[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.No one told him what to do, not in his past life and certainly not in this one.“Lan, it’s not as if—”“No.”“But I—”“No.” Lan lifted his head to give Rafael a soft, tender kiss.“Please.”“Oh.Well.Since you put it that way, maybe I’ll see what I can do.”Chapter Five“Watch the TV, nap, whatever you want,” Rafael explained while Lan trailed him around the condo.He pointed to the equipment in his study.“But don’t touch the workstation, okay? That’s important.Even if you have some insane desire to dust, please leave the computer stuff alone.”“Are you certain you should do this?” Lan’s fingers twined around his.“You don’t look well.”“What, you want to bring me breakfast in bed?” Rafael did his best to stifle his laugh at Lan’s wounded look.He returned to the bedroom to finish dressing for the club.“Sorry.I just need a snack and I’ll be fine.But I do need one soon or I’ll get all cranky and woozy.Don’t like letting it get too far.”“Have you ever…gone mad from it?”Rafael leaned in to nuzzle Lan’s cheek.“Only when I first woke after the change.I promised myself never again.”Lan walked him to the door as he shrugged into his jacket.“You’re certain?”“Stop worrying.I’m fine.” Rafael gave him a playful shove.“I’ll be back in two hours, tops.Promise.”Headed to Clyde’s, he tried to formulate the best way to go about this feeding.A quickie in the bathroom? A dark corner in the club? This would be the first time in many years that he would leave the full Monty out of the equation.He stopped at the corner, puzzling over that thought.Besides the need for nutritional expediency, why was he even considering this? He’ll be pissed at me and he’s damn dangerous.No, that felt wrong.He would rather not make Lan angry, but it was more than that, some odd tug in the centre of his chest.I don’t want him disappointed in me.Good grief, what in all creation is wrong with me?To his utter horror, Clyde’s was holding a C&W night.His looks and his smile got him past the bouncer at the door, but he felt distinctly out of place amid all the cowboy hats and western-style shirts.At least they were playing Johnny Cash.His black jeans and leather jacket could work with that and he did like The Man in Black.He found a pole near the bar to lean against, little shivers running through his calf muscles.Lan was right.He felt like crap and this was not his best idea of the century.Still, he was here.Time to hunt.The usual sorts crowded the dance floor and the bar area.Rafael perused the selection, looking for a lonely, desperate twink, someone he could tempt quickly into a dark corner, feed from and get back home so Lan would stop worrying.Johnny’s deep, velvet voice rolled over him, soothing his nerves, and suddenly he realised which song was playing.I keep a close watch on this heart of mine.I keep my eyes wide open all the time.A chuckle caught in Rafael’s chest and leapt out as a full-fledged laugh, thankfully swallowed by the club noise.Because you’re mine, I walk the line… He wrapped his arms around his ribs, laughing helplessly.Yes! The line as a painstaking exercise in not straying.That was exactly what he was doing, trying to keep aloof and avoid entanglements, not out of a need for independence but because of what Lan might think.Oh, fuck.It’s too rich, too ironic to have this song…this song playing now.How could this have happened? What’s gotten into me?He was still laughing when he caught the eye of a cute little blond at the end of the bar.He pushed off the pole and put a little swagger in his steps as he made his way towards the bar.The cutie was quite fuckable, and damn it all, Rafael Schiller did as he pleased.To hell with Lan and his demands.Requests.He pretended not to notice the sad emerald eyes haunting him from the back of his brain.This was him, resolutely not caring.He turned up the smile wattage, straightened his shoulders—“Rafael?”The hand on his elbow stopped him.He turned, fighting the annoyance that wanted to creep into his expression.Ah.Denny.“Well, hey, there.”“You didn’t call.”He turned to give his one-time meal his full attention.“I’ve been a little busy, sweetpea.” I didn’t promise to, did I? I never do.He stifled a sigh.The cute blond would have to wait until another time unless he wanted a scene with Denny.The boy smelled of desperation, want and…fear.Stalking a vampire could make a human nervous, he supposed.Rafael traced a finger over Denny’s cheek.“Well, I’m here now.Will that do?”“Yes.” Denny crowded closer, breathless and wide-eyed.“You need to feed, don’t you? Something’s happened, hasn’t it?”Rafael kept the smile firmly glued in place.“Why would you say that?”“You’re too pale and you have these dark rings under your eyes.The Barnabas Collins look isn’t real great for you.”“Thank you so much.You do know how to feed a guy’s ego.”Denny stiffened at that but clamped a hand on Rafael’s arm.“I’m sorry.I didn’t mean it like that.It just looks like you could use a little bit.I’m here for you.You know that.”Why not? Here Denny was, ready and willing, no seduction or explanations necessary.Rafael leaned in to whisper in Denny’s ear, “I am in need.Are you offering yourself, lamb? Have someplace in mind for a quick bite?”“Oh…yes.” Denny’s eyes slid shut on a shiver, his breath caressing Rafael’s throat in quick pants.“My…my car’s close.”“Perfect.” A quick snack for him, a quick fix for Denny’s vamp jonesing, everyone left happy, just how he liked it.He threw an arm around his snack’s shoulders and steered him towards the door.“Lead the way.”Out in the parking lot, an odd shiver struck Rafael which he dismissed as hunger pangs.“I have a favour to ask,” Denny murmured as they approached his little Chevy.“Oh?”Denny ran a hand back through his hair.Apparently, the request made him nervous.“Take me on the hood of the car.I’ve…always had a fantasy about that.”Rafael took a quick glance at their surroundings.He would have preferred inside the car, but Denny had parked far from any lighting.It seemed a small thing to make his dinner happy.“We’ll just have to make it come true then, won’t we?”He put a hand on the back of Denny’s neck and pushed to bend him over the hood, fingers splayed out to either side.Oh, so tempting, that tight little ass displayed just for me.Rafael let his hand drift over Denny’s suede-clad hip, just to watch him squirm.He told that hand it needed to dive underneath and undo the fly, but the extremity in question hesitated.Why are my hands so wilful these days?His conscience was at fault, though, not his hand.A half-made promise to a beautiful winged monster stopped him cold.Yes, I’ll admit that I’m a fool for you… Damn song.Damn krsnik.Damn, damn, damn.He stroked Denny’s back while he hesitated, keeping him still and giving himself a moment
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]