STORY EXCERPT

When Sirius pulled the human close to him, he thought the skittish human would bolt, shove him away, even scream for help. He didn’t imagine the waves of fear emanating from his fated mate earlier though. Something about Sirius’ appearance, or was it his nature, had frightened his special one terribly. Soon, Sirius would find out. He’d root it out, make sure his man had nothing to fear from him again.

“What’s your name?” he asked.

“Gary Burke.”

“Gary.” He uttered that name in wonderment. “You know who I am.”

A statement, not a question.

Gary nodded. “You’re Sirius, drummer for Eternal Sorrows. That’s why I knew this is a dream.” Gary let out a nervous-sounding laugh. “The real Sirius wouldn’t track me down in some random alleyway.”

Why did Gary keep insisting this wasn’t real? Sirius wondered, thumbing the slight stubble on Gary’s jaw. Gary widened his eyes at the gesture. 

“Then I’ll prove you wrong,” Sirius said, finally leaning in close to take his fill, to do what he had wanted ever since he caught Gary’s scent in the crowd. Sirius took Gary’s mouth without apology, didn’t hold back at all. Gary clutched at his shoulders, kissed him fervently back. Heat rammed down his throat, went right to his dick, which strained against the zipper of his jeans. 

If Sirius had his way, he’d shove Gary against the way, claim what was rightfully his. He had no doubt Gary wouldn’t fight or refuse him. Gary might even bare his throat to him, beg Sirius to bite him, take his blood, and Sirius bet Gary’s blood would taste like honey and vanilla. Like the world’s sweetest elixir. Sirius shoved the beast called lust inside him back in its cage.

Doing that to Gary would amount to an unforgivable sin. He had waited several lifetimes for fate to land him in this moment, to find his mate. Ruining their first meeting and hurting Gary was unforgivable, especially since he could see the hidden wounds in Gary’s chocolate-brown eyes. Gary’s reaction to him earlier spoke several volumes, told him someone or something had hurt Gary before. 

His special human said he hadn’t gone out of his apartment for six years. Why was that? So many questions raced in his head. Sooner or later, he’d find out all the answers he needed. Then, he’d exorcise the demons that plagued his human’s mind. Sirius, too, knew about scars. Not physical ones, but the kind that left permanent ones on the soul.

When he pulled away, Gary panted, stared at him.

“That felt so real, too amazing for words,” Gary whispered. “I’m a nobody. Why me?”

“This is no dream, Gary. Don’t call yourself a nobody. You’re the special person I’ve been looking for my entire life. I’d even begun to think you didn’t exist, but here you are.” Gary didn’t understand anything yet, how essential he was to Sirius, but his human would soon see the bigger picture. That destiny made this meeting possible for a reason. 

Right on cue, his phone rang. Sirius cursed. Gary took a step back as he took it out. Lucius’ name flashed across the screen. 

“The concert’s about to start,” he said. For the first time in ages, Sirius didn’t want to perform. He wanted to remain by Gary’s side, whisk his human away someone private and more comfortable, a place where they could talk. Somewhere Gary would feel safe and no one, no paparazzi, would hound them and there wouldn’t be a need for Sirius to don a disguise.

“The concert. Crap. I need to queue all over again.” If possible, his human’s face turned pale as a vampire’s. Gary’s face fell, but Sirius tipped his chin with his fingers. Gary swallowed. “I’m not good with people, crowds.” 

Sirius recalled Gary had looked uncomfortable in line. When the group behind Gary started to gossip about him, Sirius nearly wanted to murder them all, but he held back, knowing a loss of control wouldn’t just smear his reputation, but that of the band. A lot rode on this concert, and if news broke out that he had attacked fans of a concert dedicated to victims of paranormal attacks, well. The consequences would be irreparable.

It didn’t matter now, because he had finally made contact with Gary. 

“Come with me. I’ll get you inside.” He held out a hand.

Gary seemed to hesitate, before taking it.

Sirius answered Lucius. “I’ll be right there, and call Rene. Ask him to send a car over at Carver Street.”

“Do I need to ask what you’re doing there?” 

“We can’t waste any time. I’ll explain later,” he told his best friend, before ending the call and looking at Gary again. 

“I still have a hard time believing this is real,” Gary whispered. “That you actually kissed me.”

“You kissed me back,” Sirius couldn’t help but point out happily. It was a pleasure, watching Gary turn red as a tomato. So endearing. There was a naive, innocent quality to the human that certainly appealed to him. Gary was so different from all the men he’d been with in the past, men who lied their asses off, said anything that they thought would please him and harbored hidden agendas. Not his Gary though. 

His Gary. Sirius certainly liked the sound of that. 

Minutes later, Rene arrived with a car. 

“Rene will get you a VIP pass,” he told Gary, as Gary went inside the car. Sirius slid in soon after. “We’ll talk more after the concert.”

ADULT EXCERPT

“I didn’t bring any swimming trunks,” Gary said.

Sirius could hear it, the sound of Gary’s elevated heartbeats. His human was excited. Good, because Gary could sure use some fun, experience new things in his life after the ordeal he went through. 

“Who needs those?” He grinned, then proceeded to chuck off his pants, followed by his boxers. 

Without waiting for his human, he dove into the pool, shivered once inside. “The water’s—” Sirius began, but Gary, already nude and perfect, dove right in, creating a massive splash. 

Gary wiped the water from his eyes. Gary shivered as Sirius pulled him close, wrapped his arms around him.

“Am I helping?” he asked, kissing the side of Gary’s neck, where Gary’s pulse point was. Hunger of a different sort rose. Bloodlust combined with the physical one, a very potent combination. He could imagine the rich taste of Gary’s blood filling his mouth, all the while he sank his dick deep inside Gary’s ass, claiming him in the most intimate way possible. 

He groaned, shut his eyes.

“What’s wrong?” Gary asked, touching his arm in the water.

“I’m wrestling hard for control.” He ought to release Gary, put some distance between them, but their skin touching only made things worse. 

“Why? There’s no reason to be around me.”

“You don’t know how dangerous those words are, baby. I haven’t felt this way since I was a new vampire, unable to control my bloodlust, my hunger.”

Gary stilled, but his heart rate didn’t rise. His human wasn’t scared of him. A miracle. Gary had started to trust him, but what if Sirius ended up disappointing Gary? He began to take a step back, about to release Gary, tell him this might be a bad idea after all, but Gary turned in his arms, exposed the side of his neck. Sirius could see it, Fisher’s fang marks, and wanted to get rid of them immediately.

“I know you won’t hurt me,” Gary stated, pulling him close, shocking Sirius, and he’d been seldom surprised since he became a vampire.

“How could you know that?” he answered, staring intently at Gary’s neck. 

So tempting and Gary smelled so alarmingly good, despite the chlorine all around them. The cold of the water didn’t shrivel his dick one bit, especially with Gary standing so close, so ripe for the taking. Sirius was about to break his promise to his human, but the last of his control shattered when Gary put his arms around his neck and tilted his head, exposing the creamy expanse of his skin.

* * * *

What in the world was Gary doing? Sirius warned him, didn’t he? Told Gary he was this close to losing his precious control, but somewhere, deep inside of him, Gary knew nothing about this situation felt wrong. Gary wanted the reminder Fisher had left on his neck, a reminder of his helplessness and fear, gone, erased, and replaced by Sirius’ bite mark.

“Gary, stop,” Sirius told him, voice constricted.

“Bite me, Sirius. I want you to.”

“You don’t know what you’re asking for.” Even as Sirius said those words, the vampire licked at his neck again, made him shudder in anticipation, need. 

“Please.”

“Begging won’t get you anywhere.” Sirius pressed a kiss to the side of his neck. 

“You said so yourself. We’re mates, aren’t we? This feels so right.”

“I don’t want you to end up hating me.”

“That will never happen,” he insisted, squeaked when Sirius put his hand on his waist and, without warning, lifted him in his arms. 

Gary held on tight as Sirius climbed up the short steps out of the pool and laid him down on one of the lounge chairs. Hunger and something else gleamed in the vampire’s inhuman, beautiful eyes. The need and affection there must echo Gary’s own emotions. Under the moonlight, the night stars, Sirius’ muscled body gleamed like perfect ivory. God. Just like that, he was more turned on than ever.

“Wait here. I want to fuck you first,” Sirius said, voice harsh. 

Sirius disappeared, as if by magic, only to reappear seconds later, with towels and lube in hand. The vampire put the towels underneath his body, then climbed on top of him. Gary sighed as Sirius put his mouth to the side of his neck, before moving downwards, leaving little bite marks along the way, marks only hard enough to leave tiny bruises in the morning. He didn’t mind at all. His pulse spiked as Sirius went lower, placed a kiss on his dick, before hefting his legs above those broad white shoulders. 

The vampire reminded him of a powerful, warrior Greek god, one who was merciless and intent on his conquest. Him. Realizing Sirius could see all of him exposed, his dick, balls, and pink asshole, he blushed. Shame disappeared as he gazed upon the ravenous look in Sirius’ eyes. The vampire picked up the lube, drizzled plenty inside Gary’s hole. He moaned as Sirius slid a finger inside him, added a second. 

Jesus, that felt good, but he longed for something larger and eyed Sirius’ impressive erection. Good thing his vampire was hung like a horse. Gary knew it would hurt at first but only for a little while. He had no doubts a vampire rock god like Sirius would have plenty of experience. All his earlier doubts about this being nothing more than a fling completely evaporated. He could feel the way Sirius held on badly to his fragile control, the possessive way Sirius touched him. 

“Sirius,” he murmured. “Fuck me already.” 

“Soon, baby.” Sirius put fingers in his ass, and he gasped, because Sirius must have found his prostate. The vampire did it again, made him whimper. 

“Please.”

Sirius curved his red lips to a smile. “How can I refuse, when you beg so nicely?”