Shounen ai/Yaoi

He reached for his hand and pulled him to his feet. He took him into his arms and held him for a moment, touching his hair. Then he looked up into his eyes and said, “Kiss me, Daniel.”

Daniel lowered his mouth to his. They kissed deeply, then, drew apart.

Joey began to take off his clothes while the Captain watched him silently.

When he stood there naked, he said, “Touch me. Make love to me. It will be the last time.” His throat ached with unshed tears as Daniel reached out and touched his face. He ran his hand down the length of his chest, causing him to shudder violently.

“I do not understand this desire you have for me,” he whispered, bringing his lips down to his chest. “Why do you want me so much?”

He closed his eyes and laid his hands on his head, letting the silky strands of hair move through his fingers. “Because you are part of my soul. You are beautiful, Daniel, my lover, my heart.”

Daniel raised his head now and held out his hand. He led him to the bed and pulled him down with him. “Then make me feel it, Joey. Show me.”

Joey looked down into those beautiful dark eyes. He tried to gage what he was feeling but they were impossible to read. He lowered his lips to his and took his bottom lip into his mouth. He sucked on it a minute, then ran his tongue over it. Unable to resist for a second longer, he covered his entire mouth with his. He felt him yield, surrender to the possession of his mouth as he moved one hand down over his thigh.

In a flash, his mouth fused with Ciaran’s. His kiss was brutal in its quest for flesh, devouring everything in its wake. As it threw Ciaran backward, his arms captured and bound his prey. His hands tore at his friend’s shirt, ripping it out of his pants. He thrust his hand underneath and up to ravage the soft skin. His hips shoved forward, pressing his erection hard into Ciaran’s hips. Hearing a moan escape Ciaran, he joined him with a sharp gasp. His heart pounded. He craved more this time, as much as he would give him.

His attention shifted to Ciaran’s neck. His mouth sucked and licked impatiently at sensitive skin in a track from Ciaran’s jaw to his shoulder, reddening it. The hardness of Ciaran’s cock thrust against him, through their trousers, while he walked them both to the bed. “Oh, God, I want you, Ciaran,” he said in a husky voice through the war he raged on Ciaran’s body.

“You have me,” Ciaran said between ragged breaths. He shoved his hand up between them, making a frantic attempt to unbutton Shannon’s shirt.

Hard tapping darted from one button to the next, down his chest to his groin. The feel of Ciaran’s hands finally doing something to him, even this, made him shiver with desire. A loud moan escaped him. “Keep going.” A raw urgency threaded through his voice.

Ciaran dashed his hands to his friend’s belt, hastily unbuckling it while Shannon continued to lick and suck with insistence on his neck. His body shuddered from the attention, eyes closing, for a second. He yanked Shannon’s belt free. Finding his zipper, he plunged it down and hesitated. “I-I’m not sure, what do I do?”

Lost in desire, he drove them both down onto the bed. Ciaran landed on his back and he fell on top of him. While inflicting a steady stream of persistent kisses and supple bites on Ciaran’s neck, he tilted his body enough to reach down and unfasten Ciaran’s trousers. His mouth ran down over his friend’s undershirt, stopping at a nipple, coaxing and biting until the nub hardened through the thin fabric. He shoved his hand into Ciaran’s pants.

Moans of building need escaped Ciaran while Shannon dove his hand into the moist depths of his groin.

His hand found Ciaran’s erection. He pumped precise and steady on his solid cock. Slowing his assault, he found himself wanting to savor every second of their encounter this time.

Ciaran bucked. “F-faster, p-please,” he whined.

“Shh…” He halted his actions all together, having other things in mind. Sitting up on his knees, he peeled his shirt away, flinging it to the floor. He looked down at Ciaran.

Hunger flared in Ciaran’s eyes while they roamed his friend’s bare chest.

It surprised him to think Ciaran would want him, even with his eyes open, seeing full well he was male. Turning his attention to his trousers, he slipped them down with his boxers to his knees, sat on the bed and removed them. He threw them to the floor with his shirt and gazed at Ciaran.

Ciaran’s eyes clearly focused on Shannon’s erection.

He grinned with sinful intent. “Do you want to touch it?”

Ciaran nodded and licked his lips.

He lay down on his side, next to his friend.

Reaching a timid hand out, Ciaran surrounded Shannon’s cock with a light touch. As if fascinated by it, he moved his palm softly, elegantly, up and down his shaft.

Moaning, he tilted his head back. Ciaran’s touch was delicious, so soft it almost tickled. A shiver shook him and he lowered his head to crush Ciaran’s lips beneath his own.

Ciaran’s mouth opened and their tongues engaged, probing each other.

Bringing his hand up to Ciaran’s face, he caressed his cheek. He pulled away. “Ciaran, I uh, is this okay? I mean—you want this?”

“God, Shannon, do you have to ask?” Impatience and irritation flooded his voice and washed over his face.

Another grin spread across his lips as he repositioned himself over Ciaran’s waist. Reaching across, he pulled his friend’s shirt up over his chest, lowering his head into the soft skin of his taut stomach. He licked and teased the sensitive area, causing Ciaran’s muscles to flex.

Ciaran placed his hands on the back of Shannon’s head. He pressed on it, pushing him further down.

When he reached the top of Ciaran’s pants, he pushed his slick tongue just under the waistband of his boxers. A deep groan from Ciaran sent a pulse of desire through his body.

It was unbelievable, how much Ciaran affected him. He set his palm on the thin covering of Ciaran’s undergarment, over his erection, and with just enough pressure, slid it sensually up and down. His hand stopped to let his fingers feel the lip under the head of his friend’s shaft. Running small circles with his thumb in just the right spot, he elicited another drawn out moan and thrusting from Ciaran.

Reaching up, he tugged at the top of Ciaran’s trousers and boxers. Ciaran’s hips rose to allow him to pull both garments down and off. He sat on bent legs between Ciaran’s, letting his gaze roam upward to his friend’s exposed groin. He definitely liked what he saw. Ciaran’s thick cock made a delicious curve upward to rest at the bottom of his navel.

Taking one quick glance into Ciaran’s face, he glimpsed an urgent craving he’d only imagined in his fantasies. His attention refocused on his friend’s groin. He surrounded the base of his cock with his palm and lowered his mouth between Ciaran’s thighs. He licked slow and sensual up Ciaran’s shaft. He wouldn’t give him too much, not yet.

Gasping, Ciaran’s cock pulsed under Shannon’s tongue. His hands pressed the back of Shannon’s head once again.

He took the head of Ciaran’s erection into his mouth and swirled his tongue around it, tasting the pearl of seed gathered there.

 Ciaran pressed harder on his friend’s head as if striving to push him lower. “Damn, Shannon, keep doing that.”

He wasn’t sure if he could hold out. His own erection ached for attention—something, anything to lessen the persistent tension mounting inside him. He reached down quickly and stroked himself, relieving some of his frustration. Driving his mouth down hard onto Ciaran, he took all of him inside.

Necalli was on all fours, his face hovering over him.

Adam let out a soft gasp. What did Necalli want? The look in his eyes lit up his desire. His heart pounded and need filled his groin. "What are you doing?" His gaze rested on sensual flesh of Necalli's lips. He couldn't help it.

"I excite you, don't I?" Necalli's voice was low and seductive.

"Uh, wh-what do you mean?" He gulped hard. Necalli knew. Somehow this young man knew about his strange cravings for him.

Reaching a hand down, Necalli ran a pointed fingernail over Adam's erection, through sheets and underwear.

A soft moan escaped his lips.

Necalli closed his eyes for a moment as if relishing in the sound of Adam's voice. "You've done this many times today."

"N-no, I haven't. It just happens sometimes. You should know that."

Necalli fumbled under the covers, grabbed hold of Adam's wrist, and dragged his hand out of the sheets. Placing Adam's palm between his legs, Necalli closed his eyes and let out a low moan. He ran Adam's palm over the fabric of his trousers, rocking gently into the motion. "Yes, I know. It's happened to me, too."

He was stunned. The hard flesh of Necalli's erection slid against his palm. "We shouldn't do this. It's wrong." His voice sounded far away, like it belonged to someone else. His breath grew heavy.

Letting go of Adam's wrist, Necalli lifted his limbs to straddle him. "Why is it wrong?" He leaned his face down to hover closer above Adam's.

He licked his lips. All his attention focused on tasting the beautiful young man just out of reach. "L-lots of reasons." He took a deep breath.

"Like what?" Necalli came down lower on his elbows, almost touching noses with him.

Adam shifted in the sheets. How he wanted to close the gap, to surrender to his need. His words came out slowly. "Uh, it's, it's just wrong." His chest rose with each breath as if trying to make the connection he craved.

Necalli lowered again. His lips barely brushed Adam's. "But why?"

Necalli's gentle breath puffed over his mouth. "B-becau…" He pushed forward, submitting to his hunger. As his lips crushed Necalli's, his tongue penetrated, probed, danced over the long fangs inside the delicious mouth of the young man so close above him.

Letting out a deep moan, Necalli dropped his body over Adam's. Immediately, he ground his hips into Adam's erection, thrusting and writhing above him, stealing sweet friction. His arms wrapped around Adam's head as if holding on to the promise of more.

He groaned, feeling the pressure on his cock pulse pleasure through him. He wrapped his arms around Necalli, placing a hand on his lower back, guiding him to press harder against him, heightening the sensation in his erection. Shuddering, he sent a loud gasp into the room.

Necalli's mouth kissed a trail down his jaw line and onto his neck. He nipped gently on the tender skin, tracing long teeth over the surface.

The feel of Necalli's teeth sent a shiver through him. But somehow, his senses dragged him away. This was wrong, very wrong! "No, Necalli." He shoved Necalli off him.

Necalli fell to the side with a sharp gasp. "Adam?" Lying on his stomach, he propped himself up on his elbows and looked at him. A wounded confusion tensed his face.

He sighed. His body tingled from the brief tryst. He glanced at Necalli's beautiful face. Desire, fear, regret and shame raged a war inside him. "I'm sorry."

Necalli dropped his forehead to the bed, between his arms. "Is it my hands? My teeth? Do they bother you so much you can't bear to touch me? Am I not pleasant to look at?" His voice resonated with pain.

He rolled to his side and placed a hand on Necalli's back. "Oh, God, no. You're more than pleasant to look at. You're the most stunning and beautiful thing I've ever seen. I don't care about your hands and teeth. You've been driving me crazy, wanting you, since the moment I saw you on the beach."

Necalli lifted his face to him.

His eyes shimmered with unshed tears. The tender display of emotion stole Adam's breath.

"Then why won't you take me?"

"Don't you know? It's indecent. It's not done. Well, not done by most guys. Are you, uh, like that?" Shocked, he hoped his answer was yes.

"I don't know. I don't remember it being indecent. But if you're asking if I've been with other men, then, yes, I have. I think." Confusion knitted Necalli's brows. "It's not wrong, it can't be." Anguish returned to his face.

"I don't understand you. You're strange and mysterious and alluring all at the same time. I'm drawn to you, but I don't know who, or even what you are."

"Does it matter?" Necalli leaned in close to his face again.

His eyes rested on Necalli's lips. The taste of them lingered on his tongue. Desire rushed through him, destroying any reason. "No, it doesn't." Pushing sideways, he kissed Necalli, hard and insistent.

In a flash, Necalli pinned Adam down on his back, arms up over his head, legs spread wide. "Then, take me." He flicked his tongue over Adam's lips, teasing and taunting his flesh. Licking down Adam's neck, he bit gently into soft skin. His hips thrust into Adam. Low moans, one after another poured out of him.

Thrusting back, he felt delicious waves of pleasure race through his body. Necalli's taunting drove him mad. He gasped as the long teeth brushed along his skin, down his neck, onto his chest. Necalli sucked and bit on his nipple, making him buck with need. His cock became sensitive, too sensitive. Release beckoned him. He broke free from Necalli's grasp and pressed down on his shoulders, craving the feel of his mouth on him. He never had a male before, but he'd had plenty of women.

Necalli obliged, positioning himself over his hips, pulling the sheets and his boxers down to expose Adam's erection. He ran a slick tongue up the underside of Adam's cock.

He groaned and thrust up, desperate to get more.

Necalli licked him again and swirled his tongue over the head of Adam's erection, over and over.

He squirmed. Delicious pulses sent shivers through him. "M-more, take all of it." He wrapped his fingers in Necalli's long hair and pressed down on the back of his head, yearning to uncoil the tension mounting inside him.

Necalli continued to tease him, with only his tongue, licking his cock, swirling the head.

"Uh, p-please." His thrusts came faster, more urgent. Ragged breathing tore from his chest.

Necalli stopped and looked up at him. "Do you want me?"

Shuddering, he gazed down at Necalli. "Of course I do. I don't think I've ever wanted anyone more."

"Will you take me?"

Confusion muddled his mind. What the hell was he talking about? Why is he asking such questions? "I'll do whatever you want."

With a mischievous grin, Necalli sat up on his legs. He pulled his shirt over his head and threw it to the floor. He unfastened his trousers.

He watched the languid movements of Necalli's naked body in the faint glow of the nightlights. Toned and lean muscles flexed and relaxed. Reaching down, he ran his hand along Necalli's hairless chest and down to the grooves of his taut stomach.

Necalli gazed up. Lust burned in his eyes. His brows tensed and a soft gasp escaped him. His eyes glazed over for a second as if lost in Adam's caress. "Touch me more."

A coy grin spread over his mouth. "As soon as you get those pants off, I will."

"I'm just trying to figure you out, that's all." Collin brushed a lock of blond hair from Tristan's forehead. "Are you still scared of me?"

He twisted his head back to gaze into Collin's dark eyes. "No. I just--"

"Because why else would you have such control over yourself normally, when you're alone, but not when you're with me?"

His brows tensed in frustration. "I don't know. I'm not scared, not anymore."

"Then how do you feel about me?"

Shock tore through his body. "What?" His eyes widened.

A soft smile swept over Collin's lips. "Relax, I just asked you how you felt about me."

I love you…don't say it out loud. "Isn't that obvious? Haven't we already been over this?" His body tensed with anxiety. What answer was Collin looking for? Did he want to hear those words? No way could he say that.

Collin placed a lingering kiss over his mouth. "Well, maybe it's because of your feelings for me that you're having such a hard time. How long did you jerk off and think of me?"

He gasped and shut his eyes tight. "Stop it, Collin."

"Open your eyes and look at me and answer my question." A firm gentleness filled Collin's voice.

He opened his eyes and heat rushed his cheeks. "Ever since I first saw you in class."

"Since the beginning of the year?" Collin's face tensed as if in deep thought. "So for two whole months?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"Every day?"

"Yes."

"All day?"

"Yes." Images of his fantasies with Collin flooded into his mind, of Collin fondling him, of Collin sucking him under his desk, of Collin telling him how much he loved him.

"Are they happening now? I mean, is what we do like what your fantasies were about?" Collin's expression turned serious.

"What do you think?"

"Tell me what you used to fantasize about." Collin's voice was husky and soft. He thrust his firm cock into Tristan's through their jeans and came down over him, kissing and nipping at his neck.

"I, uh, used to…" Pleasure snatched all the words from his mouth. He gasped and let his erection grind on Collin. Sweet pressure and friction heightened his sensitivity.

"Go ahead, tell me. Did I do this?" Collin lowered his body and raised Tristan's shirt up to expose his stomach. His tongue licked into the hollows of his abdomen and thrust into his navel.

He let out a sharp moan. "Y-yes."

Collin's tongue dipped down under his belt and the band of his boxers, teasing him. "Did I do this?"

"Yes." His voice growled out of him. He lowered his hands and tugged at the back of Collin's hair, attempting to push him lower.

Swiftly, Collin unfastened Tristan's belt and jeans and opened Tristan's pants. His head dove downward. He sucked and nibbled at Tristan's cock through the thin fabric of his boxers.

"Oh, God." As pleasure rushed through him, he arched his back.

"Did I suck on you, Tristan?" His tongue found the slit in Tristan's boxers and licked up swollen flesh.

"Yes!" His voice rang out in the small room. He clenched his teeth. His toes curled. Release surged forward to a raw edge. "Do it now, please!" His hands tugged on Collin's head.

In a flash, Collin ripped Tristan's boxers down, baring his erection. His mouth devoured his cock and pumped over it while a free hand groped at his own stiff flesh still under his jeans.

“Your gift is responding to me.”

Keiko shook her head and jerked at his coat. “What gift? It doesn’t do anything except let ghosts…hurt me.” Her gaze dropped to his coat, and she frowned. The coat seemed to be darkening right under her hands and becoming…black with red trim, and the buttons looked more gold than silver.

He pulled his palm from her belly to catch her chin, drawing her gaze to his. “You have the power to make the dead live and feel again. For a short time, anyway.” He released her chin, and set his palm back on her belly. “And it lives here. This is what those…creatures were after.” He looked into her eyes. “They wanted to feel alive.

Keiko frowned in confusion. “By biting me?”

He scowled. “They terrified you to make the gift spill into your blood. They bit you so they could drink your power straight from your veins.”

Clutching his coat, she shivered hard. “Like vampires?”

He snorted. “Without doubt. Vampires are supposed to be blood-drinking ghosts.”

She looked up into his eyes. “Is that what you want from me? To drink my power?”

His smile vanished, and an aching hunger filled his midnight gaze. He licked his lips. “Yes.”

Frowning slightly, a tall, slender young man draped in a pale gray floor-length leather coat leaned over the counter, staring at the delicate fox mask locked under glass. His left hand was jammed in the pocket of his black dress-slacks, pulling his coat back and showing a dark gray sweater over broad chest and flat belly. His long platinum-blond hair, combed straight back from the deep peak of his brow and bound by a silver clasp into a long white tail, fell over his shoulder and spilled across the counter.

Rusty stared at the spill of pale hair and his heart slammed in his chest. He wiped his damp palms down his knee-length black apron. "You wanted to see me?"

The blonde turned. Warm cinnamon eyes framed in long black lashes peered at him from under straight dark brows. Sharp cheekbones and a strong jaw-line defined his aggressively masculine face, but the lush fullness of his mouth and the ivory-pale color of his skin belonged in a high-class modeling magazine.

His eyes widened. "My God…" The voice was soft, yet deep and very masculine. The lush lips rose to curve into a sinful smile. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

Rusty's stomach clenched in alarm. He knew that smile. He knew that face. It was the same one from his dream. But that couldn't be right… "Do I know you?"

He pointed his light up at the ceiling and took a startled breath. The entire ceiling was painted with constellations in a deep blue night sky. The whole mural glittered with stones embedded in the stone.

"I guess this temple hasn't been discovered yet." He smiled grimly. "The Egyptologists would have pulled the ceiling apart real fast." He hefted his backpack and violin, then strode deeper into the temple. His footsteps echoed as he crunched blown sand under his boot-heels.

He discovered a doorway on his right. The brilliant beam of his light slid across outset carved dancing maidens, swooping owls and reclining lions framing the doorway. A white owl spread its lapis and mother-of-pearl wings over the doorway with eyes of solid gold set with onyx.

"Owls? Well, that's different." He pointed the powerful beam into the room. It was much larger than he expected. The sound of falling water caught his attention. He took two steps into the room. It was huge. It was at least nine feet to the ceiling, about thirty feet across, roughly sixty feet straight back and bare of all furnishings.

"Perfect." He smiled. "Plenty of room to do my ritual in here." The beam of his light glittered across a rippling surface at the far end of the long room. Water gushed musically in a restrained waterfall down a three-foot, base-relief carving in black marble outlined with hieroglyphs that seemed to be part of the back wall. The beautiful and elegant face of an exquisitely carved female goddess figure peeked through the falling water that flowed over and around perfect breasts. He could even make out the areola surrounding the erect nipples.

"Those Egyptians sure knew how to carve a woman," he mumbled in appreciation as he shined the flashlight beam all around the black marble goddess. Wings delicately folded down at her sides. Her arms were bent at the elbows with her hands lifted and clutching a loop in each palm.

"I wonder which Goddess you're supposed to be?" He tilted his head to one side. "I see the wings, but you don't look like any Isis I've ever seen." His gaze dropped and he could make out the plump, pouting lower lips of her sex between her generous thighs. Water cascaded down the goddess's body and over raptor-clawed feet into a large, black marble basin sunk deep into the floor and big enough to swim in.

"Well now, an Egyptian bath tub." He chuckled. "Hell, I've seen swimming pools smaller than this," he muttered, dropping his pack to the stone floor with a muffled thump. Looking into the water, the smooth bottom was visible.

"My sister asked me to find a good looking guy that can actually dance to be a male stripper for her bachelorette party. Want to do it?" Leonora, tall, elegant, raven-curled and blessed with curves for days, smiled from behind her broad desk.

Trey set the last aluminum chair against the whitewashed wall and looked up the long studio floor at the ballroom dance school's proprietress sitting at the far end, close by the double-door entrance. "Your sister wants a what?" He sauntered across the heavily waxed dance floor to perch on the edge of her desk.

Leonora tapped the leather-bound appointment book before her with her decorative green and yellow ballpoint. Her red nails gleamed under the studio's bright lights. "She wants a male stripper."

"Huh." Trey pulled at the elastic holding his fine, straight hair in its customary tail. He freed it long enough to comb it through his fingers, then bound it neatly back again. "So, why not hire one from the phone book?" He stood up and turned sideways to tuck his discreetly pleated tuxedo shirt back into his snug black dance pants.

That afternoon's salsa class had been pretty rowdy. A bunch of excitable housewives had brought their less than enthused husbands. The husbands had warmed up as soon as they saw how hot all the hip-shaking got their wives.

"Forget the phone book." Leonora scowled. Not pretty with all that red lipstick. "My sister wants a man that knows how to dance. Most male strippers suck at it."

"Oh." Trey frowned and folded his arms. "So you think I'd be better?

"Look, you're amazingly cute, long blond hair, blue eyes, you're built, and you dance like raw sex when you're in the mood. You're perfect." Leonora held out his gold, wire-framed glasses. "It's worth five hundred bucks."

Trey froze, hand outstretched. "Five hundred bucks?"

Leonora smiled broadly. "For twenty minutes of your time."

"Wow." Trey took his glasses and put them on. The world abruptly dropped into focus. He could see long distance just fine without his glasses; it was the middle distance and up close that gave him problems. "That's quite a bit of money."

"All you need to do is show up here." Leonora scribbled an address on the back of one of the ballroom dance school's business cards. "Bring a g-string and those tall, sexy boots you wore to the last competition, for the pirate thing. I'll bring the music." She held up the card and pouted at him. "Shall I tell her to write out the check?"

Trey took the card and examined the address. It was a public hall not too far out on the edge of town. He'd done a dance contest there once before. "The money is nice, but I don't know if this is such a good idea."

"Too late, sucker, you took the card!" Leonora pulled her hands back and grinned broadly. "Can't back out now!"

Trey sighed. He might as well give in, because he knew for a fact that he'd lose any debate with her anyway. He was a pushover, and she knew it. "Okay, so where do I get a g-string for a guy?"

Leonora happily scribbled on another business card. "Presario's Lingerie, the best little adult toy store in the city!" She held it up, grinning. "Leather, handsome. The ladies like leather."

A man, bathed in the light from a streetlamp, stepped out from beyond the corner of the decrepit building on the other side of the street. His black hair hung in shaggy waves over the shoulders of an elegant trench coat. He took an abrupt stop and examined Julian, tilting his head to the side. A black, thick-brimmed hat hid his face in shadow. His frame was taller than Julian's and slender.

Julian sniffed at the air. The tang of eucalyptus trees from the nearby Golden Gate Park caught his senses along with the faintest tinge of blood, fresh blood. The being across the street had newly fed. Hunger rose up inside him like a whirlwind of ache and need. Damn, why didn't I feed with the others? He tightened his hand around the grip on his sword, still sheathed at his side.

All at once, the tall vampire vanished.

"What the—" His guitar flung off his shoulder to the sidewalk, making a twang as it hit the ground. A warm body slammed against his back. Hard hands with long fingers seized his neck and the hand on his sword. Hot breath whispered over his ear, rich with the scent of blood. The pointed tip of a cold and sharp instrument rest against his neck at the carotid artery, the pressure hard, but not enough to break skin. Still, a searing pain burned from where it touched him. Silver. "Please…" His heart pounded and sweat formed on his useless palms. I'm at his mercy.

"You know my finger-dagger is made of silver," a deep voice whispered. It held the accent of some Eastern European country.

Julian gulped hard. "Y-yes. Do you mean to kill me?" Such a thing pierced into the carotid artery meant death to his kind. His gaze darted around the street and brick buildings. But what could he do? This vampire was obviously much older and stronger than he. They'd never prepared him for this.

The elder vampire loosened his hold at Julian's neck and brushed over the sensitive skin with the tip of the finger-dagger.

A shiver raced down Julian's spine. The smell of blood made him oversensitive. Arousal swam inside him, just under the surface of his control. Stop, he can smell it. Soft warmth pressed against the back of his neck. Was that a kiss? The thought made him swoon though he fought against it. What's happening to me? Did the elder vampire have powers unknown to him? "Who are you?" His voice was unusually solid for the moment.

The tall being's hand slid from Julian's sword to his stomach, caressing as it went.

Another, more solid kiss graced Julian's neck. He bit his lip, drawing blood from a fang. A soft gasp escaped him. Why would this vampire do these things? Heat filled his groin against his will. I must escape. I can't let myself submit to this. He jerked his body, attempting to jar himself loose. Strong arms and hands held him in place. "Who are you? Answer me."

"I am the one you should not fear." The arms wrapped around his body, embracing him, and more soft kisses shivered over his neck.

"Ah…" I must escape. Even as he struggled not to succumb, he melted into the embrace. An overwhelming hunger and confusion muddled his mind. But my queen, I can't submit to this. "Wh-what are you doing to me?" As if in a trance, he tilted his head to the side, exposing the skin on his neck further. "Is this some form of magic?"

"I assure you, it is not," the deep voice said inside a sigh. "Your scent, your taste—"

A prick punctured his neck. A soft, wet tongue slid over the wound. He shuddered in response and his cock jerked. A stinging sensation grew from his wound, signaling healing, and a low groan swept over his ears.

"I was sent here to kill you, but I find I cannot." The elder vampire's one hand roamed up and down Julian's chest, unbuttoning his shirt and slipping inside to brush over bare skin. His hard cock pressed against Julian's buttocks.

Julian's eyes closed and he stifled a moan. "Wh-why were you sent to-to kill me?" Need and hunger raged in every fiber of his being. Escape. I'm meant for my queen. But feelings of lust and something more, just under the surface, kept him still. His chest heaved with deep breaths.

"You are beautiful, my angel."

The hands and lips continued to tease and explore over Julian. "But what do you want?" His voice faltered. The strong hands turned him around. He peered up into the face of his would-be assassin. His breath caught in his throat. The elder vampire appeared no older than he, maybe even younger, though he stood a good three inches taller than his almost six-foot frame. "Y-you are…"

"I am Sebastian and that is all you need to know."

Detective Cardoza walked over to the laptop and peered at the screen. He hit a key and looked up at Gabriel. “Murder? What is this?”

“No … nothing! I’m writing a novel. It’s none of your business!”

“Have you been overseas in the past five years?” Cardoza narrowed his eyes and continued grilling him. Gabriel was frightened, and he tried to hide his shaking hands.

“Well, I visited Puerto Rico when I was twelve, but that’s not overseas. That’s part of the U.S. It’s not a foreign …”

“Alright already!” Cardoza grimaced in annoyance. “Gabriel, I am Puerto Rican, so you don’t have to convince me.”

“So never been to a foreign country? Never to South America?” Cardoza moved closer. His hand reached for Gabriel’s face and he stroked his cheek with his thumb. He bent closer. Gabriel felt his hot breath, and looked into his intense eyes until he could no longer stand it.

Gabriel stood up from the bed suddenly and backed away from him. He stepped back nervously and the back of his leg struck the leg of a rickety chair. Before he could regain his balance, Gabriel began to fall.

Detective Cardoza’s notebook fell from his hands as he dashed forward and grabbed Gabriel by both shoulders. For a moment, Gabriel’s knees buckled and Cardoza was holding him close to his broad chest. Gabriel’s arms instinctively wrapped around him and the anxiety that had been eating away at his soul overwhelmed him. He began to sob into Cardoza’s chest and he held Gabriel tightly so that he heard the steady thumping of his heart.

With his left hand, Cardoza began to stroke Gabriel’s hair, and for a moment, he felt his warm breath near his ear. They were silent for what seemed to Gabriel like an eternity. For that moment, Gabriel felt as if he had died and was floating in a place where nothing bad could touch him. His father couldn’t hurt him and the questions were far away. All he was aware of was the spicy smell of Cardoza’s skin and his strong embrace. He wanted to stay like that forever.

Cardoza held him with one arm, and with the other tipped his head back. Gabriel couldn’t stop his lips from parting in welcome as the man dipped in and tasted him. With their faces so close, Gabriel felt the soft, hot breath of the man inviting him to come closer, to join with him. His tongue, which had avoided the one being thrust into him, now had a mind of its own and it shyly ventured into the other man’s mouth, but retreated hastily.

The act seemed to fuel Cardoza’s passion. He bent in so that Gabriel felt his balance slip. He was held by one strong arm around his waist and another holding him by the back. He sighed deeply as he felt the man’s erection poke his belly. His own rubbed against the man’s thigh. For a few breathless minutes, they joined, lips to lips, and hot bodies against unwanted clothing. Gabriel felt that he would burst, and the thought embarrassed him out of the man’s spell. It was like when you wake from a good dream and you want to continue sleeping, but it’s too late. Gabriel pushed away from him and saw that Cardoza’s eyes were slightly moist. Gabriel wished that they’d met under different circumstances, but then he remembered; Cardoza was the hunting dog, and he was the frightened fox.

“Enough for now,” Detective Cardoza said in a husky voice. “I’ll see you again soon, but take care of yourself. You better …” He broke off as if he were unsure of what to do next. Then he was gone.

Artavan set off to bathe after Tork had retreated. He walked to the pool they’d used earlier, stripped off his beautiful deerskin, and jumped in. He played happily in the water, rinsing his mouth and washing his long hair. As he broke through the surface after chasing fish, he saw the Prince staring impassively.

“Come in and swim with me!” Artavan called. “The water is so cool!”

His frown deepened slightly, but he began to undress. Artavan tried not to look, out of respect, but soon he felt an arm encircle his chest. He dared not breathe as he felt the caress of warm lips on his neck.

He could feel the Prince’s erection poking his backside exploringly.

“Have you never done this before?” Devdata asked when he noticed Artavan’s tenseness.

“No sir. I believe that when I love someone deeply, I will understand and be ready,” Artavan said with a trembling voice.

“Oh, what about your many wives?” Devdata asked. “You do nothing with them? You do not enter them?”

“I… uh… that is to say,” Artavan sputtered.

“Never mind, I like your spirit, human. Perhaps it isn’t good for me to try your soft body in this way just yet.” Devdata stepped back. “Here, will you touch my swollen member? I’ve had no release for some time.”

Artavan turned, blushing all over and gently held the Prince’s cock, stroking it softly under the water. He was very careful and respectful, but Devdata looked dissatisfied and impatient.

“You certainly have never done this before, have you?” Devdata laughed. “I’ll show you how it is done.” Artavan stepped back fearfully, but Devdata put his arms around his chest as he turned to flee. As if he were a rag, the Prince dragged him to a shallow spot and sat the blushing young man on his lap.

“Have you never done this while alone? Do you not pleasure yourself?”

Charlie looked up once again and he saw that the sun’s angle had changed, and red- gold sunlight poured over the scene. The brilliant rays of sunlight glowed on Yoshi’s skin and were refracted by the beads of water that clung to him. Yoshi was half turned away from him and he was running his hands down his chest. Charlie inched forward to get a better look. It seemed that the dour, pessimistic man had a sensual side to him that he kept under close guard. He snickered and Yoshi froze. He let out another shriek of alarm and leapt out of the stream.

Charlie felt his stomach clench with fear. A water moccasin! He scrambled out of the cave. How am I going to get him to a hospital!

Charlie’s heart was pounding as he reached him. Yoshi was clutching his clothes to his groin and staring between his legs with horror.

“Oh my God, I’m gonna die!” he wailed.

“Where did it bite you? Did you see what kind of snake it was? Was it dark brown or did it have a white …” Charlie stopped his tirade of questions and stepped back.

“Look!” Yoshi squeaked staring at the small brown tick that had attached itself to the skin of his dick. “I’m infected with lock jaw! I’ll die a horrible, painful, lingering death! Oh God, I should’ve listened to Daddy! Now look! To have it all end like this! The pointlessness of it all! Oh the pitiless gods …”

Charlie cut him off with uproarious laughter.

“This isn’t funny!”

Charlie laughed so hard that tears were squeezed out of his eyes. It felt good to laugh after such terrifying things had happened to them. He fell back against a tree, still heaving with laughter.

“You ain’t gonna die. This is your first tick, ain’t it? Congratulations. I’ve had hundreds. I’ve stepped in seed tick nests and had over fifty of them little babies stuck in me at once. You could die, but since I haven’t yet, I think there’s little chance you will anytime soon. You want me to help you pull it out?”

Charlie had said it as a joke, but when Yoshi nodded his head, he hid his eager grin and walked over to him. The ends of Yoshi’s shiny black hair held big drops of water that fell off and trickled down his skin. Charlie looked away from his hair, but he couldn’t stop his eyes from tracking the progress of a drop of dew as it made its way down his chest and belly to disappear under the hair over his cock. His anxious dark eyes still held worry and fear, but it was obvious that Charlie’s words had comforted him.

Charlie couldn’t believe his luck. He wanted so badly to get to touch that skin again. It really turned him on as pinched the tick and pulled it out. Yoshi howled. Charlie looked at him in surprise and saw him clutching the small spot of blood while he held his eyes shut tight against imaginary pain.

“You can let go of it now,” Yoshi finally said when he calmed down.

“You kidding? Do you really want to die? City people really are stupid. Don’t you know that ticks carry deadly lockjaw?”

Yoshi’s eyes grew wide. “But … but you said you’ve been bitten hundreds of times, and you’re alive!”

“Yeah, ‘cause I use the cure, like any smart country folk.”

“What … what cure?”

“Well, being a city person, maybe you just ought to go to the hospital.” Charlie tried to look disinterested.

“We can’t! That’s obvious, even to a country bumpkin like you! Those guys out there will kill us!”

“Okay, well I’ll tell you then, but the rest is up to you. See, cum juice, you know, a guy’s sperm is the only cure, especially iffin’ you get bit down there. I had an uncle whose cock swelled up like an overgrown zucchini squash.”

“What happened to him?”

“Well you know, he’s my aunt now. They had to cut it off. I swear I’m telling the truth! I can fix it for you. If y’ont to.”

“God, this is serious. I don’t want my dick to fall off, but how can I trust a horn dog like you?”

“That’s up to you, city guy. Don’t matter to me.”

“Okay, okay. But just do what you need to and cure me. And none of that shit from yesterday!” Yoshi’s face was red.

“Suit yourself. It would be faster, but I need help. Let me borrow your ass …”

“No! No! I just knew what you wanted!” Yoshi stamped his bare foot.

“Do you feel the swelling yet?” Charlie knew it would swell fast in that spot.

Yoshi trembled as he felt the bump with his finger. “Look, just jerk off! That should be enough!”

“Alright, but I can’t do it like that. At least let me use your thighs. I promise I won’t do nothing else.” Charlie threw off his clothes and jumped into the water quickly; he didn’t want to smell bad. He wasn’t going to let this opportunity slip by. He emerged hastily, already erect. George, his friend down there, didn’t like to waste time.

“Just put your hands on that tree there and hold your legs together. I’ll be done right quick.”

Yoshi did as he was told and Charlie put his arms around him. He kissed Yoshi’s neck and the guy trembled. He slid his wet cock between Yoshi’s legs and felt the tight nut-sack there. His body shook with anticipation as he began to thrust in, hitting that marvelously firm sack every time he pressed in deeper. His hands slid down and took Yoshi’s erect cock in them, pumping it in time with his thrusts. He felt Yoshi push into his hand, and he had to fight the urge to push deeper and higher. Those cherry cheeks called to George, and it was hard to fight off the bugger’s demands! Finally, Yoshi put both arms around the tree and Charlie heard a muffled cry. He made a final thrust, and he came too.

“Hurry, pervert! Fix me!” Yoshi hadn’t forgotten.

“Okay, okay. Just a minute! Charlie wiped cum from between Yoshi’s legs and rubbed the end of his dick, where the bite was. Yoshi shook, but he was getting stiff again.

“Hurry, damn it! I hate you touching me!”

“I can’t help it that you get turned on by me!”

“I don’t get turned on by you!” Yoshi looked disgusted. “It’s just a natural reaction any person has if you touch his dick.”

“No way! You can touch me all you want, and I won’t get turned on. Go ahead, I dare you!” Charlie tried to suppress his smile.

“Oh yeah! Well what if I do this?”

Yuis stared out beyond the concrete walkway toward the beach where couples were walking hand in hand. The gentle waves lapped at the sand and the smell of the ocean beckoned to him.

He descended the concrete stairs, but just before he reached the beach, he cried out as powerful dizziness made him lose his balance. The steps seemed to dissolve and his body floated down. He fell onto the soft sand of the beach, and fought to regain his equilibrium. What was happening to him? He felt like he was in the grip of a nightmare and he was struggling with a heavy weight. He gasped as the feeling left him abruptly. The thumping salsa music had stopped. A tropical bird called out into the night and the sound rose high and then died away. Yuis stood and looked behind him, but the concrete stairs were gone. All he saw were rough slabs of stone that cut through the verdant jungle as they ascended through the dense mist of the evening.

Eyes were on him.

He whirled around as the haunting call of the owl rent the silence of the night.

Silhouetted against the moonlit waters was the form of powerful man. He could tell that he was as unclothed as nature had created him. Yuis took a step backward, but the man ran forward and grabbed him. It was Felipe, but Yuis’s heart beat fast when he saw his long hair and the untamed look in his eyes. Felipe bent and kissed him. Yuis tried to pull away, but the heat from his kiss made his body remember what it felt like to have Felipe inside of him. He held Felipe tight and he could feel his throbbing erection on his belly. His passion escaped him in a moan of anticipation. Yuis’s fingers were buried in Felipe’s long hair and he arched his back as his tongue crept into his mouth.

Yuis pulled back to look at him, but he cried out in protest.

“Yuis, I must have you. It’s the will of our ancestors that our souls be forever joined.”

His ragged voice and the tension in his powerful frame made Yuis ache for him. The heat of his skin and the magic in this wild air uncoiled desire inside of him like he’d never known. He pulled Yuis down to the sand and kissed his neck. Felipe’s hands roamed over his body caressing him, making him scream out his name in longing. Ceaseless desire that was as endless and primal as the ocean exploded in Yuis’s head. He wanted more!

“Yuis.”

The word, spoken with such passion, seemed to fade, but it resonated within him as the dizziness came over him again.

It was too late for her to go back on her words when Lady Nizami undressed the child in secret and saw that it was a boy. He looked so much like her beautiful dead daughter, his deep blue eyes and golden hair so similar. It was too late so she cared for her new daughter with her own hands, helping him through the bad cold and fever he got from the cold, wet weather of that day.

The boy never left Nizami's house for the next two years. He was Aryazate now--inheriting the name and identity of Nizami's little dead girl.

The raging fever that followed left the little boy weak and thin, but it also erased the memory of his terrible experience. His new mother's kindness was never forgotten, but like the mists of morning in the heat of day, Aryazate's memories of that horrible night and day faded. All that remained was a vague pain and the dreams of fire. Never leaving the safety of the estate, and his old life forgotten, he became Aryazate, the daughter of Lady Nizami.

“Sebastian? Are you still there?” His father’s voice rang out through the phone speaker.

Coming back to the present, he brought the phone to his ear again. Anger wrapped around his grief, keeping it in check. “Yes, I’m here. It was Caesar, wasn’t it?” he spat.

“Yes. It seems they ambushed him in the Muir woods.”

He let his head fall upon the cold glass of the window. “There was no one with him?”

“I am afraid not. They promised to negotiate giving Ramon to us if he came alone. I know how much he wanted to catch Caesar for you.”

He pursed his lips. Emanuel’s voice rang out inside his head. Sebastian, we will find him. You have my word. Guilt tore through his heart. If only he hadn’t reacted so strongly to Emanuel’s failure to find Caesar. “Ramon is, is alive?” His voice wavered.

“We don’t know if that is true or if it’s a lie.”

“So his life was lost for nothing. And that bastard is responsible.” Even as his anger lodged heavy in his chest, tears pooled once again in his eyes.

There’s something else, fiu.” His father’s voice was low.

“What?” He couldn’t take much more. What other damage had Caesar done?

“They tortured him before they killed him, sliced off almost all of his skin.”

“Oh, God.” A tear raced down Sebastian’s cheek. Greif and remorse squeezed around his heart. My dear, dear Emanuel. You died because of me. He twisted his back around to the window and lay back on it. His gaze looked up at the dark ceiling. He blinked and another tear journeyed down his face.

“And he wrote a note on a piece of the skin they removed. It said, Julian is a Judas. He and his lover must die. Nikolai is mine.” His father took a deep inhale. “It is as we thought. You must tell Julian of the danger you are all in.”

“No, I cannot. He will seek Caesar out. He will put himself in danger.” Frustration and fear balled up inside him.

“Sebastian, this is not a request. It is an order.” His voice was firm.

“I cannot.” His voice broke. What should he do? If he complied, Julian would surely try to find Caesar. Another tear raced down his cheek.

“Sebastian?” Julian stood in the open doorway to the office.

Fear prickled up his spine. “I have to go.”

There’s something else, fiu.” His father’s voice was low.

“What?” He couldn’t take much more. What other damage had Caesar done?

“They tortured him before they killed him, sliced off almost all of his skin.”

“Oh, God.” A tear raced down Sebastian’s cheek. Greif and remorse squeezed around his heart. My dear, dear Emanuel. You died because of me. He twisted his back around to the window and lay back on it. His gaze looked up at the dark ceiling. He blinked and another tear journeyed down his face.

“And he wrote a note on a piece of the skin they removed. It said, Julian is a Judas. He and his lover must die. Nikolai is mine.” His father took a deep inhale. “It is as we thought. You must tell Julian of the danger you are all in.”

“No, I cannot. He will seek Caesar out. He will put himself in danger.” Frustration and fear balled up inside him.

“Sebastian, this is not a request. It is an order.” His voice was firm.

“I cannot.” His voice broke. What should he do? If he complied, Julian would surely try to find Caesar. Another tear raced down his cheek.

“Sebastian?” Julian stood in the open doorway to the office.

Fear prickled up his spine. “I have to go.”

“There’s something else, fiu.” His father’s voice was low.

“What?” He couldn’t take much more. What other damage had Caesar done?

“They tortured him before they killed him, sliced off almost all of his skin.”

“Oh, God.” A tear raced down Sebastian’s cheek. Greif and remorse squeezed around his heart. My dear, dear Emanuel. You died because of me. He twisted his back around to the window and lay back on it. His gaze looked up at the dark ceiling. He blinked and another tear journeyed down his face.

“And he wrote a note on a piece of the skin they removed. It said, Julian is a Judas. He and his lover must die. Nikolai is mine.” His father took a deep inhale. “It is as we thought. You must tell Julian of the danger you are all in.”

“No, I cannot. He will seek Caesar out. He will put himself in danger.” Frustration and fear balled up inside him.

“Sebastian, this is not a request. It is an order.” His voice was firm.

“I cannot.” His voice broke. What should he do? If he complied, Julian would surely try to find Caesar. Another tear raced down his cheek.

“Sebastian?” Julian stood in the open doorway to the office.

Fear prickled up his spine. “I have to go.”

“Sebast—”

With a click, he shut the phone off and dropped it into his front pocket. “How long have you been standing there?” He swiped at the wetness on his cheeks.

“Not long, I—” Julian walked closer to Sebastian. “What’s going on? Why are you so upset again?”

He glanced at the floor and back up at his lover. What could he say? “I uh, my um… It seems a very close friend of mine has died. That was my father.”

Anger lit up Julian’s eyes. In a low voice, he said, “It was Caesar, wasn’t it?”

“What? No, of course not.” He turned away from Julian, looking out the window. “Why would you say something like that?” Biting his lip, he fought back his emotions, attempting to mask the deceit.

“Why wouldn’t I? I know something’s going on, Sebastian. I know you’re keeping things from me. I can feel it.” Snatching Sebastian’s shoulder, Julian jerked him back around. “Look at me, Sebastian. Look at me and tell me what’s going on.”

“You belong with me.” The statement was slow, measured.

It sparked the temper that Haru fought so hard to repress. He felt his blood heat, a different fire than the one he had felt only moments ago. This one was destructive, yearning to consume everything and turn it to ash. He slammed his eyes closed once again. He knew they would be glowing now, slivers of his abilities apparent in their depths.

He needed to leave now, needed to get far away from Saitou and the gamut of dangerous emotions that he provoked. He gathered a fraction of that fire close to him, channeled it outward until it vibrated directly beneath his skin. It went against his nature, against the calm and control he had worked so very hard to maintain through everything, but he had no choice. Saitou was stubborn and would never willingly release him without some form of persuasion.

He unleashed it, felt the burning arch through his body and his skin heat like flame. A sharp yelp followed by his arm being released and the smell of lightly burning flesh let him know his plan had worked. He darted toward the door, knowing better than to linger since the wolf would recover quickly.

“I belong only to myself. You have not earned the right of ownership.” He threw the words over his shoulder as he scurried out of the room, dark growling sounding against the walls behind him. He was tired of being subservient to everyone, tired of the abuse.

He would bow down no longer.