Chapter 23

Freddie

"T he danger has passed. There's no need to watch him sleep."

Freddie looked up at his master from his chair at Anthony's bedside, not releasing his grip on Anthony's hand. Master Hughes waited in the doorway, dressed to the nines in a tan three-piece suit. His face was lined with exhaustion. This couldn't have been easy on him, either.

"I've always watched him," Freddie said. "That is my job. I won't stop now."

Master Hughes sighed. Freddie wasn't sure where he stood with the coven-master. Anthony was safe, but in the process he'd been made a vampire. Charles Azarian was dead, in theory, a good thing, but Freddie didn't know if the master harbored any guilt about his former lover. And Gabriela de Aragon was out there somewhere. Eventually, she'd have to be dealt with.

Most of all, Freddie had disobeyed Master Hughes' command. He had a right to, according to the old law. But that just meant the coven master wouldn't kill him in retribution. He still might demote him, or toss him out of the coven altogether.

Despite that, Freddie couldn't bear to release Anthony's hand and stand, even if it would be a sign of respect for Master Hughes. He wouldn't let go of his sleeping mate. He'd come so close to losing him.

"Very well." Master Hughes approached the bed, sitting down opposite Freddie, his muscular frame dwarfing the small wooden chair that his mate had been using during his own vigil with Anthony. Daniel had been by Anthony's side for the first couple of days, but once Anthony had come through the change unscathed, he'd let him rest alone.

Freddie's demon would not allow him to leave his mate by himself. He'd come too close to losing him.

"Where do you expect to live?" Master Hughes asked.

Freddie tensed. He had hoped that the coven master would give them some time.

"I…I don't know. I hadn't thought that far ahead. Anthony travels, so it doesn't matter too much. I'll have to talk to him."

"You disobeyed my direct order and put my husband's nephew in danger." Master Hughes' tone was sharp, his gaze piercing.

"I don't regret it."

"No." A small, sad smile appeared on Master Hughes' face, and the man's whole body relaxed. Freddie had never seen him look so unguarded. "I won't hold it against you. I know what it is to have your mate under threat."

"Oh." The coven master wasn't throwing them out? "What does it matter where we live?"

"Because I have a proposition for you, Freddie, although my mate will probably be quite angry with me. He has dreams of Anthony living here with us. But Charles Azarian is dead, and the once-enormous coven of New York is now a handful of young, directionless vamps. They need a coven master."

Freddie stared at the man who'd saved him, who'd given him a home and a purpose when he was desperate for one. He couldn't be asking what Freddie thought he was asking.

"I thought you wanted me to be your First…"

"That was my plan. But I need someone in New York, someone I can trust, with a strong enough hand to bring the wild ones to heel or dispose of them. Someone who can also be diplomatic if the situation requires."

"Me?" Freddie shook his head. "I'm no good at diplomacy."

"You've changed, Freddie." Freddie could hear the pride in his master's voice, and it warmed him. "You are more open now. Anthony will be the perfect coven master's mate. When you get too grumpy, he can help smooth things over."

"Grumpy?!" Freddie grimaced.

"Yes, my friend. You can be a grumpy old man. Anthony will help keep you from committing too many faux pas."

Freddie looked down at Anthony's face, snoring, angelic in repose. "I'll have to speak to my mate. I don't know if he'll want to be a coven master's mate. He may not want to live in New York."

"Of course."

"What of Gabriela?" Freddie asked. His demon was uneasy that the one who had hurt his mate was still out there, rather than dead by his hands.

Master Hughes stood. "She's left the US. Beyond that, I can't say. We can't trust that she'll leave us alone."

"No."

Master Hughes walked around the bed, squeezing Freddie's shoulder. His hand was strong. It was a strength Freddie had depended upon over the years.

"Anthony will be awake soon. His transformation is complete. You have much to discuss."

Freddie nodded. "Thank you, master."

"I'm no longer your master, Freddie. We can be equals. And friends." A wide smile appeared on his face. "Call me Oliver."

Freddie's mind reeled. He'd served under Master Hughes for decades. Being his friend would be quite the change.

"Thank you…Oliver." The name sounded like an alien language in Freddie's mouth. "For everything."

His coven master, or perhaps now his ex-coven master, patted his back and departed. Freddie sat there, studying Anthony's face, watching his chest rise and fall. He'd never imagined he'd have a mate, never mind one so beautiful. He would go anywhere, do anything for this man.

Freddie closed his eyes and took a breath, squeezing Anthony's hand. It was a tempting offer, to have his own coven. The thought of so many depending on him stirred up a deep fear in Freddie's chest, but maybe that was a good sign. He had a responsibility to those left without a master after the death of Charles Azarian. They were young, and they'd been turned by a sociopath. It was a fate he understood well.

They deserved better.

"You're thinking so hard…"

Freddie looked down to see Anthony's sweet smile, his bright eyes gazing up at him.

"You're awake." Freddie stroked Anthony's cheek with the back of his hand. "How do you feel?"

"Good." Anthony stretches his arms over his head, yawning. "Better than good, I could run a marathon."

"You could, and beat every human alive."

"I need to sit up." Freddie reached out to help, but Anthony was up, scooching his back against the headboard with ease. "It's as if I was never ill."

"The transformation is complete."

Anthony gave Freddie a heated look. "Oh, really?" A pair of fangs dropped from his upper lip, the enamel gleaming.

A deep warmth spread throughout Freddie's chest. He was relieved. He was turned on. Hell, he was happy. It was an unfamiliar sensation.

Before he could respond, Anthony was on him, kissing and nibbling, letting the tips of his fangs snag on Freddie's lips. It sent electric shocks down his spine. A single drop of blood leaked from his pierced skin.

Anthony licked it up with his tongue. Freddie watched as Anthony's pupils flashed red, and a low growl escaped from his throat.

"Holy fuck." Anthony squeezed his eyes shut in a look of ecstasy. "What is this?"

"I am your sire, and you are my mate. Your blood is my blood, and blood calls to blood. You can drink human blood, but you can also drink from me. Drinking from your mate invigorates the body and soul."

"You can drink from me?" Anthony shivered, and ran his hand down Freddie's neck. In an instant, his fingernails stretched out into claws, and he sliced Freddie's black t-shirt open.

"I can. You drank from me when you were dying, even though you don't remember it. Now that you are fully turned, when I drink from you, it will complete our mating."

Freddie grabbed Anthony by the chin with some force. He no longer had to worry about Anthony's human frailty. He kissed Anthony hard. Anthony ran his claws down Freddie's side.

"And that was my favorite t-shirt."

"A plain black tee was your favorite?" Anthony laughed as he slipped a clawed finger into the waistband of Freddie's pants. "I don't like you with clothes on."

Freddie grabbed Anthony by the wrist. Anthony struggled against him, a playful, fiery lust in his eyes.

"Soon, my love. We have something to talk about."

Anthony relaxed backwards against the bed, resigned. "What the hell else could there be?"

"I wish you would rest a while longer—"

"I'm awake, Freddie. If I rest anymore, I'll tear down the curtains in boredom."

"Fine." Freddie interlaced his fingers with Anthony's. He loved how much bigger his hand was than his mate's. "Master Hughes wishes me to become the coven master in Manhattan."

"Really?"

"Yes. But I'll not be parted from you. If you don't wish to live there, we won't go. We can stay here in London. We could go anywhere."

"I would love to be in New York." Anthony paused, and Freddie sensed a twinge of sadness. "Although I can't imagine the Manhattan Lyric would want me back after I disappeared on opening night."

Freddie leaned back in his chair, unable to stop the shit-eating grin that appeared on his face. "I took care of that for you."

"What does that mean?" Anthony squinted, suspicious.

"I made it clear that you were abducted because of Mr. Fitzpatrick's negligence in keeping me from backstage. He was desperate to avoid a scandal, and it wasn't hard to get him to schedule you next season. Give him a call. He'll be very accommodating. He'll let you name the opera and the role."

"How…why would he agree to all that?"

"Strange thing." Freddie chuckled, running his fingers through Anthony's hair. "Seems that merry old General Manager Henry Fitzpatrick knows about vampires. He had dealings with the Azarian coven. Some less-than-legal real estate transactions. Some of my men found evidence at the New York covenhouse. Once I threatened to go to the authorities, he was extremely excited to help."

"You blackmailed the general manager of the most important opera house in the world?" Anthony's brows furrowed.

Freddie nodded, hoping he hadn't overstepped. "Happy new birthday?"

"That's incredible. You're incredible."

"So…"

"So I guess we're moving to New York." Anthony reached over and ran his hand down Freddie's chest, grazing his right nipple. At his touch, electricity sparked on Freddie's skin. "And we're going to run a coven?"

"Seems that way."

Anthony thought for a moment, then his eyes lit up. "I'm going to throw fabulous parties."

"I can't wait." Freddie attempted to keep the sarcasm out of his response, although he wasn't sure he succeeded.

With a growl, Anthony flipped Freddie out of his chair and onto the bed, straddling him. Freddie laughed out loud. Anthony was discovering his vampire strength and speed. This was going to be fun.

Anthony pinned Freddie's hands behind his head, bending down to whisper in his ear.

"I need you. We can do slow and tender later."

Freddie struggled against Anthony's grasp. He was applying actual force now. He ground his ass against Freddie's now-hard cock and moaned, soft and low.

"I'm going to ride you, and then you are going to bite me."

"Whatever you need, my love."

Anthony let go of Freddie's hands and sliced off his own underwear in one motion. His cock sprang free, bouncing on Freddie's stomach, dribbling pre-cum onto his hard, pale abs. Anthony unbuttoned Freddie's dress pants. Freddie shuddered as Anthony's hand found his dick, squeezing along its length and pulling it out through the zipper.

"There's lube—"

Anthony slammed down onto him, and Freddie was enveloped in Anthony's tight warmth. Anthony let out a ragged groan.

"I need to feel it," he said with a gleam in his eye. "I'll heal fast, right?"

"In seconds, love."

Anthony rocked gently back and forth, his hands clutching the sides of Freddie's rib cage. The tingle of Freddie's orgasm was gathering in his balls. This first round would not last long.

Anthony smiled. "It already doesn't hurt." With that, Anthony set a devastating pace, bouncing on Freddie's dick. Freddie loved the smack of Anthony's beautiful ass slapping against the muscle of his thighs. Anthony was almost screaming with need. "Please, more, I need it."

"I'm so close…" Freddie's voice was ragged.

"Yes, I need you to fill me up."

If possible, Anthony moved faster and harder. He was squeezing Freddie's cock with his ass, trying to milk the cum out of him.

As Freddie approached the point of no return, he wrapped his hands around Anthony's waist, tucked his feet under him and pushed , using his vampiric strength to propel them across the room.

Anthony hit the wall with Freddie still inside of him, and Freddie folded him in half, pushing his legs back against his shoulders as he fucked him into the drywall.

"Fucking god!" Anthony's eyes squeezed shut. "You're so deep, yes, please."

Freddie was in control now, and he was relentless in pursuit of his orgasm. Eventually, he would spend hours inside Anthony, days even. He would fuck him again with his own cum as lube. Just the thought brought him to the edge.

"Do you want it, my love?"

"Yes. Please. I need you to…"

Freddie took in the gorgeous man in front of him, the thick muscles of his thighs straining, his eyes desperate. Freddie pushed deeper into Anthony. The sounds he made were glorious.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Now, Freddie, I need it!"

A growl ripped from Freddie's throat as he exploded inside of Anthony. His orgasm seemed never ending, filling his lover's perfect ass. Anthony screamed and shook against him.

When he slowed, Anthony looked up at him, sated, but with mischief in his eyes.

"What?" Freddie knew Anthony couldn't be trusted.

Anthony's fangs dropped, and he lunged for Freddie's neck, piercing the skin and drinking deeply.

Freddie was instantly hard and once again on the precipice of orgasm. Freddie slammed into Anthony, harder and harder, unable to resist the temptation. Anthony screamed as Freddie bit down on his own neck, even as Freddie emptied himself once more into his mate. It was so intense, so overwhelming. It was perfect.

Then their mate bond snapped into place, and they were as one. There was no separation between them now. Their emotions, their desires, all were an open book. The love pulsed between them like an electric current.

As the second orgasm subsided, Freddie's legs wobbled with exhaustion. He folded his arms around Anthony, his mate's own release rubbing off on his stomach as they made contact and guided him down as they slid from the wall to the floor. He stayed inside Anthony, savoring the connection with the man he loved.

Anthony wrapped tight around him, licking at the puncture wound on Freddie's neck. Freddie did the same, but with tiny flicks of his tongue that he knew would send electricity sparking across Anthony's skin. Freddie loved to feel him tremble in his arms.

"You are more than I deserve in a mate." Freddie whispered into Anthony's ear. "I will love you always. I wear your mark to prove it, and you wear mine."

"I love you…" Anthony was barely conscious, worn out from the first real expenditure of energy after his turning. A moment later, he was snoring into Freddie's shoulder.

Without jostling him, Freddie moved them both off the floor and to the bed.

He would spend the rest of eternity caring for this man, and he wouldn't regret a second of it. He was certain of it.