Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

It was a dark and stormy night.

The sky flashed with lightning, rumbles of thunder following close behind to signal that the rain was on its way. There was a scent of something dead, the acrid smell of decay wafting by with the breeze. The wind picked up, and the very air felt charged.

Honestly, it was the perfect setting for a horror movie.

Blue Harris was hoping the rain would wait until he found shelter, but the next town was at least twenty more miles away. That would take hours by foot, and he expected that he would be drenched by then.

No one picked up hitchhikers these days.

It wasn't safe.

Not just for passing drivers; it was dangerous for Blue as well. He was young, only twenty-four, and his fair face was an invitation for unwanted advances out on the road. He had learned what to expect when men's gazes lingered for too long, and though he was more than capable of defending himself, he?—

A car that had passed him was now slowing down.

Blue stopped.

He hadn't seen anyone else out except for the occasional semi-truck, and he certainly wasn't expecting anyone to pull over for him in the middle of the night on a desolate interstate.

Especially with the storm that was brewing.

Then again, the impending weather could have been the cause for the driver's kindness.

Or they thought Blue might be an easy target.

Desperate.

The car pulled off the road a few yards ahead, right in Blue's path.

Blue's teeth itched, a roll of thunder rumbled overhead, and he started walking again.

The car was a late 90s truck, boxy and conservative, and it appeared to be waiting for him.

As Blue got closer, he wouldn't have been surprised if it pulled away in a hurry. People could be dicks. But the truck remained, and he stepped up to the passenger-side window to peer inside.

The window rolled down, and a man's deep voice asked, "Need a ride, boy?"

Thunder drummed again, much louder this time.

"Sure." Blue waited for the door to unlock before he opened it, and the interior lights of the cab came on to give him a quick glimpse of the driver.

Older, maybe in his forties, bearded. He was watching Blue like he wanted to gobble him up.

That was fine.

Blue wasn't worried.

"Thanks." Blue took off his backpack and sat down. He shut the door, turning off the light. He put his backpack between his feet and then reached for the seat belt. "I appreciate it."

"Where ya headed?" The man was definitely not from around here. He sounded Southern, as if his gravelly voice was soaked in swamp water and made all the words run together.

"Next town is fine," Blue replied. "Thanks again for stopping."

"No problem. Couldn't just leave ya out there to drown!" The man kept his eyes on the road, but he offered out his hand. "Name's Bardulf Bishop. Most folks call me Bishop."

"Blue Harris."

Bishop blinked in surprise. "Like the color?"

"Yeah." Blue looked out the window. "Mom was a real big country fan. It's some song from the fifties?—"

"By my man, Bill Mack! Yeah!"

"Yeah." Blue probably shouldn't have been surprised, but he didn't want to assume someone who talked like Bishop listened to country music. "That's the one."

"Your mama got real good taste in music."

"Had."

"Pardon?"

"She had good taste. She's dead."

"Oh. Condolences. I'm sure she was a mighty fine woman."

"Thanks. It was a long time ago."

Rain pattered against the windshield, and Bishop turned the wipers on. The rhythmic squeak of rubber sliding over the slick glass was annoying, almost as much as the slow thud of Bishop's pulse. Blue could hear it thumping alongside the stupid squeaky wipers, and he did his best to tune the noise out.

After all, it wouldn't do him any favors to silence Bishop right now since he was driving.

He could wait.

Blue glanced at Bishop, catching a better look at him when a semi passed them on the opposite side of the interstate.

Bishop had a thick red beard, ruddy skin, a shaved head, and bushy eyebrows. His eyes were narrow, maybe blue, though it was hard to be sure. He was attractive in a rugged sort of way, and Blue's teeth itched again.

He could just catch the throb of Bishop's carotid artery there on the side of his throat in the dim lights from the dashboard, and he sat on his hands. The low throb was soon a pounding drum that rivaled the thunder outside. He wanted it to stop, he really wanted it to just stop?—

"I got somethin' on me?" Bishop asked. "Can't help but notice ya starin' at me. Is it a bug?"

"What? No?—"

"I don't mind bugs, kinda like 'em to be honest, but just lemme know so's I can toss 'em out the window. Sometimes they hitch a ride down in my beard."

"Sorry. No bugs." Blue aimed his gaze back out the window. "Just zoning out. Wasn't really staring at anything."

"Ah, no worries. I'm sure you must be real tired. Been out on the road long?"

"A few days," Blue replied easily. It was a lie he was used to telling since he was asked it often enough and wasn't too far from the truth. "Just been walking straight down the interstate. I like getting away from the world for a bit."

"I respect the hell outta that. That's real good. Just shake off the dust and breathe in the real world for a while. Get unhooked from all that internet and social medium shit. Nice, real nice." Bishop nodded. "Bet your feet hurt like hell walkin' all day like that, though, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"There's a hotel up here in this lil' town that has a jacuzzi tub with jets so strong they'll clear blow your nuts off. They actually got 'em in some of them fancy suite rooms, so you don't even have to show your ass in your skivvies in front of a bunch of strangers or nothin'. Hard day of walkin', you could use a good soak like that, and hell, you could jump right on in just with what God gave you."

It took Blue a few seconds to translate. "They have rooms with hot tubs?"

"Yeah, man!"

"So?"

"I'm sayin' I got one booked and waitin' for me."

Ah, there it was.

Blue knew what to do now.

He looked over Bishop's smiling face and decided he'd had worse.

Besides, if there really was a hot tub, that alone would be worth it to his aching feet.

"Is that you inviting me for a sleepover?" Blue said coyly.

"What?" Bishop laughed. "No. I was just rubbin' it in your face that I was gonna get to soak my luscious man curves in one hundred and two degree Fahrenheit temperature water as soon as I get outta this here truck."

Blue frowned.

Maybe he was wrong?—

"I'm just kiddin'!" Bishop laughed again, and he reached over to give Blue's thigh a very friendly pat. "You can totally come crash with me if ya want. I'll even let ya go first in the hot tub!"

Good.

Blue wasn't usually mistaken about these things.

"Thanks," Blue said. "That's very kind of you." He smirked, unable to resist teasing. "Not afraid that I'm a dangerous serial killer?"

The irony was too sweet.

"What? A nice kid like you?" Bishop grinned. "Nah, I ain't worried. I'm real good at handlin' myself. Besides." He winked. "What's the chances of there bein' two serial killers in the same car, huh?"

"Oh, that's a good one!" Blue made himself laugh.

He'd heard the joke before.

A few times now.

It was never funny.

The Griffin Hotel and Suites parking lot was well lit with crisp, bright lights, and Bishop hummed noisily as he pulled out a big duffel bag from the bed of the truck.

Blue let himself admire Bishop's bulging biceps and rippling shoulders, the view hard to miss with the tight T-shirt he was wearing. Judging by his build and the amount of tools and big tarps rolling around the truck bed, Blue guessed Bishop was some sort of construction worker.

If he had been more curious, Blue could have asked him.

But he really didn't care.

The suite did indeed have a large hot tub, but Blue expected Bishop to be on him as soon as the door shut.

That's how these things usually went.

Quick, sloppy, often mean.

He was surprised when Bishop instead went right to the television to turn on some sports show and drink a warm beer in bed.

Maybe Bishop needed to be drunk first.

Some men were like that in Blue's experience.

The hot tub was in the middle of the room, surrounded by a small ring of tiled floor. There were mirrors hanging behind and above it, and the tub itself was shaped like a heart and had brass fixtures. There was no privacy to speak of, but Blue couldn't deny that it looked inviting.

Even if it appeared to have fallen right out of an old porno.

Blue was sore from walking, and he could definitely use a bath before getting to the sex he assumed Bishop had planned for them later. He shrugged off his hoodie and shirt, making sure that his backpack stayed close to the side of the tub in case he needed it sooner than expected.

He was surprised again when Bishop didn't seem to pay him any mind—not even when Blue stepped out of his ratty jeans and mismatched socks. He was standing completely naked while he waited for the tub to fill up, but Bishop was much more interested in whatever football score thing was being discussed on the television.

Whatever.

Blue stepped into the tub.

When he sat down, the swell of hot water enveloping him was enough to provoke a soft moan. He didn't even want to bother with the jets.

Then again, he reasoned, the jets would probably be noisy.

That might be useful later.

Blue didn't relax though. He couldn't afford to, not yet. He had to stay on alert, but it was admittedly difficult, soaking like this. The water felt fantastic and he could almost drift off, but he didn't dare.

Not until it was safe.

Not until Bishop was cold and gone and his pulse had stopped and he was in the fucking ground and Blue was far, far away from here?—

"Hey man!" Bishop hopped up from where he'd been sitting against the headboard, nursing a new beer. "You got a quickie lil' second? I ain't tryin' to cut in on your you time , but I'm 'fraid I got to."

Blue hid a scowl.

It was probably time to give Bishop what he wanted.

After all, there was only one reason Bishop would have invited Blue to his hotel room, and it certainly wasn't out of the goodness of his heart. Not that Blue minded so much, as Bishop was much more attractive than his usual partners.

There was a chance Blue might even enjoy it.

Forcing a smile, Blue asked, "What's up?"

"We gonna have ourselves a lil' chat, good buddy." Bishop sat on the foot of the bed so that he was facing Blue.

There was a twinkle in Bishop's eyes that wasn't there before.

Hunger .

And not just for Blue's naked flesh, no…

This was something much darker.

It was something Blue recognized.

He'd seen it before in his own eyes, looking in the mirror while washing blood off his hands and still savoring the rush of adrenaline that only a fresh kill gave him.

So.

This probably wasn't good.

"We gonna talk 'bout how the police back there in Deer Creek or Deer River or whatever Deer and body of water identifyin' named town had the unfortunate misfortune to suffer a most heinous murder. Did you hear 'bout that?"

Blue tensed, but he kept his expression neutral even as Bishop's pulse thumped in his ears and he longed to quiet it. "No."

"Awful shame, they say. You really didn't hear nothin'? You had to have walked right through there if you was walkin' right down the interstate like ya said. Huh. Well, some poor feller was gutted from neck to nads over in a truck stop bathroom. They done said it made that Carrie movie look like a fluffy ol' Disney flick. Real fuckin' horror show, ya feel me?"

Blue visualized exactly where his knife was inside his backpack. He was going to need it sooner than he thought.

Damn.

He had actually been looking forward to the sex, but that probably wasn't on the table now.

After all, it would be a bit difficult since Bishop was going to be dead soon.

"They got a kid on the security cameras leavin' the truck stop bathroom. Got a real nice shot of the back of his dome, but that was all they got. Yessir, this kid is smart. He kept his head down and was wearin' a hooded jacket. Blue, they say. Isn't that funny? Your name is Blue. Huh. And your lil' jacket over there sure looks blue too."

"Huh." Blue scooted down so only his head was above the water. "So it is."

"It's good. Real discreet. No logos or nothin' fancy for nobody to 'member. You probably suit up in a raincoat or somethin' to keep the blood off ya paws. But you don't wear gloves, do ya?" Bishop grinned. "You use a knife. That's real personal like. You like to get all up close and shit, huh? Like gettin' it on your hands too, right?"

Blue refused to panic, instead saying, "Look, I think I'm just gonna get my clothes and leave because what you're saying?—"

"Because what I'm sayin' is crazy?" Bishop laughed and slapped his knee. "Boy howdy, don't I know it! But here's the thing, my good buddy." He leaned forward, his eyes dark as he teased, "You can wear all the raincoats ya want and scrub them pretty little hands, but it just don't do nothin' for the smell ."

Blue hadn't moved yet, trying to calculate his next course of action.

He was going to have to kill Bishop. That much was clear. He was planning to kill him anyway, but he had originally planned to at least wait until after they fucked. He could have dealt with the annoying thud of his pulse until then, but he couldn't risk Bishop talking to the cops and telling them he murdered that man at the truck stop. They might actually try to arrest him.

Especially since Blue was guilty of this particular crime, that would make things difficult for him.

Blue was curious, however, how Bishop had figured it out.

"The smell?" he asked.

"The blood, boy." Bishop chuckled. "Oh, you youngin'. You think you're so fuckin' smart and you done thought of everything, but oops! There were two lil' ol' things you just didn't count on happenin' because in your sweet arrogance, you forgot to count for the impossible!" He paused to sip his beer. "Like how I could smell the blood on you the second you got in my car. Even under that cheap soap you tried to scrub it off with, I could smell it. Oh, yes sir. It gets in your hair, in your skin, and it's just the sweetest fuckin' perfume there is."

Blue shivered in agreement. "Is it now?"

"It surely is." Bishop slurped at his beer. "Mm, I'd know it anywhere, I tell ya?—"

Blue leapt out of the water and dove at Bishop, tackling him to the bed. He snatched the beer bottle away and then smashed it against the bedside table. He pinned Bishop down with a handful of his thick beard and the broken bottle against his throat.

Bishop laughed heartily, and he didn't even try to push Blue away. "Now, come on! You done got me all wet?—"

"Shut up," Blue warned, pressing the broken glass in until blood bubbled up around it.

"Now, now, slow down!" Bishop grinned. "I still ain't told you 'bout the second thing!"

Blue was wondering what else had given him away, but he couldn't risk wasting another second. He could hear Bishop's heart pounding away up in his head like it was his own, and he had to kill Bishop and get the fuck out of there fast. He had to make the noise stop. He had to make it stop right fucking now.

But wait—why was Bishop's pulse so calm?

Most people's were pattering away like scared little rabbits by now, a terrified flutter that Blue despised and longed to snuff out as quickly as he could, and yet Bishop's remained a low, slow thud, like the rumbles of thunder outside.

Huh, how…

Odd.

That single moment of hesitation was all it took for Bishop to grab Blue's wrists and flip them, tackling him against the bed in a single fluid motion. Bishop had gone for the hand holding the beer bottle first and easily dislodged it, tossing the makeshift weapon away before pinning Blue into the mattress.

It was over in seconds, and Blue was now disarmed and trapped.

Stupid, stupid, stupid!

Blue kicked wildly and swung, but Bishop dropped his entire weight down on Blue's chest and knocked the air right out of him. "Oof…! You… asshole!"

"Simmer down," Bishop scolded. "Lord, look at you right now. All puffed up and madder than a wet settin' hen!"

"The fuck?" Blue wheezed.

"Also, that was mighty rude of you, messin' up my beer. I only got one left now."

"The fuck ?" Blue lurched upward, trying to clamp his teeth around Bishop's nose.

"Damn! You're like a lil' snappin' turtle!" Bishop laughed. "Settle on down now, all right? I ain't gonna hurt ya."

"What the fuck do you want?" Blue demanded.

"I been tryin' to tell ya, you squirmy worm." Bishop rolled his eyes. "The second part of how's I knew what you were. It won't just the blood. You see, it takes one to know one, kiddo." He wagged his brows expectantly. "Ya feel me?"

"What?" Blue struggled briefly and then stopped. "Are you saying…?" He scoffed. "No way."

"Don't you 'member how I made that funny lil' joke about how crazy the chances were of two serial killers bein' in the same car? You see, it might not be as crazy as you think 'cause well…" Bishop winked. "Here we are."

" You ? Fuckin' seriously?"

"Yessir, buddy." Bishop beamed. "We're like two little murder peas in a murder pod! Ain't that somethin'?"

"It's… something."

Blue was wet, naked, and currently pinned in bed by a very handsome man claiming to be a fellow murderer.

This was not how he had expected his evening to go.

Not at all.

"So." Blue licked his lips slowly and then took a deep breath. "Are you going to let me up or what?"

Bishop hummed and cocked his head, eyeing Blue. "You know, I ain't rightly decided just yet."

"Why not?"

"Well, seein' as how you did just try to murder me a lil' bit, I'm not sure if I can trust you yet." Bishop turned his head to rub his nose on his shoulder. "I'd sure hate to have to try and murder you back, y'know. Be a damn shame to kill ya."

"Would it?"

"Yeah!" Bishop actually looked offended. "Because I would surely murder you better and then we wouldn't be able to have any damn fun! Come on now."

"Fun?" Blue echoed.

"Well, yeah. I ain't never hunted with nobody else 'fore. Kinda always been a solo thing, ya know? And you're good, real slick, but you could still stand to learn a thing or two."

"Lemme guess. You want to teach me?"

"Why not?" Bishop grinned. "You could be my murder pea padawan, good buddy."

Blue made a face.

That sounded awful.

Not to mention insulting.

Blue didn't need help. He was doing just fine on his own. He might still be able to get out of this if he played his cards right. He still wasn't sure if he believed Bishop was actually a serial killer too, and this could be some sort of trap.

Maybe Bishop was a cop just playing pretend and trying to get a confession out of him.

Whatever he was, Bishop was a man at least, and Blue knew how to handle them.

"Are you sure you're not interested in the other kind of fun?" Blue subtly shifted his hips, looking up at Bishop through his lashes.

"Oh, whoa now. I know what you're doin', and it ain't gonna work." Bishop laughed. "Not that you ain't a mighty fine little sip of water 'cause you are, but I ain't droppin' you any of the D until I know for sure you ain't gonna stab me in the neck bits again."

"You could tie me to the bed," Blue offered. "That way you know I won't stab you."

"Ohhh, whee! You kinky lil' freak." Bishop laughed again. His cheeks turned a pretty shade of red, and his smile was actually shy. "C'mon. You and I both know you can probably slip your lil' self right outta whatever I tie you up with and then comes the neck bit stabbing."

"What if I promise to be a good little boy?" Blue asked with all the sweetness he could muster. "I'm very good at behaving with the right… motivation ."

"Hmmm. Now I'm not a big fancy educated expert or nothin', but I do believe that sounds like a load of bullshit."

Blue fought not to scowl.

"Well." Blue huffed. "What do you suggest we do?"

"First, I'm gonna let go of you." Bishop leaned back, slowly releasing Blue as he sat back on his knees.

Blue scrambled against the headboard, still quite naked—though he wasn't thinking about that right now. He was busy trying to peek around the room with his peripheral vision to see if there was anything within reach he could use as a weapon.

"Secondly, we gonna introduce ourselves again, but honest this time." Bishop smiled. "Hi, my name is Bishop, and I like to kill people. I tend to go for real assholes. I'm talkin' the biggest dipshits ya ever seen. I enjoy stalkin' 'em for a few days first, try to make the hunt last a bit, and then I just get 'er done. Field dress 'em if I can, cook up some of the meat, and?—"

"You eat them?" Blue cut in.

"Be kinda wasteful if I didn't." Bishop scratched his beard. "I usually have a lil' campfire ready to go, so I can make me some nice stews. Maybe a lil' cast iron roast if I'm feelin' fancy. People's pretty good eatin'."

Blue was fascinated and equally dubious.

He'd always wondered about what his victims might taste like…

But Bishop had to be full of shit.

"Now." Bishop held out his hand. "It's your turn."

"Sure. Why not." Blue shook Bishop's hand and didn't let go. "My name is Blue Harris, and I love to kill people. The first one was an accident because the sound of his heart beating made me so angry I couldn't stop stabbing him, but once I started…" He glanced at the lamp. "Well, I just couldn't stop."

"Right?" Bishop laughed. "It's like Pringles! It's just— oof !"

Blue pulled Bishop's hand forward and swung his knee up into Bishop's jaw with a satisfying crack. He turned and scrambled to reach behind the bedside table, grunting as Bishop grabbed his leg.

"Hey now! I thought we just went over this shit!" Bishop complained, pulling Blue into the middle of the bed.

That was fine.

It was exactly what Blue wanted him to do.

Blue rolled onto his back, and he didn't even bother trying to kick out when Bishop straddled him. Blue had unplugged the cord from the lamp on the bedside table and he slipped it around Bishop's neck, pulling it tight.

"You lil' fucker!" Bishop managed to slip a few fingers under the cord to keep it from fully obstructing his airway. His face was already turning bright red, and the tips of his fingers were going purple where the cord was cutting into them. "You really… don't fuckin' quit…!"

Blue pulled the cord harder.

Bishop tried flopping down on Blue as he had before, but Blue was able to brace himself and kept his grip. Blue wound the excess cord and plug around his wrist, snarling as he watched Bishop's eyes water.

Bishop grabbed the lamp attached to the other end of the cord and lifted it up high. "Let go… or I'm gonna… hafta… smash… your pretty lil' face."

"Just fuckin' try it!" Blue sneered.

"Damn, you're… feisty …"

Blue continued to draw the cord as tightly as he could, but he flinched when there was something digging into his groin that hadn't been there before. He looked down between them and then groaned in disgust. "Seriously? You're fucking hard right now?"

"Yeah…?"

"What in the actual fuck ?"

"Don't… kink shame me… jackass!"

"God! Get it off me!"

"Can't… do that… while you're chokin' me!" Bishop wheezed and grinned. "Unless ya' wanna… lend me a hand…"

Blue squirmed to get out from underneath Bishop, but it only created more friction and resulted in him rubbing up against Bishop's dick.

His very nice, very warm, very hard dick.

Dammit .

Bishop gurgled out a laugh. "Now… who's… hard? Ha… haha…"

"Shut up!" Blue flushed indignantly, wishing he could deny his growing arousal. He could blame it on the mere physical mechanics of what was happening, but that didn't explain the wild urge to kiss Bishop right now. "Will you please just fucking die already?"

Bishop replied by rolling his hips forward, slotting his dick against Blue's and grinding forcefully. "If I'm goin'... I'm goin'... out… happy!"

"I hate you so much! God, I'm going to kill the shit out of you for this!" Blue desperately tugged on the cord, wishing Bishop would pass out already, but that didn't seem to be happening. He grunted to keep a moan from escaping, but it was difficult to deny that everything Bishop was doing felt really good.

And then Bishop did something very unexpected.

Bishop bowed his head and kissed Blue.

Blue had been kissed a lot—hungry kisses, greasy and rough, too much tongue—and they had all made his skin want to crawl right off his skeleton.

But this…

Even with the obvious physical distress Bishop was in, his kiss was soft and sweet, and he'd dropped the lamp to caress Blue's cheek.

Blue's grip on the cord faltered.

Bishop gasped for air, but he didn't stop kissing Blue.

The slide of his lips was velvety smooth, and Blue actually liked the scratch of Bishop's beard against his skin. He hadn't let go of the cord completely, but he was swept up in the moment enough to drag a hand over the back of Bishop's neck to take the kiss deeper.

Bishop uttered a low groan, and he pressed as close as he could, his hips still pumping.

Blue didn't know exactly when he'd lost control of this situation, but his heart was pounding with the same wild energy he felt when he made a kill. That was new. His body was thrumming with a vivid heat, and the tease of Bishop's tongue touching his own made his stomach lurch like he was on a roller coaster.

Bishop broke away to strip off his shirt, and it was immediately caught up in the cord still around his neck.

Blue growled, annoyed Bishop had stopped kissing him. He grabbed the cord and yanked Bishop back down to reconnect their lips, greedily wrapping himself all around him. He kept a firm grip on the cord to make sure Bishop wouldn't stray again, and his other hand roamed over Bishop's muscular back, digging his nails in until he could smell blood.

"Christ, you're hotter than a two dollar pistol," Bishop mumbled as he worked his arms beneath Blue and hugged him against his chest.

"I don't know what the fuck that means." Blue grinded up into Bishop impatiently, chasing his lips for another deep kiss. "Just… mmm… shut up and kiss me."

"Yes, sir. Can do."

Blue couldn't get enough of Bishop's lips, and he licked his way into Bishop's mouth with a growl.

He felt so fucking alive .

He could hear his heart rate rising to a thunderous roar in his ears, and Bishop's was thumping alongside it as a booming cannonade. It sounded beautiful, powerful, and Blue was absolutely hypnotized by such an intense sensation. He usually couldn't stand the sound of someone else's heart, but Bishop's served as an unexpected complement.

Blue had never experienced anything like this, and he was actually trembling when Bishop slid one of his strong hands along his hip.

Fuck, Blue wanted him.

He had to have Bishop. It was an inexplicable need that was resonating in the marrow of his bones, and he had to have him right now. He wanted to consume Bishop in the most basic of ways, to take his cock and ride him until his thighs were on fire and then get pounded down into the bed.

Bishop was equally desperate, panting frantically as he kicked his way out of his pants. "Come on, boy. Let's fuckin' get it, huh?"

"As long as you're talking about sex, yes." Blue used his grip on the cord to push Bishop onto his back so he could climb on top of him.

Bishop grinned. "This is what the fuck I'm talkin' 'bout." He slapped Blue's thighs playfully. "Giddyup!"

Blue rolled his eyes, yanking the cord tight.

"What?" Bishop wheezed.

"I am not fucking you if you keep saying dumb shit like that."

"Fine, fine!" Bishop snickered breathlessly. "I'll just talk dirty. How's that?"

"It better not involve any cowboy talk or chickens or any of that crap. Got it?"

"Got it."

Blue hesitantly released his grip on the cord. "You have lube?"

"Of course I do." Bishop grinned. "Got lube, toys, condoms, whatever."

Blue stared.

"Hey!" Bishop cackled. "Don't look at me like that! What's wrong with bein' prepared for a good time, huh?"

Blue rolled his eyes. "Where?"

"Down right there in my bag." Bishop pointed.

"Stay put," Blue ordered as he slid out of bed.

"Sir, yes, sir. Ten-four."

Blue unzipped the bag, glancing back to make sure Bishop wasn't moving.

Bishop grinned and waved. "Still right here. Ain't tryin' nothin', promise."

"Right." Blue opened up the bag and found a bottle of lube, but he paused on a big black case. He looked inside, blinking at the strange device within.

It looked like a giant electric toothbrush, but where the piece with the bristles would have attached was a glass tube with a round protrusion at the end. There was a dial on the base and a long cord to plug into a wall socket.

Blue blinked. "What the fuck is this?"

"That there is a violet wand." Bishop grinned from ear to ear. "It's for stimulation of the electrical kind, ya feel me? Go on and grab it."

Blue made a face. "I'm not really into receiving pain. Dick, yes."

"No, dumbass, for me." Bishop laughed. "C'mon now and let's have some real fun." His eyes gleamed. "You may not like hurtin' yourself, but you like hurtin' other people, huh? That really get your goat goin', don't it?"

Blue couldn't deny that observation, so he grabbed the case and the bottle of lube. He plugged the wand into the wall where the lamp had been and then retook his place on top of Bishop. "How does it work?"

"The switch on the bottom is like a dimmer. Click it on and then let 'er rip."

Blue thumbed over the dial until he heard a click.

The glass piece lit up with a purple glow and emitted a quiet buzz.

Curious, Blue touched the tip of the glass. He immediately recoiled as he got a sharp zap that burned horribly. "What the fuck? Who likes that? Who wants to feel that?"

"Me. This guy right here, good buddy." Bishop wiggled his fingers.

"Jesus fuck." Blue laughed, rubbing his thumb over his still stinging finger. Although no mark had been left behind, it continued to throb like he'd been burned. He messed with the dial more, finding that the buzz got louder as he spun it. "I'm guessing this is increasing the charge?"

"Yup." Bishop tucked his arms behind his head. He hadn't bothered removing the lamp cord or his shirt that remained tangled in it. "Go on and get you some, boy."

Blue adjusted the dial to what he thought might be a medium. "Shouldn't we have a safe word or something?"

"Would ya actually stop if I used it?" Bishop teased.

Blue smirked. "Maybe."

"Cattywampus."

"What?"

"That's my safe word!" Bishop shrugged his big shoulders. "Cattywampus! Now come on and get you somethin', hmm? Go on."

Blue wasn't sure where to start, but he decided to imagine it was similar to when he killed someone. He went for Bishop's sternum first, tentatively dragging the end of the wand downward.

"Ohhh, there we go, there we go!" Bishop groaned wantonly, his face flushing a deep shade of red. "Yeah… That's it."

Blue blinked in surprise, but he repeated the motion, delighted at how Bishop writhed beneath him.

The thrill was new—knowing Bishop was in pain but still experiencing pleasure was exciting.

Heady.

Addictive.

Blue ran the wand back and forth until Bishop's chest appeared sunburned. Bishop's cock was hard, leaking a dribble of precome across his stomach. The temptation to run the wand along his thick shaft was strong, but instead Blue redirected the electricity around Bishop's nipple.

"Fuck! God, that's good." Bishop groaned happily, a low howl of pleasure that echoed throughout the room. "More. Go on and get it, come on."

Blue circled the wand around Bishop's nipple, watching in fascination as Bishop tensed and whined. He knew it had to burn like hell, but Bishop's cries were all so blissful. Being able to deliver this level of agony and have Bishop begging for more was a new and unique thrill he'd never experienced before.

He felt powerful.

He felt fucking hot .

And God, he wanted to come.

"Grab my dick," Blue ordered.

"Huh?" Bishop blinked, his eyes glassy as he reached to curl his fingers around Blue's cock. He stroked him slowly at first but quickly picked up speed. "Yeah, go on and get that nut, boy. Come on. I'll make ya come all fuckin' night long."

Blue wasn't sure if that was true or not, though he felt confident he could manage another climax once this initial itch was scratched. He lifted the wand so he could focus on the pressure building in his loins, rocking forward into Bishop's firm grip.

He panted as he thrust, his precome making the way slick. He didn't know when he'd gotten so wet, but it made every stroke of Bishop's fingers feel even better. He groaned as Bishop squeezed harder and increased his speed, and Blue's thighs tensed as he grabbed the cord around Bishop's neck.

He gave it a firm pull and Bishop whimpered .

God, yes .

Blue came with a gasp, his cock pulsing across Bishop's flushed chest. He watched his come dribble and pool in the dip of Bishop's sternum, and there was something beautiful about the contrast of the pearly liquid against Bishop's reddened flesh.

Bishop squeezed Blue's dick a few more times to work him through each quiver before finally letting go, grinning. "Look at that. You done made a big ol' mess outta me."

"Uh-huh." Blue grinned. "Damn."

"Plenty more where that came from," Bishop promised with a seductive wiggle of his hips. "Trust that I'm happy to play however ya want. Top bunk, bottom bunk, whatever gets ya there."

Blue let out a startled laugh. "Is that your way of saying you don't care who tops?"

"Yeah! I'm one of 'em 'versibles."

"Do you mean versatile?"

"Yeah, that's the one." Bishop eyed Blue from head to toe. "What 'bout you, huh? You like callin' the shots, that's for sure. How's 'bout toppin' from the bottom? I think that's a thing people say. Is that more your speed?"

"Wow," Blue drawled sarcastically.

"What?"

"You can sniff out blood and people's preferences in bed. What a gift. What a talent."

"Ha!" Bishop winked slyly. "You're just mad 'cause I'm right, ain't I?"

"Shut up."

"Hoo boy, that's a big yes." Bishop beamed. "C'mon now. How's 'bout you turn around and give me that ass, huh?" He grabbed the sheets to wipe himself off. "You can work the wand on my dick if ya want to while I eat your hole out real good. Just crank it down a few notches so you don't fry my nuts."

"Jesus." Blue snorted out a laugh, his legs trembling a little as he turned around so he was sitting on Bishop's chest. He leaned forward to better present himself as he picked up the wand, using his thumb to flick the dial. "Go on. Eat my hole and I'll give you what you need."

"Sir, yes, sir, good buddy." Bishop grabbed Blue's hips.

"God, just say yes, sir ."

"Yessiree."

"Whatever." Blue palmed Bishop's balls and squeezed them, slowly guiding the wand over each one.

Bishop groaned, smothering the needy sound in Blue's ass. He kneaded at his cheeks and spread them to make room for his face, ravenously sucking and licking at Blue's hole.

"F-fuck!" Blue gasped, surprised by Bishop's eagerness. He wasn't sure if the sudden enthusiasm was because Bishop really loved eating ass, the violet wand on his balls, or both. Still, he liked what Bishop was doing and he didn't want him to stop.

With a soft sigh, Blue ran his tongue up the side of Bishop's cock. He followed it with a gentle pass of the violet wand, shuddering as Bishop writhed beneath him. He moved the wand back down toward Bishop's balls and gasped when Bishop pushed the tip of his finger inside of his hole.

It was slick with lube, the stretch gentle, and Blue closed his eyes, savoring the slick friction as Bishop opened him up. He loved being serviced so thoroughly, and all he had to do to reciprocate was zap Bishop's cock.

This was fun.

He arched back to sit more firmly on Bishop's face and give himself plenty of room to keep playing with Bishop's cock. He stroked the wand up and down the shaft, focusing it around the wet slit. The glass slipped around in Bishop's precome effortlessly, and Blue was instantly fascinated how he could wipe it away only for more to bubble out. He loved how Bishop howled, and he could feel the sounds of Bishop's moans vibrating through his mouth pressed so flush against his hole.

Blue grunted as Bishop slid in a second finger and twisted. A surge of desire lurched through his loins and he suddenly didn't want to wait another second. He wanted more. He knew he could be impulsive—he did kill people, after all—but he had never wanted anyone as much as he did Bishop.

It was insane.

He still wasn't sure if he believed that Bishop was a monster like he was, but Blue did enjoy hurting him.

He liked that a lot.

And there was something uniquely erotic about how much Bishop enjoyed the pain. It made Blue want to test Bishop's limits and see how far he could push him.

Would he break?

Would he cry?

Blue wanted to find out.

"All right. Dick. Now." Blue turned off the wand and then tossed it aside. He pulled away from Bishop so he could change positions and get back on top facing him. He picked up the bottle of lube to slick up Bishop's cock.

"Right now?" Bishop grinned, wiping off his beard. "All righty, let's get it on, lil' one."

"Don't call me that."

"Uh, how about baby ?"

"No."

"Baby doll? Sweetie pie? Honey cakes? My beloved little?—"

"No! No fucking nicknames." Blue grabbed the cord around Bishop's neck and pulled it. "Got it?"

"Ten-four," Bishop said with a wheeze.

Blue twisted the excess cord around his hand to keep it taut, and he pushed the head of Bishop's cock up against his ass. He sat back with a soft hiss, waiting for his body to adjust so he could sink farther down.

"O-oh, fuck. That…" Bishop inhaled shakily, and he grabbed Blue's thighs. "That is nice right there. Fuck, your ass feels so damn good."

"Stop talking." Blue raised himself up and then back down, setting a steady pace as he took on more and more of Bishop's dick.

Bishop opened his mouth as if he was going to say something and chose to groan a little instead.

Blue rode Bishop faster, keeping tension on the cord as he slammed his hips down. He clenched around Bishop when he found an angle he really liked, sitting down flush and then grinding frantically. "Ah, fuck ."

"Gotcha somethin' good there, huh?" Bishop palmed Blue's ass, urging him on. "Get it. C'mon, get you some of that dick."

Blue was too caught up in the rising heat to bother snapping at Bishop for saying more stupid crap. He bucked and bounced, working himself toward what was sure to be a fantastic finish. The mere sight of Bishop all marked up beneath him was an incredible turn on.

Bishop's skin was bright red everywhere the wand had touched and there were sure to be ligature marks around his throat. The tiny cut from the bottle had stopped bleeding, but a small dribble of dried blood remained.

Blue wanted to taste it.

He pulled on the cord to draw Bishop up into a sitting position. He stretched his legs out to wrap around Bishop as he continued to ride his cock, lunging forward to suck at his neck with a greedy moan.

"Ah, there ya go," Bishop purred, his rough hands spreading over Blue's back. "Fuck, you're so damn good, baby. You're so fuckin' good."

Blue sucked at the little cut on Bishop's neck and tongued over where it had clotted until he got a taste of fresh blood. Once that sweet iron tang hit his tongue, he went wild and frantically fucked himself on Bishop's cock with a new urgency.

Though it was barely a spoonful, having Bishop's blood in his mouth while they fucked was absolute bliss. Each little grunt and strained groan wrung out from Bishop's lips as Blue pulled on the cord only added to the passionate fervor, and Blue could have never imagined sharing this level of intimacy.

He didn't even know it was possible before now.

Bishop had entrusted both his pleasure and his life to Blue—a stranger who admittedly had tried to kill him just a short while ago and would not hesitate to try again. Blue certainly thought about it. Letting Bishop live when he'd identified him as a killer was foolish.

And yet…

Blue didn't think he could give this up now that he'd had a taste. Bishop surrendering control to him and begging for Blue to give him that delicious pain was a fantastic high without compare.

Blue loved it.

Every steamy, intoxicating second of being in charge only cemented his determination to never lose this incredible feeling. He needed it like a drug, and he knew that just one hit of Bishop's beautiful submission was not going to be enough.

He needed more, more, more .

Outside, the storm raged and the window lit up as lightning struck. The thin curtains acted as a filter and flashed the room with an eerie red glow. Thunder followed, roaring with enough force to rattle the cheap paintings on the walls. Somehow, it made the moment even more perfect.

Blue initially tried to tune out Bishop's voice in favor of listening to the rain pounding on the glass, but soon he realized he wanted to hear Bishop talking. He liked the deep growl his voice had now, a rumble that broadcast his desire, and Blue had to admit it was very sexy.

There was also the added perk of knowing he was the reason Bishop was so aroused right now.

It was because of Blue that Bishop was in this frantic, desperate state, and Blue bit down on Bishop's neck. "Tell me how much you love this, slut."

Wow, where did that come from?

Bishop mewled and clung to Blue with wide eyes. "I love it so goddamn much. I love bein' a big ol' fuckin' slut for you. S'all I want is to be your perfect lil' slut. God, your ass is huggin' my dick so perfect." He groaned. "Go on. Bite me s'more. Please."

Blue switched to the other side of Bishop's neck, dragging his teeth there. "Come on. You really want it?"

"God, yes! Damn!" Bishop squirmed. "I want it, baby. I want it so fuckin' goddamn bad." He slammed his hips upward, driving his cock harder into Blue. "Please, please, pretty fuckin' please!"

Blue bit down hard and adjusted his rhythm to keep up with Bishop's brutal thrusts. He dragged his nails across Bishop's back and shoulders until he smelled blood, and he breathed in the familiar scent and moaned.

This was… different.

Bishop wanted Blue to draw his blood. He wanted this as much as Blue did, maybe even more judging by his shameless cries. Blue didn't want to ever stop, but his legs trembled as sheer exhaustion threatened to steal away his bliss.

He let go of Bishop's neck, gasping. "Fuck!"

"Don't stop! Go on and get it, boy!" Bishop whined. "Please, please, please?—"

"Fuck me. Right now." Blue pushed himself out of Bishop's lap. He groaned as he stretched out on his side, putting his head in the pillows. "Like this. Behind me. Right fucking now."

Bishop flopped into position so he could line himself back up. "Ten-four."

"I'm going to strangle you?—"

"You know that's, like, one of my kinks, right? I for real like that shit." Bishop thrust forward, groaning as he buried himself inside of Blue. "So?—"

"Oh my God!" Blue growled as he reached back to grab the cord and give it a firm pull. "Stop it or else I won't strangle you. Better?"

"Now see, that there is some effective motivation!" Bishop grunted.

"Good. Now shut up and fuck me."

"Sir, yes, sir!"

Blue grunted, closing his eyes as Bishop pounded into him with renewed vigor. He kept his fingers on the cord but only with enough tension to draw it taut.

He didn't want Bishop to pass out.

Not when he was fucking him so well.

Each slam made Blue's body explode with pleasure, and when there was a fierce growl, he was so wrecked that he couldn't tell if it was him, Bishop, or the thunder roaring outside.

Maybe it was all three.

"Can I come?" Bishop pleaded, his fingers digging into Blue's hips. "C'mon. Please, baby?—"

" Don't ."

"C'mon, sir ."

Blue arched back. "Better."

"Lemme come, sir," Bishop begged. "Lemme fill you up s'fuckin' good."

"Not until I'm done." Blue groaned, fumbling to grab hold of his dick and stroke. He could sense Bishop's urgency, and his own desire for release was about to boil over.

Fuck, he wanted to come again.

Arching his back, Blue lifted up his leg and grunted. He squeezed down on Bishop's cock, smirking a little when he heard him gasp. He kept himself tensed for the extra surge of hot friction and stroked faster, commanding, "Fuck me. Harder."

Bishop slung his arm under Blue's leg to lift it higher, thrusting feverishly and nearly pushing Blue over onto his face. The smack of their skin slapping together was obscene, on par with the splattering of rain against the windows, and Blue let himself get loud.

He moaned and cried, encouraging Bishop to absolutely wreck him. Heat flashed over his face as the tension in his loins spiked, and he came with a low groan that trailed off into a breathless sob. Each pulse was hot, intense, and his body ached in the most sinful way from the force of his release.

Fuck, that was good.

Fuck , it felt like he was still coming.

"Lemme come, lemme come, lemme come," Bishop chanted in his ear, frantic and whining. "I'm, I'm right there?—"

"Do it." Blue gasped. "Come for me, you fucking whore. Fuckin' give it to me!"

Bishop's climax was noisier, a quick series of low grunts that concluded with a breathless sob. He slowed down his pumping hips to a stuttering crawl, and he panted hard as he all but collapsed against Blue's back. "Hot damn ."

Blue resisted the immediate urge to shove Bishop off him. Even though he was sweaty and hot and gross, Blue could still smell his blood and he liked it. He relaxed, his heart rate still thumping away as he closed his eyes to savor the warm glow that remained.

Bishop was thankfully quiet.

They lay there for a while, their bodies still connected while the storm carried on. It was so peaceful that Blue could have almost fallen asleep, but he really needed to use the bathroom.

"Gotta piss." He shifted forward until Bishop's cock unceremoniously slipped out.

"I'll be right here." Bishop waved.

Blue headed to the bathroom to use the toilet and clean up. He splashed some water on his face, startled when he looked in the mirror.

He was smiling.

He grabbed a hand towel to run under the faucet and then walked back out to the bed, finding Bishop just as he'd left him. He threw the towel at him. "Here."

Bishop caught it. "And they say chivalry is dead."

Blue lay down next to Bishop, snorting. "Just thought you'd like to clean up." He reached out to loosen the cord from Bishop's neck, surprising even himself with his gentleness. "Did I hurt you?"

"Yeah." Bishop grinned. "That's sorta the point, y'know."

"You know what I mean."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm just bustin' your balls is all." Bishop grabbed Blue's wrist to stop his untangling and kissed him.

The kiss lingered, soft and tender, and Blue had zero explanation for why his heart suddenly fluttered.

It was… nice.

"I'm fine," Bishop murmured. "Promise. You didn't do nothin' I didn't want you to and you done it real good. Trust that I enjoyed myself and I'm happier than a hound dog with two tails."

"And that's… a good thing?"

"Real good." Bishop kissed him again.

"Good." Blue licked his lips, chasing the taste of Bishop's there. He smirked down at the cord. "Because I might want to hurt you some more later."

"Sign me the fuck up." Bishop waggled his eyebrows. "Consider me subscribed. Swipin' left. Or is it right? Whatever the fuck it is people say nowadays."

"Just say you want to fuck me again like a normal person."

"How 'bout I think you're sweeter than two bees humpin' in honey on a fresh biscuit? Can I say that?"

Blue laughed. "God, no. Definitely not."

"Well, how's 'bout hotter than a stack of pancakes?—"

There was a knock at the door.

No, not just a knock, but an abrupt banging of someone's fist.

Blue and Bishop snapped apart, both of them snarling and glaring at the door.

"Hey!" a man's voice shouted. "Open up!"

"Who in the flyin' fuck could that be?" Bishop barked.

Blue bared his teeth. "I don't care who the fuck it is. I'm going to kill them." He jumped out of bed to find his pants and grab his knife out of his bag. He held the knife between his teeth as he got dressed, hurrying to the door.

The rage he felt from being interrupted was overwhelming, and he wanted nothing more than to stab whoever was pounding on their door right in the face repeatedly.

Not that he cared about flirting or kissing or cuddling with Bishop.

Because he didn't.

Maybe.

Shit .

Focus!

A peek through the peephole revealed a large man who definitely looked very pissed off.

He was wearing casual preppy clothing and appeared unarmed, but Blue remained on high alert. The man could still be a cop, either off duty or undercover, and this could all be some sort of ruse to draw Blue out.

And if not Blue, maybe Bishop.

Blue kept the chain in place and the knife out of sight as he opened the door. "What?"

"Open the damn door!" the man shouted. "I know my wife is in there, and I swear to fuck?—"

"What?" Blue asked calmly, eyeing the man's forehead, where a vein throbbed enticingly. "You swear to fuck, what?"

Blue's cool stare must have unnerved the man because he stammered, "I'll fuck you both up, that's what!"

Blue looked at the man's throat, mentally tracing the path of his carotid artery from the corner of his square jaw down to the sternocleidomastoid articulation, the dip where the clavicles connected. Embalmers sometimes referred to it as the SCM for short, and Blue knew it was an excellent landmark for finding the exact location of that big juicy neck artery.

His teeth itched, and he tightened his grip on the knife.

Probably not a cop, not with how convincing his rage was over his apparently unfaithful spouse, but Blue couldn't get the sound of his pulse out of his head and he desperately wanted to make it stop.

"Really?" Blue smiled. "You're gonna fuck me up?"

"Yeah, you little shit!" the man barked. "Now open this goddamn door or else?—"

"Oh, hey there!" Bishop grinned as he unchained the door. "What? Lookin' for your wife? Is that right?"

"What the fuck are you doing?" Blue hissed.

"We gotta help this fella find his wife!" Bishop swung the door open, still completely naked except for the lamp cord around his neck and the lamp dragging behind him.

The man stared in shock.

"You wanna come on in and check 'round?" Bishop offered with a friendly smile that was more than a bit unhinged. "Come on! Maybe she's under the bed! Maybe hidin' over here in the shower? Hey!" He turned around and bent over, giving the man an explicit view of his ass as he peered into the adjacent bathroom. "We can go look together!"

"No!" The man retreated. "Wrong… Wrong room." He turned and ran. "Wrong room!"

Bishop cackled, shutting the door with a triumphant howl. "Damn, did you see the look on his fuckin' face?"

"What in the actual fuck was that?" Blue stared.

"What? Made 'im go away, now didn't it?" Bishop booped Blue's nose. "I saw you gettin' all murdery eyes with 'im, and this ain't the time or place to get stabby, baby. I like this hotel real good and I wanna be able to come back."

"Wow." Blue scoffed. "You might actually be insane."

"I mean, I do kill people, so… Yes ." Bishop nodded. "That might be possible. But I like big hot tubs too. So, ya know, priorities."

Blue snorted out a laugh, reaching up to untangle the cord from Bishop's neck. "That's all right. It's part of your charm."

Bishop grabbed Blue's hips. "Oh? Ya think I'm charmin', huh?"

"Hey, that is not what I said?—"

"You think I'm charmin' and handsome and you wanna ride all over the country with me, jumpin' on my dick and snugglin' with me while we talk 'bout murderin' people."

Blue blushed. "Shut up." He kissed Bishop firmly just so he'd be quiet.

Though the thought of traveling with Bishop and sleeping with him again did have a certain appeal, Blue wasn't going to say that out loud.

"I guess I could travel with you for a little while," Blue said instead, aiming for a casual tone even as he shivered from Bishop's hands fanning across his lower back. "Might try to kill you again though."

"You can sure try if ya want to." Bishop beamed. "That was kinda fun."

"You really are nuts."

"Yeah, but I'm also lots of fun."

"Debatable."

Bishop cackled and kissed Blue, scooping him off the floor. "C'mon!"

"Put me down!" Blue snarled. "What are you doing?"

"Carryin' you like a pretty lil' princess so's I can take you over to that there hot tub and probably fuck ya 'gain before we pass out." Bishop laughed. "Whatcha think 'bout that?"

Blue sighed, sagging in Bishop's arms since the hot tub was exactly where he wanted to go anyway. His legs were sore and his feet still hurt from walking all day. "I think if you throw in some food, that actually sounds tolerable."

"We can order some pizza or somethin' if ya want. What kind you like?"

"Pineapple, mushroom, and black olives."

"Wow." Bishop blinked. "Are you fuckin' serious?"

"What?"

"And you think I'm crazy."

Blue laughed. "Maybe we're both crazy."

"S'fine by me, baby boy." Bishop cackled. "Crazy loves company. We're two lil' murder peas in a murder pod, all nice and comfy now, nestled up on each other."

"What does that even mean?"

"It means I think we're gonna have a real nice time together."

"It's gonna be something, that's for sure."

Blue wasn't about to let his guard down anytime soon, but he had to admit that he really did enjoy Bishop's company. He'd never had anyone who knew what he was, much less another monster just like him.

It was oddly freeing.

He didn't have to pretend to smile or be sweet and innocent, and the relief of being his real self was incredible. He didn't even mind the sound of Bishop's pulse now, finding it oddly soothing, like the lingering waves of rain pouring outside. He knew the storm would stop eventually and he'd have to decide if he really wanted to stay with Bishop or move on.

Killing him at this point just felt rude.

That was a new feeling.

Much of what he'd experienced with Bishop this evening had been, and he realized he didn't want to give any of it up yet. He was hungry for more, curious about his fellow killer and already looking forward to tomorrow. Thinking about waking up next to Bishop made him smile again and his heart continued to do that weird fluttering.

He had no idea what a future with Bishop might hold, but it had the potential to be exciting, if nothing else.

And it sure beat the hell out of hitching.