Dave looked around, tried to figure out why Viggo had insisted he make an appearance at this function. Certainly, it paid to have strong ties with the mortal governments, but this was a lackey's job. Beneath Dave's station, if he was honest with himself. Besides, this sort of function was much more suited to a man like Marcus. To the manor bred, skilled at long-winded small talk, happy to nibble on canapιs and discuss futures trading and the new accord with the Pakistani government. Instead, Dave was stuck listening to bad chamber music from the four-piece ensemble set up on the stage, with his best fake smile in place, quietly dying on the inside. Shame Orlando wasn't there to liven things up. But no, Orlando was back in L.A. with Karl and Harry, and Dave was in London. On business for an undetermined length of time, or so Viggo had said, but Dave had seen the look that had flitted through Viggo's eyes before he'd turned back to his paperwork after giving him his assignment. There was more to this than just the normal business. Something was going on, something big, Dave would be willing to bet on it. Truth be told, Dave hadn't much felt like arguing. He'd made the token protest, but nothing more. He reminded himself every night that he was the luckiest bastard on earth and he knew he really was but it wasn't enough. He still felt out of place, overwhelmed by everything, and totally unprepared. After five years, those feelings should have faded, not intensified. And given how badly Dave had been screwing up with Orlando lately, if and when Harry found out about it, it was safer if there was an entire ocean between him and Harry's temper. Orlando deserved far better than Dave for a Sire, especially since Dave was barely out of fledgling status himself. He had no idea what he was doing, and he was tired of living in fear of the look of disappointment on Karl and Harry's faces once they figured out that Orlando still hadn't learned everything he needed to learn about his new, strange world. Not that Orlando realized anything was wrong, but then, that was part of the problem. Orlando didn't know the right questions to ask and Dave was lost without some sort of set of guidelines to keep him on the right path. "Long faces don't go with parties, mate." Dave turned at the comment and looked up. And up. Into dark eyes that held more than a hint of mischief. After an evening of air kisses and plastic smiles, the sight of genuine amusement threw Dave off his game completely. Was the man in front of him lost or at the wrong party entirely? "I'm sorry?" "Don't be, you haven't done anything worth regretting yet." The voice was a low rumble, smooth as molasses and just as soothing. The accompanying smile was wide, showed a hint of fangs, and unbelievably white teeth. The face surrounding the smile was strong-jawed, skin the color of mahogany with eyes that matched. Broad shoulders magnificently filled out a nicely understated hunter green suit, and the rest of the body more than lived up to the shoulders. The vampire in front of him made Harry look small. "You might want to take this before everyone starts to wonder if I'm an alcoholic." "Huh?" Glancing down, Dave saw the other man was patiently holding out a glass. "Uh, sorry." He took the glass and took a sip, then promptly choked. A large hand clapped him on the back in a friendly gesture. "I take it vodka's not your drink, bra?" "Not without a mixer," Dave wheezed. He coughed and choked for another moment, then wiped his eyes as he took deep, careful breaths. "Um, thanks...?" "Lawrence." Dave took the offered hand, and his own was immediately engulfed. It was like shaking hands with a bear, only without the fur. The absurd mental image had Dave biting his lips to hold in the laughter. "Lawrence Makoare." "David Wenham," was the automatic response as Dave slowly pulled his hand back, wondering at the almost electric shock he'd felt when Lawrence touched him. "But please. Call me Dave." "I like Dave," Lawrence said, stroking his chin thoughtfully as he looked Dave over. "Think it'll roll right off the tongue while I'm moaning it as you suck my cock." Suck my...? Dave blinked, shook his head. There was no way he'd heard that correctly. "I'm sorry?" "Don't be." Lawrence swiped the tips of his fingers across Dave's lips, the touch fleeting. "Lips like these were made for cocksucking. I have a feeling you're a master at it." "I...um..." Dave couldn't remember the last time he'd been speechless. Probably right after Harry'd kissed him, that first time. "I, uh, never had any, um, complaints," he replied, then immediately wanted the floor to swallow him whole. What the hell was he doing, standing here discussing blowjobs with a total stranger, when he was bonded to not one, but two other vampires and had a third that was his responsibility as well as his lover? And where did this guy get the idea that Dave was going to...? "I'm sorry," Dave finally managed to say, forehead wrinkling as he frowned, "but do we know each other?" Granted, he hadn't been alive so long that he as in danger of forgetting people he'd met, but anything was possible. "Not yet," Lawrence said. "But we will by the end of the night. As intimately and in as many ways as possible. How flexible would you say you are?" Flexible? Seriously, what the bleeding fuck? "Look, did Marcus put you up to this? Or Karl?" Dave asked, a sudden, horrifying thought occurring to him. What if this was some sort of pet test to see if he'd pass, or a practical joke? It wouldn't surprise him. Karl was always up to something. "Don't know a Karl or a Marcus," Lawrence shrugged. "And in any case, they're not invited. I'm all for a good orgy from time to time, but I've got a feeling you'll be enough all on your own to satisfy all of my appetites." "You look like you'd have pretty big appetites," Dave said. The second the words were out of his mouth, he groaned in embarrassment. Where in hell had that come from? Why in God's name had he not ended this absurd conversation and gone on to do his duty rounds? Lawrence threw back his head and laughed. The sound of it the feel of it was so familiar that Dave felt his heart skip a beat. "See, that's exactly what I'm talking about. A little bit of drinking, a little bit of flirting, then we go back to mine and I peel you out of that very delectable suit." Lawrence ran a finger along the material, and the light touch sent a shiver up Dave's spine. "Who are you?" Dave asked, his voice barely above a whisper. There was no way he should be reacting this strongly to another vampire hell, to anyone. He had his hands more than full with the men he was with. Lawrence smiled again, softer, and something about it tugged at Dave's soul. "Told you, mate. Lawrence Makoare. And before you ask again, no, we've never met. Believe me, if we had, I'd have snatched you up long before now." "I, uh..." Dave licked his lips, caught himself swaying towards Lawrence and immediately pulled back. No. This was absurd. There was no way he was going to even entertain the idea. He wasn't looking for a fling, no matter how enticing the man before him was. "I've already been snatched up, sorry." "So that's what that is." "What?" Any moment now, he'd regain his equilibrium. And his breath. "What what is?" "Doesn't explain why there are three of 'em, though," Lawrence muttered as he took a step closer. Dave swallowed hard to keep from reacting. What the hell was wrong with him? "Three of what?" "The pulses," Lawrence said, and pressed a thumb to the hollow of Dave's throat. Heat instantly suffused Dave's entire being. "Although, you shouldn't have any at all..." "I'm a pet," Dave blurted out, still trying to figure out just what the hell was happening to him. "That's not..." Lawrence looked down at him in confusion. "You're a vampire. Only mortals are pets." "Yeah, well, try telling Harry and Karl there are rules they need to abide by." Fuck. That sounded far more combative than he'd meant it to sound. He wasn't angry; why would he have reason to be? Lawrence's face cleared. His thumb slid along the underside of Dave's jaw. "Urban and Sinclair. Now I remember. You'd be theirs, then?" "One of theirs." "One... oh, yes, that's right. Which explains the third one." Lawrence bent his head, sniffed at Dave's neck, and Dave shuddered. When Lawrence lifted his head, his smile was dark and knowing. "You don't wear their bonds easily, child." Unable to speak, Dave just shook his head. How had this stranger been able to discern what he hadn't even been able to admit to himself? "Is that why you're alone tonight?" "Yes...I mean, no. No...I'm, um, here. On business. In London." Fucking hell, he was babbling and he knew it, but he couldn't form a coherent sentence right now if his life depended on it. //Steady now, there's no rush.// The voice was soothing, calmed him almost instantly. The touch to his jaw turned into a caress as Lawrence cupped his cheek. "Why don't we get the hell out of Dodge, find someplace private? I know a shady tequila bar where no one would bat an eye. You look like you could use an ear." Dave knew he should refuse. There was no way he should leave with this strange vampire who spiked his heart rate and stuttered his breath. He wasn't looking for a quick fuck tonight, and there was no way that anyone else could be expected to understand a tale that he barely understood himself. No one was more shocked than Dave at the next words out of his mouth. "Yeah, alright." *** The bar more dive than actual bar, really was dark and definitely on the dodgy side. Which was exactly what Lawrence had said, so Dave couldn't complain. He looked around. The bar was one long, scarred, wood counter; the patrons, all of whom eyed Dave suspiciously, looked as if they'd lived hard and played even harder; and the walls were dingy and covered in graffiti and old band posters. He followed Lawrence to a booth all the way in the back, wondering how he'd ended up here. Feeling more than a little out of place, he slid into the booth. Somehow, he wasn't surprised when Lawrence slid in right beside him. "I, um, think I'll let you order," Dave said, with a small smile. "Not my usual kind of place." "No doubt." Lawrence nodded at a passing barmaid. She looked like someone straight out of a gothic porn flick, complete with the pleather mini and corset that showed off a rather impressive set of tits. "Randi," Lawrence said, in greeting. "Lawrence." Gum smacked when Randi smiled, toothy and genuine. "Been far too long. Who's the doll?" "This is Dave. Dave, I'd like you to meet Randi." "Pleasure," Dave said, trying his best not to squirm under the mortal's very direct stare. He had the unpleasant sensation of being tested, and wasn't sure if he'd pass. "Usual?" Randi finally asked, turning back to Lawrence. "That'd be fine, thank you." "I take it you're a regular," Dave said, breath catching when Lawrence turned to focus on him. Fuck, but it was hard to think with the weight of those eyes bearing down on him. "You could say that," Lawrence laughed. He just lounged back in his seat as Randi returned with their drinks a bottle of agave tequila and two glasses and flashed them another bright smile before departing. At least the service was fast. "Now, about those bonds of yours." Dave tried again not to squirm. He was still trying to figure out why he was there, with a vampire he'd just met, and why it was so hard to talk about something that was a big part of his life. "Yeah?" "Look, you don't have to talk about this." Lawrence poured them each a healthy shot. "We've got ourselves a full bottle, we got all night, and my plans begin and end with getting to know you better in a variety of pornographic ways. But, I've been told I'm a good listener." Dave was positive he was red to his hairline. There was no way Lawrence could miss it. One of the drawbacks to having such fair skin. "I, um, I'm flattered. But...it's complicated." "Aren't relationships always complicated?" Lawrence watched him over the rim of the glass, eyes dark and steady, and Dave felt himself slowly relaxing. "So how'd you get yourself bound to the two of them and their mortal pet anyway?" Dave looked down, took a breath. Picked up his glass, tossed the contents back, and grimaced at the taste. Fuck, but he hated tequila. He shook his head in an effort to clear it as Lawrence poured him another shot. "I thought," he said, finally, voice only a little raspy from the alcohol, "that I was in love with Harry." "And now?" "And now..." Dave's throat burned on the next shot, and he shuddered. "Now, I'm still in love with Harry. I probably always will be. But it's...complicated," he echoed, laughing a little at himself. "Complicated how?" No judgment, just simple curiosity. It somehow made it easier to continue. "I hadn't really counted on Karl and Orlando. And being Orlando's Sire." "You've sired a fledgling?" Lawrence put down his glass with a sharp thunk. "You're still a fledgling yourself. You aren't ready for that sort of responsibility." "A fact," Dave said, tipping his glass and watching the alcohol swirl inside it, "that I'm aware of. Now. It made perfect sense then." "How so?" Lawrence nudged Dave's hand and Dave drank before holding his glass out for another shot. Maybe if he tried hard enough, he could actually get drunk. Sometimes being a vampire, with a vampire's faster metabolism and strength, was a real drawback. "Completing the circle. Making us all equal, with equal bonds. Something like that, so Karl said. Or was it Harry?" "Suppose it would make sense," Lawrence nodded. "But there wasn't any hurry in having you do it right away. This Orlando was already a bound pet, yes?" "Yeah," Dave rasped. He was starting to feel slightly light-headed. Lawrence started rubbing the back of Dave's neck, the motion seemingly absent-minded. "Then his aging process was already at a crawl. Was he ill or was there some need for urgency?" "No, no urgency." Whatever Lawrence was doing was making his bones dissolve. Dave quite liked the feeling. And he quite liked the feel of Lawrence's hand on his skin. Remembering, Dave lifted his head and reached for his glass. He smiled. "Boy, was Viggo pissed." "Why?" "Didn't get permission to give him the Gift." "Didn't get..." Lawrence's eyes grew wide. It would have been comical, except that Dave was feeling far too relaxed to laugh. "But giving someone the Gift requires the Head of Council's approval, at the very least, if not an outright vote." "I know this and you know this and hell, Harry and Karl knew this. They're on the fucking Council." Dave's head flopped, almost of its own accord, to Lawrence's shoulder. He wondered if he was drunk. "But they couldn't say no to Orli." Gentle lips brushed against his forehead. "If this Orlando is anything like you, I have to say I understand where they were coming from." Dave shook his head. Then he shifted. Fuck this. He squirmed his way beneath Lawrence's arm, relaxing as the heavy weight settled across his shoulders. "He's not like me at all," he said, tipping his head to breathe in Lawrence's scent. Warm and spicy and earthy, and it made him even more light-headed. "He's perfect for them. Stands up to Karl, teases Harry, doesn't let them take themselves too seriously. And fuck, the child is beautiful." "I have no doubt." Then Lawrence's face swam into view, far closer than it was a moment ago. "But he's not you." The next moment, warm lips were on his, and a soft tongue fluttered against his mouth, seeking entrance. With a small sigh, Dave opened up to meet it. The kiss was like nothing Dave had ever experienced. It was a slow burn that started somewhere around his middle and grew, creeping over his body until Dave was sure his very bones were going to turn to ash. It was nothing like the kisses he'd received from Harry or Karl, or even Orlando. This was something different, something more. And there was an odd purity about it that made Dave's soul ache. When the kiss ended, Dave found his hands curled tight in the lapels of Lawrence's jacket. If not for Lawrence's arm around his waist, he'd have toppled over onto the table. As it was, Dave was having a very hard time remembering he was bonded...and an even harder time remembering why he shouldn't just strip off his clothes and beg Lawrence to fuck him senseless. "Not here," Lawrence murmured, with another soft kiss. "When we're done here, then I'll take you home and take my time over every delectable inch of you." The arm around his waist tightened as Lawrence nuzzled another kiss to the nape of Dave's neck, and inhaled. "Christ, you have the sweetest blood." "Jesus..." It was barely more than a whimper. Dave felt like a marionette, pulled by strings he couldn't see. He closed his eyes, blindly sought Lawrence's lips for another kiss. This one, just as slow and voluptuous, was even better than the first. When his eyes fluttered open the second time, Lawrence's small, genuine smile was the first thing he saw. "You don't kiss like a man with strong ties to another," Lawrence said. At those words, something shifted inside of Dave. "Maybe I don't." He leaned in, nuzzled the soft skin just below Lawrence's jaw. His fangs grazed Lawrence's throat, and Dave just sat there like that for a moment, his breath warm on Lawrence's skin, the scent of blood, thick and rich, filling his nostrils. "Maybe," he said again, voice low and husky, "they're not as strong as I thought." "And why," Lawrence asked, tilting his head to allow Dave unfettered access, "do you suppose that is?" The question calmly delivered snapped through some of the lust and need coursing through Dave's system. He frowned, fangs retracting as he leaned back, just far enough so he could think. "I don't know." "I think you do. I just don't think you want to put it out there." "Maybe I don't," Dave said, and frowned. "And maybe I really don't know." "Or maybe," Lawrence said, hand tight on the back of Dave's neck. He pulled Dave close again, leaned in to nuzzle his neck, and Dave shivered as sharp fangs pressed against his skin. "Maybe you've been lying to yourself for the last few years, and you're not ready to admit it to yourself." "L-lying about...what?" Fuck, it was hard to think with Lawrence right there, fangs hovering over Dave's pulse, and it took all he had to keep from tipping his head back, baring his throat. The words reverberated through him like a shot. "Why it is that you're here with me, ready to offer me your body and your blood, when you're so deeply in love with a man that you were willing to accept his bondmate and his pet in order to get him?" "Because it feels right." His body was so taut he was practically vibrating. He knew Lawrence had to sense it. Full lips curved into a smile against his neck as sharp fangs pricked his skin once more. "Not good enough," and the words were a growl that had Dave's eyes closing, his body relaxing. "Because," Dave whispered, head tilting just a fraction to the side, "he...they aren't what I..." Need, want, he wasn't sure which. Not that it mattered. He whimpered slightly as the fangs withdrew, and gentle lips took their place. The caress left him shaken. "There now," Lawrence murmured, "that wasn't so hard." "No, it..." His eyes snapped open as awareness flooded his brain. "Jesus." Lawrence settled back against the cracked leather cushion of the booth, and poured them both another shot. "I don't normally go through this much trouble for a bit of fun. We wouldn't be here like this if all I wanted was you on your knees for me." The shot remained on the table, untouched. Dave shifted around a little, slid back to put some space between himself and Lawrence. And then he studied Lawrence for several long minutes. "Why?" he finally asked. "Why what?" "If you don't want me on my knees, then what do you want?" Lawrence raised his own glass in a toast. "Well, that's what we're here to find out." When he was finished with the shot, his lips shiny wet from the tequila. Dave fought the urge to lick at the droplets with his tongue. "Find out what?" "It's like this. I watched you for an hour tonight before I walked up to you. Studied you. Couldn't take my eyes off of you, if I'm being honest." Lawrence tapped a finger on the table. "I know what lust is. I know what love feels like. But this...I don't know what this is yet. But I want to find out." "Perhaps you're just looking for a companion," Dave offered. "Dave." Lawrence waited until Dave lifted his head, met his gaze. "I wasn't looking. But once I saw you, I couldn't stop myself." "I shouldn't feel like this," Dave whispered. "Shouldn't want...this...you... I'm bonded, and I should not be imagining the things going through my head right now." "And what would those things be?" "Me. You. Gorging myself on your blood, giving you mine..." Dave would have to have been blind and mortal to miss the way Lawrence's nostrils flared. "You fucking me until I can't remember a time when you weren't." "Sounds like a nice start," Lawrence replied, his voice a low rumble that felt like it was hard-wired to Dave's cock. "I'm sensing a but in there, or we would already be on our way out the door." "Smart and gorgeous, that's a good combination." Then Lawrence dropped a heavy hand over Dave's, neatly trapping it. "We're not naked and feasting on each other because I may be many things, not all of them good, but I've never been a thief." "I...what? Thief?" Dave's forehead wrinkled in confusion. What the bloody hell was Lawrence talking about? "I don't understand. I'm here, I'm offering myself..." Lawrence squeezed Dave's hand. "The only person I want to fuck is you. When I lay you on my bed, I don't want your Harry or Karl or Orlando in the room with me or in your mind or anywhere else. I don't take what's not mine to have, not even from strangers." "Then maybe you should let me leave." Perhaps this had been some sort of test, and he'd been naοve enough to fall for it. "I can't break my bonds, even assuming I wanted to, nor am I some newly made infant who can't keep others out of my head. The only people ever in my bed are the ones I choose to allow." "I was wondering when I'd see this side of you." Far from being annoyed, Lawrence looked positively proud. "It was a legitimate concern. The pet bond is inviolate between vampires and mortals. A true mortal pet wouldn't feel any attraction for another vampire." "I'm not mortal," Dave snapped. He drained his last shot in one gulp, not even feeling the burn. "And I'm not a normal pet." "No, you're not," Lawrence mused. "Lucky for me." A legitimate concern? Dave frowned. If it had been a concern, Dave would never have allowed the second kiss, let alone Lawrence's fangs anywhere near his throat. Part of him wanted to point out the fallacy in Lawrence's argument on the inviolate nature of the pet bond Orlando being very much mortal when he'd bonded with two vampires but the larger part of him focused on Lawrence's last words. "Lucky for you? What's that supposed to mean?" Lawrence laughed, the sound low and rich, like warm butter over bread. "Nothing. It's just that it's lucky for me you're not a typical pet, since that's not what I want from you." "So what, exactly, are you looking for?" Dave watched Lawrence carefully, tried not to be drawn under his spell again. That was nearly impossible, though, when Lawrence smiled at him, and those gentle fingers slid over his skin. All Dave could do was imagine how those hands would feel as they explored his body. "I mean, sex is the obvious answer, but I doubt you'd be this interested in knowing more about a one night stand." "Told you," Lawrence said, and brushed a light kiss across Dave's parted lips, "I want to explore whatever this is between us. Because there is something here, despite your bonds. I think you'd be a mystery worth figuring out." "Then why are we still here?" Lawrence's only response was to motion Randi over and to toss a few bills onto her tray. "Cab or would you like to walk to mine?" "Cab, definitely," Dave replied. Already, he could feel the need punching into him like a fist. Lawrence's teeth gleamed in promise when he smiled. "I was hoping you'd say that." *** Dave wasn't entirely sure what he was expecting from Lawrence's place, but when the cab pulled up to a row of nondescript flats in a modest area of the north end, he couldn't quite hide his shock. "Would've pegged you for a man who liked his space," Dave said, as Lawrence paid the cab and stepped beside him. "It's roomier on the inside than it looks," was all Lawrence said, and led him up the steps to the front door. "It would have to...oh, now this is more like it." Dave stopped just inside the door and looked around. The outside looked like ordinary enough, but inside, well, that was a completely different story. Lawrence had to have knocked out every dividing wall of the flats and restructured everything. It was possible that the space rivaled the castle for sheer square footage. "Take a look around," Lawrence said, and reached out to help Dave out of his suit jacket. "Did you do this yourself?" he asked, still admiring the workmanship. "What'll it take to get me the grand tour?" "Tour's free," Lawrence grinned. "We'll just save the master bedroom for last." Dave thought it was a pretty good sign that he didn't blush at the obvious innuendo. "Fair enough." Lawrence snagged his hand, laced their fingers together comfortably. Odd how he was already used to Lawrence's casual touches. "Well, this is the main room. Through here is the library and pool room," he said, leading Dave through an enormous set of doors that led to an even larger room. It wasn't quite as impressive as the library at the castle, but it was a helluva lot more organized, with books on the actual shelves, instead of in stacks all over the place. "Took me about ten years or so to get everything the way I wanted...floors and frescos are all original. The last owners had carpet and this hideous wallpaper in all of the flats." "Nice to be in a library where you can actually find a book," Dave said, as he ran a finger along the spines on one shelves, reading the titles. "And the woodwork is beautiful. You get a team in to do that?" "Did most of it myself." When Dave turned to look at him, Lawrence just smiled. Gorgeous and good with his hands. And at something other than swordplay. "I'm doubly impressed then." "Apprenticed in woodwork back in my mortal days, and the love of it's stuck with me," Lawrence said, and gestured Dave to another set of doors. "This is the game room. It's where I do a lot of my work and testing." "Testing?" Dave stepped over the threshold and stopped. One wall was covered in LCD flat screens. Along the opposite wall was a large desk that held four flat-screen monitors, and there were more books, this time in scattered piles. On the floor, Dave counted at least four different game systems. "You work in video games?" "And computer games. I own LM, Inc." "Well, that explains that," Dave said, letting out a low whistle of admiration. LM, Inc. rivaled only EA for creation and distribution of video and computer games. "What can I say, I like blowing shit up. And since it's destructive to blow shit up for real, I get my kicks out of doing it virtually." "That's a healthy way of looking at it." He looked around again. "I should introduce you to Orlando." "Bored with me already?" "Not at all, it's just that Orli and his very mortal best friend will worship the ground you walk on," Dave chuckled, reaching out to snag Lawrence's hand again. "And if you have any games that you need beta-tested? They'd be more than happy to help you out with it." "I'm always looking for volunteers." Lawrence led him down a narrow hallway that opened up into a spacious kitchen that looked like something out of a culinary school. "Wow." "Yeah, there's a lot of shiny chrome going on," Lawrence laughed. "I can't cook myself. I burn water, so I figured if I wanted to eat, I should have the best kitchen possible to tempt the best chefs." "I'd say you succeeded," Dave replied, running a finger along the pristine counter. The island in the middle of the room would have dwarfed his entire kitchen in the flat he used to own back in Santa Monica. "I like to eat. Hearty appetite." "So you've mentioned," Dave said, dryly. "Did you manage to tempt that chef?" "You'll find out in the morning." "How...how many more rooms?" Dave blinked at how breathless his voice was. And all of this without Lawrence laying a single finger on him. He was well and truly fucked. "Eight, but only one that matters." There was a pause of exactly one heartbeat. "Come here." It was almost like Lawrence had cast a spell on him, like his body was no longer his own. He stepped forward, unable to look away from the promise, the want, in dark eyes, until he was directly in front of Lawrence, so close he could almost feel the heat pulsing between them. The tip of one of Lawrence's fingers caressed his jaw, the touch fleeting. Dave ached for more; he still couldn't believe he was here. "Last chance to walk away," Lawrence told him. "When I touch you again, I don't intend to stop until I've had my fill of you, and I'm not entirely sure how long that's going to take." "I'll have to go home at some point." The words felt like they were dragged from him. "You're not going to want to go home," Lawrence countered, stray tendrils of hair brushing Dave's cheek when he moved his head. Dave swallowed hard, hands clenched into fists by his sides to keep from reaching out for more. "No," he whispered, "perhaps I won't." //Good.// The next moment, warm lips crested the shell of his ear, and Dave's eyes fluttered closed in pleasure, in self-preservation. The caress moved from his ear to his jaw to his lips. Dave had anticipated that the kiss would be passionate, full of lust and greed, but, instead, it was light, almost chaste. Dave's skin pebbled in anticipation as he returned it. He was happy enough to let Lawrence lead the dance for now and even if he hadn't been, he was pretty sure he wouldn't have had much of a choice. Cool air kissed his skin, and it was only then that he realized Lawrence had somehow unbuttoned his dress shirt. The chill only lasted a minute before large hands started to map his chest, the touch electrifying his nerves. With a moan, he leaned up, flicked his tongue along the seam of Lawrence's lips. Lawrence hummed into the kiss, and his fingertips slid along Dave's chest, leaving a path of fire in their wake. //You're going to be beautiful all full of my cock.// Dave whimpered in lust, need, expectation, he wasn't sure and managed to pull his head back to look up at Lawrence. "Never did show me the master bedroom." "You're right." There was no laughter in Lawrence's voice now. Dave looked down at their hands, his own pale against the dusk of Lawrence's skin, as he allowed himself to be led down the hall and into the bedroom. Once they stepped past the threshold, Dave stopped. Stared. At the very large bed in the middle of the room. At the equally large Jacuzzi just steps away from it. "Fuck me," he breathed, "I just might bloody well move in with you." Low laughter reverberated along his neck. "For the bed or Jacuzzi?" "Both. More the Jacuzzi, though." Fangs lightly dragged along the nape of his neck. "And if I were to tell you about the heated pool just beyond those doors?" "Definitely moving in," Dave sighed, and twisted in Lawrence's arms, fisting his hands in Lawrence's hair as he deepened the kiss. With a low hum of pleasure, Lawrence wrapped tight arms around him, pulled him so close Dave could feel the slow thud of Lawrence's heart beating against his own. This kiss was different from the others, and Dave was helpless against it. He had to fumble for his bonds, slapping a tight shield over them, before he gave himself over to pure sensation. The kiss sucked him in, down, twisted him up, splintered him apart. All he could do was hold on to Lawrence and kiss back, clutching tight to silky hair that slid forward over his hands and face. //Plan on fucking me in the bed or the Jacuzzi first?// //Where would you like me to take you first?// Nimble fingers reached for the zipper of his slacks, dragged it down with a harsh rasp. "Wherever we wind up, I plan to worship every freckled inch of you," Lawrence stated, his voice thick with want. "Which one's closer?" Dave didn't even bother to turn and see. He trusted that Lawrence would guide him. All he knew was that he had to get Lawrence naked now, so he could explore every bit of that gorgeous body. A few buttons flew in his haste to gets Lawrence's shirt unbuttoned, and Lawrence just laughed, shrugging out of it. Then Dave's fingers turned clumsy and thick as he started on the zipper of Lawrence's slacks. He had to stop, take a deep breath, and try again. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been so nervous, so full of need. Not even his first time with Harry could compare to this. When Lawrence stepped out of his trousers and started to reach for Dave again, Dave stopped him with a hand to his chest. "Just... Christ, let me look at you for a minute," he breathed. Before tonight Dave would have said, without a shred of doubt, that Harry Sinclair was the most perfect example of male virility on the planet. But, Christ, Lawrence could give Harry a run for his money. Dave's gaze swept in silent admiration over miles of lush, dark skin, the strong slope of wide shoulders, the expanse of a muscled chest that tapered into... "Fuck me, you have tattoos," Dave moaned. Lawrence just laughed, spread his arms out so that Dave could get a good look at them. "Only the nine." "Only?" Dave made a soft noise of disbelief. Then he circled Lawrence, each step slow and deliberate. He stopped behind him and reached out to drag light fingers over the lines and whorls marking Lawrence's lower back. They all seemed to be tribal in nature. "These are beautiful. Is there a story for each one?" "There is." Then a hand closed around Dave's wrist, and Lawrence pulled Dave back in front of him. "I'll tell you each story later." Dave nodded, and stepped in until his chest just brushed Lawrence's. The heat radiating between them threatened to incinerate him. Dave welcomed it with open arms. He curled a hand behind Lawrence's neck. The other slid down Lawrence's chest, over his stomach. "I want you so deep inside me that nothing else exists." "By the time I'm done with you, nothing will," Lawrence promised, and hearing it sent a sharp thrill down Dave's spine. Lawrence started walking, gently guiding Dave until the backs of his knees hit the bed. He allowed himself to fall, pulling Lawrence with him, and the first feel of Lawrence's heavy, muscled body pinning him to the mattress was another thrill. "Lie back," Lawrence said, eyes flashing with humor and warmth. "I'm in the mood for counting." Counting? Dave frowned in confusion, then gasped when the tip of Lawrence's tongue ran a light path along one of his shoulders. //I knew your freckles would taste as warm as they looked.// Oh, God. Counting. By the time Lawrence made his way down to Dave's chest, he was a quivering mass of need. When Lawrence dipped his tongue further south, parting the coarse hairs that trailed along his abdomen, his entire world had already narrowed to the tumble of sensations coursing through him, each one more vivid than the last. Lawrence took his time lingered along a bit of skin here, a cluster of freckles there laved so much attention over Dave's body that he felt like he was literally drowning. //Please...// Dave wasn't sure what he was asking for, just that he wanted more. Each shift of Lawrence's body, each slick glide of his tongue, each feather light kiss of his hair along Dave's skin, sent a shock wave of pleasure through him. By the time Lawrence reached the crease of his hip and thigh, Dave was writhing on the sheets, incoherent with lust and need. "Lawrence..." //Shh. You'll make me lose count and I'll have to start all over.// Fucking Christ, he was going to die. //Now...where was I...?// With that, Lawrence resumed, trailing his tongue and lips along the proud curve of Dave's cock, the soft skin that stretched tight over his balls, lingered along the sensitive inside of his thighs so long that Dave thought he might die from the pleasure of it. Even his mental voice deserted him under the gentle onslaught. This was opulence on a whole new level it was as if Dave was the absolute center of Lawrence's universe. By the time Lawrence gently nudged him over onto his stomach, Dave felt as if every bone in his body had dissolved into dust. And still, Lawrence took his time, licked a slow path along his back and waist, leaving no inch of skin untouched, unmarked. The sheer amount of pleasure sweeping through him was going to kill him. There was just no way to avoid it. He fisted the sheets weakly, pressed his face into the pillow, and tried not to writhe on the bed. Every inch of skin was over sensitized, so much so that the slightest effort on his part would send him tumbling over the edge. Tears leaked from beneath tightly squeezed lashes, and Dave knew he was lost. Nothing in his life had prepared him for the overwhelming tumult of desire tumbling through him. Lawrence guided him, moved him, and Dave wanted more than he ever had in his life. The knowledge rocked him, softly shattering something deep inside until Dave whimpered and opened himself completely to Lawrence. //I've got you, love. It's alright.// The voice was soft, soothing jagged nerves, as were the slick fingers that pushed inside him, shocking his body back into awareness. //OhGodohGodohGod...// //Focus on me. I've got you.// Blindly, Dave reached back, pulling Lawrence close as the fingers twisted, stretched him for the welcome invasion to come. More. He wanted more. He wanted everything, and the thought should have sent him running. Instead, he arched his back, offered himself as he felt the first thick press of Lawrence's cock inside him. //That's it.// Lawrence hissed through his teeth, the sound sending a shiver up Dave's spine. Strong fingers gripped his hips tight enough to bruise, and Dave welcomed it. Dave whimpered, pushed back, but Lawrence held him completely motionless as he pressed deeper. It burned, the shock of it delicious and dark. Dave's skin was too tight, stretched thin over trembling muscles. He braced one hand against the headboard, reached back to grasp Lawrence's hip with the other. Warm breath ghosted along his nape, and Dave's head fell to the side. //Knew you'd look beautiful just like this. Open for me, pliant, all full of my cock.// //Please...// Soft lips met his for a brief kiss. "Tell me how much you love being full of me, how much you love my cock in you, my hands on you..." Each word was another hammer strike under his skin, each flex of Lawrence's hips another declaration. "Please..." Dave managed, croaking the word through dry lips, mouth full of cotton. "Please..." "Move with me," Lawrence ordered, then buried his cock to the hilt in Dave's ass. Dave clamped down around him, tried to match each movement as Lawrence started fucking him in earnest, pushing so deep with each thrust that Dave knew he'd carry the marks for years. He scrambled for the headboard, both hands gripping it so tight his knuckles were white and his hands were numb. Each thrust rocked him forward. He teetered on the edge, looming over the abyss, and Dave knew that he would gladly tumble over. //Tell me.// The soft words in his mind hit like a whip crack, and Dave arched. His control, what little there was, threatened to shatter completely. He held tight to it, to the memory of who he was, until Lawrence rocked into him again, hips tilted just so. //Please...// //Tell me.// Another snap of hips. Then Dave felt the prick of fangs press against his neck, and the last, tenuous thread of his control snapped. //Only you...// It was a plea, a curse, a promise torn from the very depths of his being. //Only me.// And then Lawrence's fangs broke the skin, struck deep, and Dave could only welcome the void with a non-verbal scream that started from his toes and swept along his entire body like a flashflood. If this was death, he welcomed it with open arms. *** When Dave opened his eyes, it took a moment to focus. He was snuggled against something warm as gentle hands swept down his back in a soothing gesture. It was another moment before he remembered where he was and what had happened. //Lawrence?// "Right here." The words were a low rumble in Dave's ear. He shivered, tried to press closer, but his body refused to cooperate. "Easy, I've got you." "What...?" What happened, what now, what the hell is going on...? Dave didn't even know what he was trying to ask. "I believe it's commonly referred to as passing out," Lawrence replied, sounding amused. Dave thought he should take offense at that, but he couldn't summon the energy. "That, uh..." "Yeah." Lawrence tightened his arm around Dave's waist, pressed a light kiss to the bite marks on Dave's neck. "I'd say we have our answer." Dave struggled to figure out what Lawrence was talking about, but his brain was still a fuzzy and dizzying mess of sensation. "Answer to what?" "To whether I'll let you out of my sight even long enough to get your things." The quiet words shocked Dave's brain back to full functioning. "Guess you'll have to come with me to my hotel then," he said, thoughts tumbling, racing. He couldn't really be contemplating this, could he? Just how in hell was he going to explain this to the others? Of course, they all had other lovers, but this? This was something different. It scared the hell out of him. Reaching up, he wrapped strands of black hair around his fingers and studied the contrast. "Lawrence...I'll have to go home at some point. I won't be in London forever." "I know," Lawrence replied quietly. "I've no wish to own you, and I know you have bonds and obligations that cannot easily be set aside. But when you're here, with me, in this house, it will be only the two of us." "You talk as if they can be set aside at all. You've never met Harry. Or Karl." And just thinking about them sent a low pang echoing in his heart. How could he have given himself so completely to a total stranger when he had them? "And then there's Orlando. I have a...responsibility to the child." "A responsibility you do not wear easily." "A responsibility I took of my own free will." "No one's disputing that," Lawrence replied, calmly. His kiss was soothing, light, calmed Dave's nerves like a balm. "I would never ask you to shirk your sacred duty. When is he supposed to be joining you?" "Joining me?" "How are you to teach him our ways if you're here and he's in Los Angeles?" Lawrence asked, sounding confused. "He..." Ah, hell. Dave closed his eyes, thumped his head back on the pillow. "He's not joining me. There's no way either Harry or Karl would let him out of their sight for as long as I'm going to be here." "So one of them is filling in and substituting for you while you're here?" Dave couldn't look at him. Shame flooded through him, as sharp as a cut. How the hell had his life gotten so complicated? "Not...exactly." "Not exactly?" Lawrence tapped Dave's chin until Dave opened his eyes, stared into dark ones that reflected his own turmoil. "I don't understand." "Neither do I," Dave admitted softly. "But I'll figure something out." He would. He had no choice. "Alright." Lawrence smiled then, that same cocky, toothy smile he'd given Dave at the party (it seemed so long ago) and something in it eased the band around Dave's chest. With a soft sigh, Dave shifted to roll into Lawrence's warmth. Sore muscles protested the movement, and Dave hissed. He was a vampire, for crying out loud. Sex even hardcore, brutal sex should not make him sore. "Problems?" Lawrence asked, and damned if he didn't sound amused. "Ah, no, no, it's good," Dave said, lying perfectly still. Then he exhaled loudly and looked at the ceiling. "Is the Jacuzzi ready to go?" "Of course." Lawrence rolled off the bed, and Dave looked on appreciatively as Lawrence bent to turn on the jets. "See something you like?" he asked, turning and meeting Dave's look. "Very much so," Dave grinned, forcing all of his questions and concerns aside for the moment. There was nothing he could do about them now. "But I think I'm going to need some recovery time." "Lucky for you I don't mind the cuddling," Lawrence smiled. "Do you need help getting up?" "I might," Dave said, and held out his hand. He groaned when Lawrence grabbed it and tugged. "Fuck me..." "Oh, I plan on it," Lawrence laughed, pulling Dave from the bed and guiding him towards the water. "But not yet." "Good thing." The water enveloped him, instantly soothing his body, and Dave sighed in relief. He might never move from this spot. Especially not if Lawrence was going to sit beside him like that. "Better?" "Much." They sat in silence for a few minutes. Bit by slow bit, Dave began to relax, to feel the slackening in the aching morass that was his body. "I could sit here for a year." "Might prune up, but I bet you'd still be pretty." Dave laughed, the sound carefree even to his own ears. He couldn't remember the last time he felt truly relaxed. The last time his obligations hadn't weighed on him like a brand. "I'm British. We don't do water very well." "Should take you to Jeffrey's Bay with me for some surfing. Bit of time in the ocean'll do you some good." "And why do you think that?" Dave's head lolled over, and he opened his eyes just enough to look at Lawrence. Fuck it, there was just too much distance between them. He twisted around, let the water push him, and smiled as he straddled Lawrence's lap. "Feeling up to round two?" "Maybe." Bracing his hands on either side of Lawrence's head, Dave shifted, smiling as the water pushed him into slipsliding against Lawrence. "Keep that up and it'll be round two before you know it." Dave groaned when the head of Lawrence's cock nudged just inside him. "What makes you think I'm not ready?" "Guess you are," Lawrence replied, and grabbed his hips, pushing into him in one slow thrust. His head fell forward to rest against Lawrence's shoulder as he started to move. It was slower this time, easier, and they rocked together as the water lapped over their skin. "Didn't tell you before," Dave said, panting the words, gasping when Lawrence's hand curled around his cock. "Love...fucking love your cock...the way it feels inside me..." "Love how it feels inside you," Lawrence said, accentuating each word with a deft flick of his wrist that had Dave gasping for breath. "Love how tight your ass grips me, like you don't want to let me go..." "I don't..." It was little more than a whisper. He was scared as hell to realize it might be true. "Could fuck you just like this...all night..." Lawrence's lips found Dave's, the kiss mimicking the slow, voluptuous movements inside him. //Might keep you right here.// //Might let you.// Dave's tongue dueled with Lawrence's, and he knew his face was flushed, eyes clouded, when he lifted his head. He smiled, licked his lips. Lawrence's eyes followed his tongue. Dave could feel his fangs drop as his breath stuttered in his throat. //Want to taste you next...push me to my knees, shove that beautiful cock down my throat until I'm choking on it...then I want you to fuck me again.// Lawrence groaned, the sound heartfelt, rumbling from someplace deep inside him. //Got a full-length mirror I could set you in front of, let you see how beautiful your ass is, stretching around me...// //Yes...God yes...// The hand around his cock tightened, slid with assurance, almost like Lawrence already knew everything that made him moan, made him scream. //Think I'd let you...fuck me...anywhere, any time...// Dave arched up when Lawrence hit the right spot inside him just as his wrist flicked. Thankfully, he didn't pass out this time, but he was shaking and breathless, spots dancing in front of his eyes as he shuddered in the aftermath. And Lawrence continued to move inside him. //Again.// Fuckfuckfuck... Lawrence was going to kill him. Dave clutched at strong shoulders, the moan keening as Lawrence rocked forward. His next orgasm rolled over him like a wave. There was no way he was moving again anytime this year. "Don't pass out on me," Lawrence said, leaning in to nuzzle the soft skin just below Dave's jaw. "I seem to recall you saying something about wanting to choke on my cock." "Did I?" Even though he'd already come three times in a short time, Lawrence's words had his body tightening. This was madness. And the hell of it was, he didn't care. "Can't remember it myself, mate." "Let's see if I can jog your memory." With that, Lawrence bodily hauled Dave out of the Jacuzzi like Dave weighed nothing, and shoved him to his knees on the carpet, strong hands pinning him in place. He shivered from the change in temperature, water sluicing over his body, rivulets coursing a path along Lawrence's skin. "Ready?" He didn't give Dave a chance to reply before he was shoving his cock deep down Dave's throat. Dave gasped, choked around the first push, fighting the instinct to push away. He'd wanted this. His hands lifted, bracing against Lawrence's thighs, and Dave managed to tip his head back just enough to look up at Lawrence. //If I can talk after this, I'm going to be disappointed.// Both hands gripped Dave's skull tight, held him in place as Lawrence started to move. Each thrust was brutal, deep, and Dave took as much as he could, choking and gagging with each forward snap of Lawrence's hips. Lawrence seemed to know the how far to push, how much Dave could take. //Even more beautiful like this. Your lips were made to stretch around my cock.// //Next time we do this where I can watch you using me.// He wanted that, too, he realized. Wanted, in an intensity bordering on lunacy, to watch this, to watch himself on his knees, Lawrence using him for his own pleasure. Lawrence growled his approval at the thought, the sound touching off new sparks of need, and the next thrust was even more brutal. The corners of Dave's eyes pooled with tears as he dug his fingers in Lawrence's ass to keep himself upright. Lawrence let go of all restraint, fucked his mouth without finesse, shoved his cock so deep down Dave's throat that he thought he might still be able to taste Lawrence next month. Lawrence's next moan rumbled through his body, embedded itself under Dave's skin, and then he was gasping, suffocating, fighting to swallow as much of Lawrence's come as he could, but some of it dribbled over his lips, down his chin. He tried to suck in more air, his abused throat protesting the treatment. Lawrence sank gracefully to his knees a second later. "Utterly fucking beautiful," he murmured, and started lapping at the come on Dave's chin. Their tongues tangled in a soft, languid kiss, and Dave felt a shifting deep in his soul. He wondered how (or if) he could ever go home again. How he could walk away from this, from the tangle of new emotions that were already threatening to swallow him whole. Leaning against Lawrence's warmth, Dave buried his face in sweat-dampened hair and let Lawrence soothe him. "Thank you," he whispered, and knew he didn't need to explain why. "It was my pleasure," Lawrence replied, just as softly. His arms were tight, comforting around Dave's waist. "C'mon, back to bed with you. Tomorrow'll sort itself out soon enough." Yes, it would. And Dave didn't want to think about that, didn't want to think about everything he was going to have to deal with or how. Right now, he just wanted to feel warm and secure and oved, even if that wasn't what this really was. It couldn't be. He had three men who loved him and trusted him, no matter how much he didn't deserve it, and to even entertain the idea of something more with another person was the worst sort of blasphemy. But he could still pretend. There would be time enough for sorting everything out when he had a better idea of what was going on and why. "Bed sounds like a brilliant idea," he murmured, wincing at how raspy his voice sounded. Then he smiled and wrapped an arm around Lawrence as he was pulled to his feet. He led Dave back to the bed and under cool sheets. Dave snuggled against Lawrence when Lawrence settled in behind him, already addicted to how Lawrence's arms felt around him. He would deal with everything else later. Continued in Catalyst
|