STORY EXCERPT

“Stop! Please stop,” Lucian cried out as he clutched his hands to his head and covered his ears, but the voices didn’t stop. They only got louder.

Stop? The sound of a woman’s soft laughter sent a cold chill down his spine. Lucian cringed and pressed his eyes closed. You didn’t stop when I begged.

“I’m sorry.” Large drenching tears fell from his tightly clenched eyes. 

Sorry won’t save you now. The voice shouted, causing his ears to ring. 

The voice faded and Lucian cracked open one eye, then the other. He was alone in a dimly lit alley. The sounds of people’s happy chatter filled the air and the smell of food and liquor surrounded him. Lucian glanced around but didn’t see anyone. He knew what he heard, but there was no woman in sight. He blinked his eyes and then he saw her. Her thin, gaunt face, her cold merciless eyes staring at him offering no peace. She threw her head back and laughed. 

“Dear God, what is wrong with me?” Lucian stumbled away from the wall he was leaning against and stepped out into the street. His mind was racing but he couldn’t seem to grab onto one single thought. 

The street was packed with people. Bright lights stung his eyes. Then, the voice started again, but this time it was that of a child.

Where are you going? The child giggled. You can’t escape us. We’re everywhere.

Lucian closed his eyes, hoping the darkness would bring him some peace, but no luck. Standing off to the side was a little boy. He looked to be about eight or nine. There was a gaping hole where his throat had once been. Blood flowed freely from the wound and made a sickening trickle sound as it dripped onto the ground. 

More laughter followed by screams of dread and terror echoed in his mind. Lucian snapped. Images of what had taken place with that young witch just mere moments ago flashed before his eyes and he could still feel the great shock of power the witch infused into his body. The light shined so brightly, then his heart started to beat. He was frantic as a wave of guilt crushed down onto him. Every evil thing he had ever done played like a movie in fast forward in his mind’s eye. All the terrible things he’d done. All the people he’d hurt right there in front of him wanting revenge. 

“Make it stop!” Lucian shouted. He doubled over in the middle of the street.

“Sir, you okay?” A woman touched his back and he jolted away from her. “Do you need me to call an ambulance?”

Lucian opened his eyes and stared at the pretty brunette. Her eyes were filled with concern. She was offering him help, but there was no helping him. He was cursed. 

Lucian shook his head and took off running. He crashed into unsuspecting bystanders, rushing toward the safety of a secluded spot. 

Run, run as fast as you can but it will get you nowhere. The little boy’s voice mocked him. I ran and it only made you angrier.

Lucian fell to his knees, once again clutching at his ears pleading for the voices to stop, but they didn’t. They only got louder and now he could hear both the woman and the child taunting him. Lucian’s heart beat at a rapid tempo as if a herd of horses was pounding in his chest. 

“Athena,” Lucian whispered into the darkness. “Help me.” He clenched his eyes so tight his eyeballs hurt and he thought of the compound Athena had constructed. A floating sensation wound around his body. The next thing he knew he was falling to the ground. His knees smacked hard into the unforgiving marble. 

Lucian gasped for breath as he looked around the dark hallway. He slowly stood to his feet and then spun in a circle when he heard laughter, but once again no one was there. Footsteps echoed in the distance, growing near. Lucian spun around to see a young man heading toward him. He was tall with jet black hair. Lucian couldn’t see his face very well. A pair of dark sunglasses sat on his perfectly straight nose, shielding his eyes from his view. He moved with a graceful ease, almost as if he were slithering closer to him. 

“Father,” the young man said. 

Father? It took Lucian a moment to remember, but once he did, the memories were endless. Hale. This was his son. The son he’d helped ruin. 

“Hale.” Lucian rushed toward Hale. He cupped his hands to his pale cheeks. Tears stung his eyes. His beautiful boy. How could he have let him turn out this way? 

Ah, how sweet. The woman was back. She stood off to the corner, lounging against the wall, smiling at him. It’s funny how you care so much for this son but never think about the other.She laughed. But then again maybe Damon was lucky you weren’t in his life. You weren’t able to poison him like you did to sweet innocent Hale.

“Shut up!” Lucian spat. 

“Father, what’s wrong with you?” Hale reached up to wrap his long thin fingers around his wrist. Lucian was too ashamed to meet his son’s eager gaze, so he looked down, to the side, anywhere but at his son. With reflexes quick as lightening, Hale grabbed him by the chin and forced him to look up. “Oh my God.” Hale’s voice held a tinge of awe. “Your eyes. They’re no longer black.”

“My boy.” Tears streamed down his face, falling like fat raindrops to the ground. “What have I done to you?” He raised a shaking hand to pull off Hale’s sunglasses. There staring back at him were dark pools of black nothingness. 

“Father, how did you do it?” Hale shouted. “Tell me.”

ADULT EXCERPT

He heard Leo enter the bathroom but he didn’t want to turn around and face him. He was afraid of what Leo would see in him. Lucian had done so many terrible things and he didn’t want to poison Leo with them. 

At the press of Leo’s soft skin next to his, Lucian was able to breathe. The sound of Malcolm laughing vanished and all he could hear was the pitter patter of the water hitting the hard floor and the soft inhales of breath from Leo. His angel had made the demons go away. All the voices in his head went silent and for the first time since he’d been given back his soul he felt normal. 

Lucian turned around and hugged Leo. He was so thankful for the gift of silence he’d given him. It must be because Leo was his mate. That had to be it. Was it possible that Leo could save him?

Lucian stared into Leo’s dark blue eyes and in that moment nothing else mattered. He didn’t care what obstacles they would need to overcome or that he wasn’t worthy of Leo’s love. Lucian just needed him so badly and he did what came naturally. He kissed him. 

Leo’s lips were like the finest silk he’d ever had the pleasure of touching. Hot moist puffs of air seeped out his mouth and Lucian took advantage of the unspoken offer. He licked inside and growled at the sweet flavor of his mate. 

He wanted to give into the heat bubbling between them. It was like a volcano preparing to erupt. Lucian couldn’t touch Leo enough. Leo’s fingers dug into the skin around his neck and he sucked on Lucian’s tongue. It was maddening the things this small vampire was doing to him. 

Lucian bent his knees and moved his hands down to grab at Leo’s firm tight ass. He stood back up, bringing Leo with him. Leo wrapped his thin long legs around his waist and Lucian turned to press him against the wall. His cock stood hard and proud and he rocked into the crease of Leo’s ass. 

“Oh god!” Leo cried out as he broke away from the kiss. His head fell back and hit the shower wall. Lucian attacked the soft flesh of his neck, biting and sucking. “I want you.” Leo grabbed a fistful of Lucian’s hair and jerked his head up. They stared deeply into one another’s eyes. “Please,” Leo begged. 

Lucian lifted his hand to wipe away the tears on his lover’s cheeks. Leo was too precious and innocent to ever beg or cry for anything. Lucian would make sure he never had to ever again. This man was his and he’d protect him until the last breath he took. 

Lucian reached between them and grabbed the base of his cock and guided it toward the warmth that lay nestled between the hard muscles of Leo’s bottom. Leo wiggled in his arms and tried to press down to take all of Lucian’s cock but he held him tight, stopping him from hurting himself.

“Slow, angel.” Lucian rubbed his nose alongside Leo’s. “Don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t.” Leo captured his lips and his sharp little fangs nipped at Lucian’s mouth. He jerked back and stared down at the single drop of crimson dripping from Leo’s chin. “I’m sorry. Shit! I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean—”

Lucian didn’t give him a chance to finish that sentence. They were vampires, biting came with the territory and he’d gladly let his mate bite him whenever he wanted. It turned him on in a way he never noticed before. 

Back when he was evil, biting was never for pleasure. It was only to fill his need for blood and destruction. Lucian loved causing pain. He fed on it like a drug. He never knew it could be something special and sensual shared with a lover. 

Lucian took Leo’s lips in a hard kiss. He wanted to show his mate through his actions how he’d done nothing that needed apologizing for. Leo whimpered and held on tighter to Lucian. His hard cock stabbed Lucian in the stomach and he could feel the pulse of his lover’s heartbeat. Lucian was done waiting. He had to be inside his mate. Next time he’d go slow, show Leo just how special he was, but right now he just needed to be connected to this man, to ground him to this plane of existence in a positive way.

Lucian guided his leaking tip to Leo’s small opening and tapped it against the rippled muscle. Leo moaned and nodded his head. Lucian pulled back just enough to watch Leo’s expression as he entered him. The snug opening fluttered around his thick cock head and Leo hissed as he worked his muscles trying his damnedest to take more in. Lucian rocked in and out slowly. Leo was dry and tight and he didn’t want to cause him any discomfort. They were vampires and healed quickly, but still. Lucian worked his entire nine inches into Leo’s accepting body. Leo panted against his lips and squeezed his internal muscles, causing Lucian to grunt and push forward. 

“You okay?” Lucian asked.

“Better than okay.” Leo grinned at him and leaned in for a kiss. “But could you please move.” Leo thrust his cock into Lucian’s hard stomach then pushed back against Lucian’s solid and thick length. “Been so long,” Leo whispered.