Chapter Eight

H enry woke and sat up, his heart pounding in his chest. A dream. A nightmare. That was all it was, but something nagged at him. Something in the back of his of mind. Something that had happened when he was young. Something he’d witnessed.

He’d been walking home after school. It was dark, raining, and he knew he was being followed. He kept glancing behind him every time he’d felt that itch between his shoulder blades, but no one had ever been there. But he knew. Everything in his body was screaming at him to run and run fast.

When a hand had clamped over his mouth and he’d been lifted off his feet, Henry had done everything in his power to fight his assailant, to no avail. The person who had him held him in a tight grip and ran. Ran so fast, and the street Henry had been walking along had disappeared as the building had shot by.

He’d been slammed up against a wall, his head twisted painfully to the side, then he’d fallen slumped to the ground, the sounds of a fight echoing around him. Lifting his head, he’d watched, stunned, as two men fought one another. Two vampires.

He’d seen their teeth, seen the speed they’d moved at, seen the way they took blows that would knock out a human but had appeared unaffected. One had disappeared right in front of him and the other had turned to face him, watching him, then did something that Henry had carried with him since.

“You should go, human.”

Henry had nodded and stood, stumbling on shaky legs. He’d somehow run to the end of the alley he’d been in and when he’d turned to look back, the vampire had been gone.

“Gray,” Henry whispered. The vampire who had saved him had been Gray. He looked exactly the same now as he had then. Why had he forgotten? Maybe because he’d seen something he couldn’t believe in then. He’d been a child, had been kidnapped, had been attacked, and his savior had been something other than human.

Made sense he’d block the memory.

Leaning back against the headboard, Henry sighed deeply. They’d met before, he and Gray. It seemed as if destiny had wanted them to have a connection. Why hadn’t Gray noticed they were mates then? Well, Henry had been twelve, so that might have had something to do with it. Puberty changed things.

Rubbing his hands over his face, Henry pulled the duvet up around his chest. He felt tired, but he also felt his body aching like it had been before Gray had arrived. They’d been apart a day now, and Henry knew he would have to see Gray again if he wanted to remain well.

Now that just made his day. Seeing Gray again, who would no doubt blame Henry for what was happening, even though Henry had no idea who or what he was to Gray. He barely remembered their time together. It had been good, he knew that, but the rest was kind of a blur. He’d had a lot to drink that night and now he was tied to a vampire who clearly didn’t like the idea.

Which made this just amazing. Not.

“How are you feeling?”

Henry almost screamed when he heard the question. His heart pounded in his chest and he glared at Gray. “Fucking come in the normal way.”

“What? So you can tell me to leave?” Gray leaned against the door, arms crossed over his chest. “I think I’ll come in this way, and you didn’t answer my question.”

“Why should I answer it?”

“Because you get ill if I’m away too long, that’s why.”

“Gee, you look so happy about that.”

Gray pushed away from the door and stormed over to the bed. Henry shrank back, the anger that radiated from Gray had him holding his breath waiting to see what the vampire would do. “I’m not happy, but we have to live with it. I need to know how long I can stay away from you before I have to come here.”

“Wow. How to make me feel all wanted and warm and fuzzy inside.”

“I don’t care how you feel, but we’re stuck together and I don’t want you dying on me.”

“Why not? Wouldn’t that set you free?” Gray glanced away and Henry realized something. “Does me dying affect you? Is that why you’re here, oh so concerned about my health?”

“Maybe,” Gray muttered, grudgingly.

“Again, overwhelmed with positive emotions.”

“You asked, I answered. So now tell me how you feel.”

“Achy, like the beginning of the flu.” Henry could see Gray moving his jaw from side to side.

“I get twenty-four hours away from you, then.”

“You can do a lot with that. Fuck anyone you want. Spend the night with your dick buried in their ass.”

Gray’s jaw hardened and Henry furrowed his brow. “I can’t.”

“What? Why not? I had sex with Jess after you left.” And hadn’t that been fun? Not.

“You did what?” Gray roared, causing Henry to shrink back into the bed.

“I had sex with my partner, the one I told you about.”

Gray jumped on the bed and pulled Henry out, snarling in his face. “No one but me touches you.”

“But my touch repulses you,” Henry whispered. “Why does it bother you if I find a guy who actually wants to be with me? You don’t. You’ve made that clear, so why can’t I have someone who likes me, who doesn’t think I’m shit for being human?”

“Because you’re mine!” Gray shouted.

“But you don’t want me,” Henry murmured. “You don’t even like me.” He shook his head slowly. “Makes me wonder why you saved me all those years ago.” Holding up his wrist, Henry showed Gray the scar he carried. “You grabbed my wrist and bit me, leaving this scar. I forgot all about it. Probably blanked it from my mind, but I remembered and I knew it was you who saved me and marked me. Did you know then who I would be to you? Is that why you did this?” Henry rubbed the scar on his wrist. “A way to avoid me if you ever saw it again?”

Gray’s mouth had fallen open as he stared at Henry’s wrist. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Stupid delusional human.”

Henry heard the words, but there was no heat or anger behind them. Just a voice that trembled. “You do. You remember.”

Gray’s eyes shifted from Henry’s wrist to him. “It meant nothing. It was years ago, and it was a way to scare a stupid child from walking home alone in the dark where the things that hunt humans could find him.”

“Well, that worked. Never did walk on my own again, until I was older.”

“A thank you would be nice.”

“Sarcasm will get you nowhere, mate.”

Henry saw Gray’s eyes widen, his nostrils flare and wondered if he was pushing the vampire too much. Not that he’d really done anything, but he didn’t know Gray and didn’t know how he would react. “Don’t call me that.”

“Why? It’s the truth. We fucked, you bit me, and now we’re mates. I’m the one who has to live with that.”

“So do I,” Gray muttered harshly. “I’m the one who can’t fuck anyone else. It’s you from now until we die.”

“Whereas I can fuck another man or I wouldn’t have been able to with Jess.”

“I swear to god if you mention his name again I will find him and kill him.”

“Is murder a crime for your species?” Genuine concern for Jess flooded through him, and Henry waited. He didn’t think Gray would do anything to hurt Jess, but then again, he had no idea about the vampire he was mated to. His life had been altered and now he had to live with it, as did Gray.

Gray grimaced and turned away. Henry took the time to get out of bed and stand on the opposite side, away from Gray. “Yes.”

“I’m surprised you answered me.”

“Me too.” Henry watched the muscles tense in Gray’s back, then Gray spun around. “A bed won’t protect you.”

“It gives me a false sense of security which I need right now.”

Arching an eyebrow, Gray appeared directly in front of Henry, causing him to jump back. “Don’t do that.”

“Why? I like doing it and it’s a faster way to travel. You poor humans are limited.”

“This poor human is very happy with the way he moves around.” Gray pushed Henry back against the wall. “Stop. You don’t have any right to touch me.”

“I’m your mate. That’s all I need.”

“You don’t like me.” Henry looked up into Gray’s eyes. “Why would you want to be near me?”

“I don’t want to be near you, but I do want to fuck you.”

“No.”

Gray chuckled softly. “That word doesn’t work on me.”

Henry smiled, then kneed Gray in the nuts. As Gray fell to the floor moaning in pain, Henry stepped over him and grabbed his jeans, pulling them on. “No seems to work just fine.”

“You fucker,” Gray gasped out.

“What a way to talk to your mate.” Henry pulled on a t-shirt then left his bedroom. Grabbing his sneakers, he put them on, then stood. “Enjoy your recovery time. I’ll be at some club fucking the night away.” He heard a growl and ran to his front door, but didn’t reach it before a hand yanked him back.

“No one gets to touch you.” Gray’s eyes glowed red and a second later, Henry’s mouth was taken in a blistering kiss.

He didn’t even consider hiding his moans. Henry needed to feel Gray’s hands on him and even though he still wasn’t completely convinced about being mated to Gray, Henry couldn’t deny the way his body responded to him. One second, his dick had been soft and the next he was hard.

The touch of Gray’s hands on his body had Henry burning up. He’d missed Gray’s touch, and he’d only experienced it once, but now that he was here again, he knew no other man would do. Gray tugged on Henry’s t-shirt and Henry lifted his arms so Gray could pull it off.

As soon as it was gone, Gray kissed him again, his tongue darting into Henry’s mouth. One hand gripped Henry’s hair, and the other wrapped around his waist. When Gray pushed Henry up against the wall, Henry moaned and arched up, rubbing his dick along Gray’s, feeling Gray’s own erection.

Gray’s hands moved and tugged on Henry’s jeans, pulling them open and pushing them down over his hips. Henry’s dick slapped his stomach and then Henry grunted when Gray’s lips wrapped around the wet head.

“Fuck.”

Gray didn’t respond. He continued to suck and lick Henry’s dick, then he moved back and spun Henry around. Spreading Henry’s ass cheeks wide, Gray dived straight in, his tongue linking over Henry’s wrinkled hole.

Henry pushed back, his head resting on his arms as he leaned on the wall. He heard a drawer open and lifted his head, then Gray was licking his ass again. When Henry felt a wet finger push inside, he knew Gray had grabbed the lube. That had been why he’d heard the drawer being opened.

Pushing back, Henry moaned when a second finger slid inside. “More.”

“Wait.”

“I can take it.”

Gray didn’t respond but spread his fingers wide, stretching Henry and making him moan again. A third finger pushed inside and Henry hissed at the pain. It was brief, then morphed into something far better, his body shuddering when Gray rubbed his fingers over Henry’s prostate. The difference in how he felt now and how he felt when Jess did it staggered Henry, but now wasn’t the time to dwell on it, not when Gray made him feel this good.

Gray’s finger slid free and then Henry felt Gray against his back. “Now I’m gonna fuck you.”