CHAPTER THREE

Chaus's smile lit up his face. "Oh yes, I'm more than ready."

He followed the brothers outside, standing quietly as the valets rushed to bring vehicles to those who waited.

"Damn, what a line,"

Allen complained as he looked around. "We're going to be all damn night."

Jordan rolled his eyes. "Calm down. We do have all night, Allen."

Since the brothers weren't paying attention to him, Chaus discreetly sniffed the air. The scent of demon rode on the breeze. There, in the shadows, cloaked in darkness was Asmodeus.

A human fidgeted, not far from the demon, while he waited for his vehicle to be brought around. The other human next to him was completely unaware of the nerves pouring off the one Asmodeus stalked.

The shadows reached for the one the demon watched, but the human didn't know this, couldn't see what stalked him. Chaus raised an eyebrow, then nodded in acknowledgement as the human Asmodeus observed drove off.

It didn't pay to piss off that particular demon. Besides, unless he was mistaken, the human the Prince of Lust pursued was a friend to Jordan and Allen. Hmm, interesting.

"Hey, wasn't that Kain?"

"I believe so."

Jordan frowned as the Hummer tore ass out of the parking lot. "Wonder what the hell's bothering him?"

"Nothing bothers Ice."

"Yes, well."

Jordan's tone was dismissive. "Something funny was going on."

Chaus snickered silently. Better pay attention to what's going on a little closer to home, human. Fortunately, he and his two humans were at the back of the line of those waiting for service.

Chaus scanned the vicinity. The waiting area was nearly deserted, and the other valets were busy talking among themselves now that the crowd had dissipated. Perfect. Couldn't have planned this better if he tried.

Allen had asked for his car to be brought around, the impatience clear on his face. Allen spoke to the valet, his voice low and harsh.

And what do you know. There goes Tobis with that human my brothers were talking about too. Hugh was his name, I think. Chaus smirked at the amused look Tobis flashed him. Damn werewolf looks so smug. That poor human has no idea what he's pulling along behind him. This little group of friends can really pick 'em.

The valet handed Allen his keys and stomped off.

"Took long enough,"

Allen mumbled, then turned to say something to Chaus.

Chaus allowed his eyes to blaze that pale blue that signified what he was as he pushed into the human's mind and fought for control. Submit to me, Allen.

Chaus could see the fear claw at Allen, his face paling. He could almost feel him battle against the pull to submit. The struggle was brief. His mind lost the fight, and his face smoothed out. Excellent. Now, drive. Chaus quickly relayed his address mentally to Allen and stepped behind Jordan.

"Allen, what do you say to ordering take-out once we get to my apartment? You hungry?"

Jordan frowned as Allen slid into the driver's seat of his BMW without answering, his movements stiff and wooden. "Allen?"

Chaus wrapped his hand around the back of Jordan's neck, his fingers curling to the front. One fingernail slowly extended to a sharp point, the slide of a razor-sharp claw caressing Jordan's neck as the point came to a rest against the soft skin of Jordan's jugular.

"Easy now. Feel that? One wrong move and I'll slit your throat."

Chaus spoke calmly, his voice whispering over Jordan's skin. "I really don't want to do that, Jordan, because I have such plans for the two of you tonight."

Jordan barely moved, hardly dared to breathe. "W-what…"

Chaus leaned closer and licked Jordan's neck, his tongue pressing against Jordan's hammering pulse. "Mmm, so good. You and your brother stalk the night looking for men to use to appease your selfish pleasures. Such a cold, callous game the two of you play. The tide has turned, has it not? And the both of you are my prey. Now, behave. Besides, there is your brother, yes? He's under my control, Jordan. Surely you won't abandon him to me, leaving him all alone? Get in the backseat."

* * *

Jordan froze, unable to believe what he felt at his neck. Where the hell had the knife come from? His gaze cut to the left, to where Chaus stood slightly behind him. He opened his mouth to speak, and Chaus shook his head, then grinned. A deadly cold smile graced Chaus's lips.

At that smile, Jordan's voice deserted him. Cold fear washed through him. His vision grayed at the edges. Every bit of moisture in his mouth dried up, and he struggled to swallow. His guts clenched as terror unlike anything he'd ever known robbed his body of strength.

Chaus had fangs.

Jordan didn't think they were the kind a dentist made, either—the kind that vampire wannabes wore to conventions. He couldn't even deal with those eyes at the moment.

"What are you?"

Jordan whispered, afraid to move much with that—he glanced down. That was a claw, not a knife.

"Into the car, Jordan. I'll answer your questions then."

Chaus nodded to Allen, sitting in the driver's seat. "I can destroy his mind with a thought. Don't make me do that."

"I… okay. Yes. Just don't hurt him."

Jordan bit his lip as the words he never thought would pass his lips bubbled forth. "Please."

Jordan forced his feet to move once that claw was removed from his throat. His numb body folded itself so he could fit in the backseat. He panted, his throat dry as the desert, chill bumps covering his skin. His gut cramped, his head spun, and he wasn't sure what was in his stomach would stay there.

Chaus climbed in after Jordan. "You know where to go, Allen."

A monotone voice answered, "Yes, sir."

Allen put the car in drive and pulled out of the parking lot of Night Moves.

"Now."

Chaus turned to Jordan and smiled fully. "I believe you asked what I am. Do you really need me to spell it out for you?"

"Vampire,"

Jordan whispered, his eyes glued to those needle-sharp fangs he could see clearly. "But there's no such thing."

Chaus snorted softly, his hand landing on Jordan's thigh. "Oh, I'm very real, my lovely little mortal, and I'm not the only thing that haunts the night."

Jordan flinched. "Oh my god."

"God has very little to do with the likes of me."

Chaus sniffed the air and leaned closer to Jordan. "You're afraid of me."

Jordan slammed back against the seat as far as he could. He didn't know if the word afraid covered what he felt. Afraid seemed so insignificant to what was crashing around in his head. Jordan gulped as he stared at Chaus; it never crossed his mind to lie and the words tumbled out without thought.

"Fuck yes."

"But you also believe me, don't you?"

Jordan glanced at Allen, at how his brother mindlessly drove through the night. Not only that, Allen had answered Chaus with "yes, sir,"

something Jordan knew Allen would never willingly do.

The absolute silence in the car was only broken by Jordan's harsh breathing. A full minute passed as Jordan struggled to speak. "Yes, I believe you."

"Good enough."

Chaus's eyes slowly darkened back to their sapphire blue color, the red that rimmed his eyes disappeared, and his fangs retreated. "For now."

The world Jordan knew collapsed around him as he watched Chaus turn back into the sexy guy he and Allen had stalked at the club. There was no way what he'd just seen could be faked. Jordan remembered what Hugh had said at their table earlier that night about there being more things in heaven and earth…

Jordan worked the courage up to ask a question. "What did you mean when you said ‘for now'?"

Chaus ran a finger up and down Jordan's leg, easing closer to Jordan's groin, frowning. "You're soft, but that's not a surprise. Finding out the easy prey you'd picked for the night's enjoyment wasn't as easy as you thought has to be shocking. Well that, and I imagine finding out said prey is actually a vampire can kill any mood."

Jordan's hand clenched.

"Oh yes, you asked what I meant when I said for now? Well, for now I won't take a whip to you for not adding ‘sir' when you address me. And Jordan? Even though I may look human, I'm still much stronger than you. Unclench that fist."

Jordan slowly allowed his hand to relax and lay limply at his side.

"Better, sweetie."

Jordan cringed at the nickname he himself had used when he first spoke to Chaus. His mind scrambled in every direction as the car raced through the night to some unknown destination.

For the first time in his life he'd met someone stronger, more powerful, and far colder than him, and he didn't know what to do. He quickly flipped through scenario after scenario, but nothing his agile mind came up with would work to save them.

Jordan closed his eyes as Chaus lightly touched him. One truth stared him in the face, but he refused to accept that. There had to be a way, something Chaus wanted he could bargain with and escape this nightmare. In his experience, there was always something.

"May I ask you something?"

Chaus raised an eyebrow. "Guess we might as well start off right. Address me as sir. You'll be punished if you don't. Understand?"

Jordan's lips tightened in displeasure as he tamped down every instinct that rebelled against calling any man by that honorific. He also knew he had no choice but to play along. Allen was still under that thing's control. "May I ask you something…"

Jordan gritted his teeth. "Sir?"

"Open your eyes, and look at me, Jordan."

Chaus ran his finger up Jordan's chest and circled his nipple, then pinched.

Jordan's eyes flew open at the touch—the touch that had his nipple hardening. Surprise, along with confusion, sang through his body.

Chaus lifted his finger and nudged Jordan's chin toward him until Jordan finally looked at him. "That surprised you, didn't it? Surprised you that you liked that bit of pain, yes? That's something you're usually inflicting on the others, right? Not something that is done to you."

"I-I…"

Jordan gulped as his body reacted.

Chaus's head tilted to the side as he watched Jordan. "Oh yes, you wanted to ask me something. What was it?"

Jordan stared into those endless pools of blue and couldn't remember. The fear that ruled his body calmed and any questions floated away. All that mattered was getting more of that feeling Chaus gave him.

"Don't remember? Ah well, maybe it'll come to you later."

Chaus ran his finger up Jordan's neck to his lips. "I'm going to kiss you now. I didn't get a chance earlier. Trust me when I say you don't want to bite me. I'll bite back."

Jordan sat frozen as Chaus slid his hand around the back of his neck and threaded his fingers through his hair. Chaus's lips feathered over his, a gentle touch that teased. Soft. His lips were so soft. Jordan had expected his mouth to be assaulted, attacked by the vampire.

He certainly didn't expect this sweetly seductive kiss that had his toes curling in his very expensive shoes. When Chaus gently bit his lower lip, Jordan jerked in surprise but opened his mouth. Chaus's tongue dueled with his until he let his head fall back on the seat, giving up the fight for supremacy.

"He likes his neck nibbled on, and his ears are a hot spot, too."

Allen spoke quietly from the front seat. "Makes his dick hard."

Chaus released Jordan's mouth, letting Jordan breathe while he nipped slightly swollen lips. "What else, gorgeous?"

Allen never took his eyes off the road. "Play with his nipples. He loves that, drives him crazy."

"Allen…"

Jordan moaned softly into Chaus's mouth. "Stop."

"He won't stop unless I tell him to."

Chaus grinned as he ducked in and kissed Jordan again. Slowly he unbuttoned Jordan's shirt and spread it open. "Very nice."

Jordan's chest was firm, nice muscular pecs with small tight nipples, and a well-defined six-pack.

Chaus ran his finger over one of Jordan's pecs, slowly closing in on a stiff nipple. "Mmm, hairless. I do like that."

Chaus leaned over Jordan, his mouth hovering above a nipple. "Won't have to worry about hair being pulled by my ropes."

Chaus kissed a nipple, then sucked the hard nub into his mouth. His tongue flicked back and forth against the taut peak while his other hand worried the neglected nipple. He nibbled on one and gently pinched the other.

Chaus raised his head and blew on a wet nipple. "Let me hear your voice, Jordan. Let go of that tight control, or I'll find ways to make you."

Jordan's head thrashed back and forth, but no sounds came forth.

Chaus nipped one nipple and plucked the twin, hard. Jordan gasped, a sudden explosion of air that had his back arching into the pleasure-pain. Pleased, Chaus rewarded the sound by rubbing his tongue against the abused nipple.

Pleasure swirled in Jordan's mind, a hazy film covering everything else. There was something he needed to do, to remember, but it was lost in the sensations that sparked in his body. Nothing but this mattered.

"Bet he's as hard as marble, sir,"

Allen said from the front seat.

Sir. That one word was enough to snap him out of whatever lust-induced fog that ruled his mind.

Fear washed away any lingering sexual effects from his body. What had he been thinking, to let this thing touch him and find pleasure in that touch? How could he have forgotten the danger he and Allen were in?

Chaus leaned back against the seat. "I almost had you there, didn't I? Proves I was right, you are the stronger of the two."

Horrified, Jordan fought back the need to scream in panic and anger. "What did you do to me?"

"Old vampire trick. I glammed you into forgetting your fear."

Chaus shrugged. "You responded beautifully, as I knew you would. But you have a very strong mind and a will that is impressive. That's why I put Allen under and not you. You would have fought, and I didn't have time to deal with that."

Jordan swallowed, his trembling hand lifting to pull his shirt back together over his chest.

"No."

Chaus smirked as he looked over Jordan's chest. "Leave the shirt open. I'm enjoying the view."

Jordan hesitated, fighting to defy Chaus for a full minute before he dropped his hand back down on the seat.

"Very good. It's going to be fun breaking you, Jordan."

Chaus's eyes lightened to that pale blue no human eye color could naturally be. "But make no mistake, I will break you. How bloody it is all depends on you, sweetie."

A small whimper broke from Jordan's throat as reality rushed back with a hard punch to the midsection. He remembered what he was going to ask earlier, but now there was no need. He was afraid he knew, but he couldn't stop the question from forming. "You're going to kill us, aren't you?"

Chaus's amused laughter filled the car. "Was there ever any doubt?"