brushing against Win’s neck. “I shouldn’t get pissy at you just because you don’t want to tell me stuff it’s not my right to know. I crossed a line, I got too familiar, thinking we were... well. I get it. Hehe, I’m just your familiar, not your friend,” he attempted a joke, though his laugh sounded forced, even to him.
Friends, he was going to say, but he was overstepping. Just because he’d spent the most time in proximity with him (more than any other person in years, even Ben, by now) didn’t make him Win’s friend. Kerr was just Win’s ticket into the Ben and Lazarus Circus. He needed to remember his place, even if it pissed him off. It was part of the deal: him, food, vampires, predators. He’d heard stories about vampires having familiars but now that he’d heard about pets, he wasn’t sure if there was a distinction. Win had told him he wouldn’t be able to get a job doing errands for vamps because he was a hunter, so surely the familiar role was a thing?
He was certainly here doing Win’s bidding, driving him, coordinating his feeding and sexual gratification and signing up to be a group bitch in his near future. Familiar, pet, entertainment, side fuck. There were no redeeming labels on the horizon for Kerr, which didn’t make him feel any better but he had no right to take that out on Win.
-
Familiar. Kerr's use of the word struck Win enough that he turned off the indicator and sat looking out the windshield. He thought Kerr had meant to use the word friend but he didn’t want to strike out in the wrong direction so he took a peek into his brain.
Yep, there was 'friend', along with a bunch of other colourful assortments, like 'group bitch'. He blinked a few times, recovering from the almost resigned way Kerr had thought it (with a touch of cynicism if he wasn’t mistaken).
“We're friends. I think of you as a friend,” he said without guile.
-
Kerr was surprised. "Really?" he asked stupidly, a goofy smile growing on his face. "I was sort of joking but... that's cool. I don't have friends. Just associates, other hunters," he justified, shrugging. "Do you have a lot? Of f-friends, I mean?"
He was gushing but he couldn't seem to stop his mouth working. What did you say when someone called you their friend? Was that like the prelude to going steady or something? A giggly feeling was rising in his chest and he was blushing. "Friends with benefits," he added, wondering why he couldn't stop talking and why he had the urge to wink. He winked.
-
Win was surprised right back. Kerr didn't have any friends? He was an attractive man, funny, kind... how does someone like that not have friends? Had he not had any downtime from hunting?
"I have a few. I don't know what you think a lot is. I have maybe... fifty friends? Only four really good ones, though. I'm not counting Ben and Lazarus because we had a falling out. But I'm counting Halen into the fifty, because even though he wouldn't call us friends, we do the kinds of things friends do and we'd help each other outside of the job description... so... friend." Win grinned at Kerr's wink, and winked back, though his wink looked very close to a blink.
"Why are your associates not your friends?" he asked.
-
“I don’t see them very often, for a start. I’m always travelling from job to job - well, I was. I know people all across the country that are reliable and in the know but I wouldn’t consider any of them friends. Usually, we’re all competing for the same jobs and pay, which doesn’t foster a lot of trust. Maybe I’m being too harsh,” he conceded with a shrug and a self-conscious laugh, blushing. “It’s just... I never talk about anything except hunting or lore with them, never open up about meaningful shit or anything personal. Almost none of them know I’m gay - it’s not a community known for its tolerance of differences,” he said wryly, raising his eyebrows in a manner that suggested Win should understand what he meant.
“I can be myself on my mother’s farm in Montana - she pulled out of the life when a demon killed my dad seven years ago. My brother and his family work the property with her. And there are a few guys I visit regularly in different places that I feel comfortable with but not attached to. In your city, there’s an old hunting family by the name of Conners. I see one of the sons, Ichabod, every now and then but he wants more than infrequent, casual hookups, I can tell. It freaks me out. I’ve never stayed in one place for long enough to put down roots, never had what you’d call a ‘boyfriend’, nothing in my life has ever been permanent. I guess Halen’s forcing me to change that - so you see why I picked travelling with you, to avoid facing reality,” he grinned ruefully.
“You know more about me than anyone and it’s not even because you can just look in my head whenever you want - or because I’m clinging to the last vestiges of a life I haven’t accepted that I’m ostracised from. I can be myself with you. Good, bad and cranky,” he laughed. “And you’re really easy to talk at, even though I should be sleeping and you should be driving,” Kerr hinted, embarrassed that he’d just upended his guts to Win, all because he’d called him ‘friend’.
It helped him realise that, even though he was putting himself at all kinds of risk going into this crazy situation, part of him was thrilled because he was getting to be himself in a way he never had before. He’d never have called himself repressed, per se, but his life had been very... compartmentalised for the past ten years.
Trapping Ben and being vulnerable to him, travelling with Win and opening up to him, these were crazy things but they were allowing Kerr to explore who he could be in a non-judgmental way. To the vampires, he was just a stupid mortal anyway, beneath their concern, generally. To him, they were a path to being who he wanted. And he’d even made his first friend, which left a foreign but welcome glow in his chest just thinking about it. He felt so much better for spouting off at Win, now.
“You’re really helping me figure a lot of shit out, man. Sincerely, thank you,” he said, grasping Win’s shoulder again. He wished he could hug him but they really did need to keep moving and a hug could wait for their driver changeover.
-
Initially, Win was serious, nodding at Kerr's explanation. He grew curious at the setup Kerr mentioned for himself about Ichabod Conners - a name Win had read but not a person he'd ever met. In the final part of Kerr's explanation (more like speech), Win's face was overtaken by a goofy smile that stayed there.
"You're welcome," he said warmly, pleased that Kerr had admitted that he could be himself in Win's presence. He felt honoured. "Now get some sleep," he said, trying to sound gruff but speaking through the smile didn't allow for it.
-
“And you’re fucking beautiful to look at,” Kerr said cheekily, blowing Win a playful kiss before he disappeared from view, wriggling properly onto the mattress and turning over onto his back to try to sleep.
His cheeks were burning suddenly and he couldn’t quite believe he’d finished with that impulsive message. He felt foolish, like he’d spoilt a meaningful moment with something tacky. He sighed and covered his eyes with the backs of his hands, concentrating on sleep. At least his (prior) line of work gave him some advantage in this; he could fall asleep pretty much anywhere, quickly.
-
Win drove for the next two hours on a high because of Kerr's final message. It had elevated his mood enough for him to sing some songs (though softy, to not wake his sleeping passenger), until he started feeling hot and itchy and uncomfortable. Dawn had crept up quicker than he'd expected. Cursing that he hadn't been paying attention or found somewhere better to swap, he took the next exit and parked in an empty lot directly under the highway. He parked and got out, taking his keys with him and opened the back door, hunching over and shutting it behind himself, relieved.
What a stupid way to die that would've been. He crawled beside Kerr, who was stirring at the lack of road noise and likely the different rocking motions of the car, and lay beside him, smiling and waiting for him to wake up. He wasn't going to make another attempt on him like he had the first changeover, even though he thought this time it would be better received.
Lesson learnt.
-
When Kerr opened his eyes and realised Win was with him, he grinned and rolled into the hug he’d wanted before he fell asleep. “What’re you doin’ in here?” he asked sleepily, nuzzling his way to Win’s lips for a greeting kiss (he started out at his neck and had to work his way up in the complete darkness).
“I dreamt about you,” he yawned, belatedly realising it was in Win’s face and his breath was probably pretty manky. “Sorry,” he apologised and burrowed his face back into Win’s neck, shifting his jeans-clad legs in between the vampire’s and getting a good grip on him with his arms.
it was only as he started really enjoying their proximity that he awakened enough to compute that they’d stopped and that it was probably his turn to drive. “Shit,” he laughed, beginning to disengage. “I gotta’ drive. Still north east?”
-
"Yeah," Win said, feeling lethargic but he'd always been able to fight sleep off if he really wanted to. He associated it with being very drunk as a mortal - which he'd experienced so long ago that he wasn't sure how accurate the association was. "They stopped halfway through the night," Win slurred, touching Kerr's face and then his hand stroked his neck.
The wriggling was having an effect on him and his pants stretched uncomfortably. He'd always indulged in sex whenever the mood struck him, and it was easy enough to find a willing partner at the Oligarchy. Even if he didn't need to drink, getting the donors into the mood was only a bite away. He missed it but didn't - it had felt indulgent, too easy and sometimes boring.
Kerr wasn't boring. Neither were Ben and Lazarus.
"Nova Scotia," he confirmed. Kerr should head for that.
-
Kerr frowned at the way Win was slurring his words and he began to worry. He was tempted to stay in the back and play but that slurring, combined with an indefinable quality in the air that he suspected was blooming daylight, had his heart racing for reasons other than Win’s delectable response.
“Is the sun up already?” Kerr demanded sharply. “If I open the door, how much damage will that do to you?”
-
Win giggled. "I parked in the shade. I could feel it. We'll be safe for a while... I don't have to sleep," he said, his hand floating downward. "I bet they're playing," he whispered.
-
Kerr chuckled, truly torn. He liked Win more and more and he was becoming used to associating sexual release with him. Win made him feel crazy sexy and it was hard to resist that feeling of omnipotence. But they had a goal and he was aware that the greater responsibility lay on his shoulders; he was the one charged with gaining the most ground.
Still, Win was beautiful and his hand massaging Kerr’s cock through his clothes caused his breath to shudder and his body to come to life. He whimpered, realised how pathetic that helpless little noise sounded and cleared his throat, groaning in a more manly manner instead. “If, uh, if they stopped in the m-middle of the - Jesus fucking Christ that’s good - uh, in the middle of the night, they’re probably having a fucking orgy,” Kerr hazarded, doing his best not to think too hard about what that would look like and failing miserably when Win reached inside and made flesh on flesh contact.
“Fuuuck,” he breathed, doing his best to stay focussed and on track. His hands were on Win’s wrist, ostensibly holding him back but really just hanging on for dear life as Win stroked him. “You know, this isn’t helping us catch up to them. And we can do this plenty, once we do,” he sighed, releasing Win’s arm and sliding his hand down the back of the vampire’s jeans to squeeze his ass. It was too crowded at the front for him to get his hands on Win’s cock or he would’ve. His hips swung into Win’s ministrations with growing fervour. “Jesus fuck you need to stop,” he pleaded, resting his forehead against Win’s shoulder.
Kerr didn’t want him to stop, he wasn’t even sure he could, even at this early stage, but it was for the best. The greater good. For the team. In their best interests. Necessary. Something fucking like that.
-
"I don't need to," Win said with more giggles. He hurried his stroking, wanting to make Kerr make those sounds again. It was so good to hear them; a heady formula. He tried for kisses, wanting to be kissing Kerr the moment he came. The bed would probably be sticky and smell of his cum, and Win would smell of it, too, when he slept in it, but that just excited him all the more.
It brought up another memory, of Lazarus cumming on Ben and then wiping it all over him. He'd played that out a number of times too, thinking about how sexy it had been. He wanted to do that to/with Kerr, to/with himself.
-
“Are you... trying to make me cum... in my jeans?” Kerr panted, wondering if this was some sort of ironic revenge for him watching Win reduce Gary to a throbbing mess the night before. The thought of it only got him harder and he moaned. It was swallowed by Win’s mouth and Kerr kissed him eagerly, getting swept away with what they were doing to the point where he pushed aside his responsible arguments for why he should be driving, surrendering instead to his maddening desire for Win.
Frantically, he pushed on Win’s hip enough to get his hands in between them. His hands and fingers were shaking with lust so he had to force them into his command enough to get his jeans undone. When he finally managed it, he shoved them and his underwear downward, freeing his cock - slick with pre-cum - for Win’s attention while he did the same with Win’s pants.
He then slid the middle finger of his top arm around the head of his sticky cock while the other hand reached for Win’s, encircling the silky rod with his large, warm hand. Breaking their kiss long enough to spit all over his cum-covered finger, he rolled back against Win to reclaim his mouth while he reached around and slid his slickened finger into the vampire’s asshole, finger-fucking him while he stroked his cock and was wanked in return.
When Kerr came, it was so intense he cried out into Win’s mouth, bucking erratically against him and feeling like he was spraying everything with his seed. It was an erotically empowering feeling, like he was an animal marking his territory. He tried his best to think about his partner’s pleasure, his digits still moving, but his orgasm was so strong, he didn’t do a great job.
Some of his cum splatted on his hand and Win’s cock and, once the initial tsunami of eye-rolling pleasure had passed, Kerr twisted his hand and smeared more of it on Win’s dick, using it to assist with his stroking. He watched the vampire closely, trying to figure out if his finger and hand was enough to bring him to his peak or whether he’d need to use his mouth.
-
It was certainly enough. Win had been holding back as much as he could until Kerr expired first, and then he stopped tensing and let the wave come, riding it and shuddering as his seed mixed with Kerr's. The mortal's skin was so hot, like fire. The digit inside of him like a small, hot fire-iron. He murmured his pleasure into Kerr's mouth and broke the kiss with his smile.
So good, such a good way to end my night, Win pressed into Kerr's head. Want to wait a bit and do more or... should I give in to sleep?
He felt so relaxed that he wasn't sure he'd be able to fight it. Kerr was like a drug. Not a sleeping pill so much as all-consuming.
-
Kerr tried something new, responding mentally to Win - Sleep, it's cool - and hoping he heard him, unaware that he was also sending a hefty wave of adoration and desire wrapped around his emotional message. He pulled his shirt off and used it to clean them both up, doing most of it by feel and digging through his bag to get some wet wipes to finish the job before he was done. He hoped he didn't get any cum on his pants because he didn't change them. By the time he was finished and got a clean shirt out of his bag, Win was out to it - he realised this when he pressed a kiss to his lips and got no response. Smiling indulgently, Kerr climbed out the back of the car as quickly and carefully as he could. Thankfully, it was still darkish but he could see far more clearly than he was comfortable with.
Win hadn't refuelled the car before his shift change (possibly because he'd left it later than usual) so Kerr's first task, once he got them back on the highway, was to find somewhere to do that. He left his clean shirt on the seat beside him as he drove, enjoying the feeling of being half-dressed with the cool dawn air washing over him, the echoes of pleasure from playing with Win still thrumming through his system, making him feel sexy and confident. What was a little cold, compared to that feeling?
When he found a petrol station with a cafeteria attached, Kerr pulled over to fill the tank, leaving his shirt behind. As he leant against the car to pump, a refrigerated truck pulled in beside him, drawing his attention because it had 'Nova Scotia Lobsters' emblazoned on its side. It was likely headed the same way he was! Feeling an imagined bond of camaraderie, Kerr smiled at the driver as he jumped out of his truck, earning himself a thoughtful look. Realising he was shirtless, Kerr's smile only broadened. The guy was big - at least six five, with a heavy frame (not fat but nowhere near as cut as he was - a lot of it was probably muscle beneath a layer of blubber) - with a head full of red curls and a bushy ginger beard to match. Kerr liked redheads and he was aware the guy knew he was checking him out. In his current mood, that didn't faze him.
He went in to pay for his fuel and get some coffee and food, trading places with the truckie, who was doing the same thing. They didn't talk but Kerr was aware he was getting looks; he deliberately stretched higher for a drink than he needed, twisting a little to show off his v line and abs, hiding his smirk when he was stared at by the girl behind the counter and the lobster trucker the whole way he walked to the register. Walking around shirtless did a lot more for his ego than he'd anticipated, or maybe it was just Win boosting him like this. After he had everything, Kerr put his stuff in the car - planning to eat and drive so he didn't waste any important daylight driving time - and called into the restroom.
The trucker was already at the urinal when Kerr stepped up beside him. He was clearly losing his head with all this attention, because he wasn't discreet when he unzipped his pants and pulled his dick all the way out to piss. He got the response he wanted when the guy beside him gulped and then cleared his throat, the interruption of his urine stream also declaring that he was thinking along the lines Kerr wanted him to. "You headed to Nova Scotia?" Kerr asked him conversationally, turning to look him in the eye.
The guy was quiet for a minute, cautious about having a urinal conversation about his destination. He had piercing light blue eyes to offset his gingery locks. "Yeah," he eventually said, his voice a deep, dark baritone that vibrated somewhere in Kerr's chest.
Kerr grinned. "Us too."
"Us?"
"Yeah, me and my... boyfriend. He's asleep in the car. He drove all last night and it's my turn to drive today while he sleeps."
"Ahh," the guy said, clearly finished urinating but still standing there with his dick in his hand while he looked Kerr over again, thoughtfully.
"You think I'm hot, you should meet my boyfriend," Kerr smirked, finishing his business, tucking himself back into his pants and zipping up with deliberate slowness. The noise echoed around the bathroom a little. He moved to the sink to wash his hands, using the paper towel to swipe his stomach, too. It was legitimately still a bit sticky, despite his use of wet wipes, but it had the added bonus of drawing the trucker's attention as he put his junk away then waited to use the sink. He stood quite close behind Kerr, watching him carefully. "He won't wake up until dark, though. For his shift. Do you drive this route a lot - know a good place to have dinner, maybe?" Kerr asked innocently, stepping aside to let the guy use the sink.
The trucker described a place he said was about twelve hours' drive from where they currently were, somewhere he stopped at often. Kerr asked him if it was a big enough place to have showers and the guy said it was. Kerr beamed and held out his hand to shake. "I'm Kerr," he introduced himself, "maybe the two of us will meet you there for dinner."
"Jack," the trucker introduced, holding Kerr's hand more gently than he'd expected. "Always nice to have some comp'ny on the road," he nodded.
Kerr agreed. For the rest of the day, he and Jack traded places on their route and Kerr was having a wonderful time toying with the guy, waving at him whenever he saw him, getting a honk in return. Maybe he was a serial killer but Kerr was confident Win would protect him when they met next. Win's car was slightly faster than Jack's truck but the truck could drive farther than the car could before it needed more fuel. It wasn't until Kerr stopped for an afternoon snack that he saw Jack's truck on the road again and this time, instead of just a wave or a honk, he undid his pants and played with himself a little as he pulled up alongside Jack. The truck swerved slightly, causing Kerr to laugh and accelerate out of the way. He put his cock away and behaved after that, though the thrill lived on in his blood. He became very eager to get to the truckstop Jack had directed him to.
As advised, the service centre was reached after dark. Kerr pulled up to the bowsers first, knowing he was ahead of Jack but not by much. He still hadn't put his shirt on, enjoying the way the sun warmed and tanned his skin as he drove. Instead of pumping the petrol first, he crawled into the back of the car to wake Win up. "I have a surprise for you," he told the vampire excitedly, laughing when Win interpreted that as a come-on and reached for him. "Better than just me," he promised, urging him to look into his mind and see how he'd arranged a dinner on the go for Win. He then encouraged him to get out of the car and stand with him. Just as he started to pump, hugging Win against him, he saw Jack's truck approaching and asked Win to kiss him. He liked how the vampire didn't have to be told twice.
Jack's truck stopped behind their car and they both looked at him as he got out to fuel his vehicle. His cheeks were ruddy with desire and there was some obvious firmness in his pants as he stared straight back at them, noting the way they were running their hands over each other playfully. "I hope you like him," Kerr whispered to Win, looking worshipfully at him as he nibbled kisses against his lips. "I got him for you. Do you want to drink and fuck him? I'm happy to just watch. What's he thinking?"
-
I have a surprise for you
Win opened his eyes, happy that Kerr was with him. He wanted to run his hands over the mortal's body, to caress him, lick him, taste every surface and crevasse, but then Kerr confused him by putting a halt to it. Better than just him? What? Warily, Win looked and saw a lumberjack-looking guy staring at Kerr with pent-up frustration, by what he could tell. He quickly retreated out of Kerr's mind and wondered what this was all about. Kerr seemed pleased with himself and so Win went along with it, figuring if he'd lured a guy to follow them so Win could have a drink, he wouldn't refuse. Putting on a show for him was more Lazarus/Ben than it was Kerr, he'd thought, but he went along with that, too. Perhaps Kerr was thinking what life would be like with the blonde vampires and was testing his edge. Okay, cool, the idea of Kerr getting into it with him was certainly desirable. Standing at the pump being affectionate warmed him to his toes. The kiss was deep and passionate and he was only mildly aware that it was for someone else's benefit rather than his own.
Win stared at the beast of a man Kerr had captured for him and was rather impressed, but Kerr's next words earned him a slow blink and a calculated look. It seemed Kerr was well-suited for Ben after all. Where was this even coming from? Why did Win have to fuck him? He looked from Kerr to the other guy - Jack, he got while scanning his thoughts, vaguely remembering that detail from Kerr's memory as well - and knew from them that Jack was mostly fixated on Kerr. Win was mostly an accessory.
Just like old times.
And just like old times, Win slid into that role. "Sure, I'll take him on," he said, letting his gaze run along Jack's body and liking his arms and eyes the best. He didn't smile for Jack, instead adopting a more watchful look, but he did lean against the car and put himself up for review. Jack had to get used to him and insert him into the fantasy. He got the impression that he was a bit too pretty for Jack - that he wasn't as into his fine-boned lean frame as much as a more masculine one. With another quick check, flipping through Jack's desires until he got a gist of his main fantasy, he let Kerr know.
He'll be more giving than I expected. He wants to use his mouth of you and wants to be in between us. His eyeful of your cock has had him squirming on his truck seat all day just thinking about it. How about we give him what he wants and while you're pumping into him, I can have a bite?
He knew how Lazarus and Ben would react to his suggestion - both very different to one another - and wondered who Kerr would be more like.
-
Kerr wrinkled his nose then realised he might be observed so he smoothed his features and smiled pleasantly at Win. “Oh, nah, I don’t want to fuck him. I only want you but I thought you might like to, that’s all.”
Kerr had had his fun in the lead up to tonight, his ego was all he was interested in Jack stroking. Why would he choose some potentially disease-ridden guy he’d have to strangle his cock into a rubber for, when he could do absolutely anything with Win, bareback? He’d be insane, no matter how much he liked redheads.
“If you drink from him, he’ll be happy, right?” Kerr asked, feeling mildly guilty he’d led the guy on. He’d just been so big, he’d seemed a generous meal for Win - too good to pass up. Kerr was more interested in playing with Win afterwards, wondering if he should shave and how far from Ben and Lazarus they were. He wanted to please Win and hoped he’d made a good amount of ground during the day.
-
So. Like Ben it was.
Win looked back at Jack and pressed another thought into Kerr's mind.
Oh yeah, he'll be very happy. You won't even have to touch him.
Because both men were at the bowsers pumping fuel, Win walked over to Jack and put a shoulder to his truck, speaking quietly with him, flirting, laughing and smiling and mostly carrying the conversation because the guy was so intimidated by them. Win wondered if he was going to be another Gary and hoped not. He hoped for a better show for Kerr this time.
He'd noticed that the place Jack had suggested they eat at was a casual restaurant attached to a drive-in motel. This was his stay-over spot before he got to where he was going. Drive all day, stop for a meal and a rest, leave early the next morning. Only now there was a solid fucking involved, and because Win was going to drink from him, he was likely to sleep in. Not his problem, but the good thing was Jack would be safe, too.
He played the part well. Win was as charming as he could be and pretended to eat his small bowl of fries for dinner while passing them onto Kerr instead. Jack paid for their table, which was sweet, and left a huge tip for the wait staff, which was even sweeter. Win found himself liking him a bit more, which made everything easier, really.
Jack checked into the motel room and Kerr and Win went in with him. Win instructed Kerr to use the shower first - insisted, actually. By the time he came back out wearing a towel, Win and Jack were on the bed with Jack on his knees blowing him. When Win made eye-contact with Kerr, he threaded his fingers into Jack's mane of hair and started dominating the pace. Jack resisted initially but had nowhere to go so he forced himself to keep up, opening up his throat and snorting in air as much as he could before Win jammed his head down to the base. There were a number of instructions he barked at Jack as well, who did his best to please him. Win didn't take much longer to cum, releasing Jack to swallow as he liked as Win shuddered to his peak.
"That's a good start," Win said, "now you go shower."
Jack hesitated for the smallest moment, perhaps thinking the two of them were con-men or something and were going to steal his truck. He decided it was worth the risk and hurried into the bathroom. Win stood and stripped naked in front of Kerr and stared at him with his hands on his hips.
"Good enough to start?" he said. "I told him you would only join in if he and I made it look good enough." He waited for Kerr's response as the shower came on and Jack started splashing around in it.
-
Kerr had found watching Win with Jack very uncomfortable and not arousing. He'd acted like Lazarus, ordering the redhead around, pleasing himself - not like Win at all. He'd looked away most of the time, feeling too awkward to watch and frowning as he wondered what was going on. He'd redressed in his clothes, leaving his towel on a chair. He'd glanced worriedly at Jack as he'd hurried past, shoving his hands in the pockets of his jeans. He still wasn't wearing a shirt.
"Why'd you tell him that?" he asked, wanting to reach out and touch Win but forcing his hands to stay in his pockets. It felt unnatural; he was already used to having the freedom to put his hands on Win any time he liked. "Don't you just want to drink from him and we'll go?" he asked quietly. He was beginning to feel he'd made a mistake in setting this up. It all felt so... serious, now. It wasn't how he'd expected it to be.
-
Win frowned, realising that things had obviously got a little too real for Kerr. Perhaps he'd played the wrong role.
"You got him for me, you said. To drink and to fuck. You just wanted to watch," he repeated blankly. His voice was carefully devoid of all emotion; no accusatory tone, no complaining. Ben hadn't liked being challenged, but he'd not minded clarification.
-
"No, I got him for you to drink from," Kerr stressed, hoping he wasn't sounding too whiny or possessive but his hand came out of his pocket in order to emphasise his point. "I only said you could fuck him if you wanted to because, well, last night, I was, um, a bit bossy and then, today, um, you said I was your friend and, I dunno, it seemed like something you might want and I shouldn't stop you tonight?" he asked highly, blushing and feeling intensely embarrassed.
He scratched his nose, looking around as if a hole might open up for him to step into, finding it difficult to look into Win's eyes and tell him what he really wanted. "I don't want you to fuck him," he admitted, taking a breath in an effort to calm himself down as he looked at Win at last.
-
Kerr changed his original words when confronted with his request. Win didn't like that - it put him in a position where he didn't know what move was the best one. He'd been very specific at the bowsers.
I got him for you.
Do you want to drink and fuck him?
I'm happy to just watch.
Now suddenly it was just drinking? And fucking if Win wanted?
Win dropped the pose, standing in the middle of the room naked, unsure of himself. He stared at Kerr, wondering what he should do, when the shower shut off. Geez, had Jack even used soap or had he just sprinkled some water over himself? What would Ben or Lazarus do? What would they want from him? He knew that Kerr was different, but there was only one outcome for them at the end of this roadtrip. Even Kerr knew it, because he'd thought that phrase 'group bitch' that Win had found in his head.
Win turned and crawled onto the bed, sitting in the middle with his back to the headboard. Jack came out a second later, barely dry. A quick, hopeful, glance at Kerr and then he crawled onto the bed after Win. From the vantage point Kerr was at, he couldn't see anything beyond Jack's hairy back. Sucking noises could be heard, and if Kerr changed where he sat or stood, he would see that Win was use his mouth to slicken two of Jack's meaty fingers.
-
Kerr was mollified by Win's attitude, certain he'd done something wrong now. He just wanted to walk over and pull Jack off Win and take Win away. The urge to leave was scratching at his inside like a trapped animal needing to get out but he forced himself to step to the side and see what the sucking was. He was disappointed when it was just Jack's fingers and not his neck.
Just bite him so we can go, he thought to himself, sighing again as he looked longingly at the door and then back at what was happening on the bed.
-
Win wasn't scanning for Kerr's thoughts, he was focussed on Jack instead. Jack had dramatically shifted his favour towards Win. At first it had been Kerr, then it had been the two of them (but mostly Kerr), now Jack wanted Win to pay him back for the demanding blow. Of course he now thought it meant things would get rougher. Win had treated him badly after all. It was part of the game now. He made sure Jack's fingers were dripping in spit before they went away.
Win's dick was bypassed as Jack reached around and inserted one of his fingers inside him. It reminded him of Kerr from the start of the day - the end of Win's driving shift. He winced initially but settled into it, moaning. Over Jack's shoulder he could see Kerr watching, looking stony-faced. Win hooked his arms around Jack's shoulders and pulled him closer. Jack took this as a sign to push his second thick finger in, and it hurt. Win cried out in the affirmative and grit his teeth.
He didn't really keep track of what was happening and how fast it happened, but soon Jack was shoving his dick inside of him and Win only had his shoulders against the headboard to brace, the rest of him was being held close to the mortal's body. Jack was strong and Win clung to him for the ride. When Jack was close to orgasm, Win bit into his neck. The spasms of Jack's orgasm had Win riding him like a bucking bronco. Jack collapsed backward and Win, clinging onto him with arms and legs and teeth, went with him. He drank as Jack relaxed - obviously one of the people who ended up almost meditating instead of getting amped up.
Win healed the wounds in Jake's neck and extracted himself from Jake's body. Instead of looking at Kerr, he climbed off the mortal, then off the bed, then moved into the bathroom to have a shower before anything started spilling out of him. He was surprised that Kerr had stuck around, considering the look on his face. Win didn't think he had to worry about Kerr picking up guys for him again.
-
Kerr debated following Win into the bathroom but that was even farther away from their car. He leant down and patted Jack on the shoulder on his way out the door, deciding he'd wait outside for his travelling partner. Jack didn't seem to notice the pat.
The cool night air was cleansing and Kerr took a few deep breaths in an effort to clear his head. He wasn't sure what had just gone on, other than it went wrong and left him feeling like shit. He should never have mentioned Win fucking anyone. Other than him. It left a sour taste in the back of his throat and a burning feeling in his chest he couldn't properly identify. He thought it was anger. Anger because of the way Win treated the mortal and the way the mortal had reciprocated that bad treatment. It'd all been rough and awkward and he'd had to grit his teeth and look at the wall a lot to get through it.
He'd only stayed because it felt like an appropriate punishment for him meddling in things he oughtn't.
Once Win emerged from the room, Kerr fell into step beside him, his hands still in his pockets. He wanted to apologise but he also wanted to fight and he knew the latter urge was mostly borne of frustration and tiredness. He needed to sleep. Hopefully everything would be better when he woke up. He'd looked at a map, so he had a good idea of how far behind Ben and Lazarus they were but he wasn't sure they hadn't moved. "Did we make up some good ground today?" he asked impassively, finding it difficult to look at Win. He'd just keep imagining him with Jack, which was unpleasant. "Or are they moving again?"
-
The shower had made Win feel a lot better, and Jack had been snoring when he'd come out. He covered Jack's body with a towel and hung up the 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the outside of the door in case there was an early morning room cleaning crew. Better he sleep it off and recover properly before a long drive.
Kerr's question about Ben and Lazarus had him pause mid-step to concentrate, but then he started walking again to where they'd parked the car.
"They've stopped moving as well. They're either waiting for something to happen or they've found entertainment. If we're lucky, they've settled into a new city. I doubt it though, there aren't big enough cities up there. Oh..." he paused, "Montreal? Is Montreal near there? I dunno. I'll keep heading for Nova Scotia. It's the most Eastern point I know of. Unless they're still in the country and went to New York. It's a place they could get lost in. Anyway, I'm driving so I'll figure it out."
Why did he have diarrhoea of the mouth, suddenly? It was easy to look at the sky and at the car and talk and think and look anywhere but at Kerr, he supposed. He moved to the driver's side, unlocking all of the car's doors with the master before hopping in.
-
Part of him wanted to know if Win had enjoyed himself at all, most of him didn't want to know and all of Kerr knew that initiating the subject would be the death of him sleeping easily for the next few hours because just thinking about it made him bristle. Perhaps a reference to Win being well fed? No. Just no.
"Right," Kerr nodded, feeling suddenly and poignantly forlorn as Win just slid in behind the wheel and closed his door. He went to the back and crawled in, feeling incredibly lonely. Even though he didn't have anything to say, he pulled back the divider between the front and the back, feeling too isolated and claustrophobic to leave it closed tonight. The flare of oncoming lights seemed extraordinarily bright when he was trying to sleep but it made him feel connected to something. He was no longer feeling it with Win.
"You don't mind... if I keep that open?" he asked from his dark bed, knowing Win would hear him, even though his voice also felt tiny and swallowed by the blackness around him. He was cold, so he pulled blankets over himself, shivering slightly as he got warm.
-
Do what you want, Win almost said, but it would sound spiteful.
"It's cold outside, now," Win said, for the farther north they travelled, the chillier it got. The windows were up but the heat wasn't on and he flicked it over to blow warm air. "Why not halfway? Halfway would work," he said, rolling his eyes at his own obvious desire for them to come to some kind of agreement about what had happened.
He hadn't liked Jack being rough with him at the start, but he'd enjoyed it during. He liked sex in all kinds of ways, but he didn't like the feelings he was experiencing with Kerr afterward. Lazarus would've praised him. Ben would've belittled him. Kerr was... in the middle. Neatly, like a package. He would fit in, Win thought. Win didn't. The best he could do was mimic.
-
"Pretty fucking cold inside, too," Kerr muttered, confident the heater and the road noise would keep his muttering away from Win's hearing, not realising how advanced it really was. "Okay," he said more loudly, adjusting the barrier so it wasn't open as much as it had been.
-
Win snapped the barrier shut with his mind, almost taking Kerr's fingers off.
-
"Fucking hell!" Kerr exclaimed, snatching his hand out of the way and staring up at the divider in disbelief. He was laying on his back, lazily reaching over his head to move the thing because he was tired but that little move had him feeling quite awake all of a sudden. He rolled over onto his stomach and crawled up, shoving the barrier open again. "Are you right there? You nearly took my fucking fingers off!" he declared indignantly, wedging his shoulder against the panel so Win couldn't take his head off next.
-
It was easier to talk about the real stuff when he didn't have to look at Kerr directly. He had rear-view mirror Kerr to talk at. Grumpy rear-view mirror Kerr.
"Don't get shitty at me because I fucked the guy you gave to me for fucking," he said. "You strutted around half-naked in front of him, showed him your dick, propositioned him in the toilets, masturbated where he could see and then had the balls to say all that was for me. You dangled yourself in front of him as the trophy and gave me to him as the runner-up prize. If you want a prettier show, ask Ben. He's the fucking master."
-
Kerr's jaw dropped and he was flabbergasted into silence for half a minute or so, then the burning sensation in his chest came back in force to inspire his response.
"I. Did. Not!" he argued vehemently. "I didn't 'strut'! And I never masturbated for him, I just pretended I was! Maybe I went too far - okay, I know now that I went too fucking far - but I saw an opportunity and I just ran with it! It was my first time! He was big, he looked like he'd be a decent meal for you, I flirted with him to keep him on the hook! I dunno' why I even said for you to fuck him, I didn't want you to and once it was happening, I told you that but you didn't give a shit! You did it anyway! Why?! Because I'd suggested it and apparently you're too fucking spineless to ever change your mind or make it up for yourself if someone else has told you to do something? That's ridiculous! You are not a runner-up prize! Don't you get shitty at me because I changed my mind and tried to tell you I fucked up, I didn't want to see you fuck him. Turns out I don't like watching you fuck other guys AT ALL, just for future reference, so I'll definitely never do that shit again! I'm sorry I was stupid enough to try it today! I'm sorry I tried to do something nice for you as a friend!"
He was yelling passionately by the end of his speech, so furious he could barely see straight. To enhance the power of his final point, he slammed the barricade closed and shoved himself angrily back into his sleeping position on the mattress. His words were ringing in his ears and playing on a loop in his mind so he could examine how badly he'd delivered his message and overthink the consequences of every syllable. The tirade had taken any remaining vestiges of energy out of him and he was utterly drained but, naturally, his frantic mind wouldn't let him sleep straight away.
-
Win wore it all. Prizes to Kerr, getting yelled at him was just as bad as getting yelled at by Ben or Lazarus. Worse, really, because he'd pushed Kerr into it with his accusation. He'd looked into Kerr's mind and delivered the worst of the worst back at him, which was a shitty thing to do because he'd seen how pleased with himself Kerr had been and then used that against him. Proof that Win was heading back to Ben and Lazarus alright. Kerr's words to him weren't wrong, either. He did whatever was asked of him. He was trying to get back into that mindset. He was out of practice. And Kerr... he'd finally got a real taste of what it was like to be with them.
No. He'd got a taste of what it was like to be Win, with them.
Like Kerr, who'd retreated into the back, he also turned some of Kerr's speech in his head, but only a particular part.
Turns out I don't like watching you fuck other guys AT ALL, just for future reference
I don't like watching you fuck other guys AT ALL
I don't like watching
Part of Win wanted to turn the car around and take Kerr back and keep him for himself. But the other part, the one that wanted to get back with Ben and Lazarus no matter what... that one was at the wheel.
*
Ben and Lazarus hadn't moved again, and because Win was closer and gaining ground on them, he sensed they were maybe twelve hours away... but there were only three more hours of night left and Win was only going to make it past Pittsburgh. He was thinking now it was Montreal they were headed for, after he'd looked at a map. Definitely not New York city, it was east of them but Ben and Lazarus was definitely still north-east.
Three hours to get to Pittsburgh. Twelve hours to get to Montreal. If Kerr made it his shift, he would need to sleep at the end of it. That was no good, Ben and Lazarus wouldn't want to see Win without Kerr. Unless! Unless he left Kerr sleeping somewhere and made contact with them. Then he could control how it went. He could use Kerr as... as... as his ticket.
Guilt washed over him and he pushed it down. He wasn't bringing Kerr to anything he didn't know about. He'd forewarned the mortal. Kerr knew exactly what he was signing up for.
Grimly, he drove on.
-
Kerr woke up far earlier than he wanted to. He was tired as fuck but his disagreement with Win had him out of sorts, so while he had eventually slept, it'd been fitful.
Considering Win had said nothing to him, once Kerr finally decided he couldn't sleep anymore, he pulled his laptop out of his bag and lay on his stomach typing up some observations. They mostly concerned any new vampiric nature information Win had shared and Kerr's thoughts about familiars vs pets.
Once he was done with that, he'd hotspot his phone and search the Internet for a while (torturing himself on the hunter forums, snorting at stupid comments and clicking things that interested him).
-
Win pulled into a fuel station and hopped out to fill up the tank. As he slid his credit card into the slot, the back of the wagon opened and Kerr shuffled out. Win paid attention to the buttons he was pressing. Kerr said nothing as he headed for the toilets. Win finished pumping fuel and sat in the car impatiently waiting for Kerr to return. The mortal rounded the car and hopped in with his plastic bag of purchases.
Win started up the car and drove away. Just after he pulled back out onto the highway, he spoke. His words were friendly and his tone was civil, but his voice lacked its usual warmth.
"Ben and Lazarus are still in the same spot. I looked at a map and I'm pretty sure they're in Montreal. You'll get there during your drive."
-
Kerr took a swig of his drink and a mouthful of food, frowning as he chewed. Once he'd swallowed, he spoke.
"But I'll have to wait for you to wake up to find them properly, right?"
-
"Is that a problem?" Win asked conversationally. "Were you hoping to find them on your own?"
-
Kerr was so surprised by Win's take - it almost sounded jealous? Spiteful? - on the situation that he finished four whole fries before he responded. The way Win phrased himself was unexpected and said a lot more about what he was thinking than Kerr was, which worried him. So much for 'friends'.
"Um, no. I'm not interested in seeing them without you. You outrank me, I get it. What you say, goes," he said in a monotone, watching Win carefully.
-
Outrank. It was a strange word and Win tasted it for a long moment. Outrank. He didn't think Kerr outranked him at all. No, Kerr was going to be the flavour of the month. Win wasn't even an old favourite. Hopefully, he'd been missed.
"Just head for Montreal and get us a hotel room in the middle of the city. I'll be able to figure out which location is best if I'm in the centre." He shrugged but he was aware of Kerr staring at him. The smell of fries was heavy in the car.
-
"No problem," Kerr agreed, trying to sound mild and unfazed but there was a frown on his face and he could feel the attitude Win was putting out at him. It was like.... it felt like Win was trying to teach him some sort of lesson. There was a deliberate refusal to respond to his outburst earlier - he'd just sat there while Kerr yelled in his face! - and an ongoing sensation that there was a message buried inside that. Kerr wasn't sure what the take-away was but he didn't enjoy the confusion he was feeling at being able to trust one Win one minute and not, the next.
"Are you nervous? Now that we're finally this close? Do you... regret anything?" Kerr asked, believing Win was too smart to fall for the flattery route but sharing his current feelings might help Kerr break through the distance between them.
-
"Nervous is too strong a word. I'm uncertain. I'm hopeful. I don't have regrets for coming here, no." He didn't look over at Kerr, instead staring out the windshield with an intensity. "There's no point regretting anything. It doesn't change anything. Just learn from the mistake and move on."
There was no point to regret, no... but he regretted his action that had finally pushed Ben into making his stand. He could only keep trying and hoping that Ben would let it rest.
-
Right. So that was his lesson. Suck it up and carry on. Kerr missed the playful Win, the uncertain and sweet one he’d begun this journey with. He deeply regretted what had happened with Jack but had to wonder if it was always going to be this way. The closer they got to Ben and Lazarus, the more wound up Win got. It was likely unavoidable but Kerr couldn’t help feeling he’d played a role in bringing it about sooner.
Kerr fell quiet. He ate and thought about everything Win had said. The longer he dissected it, the more Kerr wondered if the message was actually for him or whether it was a mantra for himself. A message meant for his vampire family, who’d rejected him after he did something unspeakable to them (that only magnified and warped in Kerr’s mind the longer he wondered about it).
These thoughts only made him feel more isolated. He’d thought he’d come on this crazy trip with an equal and, later, a friend, but the closer they got, the more he saw it wasn’t true. He was outranked. He’d always known Win was using him as a lure, to make a good impression on Ben and Lazarus but it hadn’t felt like he was bait until now.
There’s no point regretting anything. Just learn and move on.
Was it possible to learn from a mistake even before it was made and avoid it altogether? He was beginning to feel like it was, because Win’s change in demeanour had him spooked. This task was a far scarier undertaking when he couldn’t say he was walking into it with an ally anymore. Win’s resigned advice made him feel like a sacrifice. He felt foolish because he’d been stupid enough to underestimate Win’s ruthlessness, just because he’d seemed nervous and sweet.
He was still a fucking vampire and Kerr would always be food.
Win had assured Kerr Ben liked him, had implied he was special somehow and Kerr had accepted that romantic ideology because it suited his feelings about Ben. Now he’d developed feelings for Win and been shown how stupid he was, how different would the experience be with Ben? Surely the same, just faster and more dangerous because Lazarus would be there to despise him as well?
Kerr knew he had to make a decision. It didn’t feel like a life-threatening one because he was mostly confident they’d let him live as long as he played their kinky sex games (and ohhhh how he’d thirsted after those, daydreaming about pulling his toys out of his bag and indulging with Ben and Win). It was a decision about his soul. How much could he harden himself? How much of his heart was already invested? Was it worth the risk of becoming besotted with a lifestyle and beings whose status was entirely elevated above his own?
A song he’d liked recently sang on repeat in his head. I’m only human, after all, don’t put the blame on me. But the blame was his because he was the only one who could be completely focussed on his own interests. The vampires were only ever going to think about themselves and once he put himself in the middle, he’d become a pawn.
There’s no point regretting anything.
Win was right about that. If he walked into this with his eyes wide open, he’d have no one to blame but himself and no cause for regret. Put the blame on me. He’d never been an overly-emotional man, never fallen in love or allowed his heart to overrule his head. Until he met Ben. Then everything had changed and he was exploring this new path of indulgence, vulnerability and openness. It came at such a high cost, as he knew because Win was teaching him the lesson early. Perhaps he should thank him. Perhaps he should tell him to go fuck himself.
“M-maybe I should just stay at the hotel? You can go see them and then I’ll just drive back with you,” he said quietly.
By now, he’d finished his food and was looking out his window while his thoughts rolled around in his head. His elbow was up on the door, his hand resting on his jaw and chin, fingers rustling the bristles on his face with a soft rasping sound he found soothing. He hadn’t shaved and he was the kind of guy that had a shadow two hours after he did, so he had quite the amount of stubble going. Scrape, scratch, scrape. He couldn’t come to a decision on his own. He needed something more from Win than harsh motivation and brutal lessons. He’d need a friend to reassure him and if he didn’t get that... he thought he’d be able to decide then.
-
Win blinked. Kerr said exactly what he'd wanted, but then added exactly what he didn't want at the end of it. Win looked at him sharply, wondering what was going on. He had a strange look upon his face.
Win looked into his mind. It was such a concentrated (and shocking) conclusion that the car started drifting out of the lane as Win wasn't paying attention to what his eyes were looking at. Kerr yelped because they almost side-swiped a car and Win yanked the wheel over. The road was slippery and Win lost control.
Tyres squealed and Win battled with the steering wheel, attempting to drive the car straight. It was too far into its circle and they were honked at for daring to have an accident in front of someone. It continued spinning until it slid off the road and down into a shallow embankment. The car didn't topple but it was at a precarious angle; it's bonnet sticking up in the air.
"Shit, sorry, are you okay?" Win asked immediately, reaching out for Kerr. He was no longer thinking of ranks or Kerr leaving or what was going to happen in the future. There was only now, and he hoped like hell he hadn't hurt Kerr with his stupid lapse of concentration.
-
Because of the way he'd been sitting, when the car thumped off the road and down into the shallow ditch, Kerr punched himself in the face, smashed his elbow and bumped his forehead against the window but he was mostly fine. He winced as he went to speak and realised he'd punched his lip against his teeth; it was already swelling and he could taste blood. A tickling on his upper lip caused him to swipe. It came away bloody. He wiggled his nose and winced again. Yep, he'd walloped his nose, too. The joy of having large hands. His chin also felt hot where he'd hit it.
"Yeah, I'm alright," he said tightly, testing the rest of his body by stretching gingerly. It was a little sore from the impact but nothing serious. "What happened? Are we going to be able to drive out of here?"
He was worried about how late it was. If the car was incapacitated and they had to get towed or something, there wasn't very long until daylight. He started hunting through some of his food bags for a serviette because his nose wouldn't stop bleeding. All the iron tablets he'd been taking and the red meat he'd been eating on the road (in anticipation of being bitten again soon) were obviously working well.
-
Win winced at Kerr's injuries, unsure how they'd happened. Had he hit his head on the dash? Why hadn't his seatbelt locked? Win's gaze flicked to the dashboard and back again when he saw no blood.
"Yeah, it's fine, I can just push the car back onto the road," he said. "I'm so sorry. Here, let me heal you, okay?"
Another car pulled over and Win huffed annoyance at the helpful citizen. He wouldn't be able to fix Kerr up and push the car back onto the road with onlookers. Luckily it was very early in the morning and very few cars on the road - and most of them were unwilling to stop and help.
"Give me a second," he said, and pushed open the car door, sliding and jumping out to meet the couple who'd stopped. During his conversation with them, he realised they were less about helping and more about gawking. With a suggestion for each of them to go, they willingly left thinking that they'd helped.
Win looked through the window. "Hey, can you shuffle over to the driver's side? I'll need you to steer it onto the shoulder when I pick the car up."
-
Kerr's eyes widened and he nodded, sliding obediently behind the wheel and ensuring the car was out of gear and the handbrake off. His amazement didn't abate as he felt the rear end of the car lift and it started rolling forward. He steered carefully alongside the road, skirting the space between road and embankment. He was relieved when the steering mechanism responded like it always had. It didn't feel like the axels or wheels had been compromised in any way.
Once it stopped rolling, Kerr put the car back in gear and pulled the handbrake on, sliding back into the passenger seat so Win could get back into the driver's. When he did, Kerr grinned at him, looking him over wondrously. "That was so cool. You lifted the car! Did it hurt? Was it even hard?" he asked rapidly.
-
"It didn't hurt," Win said with a broad smile, "and it was easy." The smile faded as he inspected Kerr's wounds. He reached towards Kerr's face, dropping his hand before he made contact. "Can I... how about we both go into the back, and I can heal you?" he asked, hoping Kerr would accept his help. It was hard to know if Kerr was still upset with him.
-
Kerr touched the area below his lip reflexively, winced, then grabbed the rear view mirror to inspect the damage. His lower lip was swollen and cut, his nose was slightly red (and he hadn't wiped all the blood from around his nostril properly because it hurt) and his chin might've been bruised but his beard stubble was covering that effectively. He swivelled the mirror back into place and looked at Win, his excitement over the car lift failing him as he made eye contact.
All of his doubts came flooding back. "You mean give me some of your blood to drink?" he asked quietly, his tongue swiping over his damaged lip. "Is it that bad? I mean... you think it's really necessary?" He was uncertain. It seemed like a bigger deal than it needed to be, to go into the back of the car as well. Ben had just bitten his wrist and fed it to him, why did Win need to do it differently? The thought of climbing into the back of the car and drinking some of Win's blood caused a twitch of longing in his groin and his heart rate increased at the thought of being close to the vampire again, despite his misgivings about the whole trip and the anger he'd felt earlier.
-
Win blinked twice at the challenge. Kerr wasn't willing to trust him or be close with him again. He dropped his gaze to collect himself before looking back up at Kerr and giving him a crooked smile.
"We're pretty close, now. You want to look nice for Ben. Unless you want him to... to do it for you," he changed tone suddenly to something brighter. "Actually! That's a good idea. He'll want to do it for you. It'll bring out his nurturing side. It'll be a good start for you." Win nodded, convincing himself that this was the best way, even though he wanted to take away Kerr's pain.
-
"That's if I even go to see him," Kerr responded obstinately, aware that when he'd last made mention of not going to see Ben and Lazarus, Win had lost control of the car. Or something. Kerr didn't count that as acknowledgement or an answer. "Are you worried he'll be mad you crashed and hurt me?" he asked, trying to feel as tough as his words but his lip wobbled and he felt close to tears. He put it down to latent adrenaline from the crash, pressing his lips together despite the pain
-
"No, it's not that," Win said, and his eyes were downcast once more. He fidgeted with his hands in his lap before looking back at Kerr. "There's a very real possibility that Ben will want you to stay and insist that I go, and then I'll have to drive back by myself and... and just... do something else. I might not drive back, but it's pretty cushy at the Oligarchy," he said with a tentative smile.
-
Kerr sighed through his nose, shaking his head. His first instinct was to tell Win he wouldn't let that happen, that if he was excluded and told to drive away alone, that he should wait for Kerr. He didn't want him to be alone. The problem was, he got the distinct impression that that instinct was not shared by the vampire beside him. If push came to shove, Win wouldn't care if Kerr got excluded, as long as he got accepted.
He wrestled with it, feeling the balance tipping in both directions, weighing his choices, weighing his soul.
"So what you're saying is, you're in no better a position to figure out your life than I am?" he asked softly, leaning over to put his hand over Win's dancing ones. "I won't let them push you out," he whispered. "If they try, I'll go with you." The scale tipped in favour of friendship, after all. It didn't matter if it wouldn't be reciprocated. It mattered that Kerr would be able to live with himself afterwards, to know that he remained true to what he believed was right. That he was loyal to his friend.
-
Win was astonished by Kerr's offer. It made no sense. He'd helped Win race across the country to join Ben, why would he give Ben up? Their friendship was new, small, with not so great a bond. Win wouldn't stop being Kerr's friend just because he got what he wanted and Win didn't. A stranglehold of emotions locked his voice so that he couldn't speak for a long while, he could only stare at Kerr in wonder and eventually offer him a tiny smile.
After what felt like years, but were more like seconds, he spoke. "I hurt you and I want to fix you."
Poignant.
-
“Okay,” Kerr smiled with the uninjured side of his mouth and got out of the car, closing his door firmly and walking to the back. He knew this was an important move, too. It proved his loyalty to Win, showing he trusted his judgment.
The romantic part of him - that he was barely comfortable acknowledging existed - wanted to believe there was subtext in Win’s statement. That he also wanted to fix what was awkward between them. He couldn’t, of course, because he’d spruiked a strict ‘no regrets, learn and move on’ policy. Apologising didn’t fit anywhere in that brand.
Kerr pulled his shirt off and crawled into the back, his heart picking up speed. He didn’t know what Win had in mind with regard to healing him but his thoughts weren’t centred on that part. All he could think about were the delicious times they’d been back here together and how much he longed to make amends with his friend. Sharing their bodies seemed an easy and sexy way to fix things, though he wasn’t game enough to greet him completely naked. There was no fun in immediate surrender.
He paused to take his shoes and socks off as well, before attending to the mundane task of getting his laptop back in his bag and clearing the mattress. He positioned his lube at the top of his open duffel (just in case) and lay on his back on the mattress, waiting for Win to join him. Despite the twinges of residual pain in his joints from being shaken around, he was excited and feeling good about his decision to stick with Win no matter what. It made things simpler and he was able to accept the vampire again; he’d forgiven them both for the lesson Win had had to teach and he’d had to learn.
-
Win watched Kerr get out of the car and breathed a sigh of relief. Kerr was letting him make amends. He'd said no regrets but he could tell Kerr still wished that some things between them had gone differently. Jack, for instance. Win more wanted to take back what he'd said to Kerr about getting Jack for him, but he couldn't. So he'd learnt from it and didn't argue back the next time Kerr had unleashed. Was that regret? Wanting to take it back? He supposed so, but he wasn't going to lament on it.
He could feel Kerr moving around in the back of the wagon and so Win left the car to join him in the back. When he opened the back door he saw that Kerr had removed his shirt so Win did it as well, keen to hold Kerr's warmth against him. He crawled in and pulled the door shut before toeing off his shoes and pulling off socks, throwing them in the back corner before crawling over to Kerr and dropping beside him.
Gently, his hands ran over Kerr's chest and around to his back, then he pulled on him firmly, wanting him close. The blood on Kerr's face had Win salivating and he licked Kerr's lips, teeth, beneath his nose, then they were kissing and Win pressed his tongue hard against a fang and sliced it open. It healed the cuts in Kerr's gums even as they explored one another's mouths.
Win was rocking his hips back and forth, the inability to feel anything beyond their jeans was maddening. His hand slipped down and unzipped Kerr before his hand - slightly warmer from being pressed against Kerr's skin - wrapped around it and started pumping slowly. He wanted this to feel tender and sweet, and also not to jostle Kerr further until he was fully healed.
-
Kerr was surprised when Win didn’t offer his wrist, though it confused him, too. He didn’t understand how healing would happen but then Win pulled him close and his heart sighed happily and it didn’t seem to matter. Having his body pressed up against Win’s did and he pushed in tightly, his hands roaming now-familiar territory and his legs entwining.
The licking made him giggle but it also fed the wanton part in him because he knew it was Win getting his blood. The kissing came next and he winced because it hurt but it was a sweet pain. It came with a heat and a passion he thought he’d lost... also a vaguely familiar taste and then it didn’t hurt any more.
Kerr’s eyes widened as he realised blood applied externally also healed him. He pulled away from the kiss, his tongue running over a lip that had been split and swollen but now wasn’t. Even his tender nose and chin felt better so he was either imagining how much they’d hurt or he’d swallowed some of Win’s blood too? He didn’t feel accelerated like he had with Ben, though he was equally as horny. That had more to do with Win’s body than his blood, surely?
Win’s hands were transferring swelling to other parts of his body now. Kerr sighed a moan, leaning back to give better access and shimmy out of his pants altogether. Once he was naked, he reached for Win, intending to strip him and reciprocate every action, fantasising about rolling between Win’s thighs and fucking him face to face so he could keep kissing him. Now that it didn’t hurt, he wanted to use his mouth in every way possible to silently apologise for causing trouble between them with Jack. He wanted to wipe all of the bad stuff away with good feelings, sensual pleasure and a mutual climax.
He wanted them to be united and singular before they met Ben and Lazarus, so that it would be more difficult to tear them apart. He was willing to do anything to achieve that.
-
To ensure everything ran smoothly, Win kept his mind on Kerr's thoughts throughout their play. He did whatever Kerr was hoping for, checked if his moves were something Kerr liked, adjusted whenever it was needed. Because of his pre-emptive moves, they moved in unison to give and receive pleasure. Kerr ended up exactly where he wanted, atop Win and thrusting into him whilst kissing. Afterwards they lay in the back in silence, holding one another and recovering. Win liked how - even though he'd given Kerr everything he wanted - it had still ended up very mutual.
"Thank you," he whispered.
-
Kerr was starry-eyed and reverent in Win’s arms. At first, he’d loved their synchronicity but had become suspicious as every move remained perfect. He’d considered feeling offended but everything had been so fucking good that he hadn’t been able to muster any resentment. He just ended up feeling awestruck and grateful that Win would go to the trouble of reading his mind. It was an unexpectedly touching and selfless thing to do and whether it was intended or not, Kerr interpreted an apology in his generosity.
“Pretty sure that’s my line,” he murmured, unable to stop grinning. “It was perfect.” He’d often marvelled at the term ‘make love’ and been scornful of the supposed difference between that and basic sex but now he had an inkling of what it could be. The unison of bodies and souls, aligned in purpose and intent - to please their partner more purely and before themselves. It had been exactly the prelude to reuniting with Ben and Lazarus that they needed.
“So I guess I might as well just take over driving now? Get us to Montreal, book us into a hotel in the centre of the city, get cleaned up, shaved, showered and ready,” he listed, then kissed Win. Kerr had no idea how much time he would have to spare but if Win was still looking into his mind, there were thoughts of dry cleaning his leather pants, enemas and butt stretchers to prepare for a night of fucking and a large, bloody steak and well-dressed salad for dinner to fortify him.
-
Win was no longer peeking since he was sure that both he and Kerr were satisfied. He'd detected the suspicion but didn't worry about it. As he'd hoped, Kerr hadn't fussed. He grinned and kissed Kerr's lips gently after he said how perfect it had been.
"Sounds good. I'll stay back here and catch up on reading," Win said, for he'd picked up a couple of books at a large service station and hadn't cracked them open yet. He would be able to read well enough if the sliding panel wasn't closed. Once the sun's rays started peeking up, the daylight would render him ready for sleep.
Just like Kerr, he was relieved and happy that he and Kerr had come together on the eve of their reunion with Lazarus and Ben.
-
Kerr slid behind the wheel of the car once he’d cleaned up, dressed and farewelled Win with adoring kisses. He brought his gear into the front with him, knowing he’d need it at the hotel he was charged with finding. He was energised by their vibe, filled with peace and purpose despite the rain that kept falling. The conditions made the going a bit tougher but he was determined to counteract the time they’d lost to the crash and the makeup sex, as well as reach Montreal with time to prepare.
When he stopped, it was brief. Excitement was fluttering in his stomach, scaring off his appetite. He thought that was good, though; less food meant less stops for toilet breaks. He only had to pull over to refuel.
He reached the city around three in the afternoon but it took him a while to get into the centre and select a hotel. He had a choice of three big names and, anticipating an expensive choice ahead, logged onto some websites designed to compare prices in one place. He was lucky enough to find a reasonable deal at one that also had parking, so he booked it minutes before he arrived.
After parking the car in the underground facilities, checking in and paying for the room, he asked the concierge for advice on places to launder his clothes, a chemist and a steakhouse. All three were within walking distance. He felt somewhat guilty about leaving Win in the vehicle but what choice did he have? There were few hours of daylight left and he had a lot to accomplish.
He went to the dry cleaners first. They offered an hour turnaround for an extra cost so he paid to have the outfit he’d met Win in cleaned while he looked for a chemist. He was open about needing enemas to flush his ass clean but he let the pharmacist believe her own tale about him being blocked up. He didnt care what she thought, he’d never see her again.
His stomach was the final item on his to-do list. He went to the steakhouse and ordered one of the largest ones, wolfing it down because he was finally hungry. He was late back to the dry cleaner’s but they’d only just finished his clothes so the timing worked out. He carried his plastic-wrapped outfit back to the hotel, thinking about how filthy (particularly covered with cum) his other clothes were and when he’d get time to launder them. Hopefully before they drove back again.
Once inside the hotel room, Kerr set about preparing his body at a level he’d never reached before. He plucked, flushed and manscaped his body with precision before he showered, scented and sculpted (his hair). He decided not to shave because Ben had seen him clean-shaven and he thought he looked older and more roguish with a stubbly beard. It could easily be removed if it wasn’t to Ben’s liking. He applied some eyeliner to add to the pirate look his shirt gave him.
He played around with some of his plugs before he got dressed, leaving one in that stimulated more than it hurt, liking the sexual thrill it gave him feeling it in there when he pulled his pants on and laced them up. If he sat down too much or got hit on the ass too often he’d have a semi when being presented by Win; he couldn’t decide if that was a good thing or bad. He should probably pretend he was interested in the men themselves, not just their bodies.
By the time he jogged back down to the car, it’d been dark for almost half an hour. He was worried Win would be angry with him, so when he opened the back, he did so with a heart pounding in trepidation.
-
Win woke at dusk, before the sun had set. He knew he was in the city - he could feel heartbeats all around him and hear the city noise, muted as it was by the layers of concrete that Kerr had parked the car beneath. He could also feel Lazarus - so very, very close. It was almost like he was on top of him! The sensation was giddy and exciting.
He took time to clean himself up and the car as much as he was able, plastic bagging cum-stained clothes and using wet-wipes on his hands afterwards. He got dressed into a fresh pair of underwear, jeans, socks, sneakers and polo shirt, deciding on a jumper as well to blend in with people who would no doubt be dressing warmly this far north of the equator.
He threw it on and crawled out of the car, standing at the back of it and adjusting his clothes to feel a bit more comfortable.
*
"They're definitely following us," Lazarus said after a moment, hands on his hips and a cigarette clamped between his lips. It wobbled obscenely as he spoke, flicking ash everywhere. Ben glared at him from the bed.
"How can you not know who it is?" he demanded again, frustration making his tone snappy.
"Because you all bloody feel the same," Lazarus snapped back, dropping his cigarette because he'd opened his mouth too far. He pulled a face as he tried to catch it as it bounced off his chest, somersaulting in the air from one hand to another like a juggler getting the wrong end of his fire stick. Ben watched this comical display with a calm exterior, despairing at Lazarus' inability to pick which of his fucking kids were on their ass.
"How much older is he than me, then? Is he one of your first fledges?" Ben asked, worried that there would be another ancient to deal with.
"No, no, he's maybe a hundred years older than you at most," Lazarus held the cigarette he'd caught by the middle and put it back into his mouth, eking out the last of its ash. "He's making good time on us. Must be in the back of a truck or something."
"Then we'll stop in Montreal and make a stand. We'll find somewhere in the middle of the city so we can know what direction they're coming from."
"What about him? Are we taking him with us?" Lazarus asked, pointing to the sleeping youth in the bed beside Ben.
Ben considered it and shook his head. "No. When we face your other fledgeling, I don't want any surprises and this guy is unpredictable." He got out of bed. "I'm having a shower. Do what you want with him but be finished by the time I get out."
"Make it a long shower, love," Lazarus said, crawling onto the bed with a sinister smile.
*
Montreal was boring, as far as vampire clubs went. There were only seven vampires in the whole city and therefore only a small club to cater for them. There were no rooms to take the donors into. There was no music playing to watch them dance erotically. The place was like a smoking parlour of old, and Lazarus didn't appreciate the fancy woodwork of the chairs or side-tables. He just wanted to drink and fuck. Ben found a nightclub that was better, but they had to be more careful because nobody knew what they were until it was too late to do anything about it.
Lazarus shook Ben awake. "They're here. Maybe a couple of buildings over."
Ben opened his eyes, feeling lethargic and uncomfortable. "What time is it?"
"Three in the afternoon."
"Then they're sleeping. Let me fucking sleep, too."
But Lazarus was insistent and Ben grumbled his way into the shower. The thick curtains remained drawn as he got himself prepped for meeting this unknown fledgling of Lazarus'. His sire had told him every now and then one of his fledges would hunt him down again. Sometimes to reconnect, sometimes to argue. There was always a reason. Ben hoped it wouldn't be a fight. He was the youngest of all of Lazarus' fledges. He hadn't made another since making Ben. It made him feel both special and vulnerable.
With a long black leather overcoat over a pale blue sweater, blue-jeans and black boots, Ben completed his look with a navy scarf and beanie. He made Lazarus put a jacket on over his button-down white shirt and blue-jeans. His cowboy boots were a long-lasting survivor of Lazarus' usual fashion statement.
As soon as the sun was down they headed out together to discover who the fuck was tailing them.
Lazarus led Ben into the hotel Kerr and Win was staying at, and sensed whoever it was was downstairs. Unusual. They headed for the stairs rather than the elevator, and Lazarus zeroed in on Win - still not knowing who it was.
The whole trip had taken about ten minutes.
It was Ben who saw him first, even though Lazarus was in the lead. He froze in his shock and sent the other's name: Win?
Win looked around in surprise, his expression showing Ben that he hadn't expected to be discovered this way. Ben strode over to him, grabbed him by his sweater and threw him down onto the ground beside his shitty car. Win cried out as Ben pounced on him, straddling him high on the chest and with his fist poised to beat Win's face to a bloody pulp.
"Wait! Wait! Can't you smell him on me?" Win said.
Ben hadn't really been paying attention to what Win smelled like, but as soon as he said it, Ben was very aware of a mortal smell upon his fledge brother. A very familiar mortal smell.
"Why would I care? He left me," he said, but he was intrigued enough not to start punching. Yet.
"But he left his number. Why didn't you call?" Win replied. Ben frowned and turned his head to look at Lazarus.
"I might have torn up the note," his sire confessed.
Ben was aggravated. "Fuck you, Lazarus. You knew I wanted him."
"I've brought him to you. I... I drove him here for you, in this car. He's upstairs, right now he's... he's getting ready for you. I... please, I just want to be with you again."
"With Lazarus, you mean," Ben spat.
"Nawww," Lazarus said, leaning against Win's car and watching the display. It was kind of hot seeing Ben on top of Win. Like the good old days. "I like it when you're possessive."
"I won't do it again. I'll take whatever you give me. I won't try and... and..."
"You won't try and have him leave me again?" Ben prompted. "You won't try and turn him against me, again? You won't use him to kill my fucking family, again?" Ben picked up Win's head by his hair and slammed it down on the concrete. Win groaned but didn't fight back. "I told you I never wanted to see your fucking face again."
"But you let me come back," Win said, speaking through the fog. His head was pounding. "Please. Kerr is going to come back any second."
Ben hesitated. He needed time to think about what he wanted to do.
"Fine. Come with us and tell me why you thought having sex with Kerr on the way here would make me more likely to take him back."
Win's heart quailed even as Ben got off him and pulled him to his feet. He shut the back car door before going with Lazarus and Ben back to their hotel. Literally two buildings over.
*
Sitting in the armchair and not feeling so dazed anymore, Win's gaze moved between Lazarus sitting on the bed with his back to the headboard and Ben standing in the middle of the room, his arms crossed. The leather coat had been shrugged off and hung up back in the closet. That side of Ben hadn't changed, Win noted.
He'd just finished telling Lazarus and Ben the whole story, not quite going into the detail but also not skipping anything. He was up to the Jack part when Kerr opened the back of Win's car to discover Win wasn't there. Two minutes later Win was done talking and Ben huffed, though he was quite pleased about everything and unable to hide it from either of the two vampires in the room with him.
He looked at Lazarus. "I want him. For however long, I want Kerr to come with us."
Win followed Ben's gaze and his stomach flopped in his nervousness, hoping Lazarus would bargain for his presence.
"He doesn't like playing with me," Lazarus complained.
"I'll play with you," Win offered. Perhaps a bit keener than he should've, because Ben gave him a sharp look. "Look in my head, Ben. I miss being with you both. I know it won't go back to quite how it was before... but you liked it when I was around. I'll do whatever you want."
Ben's eyes narrowed. "Whatever I want?" he challenged.
Win hesitated, then nodded.
"I'll test that," Ben said ominously. "Okay, do whatever Laz wants for now. I'm going to find Kerr without Win's influence around."
"You coming back here for the night?" Laz asked, welcoming Win when he crawled on the bed to hug him.
Ben shrugged. "If not, we'll meet back here tomorrow night. I want to catch that ship."
*
Ben returned to the hotel where Win and Kerr were supposed to be staying and moved to the front desk. He asked for Kerr Galvin and had the staff ring his room. He didn't know if the mortal would go up there upon finding his pet vampire had ditched him, or if he'd left a message for Win. If he wasn't in his room, Ben would request any messages left for him, using Win's name.
-
Kerr jumped when the phone beside him rang. He was sprawled on the bed watching TV, passing time until Win came back. He'd been surprised to find the car empty... but it hadn't shocked him. He'd been doing his best to think positively about Win's absence and not get too caught up in worrying. The TV wasn't really helping but it was better than nothing.
Thinking it was his friend calling from downstairs, he pounced on the handset, lifting it to his ear. "Win?" he cried.
An efficient-sounding voice answered. "I'm sorry to disturb you, Mister Galvin. This is Sarana from the front desk, I was just ringing to confirm you, uh, had everything you need?"
Kerr frowned. It suddenly occurred to him that Win might've left a message for him. "I'm fine... did my friend leave a message for me?"
"Not that I'm aware, sir, no."
"Okay then. Thanks anyway," Kerr said in disappointment and hung up.
Sarana smiled at Ben as she also hung up. "He's in his room," she confirmed.
When there was a knock at Kerr's door a few minutes later, he bounded to answer it with a grin, expecting it to be Win. Knowing he might have news about Ben and Lazarus, he was excited, his heart pounding. He struck a playful pose as he pulled the door open, reaching one arm up to rest his hand on the top of it and leaning his hip against its edge as he spoke. "Where the ffff-" was as far as he got in asking Win where the fuck he'd been. He whipped his hand back off the door's top and stood to attention, his eyes widening. "Ben," he breathed stupidly, his gaze lowering over the other vampire hungrily.
All the air seemed to have left his body. He'd forgotten just how beautiful the other man was.
-
Ben was surprised at the lack of security in this particular hotel when he was simply given a room number. These trusting Canadians. Armed with a name, anybody could be after Kerr Galvin - even people he didn't want to see. Judging by Win's story, Kerr had gone out of his way to see Ben.
He liked that.
"Aren't you going to invite me in?" he asked, his gaze raking over the mortal's form. He liked how Kerr was flustered and then invited him to come in. Ben moved into the room, which was modest but not tiny. He noted that there was a king-sized bed and not two queen beds. How cosy for Win and Kerr. He moved all the way to the foot of the bed before turning around and looking at the man he'd invited to stay but had run off instead. He'd even taken Kerr's advice, leaving the country and deciding on returning to Europe.
Who knew it was going to be a race?
"Win's with Lazarus. We caught him in the carpark and took him to ours. He spun an interesting story," Ben said, removing his coat and doubling it before tossing it onto the chair opposite the bed. He had plans for what would go on that bed, and he didn't want his coat in the way. "You look really good."
Kerr looked fucking amazing, actually, and it wasn't lost on Ben how much effort would've gone into that. It excited him that Kerr would go to so much trouble on just the hope of getting back together with Ben. It went beyond flattering. Ben took it as the highest compliment, but he didn't let his reaction go beyond a sexy smile.
-
"You too," Kerr managed. "Cool coat."
God, I sound lame. Fucking get it together, you've spoken to him before.
"What'd Win tell you?" he asked curiously, taking a step closer. It was like Ben had a force field around him and he didn't have the ability to break in. Or maybe it was guts he lacked. Either way, he didn't dare broach the distance between them, no matter how much he wanted to touch the vampire. This intimidation was familiar, though.
-
"That he was preparing you for our hedonistic lifestyle," Ben said with a soft laugh. He pulled off his sweater, revealing a white t-shirt beneath, and tossed it onto the coat without bothering to fold it. "He said you dropped everything to chase after me. That you gave up the option of becoming an Oligarchy donor, of having a cushy life and being with Win. That you were angry with him for what happened with Jack."
Ben sat on the bed and took off his shoes and then his socks, watching Kerr's reaction to his words. "Don't be so surprised. Win's a malleable sort. He becomes whatever you want him to be. But he makes mistakes when he can't figure out what you want... or if you don't know what you want," Ben said. "But he couldn't become me, could he? He would never satisfy you."
Ben took off his t-shirt and threw it at Kerr's chest.
-
Kerr frowned. What Ben said was true but it seemed like Win had twisted their tale in his favour somewhat. Perhaps Kerr had misread him and he had been manipulating him from the beginning; perhaps Ben was the one applying the twist. Either way, Kerr had felt like he'd made his own lifestyle choices, rather than being 'prepared'. Now he was feeling doubtful yet again.
He blinked when he automatically caught Ben's shirt. He looked Ben over, his body quickening as he recalled being pressed against that chest, enclosed in those arms... his gaze lowered to Ben's still-clothed crotch and he flushed. His ears felt hot. He swallowed and carried the shirt to the chair, laying it atop his other items of clothing.
"I never wanted him to be anyone but himself," Kerr argued quietly, stepping closer to Ben. His fingers twitched as he wondered if he should remove his own shirt but chose not to. He stepped again, coming close enough that Ben could touch him. "He was doing better at that than you give him credit for," he murmured, unable to resist reaching a hand out and pressing the tips of his fingers to Ben's shoulder. He held his breath, watching his fingers like he was staring at a work of art. "He's my friend."
-
Ben's tugged at Kerr's shirt but not to take it off - rather, his hands slid under the loose material and then travelled up his stomach and to his chest. With both arms extended, he hung his head, then brought them down. Cool fingers tracing Kerr's sculpted body all the way down to the top of his leather pants. Tipping his head to the side and peering up, Ben breathed a scoff of laughter at Kerr's announcement of friendship.
"Everybody is Win's friend. Anyone who talks to him longer than ten minutes is Win's friend," he said. "He probably even thinks of me as his friend. But he's not my friend." Ben started unfastening Kerr's pants. The bed might be King-sized but because the room was so modest, it didn't have a massively plush pillow-top so Ben was at just the right sitting height to wrap his mouth around Kerr's cock. "But he brought you to me, so, I'll treat him nice for a while." Once Kerr was freed, Ben engulfed him, grabbing his hips to encourage Kerr back and forth.
-
Kerr frowned, fighting his every desirous instinct in order to grasp the side of Ben's head in both of his hands, fingers twisting in his short hair to better his grip, and tilt his head back so that the vampire was looking up at him. He leant down, his face in kissing proximity to Ben's as he spoke.
"Everyone isn't my friend," he hissed, staring at Ben's mouth. His tone and his words were harsh but everything in him was soft and liquid, wishing to flow into Ben and all the way through him, to stay nestled there indefinitely. He hadn't expected to be defending his relationship with Win so quickly but Ben's dismissive words angered him enough to fight. "Win is my friend, I said. I'd really appreciate you being nice to him. For me," he whispered, pressing a chaste kiss to Ben's lips.
It was a risk and part of him expected to be punished for his impertinence but he also wanted to test Win's theory that Ben would be happy to see him. Would he be happy enough to give him something he demanded? They hadn't even exchanged hellos, how are yous or gee, it's nice to see yous. Nope, it was just, 'you look good, lemme suck on you now'. This man made Kerr's head spin in the worst - and best - ways.
-
Ben was surprised in a most exceptional way. After chasing him for so long, risking everything in the hope he wouldn’t be turned away, and Kerr was to be so bold as to make demands? On him? He was both fascinated and appalled. He struggled with the request enough to crawl backwards on the bed, away from Kerr and his sexy body.
It took him a moment to have a reply. “You don’t even know who he is. Nobody does, he reinvents himself so much. But fine. If you want me to be nice to the man who brought you to me as a bargaining chip, I can do that for you.” Ben raised an eyebrow and crawled further back on the bed until his shoulders hit the headboard. “Is there anything else you want me to do for you?” He asked not so innocently.
-
"You're not telling me anything I don't know," he smiled at Ben, meaning the bit about him being a bargaining chip. He tilted his head, making a show of considering what else Ben could do for him. He missed Ben's hands on his body already and the vampire had only crawled farther up the bed. Was he punishing his insolence? His movements made Kerr think he was - and also wonder if he could improve Ben's mood as easily as he'd soured it.
He tugged the tail of his shirt out of his pants and toyed with it a little, coyly lifting it up his body, flexing his abs and cupping his pecs - revealing one at a time. The peep show didn't last long as he grew bored with his shirt billowing everywhere, so he yanked it off and tossed it aside.
"You could... tell me how you felt when you realised I'd disobeyed your note... and left you," he sang thoughtfully, his left hand caressing his torso in much the same way Ben had been before he'd backed off. His right moved to his cock, bringing it back to life as he smeared Ben's spit along it. He pouted at the vampire. "And tell me why you didn't text me."
-
Ben's gaze dropped to Kerr's chest and lingered there. He thought about running his tongue over Kerr's hot flesh, tracing abs and the curve of his muscular breast, along his collarbone, to his neck.
Kerr's words pulled him out of his adoring stare and his eyes narrowed. "When I realised you were gone I was angry at you. I felt betrayed. Lazarus warned me that you might have a change of heart about me when out of my influence, and I believed him. Why wouldn't I? You were a hunter after all. In the light of day you might've regretted how I corrupted you."
After a moment, he answered the final question with a smooth lie. "I was so furious that when I found the note I ripped it up and flushed it, so there was no calling you after that. I wish I hadn't done that, though. I wanted you in my bed, warming me up. I wanted to know what you would do with me, once you had me to yourself. Now I know the truth; that you'd rather talk than fuck." He shrugged. "Wouldn't be my choice. I'd save the talk for later."
Ben's face slowly broke into a smile.
-
Kerr could only marvel at the way Ben tried to manipulate him, telling him it wouldn't be his choice to talk like civilised beings who'd managed to have some rather fascinating debates and discussions before sex was all he could think about. Ben had stimulated Kerr's mind as much as his body and him implying that it wasn't the same - or was of lesser importance - to him was just him being a fucking asshole. Kerr would've fought him on principle... ah, but that fucking smile undid him. Talking wasn't nearly as interesting as what Kerr wanted to do with Ben, it was true.
Still, he'd fight as long as he could. On principle.
Smirking, Kerr padded into the bathroom to collect his lube and then sauntered back out. He paused by the bed long enough to swipe his socks off using the friction of the carpet and then he stepped onto the bed and sank gracefully down, straddling Ben's thighs. He thought his face an impassive mask but, when his packed ass made contact with Ben's legs, a shot of lust rippled through him, dilating his pupils, flushing his skin and causing his facial expression to hitch breathlessly. Ben would notice but Kerr thought himself in charge; to prove it, he undid Ben's jeans and pulled his cock out. Shuffling closer, he drizzled a generous amount of lube over his and Ben's, stroking them until they were firm enough to bump against one another; he lined them up, Ben's on top of his, and started stroking them both simultaneously, his eyelids drooping and his cheeks flushing as he watched what he was doing.
"You didn't corrupt me," he argued huskily. "I left... to protect you. It cost me everything. So I guess... in the end... you freed me." It was becoming harder to concentrate on the talking, with his hands slowly wanking their slick rods and nudging his ass on Ben's thigh. He was quivering rather badly, actually.
Apparently, his principles couldn't stand in the face of pure, wanton lust after all.
Ben pulled him close, their kiss deep and complicated, leaving Kerr hovering on the brink of insanity. The feeling must've been mutual because Ben set about freeing them from their clothes with singular determination. When he discovered Kerr's preparations for him, his smile was the most predatory expression Kerr had yet seen. He took full advantage of the time saved, needing no further encouragement to deposit a load in him that felt like a brand of ownership. Kerr relished it.
Even while they recuperated, the touching didn't stop and the talking didn't resume. Lost in muted light, in the bathtub, on the bed, against the wall, splayed sluttily over an armchair, on the floor, in the shower and back on the bed, they touched and kissed and fucked until they'd completely reacquainted themselves physically and their bodies were little more than spent husks. Kerr ordered a feast from room service and Ben drank from him, leading to a fourth and previously-impossible orgasm from him. Satiated, they collapsed against one another and fell into a sleep resembling a coma.
~*~
When Kerr awoke, it was late afternoon and he was starving. He ordered a breakfast-themed meal from room service - bacon, scrambled eggs, french toast and syrup - and crawled back into bed with Ben. The sun was still up, so he wasn't expecting him to awaken but he wanted to be near him. He needed it, like a dog that could never stray far from its owner. It felt like that was what Ben was now; his master. He stank of the vampire's issue but he didn't want to shower and remove the scent just yet. Like a dog, he wished to roll himself in the pungent aroma and relish his whole-hearted capitulation to his sovereign.
None of the anxiety or distance or doubt was there in him now, not when they were alone and he was Ben's entire focus. He loved him in the way all simple beasts are devoted to their masters and the thought of being parted from him caused a sharp pang of anxiety to pierce his heart. So did the thought of sharing him. Logically, he knew that their reunion with Win and Lazarus was inevitable but Kerr wanted to delay it as long as possible. He wished to stay in the fetid nest of their repeated coupling forever. Even when he collected his food and brought it inside to eat it, as much of his body as possible touched Ben at all times. When he was finished, he went to the toilet and then hurried back to the bed to curl up against Ben again, his full belly and level of emotional contentment allowing him to sleep even though his body was complaining about some deep and abiding aches.
~*~
When Kerr woke next, Ben was staring at him, silvery-blue eyes intent and thoughtful. Kerr smiled automatically. "You're awake," he said contentedly, leaning forward to kiss. His body hadn't recovered enough from the night before to do anything other than kiss, but he didn't do it in the pursuit of physical repletion. He needed Ben to feed his soul. I love you, danced on his tongue, sent there by his stupid, bewitched heart but he didn't give it voice. It was bad enough he was contemplating feeling it; saying it would be suicide, heading into Lazarus' vicinity. He'd just humiliate himself. Despite knowing all that, the urge remained. He expected Ben to say something to change his mind and his feelings and looked encouragingly at him.
-
Ben returned the kisses readily. As focussed on Kerr as he was, Ben felt the desire and adoration projecting at him. He didn't have the words to go with it but didn't need them. Kerr belonged to him now, this much was obvious. He hadn't actively sought him out - he'd intended on fooling around with him only for a night or maybe two when picking him up at Risk, and then Kerr had become intensely more interesting and complex on multiple levels. He wondered if his relationship with Kerr was more like Lazarus with Win, or like Lazarus with him. Lazarus was bewitched, Ben knew, and right now Kerr was on the same path... but he'd come with Win and had made a request on his behalf.
Ben wanted to look in his memories, to see what Win and Kerr had been up to when they'd travelled across the country to meet up with him and Lazarus. But it would ruin his mystery and Kerr had very little mystery left. Ben thought he might eventually tire of him but he'd already decided that he was going to keep him around for a while. He liked how Kerr was looking at him and what he felt for him. He liked that he'd captured a slayer's heart. Kerr made him feel invincible and had become his favourite toy. He'd also been lucky enough (or wise enough) to bring Lazarus' favourite toy with him.
Hopefully, the four of them could have some fun.
"There's a ship leaving tonight at midnight. It's called Royal Majestic and is bound for Europe. Lazarus and I have booked passage. We can arrange for you and Win to come on board with us. We have a suite so we can all stay together. And play together. Just so you know, I'm not leaving Lazarus so you have to find a way to deal with him. I don't want him upset so you will do whatever you need to to stop that from happening. Those are my terms." Ben looked at Kerr steadily for his answer.
-
Kerr took a deep breath and swallowed as he exhaled, his Adam's apple bobbing and his throat clicking loudly in the quiet room. Lazarus. He'd been telling himself much the same thing but hearing Ben say it made it so much more terrifying, somehow. He'd be expected to please a man he feared just to appease a man he loved... but who didn't love him. Ben loved Lazarus. He needed to cement that in his head and dispel any frivolous notions of his own importance in the situation.
He was the only mortal, between three vampires. The literal meat in the sandwich. But he was only one man, he would surely become boring before long? Once he'd acquiesced to Lazarus' wishes enough, he was confident the ancient one would look elsewhere for his entertainment. As long as Ben didn't grow bored with him, Kerr could endure some appeasing Lazarus time in order to be close to the man he really wanted.
He'd mentally vowed he'd do anything for Ben, to be close to him, and a ship to Europe was certainly a shock, especially one in which he'd be sharing close quarters with Lazarus. How would everyone fit when the boredom with each other kicked in and others were brought in for entertainment? How long did a voyage like that take, anyway?
Kerr's eyes fell closed briefly and he took another, steadying breath before he opened them and smiled at Ben. It wasn't his usual, open smile, but it was genuine. "Of course. Whatever you wish, I'll do it for you," he promised solemnly. "How long is the boat ride?"
-
Ben's smile was savage when Kerr agreed to it all. Still, the idea of Lazarus getting his hooks into Kerr too soon caused a spark of possessiveness that Ben hadn't experienced very often. He would follow his instincts and see what happened.
"The one we've booked is seventeen days but we're getting off five days earlier when we arrive in Marseille. It's one of a couple of stops that remain until after dark. We'll leave at dusk and check in with the elder council to announce ourselves. If they aren't opposed to us staying, we'll find a place to live." Ben caressed Kerr's face, his palm brushing up over his cheek and into his hair, gripping it tightly and pulling Kerr close so they could kiss again.
When he finally pulled away, he released Kerr and rolled off the bed immediately after, moving around the room to collect his clothes and dress in them.
"Come on, let's get you some things for our journey. We can buy whatever you're missing when in France." Ben was eager to take Kerr shopping. They'd showered after falling into bed one last exhausted time so didn't need to this dawning. They would shop, then they would meet up with Lazarus and Win, and then the games could begin.
-
Kerr was distracted from imagining how those twelve days (nights) together in close confines might go by the mention of an elder council. Another vampire organisation to be impressed by. It was overwhelming but thrilling, the thought that Lazarus' group would need to ingratiate themselves before they'd be allowed to stay in France. France! Kerr had a passport in his bag but only because he sometimes had to go to Canada and Mexico on hunts. He'd never been off the continent. New countries, new supernatural governments and new beginnings sounded too good to be true. He hoped he'd be allowed to stay and that Win would, too.
The kiss stole his breath and he was left feeling bereft and dazed when Ben moved to get dressed. He frowned at the mention of shopping, disliking the notion that it was a tactic being used to get them out of the hotel. Why couldn't they stay in until it was time to go to the boat? Still, he wasn't game to argue outright. "I pretty much carry everything with me, in my duffel and backpack. I have, um, about five changes of clothes? Some extra shirts, workout gear and underwear. What else will I need for the cruise?" he asked warily.
He hadn't been on one before but it was just a vehicle transporting them from one place to another, like a car, right? Did he need a tuxedo for dinners or bathers for a pool or something? Car... "What will happen to Win's car? He loves that thing, he'll need to store it somewhere here," Kerr advised, thinking of his friend's beast of a station wagon. After the adventures they'd had in it, Kerr was rather fond of the car, too.
-
"You'll need suits for the formal nights and trunks if you want to go swimming. Otherwise you shouldn't need much. You won't wear much in the suite anyway," Ben said with a leer, pulling on his pants and doing them up. "We can organise laundry to be done for us so you don't need a lot. But I want to dress you up in nice clothes that'll be fun for me to take off you," he said, then gave Kerr a broad smile that lit up his whole face.
The smile disappeared when he scoffed at the mention of Win's car. "He can get himself another one in France," he said with a wave of his hand. Cars weren't important, they were replaceable. Ben sat on an armchair to put on his socks and shoes. "He might love his car but he would give anything up to join us. Even you," Ben said. He didn't like the bond that those two had. Win had ingratiated himself with Lazarus and now Kerr seemed to like him enough to think of him. Ben used to like him too, but that was over with. "Come on. Your legs should be working now," he said with a mischievous glint.
-
Kerr blushed at the way Ben smiled at him. When he put it like that, dressing up sounded fun after all. His leather pants had impressed both Ben and Win so far, so he was suddenly eager to find out what else he could wear that they'd like. Ben's dismissal of Win's affection for his car and another mention of how Win didn't care about him enough to rank his importance as higher than Lazarus' left Kerr frowning. Ben really couldn't see any value in the other vampire and though Kerr didn't blame him, he wished Ben would stop trying to alter his opinion of his friend.
"Yeah, okay," he grinned and got out of the bed. He pulled on underwear, jeans and a snug maroon long-sleeved shirt with a few buttons left undone at his throat, revealing a portion of chest hair. Knowing he was likely to find the weather cool, he also pulled on his only jacket, a well-loved black leather one. He ran fingers through his hair as he pulled on socks and his boots, grabbing his wallet, room key and phone before following Ben out the door. "I'll text him about it," he murmured as they headed for the lift, opening up his messages with Win. Seeing what was on the screen last brought a smile to his face. Oh, how things had changed.
Peripherally aware of the lift arriving, he got into the box beside Ben, head down until he finished his message. Heya! I hear we're going on a cruise with Ben and Lazarus to FRANCE O.O You going to come and get your car and store it or just leave it in the hotel carpark? You need me to do anything? Once it was done, he slid it into his jacket pocket and smiled at Ben, the hand not still holding the phone (so he could feel if Win texted back) sidling over to hold Ben's. His heart beat a little faster as he anticipated this move might be a bit clingy and Ben could flick him away.
-
Ben was pleased when Kerr dressed and joined him. Not so pleased when Kerr's thoughts strayed to Win enough that he was now texting him ridiculous messages about his fucking car. Ben didn't like it when attentions were divided away from him, and if Lazarus was now reviving his relationship with Win and Kerr was also charmed by the vampire, then what did Ben have left?
Scraps. He would not accept scraps. That was supposed to be what Win lapped up, not him.
When Kerr didn't even put the phone away, hanging onto it instead of shoving it into a back pocket, it irked Ben even more. His face was an impassive mask as he was smiled at and his hand taken. Ben accepted it and squeezed it a little harder than he needed to - not quite crushing Kerr's fingers but not making the hold exactly comfortable either. He walked at a brisk pace, leading Kerr through the lobby and outside onto the street, pulling the mortal along behind him, heading for the street mall that wasn't too far away which held a number of opulent shops. After five minutes of this pace, he calmed and slowed his steps to something more normal, his cool hand adjusting to better fit Kerr's warm one.
He even threw Kerr a look finally, though he wasn't smiling so much as coolly regarding the mortal's reaction to the treatment and then change.
-
At first, Kerr thought the tight grip was a mistake. “Uh...?” was emitted before the dragging began and then it was very clear that it was no mistake. He gritted his teeth and lengthened his strides, determined to keep up with the vampire without jogging. His longer strides were his saving grace but that didn’t mean he felt any sort of victory.
By the time Ben calmed down enough to look at him again, Kerr’s cheeks were flushed with humiliation and his head held rigidly. He hoped Ben would put his excessive colour down to exertion because he didn’t enjoy the fact that he was completely submitting to being treated like a naughty child. He was loathe to let Ben know he could treat him this way... but the real sting was that he could.
“Just so I’m really clear on this,” Kerr ground out, his voice thick with restraint and embarrassment, “am I being punished for being nice to Win, ignoring you or because I continued to give attention to a topic you thought unimportant?” He managed to look Ben in the eye but he knew the vampire would see how raw and emotional he was feeling because of it.
-
Ben was annoyed and impressed by Kerr's reaction. He'd expected the slayer to remain cowed and stoic but he addressed Ben directly. Already he was a different beast to what Ben was more commonly used to. The annoyance plummeted and admiration grew in its place. And respect. It earnt Kerr a smile, tiny as it was. Ben stopped walking and moved aside on the footpath so he could lower his voice and offer Kerr the explanation he deserved.
"Win will challenge me throughout our time together. He will say his apologies to me, beg my forgiveness, then, once he considers himself safe - perhaps when we are on the ship - he will compete with me for Lazarus' attention, and likely compete with me for yours as well."
Ben held back as to why Win would do what he did. There was a possibility he might be wrong, that Win would leave Kerr alone, that he wouldn't fall back to old habits, but Ben doubted it. A lot of Win's behaviour would depend on Lazarus, but he didn't want to tell Kerr that either. It was already obvious, or would become obvious as the nights progressed.
At the same time, Ben could use Win's predictability and manipulate it so that Kerr would have an easier time with their sire; to remain out of his direct focus, or at least appreciated indirectly, via Ben and Win.
"So I don't like that you think of him when you're with me," he confessed. He supposed Kerr might like to hear such a thing.
-
A muscle started to twitch just above Kerr's left eyebrow and he reached up to scratch and press at it, enjoying the relief of the pressure behind it, even though it hurt. Ben's words were lovely in their possessiveness - just the kind of thing he'd treasure later, when he was alone and feeling insecure, turning the intention over and over in his mind like a gnome with a precious gem - but all he could hear right now were warning bells.
There was a fight coming and he was going to be in the middle of it, because he'd agreed to this ridiculous situation. Hell, he'd walked into it eagerly. The only way out was through but that didn't mean he couldn't register an objection, even if it fell on deaf ears.
"And I don't like the fact that I'm going to get chewed on while you two decide who's the bigger dog," he asserted, his thumb roving over the back of Ben's reflexively. "It's already started and I'm here, with you, alone. Because I want to be with you, alone, but we both know that's not how it's going to be. So don't punish me for being caught in the middle and making the best of it. I get along with you both. Yes, I can do better at compartmentalising and I will, in future, but you know, we mortals have a saying you could benefit from; life's too short. Just because you literally can hold a grudge for eternity, doesn't mean you should."
It was a risk, telling a being so superior to him in every way that he should just get over his shit and learn to move forward but Kerr was already bearing the brunt of their animosity. It was only going to get worse once they were together. If he didn't say something now he never would and they'd just rip him apart. He lowered his gaze, unable to look Ben in the eye when they both knew he was being defiant. He and Win had had some volatile moments while they worked out the dynamic of their relationship; he supposed it was now his turn to endure it with Ben (even though he really just wanted to go back to the part where they were kissing and it was easier).
-
Ben's eyes narrowed at the first sentence and a thought floated through his mind
you didn't seem to mind being chewed on last night
but he held his tongue because he knew more was coming. He was right but he didn't like it. He glared at Kerr throughout the short speech but his expression only grew seriously dark when Kerr dared to tell him not to hold a grudge. He obviously didn't fucking know what Win had done or else he would never have demanded Ben should forgive. And quite suddenly Ben understood it would drive a wedge between Kerr and Win as well. It relieved him to understand that Kerr didn't know Win's extremes. He relaxed once again. His stormy expression softened and he broke eye contact with Kerr to look farther up the street.
"Being caught between two beautiful men isn't punishment," Ben said, excluding Lazarus on purpose. He tugged on Kerr's hand again, but this time they walked shoulder to shoulder and with entwined fingers to the first shop Ben had intended on taking the mortal.
He was measured and a few off-the-rack suits were chosen for him - Ben watching as Kerr came out of the dressing room several times in sexy suits, twirling and flicking shirt collars or jacket lapels. Ben used his vampiric charm to make the tailor believe he'd been paid for the suits and the alterations that were to be made to it, to better fit Kerr. After that they next headed for a designer store that sold one brand of clothing - the designer's own - and they bought a pair of trunks after Kerr tried them on and Ben surprised him in the change room, where he used his mouth on Kerr, smirking when the mortal could barely stand afterwards. Good thing there was a bench seat in there.
"Anything else you want?" Ben asked as they exited that shop. "Besides me, that is?"
-
Kerr's head was spinning, and not just because of Ben's attentions in the dressing room. Firstly, there'd been the non-argument, reminding him sharply that Ben was not Win. If he'd upset this vampire with his advice, he'd never know it, because Ben only let him see what he wanted him to see. It unnerved him, to know that he was besotted with such a master manipulator and if he thought about it too hard, he'd likely drown in doubt.
Secondly, there was the guilt over not paying for the suits. He'd tried to argue that he had money - he had close to forty thousand dollars saved, in fact, since he lived from job to well-paid job so frugally - but Ben had merely waved his objections away. Being a thief didn't sit well with him but he also didn't want to argue with Ben and seem so... mortal. He'd started on this paved road to hell when he'd let Lazarus and Ben go, he supposed it was who he was now (but he hated it). Paying for the bathers had been small consolation.
Thirdly, there was his complete surrender to Ben's will and the tsunami of adoration he felt whenever he looked into the vampire's stunning eyes. He'd have another fight on his hands before long; hanging onto his sense of self. Everything was about Ben and that seemed perfectly natural to all except one tiny, rational part of him. It was a struggle to hang onto it - and this was only night one.
"Maybe a decent suitcase?" he offered, kissing Ben's hand and grinning in response to his arrogant (and accurate) quip. He knew his duffel had seen better days and if he got a hard-shelled case, he could use the duffel for dirty clothes. The suits currently hooked on one finger at his shoulder would also have somewhere worthy to hang.
Ben was agreeable so they located a bag store (having to walk quite a distance to find it, since it was such a specialty shop) and he bought a large, shiny red case with wheels and a retractable handle. Leaving the padding in the store, Kerr hung his suits in it and dragged the case behind him as they left the store, finding the murmur of its wheels along the smooth concrete agreeable. As they retraced their steps, they passed a garish sex shop. Kerr nudged Ben's arm with his elbow and nodded towards it.
"Perhaps we should go in there? Have you got enough lube for all of us? Perhaps you'd also like me to buy some assless chaps and a cowboy hat so I can dance for you?" he joked. Ben might be into him - or everyone - wearing costumes, he might not, but Kerr was serious about the lube. Could they ever have too much?
-
Ben regarded Kerr with interest. He knew Lazarus was into such toys and would likely pilfer them from Kerr and use them on everyone, likely starting with Kerr himself. The plug Kerr had used had let Ben know that Kerr wasn't as conventional as he'd first suspected. The man liked a bit of kink. He was interested to see how far it went; he doubted Kerr could match Lazarus' preference of pushing boundaries.
"I'm not really into cowboys," Ben said but didn't want to spoil the mood ending on a negative. "I prefer more clothes on a man so more can come off. I like something more... modern, dark and dangerous. After this store," Ben said, moving close to Kerr so that they stood with their fronts touching, Ben's hand on Kerr's shoulder so he could whisper his request in his ear, "we'll dress you up like a comic book slayer and you can slay me."
After Kerr had left him, Ben's thoughts and fantasies had returned him to the cage, to a point where Kerr hadn't held himself back and had taken advantage of Ben during his imprisonment. Angry, dominating, hate-filled sex. Ben knew he would experience the other side of that soon, with Win, but it had been a long, long time since he'd been able to push Lazarus' buttons to have him fuck that way. There was something primal and exciting about submitting to a true dominant. Kerr was the only mortal who might tap into that. As long as it was just play, of course.
-
Kerr wasn't entirely sure how he was to 'slay' Ben but he'd merely raised his eyebrows and not said anything. What did a comic book slayer even dress like?
Still, he perused the costume section of the store and found a lovely velvet cape with a large collar and a string to tie it at the throat - that would do for a traditional vampire, he supposed - and a woodsman's outfit, with a foam axe, shirt and brown vest. Would that suffice for a comic book slayer? The only other thing he could think of were handcuffs - he already had some real ones of those, and some iron manacles so he didn't purchase new ones. He showed Ben the two outfits he'd found, seeking his input
approval
before he bought. They also got numerous containers of lube, one of them favoured and edible (supposedly).
Once they'd had a good enough look around, they went to the register, Kerr determined to pay for his purchases. As they waited, he broached the last thing he wanted.
"So, I guess we should organise my passage on this cruise. I'll have my own berth, right?" he hazarded. Ben had said he could share their suite but he'd decided he wasn't comfortable with that thought. He didn't want to disturb them with his comings and goings during the day and he'd have to eat... and use the bathroom. With their sensitive senses, in a confined room, he was already afraid he'd fart and his biology dictated it would only get worse.
He also thought he'd like some time to himself, to recuperate. It was evident even from tonight that vampires recovered from wild sexual stunts much faster than humans; he was still sore and Ben was rallying. Besides, Lazarus wouldn't trust him to sleep the day with them, would he?
-
As it turned out, Ben didn't approve of the woodsman's outfit. He queried how it was modern and dark before choosing something that looked more like it belonged in a movie called Matrix. Ben had left the costume section behind, turning his nose up at the cape and other costumes and headed for the leather clothing. Kerr ended up with a leather waistcoat while Ben made comments about the leather pants he already possessed, and a long leather overcoat. The sex-shop was almost a department store considering the size of it. Ben had laughed about it being in a town with a small population and a a lot of kink.
Ben argued the payment, saying Kerr should save his money for a large purchase that couldn't merely be charmed. Something like a down payment on a house, he said. Something that needed some kind of proof that the money existed. If Kerr continued being resistant, Ben would let him pay, but would keep the resistance in mind for later.
"Why do you want your own cabin?" Ben challenged. After it was explained to him, he shook his head. "No. If you want to be with me, then you be with me. Not next door to me, or potentially even further away."
-
Kerr was very pleased to get out of the leather section with the vest and coat, though he lingered over the harnesses, collars and leashes. Whips and ball gags didn't do it for him but the idea of a collared, leashed pet vampire he could lead around, dominate or pretend was a pony and have his way with appealed to him. He lingered over them but eventually moved on, too shy to broach the subject with Ben after the humiliation of his original choices being scorned. As if powerful vampires would ever be submissive.
He argued about paying, steadfast until Ben said something that struck him. He should save his money for a house. It reminded him that he was going to have a life beyond this cruise and the hiatus that came afterward, that he'd need some sort of security in setting up the rest of his life. He still intended to return to the Oligarchy and apply for their donor program, he figured he could do that until he turned thirty but what then? What did he want his life to be? Somewhere to live was a foundation, even if he couldn't see the exact shape everything else would take yet.
He sighed in defeat and conceded that Ben could help him steal the leather gear and lube. He packed it all in his suitcase then inadvertently got himself into another argument over where he'd stay. His head spun as he struggled to construct his reasons and express them delicately. He was strongly reminded of his time spent watching a caged Ben. It had never been easy between them, there'd always been suspicion, demands and grudging concessions; he shouldn't be surprised it was the same dynamic with Ben outside bars. They were still all about the fascination (though he didn't fully understand what Ben saw in him).
It wasn't in Kerr to be deceptive but because Ben did it, he wondered if it was how he enjoyed being dealt with. Treat people the way you wish to be treated and all that. They were outside the sex warehouse by now, heading back to the hotel room and Kerr stopped as Ben had earlier, hemming the vampire in between him and the glass of the shopfront, using his larger size to his advantage.
"You know I want to be with you. Preferably only with you but don't you think it'd be nice for you to be with just me? To have a space where we could go and it would just be us, even if it's only one night?" he murmured, grasping Ben's hips and pressing his groin against Ben's. "You won't miss me, sleeping beside Lazarus and he won't like me sleeping with you through the day because he'll get pissed off with me coming and going in the afternoons - what if I wake you all? I don't imagine he's going to love me eating, pissing and shitting in his vicinity, either.
"I mean, you could forbid me to leave the room until night but I'll be starving and cranky by the time you wake up. Wouldn't you rather I come back to wake you up happy, dripping and fresh from the pool or just sweaty and hot from sunbaking or with my heart racing from a workout, smelling like daylight?" he entreated, leaning down to kiss his way up Ben's neck towards his ear, then along his jaw to his mouth.
It might've felt wrong, but Kerr was surprised at how easy it was to take this road of enticement rather than brutish, obstinate honesty and fact-based arguments. He doubted it was a good thing that he slid into this role so easily and partially hoped it wouldn't work so that he would be convinced to never give in to this temptation again. Temptation never worked out well, in his previous line of work and it was, indeed, a slippery slope. He could feel it, angling under him even as he lapped at Ben's lips.
-
Ben was surprised enough by the move to be stopped by it, looking up into Kerr's eyes as he made another attempt to convince him about a second berth. This time Kerr was a lot more convincing and Ben responded to this version better. He shifted slightly so he could feel how strongly Kerr had pressed against him, testing the hold and the touch. He didn't fight it, voicing his opinion only when Kerr said something he thought was poetic and silly;
"Daylight doesn't smell like anything," he said softly, but didn't resist the lick upon his lips. He knew what the mortal meant; skin affected by the sun had a different texture and warmth, though it was the surrounds that left more of an impression. Kerr might end up smelling like chlorine or milkshakes or whatever he indulged in that day. Kerr was appealing to the possessive part of Ben and he was getting somewhere because of it.
"Alright, have your own cabin. I'll convince the person in the suite beside us to give it to you and to leave the ship," he said, because that was what having another suite would entail. "Then you can use it as you please."
He wondered if Kerr would invite someone to his suite during the day. He doubted it because there was only so much the human body could take, but it bothered him a little.
-
Kerr opened his mouth to object to Ben cheating someone who'd paid good money to be on the cruise out of their holiday but he closed it before he said anything. Yes, he could pay for his own berth but it probably would be far away from the vampires and he didn't want that. He also didn't want to push his luck. Ben had agreed to give him what he wanted; it was time to show his gratitude.
"Thank you," he whispered, delivering a tender kiss with it. When he pulled back, there was a twinkle in his eye. "So, I was thinking I'd take tonight easy but you already... blew that notion away," he smirked. "How would you have me 'slay' you?" he asked, eager to understand the rules of the game Ben wanted to play so that he could please him. "Get into my leathers, chain you up and... pretend to slay you?" he hazarded, his imagination failing him at the end.
Would it involve some sort of chase? Some fake stabbing? Was Ben wanting actual slaying acting to take place? Was he expected to mount a supposed corpse?? It was kinky but he was up for anything. He just didn't want to get it wrong.
-
"I want you to finish what you never started when I was your prisoner," Ben murmured, his gaze locked on Kerr's lips and hunting another kiss before he continued. "You held yourself back. You had me in cuffs, helpless. Shame you don't have them anymore?" Ben asked, his gaze lifting from Kerr's mouth to his eyes again, hoping that the equipment was still in Kerr's possession. It would make their play a lot more fun if Ben didn't have to pretend not to break out what was holding him... and if he could genuinely stuggle, it would lend towards the fantasy.
Lazarus had thought it funny at the start, that Ben had spoken of his time held captive as something he wanted to recreate. Then the blonde ancient had been angry, reminding Ben that it could've gone very differently. The argument had ended with Lazarus sulking for the rest of the night, refusing to let Ben apologise either verbally or physically. It was then he'd realised that Lazarus had been genuinely worried for Ben's existence... and he was touched. It was as close to 'I love you' as he was going to get.
But that didn't mean Ben's idea had been eradicated. He'd put it aside, something to think about for fun. Kerr showing up had been exactly what he'd hoped for but not dared to imagine would really happen. He was in an extremely happy mood.
-
Kerr's eyebrows lifted in surprise as he listened to Ben's fantasy. He did want to be dominated! Kerr was amazed and a tingle of anticipation shivered through him. He wondered if they should go back into the warehouse for some leather accessories after all. His grin grew, though there was a tinge of apology to it.
"You were never helpless - as, you'll recall, you proved to me when you grabbed me and didn't kill me - but I see what you're getting at. Sorry, I don't have the magic cuffs. I was lucky to get out of the Oligarchy alive, as Win will tell you. Maybe he's got a line on them but I doubt it. I have some others, though. Are you vulnerable to iron?" he enquired.
It was a question he'd always wanted an answer to - he doubted vampires were but still... he'd wondered - but he'd never have guessed he'd get an answer as part of some sexual play. He squeezed Ben's ass, trying to re-imagine himself in the role he'd originally had. Well, sort of. He'd hunted Ben and imprisoned him, sure, but he'd barely been in charge and hadn't ever felt the dominant one. Not with Ben writhing around in his cage like a cat on heat, sending him crazy with lust. He tried to channel his aggressive side.
-
Ben, who had Lazarus available to truly dominate him, didn't want to be truly helpless. He shook his head at iron and answered as well.
"No, not vulnerable in the way you're thinking of - it doesn't weaken me if it touches my skin, but if you get proper shackles with heavy chains, I'm not old enough to break them. Who knows where you'll get them?" He paused. "Hmn, there are a lot of dungeons in France. Maybe we should go on a tour and steal some? Or buy ourselves a bailey to live in that has a small dungeon below and we can play there whenever we like."
He doubted Lazarus would approve but fuck Lazarus. He did whatever Ben wanted anyway. He just had to be treated right outside the playtime Ben had with Kerr and then there wouldn't be a problem. Win would be happy enough distracting Lazarus anyway.
-
Kerr tried to keep his expression as neutral as possible but inside, he did a double take. Stealing through dungeons in France? Buy a bailey to live in so they could play? Contrary to his thoughts, that all sounded a lot more long term than he'd expected. He hadn't ever expected Ben would talk about living with him... he got his wild imaginings under control by telling himself they could do all that in a year. It wasn't like Ben was proposing some sort of life-long commitment. Still, the discussion unsettled him enough to realise that he should probably call his mother and brother tonight, before he sailed away indefinitely. They should at least know he wasn't going to be in the country for a while.
"Sounds like a wonderful plan," he purred, sliding into character. It was an easy fit; he just had to imagine himself back in time and without any moral impediments while watching Ben in the cage. He lifted a hand and threaded it through Ben's hair, getting a firm grip towards the back and giving it a slow tug, intending on pulling his head back at an angle that would leave his throat exposed. "You make a beautiful but fucking aggravating prisoner. I did wish that I had the focus to punish you for the shit you put me through," he whispered. If Ben had allowed him to tip his head back, he would lean down and bite his throat, holding a small morsel of flesh between his teeth until it pinched.
-
"I wasn't aggravating," Ben said even as his head tipped back with Kerr's hair-pulling. Even with Kerr looming over him, he had to cast his eyes down in order to see him. The position made him feel exposed and strangely vulnerable - even though Kerr was mortal. "I was sexy. Am sexy," he murmured. "Less focus, more desire. You were too restrain-ed," Ben critiqued, his final word cutting sharply at the end when Kerr pinched flesh.
Shivers coursed a path down his spine and forced his body to twitch with a pulse of pleasure in Kerr's hold. He stirred in his pants, hardening at the idea of what they could get up to in a real cell (again). Ben wasn't interested in why he wanted the scenario, he only cared that he could access it.
The actual time he'd spent in the cell had been tedious and frustrating. Playing prisoner was certainly a lot more fun than being one.
His hands caressed Kerr's back and shoulders as he was nipped.
-
Kerr's eyebrows flicked as he felt Ben firm up against him. It was confirmation that his moves were working and inspired him to continue.
"Too restrained?" he growled, lifting Ben's head back up so it was easier to access his face. He didn't release his hold on his hair, though. "You'd have preferred it if I showed you how hard you made me? Stroked my cock in front of you where you couldn't reach it because you didn't want to get zapped by the bars? Maybe stood over you and responded to your wanking by treating you like the dirty prisoner you were and cumming all over you?"
He sucked a bit of extra spit onto his tongue, curling it so the saliva pooled then flicked it from his top teeth at Ben's cheek. He followed the little splatters up by licking them off, his broad tongue swiping insolently up the side of Ben's face.
-
Ben smiled evilly at Kerr's suggestions of what could've been but then his smile shifted quickly to a sneer at the spittle and Kerr would've felt resistance as Ben tried (but not enough to break the hold) to move his head away. He didn't like this turn but also didn't want to make Kerr shy from the role when it was only in the discussion phase. He would use words, not actions.
"I like what you said, not so much what you're doing," he replied, then wondered if Kerr would be interested in playing it Ben's way or his own way. To be truly dominant in the role, he would touch on things Ben didn't like... but this was for both of them. Ben imagined Lazarus might take it too far. Win
he'd be perfect
he'd do exactly what you want
be exactly who you want
wasn't even in the running. He would never let Win take that role.
-
Kerr was torn between dismay that he’d interpreted the situation incorrectly and indignation because he was trying to please and he wasn’t a mind reader, unlike his lover. His natural inclination to subservience won out and he released Ben’s hair hastily.
“Sorry,” he muttered, using his hand to wipe his saliva away. “I got carried away,
that’s nothing compared to what I’d do to you if you were really my prisoner and I wanted to fuck with you
I’m, uh, not sure how this goes,” he admitted sheepishly. He wasn’t completely cowed by Ben’s gentle censure; he didn’t step out of the vampire’s personal space and there was still a gleam
of resentment
of rebellion in his eyes.
-
Ben watched Kerr's face as he battled with himself and then Ben was released. Mostly predictable but it also meant Kerr would respect a safe word, which Ben thought it would be a good idea to implement. The other option would be for Ben to dominate him away, or push him away using his strength. Not the kind of options he wanted. Words were better.
He kept their close positions because he could speak quietly. "I didn't like the spitting," Ben said, figuring they could still talk about it. As much as they'd played with each other recently, there was still a lot to discover about one another. "The licking was... okay," he added. It had been weird and strangely compelling, playing into the role of being tasted and used. It was a shame it had come after the spittle. "Drooling and pooling spit is gross, unless it's used as lube. I don't want to be pissed on either, but cumming on me's okay."
He wondered if Kerr would find all this information a kind of demystification. The resentment that Ben had caught for an instant
I'm sure it was there. I'm sure I read that right. I see that expression too often to mistake it for anything else.
was completely gone. Ben reached down and cupped Kerr, his cool palm massaging the mortal through his pants. They were close enough that his hand was squashed between them.
-
Kerr was reassured by Ben setting his boundaries. It made him understand better the dynamic he was going for; power exploited but only in the pursuit of pleasure, selfish gratification or teasing. Ben didn't want to be demeaned. This wasn't true dominance after all.
He was surprised that a part of him was disappointed but it was easily shunted aside when he was cupped. He was recovering much more slowly than Ben likely wanted but it still thrilled and pleased him to be held so intimately. It made him want to melt into Ben, which wasn't exactly the power shift they were discussing. Because they were still negotiating, he just pressed into Ben's hand, rather than pulling him away by the wrist.
"We have enough real lube," he dismissed, reiterating the rules as he understood them thus far. "So spitting and pissing are out but licking, cumming and talking is good. You certainly liked talking when I had you locked up, so that doesn't surprise me," he grinned, recalling Ben's act. Most of what he'd said had been lies. Kerr wasn't sure why he was okay with that but he'd accepted it long ago. "Anything in particular I should avoid saying? Actually - scratch that. What do you like?"
He wasn't sure Ben would tell him outright but he hoped for a little more guidance - regarding what Ben enjoyed hearing and what he wanted to happen to him. Kerr could extrapolate from the parameters he currently had but there would be an element of chance to his actions. That was part of the fun of playing together, sure, but he didn't want to make a mistake that upset Ben and ruined the mood; he didn't like the way it made him feel towards Ben.
-
Ben, who'd been thinking about the scenario for almost a week now, had a quick answer.
"Since I'm stopping you from demeaning me physically, you can use words instead. Hurt me emotionally, if you can. Or anger me, if you can't." He laughed softly. "I don't know if you're up to it, but I'm sure you'll try your best." His hand squeezed a little more tightly, to a point of discomfort, before he massaged again and made it pleasurable. His gaze dropped to Kerr's lips before finding his eyes again.
"Take it off the fucking street," someone snarled nearby. Quick as lightning Ben's free hand darted out and he had the stranger by the neck, the one passing them who'd dared to suggest they couldn't stand close to one another. The man was taller than Ben but unable to break free, and his jostling in Ben's hold separated him from Kerr somewhat. He was dressed elegantly, in a business-suit with a tan woollen overcoat. Ben quite liked the look of it but it wouldn't fit him. It would fit Kerr though.
"Why should we? Does it make you uncomfortable to watch?" Ben glanced at Kerr, to see his reaction.
-
Ben's words, accompanying a pointed squeeze, had Kerr's mouth narrowing to a tight circle and his breath sucking inward. He frowned slightly, anticipating genuine pain if Ben continued and worried by it... but then it became pleasant again. The wash of relief was palpable and he wondered if this was what Ben was also looking for; the pinch of pain followed by pleasure.
He had some ideas about how he could hurt and anger Ben, based on the lies he'd told - Ben would obviously react poorly to what he'd wanted concealed coming out. He was just starting to fantasise about some of the things he'd say - imagining it happening on the boat, in his private berth with just him and Ben, pretending Lazarus was caged elsewhere and that Ben had been brought in to a 'nice' space for some blackmail and pointed questioning - when the stranger intervened.
It happened so quickly, Kerr could barely process it. One moment there was a bigoted voice, the next there was... struggling prey. He watched with wide eyes, trying to understand what was happening. Ben's hand on the man's throat was compelling and he stared at it while Ben continued to goad the stranger - a business man who thought he ruled the world, no doubt. Well, his arrogance was certainly taking a blow, being brought to task by someone smaller and far prettier than him. To the guy's credit, he fought but didn't start begging to be released.
Kerr watched in fascination, understanding just how easy it would be for Ben to snap the bigot's neck. Horrifyingly easy. But that was Lazarus' style... wasn't it? Ben was more about pleasure and practicality - killing this stranger on the street would service neither end. Kerr observed his struggle with growing arousal. "Are you going to feed from him?" he asked Ben softly, hopefully, sidling behind the vampire slightly, so that he had better access to the man. Again, not something to be done on the street but Kerr was only interested in seeing Ben's fangs sink into the stranger's neck, wondering if it would be better than watching Win feed.
-
Ben could feel the heat of Kerr's body behind him before he heard the question/request in his ear. It was phrased like a question but Ben could hear the need behind it - the desire for him to show Kerr the predator he was. Much like Kerr thought, Ben understood it wasn't practical to feed from this entitled prick in the middle of the street... but there were nooks, even in public.
"I wasn't going to," Ben said, but he was in the mood for indulgence. His body no longer ached like he supposed Kerr's was but his memory of intimacy with Kerr made him want to please him, to show off, even. He glared at his victim who continued to struggle, now the man was trying to free his neck from Ben's hold with both hands attempting to peel off Ben's fingers. Ben put a command in his voice. "You're going to walk with us."
The man's struggles were faint now and he frowned, his willpower fading but not quite gone.
"You're curious about us," Ben said, projecting a further idea into this man's head. "Nobody can see you. Now's the time to find out more." Ben dropped his hand and the bigot looked from Ben to Kerr, his expression still hard but now there was a glint of confusion as well. When Ben turned and walked with Kerr, he followed.
Ben led them to a narrow alleyway. Farther up there was a door and a couple of commercial bins. The lingering scent of rotten food and cigarette smoke clung to the air as Ben, Kerr and their follower stopped. Only a feral cat was here to witness the exchange between them.
Ben looked at Kerr, wondering how much he would be able to see in the low light of the single bulb above the side-entrance of the building.
"Take off your coat and give it to my boyfriend," Ben instructed. The follower shrugged it off and handed it over. "Lean against the wall, bend your knees a little."
The man was a bit too tall for Ben to comfortably feed from him until he ducked down. With one last glance at Kerr, Ben stepped forward, slightly to one side, an arm wrapping around his victim's waist and a hand gripping the business man's hair, wrenching his head back so his neck was exposed. The victim cried out but in surprise rather than pain. Then Ben pressed his lips to the man's neck, licking and enticing gooseflesh to ripple on the skin. He held the man in place, keeping him firm, then he sunk his teeth deep into the man's neck and withdrew only enough that he could start feeding.
At first the business man gasped and stiffened, pressing hard against the building, but soon he was holding onto Ben, clinging and grunting, touching the growing lump between his legs. Releasing his waist, Ben shoved his hand down his victim's pants and very obviously stroked him.
He mentally spoke to Kerr: Do you want me to make him think he paid for me to do this with his coat? You can keep it, if you like.
-
Kerr was fascinated by Ben's direct commands, awed by the way the stranger looked like he was trying to fight it, yet he acted like a compliant lamb. Ben didn't even have to keep hold of him. The thrill of having the asshole strolling behind them fed Kerr's ego inappropriately - none of this was his doing, yet he felt partially responsible because of his connection to Ben. Suddenly, he was a predator by proxy.
Being called the vampire's boyfriend caused Kerr's mouth to dry up and his heart to somersault in his chest. He thought briefly of Win, before he dismissed the sensation of guilt that accompanied the image and took the coat wordlessly. Ben's fangs sinking into the vulnerable, exposed flesh of the man's throat was distracting and got Kerr hardening, his heart racing with the thrill of the feeding.
When Ben's hand went to the guy's cock, Kerr was less enthusiastic. He tried to sneak a peek at Ben's pants, to see if he was as aroused as the two mortals he was with were, but he couldn't see well enough. It was nowhere near as bad as watching Win with Jack had been, yet it wasn't as lust-inspiring as Win and Gary had been, either. Kerr was startled out of his contemplation and comparison by Ben's question and he blushed, pushing thoughts of Win away determinedly.
"Yes. Do it. An asshole like him deserves to lose this coat," Kerr announced (speaking because he was discomforted by the notion of Ben looking into his thoughts and finding him thinking of Win - it was easier not to give the vampire cause to look more closely), releasing his grip on his suitcase in order to shrug the coat on. It'd likely get too hot by the time they walked back to the hotel but it was easier than trying to fit the garment into the case and possibly ruining it. It was a little too snug over his leather jacket but he immediately felt more sophisticated in the garment. It would go very well with his fancy new suits.
"How does he taste?" Kerr asked, trying to shift his focus onto the part he did like; the feeding.
-
Ben murmured his pleasure in response to Kerr's question. He removed his hand from the stranger's pants before he could reach his release. The prick didn't deserve it. He also, unbeknownst to Kerr at that moment, planted an idea into the man's mind - to seek out more sleazy homoerotic moments like this until he finally got a taste of cock for himself. Then the spell would be broken. Ben thought it was telling how easily he could imprint the idea into the fellow; like he was particularly susceptible to the suggestion. Figures.
He closed the wound and backed off, releasing the guy's hair but keeping his hand pressed against his chest, propping him up against the wall until he felt the stranger getting his feet back.
"Was it good for you?" Ben said, then laughed. It wasn't a pleasant laugh and the businessman blushed furiously and hastened away, using the wall to keep himself walking straight. The only straight that was left for him now, Ben thought cruelly. "I guess I was too much for him," Ben said, looking back at Kerr. He eyed the coat on him, wondering why he hadn't taken the leather jacket off first to hold it over his arm or something. Never mind, it looked good. "You taste better than him. You look better in that coat, too," he said, then gestured with his head that they should get going.
-
Kerr turned back from watching the stranger leave and smiled faintly at Ben, accepting the compliments with a flick of the coat's lapels and a roll of his shoulders. He fell into step beside Ben, thinking. His body was settling, the arousal of watching the vampire feed diminishing as they headed back towards their hotel. It wouldn't take much to bring it back.
He was confused though, wanting to ask about Ben using boyfriend to describe him, yet wanting to play it cool and pretend it didn't matter. He wanted to know why he'd said that, though; even if it had been offhanded, why hadn't he said 'friend' or 'buddy'? There were plenty of other, meaningless labels he could've used, yet he hadn't. He didn't dare to think he meant something to Ben... yet he desperately wanted to, also.
Then again, there was also Win and their... friendship. He'd almost sacrificed his reunion with Ben for Win's sake and although he'd got the message that Ben didn't want him deferring to Win in any way, that didn't stop his feelings. It just made him determined to hide them from Ben. His relationship with both vampires was complicated; he wanted them both, in different ways, but he admired them for the same reason. Power.
"You're... so powerful. Was it hard? To control him like that?" Kerr asked reverently. He couldn't be certain that something different had happened but it hadn't seemed like Ben had controlled the guy directly. He'd been fighting it but had followed them regardless of what he wanted.
-
"Initially it was," Ben admitted, for his youth prevented him from being as powerful as he would like, though Lazarus as his sire gave him a boost. Lazarus was a shitty teacher though, so Ben had to practise on his own. Going to Europe would be a boon for him - he hoped not only to present himself and his group to the elders in France but to win them over again. He would like to be trained by those who knew about mental powers... he felt like he wasn't at his peak. "Once I felt a tendril of curiosity inside of him about why men want men more than a woman... I focussed on that."
He was sure Kerr would remember his words, how he'd switched from aggression to enticement. He was in two minds whether or not to tell Kerr about the seed he'd planted at the end. He gave the mortal side-eye for a moment, not properly looking at him before finally turning to present a secretive smile. "When I touched him while drinking from him, it gave him a connection of feeling good to being with a man. It helped my suggestion that he might like to try it properly."
He wondered if Kerr would make the connection; that a suggestion was really more like a command.
-
Kerr's fingers itched to have a pen or a keyboard close by, to take notes about what Ben said. He didn't want to forget and he valued this secret, special information infinitely. It was a privilege to be told such things, as a lowly mortal, and he didn't want to spurn the honour by forgetting.
When he was told about the good feeling connection/suggestion, Kerr's eyes widened and he scoffed a laugh.
"That guy?" he grinned, thumbing over his shoulder in the direction the man had gone. The idea that someone so innately bigoted would become what he despised (yet secretly desired, according to Ben - and Kerr had met guys like that, so he wasn't completely surprised) amused him and amazed him. "I'd like to be a fly on the wall for that," he smirked.
"So that works? You can still have power over him after you're gone? You know for sure that works? Is there, like, an expiration on it?" It sent a tingle of awe (or maybe it was fear) down his spine, looking at Ben and knowing he was that powerful.
-
Now that Kerr had him talking, Ben was feeling chatty. They returned to the hotel and moved through the lobby before heading for the lift, waiting without others there. It was easy enough to speak about it - especially with an enraptured audience. Lazarus had given away many of their secrets, which had irked Ben a great deal, but he tended not to let those keepers of the secrets live for very long, which was a relief. Kerr... he was different. Ben knew this wasn't pillow talk. He would stay for a long while.
"The interest has to be there before I can plant that seed. I don't know how long it'll last with that guy," Ben sighed, rolling his eyes because he wasn't going to lie or brag that he could do more than he could. That was Lazarus' deal. "Most of my suggestions have only been tested over a couple of nights, and then on willing subjects," he explained, getting into the lift when it arrived. They had it to themselves and Ben watched as Kerr rolled his new suitcase in and admired the way he looked in the coat. "I've implanted a desire for someone to return to a certain spot after a few nights, for instance. It doesn't always work, though."
Ben stiffened and frowned, tilting his head like he was listening for something. "Lazarus is nearby. Did you give Win a key to your room?" he asked. He'd caught Win in the carpark, but if Kerr had thought to leave a key at the front desk for Win to come up, then it was possible Win and Lazarus both were in Kerr's room waiting for him. Ben was disappointed. The ship wasn't going to leave until midnight and he'd wanted to have some time getting cosy with Kerr. Win was going to change their dynamic drastically. He wasn't looking forward to it.
(And yet, a small sadistic, masochistic part of him was).
-
Kerr was torn between adoration and piercing jealousy as Ben told him about his suggestions not always panning out. He could only have done it to other mortals, other men, men that he wanted to use, let go and have return to him after a few nights. There were no doubt thousands of them, probably tens of thousands of men that had come before Kerr; willing victims opening their veins and their asses for Ben's pleasure. Just look at him; he was stunning, who wouldn't return nights later and prostrate themselves before this beautiful man? Or drive across a country and surrender his life willingly? He deserved all of that and more.
He was startled out of his silent worship and pointless hatred for the unknown masses of men that Ben had lured into his bed by the mention of Lazarus and Win. "Uh, the room's in his name as well, yeah," he answered dumbly. "I didn't know where he was, just that he'd gone to find you two. I figured he'd come back last night." Instead, I got you, he wanted to add, wishing to grab hold of Ben and kiss him one last time before he was forced to surrender his time with the vampire as a couple. A quartet suddenly seemed insanely daunting (mainly because of Lazarus' presence) and the urge to confess his love and savour Ben's proximity was very strong.
Somehow, he managed to restrain himself and merely give Ben an apologetic look as the elevator arrived on his floor and the doors opened. "Sorry," he said, grasping Ben's hand long enough to kiss his fingers, before they stepped out and headed for the room.
Kerr was excited about seeing Win again but his thoughts were mainly centred on Lazarus and how he could make a positive impression. Lazarus was Ben's north star, which meant that he needed to be prioritised. Kerr supposed that was his due, at his age and it gave him an idea; he imagined that if Lazarus was in his room, he should approach him respectfully. Head bowed? Kneeling? Yes... he would kneel before Lazarus, if he was seated when he entered the room. A bowed head and humble acknowledgement would do if the ancient one was standing. Win's greeting would have to come afterwards, even if he was draped over his sire adoringly.
Gods, what if they'd got bored and were using the bed while they passed the time? Kerr was filled with an overwhelming sense of trepidation.
-
When they approached the door to the room, there were no sounds of sex.
Lazarus sat in the high-backed armchair in the corner of the room near the window, looking out at the city lights. He turned and watched as Ben and Kerr walked in - his fledge in front, commanding the room. It made him proud until Ben stepped aside and allowed Lazarus' gaze to fall on Kerr. The mortal was wearing layers upon layers and pulling a suitcase. It sounded like there were shopping bags inside, by the rustling he could hear.
Win, on the bed and laying on his side facing Lazarus, turned and sat up, his gaze immediately finding Kerr and giving him a brief smile and softly complimenting with a "nice coat" before he looked at Ben. The pair of them stared at one another until Win eventually lowered his gaze.
-
Kerr beamed at Win to acknowledge the compliment, his heart doing a happy little flip when he sighted his sexy friend again. Still, he resisted the urge to act on those feelings and looked at Lazarus. His smile faded and became an expression of nervousness as he approached the patriarch of the little nest, leaving his suitcase behind him. Like a sinner saying his prayers, he knelt near Lazarus’ feet, his hands clasped before him.
“Lazarus. It’s good to see you again,” he said quietly, his gaze flicking between the blond’s eyes and his chin (when he could no longer bear the intensity of those ancient, experienced grey orbs). “I want to thank you for allowing me to come with you. And f-for creating Ben and Win and allowing them to spend time with me. I’m grateful for them and it’s all because of you. I wasn’t very, uh, nice to you last time. You intimidate me. I’ll try to do better and bother you less, this time,” he promised, bowing his head.
He wasn’t sure what he was waiting for - Lazarus to laugh at him? Knight him? Bless him? - but it felt appropriate to hold his reverent position until he was acknowledged somehow. Honesty wasn’t important to the vampires but it was to Kerr and he wanted to start their time together properly.
-
Lazarus quirked an eyebrow and stared at Kerr throughout the speech, his smile growing but not as broadly as it would normally because it felt... manufactured. When Kerr was done speaking, Lazarus' gaze flicked to Ben.
"Did you put him up to this?" he asked, even though he was sure Ben had. He liked that Kerr had done it but it was unexpected. He'd not thought the slayer would ever submit to him.
"No," Ben said, and the surprise in his voice was evident to Lazarus' ears. "It's all him." Ben's tone changed to one of interest and Lazarus' interest piqued also. Normally, with a man on his knees, Lazarus would follow through with a sexual request. This time, he didn't.
"It's hard not to be intimidated," Lazarus agreed, his smile broadening to its greatest extension. He looked next at Win who looked... jealous? Jealous of who, though? Win had elaborated on his travel story with Kerr when they'd spent time together. "I forgive you. For capturing Ben, for fucking Ben, for taking his attention off me." He glared a hole into Kerr's skull but he reached out and ran his fingers through Kerr's hair instead. "Get up, get packed. We could've boarded hours ago," he said gently.
Ben was impressed. Kerr had placated the beast in one fell movement.
-
It irked him, that Lazarus resented him for diverting Ben's attention (surely he was just a drop in eternity and of no consequence in the grand scheme of things??) but Kerr filed the reference away and held his tongue on the matter. It was also flattering and useful information to have; attend to Lazarus before all else and things would run smoothly. He'd known it, really, else he wouldn't be on his knees before the ancient one, but it was good to have confirmation of his instincts.
"Thank you," he murmured, Lazarus' touch sending tingles of awareness and a wave of goosebumps down the back of his neck. Kerr got to his feet and walked to the foot of the bed. He smiled conspiratorially at Win, wanting to leap onto the mattress and hug and kiss him hello. Instead, he shrugged his jackets off (intending to pack the leather one and wear the woollen one, since everybody liked him in it so much - he'd considered giving it to Lazarus, as a peace offering, but told himself it wouldn't look as effective with his fairer colouring) and hoped he was listening to him, as he had in the car.
How did your reunion go? Everything you hoped for? Are you as happy/sore as I am? he grinned, laying out the woollen coat and folding the leather quickly.
He didn't mean to add 'sore' into his question but his natural thoughts meant that it was spliced in anyway. He was sore, after his reunion with Ben, but in a beautiful, ecstatic way. He wanted to secret Win away into the bathroom with him and have a good long gossip about their respective reunions (and maybe sneak a kiss or two) but there was no way the other two wouldn't hear everything they said. He doubted the mental communication would get past them, either, but hoped they mightn't expect him to communicate that way, so they might not listen for his mental voice.
Of course, he could also just blatantly say what he was thinking but he was curious as to whether he'd be able to get away with communicating privately with Win. It was only the beginning of their time together; the perfect time to test some boundaries.
As he waited to see if anything would come from his thinking at Win, he scooped up his new suitcase and duffel bag and laid them out on the bed so he could transfer all his belongings into the new luggage. Ben had looked like he was going to help him pack but that made Kerr nervous; even he could smell the odour of days of road travel and dried cum on his dirty clothes when he unzipped his duffel. If he let Ben get close to them, he'd likely be able to detect the exact amounts of cum, not to mention who owned it and the blood that had poured out of his face from the car accident. He didn't want to be answering questions about any of that stuff, so he basically shielded what he was doing from Ben using his body.
Once Win answered him, he'd only have to gather the rest of his toys and toiletries from the bathroom and fit them into his suitcase, then he'd be ready. He was becoming very excited by the prospect of travelling with the three delicious vampires, the closer it got to actually happening.
-
Both Win and Ben were scanning Kerr's thoughts.
Yeah, our reunion was amazing, Win sent back as he pulled in his feet and crossed his legs, grinning at Kerr and waggling his eyebrows a couple of times before glancing first at Lazarus and then at Ben. At the second blonde vampire's hard stare, he blinked and looked down at his hands holding his ankles.
"We'll wait for you both in the lobby," Ben spoke, an edge to his voice. Lazarus stood and strutted across the room, his arm going around Ben's shoulders. Before the door closed behind them, Ben added another request. It sounded light, but the words implied they were not. "Don't take too long."
When the door closed, Win waited until he sensed Lazarus' force moving swiftly down before he spoke. "This is fucking everything we wanted," he said brightly, undeterred by Ben's animosity. He'd expected it. "They want us with them. Both of us," he gushed. "Our gamble paid off."
-
Kerr grinned and laughed breathily at Win's mental response, unaware Ben was also listening to their conversation. In fact, he was surprised when Ben volunteered to take Lazarus out of the room and wait for them in the lobby. Kerr smiled gratefully at him; it faltered when Ben told them not to be too long, though. That seemed meaningful... was he expecting he and Win to have a quickie or something??
Still, Kerr hurried away to get everything from the bathroom and threw it into his suitcase (it was a mess, but he figured he'd be unpacking it soon enough so who cared?) as quickly as he could. He folded the duffel bag in and zipped the case up as Win started speaking. Buoyed by his happiness, Kerr surrendered to his instinct and leapt at Win, tackling him into lying on the bed and rolling around as he kissed him hungrily.
When it broke, he sucked in breath, unable to stop grinning as he responded. "I know. I can't believe it! We're going to Europe with them! I even convinced Ben to get me a room on my own so you can all be together and I won't disturb you in the afternoons. And Ben called me his boyfriend tonight when he told the guy to give me that coat. Do you think he meant that?" he asked eagerly, wanting Win to tell him that'd never heard Ben say such a thing before but expecting him to dismiss it as just something to say.
-
Win laughed at the tackle and kissed Kerr back just as hungrily. His wide smile only faltered when Kerr mentioned the boyfriend part.
"He... called you that?" he asked, surprised and demonstrating his uncertainty of emotion. "I don't think I've ever heard him call anyone that," Win said. He tried to remember and couldn't even picture Ben saying the word. Hell, not even thinking the word. He recalled Lazarus being referred to as sire, partner or lover. Boyfriend... he didn't think so. "Heads up, I told Lazarus everything. Details, everything. Did you do the same for Ben? What did he think about it?"
He wanted to know if he was going to get heat for all the things he'd gotten up to with Kerr. He knew Ben hadn't liked the fact they'd had sex, but he thought Ben's jealousy was silly. They were all going to be fucking one another soon enough.
And then he rethought himself. Maybe he wouldn't be allowed to be intimate with Kerr anymore? Win held Kerr's face between his hands and stared at him in alarm. Oh no. That would be tortorous. Surely not?
-
Kerr's elation at Win confirming his suspicion that Ben's slip of the tongue might have meant more, like he wanted, faded when Win confessed he'd given Lazarus details. He bit the inside of his lip, frowning worriedly.
"I didn't tell him any details. Last night, we only got as far as having a bit of a fight when I said you were my friend and I wanted him to be nice to you and then... we didn't do much talking after that," he admitted, blushing as he recalled the highlights of his and Ben's reunion. His balls quivered just thinking about it. "Tonight, he gave me his terms - that I had to be nice to Lazarus because he was never leaving him. That's why I said what I did to him. But Ben also got pissed off when I sent you that text asking about what you were going to do with your car so I definitely wasn't going to tell him details about what we did in it!"
His grin returned (despite the fact he'd almost got a broken hand for texting Win) and he looked at Win's lips, his hands moving lower to cup his ass and pull him close... then he caught sight of Win's expression and frowned. "What?" he asked worriedly but he took a guess anyway. "You think Lazarus will tell him and it'll be worse than if I told him myself? But he said he didn't like me thinking about you when I was with him, so why would I start telling him all the reasons why I think about you so often?" Even Kerr could hear the whine of exasperation in his voice.
Talk about a catch twenty-fucking-two. He'd be damned if he did and damned because he didn't. He supposed Ben hadn't given him a definitive answer when he'd complained about being caught between Ben and Win in their big-dog brawl, he'd just told him that 'being caught between two beautiful men wasn't a punishment'. Kerr knew better.
-
"Really?" Win asked, his eyes widening and his tone changing as Kerr piqued his interest. "He got angry because you were texting me, wow," he repeated, looking away so he could consider the ramifications of such a thing. "I'm surprised I still have an impact on him after all these years," he said, pleased.
At the mention of Lazarus knowing and sharing with Ben, he hummed and shrugged. "It's hard to know how he'll react. It depends if Laz dangles the knowledge over his head. Ben will hate that. But if he really doesn't want to know, he'll make sure Laz keeps it to himself." Win gave Kerr a trepidatious look. "Ben tends to want to know details, eventually."
-
"I guess we should get down there and stop them talking, then," Kerr sighed, pouting a little before he leant forward for another quick kiss, his fingers tangling adoringly in Win's curls before he released him. "Don't want to get into trouble from my boyfriend," he joked, chuckling as he got off the bed and arranged his suitcase so he could drag it behind him.
-
Win kissed Kerr back and laughed with him before the laugh faded. He didn't know if Ben's word had been flippant, manipulative or meaningful. If the latter, that could spell trouble between him and Lazarus and Win didn't like it when those two fought. He would always bear the brunt. Maybe Kerr would, too.
*
Ben and Lazarus were sitting in armchairs in the lobby. Lazarus was eyeing a hot young thing standing at the register beside his parents, by the look, and Ben had his eyes closed. They weren't talking to one another, as Kerr had feared. When Win and Kerr got closer, Ben opened his eyes and stood. Lazarus followed suit, lazily casting his gaze over both Win and Kerr who were dragging their stuff around. Ben had arranged for their luggage to be sent to the ship ahead of them, and it would be waiting in their cabin.
"You'll see some fancy parlour tricks soon," Laz said, looking at Kerr. "This cruise is sold out so you stick with Ben. Win will travel with me on Ben's ticket."
They caught a cab to the docks and Win paid for it. Neither he nor Ben wanted to tax themselves any more than they had to before performing mental domination on a plethora of security staff and processing clerks. They stayed together as a group of four until they had to split off into pairs, each of them using a ticket that they 'duplicated' in the clerks' minds. It would make sense to Kerr now why they'd held a ticket between each of them.
Halfway through the process, Ben excused himself to go into the toilets. They dawdled until only one man was in there with them and Ben took him into a stall and fed from him perfunctorily. When they came out, Win and Lazarus were nowhere to be seen, having gone on ahead. Ben huffed but dealt with each obstacle as it came until finally they were getting their pictures taken in front of a green screen before going on board.
Their suite was on a deck level that contained only suites. Beside their cabin on one side was a young honeymooning couple. On the other was a woman in her eighties. Ben was going to let Kerr decide which cabin to take but it would be easier to remove the senior. After knocking on her door Ben had a chat with her and in the middle of conversation he implanted the idea that she would feel violently seasick if she went ahead on this cruise and would only feel better if she disembarked right away. She hurried off, taking her small suitcase with her and was immensely happy that there were two kind young gentlemen who'd been so helpful in her panic to get away. She gave them her cabin keycard as a thank you.
Ben entered the suite first; it was bigger than the room Kerr and Win had booked for themselves at their hotel. He moved all the way in and to the glass screen door that led to the balcony, opening it and stepping outside. When he sensed Kerr stepping out behind him, he turned slightly to look at him. It was still an hour to midnight. For now the view was the port of the city they'd only just left.
-
Kerr's journey to this balcony had been eye-opening and awe-inspiring. He'd followed Lazarus' instruction, sticking with Ben and watching him work as he hustled his ass off to get Kerr what he wanted. He was surprised that Ben had come into this suite first but he was grateful. For all of it. He wasn't certain the vibe he'd detected in the lobby was directed solely at him, but now was his chance to ask. He wasn't interested in playing games. Still, Ben took his breath away and he'd much rather have been cosying up to him than keeping his distance in order to talk.
Instead of joining Ben on the balcony, Kerr leant his shoulder against the doorjamb to admire him, crossing one foot over the other and tucking his fingertips into his front jeans pockets. The woollen overcoat was held back, revealing his stance and his tight maroon shirt, beneath which his heart was pounding faster. "Gods, you're beautiful," he breathed, his gaze raking Ben from head to toe and back again, the city lights surrounding him like a halo. It was a gorgeous setting, romantic and breathtaking. He didn't want to ruin it but he also couldn't let things fester.
"I appreciate everything you did for me tonight. You were amazing. You always amaze me. Do you... want to know what happened between Win and me?" he asked quietly, holding still in his position despite feeling flighty and nervous within. There was no point pretending Lazarus hadn't been teasing Ben about knowing details when he and Win had joined them in the lobby; something had obviously happened and it was the logical choice.
-
Ben smiled upon seeing Kerr, his lips twitching even further when he was complimented. He loved the way Kerr adored him. It was part of the obsession, he thought, but certainly not all of it. He'd had his share of worshippers before. Kerr was... different.
Upon the question about knowledge, Ben's smile faltered and he shook his head minutely. "In time," he said, his answer positive in spite of the physical negation. "Right now I don't want to hear about how Win won you over. Everyone adores him so why would you be different?" Ben said, his tone not hiding his contempt for the other vampire. "He's beautiful, too. Magnetic personality. Curls to fucking die for. Good in bed. But you know all that," he said.
-
Kerr gave a half smile as he shrugged. "Yeah, but he worships you, wishes he could be more like you, tries to emulate you," he countered. "And he succeeded. He was an asshole, just like you. We fought almost as much as we got along. He's as imperfect as anyone is," he breathed a soft laugh.
"Just so we're clear; I'm not confused. He's not you. No-one could ever be like you," he murmured, surrendering to his desire to get close to Ben by stepping into him, grasping him by the hips and looking down into his hypnotic eyes. "And he's not the guy that called me his boyfriend tonight," he added huskily, his eyebrows lifting and a wry smirk twisting his lips, entreating Ben to let him know whether that had been deliberate or not.
-
Ben listened to Kerr's reply, glad to be hearing it. The final statement made his smile return in force though it was playful and made his eyes sparkle with mischief.
"I thought you might like being called that," he said, indicating it was carefully selected rather than flippantly said. "It's the closest word for what you are. A romantic, sexual interest. A current partner. An equal, to me at least. Lazarus will call you my pet but you're more than that." Ben reached out and touched Kerr's collar, fingering the material before his index finger trailed up Kerr's neck to his jaw where the rest of his hand opened up to cup. Ben's gaze dropped to what he was doing with his hand before it lifted to Kerr's eyes. "I crave you."
-
Kerr rubbed his jaw gently against Ben's hand, aware that his beard stubble might scratch (though it had grown long enough already to be soft, rather than bristly). His heart swelled, the emotions too strong and perfect for him to keep them to himself, despite knowing it was too soon, he was probably being naive - or stupid - and he was risking being laughed at. He didn't care. Frankly, he didn't think his words would be dismissed so callously, even if they were inappropriate. Such was his trust and faith in the vampire before him (blind as it may be).
"And I love you," he confessed, then exhaled a sigh of relief. It felt good to say it, with no further expectations, no fretting over reciprocity, no ulterior motive other than honesty. He grinned. "Craving... yeah. That's my life now, also. For you."
He was aware of voices not too far away, surrounding them - strangers stepping out onto their balconies to exclaim over the view and revel in the beauty of a cool, cloudy night at the beginning of an amazing trip. Kerr didn't care that they would be visible to their neighbours or that his actions would be easy to discern in the splash of light coming from within the suite at his back. His hands slid around to undo Ben's pants, intending to get down on his knees and prove just how much he loved and craved him.
Besides, he owed him one after that sexy surprise in the change room earlier in the night.
-
Ben liked that Kerr said it. The words could be difficult and he already knew how Kerr felt, but he hadn't expected to hear them. It was strange, how Kerr's feelings for Ben had grown while away from him, but it was also expected. Ben had many mortals love him; he would not dismiss Kerr's feelings as foolish or naive. They were real, he could feel they were real.
He kissed Kerr gently on the lips as his response. Craving. Loving. They were similar enough for now. He could feel Kerr's hands on him, working his belt, button and zip. Ben pressed a hand to the balcony walls - the shields that separated them from next door but not from the balconies above, who would have a good view of what was happening below.
He entwined the fingers of his other hand in Kerr's hair but let him drive, not forcing the pace, wanting him to please Ben the way he wanted to. At some point there'd been a few gasps and giggles above but they'd not interrupted with cattle calls or insults. It allowed Ben to reach his peak uninterrupted and so eventually he thrust his seed erratically into Kerr's expert mouth, grunting and sighing as he looked down at Kerr's gorgeous face.
"Thank you," he murmured softly.
-
Kerr gently righted Ben's clothing, feeling reverent yet naughty. The act had wrought a throbbing in his own pants, though he was well satiated and hoping to spend the night recuperating. Giving pleasure just naturally aroused pleasure.
He stood up and hugged Ben, kissing him through a smile. "You're welcome," he giggled, feeling giddy and amused by their sudden politeness with one another. It was like he'd just handed Ben a newspaper, rather than sucking him off.
"Do you want to go into your suite and get unpacked? I thought I might call my mother and tell her goodbye before we get out of range. She should probably know I'm leaving the country for a while - you know, just so she doesn't worry and all," he grinned.
-
Ben, who'd had plans on teasing Kerr on the bed for a long, long while, put them aside at the mention of Kerr's mother and his attitude changed dramatically.
"You should do that, yes," he insisted. "You can call her from France, too."
He didn't know how often Kerr called his mother but he thought once every couple of weeks or once a month felt like a minimum.
"Knock on my suite when you're done," Ben said, figuring he would stay there until Kerr returned.
-
"I will," Kerr promised and grinned as he gently smacked Ben on the ass as he passed. "Be nice to Win!" he reminded jovially, laughing at the look he received before Ben walked out.
He wondered if the vampires next door - likely, with their superior hearing - had heard his instruction and cringed at the thought. Maybe they were already fucking and too preoccupied to listen... ? And then Ben would walk in on that. It was really hard to choose a preferred scenario in that case. Were their beds up against the same wall? Would they hear everything he did through the wall, especially when he and Ben were in bed? Would he hear them? Most of the time he'd be with them... wouldn't he?
Supposing it wouldn't take long for him to figure out answers for all these questions, Kerr sighed and opened up his suitcase, getting his AirPods out. This way, he could unpack while he talked, using his time efficiently. His mother hadn't heard from him since before he was going after Lazarus and Ben. He'd called her to say goodbye then as well, but in a totally different way. Boy, was she in for a shock!
Half an hour later, Kerr sighed again and put his phone and earbuds away. The ship had left the port and he'd lost service more quickly than expected. He was glad. He'd told his mother everything, from a quick run-down of his infatuation with his gorgeous vampire prisoner to the crazy road trip to catch him and now the indefinite holiday by his side. With his murderous sire. She hadn't cared for that detail in particular, thought she'd objected and claimed utter confusion throughout the whole conversation. She'd told Kerr he'd never loved anyone but his family - which was true, until now - and scoffed at the notion that he felt himself to be deeply sunk in the emotion.
At least he'd got to say goodbye and unpacked everything. He had quite a load of laundry ready to do later in the day; he'd left it on the lounge chair. He'd also hung his coat in the wardrobe and taken his shoes off. Gathering a couple of squeezy bottles of lube, he tucked his room card in a back pocket and headed next door in his maroon shirt (the sleeves were pushed up to his elbow since he'd got warm while moving around unpacking), jeans and socks, wondering if his neighbours had heard anything. He'd tried to keep his voice down but there had been times when he'd had to raise it to get his mother's attention away from ranting at him.
He rapped quietly on Ben, Laz and Win's door, curious about what he'd find the three vampires were up to.
-
It was Lazarus who opened it for him. The blond Ancient smirked as he saw him and held the door open until Kerr started stepping through but then moved away to give the mortal room to enter the narrow passage. Two steps and he was passing the walk in closet. Two more steps and he was passing between the desk and the bar. Four more steps put him into the lounge where there was a three-seater (and a perfect mirror of his own suite) and he could turn his head to the right and see past the modern-looking room divider screen at the king sized bed.
Ben and Win were standing near the foot of it, chest to chest glaring at one another. As Kerr watched, Ben swayed and began to crumple but Win caught him under his arms and tossed him onto the bed.
"Win by name, win by nature," Lazarus said, moving to embrace Win and give him a passionate kiss. Ben moved slowly to the edge of the bed and moved his legs off, sitting on it and holding his head in his hands. A vision of defeat.
-
It certainly wasn't the party atmosphere Kerr had expected to walk into. It looked like Ben and Win were having some sort of mental contest, though that didn't make sense to him. If Ben lost at that it wasn't a fair fight! Ben had been using his mind all night to help smuggle him on board and get Kerr his own suite. Win hadn't been there for all of that, his mind was nowhere near as taxed as Ben's was. Besides, Win was older and it was his job at the Oligarchy to mentally interrogate people and invade their minds. Surely that gave him twice as much of an advantage?
Not understanding didn't stop Kerr striding over to deposit the lube he was carrying on the bedside table and sitting beside Ben on the edge of the bed. He frowned his concern at Ben, feeling overwhelmed with love and helplessness, ignoring the other two vampires. Impotent rage welled in him next, directed at Lazarus for encouraging and rewarding this sort of stupid pissing contest. Kerr had to wonder what the ancient got out of his two fledgelings being at each others' throats constantly. Was the sex hotter? It seemed like an excessive price to pay for such a thrill, to him. But it wasn't his place to question such things.
Trying to quell his anger, Kerr placed his hand on Ben's thigh and squeezed, his side pressed to the vampire's in silent support. He wanted to ask what had gone on but he didn't want to stir the animosity between Ben and Win. Ben had clearly lost and Win throwing him on the bed was salt to the wound; Kerr didn't need to rub it in by making him talk about it (though the mortal was convinced it had to have been an unfair contest, whatever it was). He struggled to find something to say that was inoffensive, the tension keeping his back stiff and his heart fluttering with nerves.
He thought of declaring brightly that they were underway and drawing attention to the motion of the ship as it steamed towards the open ocean but, quite suddenly, he wasn't sure it was such a great idea that he was leaving his home soil and heading into the unknown with a pair of warring vampires and their coach. But it was probably too far to swim, already... right?
-
Ben tensed when Kerr touched him and pulled away, scowling. He stood up and turned to glare at the mortal before turning his ire to Win and Lazarus, both of them staring at him like they couldn't understand his bad mood.
"Fine! I concede," he snapped, storming out of the suite and letting the heavy door slam behind him.
"Sore loser," Win said to the closed door then turned his gaze to Kerr on the bed. "He's been dominant too long, maybe."
"No, love, hey," Lazarus said, tsking at him. "Ben doesn't dominate me."
Win's expression was comical because he clearly thought Lazarus had lost his mind and his face betrayed him. He looked at Kerr and then back at Lazarus.
"You let him think he does," Win replied after a moment, collecting himself. "That's just as bad. He's on a power trip."
Lazarus' gaze sidled to Kerr. "He left his pet behind. Winner's spoils?" Lazarus prompted, his hands sliding over Win's body, one hand cupping him and making him sigh.
"I'd like that," he breathed, and reached out a hand for Kerr to come to him.
-
Kerr leapt to his feet and spun to face the cuddling pair, looking at Win’s hand as if it might burn him, and then up into the vampire’s cornflower blue eyes. He stood his ground, intending to go after Ben (assuming they let him) but wanting some answers first.
“What were you fighting about? It can’t have been a fair contest, considering all the mental stuff he had to do for me tonight,” Kerr defended Ben’s loss valiantly. “He’s got to be tired after all that.”
-
"I'm tired of being his punching bag, Kerr," Win said. "I told him I would submit to him but he had to concede that it was my choice. Instead of admitting it, he tried to dominate me to my knees. I wouldn't let him. He collapsed trying to get through my block."
Lazarus' hands roamed upward again, away from the obvious erection in Win's pants. "You go on your knees when you're told to, not when you're made to," he grinned wolfishly.
"Do you want me to?" Win breathed, looking up at Lazarus.
"No, love, I'm going to find Ben." His gaze drifted to Kerr. "If you're in the middle of something when we come back..." he left the sentence open, leaving their imaginations to fill in the blanks. Then he headed for the door.
-
Kerr was influenced by Win's argument - and distracted by it also. On one hand, he admired Win for standing up to Ben. Ben shouldn't make Win his punching bag. But on the other, Ben was insecure about Win always getting attention and Kerr could understand his desire to want to establish his superiority. He'd been with Lazarus all these years (which seemed like a punishment to endure at times, to Kerr) and Win had been free; Ben deserved some credit for that.
He wondered if they were equal in Lazarus' eyes, or whether he contributed to their disharmony by favouring them at will. He certainly didn't do anything to stop them fighting. The thought of Lazarus had him looking at the tall blond, spurring him to action. "I'll do it!" he insisted, racing to catch up to Lazarus. "Uh, any tips about which direction he went?" he asked when he stopped to look at Kerr.
Lazarus' expression made him realise belatedly that he may have made his decision too late and gave him pause.
-
Lazarus' gaze very obviously cooled when he looked at Kerr this time. It had been warm when he'd been imagining him with Win but Kerr's outburst had displeased him. Ben was worried that Lazarus would leave him for Win - it wouldn't happen but not because Win wouldn't try. Now there was this mortal who'd managed to capture Ben's attention after capturing him. Toying with an ex-slayer just seemed excessively stupid and dangerous. Lazarus hadn't forgiven Kerr for frightening him. He hadn't forgiven Kerr for making him feel as though Ben was at risk of death.
"No," Lazarus said. "He needs me for this one." He pressed a hand against Kerr's chest, pushing him back slowly until he had him pinned him to the wall. "You stay here with Win."
Lazarus looked in Win's direction but could only see him because he'd stepped out of the bedroom area into the lounge to see what was happening. He nodded to his fledge, who nodded back, and released Kerr in order to seek out Ben, using their connection to find his way.
Win picked up the remote from the coffee table. "We can find out what this ship has to offer," he prompted Kerr as soon as Lazarus was out of the room. "Sit with me," he pleaded. "We might not get left together alone again."
-
Kerr's heart leapt into his throat and lodged there, making it hard to breathe as Lazarus pushed him against the wall. He watched the ancient speak without arguing - his mind was too blank to come up with anything coherent, in his fright. When Lazarus looked away to nod at Win, Kerr nodded minutely too, though he wasn't noticed.
Disquieted, Kerr remained against the wall for a minute after Lazarus left, despite Win's invitation. It felt like Lazarus' nod had been all about Win babysitting him, that his friend had agreed with his sire that he'd keep their mortal problem contained until Lazarus could locate Ben and appease him. It rubbed Kerr the wrong way, making his skin itch with resentment. He frowned as he finally straightened off the wall.
"Nah, I think I'll go back to my room. I'm pretty tired," he hedged, walking a little closer to Win. Mostly, he was testing his theory that that nod was about keeping him contained, he wasn't that tired. Sill, he was curious about that last bit. "You think they'll keep us apart?"
-
Win lowered his eyes before raising them to the television screen. He stared at it without looking at it for a moment as Kerr made his excuse. He was waiting for the mortal to head for the door (and would likely interrupt that process) but Kerr asked a question instead, making his task easier. He looked back at Kerr and shrugged, indicating he was just guessing.
"No, we'll see each other a lot, I'm sure. Probably not without one of them in the mix, though," he gave Kerr a tight smile. Then he dropped his eyes once more as well as his voice. "I should've just let him do it. I thought he would like my resistance. I didn't know he really wanted to make me."
He knew Kerr would want to talk about it - the power struggle between them.
-
Kerr snorted, still lingering nearby but not willing to commit to sitting with Win. His frown hadn’t abated. He didn’t want to get drawn into the middle, as he’d told Ben, but he did have an opinion on Win deferring to Ben and he couldn’t resist voicing it.
“Of course you should have done it! You can’t let him walk all over you, not if you’re planning to stay with them indefinitely. You did the right thing. But what do I know? You need to work it out with him when he comes back. I’m staying out of it, though,” he said, lifting his hands as if surrendering to an enemy. “I’ll catch you tomorrow night,” he said, stepping forward to give Win a quick kiss goodbye.
-
"But you are in the middle of it," Win said, catching Kerr's kiss and pooching his lips last minute to return it. He stood up swiftly and gripped onto the mortal by his upper arms before he got the chance to turn away. "What did you think would happen when we got here? That you would live in your own little Ben bubble and come out of it every now and then to pay your respects to Lazarus?"
He dropped his hands, gesturing that Kerr was free to go if he wanted. "Every move you make is a statement. Go back to your room, if you like, but understand that it shows Lazarus that you will defy his instruction. I'll likely wear some heat for not keeping you here." He lifted his chin, an imperious look on his face. "You're already involved, Kerr. It's what you wanted."
-
Kerr blinked as Win appeared standing front of him, holing onto his arm. He opened his mouth at the question about the Ben bubble but didn’t answer so much as stammer, shrug and wave his hands around before Win let him go.
He didn’t want to get Win into trouble and was frustrated that his actions would reflect on the other brunette. Why couldn’t he just wear it himself? Realising that was irrelevant, he focussed on defending himself.
“I’m involved with Ben and I know, yes, there’ll be play with you and Lazarus, too but I don’t see how that puts me in the middle of a centuries-old feud between the two of you! It’s up to you and Ben to figure your shit out! I don’t care who’s more powerful or who’s better at impressing Lazarus! That’s not what I wanted!”
-
Win gave him a sad smile before he looked away, unable to face Kerr's anger and knowing what was going to happen. Because it always happened. He would've thought the dynamic was different now because of the mortal, but considering what Ben had been trying to do when Kerr had been in his cabin unpacking... it was the same old run around.
Dominate. Submit. Rebel. Punish.
"Okay," he said to the black empty television screen. "Okay." He turned away and moved to the balcony, needing to refresh himself from this conversation, from what had just happened, and what might happen next. He'd upset Ben and if Kerr didn't think that was going to overflow on him... well, maybe he was right. Maybe Win would wear it all.
-
Win somehow always managed to deflate Kerr’s anger. He sighed and hung his head as Win walked out, also taking a moment to think. The only thing he did know for sure was that he wouldn’t abandon his friend.
Squaring his shoulders, he followed after Win, repeating his actions with Ben earlier by not going out to the balcony to crowd Win but leaning against the doorway instead.
“How do you expect I can help? What can I do?” he asked quietly. He really didn’t feel like he had any impact in this power struggle. It was like they were using their powers to see things he couldn’t and he was completely ignorant.
-
Win was watching the lights of the city in the distance. They were already going past rolling hills and bays heading out to the ocean proper. The smells shifted and it was cold outside, including the railing that Win gripped. Behind him he could feel Kerr's warmth, and his smell. He remained as he was, looking out.
“You have more influence than I do,” Win said, then turned to put his back to the railing, facing Kerr. “I’m the wrong person to ask. What I do doesn’t work. Ben's banished me twice already.” He shrugged and hugged himself, as if he felt the cold.
-
Kerr stared at Win, watching the wind ruffle his curls admiringly but feeling helpless. Sure, Ben craved him and he loved Ben but that was just between them. It had nothing to do with the dynamic between the two fledges. Did Win expect him to be able to fix Ben’s opinion through sheer force of will? He’d already asked him to be nice to Win, what else was there? Blackmail?
He sighed, drawn towards the vampire just because he looked so vulnerable. He walked over and wrapped his arms around him, resting his cheek against Win’s face. The wind bit at his skin through his thin shirt, the long sleeves an inadequate defense against its chill. His skin hardened with goosebumps in response, his nipples rigid against Win’s arm. Despite its harshness, the setting was still beautiful, reminding him of his moment with Ben a short while ago. His heart swelled and a wave of tenderness followed.
“I’ll do what I can,” he said quietly. “But I don’t have any confidence I can overcome your history and... whatever it was you did to make him hate you in the first place.” His tone was curious but he wasn’t going to ask what happened again. If he had all the facts, he might have a better idea how he could have some influence but he’d already been burnt by asking.
-
Win hugged Kerr back but knew he wouldn't be doing a good job of warming the mortal physically. He took all the emotional comfort he could from him, sucking all of that eagerly into his self-worth and taking in breath just so he could sigh against Kerr's neck.
"I... " He paused, finding the words too horrible to say. "I don't want to lose you, too. I... miscalculated on something extreme and..." Win pulled back just enough so he could look at Kerr. He wanted to invite them both to sit in the warmth of the cabin, but the story was just as chilly as the night around them and it suited it. He watched Kerr's breath make clouds on the air and shook his head. He had to just spit it out and hope Kerr would forgive him for his reasoning.
"Remember how Lazarus and I met Ben? What he was doing? He was on the streets because his family threw him out. They did that because they discovered him kissing another boy. He was locked out of their house that day; no money, no food. He survived a year on his own before I got him, took him back, cleaned him up," he said, then added in a smaller voice, "used him. It took him six months for him to convince Lazarus to sire him but I made them wait until he was nineteen. I thought Ben accepted this but he resented me at the time. The dynamic changed as soon as he was sired. We were in a tug of war for Lazarus from the start, but Ben was better at dealing with his kills. He'd justify them, make Lazarus feel good about them after I made him feel bad. I... I couldn't play that game."
Win wondered if Kerr would drop the hug when he learnt what had happened. They were coming up to that part. "But... one day I did. A young man on the street looked so much like Ben that it had to be his brother. I followed him to his home, found out for sure it was Ben's family. I brought Lazarus back with me and told him this was Ben's family, that they were the ones who'd treated him badly, put him out on the street. He came to the conclusion that killing them was only fair and I agreed... but he knew I didn't have the stomach for it so he did it. I didn't stay for it but the newspaper reported them as being in pieces." Win's mouth was downturned. "I let him tell Ben what he'd done. If he was pleased, I would tell him it was my idea. If he was upset, Lazarus would have the blame. He was very upset. He almost left Lazarus that night. My name didn't get mentioned until he was storming out and then... then he made his ultimatum to Lazarus. He could keep Ben or he could keep me. Lazarus didn't even pause."
-
Kerr was slightly inattentive at the start of Win’s story, due to his surprise at the tale finally being told to him but he didn’t miss any of the important details. And what details they were. He remained where he was after it was all out, mainly because he was too shocked and busy thinking to move. “Wow,” was all he initially said, his voice deadpan and not quite conveying the range of emotions flowing through him. As his thoughts flashed rapidly through connections and imagining himself in Ben’s place, the cold started gnawing at his bones and he couldn’t take it any more.
“I’m f-freezing,” he declared through chattering teeth, grabbing Win’s hands in both of his. “Let’s go inside,” he entreated, finding the vampire willing and pulling him through the sliding glass doorway. He waited while Win closed the door and then he led him to the bed, where he pulled him under the covers with him, fully clothed. Kerr cuddled up to Win, even though he logically knew he wouldn’t get any heat off him. His body was racked with shivers enough for him to vibrate against the vampire and generate heat through friction alone. He was glad he still had his socks on.
Once the shaking calmed, Kerr was able to think again. They weren’t pleasant thoughts but it was necessary for him to process. He could imagine all too easily what feelings Lazarus killing his family would evoke; he was vulnerable to the same thing and it filled him with horror. That Win had manipulated Lazarus to do it was low - at a level Kerr hadn’t believed him capable of when he was so young. But then again, that also explained a lot because both Win and Ben had been young and vulnerable, turned as boys on the cusp of manhood and pushed together for Lazarus’ amusement.
Ultimately, responsibility for all this fell on their sire. He’d committed the crime and he was responsible for the circumstances that had spawned it, too. It didn’t entirely exonerate Win - and Kerr recognised the bitter tang of disappointment within himself that had him hunting around to excuse the man he was pressed up against, simply because he cared about him - but Kerr could understand the logical path his foolish, heinous thinking had followed. It certainly wasn’t approval... but he got why Win had done it.
The reason they were still fighting over it almost two hundred years later was because Ben was conditioned to make excuses for his sire. It was pathological, by now. Win was a co-conspirator in the traumatic murder of people that cared so little for him that they’d turned him onto the street, rather than deal with his homosexuality (and wasn’t that a timeless little number that broke hearts all over the world even today?), but that didn’t matter, to Ben.
It was easier to blame Win than admit he was devoted to a fucking psychopath. And he’d always excused the killing? How the fuck did you rationalise murder? The instant the judgemental thought occurred to him, though, his own mind was instantly rationalising Ben’s behaviour away and the reason was the same; love. If you loved someone, you’d overlook their flaws and ignore their monstrous tendencies, even if it was as extreme as this. You’d justify and scramble for excuses. You’d shift blame and accept a narrative you could be comfortable with.
They were all fucked up and Kerr was, for the first time, sorry he’d aligned himself with them. He’d walked into this mess and now he was being mantled with the task of negotiating a peaceful compromise? Fuck that! The humane part of him rebelled, glad that he wasn’t going to be tied to this shitstorm indefinitely. He could have his fun and walk away when it became too much, to go on with his mundane mortal life. Signing up for this sort of twisted symbiosis for eternity made his head hurt trying to fathom why you’d do it?! He reminded himself both men had been young. Kerr rubbed his eyes with the fingertips of the one hand game enough to reach out of the covers into the cold to do it.
Suddenly, he felt very old and weary, aware that his sense of smug superiority wouldn’t last and it wouldn’t help but that it comforted him, in the moment.
With a heavy sigh, Kerr dismissed his piety and focussed on the issue at hand. He looked into Win’s electric blue eyes, regarding him like a puzzle piece rather than someone he had feelings for. Feelings were what was making this whole thing so messy but he knew this moment of omniscience would pass for him, too. He would be back down in the trenches with these men in no time, as befuddled as they by the turbulent whirlpool of love, fury, passion, obligation, devotion and sexual attraction they navigated nightly. One kiss, a heated look, a secret touch and he was as vulnerable to them as they were to each other. It was a fucking mess.
“You know Lazarus is the real problem, don’t you?” Kerr asked Win waspishly. “If you could both drag yourselves out of his thrall and go your separate ways, you’d be far less fucking nuts and a whole lot happier,” he preached, certain it was just that easy and so much more complicated than that. Relenting, he stopped looking at Win with condemnation and sighed.
“I don’t think I’ll be able to stop Ben using you as a convenient target for his pain but I’ll try to temper it, somehow. He’s far too smart to not know, deep down, that he’s transferring it all onto you, rather than dealing with it and risking his relationship with Lazarus.” Kerr shook his head reproachfully, judging Ben even while he sympathised with him and loved him even more deeply for his blind devotion and loyalty to his cause. Kerr hadn’t realised he had the ability to approve of someone so fiercely, while hating their motives so passionately but he supposed the world of love was completely new to him. If it continued to be full of such anxiety-inducing insights, he could finally see why people coined the phrase ‘crazy in love’. This shit could well be the reason he lost his mind.
-
Under the covers felt safe. With Kerr he felt safe. He still feared that the mortal would process it all and conclude that Win's act was perfectly heinous and he didn't deserve any compassion. It was so long ago though, that he barely remembered how he felt about it. It was just a sad, terrible story now. It had lost its weight beneath all of the other things Ben and Lazarus had done. But Ben kept reminding him, making him suffer for it.
"I haven't told you everything, yet. The dynamic is different to what you think. The mistake with his family wasn't the only thing I've done to Ben," Win admitted, "but it is the worst," he added hurriedly. "After some decades passed, they moved into a city I was already living in. Circumstantial. I caught up with Lazarus and discovered Ben was angry with him for some reason or other, and the two of them weren't spending a lot of time together. I tried to get Lazarus to take off with me. I almost did it, too, I'd convinced Lazarus that Ben wouldn't forgive him. He was going to leave with me but that night was when Ben followed Lazarus and discovered us. At first he was okay with it and I pretended I was just back for a romp. It was a year later when I was stupid enough to admit I'd tried stealing Lazarus away that night. I thought Ben would be okay to hear it because I hadn't been successful and we were pretty happy together at that stage. But he lost his shit and banished me again."
Win sighed again. "He'll never trust me, now. You can't fix that. But I love him, too. I won't try and take Lazarus off him, again. Ben's won both times. I know I can't compete with him. But you've got it wrong, just like I did. I've figured it out, now. Lazarus might be our sire, but he's very obviously devoted to Ben. Lazarus does what Ben wants, and Ben won't leave him because he likes having a powerful vampire on his leash. I'm only here because I think Ben wants someone else to pit his powers against. Lazarus wanting me is just a way to keep him satisfied while Ben gets what he wants. Ben is the leader in this group. We belong to him."
-
At the conclusion of Win’s speech, Kerr was left reeling. His mouth dropped open at the close and all he could say was, “Jesus,” as Win’s logic struck home. Ben really was the leader, the eye of the storm. How could he have missed that?
Connections kept coming to him, thoughts falling into place like the tumblers in a lock and Kerr didn’t know how to feel about this news. Part of him rebelled at being a pawn in Ben’s game, humiliated by his own naive devotion so quickly. Part of him also suspected Win was manipulating him, sensing he could control the game with this particular pawn.
But pawns were for sacrificing, to protect the pieces with real power, so it didn’t matter either way. Kerr was screwed no matter who had their hands on him. Win couldn’t have that much faith in his ability to sway the game, surely? He swallowed, unable to predict the outcome, debating whether he wanted to play with them... or stick to his own game.
It’d been working for him so far, but it’d been natural. He’d garnered Ben’s attention through dumb luck and by trying to kill him. If he started trying to be interesting now... well, he had no idea how he’d done it in the first place, how could he know what to do to increase his value? The only idea that came to him wasn’t very nice; he had to show Ben that he didn’t have complete control of him. That might keep him chasing a little longer but it made him feel dirty to think this way.
Kerr closed his mouth and looked at Win thoughtfully. Conflicted, he nevertheless leant forward to kiss him, attempting to test how it made him feel. Could his love for Win and Ben make it easier to carve out a place between them or would he just be so disgusted by himself that he’d have to give up and walk away? How far was he willing to go?
Tentatively, he tilted his head, intending to deepen the kiss.
-
At first Win was confused by the kiss - he'd thought there were more questions coming so being kissed after THAT expression had surprised him enough into not reacting. He concluded it might be Kerr's way of showing him that he wasn't going to hold the story against him, perhaps thanking him for divulging it and putting Kerr on even ground. Then, when the kiss deepened (to which he automatically responded, his body thrumming with desire for Kerr, remembering the last time they'd been with one another), the confusion returned. Conflicted, he kept touching and kissing Kerr until the bewilderment grew too great and he pulled away, holding Kerr apart from him.
"Wait. What's happening?" he asked. "Are you... are you on my side?" His tone indicated he was dubious. He certainly hadn't expected it.
-
As soon as Kerr was pushed away, guilt swamped him and he closed his eyes, fighting off the urge to cry. It was clear that he couldn't deliberately deceive Win and he knew he'd do no better with Ben. His immediate impulse was to confess but he was too ashamed to speak straight away. His hands clutched at Win's shirt or patted him compulsively while he took some breaths in an effort to calm down. With a little clear of his throat, he opened his eyes and finally spoke.
"I was... I dunno, trying to prove to myself that Ben didn't have control over me, that I could do things with you without worrying about what he thought about it - and it was working, I wasn't thinking about him but, I dunno," he shrugged, his mouth downturned and threatening to crumple, "I feel bad. Like I'm using you to prove a point and it feels... awful. I'm sorry," he admitted, wanting to lean forward and kiss Win again but now that move felt tainted somehow.
He was aware he hadn't addressed the comment about whose 'side' he was on, but that was deliberate. In his own way, he was declaring that he wasn't interested in taking sides.
-
The explanation comforted Win a great deal. He thought it was clever of Kerr, like a fast-track into the spinning wheel that was the three vampires relationship into another. Now that he knew about Win's past with them it made Win feel like he was no longer deceiving Kerr... and it excited him to have another person in the mix that could hold his own. Kerr was no pushover, he'd already discovered that when he'd catfished him... four nights ago? Five? It was less than a week yet it felt like it had lasted forever. And now here they were, playing a game that Win hadn't really prepared him for.
But he knew, hadn't he? He'd got the note. He'd dressed up for Ben. He'd thrown away security to chase his lust.
"You can use me," Win said, feeling absurd like he wasn't sexy in the slightest, though he was trying to give Kerr bedroom eyes. "Do you want him to find us in bed together? Naked and fucking? Or do you want him to see you in control? Dominating me? That you did what he couldn't."
Win's smile was cheeky.
-
Kerr blushed and laughed, finding Win's come-hither look and graphic offering turned him giggly and shot through him in the nicest way. He hadn't even been interested in any more sex after his energetic night with Ben last night and a blow earlier tonight but Win had him rethinking.
He was so beautiful and just hearing the words 'naked and fucking' coming out of his pouty lips had Kerr hardening beneath the covers. He and Win were pressed so closely together down there that he'd feel it, no matter how Kerr responded verbally. His body declared that it thought it was a very good idea.
Despite himself, he was intrigued by Win's offer - though he told himself that he definitely wouldn't commit to it. Probably. "Nnnnooo," he drawled reluctantly, "I think it's probably best I don't. I'm still sore from last night, anyway. But... dominate you how, exactly?" he asked in a small, curious voice, his gaze lowering to Win's mouth even as his hand dropped to caress Win's chest through his shirt.
-
"Use your imagination," Win said, wriggling his hips to press against Kerr's obvious bulge. His hand stole down to rub it, too. "Pfft, sore. A bit of my blood can reinvigorate you."
Win sat up, throwing the covers off Kerr and himself, then bounced away on his hands and knees to the foot of the bed, turning and kneeling on the end of it.
"Do you want me to do that? Or would you rather have me on the floor? You could be standing over me and have a wank? I don't know, you think of something. This is your scenario."
Win was having lots of fun being a part of it, though.
-
Kerr laughed, shivering as Win threw the covers off him and cold air rushed around him. He sat up and rubbed his arms, lifting an eyebrow as Win pranced across the mattress, posing prettily. Damn, he was sexy.
"I don't want you to do anything remember? I was saving myself for a big night tomorrow night, although..." he trailed off, thinking about the offer of vampire blood. That would work. He reached down to adjust himself as the memory of what had happened last time sent another surge of lust to his cock. "How much blood must a human drink before they change? Is it cumulative? Can you get addicted to it?" he queried slyly, rubbing his crotch.
-
Win tilted his head to assess Kerr's questions and answered them even as he started undressing.
"Ben is the one you want to talk to about that sort of thing because he's done experiments with Lazarus, but I was around for a few of them." His sweater came off and was deposited onto the floor. "They'd pick some guy up and depending on how willing he was to be sired, they'd try and figure out how far they could take him without turning him." His shirt was next and he finished unbuttoning it before the end of his next two sentences. "You can go pretty far. One time they half drained someone and Lazarus fed him some blood to recover and he still didn't turn."
The shirt joined the sweater. With a naked torso he prowled back towards Kerr, looking hungry as he looked the mortal over. "It's not so bad being a vamp, but I like your warmth," he said, his voice dropped to a soft growl. "I like how you get hot when you get aroused. How you taste different when I kiss you after different meals." He moved over the top of Kerr and pressed his groin against his, revealing they were both erect. "Right now you smell of Ben and sex and soap and I want to rub myself all over you, make you mine. So sure, you can drink my blood and heal your body. I can't wait to see what you do with it."
Before Kerr could get too involved in the picture Win was painting, he lifted a hand to his own neck and sliced his vein there while also lowering himself on top of the mortal, his bleeding throat against Kerr's lips. When the mortal was comfortable, he would try rolling and have Kerr atop him. All the closer to that predator feel.
-
Kerr was fascinated by the stories of experimentation - enough that he didn't want to interrupt to tell Win to stop taking his clothes off (though he didn't really want to do that anyway, truthfully) - his heart swelling with pride at Ben's inquisitive nature. They had a lot in common, in that sense. Still, Ben played with much higher stakes than Kerr did; playing with peoples' lives and existences. At least they were willing to participate in the experiments, by the sounds. Ben wasn't forcing vampirism on anyone.
Gasping at the fact a half-drained mortal wasn't turned by vampire blood, Kerr grinned as Win crawled up his body. He managed to make being mortal sound sexy, right before he caused Kerr's eyelids to flutter and him to sigh with pleasure as their bulging crotches were pressed together. "Oh fuck," he sighed his pleasure and was just getting used to the idea that it would be fine for him to take more vampire blood into his body without long-lasting consequences when Win cut his throat open.
Kerr gasped again, this time in shock, and went rigid beneath Win, his hands gripping Win's arms in panic. When the blood dripped into his mouth, he blinked rapidly but swallowed dutifully, trying not to freak out completely. He didn't have any time time to feel like a predator, he was too busy worrying about blood going everywhere. Thankfully, it quickly became obvious that there wouldn't be gushes of the stuff; Win's natural healing ability had the wound closing after a rivulet had run into Kerr, all of it swallowed. Instinctively, Kerr's tongue flattened against Win's throat and licked anything remaining off, marvelling silently at the sensation of a gap in flesh closing beneath his tongue. It was most peculiar.
The blood raced through him in much the same way it had last time, spreading through his veins like a fire of sensation, curling through his body and awakening his every instinct. His own heartbeat pounded in his ears, extraordinarily loud and fast and he blinked as his vision heightened. The light in the room was suddenly too bright and he closed his eyes as he focussed on Win's taste. The unique flavour of blood-nectar was replaced by the sensation of Win's skin against his tongue and lips. Everything tingled and throbbed, aching with a hyper-awareness he'd somehow forgotten but felt entirely lost in now.
Just as he was settling into making love to Win's neck with his mouth, the vampire flipped him over so that he was on top. One second beneath, the next above. He opened his eyes and stared into Win's blue orbs in surprise, seeing flecks of deeper blue and gold in them that he'd never noticed before. There was also an insanely sexy smirk that accompanied his look and the hip thrust that reminded Kerr it was now his job to do something about their arousal. He realised he wasn't aching at all, in that moment. His body was alive and throbbing with an urgent, overpowering need.
Kerr straightened up, lifting his chest off Win's and straddling his hips. He grabbed Win's hands, pressing them into the pillows either side of his head and leaning his upper body weight on them, his arms straight. He ground his groin against Win's, his breath catching in the glory of the sensation; riding a horny vampire wasn't something you did every night and Win's expression told Kerr he was enjoying it immensely. Kerr wasn't finding it disagreeable in the slightest. "You want to make me yours?" he grinned. "What if I make you mine first?" he grinned.
It was a delaying tactic, while he made up his mind about what he was going to do with Win. He hadn't intended on fucking him or Ben walking back into his room and finding them in a compromising position at all, he'd intended on being so good and not rubbing salt into Ben's wounds from losing to Win. This wasn't going that way at all, and Win's blood inside him was making it very difficult indeed to resist the sexual urges pouring his body. At least he was still clothed, even if he was so horny he could barely see straight.
"Damnit," he winced, shaking his head wryly at Win, "you know I didn't want to do this." Still, his grinned returned. "How the fuck am I supposed to resist you?"
-
"You don't want to do this?" Win repeated the question back at him, making Kerr know that they both obviously did want to do this, even though there were strings attached. The strength Kerr displayed was more than ordinary, with the booster in his blood, and Win liked the challenge Kerr presented. "Maybe that's your superpower, resisting the seductive vampires," Win announced grandly. "But we both know you already failed at that."
He used a memory he'd taken from Kerr's mind nights ago, at the start, with Ben on his knees sucking on Kerr's fingers, and projected it at Kerr. He was very good at taking an emotional, physical memory and passing it on or sending it back. He could amplify it as well, which had been part of his terrible pick-up plan at the motel where he and Kerr first had sex.
"Or maybe you like it when we beg," he whispered after whipping the memory away from Kerr once more. "Maybe that's your superpower. No... no... I know what it is. It's your leather pants," he said, then laughed.
-
Kerr scoffed at Win toying with his emotions by naming his superpower as resistance before pointing out he'd already failed at it, hiding his amusement at the vampire's cheek. He opened his mouth to argue but the words stuck in his throat as the memory of Ben sucking on his fingers inundated his senses. Kerr's hips bucked helplessly against Win as lust rocketed through him, taking him hostage momentarily.
When it faded, Win was speaking again. Kerr opened his eyes lethargically, lost in memories of Ben's mouth around him, the way it had felt to fuck his throat tonight in the change room, the thrill of needing to be quiet so that they didn't get caught mixed with the overpowering potency of an amazing sexual release. He only managed to focus on the last thing Win said.
"You should see the rest of the leather outfit I got to go with them," he growled, sitting back on Win's crotch and getting comfy with a tight circle of his hips. "I'm going to play vampire hunter/jailer with Ben in them." Kerr released Win's hands as he sat back, trailing his fingernails along his arms to his chest and down to his stomach, where he started undoing Win's pants.
"You know, I think your superpower is not fighting fair," he mused as he started shuffling backwards, down Win's thighs. He intended on pulling Win's cock out of his pants and licking it like a lollipop when he got to the right position on his legs.
-
"You're going to play vampire hunter-jailer with Ben?" Win repeated, sounding lethargic because he was hoping... yes... yes, Kerr was moving back into position. Oh... yesssss...
He sighed and gripped the mattress when Kerr starting licking the tip, not engulfing the whole thing like Win was hoping. The teasing was maddening and he grunted and bucked, trying to get more of himself into that hot mouth.
-
"Mmmm, in leather," Kerr smirked, shifting his face so that he could lick from Win's base all the way to the tip of his cock, up the underside. His large, warm hand was wrapped around the base, holding it steady for him and Kerr admired its every ridge and dip, the bulge of each vein beneath the silky skin, the velvety feel of it upon his tongue. He licked again, savouring the sensation, the way the skin shifted as he milked it just a little, the way the tip visibly throbbed and wavered beneath his stare. He'd never seen a cock in such detail, highlighted by his extraordinary vision and the overhead lights.
"You're so beautiful," he murmured to it, closing his lips tentatively around its head and flicking his tongue languorously over and around it. With his mouth full, he couldn't say anything but he could think it. I want to see you do it, he thought at Win, just as he ruthlessly lowered his mouth the whole way down, sucking Win deep into the back of his throat and flexing his tongue in a swallowing action, before he straightened up off it with a flourishing lick. It glistened with the spit he left behind.
Kerr let go and leant forward, the idea of dominating Win returning to him. He was good practice. Kerr could use him to prepare for his time with Ben. He pressed his fists into the mattress either side of Win and hovered over him, grinning lecherously at the vampire. "Do it," he ordered. "Show me how you touch yourself. And what you think of," he added belatedly. He felt like a gargoyle or a gorilla or something equally as powerful, leering down at Win's beautiful pouty face and relishing the control he was being given (yes, it was given, he knew that really, but it was still a heady feeling).
-
Win sighed and hummed at the attention, frowning when it was over, admiring Kerr's form when he loomed over him. Yeah, this was hot. It was incredibly similar to the type of play he used to have with Ben. Tease. Taunt. Leave him a puddle for Lazarus to finish off. Never the follow through he wanted.
Kerr was same but different. It was surprising how eerily similar his style was to Ben... but Win got no malice from it. Just... fanciful pleasure. Toying, not taunting. He could see himself falling for Kerr, in fact. His look was dark and his body more masculine than all of them. Win couldn't help but admire him.
The demand had him blinking initially, even as he reached down to stroke himself. Obediently he tried to think of what he would touch himself to, but he was too dumbstruck looking at Kerr for the moment. He ended up sending Kerr images of what he looked like from Win's vantage point, coloured with Win's heady and lusty attraction for him, sending a whole lot more affection and awe than Kerr might've been ready for. He closed his eyes next, so Kerr didn't have to get a feedback loop on himself. Ben looking across the couch at Win and smiling then getting up and kneeling in front of him, making eye contact as he unfastened Win's jeans - a pouring of gratitude and love from Win. A dark alleyway next, Lazarus staring at him with silvery eyes and wearing a top hat and neckerchief, licking his lips - Win shared his excitement and intimidation. Ben again, obviously mortal, looking a little bit younger, moaning and grabbing and writhing on the bed as Lazarus drank from him - lust and jealousy, of and for both of them. Lying beside Kerr now, on a bed in a shitty hotel room and watching him unlace his leather pants - wonder and excitment.
Win's eyes opened. "I can't decide what to look at. I just want to look at you," he panted, his hand speeding up when he focussed on Kerr's face and body above him.
-
Kerr was fascinated by the show he received, stunned by the emotions that accompanied the imagery. He was transported with each one, living momentarily in Win's skin, injecting his feelings through his veins like Kerr imagined a junkie shot drugs. It was just as addictive and fantastical, allowing him to move through time, space and bodies in a split second.
Awed and humbled, Kerr sat up again at the end, pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it aside. Knowing that Win only wanted to see him boosted his ego, filling him with a bravado and confidence he didn't have in this way - usually. He smiled at Win, caressing his pecs and stomach playfully, his hands generally roaming down towards his jeans. His cock was uncomfortably hard and trapped inside, he needed to release it; with a twist and an unzip, he parted the denim and shoved his underwear down, pulling his dick out to stroke. It was sticky with precum and he smiled as he smeared it around.
It wasn't in him to tease without reward, however, and as nice as it was to wank in time with Win, nudging his cock and hand against the vampire's, he deserved so much more than using his own hand when Kerr was willing. He shuffled back again and used his mouth to finish Win off, his head bobbing rapidly up and down to match the fevered pace his hand had achieved. Despite the fact he was servicing the other, Kerr felt powerful in the giving of the act, astounded by the sensation of having a cock so delicious in his mouth. It wasn't like it hadn't happened before, but it felt amazingly new tonight. He swallowed Win's issue hungrily, licking him clean for longer than was necessary, relishing the sensation of his own need increasing.
When he couldn't take it any more, he straightened up off Win and smirked down at him, his cock an angry colour as it bobbed out of his gaping pants, lightly tapping Win's stomach. "What're you going to do about this?" he queried, glancing pointedly downward and then back into Win's eyes. He didn't notice his fists were resting on his hips, superhero style but if he had, he would've laughed.
-
Win reached out for Kerr with both hands, like he was accepting an embrace. "C'mere," he said, in case Kerr didn't get the point. He wriggled upwards to brace his shoulders against the wall, pillows arranged at his back to keep him at the right angle. It was obvious what position he was going for; it would allow Kerr to fuck his throat even as he sucked on him. Win didn't have to breathe, but he did hurriedly grab the lube Kerr had so kindly delivered before.
After they were in position, with Win licking and sucking, his arms around Kerr's thighs caressing even as the mortal pumped a steady pace, Win blindly lubed his fingers and toyed around Kerr's ass, an index finger entering and matching the rhythm before he had two fingers seeking the nub of Kerr's most sensitive spot inside. He found it without too much trouble and caressed it, urging Kerr's orgasm and swallowing greedily when he finally came.
Surprising both of them, someone in the room applauded. It was only then that Win realised he could sense Lazarus and Ben in the room. They'd come in quiet and watched since... well, since this position. Who knew how long they'd watched them? Removing his fingers from Kerr's ass, he stayed where he was.
"Wonderful show," Lazarus murmured, his arm around Ben's shoulders. Ben didn't have any expression on his face whatsoever, but his gaze followed Kerr's movements. "Do we all get a chance to ride the Win train?" he asked Kerr with glee.
-
Kerr - leaning against the wall and lost in his own world of worship for Win - flinched in fright when the applause came. It sounded terribly loud to his newly-sensitive ears. He looked over his shoulder and spied them, his gaze landing on Ben and his stomach clenching. Shame was a natural response when finding someone you loved staring at you fucking someone else, right? He blushed and gritted his teeth as he turned back, lowering himself onto Win's lap, his pants an awkward confusion around his upper thighs.
He cupped Win's face between his hands and risked cutting off blood flow in his legs (thanks to his stupid pants) as he contorted himself to kiss him gently. "Thank you," he whispered with a smile when he pulled back. Unable to hold the position any longer, he completed a neat roll to get off Win and come into a standing position beside the bed (opposite to the side where Ben and Lazarus stood), pulling his underwear and then his jeans into a more comfortable position over his groin and ass. He felt deliciously warm and sinful thanks to Win's ministrations but also embarrassed and desiring of a shower.
"You guys were gone a long time," he shrugged coyly, able to feel the colour still rouging his cheeks. He forced himself to look Ben in the eye, trying to squash the shame away but the stupid blood in his system just made everything so fucking extra that it wouldn't go. Nor would his lust and adoration for Win; that only doubled, with Ben in the room too. He was held immobile and completely confused, wanting to embrace Ben, expecting to be punished for his audacity.
-
"I'll take that as a yes," Lazarus said, miffed that he wasn't directly answered. He'd hoped for a 'sure, go ahead' or 'yeah, I'm done' or even 'no, that was just for us'... something he could use later. But no, the mortal avoided answering altogether and he decided that Kerr was no fun for anything other than a fuck.
Boring.
Lazarus removed his arm from Ben's shoulders and moved towards the bed, his fingers unfastening buttons as he walked - sashaying his hips, really, looking forward to doing with Win what he'd just witnessed. It had got him in the mood.
"No," Ben said clearly from behind him, where he'd been standing and staring.
Lazarus paused and turned, looking at the younger blonde vampire who had instant command of the room with that one word. Ben's gaze had shifted off Kerr by this time and onto Win. There was a long pause that came next and just as Lazarus took in breath to complain, Ben spoke.
"It's my turn next," Ben insisted. Unike his sire, he didn't undress as he approached. He passed Lazarus and toed off his shoes at the foot of the bed before stepping up onto it. The ceiling was close but he had his head bowed, while looking at Win. Win followed his progress until Ben was standing over him, Win's hands twitched but he didn't move them.
Ben unfastened his pants and pushed them and his underwear down, revealing that he was hard and ready. As his clothes moved past his knees he knelt. Win did move his arms out of the way and his hands naturally found Ben's sides, even as he looked up his body. Licking his lips, he waited for Ben to press his cock against them before he took him in.
Lazarus moved to where Kerr was, blocking his most direct exit from this little show. He hadn't been able to see anything but Kerr's backside and Win's hands, and Ben had stopped him from moving closer, presumably in case he interrupted. This time he wanted to see. If Kerr wanted to escape, the room was big enough that he could walk around the blonde ancient.
"They're beautiful, aren't they?" Lazarus said softly to Kerr as he watched his two fledges find a rhythm together.
-
If Kerr had been doubtful about Win's opinion of Ben being leader of the group, he would've known not to question him the moment Ben prevented Lazarus from doing what he wanted. Kerr's eyebrows lifted as he watched the ancient one of the trio stop dead and defer to the youngest vampire of all. His amazement faded as Ben stepped forward and revealed his erection to Win (who, he noticed, looked happy to accept it).
A complicated wave of emotions assaulted Kerr and he braced himself, anticipating that it would be difficult to watch Ben and Win together. He'd reacted badly when watching Win and Jack and definitely hadn't loved watching Ben with Lazarus their first time, so he anticipated the sting of jealousy in the mix. Oddly, it didn't come. Instead, as Lazarus walked up beside him, Kerr found himself anxious about Ben's cold regard of him - and the fallout of being found in bed with Win - but he wasn't jealous. Aroused, ashamed, nervous, giddy, uptight, annoyed, happy, intrigued... but not jealous, which certainly surprised him.
He admired Ben's ass and the fluid motion of his hips as he thrust in and out of Win's mouth. The brunette's hands on Ben's shirt and the angle of his blue eyes as he watched Ben reverently had Kerr twitching with longing, the blood in his system reviving his enthusiasm, if not his actual body (yet). He found it easy to see the push and pull of Win's lips being fucked, the clench of muscle in Ben's buttocks and thighs, to imagine what it felt like - especially since he'd been there only moments before.
Lazarus voiced his thoughts, startling Kerr's attention away from the beautiful pair on the bed and drawing Kerr's gaze to him. "They really are," he agreed, looking at the slightly taller blond assessingly. Win's love and admiration for his sire still lingered in Kerr's memory and he found the ancient more attractive suddenly, his eyes interesting rather than stony and cold. Kerr looked him over, admiring his broad shoulders and narrow waist, the eager bulge in his pants and the curve of his long legs. He was graceful, even if he didn't exactly appeal to Kerr, and the mortal found his attitude adjusting, relenting, becoming more interested.
Energised by Win's blood, Kerr sidled boldly closer to Lazarus, pressing his front to Laz's side. One arm went behind the ancient, his hand caressing his back lightly while his other hand slid down to cup him, getting a feel for the shape and need in his hardness. "You have excellent taste. They're a credit to you. You ought to be rewarded for your impeccable choices," Kerr murmured, a hint in his voice. He was uncertain about whether Lazarus would welcome his touch or not. He didn't want to kiss his mouth but he'd happily go on his knees while Lazarus watched his progeny, keeping him happy while he waited for his turn - or finishing him, if he liked the heat of a mortal mouth around him. He licked his lips, to make it obvious.
-
Kerr's heat and his body were welcome upon Lazarus, as was his touch. The blonde twitched as though electrified when Kerr's hand pressed against his groin, feeling the shape of him. It surprised Lazarus, even after the little speech he got from him, that Ben's pet slayer would be so daring as to touch him. Maybe he'd been a little too harsh in his assessment that Kerr was boring.
His head turned, light grey eyes making contact with Kerr's dark brown ones. His stare dropped to the mortal's lips when a tongue poked out, wetting them. The offer wasn't lost on the ancient and he nodded once, letting Kerr know he approved and consented. He turned so Kerr would have room to go on his knees. It would allow Lazarus to watch either the slayer service him or his fledges with each other.
When Kerr was on his knees, Lazarus placed a hand gently on his shoulder. It would either caress his shoulder or run through his hair - but it wouldn't force Kerr into taking any more than he wanted. Lazarus had experience with mortals pleasuring him.
-
There was a moment of panic as Kerr reached his knees and he fully understood what he was about to do. What the fuck had he been thinking?! Sucking off a two thousand year old being? His mind floundered just processing that concept, it was too difficult to comprehend. Nothing he knew but the ground was older and he was offering to try and bring it pleasure? How could a twenty-six year old mortal be up to such a task?
The anxiety passed easily enough as he focussed on taking it one action at a time, undoing Lazarus' pants, taking a breath, pulling his rod out. Assuredness reasserted itself as he got his hands on it, finding a different texture to Win. He convinced himself he could feel Lazarus' age, that the rigidity cloaked in the velvet lining was stronger, harder than usual, the skin slightly less flexible. Lazarus seemed somehow more potent than anyone Kerr had ever been with (admittedly, not an extensive list), his cock impressive because of its form as much as its history.
Kerr began with his tongue, tasting the tip and kissing along its length. He rubbed it over his nose, cheeks, lips and eyes, his hand sliding along it, implying that he could stroke it until his face was covered with the vampire's issue. He couldn't see what Ben and Win were doing without removing his attention from Lazarus but Kerr didn't mind too much (though they were a much better view); he contented himself with pleasing the ancient, to putting all his energy into making him happy.
Part of him also hoped that this would appease Ben somehow, prove that he was just being a team player when he was with Win earlier because now here he was with Lazarus, spreading himself around as was expected... it had nothing to do with his crush on Win at all. Ben was still number one.
Thoughts of Ben affected his performance, so Kerr pushed them away in favour of pleasing Lazarus. Finally, he engulfed him with his mouth, letting the ancient nudge the back of his throat as he slid his lips wetly along his length. Kerr normally had a pretty good gag reflex (or lack thereof) but he still needed to breathe; Win's blood seemed to help him with that, too, because he was able to take Lazarus deeper than usual, to grind his throat muscles more firmly, to feel very little wear from repeated throat jabs, clenches and hungry swallows.
He became so engrossed in his exploration of Lazarus' dick, he stopped thinking about what his other lovers were doing. He no longer thought about whether Lazarus wanted to join them or not; he was working on the assumption that Lazarus would shoot down his throat and he was eager for it to happen.
-
Lazarus made small sounds in the back of his throat as Kerr attended to him. Grunts of pleasure that mirrored Ben's, though his fledge was far more vocal with his sighs, pants, moans and grunts. Neither Win nor Ben was looking at him and so he looked down and watched Kerr. If he wasn't seeing it with his own eyes he wouldn't believe it. The man was quite effective at pleasing him; and Kerr had guessed right that Lazarus adored a hot mouth.
Hearing Ben reach his peak into Win from right beside him, Lazarus warned Kerr to brace himself and then he came as well, pulsing and feeling starry-eyed and empty-headed from the release.
"Ohhh," he sighed. "Good job, love," he commended Kerr, brushing his fingers along his jawline as the human swallowed. Lazarus made eye contact with Ben next, who was holding himself upright using the wall but was now slightly twisted so he could look at Lazarus and Kerr. Win was dribbling Ben's semen and hurriedly wiping his chin. Obviously Ben hadn't let him know. Punishment? Maybe.
-
Kerr's expression faltered into a wryly quirked eyebrow as he was told he'd done a good job - like the obedient pet he was - but it cleared quickly, wiped away with a smile. He was proud that he'd managed to please the ancient. Unfortunately, Win's blood plus the process of worshipping Lazarus' dick had Kerr hard again and it somehow seemed inappropriate, with Ben and Lazarus replete.
He took a breath and kept his eyes down as he adjusted - he'd left his jeans gaping so he turned away slightly to tuck his tented underwear inside and zip up before anyone noticed. He covered up this move by crawling past Lazarus on his knees to collect his discarded shirt. He fiddled with it in front of him - pretending it needed to be turned in the right way by first turning it inside out - as he turned back towards the bed, sitting back on his heels to observe.
Ben was beautiful; Win was beautiful. He snuck a glance at Win's crotch, wondering if he was also aroused by giving, then stared at Ben. Was he interested in talking to him? Was he mad or had Win appeased him? What did Lazarus say to him to calm him down enough to bring him back to the room? Was he mad at Win still or had he accepted the fact that Win's mind was as strong as his?
Kerr had so many questions, yet he voiced none of them as he climbed to his feet, looking around for a clock. He couldn't tell how much time had passed since they'd boarded; emotionally, it felt like years, physically it felt like seconds (though that was the vampire blood talking). "Should I... go?" he eventually asked, his question aimed at no-one in particular but his gaze still on Ben.
-
Ben's stare found Kerr's, making eye contact that felt intense after what had just happened. He dismounted Win and, like Kerr had previously, pulled up his pants, dressing himself.
Win, like Kerr, was hard, and now he was absently stroking himself while watching everyone around him putting their clothes on. While Kerr watched, Win stopped and crawled off the bed after Ben, though he headed for the ensuite attached to the bedroom instead of the bathroom near the suite door. Seconds later the water turned on.
Lazarus smirked at Ben before moving to the balcony, wanting to see if he could see anything beyond the ocean. He could, for they hadn't yet left land behind. To mortal eyes there was nothing but darkness, for there were no lights on the mounds of land that stretched out in the distance. Lazarus could see them clearly.
Ben looked back at Kerr, assessing him even as he dressed and stood.
"Your room," Ben said, pleased now for Kerr's insistence that they keep one. He would have to tell him, but right now he just wanted them alone. He didn't wait for Kerr's response, he just led the way out and then waited for Kerr to unlock the room for them to go back inside.
Once they were alone and barely past the corridor into the room proper, he spoke again. "You were dominating him."
He didn't mean Lazarus.
-
Kerr resisted the urge to roll his eyes, though he was secretly impressed that Win had been right. He'd have to stop being surprised eventually, he supposed. Win had known the guy for a very long time and had it all worked out. Of course he'd known Ben would be drawn to the domination aspect.
"Well... not really. It was just my turn," he hedged, hoping his annoyance that Ben had guessed what they'd been up to didn't come through in his voice. He tossed his shirt onto the chair holding his other dirty clothes. He hadn't bothered putting it back on to walk into this room; it'd been more useful as a shield for his crotch. He shivered immediately after; his room was chilly with misuse. "I guess I was using him to practice, though. For when I'm with you. But I'm not into dominating him. Like you are," Kerr stated, knowing he was likely picking a fight.
He was suddenly annoyed about all sorts of things but mainly the fact that Ben had refused his compassion and walked out of the room after glaring at him, all because he hadn't succeeded in dominating Win. It had taken Lazarus to coax him back and now all Ben wanted to focus on was not how he was feeling but the fact that Kerr had been mucking around with Win? Kerr placed his hands on his hips, frowning at his lover.
-
Without saying anything straight away, Ben checked with a glance that the balcony door was closed and then he eyed the air conditioning panel on the wall. He moved to it and set it higher by a few degrees so Kerr would be more comfortable. It wasn't going to get any warmer outside but the suite itself was well-insulated. He faced Kerr, then, unsure how to feel about his obvious annoyance. He'd kept it out of his voice but not out of his body language or expression.
"He plays the part I need him to," Ben replied. "Want him to," he amended. "He promised me he'd do anything. I intend to test that." Ben's mouth curled a smile, one that Kerr might've seen on Lazarus' face just before. "You haven't seen anything, yet."
-
Kerr sighed impatiently, shaking his head. "He'd do anything for what? To stay with you and Lazarus? I'm sure he will, because he loves you both so much! Why do you 'need him to play a part'? Why is everything about manoeuvring and manipulating and making sure you're better than him?" Kerr demanded, shifting his hands around before him to mimic pieces being moved around, like cars on a track. He looked up into Ben's stunning eyes, already exasperated with all the game playing. "Why can't you just call it a tie?"
And leave me the fuck out of it.
-
"He loves me," Ben repeated sarcastically, indicating he didn't believe this of the other. "He finds me appealing at most. It's Lazarus he loves," Ben shot back. He moved past Kerr and flopped onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling because he didn't want to look at the mortal anymore. "Even if he does love me, it's worthless. He's only good for playing with."
He knew that Kerr would have something to say about that.
-
Kerr bristled, walking over to stand beside the bed and glare down at Ben, past his folded arms. "So having people love you, that doesn't matter? It's all just fodder for your ego and forget them, if they're not Lazarus, because his love is all that matters, is that it?" Kerr sneered, taking the dismissal of Win's feelings personally.
He's only good for playing with
you're not even immortal
you're even less
a pet, a toy
Craved. Sure. Until you're too much, sprouting on about inconvenient feelings that just don't fucking matter
Win's. Yours.
-
Ben propped himself up onto his elbows and stared hard at Kerr, matching the indignation.
"Win has burnt away all chances of love I might've had for him. His love is worthless. He proved to me tonight that he won't surrender to me if he can help it. He wants to challenge me. He wants everything to be on his terms, even after he fucking promised."
Hurt and betrayed, Ben glared his hatred at Kerr.
-
Kerr shook his head. "No, he just doesn't want you to walk all over him. He wants your respect. Trust me," Kerr invited cockily, dropping his folded arms in order to press a hand to his chest, "I have his blood pounding through me right now and I saw the way he looks at you through his eyes, I felt the love he has for you. It's the same way he looks at Lazarus."
His hand dropped from his chest and was extended towards Ben instead, silently appealing for his understanding, rather than his anger. His own expression had also softened into something more hopeful (since Ben had made a point of not dismissing his love, anyway).
-
Ben narrowed his eyes when Kerr mentioned he had Win's blood in his veins. He looked down at the hand and was momentarily caught in indecision. Would he be spiteful and slap the hand away or just move on, forward into something with Kerr?
He didn't want to spite himself, so he sat up and took it, pressing it against his face and nuzzling into it. Kerr smelt like Lazarus instead of Win, thanks to the last act he'd performed.
"Why'd you blow Lazarus?" he asked curiously. "You could've both just watched."
-
Kerr frowned, feeling like Ben was sidestepping his argument - probably because his point was irrefutable. Win had been correct earlier. Ben was a sore loser.
He also felt caught between the impulse to push the point or concede. He didn't want to be walked over; he didn't love the idea he was being manipulated... but was it really manipulation if he was aware of it and consented? They couldn't keep fighting indefinitely, they had to make peace somehow and it felt like too long since he'd touched Ben already.
His breathing hitched as his body responded to the feel of Ben's lips against his palm, his cheeks beneath his fingers. He was pulled towards the bed as if by a magnet, his groin swelling and his heart rate picking up.
"Because you told me I had to get used to him. I figured it was inevitable. And I wanted to," he shrugged, watching Ben's face in his hand as if hypnotised.
"I know what you're doing, trying to change the subject because you don't want to admit I'm right about Win," he said, with very little conviction in his voice. He was thinking more about pushing Ben back on the bed and climbing on top of him than continuing this argument but he couldn't just roll over and show his white belly.
"It hurt when you walked out on me and it was Lazarus that brought you back," he admitted, surprising himself. Where had that come from?
-
Ben hadn't expected Kerr to accept Lazarus so readily. The initial speech had been a surprise, so too was the blow. If Kerr wasn't careful, Lazarus would want more from him; more time, more attention. Right now in his sire's mind, Ben knew he looked at Kerr like he was Ben's pet, Ben's plaything. Eventually that would change.
When Kerr accused him of changing the subject, Ben smiled sweetly, but it faded when Kerr admitted he'd been hurt at Ben's storming out. Ben pressed his lips together into a thin line and considered what he wanted to divulge.
"I was embarrassed," he said, landing on the truth. "Win was taunting me and my efforts to mentally smack him down failed in a really humiliating way. In front of you," he added, for that had been a facet as well.
-
Kerr sighed, relieved by Ben's admission and bursting with love because of it. He pushed his way onto the bed, kneeling on the bed and straddling Ben's lap as he cupped the vampire's face in both hands.
"Your mind was tired - because of me wanting this room! It wasn't exactly fair. You had nothing to be embarrassed about, I don't judge you on shit like that. I think you're fucking amazing. I respect your power - even when it loses, it's astounding - and I'd only respect you more for being a gracious loser and letting me help you, rather than have you walk away and struggle without me. I'd like to feel like I could look after you, even in a minor way. I want to matter to you, not watch you be invincible and only able to be helped by other vampires. Give a mortal a break," he breathed through a laugh.
Unable to resist, he leant forward and nibbled light kisses on Ben's lips, ready to pull back and let him reply.
-
Ben shrugged like the words had no effect but not-so-secretly he was pleased and his little smile would let Kerr know that. When Kerr moved forward onto for kisses, Ben obliged, holding him in place, but the teasing wasn't enough to stop the conversation.
"You were right," Ben admitted, meeting Kerr's gaze as they both pulled back to look at one another. "Having this suite is convenient." Then he smiled and said airily, "and you were right about some other stuff, too."
Other stuff. He smirked, feeling like Kerr would force him to say it.
-
Kerr grinned, quirking an eyebrow at his lover. It was a relief that he could concede to Kerr; after the examples set with Win, he'd been afraid that Ben would never admit anything penetrated his shield of arrogant confidence, ever.
He loved him all the more for being that little bit human and a whole lot vulnerable; it reminded him of the intriguing spark buried in the heart of the man he'd trapped behind magical bars in that basement. It was the reason he'd thrown caution into the shredder and run after this amazing vampire, rather than giving up on him as merely a monster.
Ben was amazingly complex and deliciously sensitive and Kerr adored that Ben's beauty was there, if he stood still long enough and waited quietly enough for him to reveal himself. He was becoming downright trustworthy. "What 'other stuff' might that be, exactly?" Kerr smirked, shuffling his fingers beneath Ben's shirt to caress his stomach.
-
Ben huffed his faux annoyance and then gasped when Kerr's fingers tickled his stomach, the touch too light until it was finally firm enough to be pleasurable.
"Because I taxed myself getting you here, Win had an advantage," he said, picking the easiest thing that Kerr was right about. He lay back slowly, still holding Kerr, both of them on the bed now, with Kerr over him. Ben's grip remained on Kerr' backside. "And I promised you I would be kinder to him, so I will."
-
Kerr grinned, following Ben's lead willingly and settling himself comfortably in the curve of his hips. They were a little bony but he loved not having to worry about squashing the breath out of his partner; he could wriggle until he was comfortable and didn't have to move until necessary (and with his body enlivened by Ben's proximity and Win's blood, that wouldn't be far away). He sighed a moan as he got settled and all their nicest bits rubbed against each other.
It was foreign to him, this craving of Ben. He'd heard about relationships' fucking phases before but never understood like he did now. He'd thought sex would always just be the same, too. How ignorant he'd been.
"Thank you. Again. That will make things easier for everybody," he grinned his approval. "Well, except for Lazarus, who seems to enjoy it when you two fight because he loves the games." Kerr rolled his eyes. He wanted to ask how Ben had truly felt about finding him with Win when he came back but he shied from it, choosing a different question instead. "Are you... going back to sleep with him soon?" he queried with feigned casualness. He'd expected the vampires to stay together but Ben was here now and he'd said the room was a good idea so he began to hope he might have his company for longer than the time left until dawn.
-
"I'll head back just before sun up. There's still about an hour left, I'm sure we could get up to something in the meantime," he said. He could sense it, the sun's rising. Thanks to Lazarus not being enslaved to daylight hours, he wasn't either, for Lazarus would wake at odd times and want to play before going back to sleep again. He'd more or less trained Ben into defying the day's oppressive sensation because of it. "I'm glad the curtains are so thick, and that they can be fastened together," he added. He'd pushed for an internal cabin with Lazarus, but his sire had wanted opulence over safety.
It seemed like nobody wanted to do what he wanted when it came to ships and which berth to get.
Thoughtfully, he added: "If I spend the day with you here, would you have someone ready for me to drink from when I wake up?"
He guessed, correctly, that Kerr might want him to stay.
-
Kerr's eyes widened, his negative experience with Win and Jack flashing instantly to mind.
He hadn't really thought about how the vampires would feed while on the ship - he'd been told how often Ben needed sustenance but couldn't remember if it was every second night or not (he'd been told lies first and it'd been a while since he'd thought about the true version, so it was all very muddled in his head) and he was afraid he'd seem ignorant if he asked again - that was their business. He'd supposed it would be some furtive feeding behind some stairs or something but now that he thought about it, that sounded ridiculous.
"Uh... I could," he hedged. "Would they have to be aware of what they're here for or would you-" he circled a hand around his head, indicating mental trickery, "so they didn't know? And they'd just be for feeding from, not for fucking as well... right?" He'd been down that road before and it was still on fire, as far as he was concerned. If Ben wanted a feed and a fuck, he could do it in his own cabin, where Kerr didn't have to know about it. He could feel his heart quailing at the mere thought of it.
-
Ben gave a light scoff of laughter at Kerr's request of 'feeding not fucking'.
"You don't have to bring me breakfast if you don't want to. Win ruined it for you, I can tell by your face." He made an exasperated sound; something else to blame Win for. The list was endless. "That's alright, I can lure someone myself."
He didn't tell Kerr that he wouldn't be spending the day with him in his cabin after all. The offer had been made and Kerr had balked at it and so Ben wasn't going to reward that.
Ben wriggled, flicking his hips up minutely and boosting Kerr - though not greatly. He controlled it, so that it would feel like Ben couldn't escape. "So what did you want to do for the next hour? Talk?" he suggested, then chuckled.
-
Yet again, Kerr was faced with a dilemma. Fight or forget. So far, he'd stood his ground every time but he was getting weary of needing to. He didn't see why he had to, this time! He wasn't expecting Ben to marry him or anything but some acknowledgement of his significance would be nice. Who told a guy one night in the sexiest, most romantic way that that guy had ever heard that he craved him, then passed him over for someone new the next night? Narcissistic psychopaths, that's who!
First, he had to be sure he was interpreting that snide little laugh accurately.
"So you will fuck whomever you feed from?" he asked coolly, narrowing his eyes at Ben. He couldn't even give the two of them a honeymoon period? He was just fine with telling Kerr how he craved him, moved people out of their berths and paths to include him in their group but then dropped him on the first new night in favour of someone hot and different? He wasn't good enough to cover the fucking part, at least? He was just chopped liver (as his mother always said. Fuck. His mother had been right. He was an impetuous fool)?!
-
He didn't like the look he was getting from Kerr one bit. (Though he sort of did, Kerr's aggression was pretty hot).
"I don't just fuck whomever," Ben repeated, pulling a face. "You make it sound like I don't have standards." He grinned wolfishly at Kerr, hands sliding along his legs, rubbing them before sliding them towards Kerr's crotch. "I have standards," he insisted, looking Kerr over. "I only like shitheads that challenge my every word or action."
-
"Cute," Kerr spat sarcastically, pulling a fake smile as his jaw set obstinately.
He rolled off Ben, distracted by his hands heading for places his body clearly wanted to be touched and glad he was still wearing his pants. If Ben got his hands on his weak flesh, he knew it would be impossible for him to fight his touch; he'd succumb in seconds. As it was, he scooted across the bed a little, keeping his legs between them as a barrier so that Ben didn't manage to get to his bare torso and undermine his resolve.
"I don't get why you have to fuck anyone else at all. Especially mortals. Am I already boring? Am I bad at it? Because I get why you need to feed from others, but not fuck them - you know, with me, your boyfriend that you supposedly crave right here and willing," he sneered.
Damnit. This actually hurt. He would not fucking cry!
-
Ben was shocked enough to stare at Kerr and answer frankly. "They're disposable, what the hell is wrong with you? I don't invite them to travel with me. I don't trust them to spend the day with them. They're just convenient blood that sometimes offers a convenient hole." He shrugged. "If I'm not in the mood, I won't do anything. If I am in the mood, I'll fuck them. It's got nothing to do with how I feel about you."
He got up off the bed and ran hands through his hair, gripping it and wondering in what universe had Kerr believed that Ben was going to only have sex with him? He'd literally just watched Ben fuck Win in the mouth. Kerr himself had blown Lazarus and he didn't even like him!
"Win said he got you ready for us," Ben said, the words more accusatory than he'd intended. Strike two for Win. That fucking guy couldn't do anything right.
-
Kerr laughed bitterly, looking at Ben with pity.
"Win doesn't control me, though he might have tried. He obviously didn't tell you I was this close to not coming to see you at all and that he convinced me to do it," Kerr spat, holding up his thumb and index finger with a minute space between them to show just how close he'd been to abandoning the idea of joining Ben at all. It was a slight exaggeration to credit Win entirely with his change of heart, but Ben didn't need to know that. Look at how he was learning.
He sighed and dropped his hand, looking at Ben wearily now. It was all becoming too much. "I think you should go back to your room now. I need to think," he said quietly.
-
Being dismissed so perfunctorily after being told he wasn't all that important to Kerr after all had Ben's hackles up. He spun and left without a word but punched Kerr's bathroom door on the way out, causing it to crack and come off one of its hinges. He let the heavy entry door swing shut soundly on its own before he entered his own cabin next door.
Win weathered most of the storm.
-
Kerr cried himself into a fitful sleep sometime after dawn and woke up at two in the afternoon. He was sick of thinking and imagining scenarios, chastising himself for being closed-minded and doing his best to be okay with something he wasn't okay with. Yet? It wasn't that he was completely invested in monogamy, he got how that might be an unrealistic expectation long term, he just... it felt so soon. Like they hadn't even had any time together to appreciate the other.
When he got up, Kerr concentrated on figuring out what was happening on the ship and what was where. He got some food and then changed into workout gear to go for a long run around one of the decks, followed by some exhaustive exercising in the gym. After that, he swam until there were no longer any kids in the pool to dodge and then he had the whole thing to himself because it was dark. Eventually, he was asked to get out by one of the staff and he went back to his room to take a warm shower and dress for dinner (in one of his new suits with an electric blue tie).
It took a little bit of checking to figure out he was supposed to eat in the early session and what table he was meant to be at but it finally got sorted (with a little lie about everything being in his grandmother's name). It was nice to sit amongst normal, warm-blooded mortals and listen to mundane conversations about the wonderful food or excited plans about trips they'd take in Europe. The food was amazing, too. Still, his mind wouldn't stop flying to wondering what Ben and Win were up to.
Figuring the vampires had had enough time to get their drinks (and fucks) for the evening, Kerr went back to his room after dinner to use the bathroom and then went to knock on Ben's door. It was a few hours since the sun had set, yet his heart was hammering with trepidation. What if he had someone in there? He had no idea how he'd handle that. It was all he could do to stand there, fighting his instincts to just go back up on deck and watch a movie or something.
-
The door eventually opened, after a bit of thudding and 'hang on's. It was Win's voice responding and it was Win's face Kerr saw when he opened it. He was dressed in light casual clothing, matching the two strangers that could be seen sitting on the floor of the suite. It was a short moment afterwards that Kerr smelt a herbal waft.
"Hey, it's Kerr!" he greeted. The two young men on the floor lifted their hands to wave, one of them turning it into a peace sign.
"Kerr! Hey!" they repeated. One of them said something in a soft voice and the other giggled. Win chuckled as well, having caught it, but it wouldn't be funny to the man standing here.
"You want to join?" Win asked, figuring he didn't need to explain what was going on. He couldn't get any affect from the drugs until he got it through the blood, but Kerr might like getting high.
-
"Nah, I'm good. Is Ben here?" Kerr asked, his nerves getting the better of him.
-
"No, he went out a few times already." Win pressed his lips together, wondering if he should speak about last night because he'd been told he wasn't allowed to. "You made him really angry," he said softly.
-
"Yeahhhh," Kerr sighed heavily, tucking his hands in his pockets. He gnawed on the inside of his lip for a moment before he looked at Win appealingly, hoping for some enlightenment. "So you think I'm being unreasonable?" he asked, feeling squirmy on the inside. "It's too much to expect him to, uh," he glanced past Win awkwardly, not wishing to have an audience but also needing to ask the question, "keep it in his pants for me?"
-
Win blinked at Kerr, not having known the details of their argument.
"You asked him to... stop having sex with me?" Win asked, surprised and more than a little betrayed. "And Lazarus?" he added almost as an afterthought.
-
Kerr's eyes widened. "Oh, God, no!" he cried. "Just with the guys he drinks from!" He lowered his voice and leant towards Win slightly (even though he knew he'd be able to hear him just fine). "I told him I knew he needed to drink from them, I just don't get why he has to fuck them if I'm here and willing." Kerr let that sink in for a moment. "Unreasonable?" he prompted.
-
Win pulled a face, not understanding the answer he was given.
"What are you talking about? He doesn't usually have sex with his groupies, he's got this... elitist fucking viewpoint that he's above them or something, I dunno. He only indulges if Lazarus brings some back." Win hesitated. "Did he tell you he has sex with them? How did the conversation go, exactly?"
"Win, your turn," a voice choked behind him.
"Take my turn," Win threw over his shoulder, then looked back at Kerr.
-
"What?" Kerr asked, getting a feeling of surrealism as Win put forward an argument he didn't understand. It was the exact opposite of what Ben had told him. He wanted to believe this version but it wasn't what he'd been told. Ben had obviously changed since Win was with him last... although, it wasn't Win who'd lied to him consistently since they'd met.
"Yes!" Kerr insisted. "He said the guys he drinks from were 'convenient blood' that 'sometimes presented convenient holes' and if he's in the mood, he fucks them. I mean, he said they didn't matter like I do but he definitely told me he does it. I wasn't imagining it." Kerr's fingers were restless inside his pockets, twisting and rubbing against his thumbs. "But then... he punched my door and stormed out and... " he shrugged and sighed, "I don't know what to think."
-
Win made a peculiar noise. "That is a Lazarus quote if ever I heard one," Win declared, shaking his head. "He'll channel other people for their arguments, it's what he does. I don't know why he didn't just agree to your request about... oh, yes I can. Because you told him what to do." Win rolled his eyes. "Can't tell his majesty what to do."
"Win," one of the stoners on the floor called for him, sounding impatient and needy.
"Anyway, I can sense him towards the front of the ship, on a higher deck. Good luck." Win started closing the door on Kerr, turning as he did so. "Yeah, I'm coming."
-
Kerr felt an overwhelming sense of despair as Win left him. All these vampires really cared about was getting themselves into new and interesting situations with unpredictable mortals. He hadn’t realised they had the attention spans of gnats. This ship was apparently one giant playground and they were centuries-old children. He’d thought they’d be all about each other, reaffirming their little family and finding their way back to being a cohesive group. He’d thought the ship would be a time to establish his place in that group, through conversations and copious amounts of sex. He’d thought they were so much more than they were turning out to be and the head games were leaving him dizzy.
He went back into his room to look at the ship’s map and entertainment schedule. ‘Towards the front of the ship, on a higher deck’ didn’t give him much to go on but it was a start. The notion that Ben was such a chameleon had also thrown Kerr. Quoting Lazarus at him because he’d been too demanding? It seemed petty and beneath Ben but Kerr supposed he needed to adjust the pedestal he’d put him on, along with his expectations.
Part of him didn’t even want to chase Ben down (it was a small part, too tough and used to being single to bother with all this bullshit). He eyed the laundry he hadn’t got around to doing; he could do that instead. Or there was an action movie he’d been interested in seeing starting ‘under the stars’ in half an hour - that sounded cool. Problem was, most of him had hope that he could reason with Ben, now he knew he’d been too high-handed with the mortal sex ‘order’ - not a request - and an apology and some grovelling (the small part despaired over the loss of dignity) might get him what he wanted. Or at least some company other than Win and his muddle-headed playthings.
He examined his options carefully, realising quickly he didn’t know enough about Ben to predict where he’d be. Stage show? Karaoke? Trivia competition? Nightclub? Gambling area? The end of the last movie under the stars? Kerr could imagine him in all of them, based on the ease of picking up mortals in each, rather than genuine interest. The feeling of helplessness came back; he should be at Ben’s side for all this stuff, learning his opinion on all of it so he could know the man he loved better. What sort of idiot gave their heart to someone when all they knew about them was that they were amazing in bed and could be too intellectual for their own good?? Him, that’s what sort of idiot.
After a bit of wallowing, Kerr shut down the pity party and made a plan. He hung his suit jacket up and pulled the long tan overcoat on instead, then checked his hair. He’d already discovered that being on an open deck allowed wind to mess it up so he restyled it and applied some eyeliner, admiring himself in the mirror. He possibly looked too good - dark business chic meets party boat... they didn’t really gel even in his head - but he wasn’t dressing for the unknown masses. He wanted to stand out and look good to Ben - so good that his lover wouldn’t turn him away on sight if he was still angry (a scary prospect). The leather had been a momentary contender but seemed way too over the top in the end.
He left his room with a predicted order of likelihood in mind. He’d start with the nightclub (it was where they’d first met, after all) and work his way through the current forms of entertainment, leaving the movies ‘til the end. That way, if he hadn’t found Ben in any of the other places, he could just settle down and watch the movie (it was also strategic in that he’d be ruining his hair in the outdoors last). Perhaps he should just go straight for the bar serving happy hour and drink himself into a stupor? That seemed less daunting, even though it definitely wasn’t his style.
His mood was lifted when he stepped out of the hallway leading from his cabin and into an open area with coffee shops, open seating and a bank of lifts. Heads turned and inspected him as he walked past and he heard a woman turn to her friend and describe doing something to him that he’d never be interested in doing with anyone but Ben. He smirked at her and shook his head, causing her friend to laugh. Still, it boosted his confidence. First task: tick. He definitely looked as good as he’d thought he did. Now he just had to find the one he really wanted to impress.
-
Ben wasn't in any of the places Kerr had thought to look. After dressing smartly in a light blue button-up shirt over black jeans and heavy shoes, he wandered through the expansive art gallery, impressed by the size of it. He only viewed a quarter of the paintings before recalled there was a book club meeting in the library nearby and the book they'd assigned for discussion tonight was one he'd already read. He peeked in there, anticipating there would be a bunch of seniors but delighted in the range of people that had come. There were a dozen in all; one of them around eighty, five of them somewhere over sixty, three in their forties, and another three under that - two men and a woman. Ben joined the gathering and found the conversation good fun.
At just the right time, as Kerr was moving from one location to the next, Ben looked through the doorway and made eye contact with him just before Kerr strode out of sight. Ben didn't think he'd picked up on a mental connection or anything; he supposed out of the corner of his eye he'd recognised the coat. He wondered if Kerr would halt in his momentum and return, or if he was investigating the ship for himself.
Ben hoped he'd come looking for him. The mortal owed him an apology.
-
Kerr did indeed halt and reappear in the doorway, frowning at Ben. The library? This was something he knew the intelligent vampire was interested in - he loved books - but Kerr had also assumed he would be all about the feeding and the fucking tonight - on principle, if not out of genuine interest.
Feeling like he could get nothing right (although impressed he’d somehow noticed Ben in passing), Kerr shuffled into the library as subtly as possible, surprised by the crowd in there. They were being addressed by one of the uniformed ship’s crew, a good looking guy who spoke confidently to his nerdy disciples. Maybe he was why Ben was here?
Kerr sidled his way into a nearby seat, understanding as he did that they were talking about a book. He’d read it but not particularly liked it, though the woman who followed the staff member in discussing its ‘deeper themes’ seemed to have thrown herself into it on a level Kerr hadn’t considered.
He winced as he shifted position and his chair creaked but no-one noticed except Ben. He offered a wan smile to his lover, hoping the discussion would end soon so he could approach him.
-
The discussion had been wrapping up when Kerr entered, though Ben knew there was always a social hanging-around period after the next meet-up was announced with which book to read next. Ben was told about another book; a crime mystery which was current and readily available for reading. A box of copies was opened up and handed out. Ben took one even though he wasn't particularly interested in this one. He eyed the guy he'd been intending on talking to, to lure him someplace quiet and drink from him in fact, but sacrificed him with merely a smile and a nod to indicate he'd return next time (he could always save him for later) and moved over to where Kerr sat, his book in hand.
"Hi," he said, offering nothing more than that. It was up to Kerr to make his apology on his own. Ben would go wherever the mortal suggeted, figuring he'd want to be alone. Whether that was a nook somewhere or back in the privacy of Kerr's suite, he'd go along with it.
-
“Hi,” Kerr mirrored, trying to judge Ben’s mood from just that one word. He’d punched a door off its hinges with no words whatsoever, so Kerr didn’t consider himself an expert in such things. He glanced around, noting a few people lingering to have conversations - particularly with the crew member - but no one was paying them much attention.
“Do you want to sit and we can talk?” he asked Ben, his heart soaring when the vampire complied silently. “Have you eaten?” he queried, looking at Ben with another question entirely in his eyes and floating around the worried set of his mouth. Did you find someone to feed and fuck? was what he was really asking.
-
"Not yet," Ben said casually. His tone revealed none of the indignation he'd felt the night before, as though it was forgotten. It wasn't forgotten though - obvious in the way Kerr had been forced to hunt all over the ship for him.
They'd barely managed to start the conversation when two of the book-club people (both over sixty) moved over to them and started talking to Ben about the book, asking him what he meant by a comment he'd made about it. Ben conversed with them easily, discussing how he'd considered the setting a dystopian earth rather than interplanetary travel. This opinion set off a long-winded discussion about the Planet of the Apes movies and the fact they hadn't seen the remakes yet.
In a lull, Ben introduced Kerr beside him with a flippant; "This is Kerr, my boyfriend." Kerr would know from previous discussions that the description was not flippant at all, but carefully chosen. Just in case he didn't know, Ben looked at him with a winning smile. It killed the conversation enough beyond the 'nice to meet you' and an awkward shuffle away after their excuses were made. To their credit, Ben didn't think the gay thing bothered them so much as the fact they'd already talked themselves out.
He looked at Kerr, wondering if he still wanted to sit here, in the library, or go somewhere quieter where they wouldn't be disturbed.
-
Kerr was crestfallen to find Ben hadn’t found anyone to drink from. He’d been hoping to avoid the awkwardness and jump straight to the part where they’d decide if there was a way they could move forward without him sounding like a possessive douche and Ben a vampiric slut. Naturally, nothing was going to be that easy. He’d be forced to confront and confess his feelings.
Unfortunately, he was forced to sit through another book conversation first, his stomach churning with worry the whole time. Ben’s introduction of him as his boyfriend had him gritting his teeth through his smile because it felt like a point was being made. See? I told you you were special, look how I refer to you as important to the whole world! Why the hell are you so worried about who I stick my dick in, when they mean nothing to me? Ben’s smile was beautiful mockery, digging at him.
Kerr had been thinking long and hard about this since their fight and he acknowledged he had some esteem issues driving his concerns. Ben was amazing, there was no way around it. He was intelligent and sexy and a powerful vampire. Kerr didn’t measure up and he didn’t understand how he’d been lucky enough to capture Ben’s attention but they both knew there was an expiry label on it. He wanted to matter wholly while he was here, not think about Ben amusing himself with random meals.
When the couple finally doddered off, Kerr shuffled his chair closer to Ben’s, reaching out to grasp his hand. It was startlingly cool, he supposed because Ben had had no blood or physical contact to warm him. The student in him was fascinated and he had to pointedly divert his attention away from contemplating the lowest temperatures a vampire could reach and back onto the heavier conversation about their relationship.
“I love you,” he began earnestly, “and I want you to be happy. I want us both to be happy. It doesn’t make me happy to think of you with others. I like watching you hunt and drink, I don’t want to watch you play.” He chose the word carefully, aware they could be overheard.
“Maybe one day I’ll be cool with it and accept it as just something you do but I’m not there yet. It’s taken me a lot of thinking to be okay with Win and Lazarus, I thought it’d just be them. Obviously, I’m not very cool and I’m new to this because you’re the first person I’ve ever felt like this about. I’m sure you’ve been through this process a hundred times but you’re my first real boyfriend. You’re special to me, there’s never been anyone like you in my life and it’s likely there’ll never be another again. You’re it, for me, I think. I’m sorry I didn’t cope with finding out I’m not it, for you.”
He tried to sound sophisticated and collected but the words just kept gushing out of him, so Kerr finished his impromptu confession with the distinct impression he was whining. All he could hope was that Ben wouldn’t hold that against him.
-
Ben gave Kerr a long stare. Another book-club member approached, the guy Ben was interested in no less, and said hello. Ben looked from Kerr to him and couldn't help but compare. They were both dark, a little older, and he found both attractive. But he didn't know anything about this guy and Kerr was a slayer - a slayer! - who'd got the best of him.
"Not right now," he said, then turned back to Kerr. The other guy mumbled his agreement and an apology at interrupting and hastily left the library. He set off a chain reaction where most of them left. Only a couple stayed, and only to browse the shelves. Ben stared at Kerr through all of it, inspecting the mortal intensely.
"As attractive or turned on my donors are, I generally don't have sex with them. They'd have to be pretty special or catch me in just the right mood before I indulge. Having you available means even though I'm in the mood I'll come back to you instead. That's my decision, though. Ask me, if you like, but don't tell me, or accuse me."
He said it all blandly, without emotion, except for the last declaration. It came out with eyes flashing the anger he'd shown Kerr a smidge of last night. Then it was gone as he waited for Kerr to respond.
-
Kerr lowered his gaze and nodded when Ben looked at him with fire in his eyes. He didn't like being looked at like that but he also didn't want to argue again. Not over being able to tell Ben what to do. His assertion about being told or accused felt bossy but was also fair enough; Kerr didn't want to be told what to do, either (though his status in the relationship made it a far more likely expectation than him being able to dictate actions to a two hundred year old). He wasn't entirely sure when he'd accused Ben of anything but, again, he wasn't going to ask.
Ben's words confirmed what Win had said (Win's wording was more amusing, though), which both disturbed and relieved Kerr. Ben hadn't said he would never indulge with his donors, but he'd given Kerr what he wanted - told he mattered the most, that he'd be the one he turned to. He sighed his relief, letting that realisation settle through him and into his bones. He mustered a smile and looked back at Ben, feeling jubilant when his heart flipped like it always did whenever he looked at him.
"Thank you," he murmured. "I didn't mean to upset you. And I hated being away from you. I felt... lost. Do you want to find a drink then go back to my room?" he asked, happy with the prospect. "Or is there something else you want to do?" He wondered fleetingly where Lazarus was.
-
"Do you like looking at art?" Ben asked, thinking that he would like to continue his viewing of the gallery. Ben had initially thought it would be perfect for him and Win - the artist in their merry band - to bond over, but he wasn't ready to develop an emotional attachment to Win again yet. Kerr was the perfect substitute, if he was interested. Lazarus could be intensely interesting whenever he indulged in museums or galleries, noticing details and drawing conclusions from them that Ben had overlooked, but Lazarus would grow bored too quickly and start belittling everything, making it so miserable an experience that Ben would duck out with him.
-
Kerr looked thoughtful, his head cocking to the side as the unexpected question came. "I can't say it's something I make time to do and I have no real idea about techniques or impressionism versus surrealism or that sort of thing but I do like looking at it and I like the way it makes me feel. Do you like art?" he asked with enthusiasm, pleased he was being offered an insight into Ben without any effort.
Then he realised he'd just asked a really stupid question and blushed."Never mind, of course you do or you wouldn't have asked," he shook his head, silently reprimanding his own stupidity. "They have art on board the ship?" He queried as he stood up, still holding Ben's hand. He was uncertain if he should drop it as they walked or not. He hung on; he'd let Ben decide.
-
Ben's hand remained holding Kerr's and he led the mortal to the gallery, which was out of the library and around a wall and then they were at the start of the art gallery. It was tucked aside from the thoroughfare but it was long and had a lot of paintings on each wall panel, crammed in together. They all had small plaques with information and were assigned a number. Some had a round sticker on the plaque. Ben pointed at it and indicated it meant this particular painting was sold. He told Kerr about the art auction that would take place tomorrow night and each consecutive night after that.
They walked slowly through together, Ben admiring this or that, speaking about light, colour or textures, not going into technical detail because of what Kerr had said before they'd got started. They arrived at a simple piece; a tree in snow with a single leaf clinging to it.
"Looks like something Win would paint," he said offhandedly. It was a fact, not a veiled insult and his tone demonstrated his interest. Ben's gaze fell on the plaque for the painter's name but he didn't recognise it. He would remember the name though, to tell Win, and to see if he knew of the painter, maybe.
-
Kerr had been interested in everything Ben had said about the paintings they'd seen and had prompted for more information, pleased when Ben could teach him something new. Just because he didn't know, didn't mean he didn't want to know more. It seemed that Ben liked teaching as much as Kerr liked learning, so their conversations became involved and extensive as they explored the most interesting works. When they stopped at the lonely leaf, Ben taught him something completely unexpected.
"Win paints?" Kerr asked, looking at Ben in surprise. He'd known the man less than a week, so he shouldn't be surprised by this fact, yet he was. He was hungry for information on all of the vampires now. "As well as that?" he queried, pointing at the painting they were in front of and glancing back to look at in disbelief. "Wow. I'd love to see that," he mused, his gaze roving over the single frond and wondering if this painting was likely to be in Win's repertoire because it represented solitude and loneliness. He hoped not.
"What do you like to do in your down time?" he asked Ben with a cheeky hip nudge, smiling down at his beautiful lover and wondering what talents he was hiding.
-
Ben stared at the tree, wondering why it reminded him of Win's art. Perhaps because Win painted metaphors. Like Kerr, Ben believed this to be about isolation, perhaps hope in the midst of it, with that little leaf clinging on. But winter was a frosty bitch and perhaps the painting was about hanging on in spite of eventual doom.
"Win's paintings are usually... sunnier," he said. Except for the few that weren't, and he not-so-secretly liked them best.
Another good reason to torture Win. Better paintings.
"I read and I journal. I learn languages. I'm an amateur historian," he said with a smirk. "I like learning things from before my own time." It was a constant tug of war, getting Lazarus to talk about his past. Ben treasured every snippet.
-
Kerr's face lit up when Ben listed his interests. They had much in common! Well, he hadn't ever had a dedicated interest in languages and history but he could see one growing. He'd enjoy learning with Ben.
"I read and journal too. Not about me, about supernatural facts. I've compiled every bit of information I've ever learnt about creatures I've hunted or heard about and anything I've been told by other hunters. There are forums where information is swapped, too. It's a gossipy community. I like languages, too. I speak three fluently, how many do you speak?" he enquired with a grin.
-
Ben blinked at the description of 'gossipy community' about supernatural information. Must be an Oligarchy thing. It sounded fucking awful, but it also sounded intensely grand.
"I'm also trying to find out about every kind of supernatural out there," he said. A couple were walking past and his gaze flicked to them to catch the smirk and eye-roll from the woman and the answering grin from her partner. That was okay then, he could be a new-age nutter. "As for languages, I speak most of the European ones, because I was there for so long before coming to the States. I speak six fluently and three haltingly. I can get by but I can't present as local. My telepathy helps me learn quickly," he said, but it wasn't perfect, because a lot of communication was abstract. At Kerr's urging he listed them all. "English, Spanish, French, Italian, German and Portugese. And the three not so great ones are Russian, Swedish and Greek."
-
Kerr just grinned at Ben for a moment, dazzled by his abilities. He had some really tough languages in his repertoire; Kerr was seriously impressed. He realised he was just gazing adoringly and grinning idiotically and shook his head minutely to snap himself out of it.
"Wow. You are amazing. I can share my supernatural information with you. And I thought I was good with three," he chuckled. He really was used to being the most lingual person he'd ever met, but the circles he'd circulated in were limited. "My mother's French-Canadian, so I grew up speaking French and English and my dad was Irish, so I learnt a bit of Gaelic from him. But he's been dead for a long time so I don't count that as a language I know any more - it's kind of like your Russian, Swedish and Greek, I guess," he laughed. "I learnt Spanish in high school and it shares some similarities with French, so I picked it up easily. How many does Lazarus speak?" he asked, his tone awed in anticipation.
Ben had learnt six in almost two centuries. Two millennia would've exposed the patriarch to so many more languages than that, he'd probably forgotten more than Ben remembered!
-
He was pleased that he could brag about his sire.
"I don't know, he won't tell me and I suspect that means he doesn't know. But no matter where we go he picks it up a lot faster than I do and ends up giving me the words I'm looking for. Unlike me, he won't learn to read or write it but he has an oral knack for them. Either that or he just understands the pattern of language from being around so long. English isn't the same as 'whence I spake it'," he said, "but the structure and sound of it is similar enough."
-
Kerr shook his head in wonderment. "Wow. That's just... wow. It's hard to comprehend. But it makes sense and that is so cool," he breathed, filled with reverence for a being that had lived so long that communication in multiple languages became easy. It helped him view Lazarus in a different light - one that certainly made him more interesting and worthy of having a conversation with. It made him respect Ben, as well, for he'd been struggling to see what Ben saw in his sire, beyond sexual gratification and the ego boost of ordering him around.
They'd stood at the painting so long (or maybe it was the fact that Kerr looked like a business man there to make a deal, in his suit and coat) that a crew member approached, his hands clasped politely before him, mostly buried in the sleeves of his pristine jacket. He came up on Kerr's side, silently, so that when he spoke, Kerr jumped a little and took a step towards Ben as he spun to see who'd spoken.
"It's a lovely piece, isn't it?" the man - whose badge declared his name to be Jakob - asked. He gave a little, "Ooh! My apologies," when Kerr reacted so obviously.
"No problem," Kerr laughed, taking his hand off his heart.
"Are you interested?" Jakob asked, gesturing at the painting.
"Oh," Kerr blushed, realising he was being asked if he wanted to buy it. "No. Thank you." He looked at Ben to see if he had anything to add, thinking they should be moving along so they didn't end up with a purchase they had nowhere to hang.
-
"Do you have any information about this painter?" Ben asked, gesturing at the tree painting, which was 'Untitled 12'. Jakob's eyes widened at the scent of a sale and excused himself to get a brochure. He came back before the minute was up and handed Ben a glossy A4 booklet. "His story is on page 13. It seemed appropriate to give him the unlucky number," he said, obviously using his mysterious statement to invite more questions.
"Okay, great. We want to keep looking," Ben said, putting the brochure together with his book so he could hold them in his left hand against his side.
"Of course," the salesman said, but added before he left; "This piece is up for auction tomorrow at 2pm in the Steam Bar, if you would like the chance to bid on it." He gave them each a nod and moved away.
Ben and Kerr continued on. After a moment Ben said: "I could've had him take us back to his little office on the pretense of buying it from him and fed from him instead."
It had certainly been on his mind. The opportunity had come too soon after their conversation that had mended their argument last night, so he hadn't leapt on it.
-
Kerr looked at him in surprise. “Good idea. Why didn’t you? You need to eat,” he urged, assuming Ben was only talking about feeding. Just in case there was some confusion, he leant over and nuzzled a kiss onto Ben’s lips. “If you think it’ll be easy, do it. I can stay outside and keep watch - or come in and watch, if you want,” he grinned, eyes shining mischievously.
-
Ben's gaze on Kerr lingered.
"Let's find a painting I actually do want to buy, first," he said, though 'buy' wasn't quite what he was going to do so much as leave the impression it was bought and paid for.
They wandered around a little longer, hand in hand, discussing paintings that each of them was drawn to. Eventually they both found themselves drawn to one with a violinist on the beach and a little circle of people gathered around him like he was their bonfire. The painter's style was one both Ben and Kerr liked, so Ben took note of all of the information on the plaque and they moved to the sales office.
Nobody was in there, they could see by the open door. Jakob stepped up behind them and the conversation led all three of them stepping in and shutting the door. As soon as Jakob had shut the door behind them, Ben stepped close to him, sending Jakob a wave of calm. He bit into him and Jakob ended up being the type of person who behaved erotically at the bite. His hands roamed Ben's body while he fed and Ben took the opportunity to spin around, so that he was the one against the door and Jakob was pressed into him, leaning against him. Even as he drank, Ben's gaze lifted to find Kerr watching them and he dropped a wink. There was a reason he was doing it this way.
After he closed Jakob's wounds and licked him clean, he let the salesman come to on his own. When he found himself pressing Ben against the door, he leapt backwards, banging his thigh on the desk.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't... I don't know what came over me, I..." he looked from one to the other, rubbing his hurt thigh and wide-eyed at Ben who was doing his best to look shocked. "I understand if you would like to make a complaint."
"No, you just fell against me and... uh... lingered a little long. I don't want you to lose your job over this." Ben gestured at the chair. "Can we get on with the sale?"
Jakob gave them as much of a discount on the painting that he could, without having to be asked. Ben made him think that he'd taken payment and so he marked on the ledger 'paid' and delivery 'tba'.
Once they were out of the office, Ben took Kerr's hand again.
"What did you think?" he prompted.
-
Kerr sighed wistfully, recalling his reaction to watching Ben feed. He wasn't exactly sure why he found it so erotic but had drawn some conclusions this time, based on the fight they'd had.
"I think it's a good thing I have this coat to conceal how hard you get me when you're being predatory," he grinned. He'd had his hand (the one not connected to Ben) in a pocket pushing the lapels together to conceal his excitement the whole time - and the 'sales' talk hadn't calmed him down much because he was so aware of Ben turning the blood he'd just drunk into power over the helpless mortal, that that had turned him on as well.
"I also think part of it is the fact that they're nothing to you. Is that weird? They're so desperate and horny to get close to you but to you, they're just food. Your fangs going into his neck makes me... " Kerr's eyes rolled back and he mimicked an orgasm, giving a delicious shudder and sigh, exaggerating the effect of his feelings. He then grinned at Ben. "That wink was sexy. It's all about your power, I decided. I love seeing you use your abilities, it fascinates me how you can just say something and they believe you - like, who in their right mind falls against someone, pins them to a door and gets jazzed from that? But he just believed you, because it was easier??"
Kerr shook his head, communicating the cleaner side of his fascination. He could only marvel at Ben's mastery and it made him wonder all sorts of things - how long did it take him to learn to do that? Did it make him tired? What's the process like in Ben's own head? How much can he do at once? Can vampires work together to magnify the effect? Can he make permanent changes in a mortal's mind? He settled for one main question. "Is it you stopping them from freaking out? I mean, you keep them contained, right?"
-
Ben laughed at Kerr's comic mimicry of orgasm and after the laughter died it turned into a sultry smile because Ben was pleased his power was what attracted Kerr to him. He understood that. He could related. He wasn't insulted by the notion that a more powerful vampire could win Kerr over because he was fairly certain Kerr was attracted to his sexual magnetism as well. There were more powerful vampires than Ben, but not all of them had his charisma.
"I was working him the whole time, but not hard, otherwise I'd just have to feed again," Ben said, nodding. "Initially, because I didn't seduce him first, I had to subdue him mentally so he wouldn't struggle initially at the bite. If he has a chance at awareness and an opportunity to struggle, there is no change for good feelings or placidness, and no receptive mind for me to manipulate. Their willpower doubles... triples, and I can't control them when that happens. I've done it enough times early on to know it creates a bad situation every time. I don't let them have the chance any more."
-
Kerr nodded, thinking through the implications of what Ben said. A frown flitted about his forehead but didn't land. "So... you usually start with seducing them - flirting with them? Kissing them? - as a preference to mentally subduing them? It's easier because it uses less energy?" he guessed.
He recalled their first interaction. He'd had the mental blocker ring from the Oligarchy, so Ben had had no option with him. He'd been flirting hard with Ben, though. Kerr hadn't been supposed to present a challenge, though - that hadn't been the point.
-
"Yes," Ben said. "I'm attractive so I might as well use it. It's easier to leave them too, because they think they had sex instead of being bitten. So I'm just a fling and they don't question what happened without much effort on my part."
He wondered if Kerr was going to make a jealous remark about how he picked up his victims.
-
Kerr chuckled, looking at Ben sideways. "That's clever. No use expending any more energy than you have to. Defeats the purpose if you do it the other way," he nodded amiably. He was utterly unfazed by Ben using his good looks to lure victims. The hunting process was thrilling to Kerr, there were so many variables that could screw the process and he admired Ben's savvy negotiation of those potential hazards. Plus, he had a secret satisfaction that none of those victims became anything more to Ben than passing meals, unlike him.
He stopped walking and turned to face Ben, drawing him out of the walkway so they didn't get in anyone's way and wrapping his arms about his waist, pulling him close. "Though I don't get how they don't know the difference between sex and drinking. You're memorable. They're crazy to think they've been fucked by you when all they get are your teeth in their neck," he murmured, nuzzling his way up Ben's throat to his ear. Thinking about all of this and being so close to Ben got him hard again, even though they were in the open and passersby were casting curious glances at them. Ben had a maddening effect on him; he'd never been so lust-crazed or publicly demonstrative in his life.
-
Ben was pleased that Kerr was reasonable about the flirtation. It had been the way Ben picked Kerr up in the nightclub after all, though he'd gone home with him... a mistake, really, since Kerr had been a slayer... but a pleasant mistake in the end, because look how it had turned out.
"I do give them flashes when I feed from them," Ben said, cuddling up to Kerr and relishing the attention Kerr paid his earlobe once he got there. "Suggestions, really. Tiny impulses of... ohhh," he groaned, interrupting himself. Ben pressed against Kerr, so both of them knew about their mutual hardness. "Of memory," he finished belatedly.
To demonstrate he sent Kerr sensations of sex; flashing small details of a blow before he shared a quick sequence of sex. If Kerr was perceptive, he would've recognised that Ben at some point had been in a bedroom with a lot of mirrors.
-
Kerr's dark eyelashes fluttered. The imagery didn't do anything to curb his desire for Ben; it intensified it. He took an unsteady breath, releasing it in a wanton sigh.
"Fuck. Wow. Is that a real memory? Yours?" he queried, releasing Ben's earlobe from between his sucking lips in order to pull back and look at his face. It was beautiful when he was aroused but Kerr thought it was probably a good thing he keep his mouth to himself out here. He wanted Ben to send him the memory again but, at the rate they were going and with both of them getting the other riled up, it wasn't a good idea.
What they were doing wouldn't be a mystery for much longer if he started getting Ben's personal sex memories funnelled directly into his brain.
-
Ben nodded in answer to the question, yes, it was a real memory. "It's the one I commonly use to send, because it's the only one where I see me in them," he explained, a knowing smile on his face at the effect it had on Kerr. "I can't show too much detail or they'll get the feeling a third party was involved." He shrugged. "Snippets are all they deserve, anyway. Can't have them enjoying the real thing," he said loftily.
Kerr might recognise some of the 'majesty' Win had mentioned about now.
-
Kerr smirked at Ben's attitude, shaking his head reproachfully yet his expression was indulgent as one of his hands crept up to cup Ben's face, caressing reverently. "Oh, I agree wholeheartedly. Only very special people deserve that reward. People who've done the hard yards, crawled through the mud on their knees... or, just been on their knees a lot, anyway," he grinned.
He glanced around them, wondering about a strategic exit from their public position. He had his coat to cover up his excitement but Ben had nothing. He could walk behind him (although there was no way he'd suggest that to his superior boyfriend!). Kerr also decided he was hungry for more food, for Ben, for everything, so they'd have to move sooner or later.
"Where do you want to go next? Because I wouldn't mind going back to my room and experiencing the real thing. Maybe order some room service and finish tonight in a much more fun way than last night," he smiled, nudging Ben in some very nice places.
-
"Sold," Ben whispered. "Give me a moment, though," he said, a hand on Kerr's chest and his head lowered. After not quite a minute of quiet contemplation he shook his head. "Well... I'm still ready for action so we're just going to have to find the most strategic walk to our floor. Stairs, I think."
Honestly, Ben didn't care who saw that he was sporting an erection for Kerr. He took Kerr's hand and walked beside him, holding the brochure and book in front of him. He wasn't going to make it painful for himself so he held them out at an unusual angle in front of him. It almost seemed to draw attention to it rather than away and so he dropped the facade and simply walked, ignoring the gasps or giggles and stares downward at his crotch. Most people were kind enough to pretend nothing was going on (or embarrassed enough), but a few just couldn't help themselves.
They got to Kerr's room without any real trouble.
"My room's going to stink," Ben said, screwing up his nose as Kerr opened the door into his suite for them. "Fucking Win."
-
Kerr fought giggles the whole way back to his room, smirking whenever he saw peoples' eyes widen at Ben's predicament - he especially liked it when they looked from Ben's crotch up to him, like he was responsible. He was, so it made him inexplicably proud (though he was glad he had a coat to cover himself), as did the fact that Ben held onto him and he stayed rather excited. Walking it off didn't even seem to help, which Kerr thought was both crazy and impressive. His ego was getting bigger by the night.
"Mmm," Kerr agreed with Ben's summation of his stinking room and Win's bad choices, though he was more interested in crowding Ben once they were in his suite, kissing him and pressing him up against a wall. He tugged the vampire's shirt out of his jeans and started unbuttoning it, resisting the urge to keep kissing so that he could speak. "I know, it was gross. He invited me in but that's really not my scene. I hate being out of control. Is Lazarus in there with him, does he like that, too?" he murmured, finding his excitement and the distraction of talking was causing him to fumble with Ben's buttons.
A sexy unveiling of his boyfriend's body was not on the cards at the rate he was going. Plus, he was filled with sudden nerves because he had an offer due to Ben's room being stinky and he wasn't sure how to broach it.
-
There was a half-table just past the entry that Ben dumped his catalogue and book onto just before he was pressed against a wall. Grinning and helping Kerr to fumble him out of his clothes (as well as swapping to rid Kerr out of his clothes, too), Ben only paid half a mind to the question.
"Mmn, Lazarus will join them I'm sure. That's when the sex will start," Ben admitted, knowing that Lazarus would enjoy the drug in his system for the short amount of time it would stay in his blood. "He won't lose control for long," Ben admitted, though Win would take much longer to come around.
He hummed his pleasure when their bare chests touched and rubbed together and he ground himself in Kerr as best he could.
"Nymph blood fucks us up," he said quite suddenly, imparting a weakness that he wouldn't have told Kerr unless he properly trusted him. "Last time I drank from a nymph of some kind - I just wanted to hang out and stare at the floor, enchanted by the carpet thread," he said, laughing to himself and nibbling at the base of Kerr's throat in between sharing his knowledge. "It was only afterwards I realised just how... vulnerable I was. Nymphs are hard to come by, though, and I can recognise them by smell now. No more accidental drugging for me." He looked at Kerr momentarily making eye contact. "Don't share that on your gossipy hunter forum though."
-
Kerr was distracted from all of the lovely feelings their emerging nakedness was rousing by the fascinating information Ben offered. Momentarily stupefied by thinking about the effects of nymph blood, he chuckled when warned not to share the information with other hunters.
"Okay," he agreed with a happy grin, "that's just for me to know." He began to work on Ben's pants, summoning the courage to make his offer once he had his warm hand around Ben's cock. "If you don't want to go back into that smelly room, you're welcome to stay with me. I could have breakfast ready for when you wake up," he offered as casually as he was able.
He wasn't sure how he'd do it, but surely he could bring another mortal back to his room to greet Ben the next night. He'd just have to be sure he didn't make the same mistakes he'd made with Jack and bring them here under pretences that didn't imply sex in any way. How hard could it be?
-
Ben grunted then groaned when Kerr's hand enveloped him. It felt so impossibly hot and good around him that he almost missed Kerr's offer.
Almost.
With a sharp look that quickly melted into something hazy, he agreed readily. "Sounds fucking fantastic," he said. "Now for some fantastic fucking," he said with a cheesy grin.
-
Kerr giggled and obliged willingly.
~*~
They competed admirably with the party going on next door but Ben and Kerr also had some lovely downtime, during which Kerr shared his database of supernatural information on his laptop with Ben, leading to some insightful comments and corrections of one or two things. The closeness he felt to Ben only enhanced the sex and although he'd never had a transcendental experience before, he recognised it when he and Ben climaxed together the last time. It went on and on, completely wiping Kerr out. It was just under an hour before dawn when he he fell into a replete, dreamless sleep, cuddled around Ben.
When he woke up, he hadn't moved much, though Ben was now holding him. Kerr extricated himself carefully, using his phone as a light in the complete blackness to get into his workout gear - two-in-one Skins shorts and a black singlet - Kerr grabbed his water bottle and went for a run. It was three o'clock when he'd finished his five kilometre trip around the deck and then he headed for the gym.
While he was working out, he looked around himself, considering his options. Like any good boyfriend, he wanted to present Ben with an optimal gift to wake up to but he couldn't catch anyone's eye. They were all too focussed on themselves. Almost as soon as he gave up on the notion of luring a fitness freak to his room, however, an alternate approached him, hesitantly and sweetly.
"E-excuse me?" a deep voice asked as he was completing a lat pull-down set.
Kerr paused and turned to see a young man standing there. He was slightly overweight and clearly in the gym to lose it, his baggy shirt and shorts evidence that he was sensitive about his body but the sweat marks on both proving he was interested in doing something about it. Kerr had smiled at him a few times when their eyes made contact as he moved from machine to machine but not spoken to him. Obviously, that vague association had emboldened him enough to approach. "What's up?" Kerr asked.
"I was wondering if you could help me with that machine?" he asked. He was Canadian, judging by his accent. Kerr looked at where he indicated and decided he could. When he looked back at the guy, he elaborated on why he was asking Kerr for help, without being prompted. "I've asked the girl to help me and she's told me twice but I'm pretty sure it's not working right and I don't want to ask her a third time or she'll think I'm a complete idiot," he confessed.
Kerr thought it was awfully honest of him to admit and was a little bit chuffed he'd been asked. He let go of his bar and stood. The guy was almost his height, just more heavyset. He had reddish brown hair, tawny eyes and a homely face with a few pimples here and there, reinforcing his youthful appearance. He wasn't a rare beauty by any means but his nervy manner roused protective instincts in Kerr and he accompanied him to the machine he wanted to use.
His name was Cameron - Cam, for short - and he was only nineteen. They ended up finishing their workout together. Kerr advised him on what to do on each new apparatus and pushed him as much as he was able while Cam gazed (secretly) admiringly at Kerr whenever it was his turn to work out on the equipment. It didn't take long before Kerr got the vibe Cam hadn't only asked him for help because he was friendlier than the crew member who'd made him nervous. He definitely got a gay vibe off the kid, though he seemed too young to know what to do about it or make a move on Kerr, even though his gaze lingered in some very obvious places. To his credit, he was able to joke around with Kerr - sadly, the jokes were often at his own expense so Kerr ended up defending him to himself and telling him to quit the put-downs - and followed him willingly to the pool after they'd wiped themselves out at the gym.
Cam went into the pool fully clothed and blushed obviously when Kerr stripped down to his swimming trunks, his tongue wetting his lips repeatedly as he watched Kerr's dick outlined with lycra coming towards him in the pool. Kerr hid his smile and they swam a few laps before they paddled around each other conversing. Cam was on the cruise with his parents and it turned out they were both currently enjoying their afternoon siesta before dinnertime - in an obnoxiously loud, snoring way, according to their son. More's the pity, even though he was an adult, the family was saving money by squashing themselves all into the tiniest cabin possible. Cam had to sleep on a pull-down bed he had to curl himself uncomfortably up in every night.
Kerr started referencing his sleeping boyfriend at about the same time Cam mentioned his snoring parents, eliciting another blush from the teenager. When asked (almost reverently) if he was gay, Kerr played dumb and admitted he was, asking if Cam had a problem with that. The younger man said he didn't and admitted he was, too - but he didn't have a boyfriend or anything. Kerr grinned and described how hot Ben was, rousing the teenager's curiosity enough so that when he offered for Cam to come back to his room and hang out watching some TV until Ben or his parents woke up and it was time to go for dinner, Cam was curious enough to agree willingly.
When they got back to his room, Kerr told Cam he didn't need to be ashamed of his body and encouraged him to take off his wet shirt and hang it over the shower rail. It was only him that could see. He'd walked back to the room with a towel wrapped around his waist, carrying his workout clothes, so he dried off and sat around in his swimmers. Cam looked reluctant but also seemed to want to try to compete with Kerr's body confidence and he ditched his shirt. Kerr complimented his chest hair, admiring the pattern and causing him to blush. He kept his towel around his wet shorts though Kerr suspected the extra layer was hiding more than just dripping clothes - especially since Kerr kept moving close to him while they watched TV and Cam kept catching his breath for no obvious reason.
They'd only turned on the lights in the living area so that Ben was left predominantly in darkness. By the time he woke up, Kerr and Cam had turned off the TV and begun playing cards at the table and chair settee, teaching each other their favourite games. They were getting close to the end of their current game, trading cards and laughing or groaning to relieve the tension of each new turnover, when Ben walked out. Kerr looked up at him and smiled lovingly. "Oh, hey honey, were we too loud? Sorry," he lied cheekily. "This is Cam. Cam, Ben," he introduced his new friend to his boyfriend.
Cam hadn't asked why Kerr's boyfriend was sleeping through the day, though Kerr had deliberately dropped the information that Ben had 'had a big night last night'. He didn't think Cam had noticed - he certainly hadn't questioned it, with Kerr nearly naked in front of him, giving him his undivided attention and making him feel good about himself. When he saw Ben, his eyes widened and, as evidence of how innocent he was, he managed a quick, "Hi, Ben," before he turned to pull an exaggerated face at Kerr that clearly said, 'Holy fucking shit you weren't kidding when you said your boyfriend was ridiculously hot OH MY GOD!'
It made Kerr chuckle and flush with pride - both because Ben was indescribably hot and because he'd lured a mortal to his room on mostly friendly terms, without any promise of sex and he'd be able to send Cam away afterwards with a whole lot of good feelings about himself.
-
Ben usually slept in elastic cotton shorts and maybe a t-shirt, but this time he hadn't bothered putting a shirt on before settling down for the day. When he awoke, Kerr's friend got an eyeful. He stared at the mortal Kerr had brought for him before returning the greeting with a vague 'hey' and then grabbing a pair of jeans and underwear before disappearing into the bathroom.
He moved the unfamiliar wet shirt to the end of the rail and took a hot shower without any cold, warming up his skin with the scalding water. He hurriedly dried after stepping out and pulled on his clothes, rubbing his hair with a fresh towel. As an after thought, he flushed the toilet and rubbed as much moisture out of his hair before he exited, taking his sleep shorts with him. He'd not spent a lot of time in the bathroom because he'd shared a shower last night with Kerr.
Ben tossed his shorts onto the bed and approached the pair, wearing more than either of them even though he was bare-chested. He sat beside Cam where Kerr had been savvy enough to position him with available space.
"What are you playing?" he asked, draping his arm on the back of the couch and looking first at the cards and then intensely at Cam. He wanted the youth to be properly intimidated so he would go along with whatever Ben suggested.
-
Kerr looked at Cam with raised eyebrows, encouraging him to speak for himself, since that was what Ben would respect - it was his game they were playing, anyway.
Cameron swallowed tightly, the noise loud in the room as his Adam's apple clicked, signalling how painfully dry his throat was. He cleared his throat in order to answer Ben.
"It's uh, oh, well, it's called 'Slap' but I don't know why because there's no slapping involved," he laughed awkwardly. "Do... d'you want to play?" he asked Ben quietly, his gaze roaming the vampire's face before slyly dropping to sweep down and then back up Ben's torso. "I can explain the rules," he said softly, biting his lower lip tentatively.
He glanced at Kerr, gave a shy smile and then looked back at Ben beside him, shifting his towel subtly over his lap as he appeared to be thinking about the men he was keeping company with, rather than the card game.
-
It took Ben a long, slow blink before he realised that Cam was serious. Why had Kerr not prepped him before bringing him here? Now that Ben understood that Cam's nervousness had nothing to do with his anticipation of being fed from, he was no longer interested.
"No, thanks," Ben said and had a mental debate about whether to drink from Cam using suggestion domination and send him on his way or just wrangle his own meal up. His debate was still ongoing when Kerr reacted to his refusal to be drawn in.
-
Attuned to Ben's body language and seeking his approval as he was, Kerr knew he didn't have it but he had no idea why. What had gone wrong? A feeling of trepidation coiled in his stomach and he felt ashamed without a definitive cause - beyond the knowledge that Ben wasn't happy. Cameron's presence was definitely not having the expected effect on Ben's mood but Kerr couldn't fathom it. Breakfast was here, waiting for Ben, what could be bad about that?
"Could I talk to you for a sec?" he asked Ben and headed out onto the balcony. It was cold out there now that the sun had gone down and the wind was whipping past because the ship was under engine. He pulled his towel up around his body in an effort to keep himself warm, wishing it wasn't the only place they could talk without Cameron overhearing. Thankfully, Ben followed him out and he slid the door closed behind him, frowning at the vampire worriedly.
"What is it? What's wrong?" he asked. When told in a bored tone that Ben was disappointed he hadn't prepped the mortal, Kerr frowned and then his eyes widened when he realised what his lover might be getting at. "You mean you wanted me to bring someone here that knew they were going to be bitten by a vampire?" he asked incredulously, hissing the last word and glancing into their berth to be sure he could still see Cam inside. He was watching them with a curious frown on his forehead.
Kerr turned back to Ben. "How in Hell did you believe I'd accomplish that??" His voice wasn't capable of rising any higher, it was already at the top note in his range, fed by insecurity and confusion. "If what you are was advertised by me trying to lure prospective meals to you, we'd be trapped on this boat in the middle of the ocean, you'd be outed and we'd have nowhere to go. That would be a nightmare!" he declared nervously, stepping close to Ben and winding his arms about him. "You really think I should try being honest? So that they come here and just surrender?" he queried in amazement.
-
When Kerr stepped closer andput his arms around Ben, the vampire's cool hands came up between them, placing his hands upon Kerr's chest as a barrier. It could've been interpreted as a method of touching, of Ben feeling Kerr's heartbeat - he certainly wasn't pressing or pushing against him.
"No, of course not," Ben replied sedately when asked if he wanted Kerr to announce his vampirism. "There's a reason I hunt for my meals in sexually charged places like nightclubs. That kid sitting in there thinks he's only here to hang out. If I try anything without mentally forcing him to submit to me, he's going to freak out." He shrugged, not wanting to make a big deal out of something he viewed as generally positive. "I appreciate you trying, but you chose someone who doesn't know about my kind and you didn't imply to him that we were kinky before bringing him here. As much as I'm a predator, I also like not being that kind of predator."
That was more Lazarus' scenario. He tilted his head, assessing Kerr. He was fairly sure that Kerr bringing Cameron to their suite had been an innocent thing (perhaps too innocent), and not because he wanted to see Ben force himself on an unwilling victim... again.
He'd been pretty keen when he'd watched that action on the street with that phobic fucker, but that was different. He'd thought, anyway.
-
Ben's calm explanation mortified Kerr further but he thought he understood. He'd gone so far the other way (from the direction his setup with Jack and Win had taken) that he'd just brought exactly the same work to Ben that he had to do elsewhere. The point was to make it easy and his setup with Cam was just forcing Ben to do the mental work he usually would. He felt incredibly thick to have not interpreted the nuances sooner.
"I'm really sorry," he admitted, shaking his head at his own actions as he stepped away from Ben. "I tried something like this with Win - getting him a drink from a guy - but it went terribly and I didn't want that to happen again... I can fix this. I think. Just... do me a favour and wait here for a few minutes?" he queried hopefully. When Ben gave a thoughtful nod, Kerr gave him a grateful smile and a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you for your patience," he said as he went back inside the cabin.
"Brr! It's chilly out there! Ben never worries about the cold," Kerr announced casually as he came to sit with Cameron - this time, he sat on the couch beside him, rather than across from him. "What'd you think?" he grinned playfully, raising his eyebrows at Cam but tilting his head in Ben's direction on the balcony. He was requesting the teenager's opinion of Ben because he had no real idea how he was going to get these two together as easily as he'd made out he could.
Cam looked like he was chewing over a few different responses, ranging from polite to rude and when he finally settled on one, he still seemed hesitant about speaking his mind. "You really like younger guys, huh?" he asked tentatively.
Kerr frowned, looking through the glass door at Ben and having an epiphany as he realised what they, as a couple, might look like to an outsider. Ben had been turned as a teenaged man; he looked young and beautiful. Kerr had moved beyond thinking about their external details in his besotted state, regarding Ben as his superior because he knew the truth of how much older than him Ben was. He didn't see himself - at twenty-six, hardened by years of hunting, looking dark and rugged compared to Ben's cleaner, finer bone structure and apparent youth - as the elder partner but others would. Cam did. And the way he'd said it wasn't a condemnation, but a hope. One that gave Kerr the same feeling and a light at the end of an excruciating tunnel of embarrassment.
He turned back to Cam with an enlightened look on his face. "I guess I do. He asked me what you and I got up to today," he hinted.
Cam's eyes widened with worry. "We didn't... I, did you tell him-"
"Don't worry," Kerr soothed, placing a hand deliberately on Cam's thigh and giving it a squeeze, ignoring the way the boy jumped at the contact. "We have a partly open relationship. Kissing and hugging is fine without the other knowing but we include each other and share if there's going to be sex."
"There's going to be sex?" Cam squeaked.
Kerr didn't think the kid's eyes could get any wider. His expression was carefully schooled into something surprised but curious. "Did you come with me to my room hoping there would be?" he asked slyly, knowing he was gaslighting Cam but determined not to feel too guilty about it.
"Oh, no! No, I wouldn't! I didn't! I mean-" he blustered.
Kerr lowered his gaze, staring at Cam's mouth, moving his hand higher up the boy's thigh. "So... just a kiss, then?"
Cam stopped squirming and held his breath, swallowing loudly again. "What?" he whispered, looking at Kerr's lips as well. By the time he looked up, Cam's gaze met his and the eye contact was more electric than it had been all day.
"Would you like a kiss before you go?"
Cam licked his lips and blushed a deep crimson as he looked all over Kerr's face. "I... well, I... " he stammered and Kerr was about to say something more when Cameron surprised him completely. "Okay," he said breathlessly, obviously coming to the conclusion that a kiss was a simple enough act - and bravely acknowledged that it was something he'd wanted all afternoon.
Kerr gave a surprised little laugh but didn't waste any time in following through with his offer (in case the boy changed his mind); he leant over and kissed Cam softly, embracing each of his lips gently between his own before undulating his mouth against Cam's, allowing only a little touch of their tongues before he pulled back. The boy looked stunned but the little noises he'd made during the kiss told Kerr he'd liked it (and maybe it was one of the first he'd had with a man). Kerr smiled at him. "That was nice. I enjoyed my day with you. Do me a favour and go out and kiss Ben goodbye before you leave?"
"Kiss Ben?" Cam asked hesitantly.
Kerr shrugged and looked sheepish. "We share," came his explanation.
"Oh. Okay," Cam agreed, licking his lips again as he got dazedly to his feet, adjusting his towel around him. The manoeuvre didn't entirely hide the pokey little protrusion at his front, advertising his excitement about what he was doing. Obediently, he shuffled his way through the sliding glass door and out to the balcony where Ben was waiting, losing his nerve when the stranger turned to face him. His feet didn't want to carry him the last metre, to get him close enough to Ben to kiss him. "Uh... Kerr said I should come and... say goodbye to you," he mumbled, looking at Ben with large, trusting eyes, hoping like hell that Ben'd figure out what he really meant and do the kissing bit for him, like Kerr had.
-
Ben had been paying attention to what had transpired in the suite while also gazing out to sea. He'd touched on Kerr's mind, actively watching and listening from his point of view and knew what Kerr was up to. He liked that Kerr was doing the hunting for him, that he was sending prepared prey to him. He liked that Kerr had listened to what he'd said without taking offense that Ben had refused his gift (because he had, though he'd tried to do so politely).
This new version of his gift, carefully wrapped and presenting himself to Ben, was not something he would pass on. He'd turned when the glass door slid open, making sure there was a smile on his face so he didn't come off as hostile or too cool. At Cam's words his smile broadened and he played the part of Kerr's younger boyfriend.
"That's so sweet," he said, trying to channel Win. It didn't sound right coming out of his mouth but Cam wouldn't know what was normal for him and what wasn't. He took the steps that brought him close to Cam and reached for his hands, knowing that he'd lost the warmth of his shower but being outside was a good explanation for his being so cold. "It'll warm me up," he purred, now channelling Lazarus because of familiarity and because it was easier for him to be sexy than it was for him to be nice.
Holding both of Cam's hands in his, he pulled the youth close and reached behind himself to help the teen embrace him as they kissed. Ben rescued his hands once the mortal was latched on and took control of the kiss, making it soft and light at first but then gradually applying passion. He tilted his head far enough so that he could break the kiss and nuzzle down Cam's neck where he bit after some brief attention. Cam seemed to be into it, spasming and then thrusting and grinding against Ben while he held on. Feeling that some of the trembles were from cold rather than from ardour, Ben took the extra step inside and mentally closed the glass door behind himself, entering the temperature-controlled room. Cam got into it enough that his hands roamed Ben's body, even grabbing his ass, but still not brave enough - even in the throes of passion from being fed from - to get a hand in between them. It would be too calculated a move, Ben supposed.
He closed the wound before he took more than half a pint - enough to make Cam a little light-headed but not overly dizzy. Less than a blood bank donation. He finished it off with licking and more kissing, returning to place a thank you peck on Cam's lips.
"Perfect," he said, then looked across at Kerr, because the word was for him.
-
A feeling of warmth filled Kerr's chest as he was commended for his revised effort. It pushed the guilt and despair away once and for all and filled him with the determination to always gain compliments such as this from Ben. From tonight on. He wasn't sure how he might do it exactly but if it earnt him the privilege of sleeping beside the man he loved, he'd manage. He could only hope he performed well enough that he was granted such a reward again.
As Cam spun out of Ben's embrace, Kerr stepped forward holding his wet shirt. He'd collected it from the bathroom while Ben and Cam kissed (making sure he was back in time to see the drinking which had, predictably, thrilled him). Wisely, the teenager took it but didn't put it on as he accompanied Kerr to the door of his cabin. "It's been fun," Kerr told him warmly, a hand in the small of Cam's back. "Maybe I'll see you at the gym again tomorrow? Or at dinner tonight," Kerr shrugged affably.
"Definitely!" Cam enthused, starry-eyed and pink-cheeked from his 'kissing' adventure. He shuffled out the door clutching his towel and shirt like someone who'd just been told they'd won millions of dollars in the lottery, slightly turning back to say something more to Kerr only to find the room door shutting in his face. He hastened back to his room, running numerous alternative scenarios through his head about what else could have happened with the two sexy men he'd just kissed.
Kerr walked back into the room after the door closed, humbled by Ben to the point where it felt wrong to remain standing at his full height over the vampire. He dropped to his knees before him instead, wrapping his arms around his middle and turning his head so that the side of his face rested on Ben's hard abdomen. It was a true wonder of nature that his body could be so firm yet pliable and it fascinated Kerr endlessly. He fought the urge to rub his cheek against Ben, knowing his unshaven whiskers would scratch or possibly tickle.
"Thank you for giving me the chance to fix it," he breathed gratefully, turning to press a line of reverent kisses to Ben's stomach before tilting his head and resting his chin against it, looking up at his love. "I'm humbled by your magnanimity. I'll do better tomorrow night - assuming Lazarus lets you stay with me. And that you want to," he grinned sheepishly, acknowledging a flutter of doubt that he'd be given the privilege of Ben's company indefinitely. His sire had a stranglehold on Ben's love and his physical presence and Kerr knew he didn't rank in that equation.
-
Ben stroked Kerr's hair, surprised that he would go to his knees. He was both charmed and frustrated with it, enough that his two reactions battled one another as he decided whether or not to keep Kerr there. He listened to the thanks, drank in the adoration and then it was finally too much.
"Get up," Ben whispered; a request and not an order. He pulled Kerr to the couch, his tepid fingers wrapping around Kerr's warm hands. He'd been icy before taking from Cam but he hadn't drunk so much he was completely warm. "Are you my devoted follower? I mean, it's an easy role. You proved yourself when you and Win raced across the country to reach me. I know you would do everything I ask. Or do you want more for yourself? Do you want to ask things of me? So far the sex has been pretty equal. I consider it's like that because we're... boyfriends."
The word felt strange on his tongue still, and in his mind. He'd just admitted to being a selfish lover with others, and he was. He'd learnt that selfishness, that laziness, and considered it an indulgence. Very few had been cared enough about to be treated by him. Kerr had not yet fallen into the role of mindless devotee.
-
Kerr frowned, wondering if there was more to this labelling business than he'd thought. He liked the sound of 'boyfriend' much more than 'devoted follower' but, even though Ben proclaimed it, he still wasn't convinced that equality was an option (because of their differing species). He looked at where their hands were layered together, finding the sight of it hurt his heart in the most beautiful way. Devoted, he definitely was, pathetically so. But was Ben offering more? Right after he'd hinted that that wasn't usually his style?
He didn't answer quickly, weighing up his response carefully. He'd messed up and rectified his mistake tonight. This conversation was obviously pivotal, inspired by what Ben had seen him do. He'd be a fool to reply flippantly.
"I want more," he agreed, because that was the most important point. "I love you, so I am devoted to you, to pleasing you like any boyfriend would be. Making you happy is important to me. I don't like the sound of a 'follower', though. It sounds... sycophantic. I like pleasing you so much because I like mattering to you. The thing is... Lazarus is the most important thing in your life. You made that very clear from the start. And I'm just a human. So as much as I like being called your boyfriend and you saying stuff about us being equal, I still feel like, essentially, I can't rise above my station too far. There are limitations inherent in... this," he admitted, waving a finger between them to indicate their relationship. "I can't have you to myself, for instance."
His expression was coy, indicating that that would be a dream come true, but he knew it was impossible... yet he still wanted Ben to tell him that. That would make it real.
-
Ben listened to Kerr's speech. Initially he'd disagreed but as Kerr made more and more points on the matter about the situation at hand, Ben had to concede. The mortal did know exactly what the situation was, and he was committing to it anyway. Ben wasn't quite invested enough to be guilty or to change his mind about who he was most loyal to, but Kerr had gone a long way in elevating his status to Ben because of his words.
"I'm going to keep calling you my boyfriend, because it's close as I can come to how I feel about you," Ben insisted. "And nobody has ever had me 'to themselves' so I don't really know what to make of that," he admitted.
He looked at Kerr for a long while, studying his face, stroking his hand and fingers until he seemed to blink himself back into the here and now. "I don't want Win getting too much alone time with Lazarus," he said.
-
Kerr gave him a reprimanding look, disliking the fact that they'd been having a lovely 'moment' but Lazarus had interrupted it. Again. Such was his lot, though. He sighed, the spell of staring into Ben's eyes broken.
"He's not going to try and steal him again," he scoffed. He probably should've put more thought into his comment but he was hungry and if Ben wanted to go and check on the rest of his family, Kerr wasn't going to stop him. It would give him a chance to shower, dress and go get dinner.
-
Ben gave Kerr an annoyed look. "That's not what I'm worried about," he said. Yet, he thought. As if he could hear Kerr's intentions as though they'd been thought in a linear fashion instead of an abstract desire, Ben stood. "You go and shower and get ready for your dinner. Don't stay away too long though," Ben said, grinning. He hadn't soured with Kerr's snap over Win.
He leant over to plant a quick kiss on Kerr's lips, intending on leaving and going next door to find out what was going on there.
-
Ben was gone before Kerr realised he wanted to know what he was worried about with Win and Lazarus spending too much time together. That he'd lose his status as favourite? That would be impossible, as far as Kerr was concerned. Ben would always be the most important and that wouldn't change after just one day spent apart.
Kerr showered and dried quickly, styling his hair carefully and dressing in a black three-piece suit. The vest had a red back and the front was black satin inlaid with a red squiggly pattern that seemed to suggest flowers. He paired it with a red tie, taking some time to get the tying of it just right. While he fiddled with it, there was a light bump on the wall separating his room from the vampires', making him wonder if it was the bed and whether the noise had come because they were all in there fucking.
Jealousy burned in his chest as he imagined Lazarus kissing Ben, holding his head down on his cock or thrusting into him hard and he had to fight the urge to storm in there and see what was happening for himself. It wasn't his place, he reminded himself. This hurt was what he'd conceded to... had welcomed, even. His love was not the stuff of fairy tales and romance stories; it was a collection of ecstatic highs and wallowing lows that he would continually have to plough through. It was also not forever and, at that moment, he resolved that when the lows became too frequent or the highs were taken away, that would be the time for him to walk away from them all. They'd have each other to dance with for eternity, his time was short and therefore valuable (to him, if none of them).
With a sigh, he finished his tie, buttoned his jacket and headed out to dinner. His timing was off so he went to the dining room that had no scheduled meal times and agreed to be seated at a table with others (they didn't have facilities for single diners at that moment but he could've been seated alone at a table for two if he'd been prepared to wait for one to become available, which he was not). He was the sixth at the round table with a couple of women his age to his right, a husband and wife couple to his left and another single man in his forties opposite.
Kerr's order was taken swiftly and then he fell into polite conversation with his table mates. His mind was mostly on what was happening in the room where men didn't breathe - and overcoming his jealousy flares - but he managed to flirt with the women closest to him all the while. Kayleigh and Sienna weren't obviously stunning but they lit up when he paid attention to them and dropped a few compliments their way (much to the chagrin of the dude on their other side), sending them into fits of blushing giggles. By the time he'd had his fill of food, he had a vague plan to meet the girls in the gym tomorrow morning, though he made no promises because he told them he was planning on a long and wild night. He might sleep in.
It had been a couple of hours and he was already trying to line up another drink for Ben. This time, there'd hopefully be no awkwardness (beyond the fact they were women, perhaps). He was determined to learn from his mistakes and have primed specimens ready, though he was dubious about the fact they were female. He supposed he could kiss them if he absolutely had to... but he'd definitely keep an eye out for a guy to pick up tomorrow, just in case. He finished his dessert, bade the other diners farewell and left the dining room, rebuttoning and straightening his jacket as he went.
After a quick stop in his room to use the facilities, he went and knocked on the door he wanted to think of as Lazarus'. As always, he was nervous about what would greet him.
-
Win answered the door after a moment. Wearing a singlet and shorts and barefooted, he looked more the picture of a tropical island cruise than a wintery Canada-to-Europe adventure. Their suite was warm, centrally heated and with the balcony door firmly shut.
In the lounge area, Lazarus lay on his back along the couch with his head turned watching television. Ben was sprawled atop him, his head nestled in the crook of his sire's shoulder as he watched the same show. They were both bare-chested as well, though Lazarus' legs were clad in jeans and Ben wore a pair of striped blue cotton shorts. Neither of them moved when Kerr arrived, cosy in their spot.
"Kerr, hey. Did you want to hang out for a bit? Explore the ship or go to your room?" Win sounded eager to get away.
"No, he's staying here," Ben called out from his position on the couch, though he hadn't moved.
At that, Win gave Kerr a smile that didn't reach his eyes and stepped away from the door to let the mortal in. He turned and moved back into the suite, selecting the armchair adjacent to the couch to sit on.
-
Kerr's heart leapt with excitement when he saw Win and he moved towards him for a kiss but stopped to listen when he spoke, smiling cheekily at him. He was so lovely to look at and Kerr had missed the sight of him. He frowned when Ben answered for him - and not in the way he was planning to respond - then followed Win into the suite. His expression didn't abate when he spied the position Ben and Lazarus were in.
"So I'm apparently overdressed," he announced to no-one in particular, watching Win get settled and debating whether or not he should at least remove his jacket. On impulse, he circled the brunette and draped himself across his lap instead, his legs hooked over the arm of the chair, back towards Ben and Lazarus and arms looped around Win's neck. "Cuddling time, is it?" he asked cheerfully, wiggling suggestively on Win's lap and grinning into his beautiful blue eyes.
He didn't care what was on television, it didn't compare with the entertainment three intelligent, beautiful men should be able to come up with in lieu. Failing that, there was plenty to do outside their cabin. Whose idea had it been to sit around and snuggle? Had they already finished fucking? Whatever was going on, Kerr wasn't interested in politely waiting for something to happen. He licked his lips and watched Win, waiting for him to kiss him... or had Ben warned him against that, too?
-
Win was enthused by Kerr's attention, his smile becoming broader and more natural as Kerr fell into his lap. The move elicited a brief laugh before he grew more serious at Kerr's warmth and wriggling. Win's gaze grew more intense as Kerr licked his lips. He didn't need a stronger message - Win shifted forward and pressed his lips to Kerr's, the kiss demanding from the moment it began.
Lazarus changed focus off the television to the show Win and Kerr were giving. He was delighted at the way the two of them would start something up. It was an appealing dynamic and enhanced his hunger for sex. He sat up, unsettling Ben, but he gripped his fledge tightly around his torso, not wanting him to move away. They would both watch this.
Not that Ben was ignoring it. His gaze sidled to Win and Kerr and only dropped when Lazarus shuffled him into a sitting up position on his lap. He could feel Lazarus getting a hard on. It was pressing its need against his lower back. He'd wanted Kerr to come in and be reserved and to wait for Ben's attention. Ben hadn't wanted him to start anything up. Now things were moving ahead and he was unlikely to get Kerr on his own for a while. Bah.
Lazarus felt around between the cushions. Ben knew what he was hunting for, but he didn't give his sire any clues.
-
Kerr settled into the kiss, expecting he wasn't going to be allowed to do much more so enjoying its every aspect. He leant back, sighing into Win's open mouth as the vampire pressed into him, their tongues duelling with a deep, slow langour that set his legs tingling and his cock twitching. He heard movement on the couch behind him and tensed, expecting some sort of spoken retribution, an order to stop... something thrown at them... but nothing came.
As any kind of intervention failed to occur, he relaxed again in Win's hold, feeling a delightful lump beneath his ass. It was nice and firm, tempting him to grind on it, to lose his layers of clothing and impale himself in the most delightful manner. He wouldn't, but it was a nice fantasy. So was heading up onto the top deck and snuggling beside each other while they watched a movie under the stars. They could do hand stuff under a blanket, trying to see how long they could last before anyone figured out what they were doing - or one of them came. The thought of Win's hand sneaking inside the zip of his pants and wrapping around his throbbing cock, stroking him with infuriating stealth...
Realising he was getting himself even more worked up using his imagination, Kerr whimpered into Win's mouth, swiping his thick, flexible tongue along its wet, pink counterpart before he pulled his face away abruptly. "Jesus," he panted, swallowing the saliva flooding his mouth, chest heaving. He watched Win, the moment electric with anticipation and lust, one sudden move away from a telltale groan and a deliberate striptease. What had he been waiting for? Oh yeah, Ben. He tilted his head back and looked over his shoulder at his boyfriend, expecting him to still be reclining on Lazarus and probably ignoring him.
He was thrilled to find him looking but it soured when he read the disappointment in his eyes. Shit. "Uh... oops?"
-
"There is no oops," Lazarus said with a grin, having found the tube of lubrication he was hunting for. He knew it was somewhere on the sofa - he'd noted how Win had absently tossed it towards the coffee table and it had bounced off and landed on the couch behind.
Ben knew Lazarus would want to watch the show Win and Kerr were putting on, and that he'd want to use Ben as a mechanism for release while he watched. Ben debated refusing but he was curious whether Kerr would finish what he'd started. The first time he'd watched Kerr with Win had been exceptionally hot and fed into Ben's fantasy of being dominated by the vampire-slayer. Oh, he knew he wasn't really at risk of being hurt by Kerr but that was what made it good. Real fear wasn't a turn on for him. A bit of pain was good, though.
What Kerr was doing with Win now fed a different part of him. A kind of turmoil because he wanted to join them but knew he wouldn't be able to without Lazarus leaping in on the action. At the same time, putting himself into their dynamic would change what he was seeing, too. It was... challenging.
It was the kiss that had done it. That slow, steamy kiss between Kerr and Win. He'd wanted it but he'd also wanted to see it. Frustrating. He could always get Win to tap him into the memory later. With that idea, Ben relaxed - just as Lazarus pushed his shorts down and fingers sought to press inside. Ben was forced to shift to accomodate him and hissed as Lazarus put two inside at once. At least he didn't push them in all the way, but there was discomfort.
"Don't stop," Lazarus said, and Ben knew it wasn't to him but to them. Win didn't need to be told twice, he started kissing, licking and nibbling Kerr's jaw until he could get at his mouth again, still holding him on his lap.
-
Maybe he'd misread it. The longer Kerr looked at Ben watching him, the more confident he became that it wasn't disappointment he was seeing in the vampire's eyes after all. Not with him, anyway... he didn't think. Ben seemed interested in him kissing Win and Lazarus definitely was, which emboldened Kerr. He'd been thinking about Ben at dinner and had decided he knew how to completely erase the false start he'd afforded the evening with his Cameron gaffe, he just had to be brazen enough to go through with it. Ben had a part he wanted him to play and Kerr thought he was ready.
Now was the time to find out, but he couldn't do it alone.
A couple of nights ago, Win had given him an invaluable insight into the group by telling him Ben was its true leader, then he'd offered to allow Kerr to dominate him to impress Ben. He'd partially taken him up on the offer and then stupidly demurred that that was what had happened when Ben was aroused by their play. That was a mistake he planned to rectify first, before moving ahead into new territory with Ben. He was pretty sure Win would catch onto what he was doing and play along, since he'd offered the other night. Things were going to get awkward if he balked.
He started slow, turning back into Win's kiss and opening his mouth. Win tongue-fucked it, pressing in hard and thrusting about, sucking on the flesh that tried to parry, his hands roaming. Kerr plucked Win's hand off his crotch and put it harmlessly onto his knee, holding it down with his own hand. He also opened his eyes and found Win looking at him. Just go with it, please, his eyes begged and although he didn't think it at Win, Kerr realised he might have heard. He just hoped the others hadn't, it would spoil the illusion.
Win closed his eyes and kissed Kerr with gusto, making sexy little moans and purring noises that vibrated in Kerr's chest and travelled straight to his groin. This wasn't going to be easy. For his gambit to succeed, he needed to repel the delight of Win and play a role he no longer had; that of a ruthless hunter that despised vampires. He must find repulsion in Win's touch, disdain for his lifestyle and hatred of his kind. The only thing that mattered was what Win could do to please him, he had to adopt a mindset of superiority and domination. He must not succumb to temptation.
Kerr squirmed as the hand at his back attempted to burrow its way beneath his clothes. He pulled his mouth away from Win abruptly. "Stop that," he frowned. Win proved that he understood what was going on by emitting a tiny whimper and looking at him with huge, apologetic eyes. After a few seconds staring at each other, Win tentatively kissed his way along Kerr's jaw towards his mouth again. When his lips were nibbled and lapped at salaciously, Kerr relented, allowing their tongues to dance outside their mouths briefly to enhance the show before he groaned into another kiss.
Win's next move came a short while later. He tried to undo Kerr's jacket and when Kerr slapped his hand away (the sting of it was startlingly loud in a room filled only with sighs and the susurrous brushing of bodies against each other) he diverted his attention back to the bulge in Kerr's pants. Impatiently, the mortal broke their kiss and grabbed Win's hand. He pulled it away and gripped it tightly in the air, his chest rising and falling rapidly with arousal and agitation. "I told you to stop. You'll only touch what I want you to touch, understand?"
"Let me please you," Win begged, his voice husky and his kiss-swollen lips wet and red from Kerr's attentions.
Kerr narrowed his eyes as he rolled off the vampire and up onto his feet. He stood in the space between the armchair and couch where Lazarus and Ben were playing, arms akimbo, ignoring them completely. He glared at Win. "Fine. It's all you're good for, anyway. Undress and come here," he growled authoritatively, clicking his fingers and pointing to the carpet at his feet.
Win obediently shucked his clothes before he slithered onto the carpet and crawled on his knees over to Kerr's designated spot for him. He looked up at the tall mortal submissively, stroking himself in such a way that it explained the pink spots high upon his lovely cheeks. Kerr grabbed his chin, tilting Win's head back even farther. "You can please me but I don't want to cum in you," he informed, his fingertips digging into Win's flesh to the point where the vampire's lips were pooched towards him suggestively. "I have plans other than you tonight."
He released Win's face with a sneer, watching intently as he shuffled forward to unzip Kerr's pants. When his hands lifted to also loosen Kerr's dinner jacket, they were shoved solidly downward. "You'll touch what I want, when I want it. Got it?" he demanded.
Win's only answer was to nod and carefully draw Kerr's erection out of his pants.
Standing there fully clothed in a three-piece suit while a naked and compliant man grovelled at his feet turned Kerr on indescribably. So did threading his fingers through silken curls and pushing Win's head along his cock. Even though he forced the pace to remain slow and deliberate, he had to hold Win still several times as the build towards orgasm tightened his balls and had his thighs clenching. Win played his part expertly, snaking his tongue around the tip of his dick, swallowing Kerr's length impossibly deep in his throat and groaning his delight as he pumped his own cock and gave sinfully good head.
Kerr murmured approving noises and hissed in breath as the eroticism and power of the fellatio flowed straight into his false ego. He patted Win's head, brushed his ears and touched his face, thrusting his hips slowly and deliberately - until the moment he was almost accosted by his orgasm. Desperately, he grabbed Win's head with both hands and held him at bay, his ass jutting out as he angled his body backwards. There was a tense moment where he held his breath, his face screwed up as he willed his body not to climax now. His cock throbbed centimetres from Win's lips, the veins in it turgid with pulsing blood. A gush of clear precum dribbled out of the tip and fell despite his best efforts to hold everything inside; Kerr looked down in time to see it drip onto Win's hand and cock below.
"Fucking hell!" Kerr exploded with the kind of passionate disgust that can only come when a crisis has been narrowly averted - and the cause of it is kneeling timidly in front of you. He shoved Win away by the hair and stepped backwards out of his reach. The vampire looked believably distraught, his gaze longingly focussed on Kerr's bulging erection as it swayed vulgarly outside of his very proper outfit, moving farther away as Kerr stepped over to where Ben was riding Lazarus' lap. It was now or never.
"You," he barked, gripping Ben's face and shoving his thumb into his mouth with one hand while the other fished his room key out of his coat pocket. He held it towards the youngest vampire, hoping his voice wouldn't shake as he reached the point of his staged drama. "Take this. Go into my room and wait for me. I have questions for you and I think you will do this right," he said, glancing at the angry purple cock twitching between the two of them.
Kerr withdrew his hand from Ben's face, glaring expectantly at him yet holding his breath. Had he been affected by the show performed for his benefit? Was it good enough to have Ben pull away from Lazarus to pursue his own pleasure with Kerr next door? Would he go along with it? This was only the second step; if it didn't come off, the rest of Kerr's plans would crumble. His mind cast around frantically in the suspended moment, trying to come up with contingency plans that would make it alright if Ben refused... he would be crushed if he did, he knew.
-
Ben was enchanted with the scene that played out in front of him. Lazarus prepping his body only added to the eroticism. Of course, Win played a submissive rather than a tease, but it was perfect enough to arouse Ben into a hot, aching mess. He pushed against Lazarus' fingers which made his sire chuckle and add another. Ben gasped as he was stretched but he kept his noises to a minimum, not wanting to interrupt the show Kerr and Win were putting on for him.
Around the time Win wrapped lips around Kerr, Lazarus slid Ben onto his dick. Ben made soft gasping sounds as he took Lazarus all the way in. He didn't move a lot, allowing his body to adjust while also watching Kerr with intense focus. Just as Lazarus was using him to enhance the experience, Ben was thinking much the same. This fantasy was his, not Lazarus' and that made it all the sweeter.
Lazarus wasn't interested in quietly penetrating Ben though, he leant back and started thrusting while also picking Ben up and lowering him down. If Ben wasn't going to push against him, then he would do it himself. Ben groaned but his eyes went wide when Kerr shoved Win away and approached him. When his face was grabbed he clenched his buttocks and Lazarus moaned and gave a soft laugh. At the command, Ben started getting up but Lazarus grabbed him and pulled him back down, impaling Ben on his cock while he did so, all the way to the hilt. Ben cried out.
"You're not leaving until I'm done," Lazarus said, fucking up the scenario. Ben's gaze found Win and he quickly shot an order at him.
Help me get out of here. I'll owe you.
Win acted immediately. "Don't I get a turn?" he asked, crawling over and touching Lazarus' hip and leg. "I'll be tighter. I haven't had a cock in me all night." Ben could feel Lazarus pulsing inside him as he considered it, gentle thrusts. "Do you want me to rim you first?" Win continued, asking after Lazarus' favourite move. Ben felt strong hands on his rump pushing him off.
"Go on, have fun," Lazarus said as Ben stood, feeling a bit empty and unfinished as he removed himself from Lazarus. The sensation would only lend to the fantasy. He pulled up his shorts and headed for next door, walking gingergly.
Lazarus glanced from Win up to Kerr, wondering why the mortal was still here.
-
"Chock the door open," Kerr ordered as Ben walked out, tucking himself back into his pants (carefully) and zipping up.
He watched until the door closed behind him then turned back to look at Lazarus. Cautiously, he dropped to his knees and crawled close, placing an overly-warm hand on the sire's thigh. He looked up at him from under his lashes, licking his lips nervously. His heart was pounding faster than it had during his play with Win.
"I... want to ask you a favour," he said quietly. "For Ben, to surprise him. To make it better for him. Could I... have some of your blood?" By the time he finished speaking, his voice was little more than a whisper.
-
Lazarus watched as Kerr lowered himself to his knees and shuffled forward. His cock seemed to grow even more as he thought of the two dark-haired men licking and sucking him, battling each other for prime position. He could have one in front and the other behind... but the imagery vanished when Kerr made his request.
His first instinct was to snarl no but he squashed it. There was no reason why he couldn't have what he'd just pictured. With his hand on himself, stroking gently, he glanced from Kerr to Win and back again.
"Tend to me first and then you can have some," Lazarus ordered, scooching forward on the couch so that he sat on the very edge. From where he slouched, he'd bumped both Kerr and Win with his knees. Win acted sooner, ducking down onto his hands and knees for the right angle. His tongue trailed down Lazarus' perineum and found a blissful spot between Lazarus' cheeks. His hands raised up to separate them so he could get more of his face in there. Lazarus gestured at his long, angry cock, figuring Kerr would have to come in on top of it from above.
While this was going on, Ben chocked the door open, though only at the halfway point, and moved into the suite, trying to decide where the best place to wait for Kerr would be. He dismissed the bed and also the couch. Comfort wasn't what he was after. He sat in the middle of the floor instead, crossing his legs, and waited.
-
It became an exercise in control for Kerr. He gritted his teeth, aching to get to Ben but knowing he needed to comply with Lazarus' wishes to really enhance the experience the way he wanted. He lowered his eyes so that Lazarus didn't read the agitation in them, taking in Win's awkward position below. Sending grateful thoughts to his friend (unknowingly mimicking Ben's offer of a favour owed) because he knew he wouldn't be able to breathe down there, he sidled his hand up Lazarus' leg and wrapped his hand around his cock.
The taste of lube was the first thing he noticed. He kept his mouth wet to dilute it and slid his head down as far as he could to generate some thick saliva at the back of his throat to coat it. After a few bobs, he barely noticed the flavour and he could concentrate on his technique better. He wanted to rush. His every instinct was telling him to hurry, hurry, Ben was waiting! but he knew he couldn't. If he didn't do a good job, Lazarus could deny him what he wanted.
Kerr was pretty sure he gave the performance of his lifetime (it was certainly his night for acting). His tongue was firm but not too fast, his throat undulating eagerly and his lips soft and enveloping. He used one hand to milk and direct Lazarus' cock down his throat, the other patted Win, running through his hair and caressing his cool flesh. He also made sure he breathed hot air wherever he could, hoping to titillate in between sucking.
Thankfully, Lazarus didn't take too long, even if it felt like an age to Kerr. The ancient was surprisingly sexy when he came, his noises making Kerr wonder what it would be like to have two men servicing him like this. Perhaps one day. In the meantime, he swallowed obediently, ensuring that Lazarus was pleased and licking up every drop. When Win surfaced beside him - between Lazarus' knees - Kerr kissed him then turned to look hopefully at the blond vampire.
-
Lazarus was immensely pleased. Kerr had proven himself a much more interesting prospect now, and Lazarus' gaze went glassy as he looked over at the mortal. He gave him a crooked smile, chuckling in the back of his throat while he deflated, pleased at the kissing that had come afterward. Hot. Nasty. Just the way he liked it.
"C'mere," Lazarus said, wrapping an arm around Kerr's shoulders and bending his elbow to lock Kerr's head in place while Lazarus put his lips to the mortal's ear. "You do a good job on Ben and make him fucking happy, and I'll keep letting you borrow from me."
Lazarus glanced at Win kneeling between his legs, watching them. Lazarus lifted his free hand to his mouth and bit down on his wrist, growling as he tore it open. The pain was intense enough for him to press his knees together, locking Win in place. His other fledge massaged his hands along Lazarus' thighs, knowing it would distract him from the hurt and subsequent feeding. Lazarus pressed his dripping wrist to Kerr's mouth, the arm keeping Kerr's head locked was now draped harmlessly across the mortal's shoulders.
-
A thrill of excitement raced through Kerr as Lazarus offered him a tantalising reward for doing something he was willing to do anyway (not to mention a wriggle and a giggle because Lazarus' words tickled his ear). He really hoped the blood had the effect he wanted, if it was going to be available again; though he'd only get this one chance to surprise Ben.
The violence of Lazarus tearing open his wrist had Kerr flinching, though he wasn't so stupid as to hold himself back when the blood began to flow. He latched on eagerly, sucking harder on Lazarus' wrist than he had on his cock. The taste was much sweeter than either Ben or Win had been, less like milk and more like aged wine... or perhaps sweet, viscous syrup. Whatever it was, it was heady and intoxicating, the potency of it going straight to his head in a way neither of the others had - then again, he took a much greater amount than he had with the others.
When he detected nothing more flowing onto his tongue, Kerr pulled back, swaying and blinking hard as the blood leeched into his system. "Fuck," he breathed, his eyelashes fluttering as he was made momentarily woozy. He clenched his fists as his limbs tingled with newly-discovered power, looking around in wonder as the familiar glittering enhancement of his sight took effect. Lazarus was a golden-haired god, his grey eyes like folds of layered stone, multidimensional and nothing like the flat, empty cloudscape he'd always seen them as. "Thank you," he breathed, leaning forward to kiss him briefly (though he'd respond if Lazarus wanted to extend it) before getting up.
Once on his feet, he took a deep breath, feeling the strength of a mountain moving in him. Firm, ancient and powerful. It would enhance his play with Ben, certainly, but he couldn't afford to overplay his hand too soon. At some point, he'd put his hands on Ben to force him to do something he didn't want to do... that would be the time. Another tingle of excitement rippled through him as he thought of playing with his boyfriend and the fact that he was waiting obediently for him in the room next door.
"Have fun, you two," Kerr bade, feeling like a gust of wind itself as he hastened away from Win and Lazarus and into his berth. Finding the door open as he'd instructed, he paused before he went in, taking a moment to get back into character. He swallowed and stretched his neck, filtering the pleasure and excitement out of his system until only the power remained. He embraced the feeling of omnipotence and disdain. Vampires. Murderous vermin with no regard for humanity. It was his job to eradicate them but first... he needed to know more.
Squaring his shoulders, he walked past the door, kicking the chock away and shoving it a little too heartily. It slammed shut with more force than he'd intended, prompting memories of Ben punching the bathroom door. This one didn't break, though it reminded him he needed to be careful with Lazarus' blood in him. He continued into the room, smirking when he saw Ben sitting calmly on the floor. He shouldn't have looked anywhere near as beautiful or regal as he did, wearing only a pair of striped shorts, but apparently he could make anything look good.
"Good little vampire," Kerr snickered, undoing his tie with one hand and the buttons on his jacket with the other. "I hope you like waiting because you're about to do some more of it. Stay there and think of all the information you're going to give me while I get ready," he commanded, breezing past and going to his wardrobe. Hastily, he divested himself of everything except his trousers and shirt and grabbed his leather gear to take into the bathroom. Housekeeping had fixed the door, so he could close it and hide his final transformation until he was ready.
The remnants of his suit were folded over the shower rail and then he went to the toilet - getting head from Win then giving it to Lazarus had him all sorts of messy so he also washed his nethers at the sink with a face cloth and soap. The leather pants were pulled on with nothing underneath and then he got into the vest for the first time. It was tighter than he'd expected but his pecs and shoulders looked amazing due to its contours. His waist looked tiny and the vest was short enough that a strip of his abs and the v line of his hips showed above the low-slung top of his pants. He admired his biceps as well, thinking he needed more sun to eliminate their pale underside.
The coat mostly hid the assets he'd just been inspecting in the mirror but it was the final item that helped him immerse fully into his role and it did look really cool. Ben would learn that he had an entire character with a backstory worked out, to enhance the experience.
Kerr fussed with his hair a little longer than he should've, applying a couple of different products as he went from slicked down to spiked up and somewhere in between. Finally he settled on spiked with a curl snaking halfway down his forehead and some eyeliner. He looked edgy and not even like himself once he was done (again, it helped the immersion), which made him extremely happy. He walked out of the bathroom and ignored Ben as he moved around the cabin barefoot, his coat swirling as he collected his journal, a pen and a chair.
It felt very much like the night he'd captured Ben when he sat in the chair in front of the vampire, keeping it as far away as the confines of the space allowed, as if Ben was locked in an invisible cage. He didn't make eye contact, focussing on flicking through pages in his journal as he spoke, errantly licking his fingers as if the pages wouldn't turn when really he was just delaying the moment when he had to look at Ben. He didn't deserve his attention, after all. Kerr spoke briskly, his pseudo-friendly words completely undermined by the barely-masked contempt in his voice, his tone monotonous and business-like (if not outright hostile).
"Right. So, you can call me Hunter. As you know, my employers have captured your sire and they're holding him not too far from here. He's not talking and that's very bad for him, because he stands accused of a list of crimes longer than my arm and they intend to punish him. If he was smart, he'd talk. That's where you come in. I have a lot of questions for you that, ultimately, could help with his trial. It's in your best interests to see me as a friend and talk to me. My people aren't monsters, they just think you two are and that you need to be stopped. You being in this nice room is a courtesy but it's only right to inform you that there are security measures in place. You're not to leave without my say-so and if you attempt to harm me, you'll be punished instantly. I took the liberty of having the cameras turned off before I came in here, though, so that we can keep this session private and build some trust. Are you ready to work with me, Ben?"
Kerr finally looked up from his book, his cold expression unaffected by the tight smile he pretended to give. His entire demeanour shouted that he didn't want to be here, doing this... though his gaze had lingered a little too long on Ben's chest as it raked its way up his body, indicating reluctant admiration.
-
There were a few things Ben had wanted to respond to during that long speech. He knew that Kerr was setting everything up for him but he'd wanted to make a few comments but the opportunity was gone before he'd even drawn in breath. He held onto that frustration and used it, closing his eyes momentarily and letting Kerr's story wash over him.
Lazarus was caught, held somewhere by their enemies. He wasn't cooperating but Ben was the smoother talker out of the two. He had to get himself out before he could rescue his sire. His motivation was seduction. Good. But he couldn't be too obvious about it. He needed the Hunter to think he had the upper hand. At the moment he did. It was a slightly different dynamic to what had actually happened and Ben enjoyed the extra layer of it. He'd never had to worry about Lazarus before.
Are you ready to work with me, Ben?
"I don't know, have you finished talking yet?" He smirked.
-
Kerr gave Ben an imperious look, somewhat ruffled by the reprimand. Damnit. The object was to entice and dominate, not bore the guy into submission. He'd have to watch that.
"Yes," he said tersely, keeping his words to a minimum. "Especially if you're going to start."
He raised his eyebrows pointedly, expecting to receive some more smartass comments in return. His gaze lingered on Ben's mouth and he tried to recall a time when he didn't know what it would taste like and he was fascinated by the prospect of finding out - and all the dirty things that fell out of it in between.
-
"You want me to start?" Ben laughed, shifting position on the floor so he was leaning back on the brace of one hand while his other started rubbing his dick through his shorts, intending on making it grow. He could feel it start to swell. "When will you be joining in?"
His eyes shone with glee.
-
Kerr's expression darkened and he glared at Ben's hand on his crotch like he was offended by its position... yet he licked his lips and kept watching. It wasn't the horrified expression he must've originally worn back in the basement prison, it was more angry and disdainful with his lip curled in disgust.
"Stop that. You look ridiculous," he pronounced austerely. "I meant start talking and you know it. Tell me about your relationship with your sire. When did he turn you? Was it willing? How old is he?"
Kerr cleared his throat and shifted position on his seat, leaning forward so that his elbows were on his thighs, concealing his lap. He didn't want to give anything away, though Ben touching himself was certainly having an effect. He forced his gaze to meet the iridescent blue one far above that telltale crotch, pen poised above his book like he was ready to write.
-
"I can tell you're hot for me," Ben said, liking Kerr's harsher reaction than his original one. No, not Kerr. The Hunter. He had to think of him as that for better immersion. He ignored the questions posed to him. "I can see your pupils dilate and hear your heart pick up speed. I can see the tension in your muscles as you fight what your body wants. You don't have to fight it," Ben soothed, staring at the Hunter and his enticing leather getup.
Ben lowered himself down onto the carpet, his back rubbing the pile as he gently writhed beneath the feel of his own hand. His shorts were tenting now but he still kept himself hidden away beneath the fabric. He moaned softly as his fingernails scraped a path up his cock, material catching in an interesting way.
-
His enhanced hearing felt like it helped him pick up the nail's bump over every thread and each groove of Ben's shorts, tantalising him with what he knew was beneath them. Kerr figured Ben had to be as horny as he was, having half finished the play next door and coming in here to force restraint on himself, but he was determined not to succumb to it.
It was a twisted competition. The loser would be the first who touched the other in lust. There was some pain in holding back - his balls felt like they were in a vice (smarting only, at this stage) - but there was something beautiful about it, too. Something... existential about holding himself back. He was already relishing the challenge of not giving in.
"What you're hearing is revulsion," Kerr spat. "You disgust me. I'm a married man - to a woman - with two sons. Men with men... just... no. And you're a vampire! Have some respect for me, as a professional just doing my job, and some respect for yourself and stop rolling around on the carpet like a filthy animal in heat!"
Kerr's gaze lifted and moved to a blank spot on the wall, supposedly because he couldn't stand looking at Ben but really because the temptation was growing. Walls were neutral. They didn't have sexy bodies and hypnotic eyes and taunting mouths. They didn't make his cock throb with want and the bottom drop out of his stomach when he thought about what it would be like to fuck them.
"This isn't going to help your sire."
-
The Hunter was being difficult and aggressive, and Ben could tell he was getting under his skin. He didn't comment on the marriage or the sons. They were nothing to him.
"Am I a filthy animal?" Ben asked, panting from not progressing further with himself. He wanted the Hunter to claim him, to fill the emptiness that Ben was hyperaware of in his body. Ben rolled onto his hands and knees, his ass pointing at the Hunter, who refused to look at him. Hilarious. "Perhaps bestiality suits you better than homoeroticism," Ben laughed, shucking his shorts down to his thighs, baring his ass. "Hit the right spot and I'll bleat for you."
He looked over his shoulder and grinned.
-
Hunter's eyes were drawn against his will, flicking down and away bit by bit, inching ever closer. On one return trip he caught Ben watching his shifty eyes and he looked hastily away, flushing with humiliation that he should be caught. And yet... he looked back, then away, back, then away, back... until he was looking directly into Ben's hole.
His vision was good enough that he could make out the thickening in the pinkish brown folds in the centre, the glisten of the lube Lazarus had used, the slight parting where his cock had been thrusting in and out while he watched Win suck Kerr off. Fucking hell. The sound of him swallowing was very loud in his own ears. It didn't help that Ben's allusion to bestiality had him imagining riding the vampire like he was his horse, taking him out to some distant paddock where his desperate sexual urges would lead him to the unthinkable act of using the tight hole below him. Good thing he'd said bleat and not neigh.
"Yes, you are filthy," Hunter snarled, summoning all the hatred he'd ever witnessed aimed at murderous supernatural creatures and letting it show in his face. "With your wicked fangs and your lack of any morals whatsoever! It's a good thing I turned the cameras off, because now I can tell you how I really feel," he sneered, tucking the pen into his journal and slapping it onto the carpet beside his chair. He sat up straighter, though his body was angled forward, his left arm bent and resting on his thigh so that he could stab the air between he and Ben with an imperious finger on the other, his outrage on overload.
"I despise your kind. Preying on the vulnerable, killing arbitrarily. You should all be destroyed. You have no hearts, you're nothing but cold, hard stone and you can't fool me, I know what you've been doing! I can see it shining at me! Someone's been jabbing you in your fuckhole like some sick, perverted freak and you have the audacity to suggest I want to get in there, too! I don't need some freak's sloppy seconds, you dirty little vampire whore," Hunter finished venomously, finding that the passion of his speech had brought him to his feet to loom over the writhing vampire.
-
The final launch of insults was enough to slap Ben's sensibilities. As the hunter approached, Ben reached down and quickly pulled his shorts up, turning to seat himself on the carpet once more. Shock rippled through him, the abusive words humiliating in their truth. His eyes were wide and confused, the act so real that he forgot where he was... for a moment.
A soft, shaky, breathy laugh escaped but he regretted it, no longer believing that Hunter would be kind to him. On the floor with the hunter looming over him he knew he had to test his boundaries, to see what the other was willing to do.
"You hate us because we're free to do as we please," Ben whispered, "while you're shackled to your obligations."
-
If he didn't have Lazarus' blood pounding through his veins, he possibly wouldn't have even heard Ben's reply, it was so soft. The vampire scrambling to cover himself with his meagre clothing had told him he'd already begun to do as he'd been instructed. If you can't hurt me physically, do it emotionally, Ben had said, but it was a bittersweet victory. This was just pain, raw and vulnerable. Hunter relished it; Kerr didn't. Only one was in charge right now.
"I'm not the one locked up in here. I'm not the one being hunted for irreparable inhumanity. I'm not the one condemned to hide from the sun and slink out at night to feed off the lifeblood of others. I'm not the aberration of nature," he sneered, walking around Ben in a slow circle as he jeered at him. He stepped over to his gear and withdrew the heavy iron manacles he had in there, swinging them as he slunk back to stand in front of Ben. "So which one of us is shackled, exactly?" he smirked, squinting down at the young vampire. "You don't deserve freedom. You're a monster and I'm done with your bullshit. Answer my questions."
He was closer to the chair but the threats in his cold words and cruel expression were obvious as he dangled the manacles before Ben. As soon as Ben sounded like he'd co-operate, he'd sit and exchange the cuffs for his journal and pen, civility reasserted.
-
Ben watched Kerr walk around him as far as his neck would allow, then quickly swapped shoulders to see him stalking around the other side. Ben's gaze flicked down from Kerr's face to the manacles he'd collected, lingering on them for a long moment before staring back at the hunter. His questions on vampirism were a rhetorical attack.
No, he wouldn't answer any questions yet. He felt invincible and could still test boundaries. Ben had words to launch back with but he did so quietly, speaking upwards at Kerr. "How much are they paying you? Humans will do anything for money, I've heard."
-
Rebellion and insurrection it was, then. The Hunter crouched before the vampire, eyes narrowed and tongue tapping his teeth agitatedly. Up close, he was such a pretty, soft-looking thing. Maybe that was just because his words were, but that demureness was also a lure, tempting him to get closer so that he could punish the vampire properly. At least, that was what he believed was happening.
He kept his hands to himself, the manacles dangling from his hands, which were between his thighs, his elbows resting on his knees. He was so close to the floor that the iron wasn't dangling, in fact, but had pooled between his feet, the clasp on the pristine carpet. "That's rich, coming from the likes of you," he sneered, his gaze raking Ben's naked torso pointedly.
-
The look upon his body irked Ben when coupled with that insult. He laughed to cover his annoyance and said: "There are two types of humans on this world. Those who get on their knees for money, and those who get on their knees to worship my kind. You pretend to like the money but I notice you're getting closer to the other thing." He smiled, but not snidely or as a smirk, but genuinely, using his youthful looks. "You hate me because you want me."
-
"They don't pay me enough to put up with your bullshit, that's for fucking sure," he snarled, shaking his head as he avoided the wanting comment for the time being.
He was getting close to the vampire, though. It was instinctive. And from this distance, his enhanced olfactory senses easily detected the scent of sex on him, along with a film of unrequited desire. Ben had got hard and close to orgasm next door - just as he had - and the Hunter had unwittingly ripped him out of a situation saturated with lust and pheromones and trapped him in here. He was being drawn to it. Stupidly, he'd baited his own hook and he needed to fight being impaled on it for as long as he possibly could. He smelt disgusting. It was wonderful.
"The only thing I want is for you to answer my questions or I will be putting my hands on you. In a way you won't like at all," he threatened through gritted teeth, flicking the end of the manacle he was holding pointedly. He was anxious and pent up and horny; it wasn't conducive to playing nice so he did what came naturally. He used it. All the coiled aggression and lust were a ball of emotion and need that he allowed to fester, squeezing his balls and cramping his gut painfully until he was ready to drag it out and use it to get his way. And he was very close to it. He flexed the hand not holding the cuffs, already imagining the vampire's throat clamped within it.
They didn't breathe but they clearly needed to talk and someone hefting him by his pipes would do a great job of stopping that.
-
"Are you sure about that?" Ben said with a smile, unable to resist the opening for a flirtatious comment. The other was sure to make a move soon and he wanted to know what was coming his way. Would it be violent or sexual or both? Perhaps it would be something more limiting - a restriction with the cuffs. Then the Hunter could do what he wanted with him.
And didn't that idea inspire his body to respond in a way that was obvious? No doubt he'd attract some snide comment over his stiffening erection. He was kind of surprised that his body was responding because there was a ripple of uncertainty in him about how things would go. He hadn't realised how thrilling it would be.
-
It was nothing for him to fall forward out of his crouch and his enhanced speed allowed him to shuffle forward a little so that he fell into a kneeling position - directly on Ben's legs. He pressed down hard, intending his pin to be painful, gritting his teeth as his hand lashed out and grasped Ben's throat in a vice-like grip. He squeezed much harder than he should've been able to, allowing the frustration of Ben's taunts and the rage of unfulfilled desire to overcome him. He glared at the bulge in Ben's pants pointedly, before making eye contact once more.
"You. Disgust. Me," he ground out, quivering with rage as he pressed his nose against Ben's, mashing their faces together painfully. The vampire might begin struggling in his grasp now, starting to understand the abnormal amount of strength he suddenly had, realising that he was more vulnerable than he'd anticipated but the Hunter didn't wait to find out. Instead, he surged to his feet, taking Ben with him.
As his usual self, Kerr worked out regularly and was a very strong man. He could've lifted Ben with both his hands under his arms and held him aloft for a minute or so. With Lazarus' blood pounding through him, feeding his rage, he hefted Ben off the floor with one hand like he was a doll, his fingers digging into the column of his throat forcefully as he used that anchor point alone to lift him. He dangled Ben with his feet off the ground for just a moment before the Hunter swung him and hurled him across the room towards the bed. He divested himself of his leather coat, yanking it off and throwing it onto the carpet with an angry snap before he regathered the manacles and advanced on wherever Ben had landed.
"Like it to hurt, do you?" he taunted in a feral snarl as he stalked forward, his voice bereft of any form of his usual softness and his eyes glittering with predatory lust. With his free hand, he touched his hardening cock over his leather pants, the gesture deliberately ominous and obscene. "Maybe I do want you, then."
-
Ben winced and grunted as the Hunter's weight fell upon his legs. He'd moved quicker than Ben expected and now his hand was around Ben's throat. At first he didn't suspect anything untoward, not catching that the speed was abnormal, but there was real tension in his neck and it was uncomfortable. His hands instinctively moved to the one around his throat as he imagined another taunt... but then couldn't pull in breath to voice it! Kerr's face loomed close and he thought maybe he was going to be kissed but no, there was a weird pressing of noses and Ben wanted to pull away but couldn't. His discomfort grew.
When he was lifted, all thoughts flew from his head. So surprised that he could only endure the lift. It made him feel helpless and vulnerable... and then he was flying. He expected a wall to stop his arc but he landed on the bed instead, bouncing atop it from his back onto his side before he rolled onto his back again, propping himself up onto his elbows to better see where the Hunter had got to.
Confusion and wariness were apparent in Ben's gaze as he looked at his aggressor from his position on the bed. Movement at the Hunter's crotch pulled Ben's gaze there where he could make out the shape of Kerr's huge erection. The size of him had been a source of enjoyment ever since its discovery because even with care there was stretching that satisfied the line of pleasure and pain that Ben liked to walk, though the mortal had never dared to play rough even though he was equipped to make it quite the experience.
One that Ben was on the verge of encountering now.
"H-How...?" but he didn't need to finish his question. His stare returned to the Hunter's face as he realised how he'd been flung around with immeasurable strength. His shock had momentarily rendered him speechless and blanked his mind, but now he knew the truth and he threw it in the Hunter's face. "You hypocrite," he spat, though there was glee in his face. "You're disgusted by us but you're happy to slurp up our blood because it makes you better."
He started to sit up, intending on getting onto his knees on the bed so he could face off with Kerr again.
-
The Hunter's eyes narrowed as he watched the filthy vampire get into a kneeling position on the bed, spitting aggravating bullshit at him. It only fed his anger and he grasped a manacle in each hand, testing the chain between them with an threatening clink. They felt sturdy even with his newfound strength, which pleased him. They were made of heavy iron.
"Fuck you," he sneered, enraged by everything coming out of the vampire's mouth but excited by it, too. Every word brought him a step closer to just letting go of all restraint, the tether to his usual decent self fraying to the point of snapping. He was furious and wanted to punish and he hated how beautiful the vampire was. It sickened him and made him want to punish him for that, too. His cock was throbbing in his too-tight pants, yearning to be released and used as a weapon.
"They make us do it, to protect ourselves. It tastes like shit but d'ya think I'm so stupid I'd lock myself in here, with nobody watching us, without being able to protect myself? You won't get the drop on me. Fanger whore. Turn around and put your hands together. You don't wanna' answer my questions? It's time I made it clear who's the prisoner here."
He waited for the vampire to turn so he could manacle his wrists together. If he was uncooperative, things would get violent and the Hunter rather wanted the excuse to grab the pretty boy's hair and shove him down, put a knee in the middle of his back and cuff him. Tightly.
-
Ben did resist, holding his wrists away with a condescending laugh before he was grabbed roughly and spun around, forced into submission. He fought but the Hunter had old blood that was stronger, and his grip on Ben's hair was restraining. Ben grunted and panted as he struggled, the manacles tight on his wrists, the angle difficult for him to break free - but they were strong, too.
This time he wasn't spitting rhetoric, hurling insults or taunts. They were at the pointy end of their play and he was one part anxious and two parts excited. There was also the tiniest tendril of fear, that he'd pushed too hard, that it might be taken too far. He felt properly helpless, fully vulnerable.
Everything he'd asked for.
-
Kerr ensured the shackles were tight on the vampire's wrists, twisting the chain onto the hook on one of them, designed to take up the slack so that the prisoner could be given as much movement in their arms as desired. This vampire got none, the manacles clinked as he secured them against each other and he could see the strain in the monster's shoulders. It wouldn't take long before the extremity of the binding seeped into those lovely, sculpted muscles and they began to ache like a bitch.
To add insult to the injury, the hunter flipped the vampire over onto his back, gripping him by the upper arm and dragging him closer to the edge of the bed. Pressing his fists into the mattress either side of his head, the hunter loomed over the vampire, one knee pressed against his hip, causing him to roll towards him. "Not so lippy now, are you?" he hissed, his gaze roaming over the vampire's face, as if he was only now getting a good look at him. "I can do anything to you I want," he leered, looking down his body pointedly.
The excitement of being so close to this beautiful and dangerous specimen had him breathing faster - as did the exertion of tossing him around like an ornery bull - so his hot breath washed over the vampire's face and down his throat as he was inspected. It certainly wasn't polite to breathe all over someone's face but he was done with platitudes. The vampire was his to teach a lesson now.
-
I can do anything to you that I want. Ben got the impression that it would hurt, that it would be hard and fast and likely over before he himself got any satisfaction
and wasn't there a thrill in that?
to be used and discarded?
and left shackled and waiting on the bed for next time?
The breath in his face was awful. It made him want to squirm away. Because he couldn't, he fought back with words. "Except make me cum," Ben said, then laughed.
-
The hunter straightened up onto his knee, snorting derisively. "You don't deserve it," he announced, reaching down to grip the vampire's face between his thumb and other fingers, squeezing his mouth into a tight circle, uncaring that he was digging into Ben's flesh so hard he could feel the outline of his teeth beneath.
It made such a pretty, wet, pink hole and a surge of desire rushed through Hunter, summoning the memory of the other hole he was shown earlier. He slid the tip of his index finger into the vampire's mouth, dipping it in and out like a miniature cock, prodding roughly at his tongue, his enhanced gaze riveted on the trail of spit glistening on his skin as it thrust in and out of that rosy hole. He licked his lips before he spoke again, his lids drooping and his cheeks flushing as he was seduced by the finger fuck and by the concept of owning this beast, of having his way with it and leaving it behind to hold the secret of his forbidden pleasure.
"I gave you plenty of chances to cooperate, you wanted to run your fucking smart mouth," the hunter panted, his voice thick with desire now. He released the vampire's face with a push. He licked his lips again, his gaze trailing down its body. The hand that had held its face now gripped its cock through its shorts, firm but not painful, milking it a little, aiming to leave it wanting because that was punishment, too. "Now you'll pay. And it'll be our little secret," he hissed, his other hand dropping to hastily unlace his leather pants. He grunted pleasure as he pulled his cock free at last and ran his hand along its desperate length. He didn't think he'd ever been so hard or wet before. He wouldn't need lube - not that he'd been planning to use it - with the amount of precum he was smearing everywhere.
Driven by a haze of anger and lust, he became mindless with need. He reached down and flipped the vampire carelessly over again, positioning him like a child with a rag doll, yanking and pushing at him, testing for angles and stability. What he ended up with was the vampire face down with his hips propped up on a pillow, his legs splayed and feet off the bed, his pert ass pointing in the air. The hunter knelt between his thighs and peeled his shorts down, squeezing the exposed ass roughly. The only concession he made was reaching around and pulling the vampire's cock out of his shorts and positioning it between his stomach and the pillow, wedging it in such a way as he would be fucking the softness beneath him. It might be satisfying, he didn't care too much at that point.
Parting the vampire's cheeks, the hunter positioned his cock at the tight, previously-slicked opening before him and thrust into him in one smooth, vicious motion. The sudden embrace of tight muscle and soft flesh sent a shudder through him that left him groaning. He was oblivious to any of the vampire's noises. After the briefest of pauses to savour the sensation, his hips swayed back, he grabbed a hold of the manacled wrists in front of him in both of his hands and he began to fuck the vampire beneath him for all that he was worth. He knew the pulling would hurt the beast's shoulders but he didn't care; he used the arms to brace himself while he pumped gloriously, driving hard and forcing the animal's body to accommodate his immense size.
He changed position two more times. After he let go of the vampire's arms, he grasped his hips and lifted them, angling him for even deeper penetration. His strokes slowed as he focussed on playing with angles, knowing he was grinding the ball of nerves within the vampire's ass more often than not but revelling in the different sensations every time he dipped in and pulled out. When it became too much and he knew he was getting close, he let go and hovered over the vampire in a pushup position instead, bracing himself on his hands and knees and pistoning into him like a man possessed.
Hunter tried to drag the pleasure out as long as he could but the sound of slapping flesh, the pounding and bouncing of the delicious receptacle beneath him and the sheer fucking wonder of the tight hole his monster cock was punishing did him in. He cried out as he came, still thrusting at a speed he'd never reached before (and hadn't dared, even when he'd had vampire blood in him previously, for fear of hurting his partner), fucking with an abandon that left his whole body singing, the most powerful and freeing orgasm of his life tearing through him.
It took every ounce of remaining willpower to not collapse atop the creature he'd just used. His arms and legs were quivering with fatigue as he pulled his still-firm cock out of its ass with a wet slurp and crawled backwards off the bed. He stood by it, his chest heaving, his body swaying at an odd angle as he struggled to stay awake and vertical, fighting to catch his breath. He looked at his hog-tied prisoner, at the puddle of milky seed pooled and leaking out of his gaping fuckhole and briefly wondered at the fact it wasn't blood-streaked. He supposed the vampire had healed too fast for there to be blood spared but he knew he'd hurt him regardless. No-one took a fucking like that and didn't feel it echoing everywhere throughout their body.
"D'you wanna go back... t'your sire... or stay here?" he gasped. Their time had come to an end whether the vampire was satisfied or not. The only question now was would the hunter fix the vampire's shorts and deliver the manacled prisoner to the room next door as he was (allowing them to sort him out as they saw fit) or would their scene break by him going into the shower and returning as Kerr to unshackle Ben and tend to his needs himself?
-
Ben, surprised by the grip on his face, didn't fight against the finger as it was forced back and forth into his mouth. He knew what it meant and it made him very aware of his backside, still feeling the aftereffects of Lazarus' cock deep in it. He knew his body had tightened in the meantime, recovered, but perhaps the memory of it would help him adapt to Kerr's superior size. He didn't think the Hunter was going to prep him much, if at all. He hoped he'd at least get that wettened finger in him first.
No such luck. After being positioned like a doll, he felt the tip of the Hunter at his entrance. He didn't expect the initial thrust into him to be so deep and he cried out into the mattress, his body tensing and squeezing the offending cock. It was likely a pleasurable reaction for the other but Ben couldn't bring himself to relax his body enough to accept it. After about a minute of the punishment, he managed to adapt and grit his teeth and took it. His shoulders were aching just like the Hunter thought but he was more focused on what was driving into him. It hurt but it was also good. The tiny moment of withdrawal was sweet relief while the thrust into him, painful as it was, also satisfied a craving in him that he didn't understand but was aware of. He'd also expected Kerr to be more verbal, less physical.
He couldn't stop himself from making sounds but he could bury them into the mattress. Every thrust had him crying out - it relieved the sensation somewhat but he was aware of what Lazarus and Win could hear from next door. Hopefully, they were engaged in their own play and weren't listening to the punishment Ben was taking.
Towards the end, Ben had an intense memory of what it had been like having sex with Lazarus at the start of their relationship when the vampire hadn't cared about Ben because he'd been Win's plaything. Huh. He'd forgotten about Lazarus' spitefulness and jealousy. As the Hunter thrust into him with supernatural speed, using his massive cock as the ultimate weapon against Ben's body, he got the biggest sensation of pleasure yet and it came from an emotional understanding rather than the physical reception. It was a moment of clarity about himself that blew his mind at the same time as the Hunter blew his load.
When he was finally ditched, hearing the Hunter leaving his body and feeling the wetness as it ran down and puddled between his thighs, Ben turned his face away from the mattress and finally relaxed. His shoulders and ass hurt the most; the former he didn't enjoy but the latter he did. There was more pleasure than pain in this ache - perhaps the relief of no longer being battered. And there was that unmistakeable but mild degree of humiliation that remained.
He was asked if he wanted more of it, to be reunited with Lazarus. He had no idea how the blonde Ancient would react, but he had been in on it if he'd allowed Kerr his blood. Ben wouldn't have believed Lazarus would allow it, and maybe he'd be annoyed if he didn't get to see the results. There was a chance Lazarus would be majorly pissed off though... but Ben thought it was slim. It was definitely his blood Kerr drank, to have been as strong as he was.
"Take me back to him?" Ben said, the order unintentionally sounding like a request. His voice was pretty soft, too. Guess the dominance over him had left a lasting impression in other ways as well.
-
The hunter remained efficient despite his fatigue, tucking himself into his pants and lacing them well enough that they wouldn't gape when he left the room. He was still in the mindset of an obedient cog in the machine of an anonymous employer like the Oligarchy (though he'd just done something highly inappropriate and taken advantage of a prisoner, so how good an employee was he, to let his emotions get the better of him like that?) but it was slipping - enough for him to recognise that he couldn't march Ben next door in his manacles.
Even if the hunter would have that little regard for the vampire. Although it was highly unlikely at this extreme hour, anyone could be walking the hall, heading back to their cabin after a long night's festivities and it would scare people. He needed to play it safer than that.
After he was done with his pants, he stepped forward and righted Ben's shorts as best he could. His mask slipped a little and he was glad his face wasn't easily seen from the angle Ben was at. Remorse sidled in, eroding the euphoria that had surrounded him while he'd performed his act. He forced it aside, reaching over to unhook the chain and then release the cuffs from around the prisoner's wrists. He ignored the marks they left behind as he dropped them negligently on the mattress. Without allowing him any adjustment time, he grasped the vampire by the upper arm and reefed him to his feet, marching him out of the room.
He rapped more firmly on Lazarus' door than he'd intended, his exaggerated strength beyond his discretion in his heightened state. While they waited, he leant close and spoke in the vampire's ear (mostly so that nothing was said to him). "Remember. Tell no-one about what happened or, the next time I come for you, it'll be worse," he growled his threat. As the door began to open, he pivoted and stalked back into his room, not even waiting to shove the prisoner at whomever had answered the door (probably Win).
Once he was back inside his own room, emotions he hadn't anticipated swamped him, causing tears to prick his eyes and a vaguely nauseous feeling to cramp his gut as he wandered in. The space felt... alien now... not the sanctuary it had been. He picked up his pen and journal, returned the chair to where it belonged, put away his cuffs. He'd done that. He'd been that... that asshole, to please Ben. Suddenly, powerfully, he missed Ben and he was sorry but... he was also... hopeful? Excited? Yes, horrified but excited because he thought he'd done well - he hoped he'd done as Lazarus commanded and made Ben happy, but he couldn't tell. Just as he hadn't been himself, that hadn't been Ben, either. He wouldn't know until tomorrow night.
It seemed an eternity away. He hastened out of his leathers and into the shower.
-
The next night it was Win who answered the door when Kerr knocked on it. Wearing jeans, a tee and a scowl, he glared at Kerr as he kept the heavy door half-closed and shouldered the wall of the entry, effectively blocking Kerr from seeing inside never mind walking in.
"What did you do?" he hissed. "Give him some space."
"Win, stop it. Let him in," Ben called out from inside the room.
Win remained as he was for a moment longer before spinning on his heel and stalking back into the room, happy to let Kerr catch and deal with the door as needed. Win hoped it would slam in his face.
When Kerr entered, only Ben and Win were inside the cabin. The blonde Ancient had already left.
-
Kerr's smile died and his heart kicked over as Win spat at him. He did catch the door without thinking about it, though he held onto it for longer than he usually would've while he took some calming breaths and steeled himself for whatever storm he was walking into. This time, he'd created it.
Entering cautiously, he kept his distance from Ben, his expression appalled. He was dressed in one of his suits for dinner, as usual, but he'd been too anxious to catch up with Ben to eat yet. With good reason, apparently. "What'd I do?" he asked breathlessly, eyes wide and fixed on Ben. Realising he'd instinctively mirrored Win's words (because they were embedded in his brain in shock), he frowned, shook his head minutely and tried again.
"What happened?' He licked his lips nervously, his hands balling into loose, defensive fists by his side.
-
Ben, wearing jeans and a tee-shirt also, almost looked like he'd twins-ied with Win, for both their shirts were a light grey and the denim a dark blue. Neither wore shoes.
Upon seeing Kerr, Ben's face lit up into a broad smile. He'd been sitting on the couch but stood when he heard Win telling Kerr to leave, not wanting that to happen. He approached Kerr, his hand out to grasp the mortal's in his own. Because he didn't want Win to hear, he spoke into Kerr's mind just as he made contact.
You were perfect last night. Thank you.
And he tilted his face up to plant a kiss on Kerr's lips. Win stood a little apart from them, watching this play out between them unhappily.
"You took it too far," Win said.
"Shut up, he didn't," Ben said, glaring at Win.
Ignoring Ben, Win continued to inform Kerr on the aftermath. "He tried not to show it to Lazarus but he was in pain when you gave him back to us. He had to admit it when Lazarus--"
"Fucking shut up, Win," Ben growled, moving closer to Kerr as if protecting him from words.
-
Kerr's face felt hot and even though Ben's words in his mind reassured him, he was ashamed. Ashamed of what he'd done, ashamed of how he'd made Win and Lazarus feel, ashamed of how he'd enjoyed himself. He kissed Ben back negligently, his gaze fixed on Win, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he fought off the tide of emotions overtaking him. When Ben spoke, he looked at him and then back at Win, as if he was watching a mortifying kind of tennis match.
When Ben stepped in front of him, he grasped his hips and shuffled closer, liking that he was being shielded from Win's ire. "I did what Ben asked," he told Win bullishly... but his expression faltered as he looked back at Ben, "didn't I? Was it too much?"
He had to admit it when Lazarus-
A horrified look overtook Kerr's face. "Did Lazarus try to have sex with you afterwards??" he gasped. Was the sire insane? Of course Ben was in no condition for that!
-
"It was perfect. It's none of their business," Ben said, more for Win than for Kerr, though Win wasn't having it, by the lofty look in his eyes.
"You're fooling yourself," Win said coolly, his gaze falling on Ben. "You chose him to dominate you because he's mortal and can't really hurt you, and then he took Lazarus' blood so that he could. And you went along with it because you don't like backing down from anything. We both know it. Fuck, even he should know it." Win's gaze returned to Kerr, hard and unforgiving. "You saw Ben pit himself against me in a mental battle even though he knew he couldn't win. He can't back down from anything, and you took advantage of that."
Ben stepped away from Kerr, advancing on Win so that their chests touched. "Win, shut the fuck up. Nobody needs or wants your armchair psychology. You don't know shit."
Win glared down his nose at Ben before moving sideways and out of his way, to leave the room. He intended on entering the walk-in closet and grabbing his sneakers before leaving.
Ben turned his head but didn't watch him go. He wasn't going to stop him.
-
Kerr was distraught. He believed Ben was telling the truth when he said he was happy with how things went but Win's points were soundly made. Ben hadn't met a fight he'd willingly walk away from - but that had been the whole point! He wanted to be cornered and hurt and dominated and although it wasn't healthy, Kerr had gone along with it because he wanted to please his boyfriend. It was an act of love, not abuse
oh, but it hadn't been very loving, had it?
you hated him, in that moment
you wanted to hurt him, make him pay
you loved it when you hurt him!
who the fuck is really the monster here??
but no-one else saw it that way. It made him doubt himself, doubt Ben. He shouldn't've done it. He should've said no. He'd genuinely hurt Ben and if Win was this pissed, what the fuck was Lazarus like?? He wasn't even here - was that because he was so insanely furious that he was ready to kill Kerr for hurting his precious baby?? Oh gods, oh gods.
Kerr swallowed, trying to squash the panic down but failing as Win moved away. He said nothing more to him, too intimidated to try defending himself. He couldn't seem to catch his breath. He walked to the couch and plopped down on it, his elbows on his knees and his hands wrapped around his head. "Is Lazarus that mad at me, too?" he asked weakly, staring at the carpet. It kept going fuzzy as blood throbbed in his temples.
-
Ben could feel Kerr reeling once Win was gone and his focus shifted. He moved to Kerr to walk him to the couch but the mortal took himself. Ben followed, sitting closely with him, twisting on the cushion to leave affirming touches on the top of his thigh, another stroking his curved back.
"He's mad at me for asking you to do it instead of letting him," Ben admitted. "But he doesn't get it, he wouldn't be able to say the right things or make me feel turned on instead of just scared. He wouldn't find that balance that you did. I... after it was over I felt... invincible. I felt amazing and I wanted to talk about it and... I made a bad decision coming here. I didn't want our playtime to kind of... fizzle into reality, but I don't think that would've happened. Don't let their reactions colour what we did. I enjoyed it, honestly."
Ben's hand slowed in his caresses. "Um, did you?" he asked, the confidence of his tone vanishing as soon as he asked his tentative question.
-
Kerr kept waiting for an answer to his question but it didn't come and he found it hard to relax while thinking Win would go straight to Lazarus and tattle on him for having the audacity to approach Ben. His answer was probably buried inside the insinuations about what Ben had talked about when he returned to his sire but Kerr wasn't in the headspace to figure it out without being bluntly told.
Still, it wasn't like Lazarus wouldn't have been able to find him, if he'd wanted to kill him. He'd walked straight past his door, after all, when he could've broken it down and snapped his neck in about three seconds flat. Yeah... that was mildly reassuring.
He took a breath and exhaled, trying to calm himself down enough to listen to Ben. He grasped the vampire's hand, lifting it off his thigh and wrapping in both of his warm ones as he swivelled slightly to look into his amazing blue eyes.
"I did," he admitted and blushed furiously, "but I also felt like I shouldn't have. I was mean to you. The story I made up... it just kind of took on a life of its own and it grew and I became that guy and I just kind of went with it! You really felt invincible and amazing... afterwards? Even though I hurt you? Were you in terrible pain?" he asked worriedly, his expression vulnerable as he stroked the back of Ben's hand.
Was he trying to comfort him? To apologise for the brutality? It was a bit late for that!
-
Ben shook off the question with a roll of the eyes and small puff of air. "I heal fast. It was only... what Win said..." After two false starts, Ben flopped back on the couch, but his hand remained touching Kerr, though now on his hip. "I thought it was amazing. Would you... want to do it again? Ben asked, once again shy in his questioning. "Sometime?" he threw at the end, just so Kerr wouldn't freak out that he was asking for it so soon.
He'd loved the story. He'd thought the character was amazing. If he'd been captured by someone other than Kerr, it might have ended up that way. It gave him a thrill to even consider it.
He thought there was another reason Win might not have liked what Kerr had done for him; and it had less to do with Kerr hurting him and more to do with Kerr fulfilling Ben's fantasy so perfectly. Win was the chameleon in their little tribe. If Kerr could do it too, then what role did Win get to play?
And Lazarus, he'd been so furious with Ben he'd been unable to speak coherent sentences, but Ben knew why his sire was so upset. Sexual domination was out of his playbook. If Kerr could do it better then where did that leave him?
Right now Ben didn't care about their insecurities. They'd get over it.
-
Kerr's gaze was riveted on Ben as he flopped back on the couch. He decided he wanted to know exactly what happened when Ben returned but then he asked that question and he was... shy. It was captivating, that he was asking Kerr if he wanted to repeat the performance (which he really did, though he had ideas for variations) all gently like that.
Submissively. It wasn't even the way Ben had behaved until the very end, yet it caused Kerr to thicken just from the assocation of what happened the night before. He smirked coyly, looking over at Ben through his lashes.
"Well, yeah. I kinda figured that would happen. In fact, we have a few more nights to fill on this boat and I... well, I sort of imagined maybe... something quick and dirty, like, the hunter finds you out on the boat, enjoying yourself, gambling or something, and he's just so mad at you that he forces you into a stairwell or something to, uh, punish you and keep you under his heel. And he just walks away and leaves you there."
He was blushing again, though it was mainly because he'd followed that fantasy through in the many wakeful hours he'd had without Ben, waiting for the sun to go down, and he'd played with himself just at the thought of it. Twice. Clearing his throat, he segued back to the details he needed.
"But you need to tell me what happened," he said seriously. "When you came back here. Lazarus said if I make you fucking happy, I can keep getting his blood but... it doesn't sound like that'll happen again," he said, frowning with genuine disappointment. It had been a key part of his convincing dominance. "So how did it go down?"
-
"Lazarus wanted to 'finish from our interruption'," Ben said, saying it in such a way it felt like a quote. "I didn't want to say no so I distracted him as long as possible for my body to recover but I... when I thought about what we'd done I got all, um," Ben smiled to himself and gave Kerr a bashful smile, "I was flushed and excited from what we'd done and he took it to mean I was ready for action and his fingers were enough to hurt me and he... he knew for sure, then, that you used the strength he gave you not just to... to pin me down but to..."
He left the sentence unfinished. They all knew now what Kerr had used the strength for.
"Lazarus left to find some human to dominate, to prove something to himself I guess," Ben said, not sounding worried, "and Win slept with me but he didn't say anything. I didn't realise how he felt about it until he answered the door. He kind of sprung that on me, sorry."
Ben squeezed Kerr's hip.
-
Kerr also fell against the back of the couch, sighing. He shouldn't be proud. He'd hurt Ben so badly that fingers had been too much and sent his sire away from him... yet he was infused with pride that Ben had been turned on after the fact. It meant he'd done it right, if the act had lingered in his love's mind like it had in his.
"I've never done that to anyone before. Hell, before you, I'd never even been all the way inside anyone before because every guy I've been with found me too much so I... it's all a bit new and crazy. Like I said, the character just took over and did whatever the fuck he wanted. We didn't even work out a safe word," Kerr breathed a laugh, his head lolling to gaze at Ben. "Would you have used it, if we had?"
-
"You're very big," Ben agreed with enthusiasm. He was confident enough that he would be able to describe Kerr's immense size and how it had stretched him to almost tearing point, but instead he went all shy again at the topic of a safe word, to stop Kerr from being the Hunter. Why would he want that? Would he have used it? "I don't think I would have but... if you're going to get rougher, we should think of something."
And now Kerr would see how Ben had been last night when he'd returned to his room with Win and Lazarus - high enough for them both to comment about how he looked. His eyes shone with the memory of the act and he pulled in his lower lip as he gnawed on it fang-free, thinking of how he'd muffled his cries into the mattress and how he'd both wanted it to never stop and yet it was too much. It had been thrilling, to feel so vulnerable, and to trust someone so completely to know that as far as it was being taken, it would never go beyond the knife's edge.
Perfection.
-
Kerr chuckled, blushing again, yet automatically responding to Ben's coyness. It was empowering, to reduce this magnificent man to a bright-eyed lip-biter and he found parts of the character resurfacing. Not the hatred or the disdain, but the dominator. He supposed it was part of what had made him a good hunter but it had never been part of a relationship before.
"God, I love you," he said offhandedly, "but I don't think I can get much rougher, not without Lazarus' blood. I should've just kept you with me and they wouldn't be so pissed at me now. It was the other option. I figured if I went into the shower and came back, it'd be me and you'd realise. I would've been gentle with you then. I would've taken care of you properly," he smirked, sliding his hand over and cupping Ben's crotch, kneading it gently. He rolled onto his side to get a better angle.
"I'll have to get creative," he said huskily, watching for any effect his touching was having. "If you see me in my leathers, you'll know who you're dealing with, right?"
-
Ben shrugged. What was done was done and once Lazarus spent himself fucking whoever it was he was with at the moment, he would come back and Ben would appease him and he was certain that Lazarus would let Kerr have his blood again. Ben just had to prove to Lazarus that he wasn't replaceable. Win he could just instruct to shut up. As long as Lazarus was on side, Win would fall into line, he was certain.
When he was cupped and kneaded, Ben pulled in a shallow gasp and his eyes half-lidded even as he reached out to Kerr, to cling to whatever he could get to.
"That sounds a good idea," Ben breathed, legs spreading to give Kerr better access.
-
~*~
Even though he was starving by the time they were done, Kerr found it very difficult to move any sort of distance away from Ben. There was a heightened awareness between them now, an understanding of extremes tasted and possibilities unfulfilled that tantalised. Even when he was on his knees worshipping the vampire with his mouth, giving completely, there was the sense that things could flip any second and Kerr might decide to start taking. The element of surprise flashed at him every time Ben looked his way, like he was just waiting for Kerr to do something selfish. And he wanted it. Kerr felt adored and a little bit revered, to be honest.
It was a good thing Lazarus wasn't around to see them gushing over each other.
Still, Win's reaction bothered Kerr greatly. It was interfering with his loved-up euphoria. He didn't understand why the other vampire he was obsessed with was so mad. Surely he could see that Ben was happy, not being taken advantage of? Or was it secondary anger because Lazarus was upset? Whatever it was, Kerr decided he had to know and have a chance to defend himself. After he and Ben had temporarily had their fill of each other, he'd changed out of his suit into jeans, a shirt and warm black hoodie (the vampires didn't feel the weather but if they went out on the deck, he got cold fast). He'd got a couple of burgers at the grill and, once he was done, turned towards Ben with a troubled expression on his face.
"Would you point me in Win's direction? Or take me to him? If he's not busy, I want to talk to him," Kerr requested, toying with Ben's hand.
-
While Kerr had been eating, Ben assessed the travellers around him for his next meal, eyeing up cruise staff when Kerr asked for Win's whereabouts. He felt a pang of jealousy but it left him just as quickly as it had reared its head; he knew why Kerr wanted to pursue him. If they could kiss and make up, the sooner Kerr would return to him. Lazarus would have to be left alone until he decided to return. Ben would have a lot of making up to do once that happened. He hoped Lazarus would stay away for a few more nights so he and Kerr could explore their own play a bit more. In fact;
"After you find Win, maybe put on some leather pants and come find me having fun somewhere?" he suggested. He smiled not-so-secretly and looked down at the table, closing his eyes and focussing on the blood connection. The strongest one was a number of floors down and a little farther back, in someone's cabin. A weaker one felt like it was at this height, maybe one deck higher? At the very back of the ship. Ben knew the layout enough to know that there was a gym, a mini-golf area and a bunch of hot tubs back there on this level, and in the level above was the second nightclub, the one with glass walls all around. He told Kerr where he could feel Win.
When Kerr found Win, he was bubbling away in small hot tub, his arm around a young man's shoulders, speaking quietly with him.
-
Kerr raised his eyebrows at Ben's request, not having expected it to come so soon. The excitement was still there, thrumming through him, though - despite their play earlier. Being the hunter was different. He was soon grinning and agreeing, leaning over to kiss Ben goodbye before heading off in search of Win.
His heart sank when he found him having some quiet time with a mortal in a hot tub. He drew back into the shadows initially, watching for a moment, trying to decide what to do. He couldn't immediately tell whether they'd just met or just finished but he quickly figured the fact that they were talking was a good sign. If it was the former, it was best to interfere before they got going, if it was the latter, Win might be more relaxed and open to his approach.
Taking a breath, Kerr stepped into Win's line of sight, giving him a little finger wave and an appealing face, clearly requesting to talk. To make it clearer, he made a gesture with his hand that said, Could we talk? and he thought it at Win, too. He'd have stripped and climbed into the tub in his underwear except he didn't think it was appropriate for them to speak in front of Win's playmate.
Kerr couldn't help but assess the other guy, wondering if he was just a drink or a little more but it didn't help his mindset. He was more possessive of Win than he should be and he still didn't care for the concept of watching him with someone else. Not outside their circle, anyway. It hurt, that Win was mad at him and he was only more desperate to make up with him when he saw him with someone else.
-
Win, having only just cosied up to newcomer Brent and found him open to his advances, was only just settling in for fun and very slowly advancing them because Brent was shy... though receptive. He'd been intending on feeding from him while giving him a handjob beneath the water, so that Brent wouldn't suspect that he'd nourished his new romance in other ways, but now that was blown thanks to Kerr's appearance.
Not one to prefer to hold a grudge rather than clear the air, he nodded to Kerr and then whispered a few sexy things to Brent before telling him he would be at the hot tub again tomorrow night, same time. Brent giggled and watched Win leave the tub. Win grabbed a towel on the way past the shelves and wrapped it around his shoulders as he approached Kerr. He could feel the cold but it didn't bother him at all, though he had to play the part until he was out of view.
"There's an indoor viewing area that's usually empty at this time," he said, leading Kerr to a closed glass door. Above, he could hear the beat from the dance club upstairs, but here was a closed location with a bunch of deck chairs facing the very back of the ship for a view of the wake.
Win set down his towel and then lay upon it, finding the material more comfy than the wooden slats. Wearing only his tight swimmers, he was almost naked to Kerr's fully clothed appearance. He didn't seem upset with Kerr but he didn't look pleased to see him either.
He waited for Kerr to open the conversation.
-
Kerr had been expecting Win to hang close to his new friend so he was intensely relieved when he surrendered that and Kerr was led into the viewing area. It felt like a cosy room, which he was also grateful for.
"Thank you," he breathed, as he pulled a lounger up close to Win's. He didn't recline, he sat on the edge of it facing Win, elbows resting on his knees and his hands twisting in the space between. His right knee jiggled as he spoke.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, I just... I need to know why you're so mad at me...?" He was going to say more, to launch a defence of his actions and detail how Ben was happy and fine but he stopped himself. He wanted to hear Win speak. He'd just asked him to. He deserved the chance to do that. Besides, Win already knew what he was going to say, he'd heard Ben's side; he hadn't believed him.
-
Win smiled in a way that felt ugly on his face so he shifted it off, adopting something more neutral.
"I told you why. I told you exactly why," Win pointed out. "At the moment he gets a cheap thrill out of it, something to alleviate his boredom. He says he felt 'alive' because of what you did to him. I know it's because he was fucking scared."
Win glared at him.
-
Kerr frowned. "'Fucking scared?" he quoted, clearly confused. "He was scared within safe limits, though, surely? You know he asked me to hurt him, right? Told me if I couldn't do that physically, to do it emotionally. He wanted to be a little scared. You don't trust me to exercise judgement? It's not like I'd hurt him permanently!" he argued, his hands separating and turning towards Win, palms out in appeal. "He heals. I don't get why that's such a problem for you."
-
"Why did you come here, Kerr?" Win asked. "To rub it in my face? To tell me he feels safe with you, that your cock can hurt him like I can't, that it's none of my business? Then go back and fuck him as hard as you can. Make him bleed. He heals, like you said. Why not break off a bedpost and ram that up him while you're at it?"
Win faced the front and stared out the glass, feeling hollow and helpless.
-
Kerr blinked and his mouth opened and closed a few times before he managed to get any words out. "You're jealous that he picked me?" he asked incredulously. "You want it to be you?" he asked stupidly, connections falling together like the tumblers in a lock. They didn't ring true for Kerr, though. He was just a mortal, it was inconceivable that he be the target of any of the vampires' jealousy. It didn't make him proud, it worried him.
-
Win looked at Kerr in such a way that screamed condescension. Jealous. Perhaps a little, sure. He'd wanted to be there with them, to watch maybe. But what he'd seen at the end had horrified him. Ben, wincing and apologising as Lazarus realised the extent of which he'd been used. The high of the adrenalin after Lazarus had stormed out, with Ben turning to Win and trying to explain how good it had been, that Lazarus didn't understand.
"What do I have to be jealous about?" he asked softly. "I was the one that got to hold him until we slept. You have your role now. Enjoy it while it lasts."
It was the kind of line that deserved an exit, but Win stayed and stared at Kerr, challenging him to try and argue.
-
Kerr blushed at that look, feeling like an idiot. The small, mortal idiot that he was. The emotions that had attacked him when he'd first realised he'd upset Win were back and he was no closer to understanding what was going on if jealousy wasn't the motivator.
The spite in Win's final comment hurt more than he'd have liked to admit, however. It stilled his humiliation and roused the will to fight back.
"Wow," he said, sitting up straighter and blinking like he'd been slapped. "I have a role - a sometimes play role - it's not everything! You don't have to be such an asshole about it. It's not like he cried himself to sleep in your arms, right?" he challenged.
-
Win's ugly smile returned to his face but he couldn't push it away this time. He was repulsed.
"No, but it gives you something you can aim for," he replied.
-
Kerr's jaw set and he stiffened, shoving his hands into the pocket at the front of his hoodie and scowling at Win. "True. But if you think I'll ever make the mistake of sending him back to you two after we're done again, you're sadly mistaken," he said spitefully.
-
Win blinked twice and had another soft comment.
"You play the role well, Kerr. Good job."
-
Kerr shook his head sadly. "You're pissed I make him happy, aren't you?" he guessed. "You're turning on me because you can't make him do what you want but you think you can manipulate me into stopping because you want it to be Lazarus that fucks him hard, right?"
-
"Just stop," Win said, frowning. "You're throwing accusations around like confetti. I'm not trying to manipulate you. I'm not pretending to be upset. What do you want from me?"
-
"I want to understand!" Kerr cried, pulling his hands out of his pocket and flinging them sideways. "I don't get why you're so mad at me! I hurt Ben consensually, I did what he wanted! You say it's not jealousy but I don't see what's it got to do with you?!"
-
They were just going around and around.
Win huffed and got up off the lounger, taking his towel and walking away. Kerr could scream at his back if he wished.
-
Kerr watched him go, deflated and bemused. Win really was mad just because he'd scared Ben and hurt him? Yet Ben was happy about what they'd done, telling him he'd been perfect. Was he so concerned by Ben's psychology that he thought Kerr was permanently scarring the vampire?
It occurred to him in that moment that this was a pattern Win might have seen played out before. That 'enjoy it while it lasts' could've been because Ben had done this before with another guy in another century. Hell, it probably went way back to when Ben was a whore that Win picked up and Lazarus didn't care. It seemed like an awfully long time to hold onto that stuff but Win had been obvious about his emotions regarding Ben being very strong and mixed up. Kerr felt the thought had merit.
Or maybe he was just looking for a deeper meaning where there was none. Maybe Win just wasn't the friend and blossoming love Kerr thought he was and he genuinely was defensive of Ben, whom he loved the most. More than Lazarus. Definitely more than Kerr himself. Maybe this really was 'you hurt my guy, I'm pissed at you'. He should've stayed away, it would've been better.
Sighing heavily, Kerr shoved his hands back in his hoodie pocket and dawdled back to his cabin. He felt like shit, he hated fighting with Win. He wasn't sure he had the heart to Hunt Ben - though that didn't stop him taking a circuitous route back to the suite so that he could figure out where Ben was. He'd thought he might've been able to ask Win to point him in Ben's direction. He'd probably have given him directions straight off the side of the boat and into the ocean.
By the time he got back to the room, his emotions had stacked up into an overwhelming tower. He lay on the pristinely-made bed and hugged a pillow, feeling sorry for himself for a good ten minutes while that tower fell apart around him.
His anger returned. He stoked it, pushing Win out of his thoughts and climbing into the character of the hunter once more. He got up off the bed, took a fortifying breath and yanked his jeans off. He'd wiped down his leather pants when he'd awoken and had thought he'd have time to get them laundered properly before he wore them next but apparently not. A moment of foreboding rippled through him as he wondered if the hunter would be all Ben was interested in from now on and Win's words haunted him: enjoy it while it lasts.
Well, if this was to be all he was going to be good for, he figured he'd try to keep being excellent at it and that would really piss Win off. It summoned Kerr's fury right back. Fuck him. Fuck all these fucking superior, entitled vampire motherfuckers. What right did they have, toying with his life? Besides, the quick turnaround gave him the perfect scenario to slip into: he worked long shifts in this unusual compound the vampires were imprisoned in. Since Lazarus was the one his company was really after and they were trying to sweeten Ben up, it made sense he could roam the grounds and use the facilities as he wished. But the hunter was looking to unwind before he went home to his beautiful family - he'd started taking extra shifts because his family really needed the money. The vampire scum, though, he had zero concerns and no money worries. He was getting supplied fucking everything - everything the hunter had to work his ass off just to dream about.
With resentment already brewing in his chest, he pulled on his leather pants and laced them up, sans underwear. They felt familiar yet naughty in a new and exciting way. He adjusted himself a few times, trying to curve his dick into a comfortable position that wouldn't make it too obvious he was sporting a semi just at the feel of the supple, coddling leather (and the delightful thoughts that now came with them). He decided it would be best to pair them with his flouncy pirate shirt because it was long enough to conceal him if he left it untucked and he also wore the woollen coat Ben had stolen for him. He dropped one of the small tubes of lube into a coat pocket (just in case), fisted his hands inside and used them to hold the lapels closed as he walked. He headed for the nearest bar first - not necessarily because he thought Ben would be in there but because he wanted a drink.
He bought a beer and settled into an armchair to drink it, scanning the room. He became aware he'd sat beside a quartet of giggling women only when they started flirting with him. Because the hunter was hetero, he flirted back, embracing the character to the point where they discussed their room numbers with meaningful looks. He wasn't stupid enough to tell them he was married. He wondered if he could get one of them to fuck him, in the day time, so he could film it on his phone and have footage of his pretend wife to show the vampire, to prove how straight he was. Of course, this genius idea only occurred to him after his third beer and at least two of the women had sat in his lap - ostensibly to feel his leather pants (giggle, giggle) and unsubtly grinding on him once they got there.
Once that third beer was done, he began searching for Ben in earnest, much to the chagrin of his cooing admirers.
-
Already angry about money, the Hunter would no doubt be incensed to discover Ben at the ship's ca-sino, cosying up to a silver-haired man - maybe in his late forties - with huge stacks of chips in front of him at the rou-lette table. There was a large group at the table, whooping, drinking and celebrating as the ball continuously favoured Ben's new friend. As Kerr watched, Ben played with the man's stack of chips as though it were his own, placing small stacks on specific numbers as the fellow also picked some numbers, but not as many as Ben. As the Hunter drew nearer, he heard the term 'my lucky charm' being said to and about Ben a few times before the vampire received a kiss on his temple while the ball spun.
Ben stared at the white ball, careful to track its progress as it slowed down. As it threatened to drop into a number slot, Ben waited until the right number was close and then gave it a mental push into the slot. The croupier annouced black eleven and placed the dolly on one of the stacks of chips Ben had placed. Everybody cheered. Ben grinned and received another kiss and a grope from his sugar-daddy before he spied Kerr.
The smile broadened momentarily when Ben saw that Kerr was dressed in leathers, then he kicked into roleplay and let it fall off his face. Caught! He excused himself, finding it difficult when his man - Ramon - didn't want him to leave, his grip on Ben tightening as he pleaded for his lucky charm to stay. Ben flirted but excused himself again. From the new pile of chips Ramon was given, he grabbed a handful of cash chips - worth a hundred dollars each - and pushed them into Ben's hands.
"Thank you," he said, pocketing them.
"Come find me at my suite, do you remember the number?"
Ben nodded and repeated it back to him. His silver fox Ramon thought Ben was in one of the tiny interior cabins for he'd implied as much. It was always better when the rich guys thought their money was a drawcard for pretty ingenues - they felt safer.
"Good boy," Ramon breathed. "I'll give my lucky charm some solid rubbing," he growled, making Ben laugh. It was a funnier line than it was sexy and Ramon was in a good enough mood that he didn't care his words didn't have the desired effect. The ball spun, Ramon put down his chips and as Ben moved to Kerr, he flashed a quick look at the wheel, causing the ball to drop into double zero where nobody was putting their money and heard the groans and protests at his back.
He liked being a lucky charm... but he was looking forward to his experience with the Hunter a lot more, though kept his expression neutral.
"I was allowed to walk around," Ben started into his excuse for being outside of his cell.
-
The hunter's jaw set even though his heart accelerated when he saw the vampire roaming freely. He hadn't missed the chips being handed over and had sneered at the repulsive display between the two men. Sick, privileged perverts. He glared - hard - into the vampire's eyes and then forced himself to look past him, at nothing in particular.
"You're not my problem right now," he announced coolly (though the grim line around his mouth and his paper thin lips declared that he thought entirely the opposite). "I'm off duty." He opened the lapels of his coat to show that he was mostly out of uniform before pressing them closed again, his fists clearly balled and pressed knuckle to knuckle in front of his abdomen.
"I have better things to do than be aggravated by the likes of you on my time, so fuck off," he sneered, pleased that he was so much taller than the filthy animal, even if he was nowhere near as strong. He couldn't be, when he was off duty. All bets were off, when he was off duty.
The vampire was blocking his way and though the hunter looked like he really wanted to grab him and muscle him out of his way, the parameter of 'off duty' limited his ability to act. Instead, he pivoted and walked stiffly away, heading from the main gambling area and towards a lounge off to the side.
There were clusters of seats in the open but the nearby bar swung around, through a wall with an open doorway in it. The space beyond the archway was intimately lit and filled with multiple levels of flooring, pokey corners, short offshoots that led to shadowy booth-type spaces and niches of love seats or paired armchairs. The bar continued in here, manned by a solitary barback, his white shirt glinting beneath the small spot lights highlighting sections of the bar. The lounge felt even more segregated because many of its walls were living, covered with opulent plants, creating more hideaways for the few patrons dispersed throughout.
The hunter intended to head for the bar to get another drink and then maybe into the darkest, shadowiest nook he could find.
-
Ben was surprised that he wasn't grabbed by the arm and then made to walk with the Hunter back to his room. Disappointed, really. That was what Kerr had outlined for him - that he'd be spotted somewhere having fun and the Hunter would grab him and punish him somewhere private that wasn't their room. Now... it was going in a different direction.
He stood in the middle of the floor between the tables, looking back at the one where Ramon had found his own actual good luck, though the crowd had mostly dispersed probably because there were no big plays anymore. He didn't want to go back to that, though Ramon was glancing over at him. When they made eye contact, Ben turned and headed for the bar just as the Hunter lurked away from it and into a more private space. Ben took his time following, waiting for the Hunter to select his table - out of the way of prying eyes behind a fixed wooden screen with some pot plants. Definitely a cosy looking shadowy nook, and a thrill travelled along Ben's spine again.
He would play with fire.
Ben approached the table, moving around the screen and then sat at the table directly across the Hunter, staring at him and licking his lips before speaking. His pockets were weighted with cash chips and they clinked together as he lowered himself to the seat.
"So being off-duty, if I tried to escape you'd just let me go?"
-
He sneered at the vampire, his gaze watching those lips get licked. He mirrored the action without thinking about it. "The perimeter's secure, you wouldn't get far," he answered in clipped tones, figuring that was a good enough explanation of the limitations of the boat. The whole thing could be their organisation's compound. He took a swig of his beer, looking past it at the vampire while he did.
"It makes me sick, the way they fucking pander to you," he growled when he lowered the bottle noisily to the table, looking his companion over. "The higher ups want your information so they let you walk around. Like you're not a fucking animal that needs to stay locked up." His lip curled as he sprang up out of his chair and moved to the vampire's side. He leant one hand flat on the tabletop and gripped the back of its chair with his other hand, looming down so that he was almost pressing his forehead to the vampire's temple.
"You keep your mouth shut real good, I'll give you that," he gloated, his voice little more than a hiss. He smirked, remembering the punishment he'd dished out. He'd instructed the vampire not to tell their secret and, in his head, he was still doing his 'job' so that meant the asshole hadn't reported his behaviour as conduct unbecoming. "But I wouldn't advise you stay here, you privileged little cunt, because being near you gets me... angry." The hand on the table curled into a tight fist.
-
Ben flinched when the Hunter stood and moved to him. He tensed, staring up at him and not daring to make a move because he wasn't sure what he was going to get. A deeper part of him thrilled at the public quality at it while he also worried that they might get interrupted. Both of those reactions were shadows to the role he played now - that of a captive Ben with a long leash.
And now he saw a way to try and blackmail the Hunter.
"If I tell, you'll get in trouble," he said softly. "Maybe you should be nicer to me." It was said without snark but even though the words were confident, the expression on Ben's face wasn't. There was no telling how this man would react. He was brutal and unpredictable. And he'd already had a taste of fucking Ben; now that he'd already gone over that hurdle of crossing lines, he was likely to do it again.
-
"Maybe you should suck my d.ick and be nice to me," the hunter challenged, the left side of his mouth lifting in a smirk. If he was going to be reported, it would've happened already. The four beers and the lovely way the vampire had flinched when he'd got close also added to his cockiness, confidence blooming in his chest along with the thrumming in his pants. Being close to this guy irked him in every way imaginable, but he relished it, too.
Anything was an excuse to put hands on him, to dominate this fanger motherfucker. He didn't have old blood in him but that was the beauty of being in public; neither of them could go too far. Even if 'public' was really a secluded nook inside a sparsely-populated bar with no-one really nearby. One loud noise would bring them plenty of company.
"Then you can stay out of trouble with me," he leered, trailing a finger down the side of the vampire's face.
-
His eyelids fluttered when his face was touched, but he didn't pull away. "We're out in the open," Ben observed. "You wouldn't risk your job just to push me under the table," he challenged, not knowing if he wanted that from the Hunter or not. One loud protest from Ben while he was underneath giving the Hunter some head would have the Hunter out of his face and out of his cell. The problem was, who would replace him?
Someone worse. Someone who he couldn't manipulate even slightly. At least the Hunter was interested in him.
-
The hunter's eyes narrowed. "Not that open, but maybe you're right," he considered, making a show of looking around. A woman laughed nearby, as if on cue, reminding them that they were certainly not alone. Without warning, he grabbed the vampire by the upper arm and hauled him out of his chair; it fell on the thick carpet noiselessly when it tipped over.
Relying on his superior size, knowledge of combat/leverage and the element of surprise to get the asshole's feet moving, the hunter intended on shoving his prisoner into the darkest, farthest back corner and pinning him there with his body, his hands on the vampire's head to keep his face pressed against the wall.
-
Surprised, Ben didn't fight back though he initially started to pull his arm away. He stopped because he wanted to know where they were headed. Farther back into the room, slightly around a corner where there was an isolated table and a couple of chairs - another nook for another couple only this one was even more shielded. The wall that they'd gone around was curved, and Ben found himself looking at it up close and personal, the Hunter's hard body pressing against the length of him.
He was aware of every touch on him - knees and hips touching his legs and buttocks, chest on his back, fingers and palms on his head. It made moving awkward so Ben didn't even try.
"You must really like me," Ben said, the words coming out peculiarly because his face was mashed against the wall. It didn't hide the sarcastic joy of his tone though.
-
"Not as much as you like pissing me off," he growled, shifting his weight so that his forearm was pressing across the vampire's shoulder blades while he looked behind himself. He couldn't see anything different, no shadows falling nearby indicating someone was coming their way or even light moving near them. They were well hidden.
Oddly, the sounds of laughter, chatter, glasses clinking, machines beeping and people gambling nearby all carried intimately to them in their secluded corner. It was an eerie, muted soundtrack, punctuated with bursts of colour like shouts of joy when gamblers won or groaning when they lost, making the hunter feel he had to be under surveillance, yet they were completely alone. In a crowd, yet apart from it.
It gave him a feeling of voyeuristic power, that he could do what he liked to the filthy vampire and no-one would be any the wiser. He wouldn't lose his job if no-one saw... He'd be able to assert his dominance of the vampire and go about the rest of his night as usual. A shot of triumph rippled through him and pooled between his legs, hardening his cock. He pushed the obscene bulge against the vampire's ass seam and rocked into him roughly. "You are the bane of my existence," he said through gritted teeth, adjusting his grip on the vampire once more.
His left hand grabbed a fistful of his short hair, controlling where the vampire scum's head went. His right reached around to undo his pants, intent on yanking them down and exposing his ass. "I'm gonna give you something special to think about with your new boyfriend tonight," he promised, panting as his arousal became more pressing. He'd expected to need more storyline to get here but apparently not. Apparently the thrill of fucking this sonofabitch was all he needed to get his juices flowing.
-
Ben, healed up from last night, hadn't expected things to go this way necessarily. He'd thought he'd be pushed down onto his knees or something to service the Hunter's cock. He thought his throat might be fucked, since he didn't have to breathe, he could imagine the Hunter thinking about that and wanting to experience it. But it seemed his ass was a tight temptation that couldn't be overlooked. Ben panted, pushing against the wall rather than the Hunter as he was ground against. He was stiffening beneath the Hunter's hand as he fumbled with his jeans.
"Jealous?" Ben prompted, his voice high and breathy because of his head being pulled back. He could no longer reach the wall to push himself against it and so he arched his spine, trying to pull his ass away from the Hunter's groin, but all he was doing was pushing himself into the Hunter's hand while he was groped.
-
Hatred swamped him, obliterating his tentative curiosity about what it felt like to have that firmness growing beneath his hand. It also took out the hot, somewhat dizzying sensation of guilt blooming as he contemplated what would happen if he touched it properly, what if he let go of the scum's hair and used his other hand like he used it on himself (like he had after he'd been with the vampire in his cell, sick as he knew it to be)?
To his great relief, he was saved from those uncomfortable questions by overwhelming fury and disgust so strong he could barely see straight. "Jealous?" he snarled, incredulous in his scorn. "Of your perversion? No thanks. I know what whores like you like. You want him to play with your dick while you call him Daddy. You wanna be Daddy's little toy, have him hold you down and fuck your ass while you cry sorry, don't you?" he goaded, his breath coming faster as his impatience grew. He was frustrated that he couldn't access what he wanted so he released the vampire's hair.
It was odd, using his two hands to open another man's jeans, pressing the vampire tighter against his body in order give him better access, coming into contact with his firm, cool flesh unexpectedly. He was peering over the animal's shoulder in order to see what he was doing, his laboured breathing echoing between the vampire and the wall they were so close to. It wasn't easy because he was frustrated so he was wrenching at the thick material in contrary ways, unintentionally making it harder for himself.
-
With two hands on his jeans and the Hunter's attention fully on the fastenings, Ben took the opportunity for escape. He thrust backwards and spun around, ducking as the Hunter clutching onto his jeans, but the hold wasn't a good one and Ben darted out of his grip. He looked back as Kerr stumbled, but the push hadn't been so huge that he lost his footing. With wide eyes, Ben was caught with indecision, whether he should hurry out of the nook or not. He could even see himself doing it, adjusting his jeans as he went, walking quickly and not running, not creating a scene. He imagined how the Hunter would go after him, even angrier that his quarry would dare to not only fight back but run away.
While he imagined, the Hunter recovered.
"Sorry," he said, staring at the expression on the other's face and trying to figure out what was coming his way. "I'll tell you whatever you want," he said hurriedly, and wondered if it would matter.
-
The hunter registered the appeasement but it was too late; he'd stepped forward, dropped his arm across his body and swung, aiming to backhand the fucking vampire with a closed fist across his face. He had no increased strength to quell this uprising so instinct was his master. Everything was screaming at him to fight, to put down the threat, to dominate because his life would depend on it.
Fear was an excellent motivator, almost as effective as fury. If the backhand didn't connect, a kick to the knee and a solid punch to the nose ought to gain him some compliance.
-
Ben saw the hit coming but was too shocked to do anything about it. His mind denied it even as the fist swung his way. Until it connected he thought the Hunter would pull back and snarl something else, but then there was a slapping sound that didn't sound big enough, and pain flared in his cheek as his head rocked to the side. He brought up a hand to touch the offending area even as he slid along the wall. He tried to catch himself before he hit the floor but there was nothing to hang onto. He looked over his shoulder at the Hunter, wary that there might be more coming. If so, he would try and block the blows.
-
The hunter was intensely satisfied with the backhand but Kerr was suddenly there, too, openly horrified. There was a moment of disconnection as he watched Ben slide down the wall and the terrifying sense of control slipping beyond him iced his veins. He'd been asked to hurt, yes, but not like this. This was too far. Win's voice in his head was an added bitterness, amplifying the disgust he felt for himself when he looked at the mark on Ben's cheek. He had an inkling of understanding what his friend had been saying now; but it was too late.
Still, the hunter advanced, gleeful and aroused by the violence. He was back in control and he loomed over the vampire, crouching before him with his elbows resting on his thighs and his hands dangling in between them, crowding him between himself and the wall. "What'd you say?" he asked in a sinister whisper, his expression eager. "You'll tell me anything?" Information was still the prize he sought above all else.
-
Confusion swamped Ben when Kerr didn't apologise and only the Hunter returned to him. What? This wasn't the kind of pain he'd consented to, but had he established any ground rules beyond 'imprison me'? Indecision swiftly followed whether to break the role and inform Kerr that this wasn't what he sought, but as the flare of pain faded in his face as his vampiric blood healed it, and with the play continuing between them with the Hunter before him, he didn't know if he should say something now or wait until this 'scene' was over.
Bewildered. That was the word that described exactly how he felt. He dropped his hand from his cheek because it felt like an accusation, and stared at Hunter Kerr. Was it supposed to be like this when they'd met? No; he shouldn't mix the play with reality. They were skating the line of fiction. He hadn't done this before with anyone - they were feeling around in the dark for the right move.
"Yes," he said, loud enough for the Hunter to hear. He'd decided that he wouldn't break role for now and would talk to Kerr later.
-
"Good," the hunter smiled, pleasure softening his expression. It flowed through him, the knowledge that he'd get exactly what he wanted satisfying that frantic feeling at last. That was better. He could forgive the vampire for being so aggravating when he made the effort to meet him halfway.
He reached forward and touched the vampire's face tenderly, persevering even past the flinch to contact the side he hadn't hit, cupping his cheek. "Remember that when I come to your cell next," he warned, "and everything will be alright. I'm sorry I hit you. You'll be okay," he encouraged. "Let's get you fixed up."
Dropping forward onto one knee, he reached over to help him pull his pants up.
-
Ben's hands tried to get the work done as the Hunter assisted, though they were mostly getting in each other's way. Ben struggled to meet his gaze, feeling uncomfortable with the tenderness immediately after the assault, but it gave him hope that the moment was well and truly gone.
When he made himself look directly at the Hunter, to try and get a read off him, Ben had an absurdly strong urge to kiss him, though he was pretty sure it wouldn't go over well. He kept his lips to himself, though his words flew out without a filter.
"You can make it up to me?" he asked shyly, his hands arresting the hunter's continued movements to zip up and tidy his pants. It was a role reversal and one that he'd played before. Hunter was in control and he would apologise the way he wanted to, but there was no reason Ben couldn't give him ideas.
-
The hunter frowned warily, pulling his hands back. His emotions had evened out, his body had settled down. He was thinking he should be going but the diplomacy blossoming between them was precarious and also precious. It was his duty to capitalise on the truce. Besides, he felt sorry for the hit and that inclined him towards magnanimous behaviour.
"Okay," he agreed, standing up and waiting for further instruction.
-
Ben felt delirious with hope and his hands slowly working his jeans shut, pulling his zipper up. Once finished and with a bit of decorum, he stood, back still against the wall. Upright but feeling like he was being loomed over, he still struggled to admit what it was he wanted, but it eventually came out.
"Kiss me?" he prompted softly, the words so quiet it was difficult to hear them. His request was punctuated with a cheer as someone won big.
-
The hunter stiffened, his nostrils flaring and his eyes widening as he took a step back, the physical rejection not accompanied by a verbal one... not immediately, anyway. His expression settled into a scowl and he looked around himself, like he was afraid they’d get caught.
There was still no-one in sight, though the veil between them and the public was superficial at best. He was regretting being out here, he felt exposed even when they weren’t. This was what the fucking prisoner was supposed to feel, not him. Control was tentative at best out here and he could feel it unravelling once again in the face of the request.
Kiss me? he’d said. Messing with prisoners was a pretty high-stakes transgression and he couldn’t afford to lose his job... but he’d crossed a line already - twice, and this second one had him in a bind. He didn’t understand the rage and passion that bubbled inside him whenever he was opposed; this wasn’t the first time it had happened to him but it was by far the worst, the slope getting slipperier and slipperier.
He didn’t want to kiss the prisoner and his scowl became a mask of anxiety as he thought about it. If it was just a quick peck on the lips, he could handle that but he doubted that that was what the fucking vampire meant. Besides, getting so close to those fangs with his mouth made him feel ill. What if he got cut by them and started bleeding? The motherfucker would drink his blood! He dry-retched at the thought.
“No tongue,” he growled, holding an imperious finger between them, unwilling to move closer until he got an agreement.
-
Ben watched as the Hunter tensed, his muscles coiled as though ready to pounce. Ben didn't think the pouncing would be a good pounce, it would be more the way large cats pounced on their captured meals - with blood and violence. He didn't pounce, though, he considered Ben's request.
And then he gagged. Ben's eyes widened as the Hunter's mouth opened and his throat worked, though nothing came out. Then he demanded there be no tongue. Ben wasn't terribly feeling it now. The urge to kiss the Hunter passed as quickly as it arrived, though at least its disappearance made more sense than its appearance had.
"Never mind. I want to go back to my room," he pouted.
-
“Okay,” the hunter agreed, relief and disappointment flooding through him. He was wary, though, because if he didn’t do the kiss, he hadn’t done anything to ‘make up’ for hitting the prisoner and that didn’t sit right. He didn’t want to owe this motherfucker anything - he’d got the promise to talk out of him, this was supposed to be his victory. The deal left unfinished irked him.
“So I’ll escort you back to make it up to you then, right?” he asked eagerly, stepping towards the table where he’d left his beer and downing the rest in a couple of swallows. It went straight to his head and he blinked as he put the bottle down, listening for the vampire’s response.
If the escort back to his room was accepted, they’d be closer to square and he wouldn’t have to feel bad about hitting the fanger. He could go about the rest of his night with an open conscience, knowing the next time they met he’d get information that would help his career. It was a win-win situation for him - as long as the escort was a legit trade-off for the slap (which was diminishing in severity in his mind, the farther away he got from that moment, so they totally correlated to him).
-
The gag had been super insulting. Enough that Ben didn't want to hang around with the Hunter anymore. After the backhand and the gagging, Ben figured this could be a cut-scene and they would pick up again when the Hunter returned to Ben's room.
"No," he said, thinking 'you missed your chance' but he wasn't confident about saying that. "I'll make my own way back. You enjoy your time off," he said, trying to keep all snark out of voice and mostly successful, but the last sentence had a bitter edge to it.
Ben turned to leave.
-
Hunter frowned, knowing things weren't right but feeling helpless to do anything about it. The alcohol in his system was blurring the distinction between him and Kerr again, which was bad because Kerr was terribly distraught about how this had all gone and even the hunter wasn't doing so well. Taking it outside their agreed environment so soon had been a mistake. Not being ready with Lazarus' blood had been a mistake.
He had been a mistake.
He watched the vampire go, giving him a little head start before trailing after him. He kept his distance but he did follow, wanting to be sure which room the vampire was going to. His shared cabin with his sire had the potential for other inmates but he had a key to get in there. It technically was his room. The hunter had the only key to the suite where they'd be guaranteed privacy so he'd need to let him in if that was his destination. And then there was the option of the blond visiting the old dude he'd been gambling with, the one who'd clearly invited him to his suite. Ramon. The name was a sneer inside the hunter's head and a familiar anger stirred in his chest.
He hoped they weren't going there.
-
Ramon was at the furthest point of Ben's mind as he moved out of the ca-sino and into the wide corridor. Even though everything was open 24/7, there weren't a lot of people moving through the corridors - though there were a few insomniacs wandering around. Ben moved to the stairs rather than the lifts and stepped down them, moving around and around as each half flight led him closer to his destination.
He got to his floor and walked up the intensely long corridor to where the suite was. He barely glanced at the shared suite before trying to open the door to Kerr's. His key didn't work. He tried it a few more times before he realised his key wouldn't work with it. Annoyed at himself, he moved into the shared suite after all and closed the door behind himself. At least nobody was in the suite. He immediately went into the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror.
There was nothing wrong with his face. No mark, no pain, no evidence that it had even happened. Had it even happened? His memory felt blurry now. Kerr would get upset if he knew the hunter had... no, wait, Win would get upset at Kerr about what the hunter had done. Ben wouldn't tell him. It wasn't his business and it wouldn't happen again. It had just been a moment of intense roleplay. Yes.
Ben shucked his clothes and moved into the shower after turning it on full hot. It would scald a mortal but he found the spray delicious. He heard the door open and close and sensed that it was Win. The other vampire entered the bathroom and spoke from the other side of the shower curtain.
"You okay? You staying the night with me?" he asked, sounding hopeful.
"No, I'm going to the hunter's room." Ben realised his mistake.
"You're roleplaying again?" Win asked, his voice rising.
"It's a different scene this time," Ben replied. "It'll be fine."
"I want to watch."
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because you'll mess it up. You'll stop him from... being mean. It's what I want from him."
Win said nothing but Ben could feel him stewing. Ben thought maybe he should placate him. "I'll come back to you after. We can cuddle."
"You mean I can hold you while your body recovers," Win ground out.
"Or I can blow you."
Win was silent for a moment. "Stop being an asshole. Stop letting him be an asshole to you. You're just replaying what it was like in the early days with you and Lazarus."
Was he? He didn't think so. It was an extension of what Kerr had represented as a vampire hunter. Wasn't it?
"That was different."
But the door to the suite closed shut because Win had already stormed out of the bathroom and out of the room, upset by Ben's sexual offer and the way it had sounded like a bribe... and the fact he'd wanted to accept even knowing it was a bribe, which was why he'd run away.
When Ben hopped out of the shower his body was warm. He found a pair of shorts to wear and that was all he bothered with until he heard footsteps that he recognised as Kerr's. Then he hurried to his door and opened it, looking quickly at Kerr's face to see if it really was him or if it was still the hunter and there was no intermission.
-
The hunter had kept his distance in the corridor too well; he hadn't caught the vampire in time to let him into his room and so he disappeared into his own. Flustered, he'd paced outside the closed door for a moment before going into his own suite.
He was a little bit drunk and indecisive but a moment of contemplation assured him he needed a break from the hunter. That asshole needed to get home to his wife and kids. He stripped out of his clothes and sat on the toilet for a while, then he flushed and had a shower. The alcohol plus the late hour were turning him maudlin, filling him with regrets that ate at him. He needed to see Ben, to apologise.
When he got out of the shower, he tousled his hair with the towel rather than properly drying it and then swiped the towel around his body in a similarly distracted manner. He hung it up and pulled on a pair of jeans, leaving a shoe in his doorway so it wouldn't lock before going next door to see if he could get Ben's attention. To his eternal relief, Ben opened his door before he even knocked and a small smile lifted the corners of his mouth when he saw him.
He was a miserable sight. Hair half-dried and spiking up in random directions, smatters of water droplets still glinting across his shoulders, arms and abs, jeans hanging low on his hips and eyes tinged red from tiredness and alcohol consumption. He looked ready to cry because he was. "I'm sorry," he croaked, his lower lip trembling as tears threatened. He didn't dare step close to Ben without some sort of indication of how he was feeling towards him and that it would be okay.
-
Ben was surprised/disappointed/shocked/relieved that it wasn't the hunter at his door but Kerr. With the door wide open, the mortal looked dishevelled before an apology was uttered. Ben's heart twisted and he threw himself at Kerr to hug him.
"It's okay, I'm okay," he whispered into his ear, his body just as warm as Kerr's, though the mortal had a heartbeat and the most delicious smells to throw into the mix. He might look out of sorts but he smelled the same and felt the same and regardless of what had happened upstairs and the role he'd taken, he was still Kerr. "We'll reset for next time. We'll take tonight off."
He hoped Kerr insisted they didn't. He wanted to explore what the hunter would be like now there was some concession.
-
"I... okay. Whatever you want," he whispered defeatedly, burying his face in the crook of Ben's neck and squeezing him, delighted by the warmth of his bare torso pressed to his.
The scene between them felt unfinished and it grated, like someone running their hand the wrong way through his hair did. He wanted to finish it, to do something to make it up to the vampire so that he felt better about that hit. It was like a cancer beneath his skin, intangible but very much there, debilitating him. He wanted to gouge it out somehow.
By the same token, he was relieved they wouldn't go back there tonight (though would leaving it make it better... really?). He was emotional about hitting Ben's face, about that level of rage and desperation coming out of him and tapping into it again so soon scared him. He didn't have the strength of Lazarus' blood to give him confidence and it seemed all bets were off when that happened. He tapped into a more primal, fear-fuelled side of himself and anything could happen.
It was better if they left it, he told himself. He had the feeling that things might spin even farther out of control if they went back.
-
"Do you want to hang around here? Or back to your room?" Ben asked, wanting Kerr to feel comfortable. He could feel the guilt and shame pouring off him and the faster that was dealt with, the sooner they could get back to playing the role. He wasn't ready to give it up yet but he didn't want Kerr to lament the hit for so long that he ultimately pulled away.
-
Kerr pulled back enough the he could see Ben's face, a tentative smile flitting around his mouth."My room, if that's okay?" he asked, relieved when Ben agreed and they headed in there. Instinctively, he headed for the bed, wanting to just lay down and cuddle with Ben for a while.
"I'm so sorry," he whispered, once he was installed at Ben's side, an arm and a leg draped over him and his face pressed in against Ben's collarbone, head resting on his bicep. "We should probably not go out in public. It didn't go the way I thought it would because there were ship security guards there. If they'd seen me pushing you around, it would've ruined everything and we'd have ended up in the ship's real jail." He assumed they had to have some sort of holding cell on the ship, buried in its depths, just in case.
"I didn't think it would be quite so fun then, so I took us out of the way but... it didn't go as planned, sorry."