Bed and Breakfast [Bloodkin 1] (Siren Publishing Classic ManLove) (11 page)

Moss opened his mouth, as if to say something, but seemed to change his mind at the last minute. “Is there anything else?” Vane prodded.

The human shook his head. “Not at the moment.” As he got up, he offered Vane a shy smile. “Thank you again for your trust in me. I won’t fail you.”

As Moss finally left Vane’s office, Vane immediately felt his absence. He wondered what in the world he’d gotten himself into. Then, he pushed the thought out of his mind and tried to focus on work. If wherever he turned, he still saw those bright-green eyes staring at him, no one but him knew it. He’d just have to cling to his carefully cultivated discipline and make sure the things stayed that way.

* * * *

After his strange exchange with his employer, Moss struggled to obey Vane’s words and focus on his job. It didn’t work out as well as he’d have liked. In the back of his mind, he kept thinking of what had happened and what it meant.

Perhaps he shouldn’t have been dwelling on one night and one embrace, but he couldn’t help it. He recalled the heat of Vane’s embrace, and a whole different type of warmth invaded him, one that had nothing to do with comfort.

But it was very hard to remain objective and keep his mind on the job when, every day, Moss had to feed Vane. It was a very erotic experience, more than Moss had ever expected. In fact, whenever Vane’s fangs pierced his skin, he could imagine far too easily what it would be like if he’d agreed to Vane’s original suggestion.

Still, the entanglements of Vane’s finances kept him busy for a few hours. But as the hour grew late, it was soon time for dinner, both for Vane and for Moss.

Frustratingly, Vane didn’t join Moss in the dining room. Moss ate alone, with only Benson hovering about. Once he finished his meal, he couldn’t keep his mouth shut and eventually asked the butler, “Is everything all right with His Lordship?”

“Quite all right,” Benson replied placidly. “He’s just a little moody today. If you’ll take my advice, you’ll ignore his occasional snappishness.”

Moss couldn’t help a small smile. “Why? It’s charming.”

Benson’s eyes widened. “Is it? Don’t tell him that, or he’ll just get worse.”

“What are you telling Moss about me?” a familiar voice sounded behind Moss. Moss turned and predictably saw Vane walking into the living room.

“Nothing that isn’t the truth,” Benson replied. Moss had the strangest feeling, as if there was a strange, hidden tension between the two.

Vane walked to his butler’s side and squeezed his shoulder. He didn’t say anything, but it seemed Benson understood what the bloodkin was trying to convey. The tension seemed to drain from his body, and he nodded. “I’ll leave you to your privacy. Goodnight.”

As the butler left the dining room, Moss’s dilemmas over his strange behavior vanished as Moss realized the moment had come for him to feed Vane. He clutched the armrest of his seat, hoping he would not disgrace himself by asking for something Vane wasn’t willing to give.

Damn it, he couldn’t even understand himself anymore. What did he truly want? To be with Vane? No, no, that was foolish and irrational. He needed to get a grip, just like Vane had said.

With that in mind, he got up and faced Vane. “Would you like to have your meal now?”

It was surreal to make the offer, especially in such a formal way, yet another thing he’d never even dreamed could happen to him. It seemed almost as if Vane was a guest here, and Moss was offering him a snack or a drink.

“Yes,” Vane said, “if you’ve eaten well.”

“I have,” Moss replied. The food provided by the servants was always delicious and nourishing. Moss made it his business to remain in top health so that he’d be able to provide the service he’d been hired for.

With striking gentleness, Vane took Moss’s hand and led him out of the dining room. Moss felt even more aware of the bloodkin’s touch than ever before. He had so many questions, for himself, for Vane, even for Benson. But he didn’t dare speak, lest the spell of their togetherness be broken.

Vane took him in a smaller receiving room, one no one really used. It was quiet and dark, and Moss had the strangest feeling, like he and Vane were alone in the world. It wasn’t the first time Vane would bite him, but it didn’t really matter. For a brief moment, Moss actually wished only the two of them existed, so that they wouldn’t have to worry about different species and other people’s opinions. He shook that thought off, discarding it as foolish and irrational. That would never happen, and Moss didn’t even want it to. He still loved his family, especially his younger siblings. And yet, for some reason, in only a couple of days, Vane had come to mean a lot to him.

In the end, dwelling on it wouldn’t help. It was all too sudden, which was why he felt confused and puzzled. He needed to give it a little time, to get accustomed to Vane and his new life at the bloodkin’s side. Perhaps in time, he’d figure out the reality behind this strange chemistry both of them were trying to deny.

Until then, Moss would do his job and his duty, as per his contract. He sat down on the couch, and Vane took position next to him. Moss’s heart thundered as Vane took his hand and slowly tilted his head.

For some reason, Moss found himself closing his eyes. Perhaps he was expecting a kiss. It didn’t come, not in a human way in any case. Instead, Vane buried his fangs in Moss’s throat, and sharp pleasure-pain burst through Moss.

Gasping, he leaned against Vane, gripping the bloodkin’s shoulders blindly. He was burning, screaming, dying, flying, the suction against his neck deliciously agonizing. Before Moss could even figure out what he was doing, he climbed into Vane’s lap and started to grind his ass against Vane’s dick.

It wasn’t exactly something easy to do, what with Vane holding on to his neck like that, but Moss could be very resourceful when he wanted to, and he managed. He was rewarded when Vane released a little growl of desire, his hand tightening around Moss’s waist as he rubbed his hard cock into the crease of Moss’s ass.

The barriers of clothing were frustrating, yet irrelevant. Even through the material, Vane’s hand sent shivers down Moss’s spine. He heard himself crying out, but he couldn’t quite tell what he was saying.

He was so close, so very close to achieving something, something he hadn’t even known he’d needed. And then, out of the blue, the mind-numbing sensations stopped. Vane released his hold on Moss’s neck and licked the wound. Moss opened his eyes and blinked, his head still whirling. “Vane?” he asked, his voice husky, rough like sandpaper.

Vane’s eyes were filled with inscrutable shadows as he pushed Moss off his lap. He did so gently, almost excruciatingly so. “Thank you, Moss,” Vane said. “That will be all for tonight.”

Moss’s face burned with embarrassment. “Yes, Your Lordship,” he said. “Good evening.”

And with that, Moss fled. If he wanted to get accustomed to living with Vane, he certainly wasn’t doing a very good job at it.

* * * *

The next day

Soft, but insistent lips pressed against his own, claiming him, devouring him. Moss leaned in closer, inhaling the wild, familiar scent of the man he craved. No, not the man. The bloodkin. At last, Vane was there, in his embrace, branding Moss with his passion. There were no more doubts now. Moss was completely lost in Vane’s caresses, in their shared desire and lust.

As Vane swept his hands over Moss’s naked skin, Moss writhed under him, begging for more. Vane’s wicked fingers trailed over his sides, lingered over his nipples, tweaking and pinching. He reached between their bodies and gripped Moss’s hard cock, rubbing his thumb over the leaking tip.

It was too good, so good it should have scared Moss. It didn’t. He couldn’t remember how to be frightened, and he wanted this. He’d wanted it from the very first moment they’d met. Even the knowledge that they were so different hadn’t changed Moss’s mind.

Vane, however, seemed to disagree. At the last moment, just as Moss was about to reach climax, Vane broke their kiss and pulled away. “What?” Moss asked, dazed. “Vane, what’s wrong?”

“You’re human. You’ll never be what I need.”

Moss tried to reach for his lover, but Vane shied away. “You’re wrong. I don’t know a lot about bloodkin, or about sexuality, but I can learn.”

Vane could have been a statue for all the effect Moss’s words had on him. “You’re human. You’ll never be what I need.”

Moss opened his mouth to say something else, to insist and convince his lover that everything would be all right. It was futile. Vane didn’t give him the chance. Instead, before Moss could even speak, the bloodkin once more said that previous, damnable phrase. “You’re human. You’ll never be what I need.”

Over and over, he parroted the words, until Moss’s head whirled, not with pleasure, but with self-disgust. He wanted so badly to be what Vane needed, but he was a failure, an absolute and utter failure.

The ache of it got so horrible, so intense that Moss snapped his eyes shut and screamed. He half expected Vane to keep speaking those awful phrases, to forever sentence him to a life of inadequacy. But all of a sudden, Vane stopped. Moss looked up, only to realize Vane was nowhere to be seen.

Moss groaned. Another dream, although this one had been very different. Usually, when Moss dreamt about Vane, he fell into an erotic wonderland. To this day, Moss didn’t understand it. Some of the peculiar things Vane did to him in those fantasies were unlike anything Moss had seen before, even in books. He had no clue how he could have come up with them.

Tonight’s nightmare, though, was easy to explain. His subconscious was telling him what Moss had known all along, that he and Vane were a terrible match. And yet…Moss couldn’t quite bring himself to let go of that small part of him, the part that desperately desired for Vane to touch him.

With a sigh, Moss pushed off the blanket and left the bed. Back home, he’d have gone for a walk to clear his head, but here, he was reluctant to bother the other occupants of the house. Home. Did he even have one now? Elmya could no longer qualify, and his current lodgings were provided merely as a payment for his services and convenience of his employer.

As he stole a look out the window, Moss released a soft, bitter chuckle. A convenience, that was his role in Vane’s life. Not a lover, let alone an equal. Just the idea was laughable.

Perhaps he’d have fallen into hysteria altogether had a sudden voice not sounded behind him. “Are you all right?”

Moss turned toward the door and almost yelped when he saw Vane standing there, looking as mysterious as ever. “You look upset.”

That was the understatement of the century. Of course Moss was upset. Nothing made sense anymore, except this strange ache in his chest whenever he was around Vane. But he had to respect the contract and Vane’s desires. He had to stay professional. He’d committed to this, and he couldn’t fall apart every time he had a bad dream.

“I’m fine. I’m just having trouble sleeping.”

Vane arched a brow. He obviously didn’t believe Moss, but for once, he didn’t argue. “Would you like to have a drink with me?” he asked.

The offer surprised Moss. “I’d be honored, Your Lordship.”

He was dressed only in his nightclothes, so it was a little awkward to leave his room like that. Vane didn’t seem to mind, though. The bloodkin led Moss downstairs and into his office. Moss could have sworn he saw a shadow move from the corner of his eye and surmised it must have been Benson.

When they reached the office, Moss sat on the couch, feeling awkward and out of place. Vane poured him a drink and offered it to him. Moss eyed the glass warily and at last took it. He wasn’t much of a drinker. He never had been. Still, perhaps it would be worth a try.

Moss gently took a sip from the glass. To his surprise, it had quite a pleasant kick, burning his throat as he swallowed. “Good?” Vane inquired with a small smile.

It was an unexpected expression on Vane’s face. Moss liked it. The strange fist clenching around his heart started to loosen. What had he been so worried about? Nightmares came and went. They were irrelevant.

“Thank you, yes,” he replied. “I apologize for taking you away from your important tasks with my foolishness.”

“It’s not foolishness,” Vane countered. “You’re uncertain, and I can understand that.”

Moss winced. “I admit I haven’t adapted to the circumstances as well as I should have.”

“You’re doing an excellent job,” Vane encouraged him. “You just have to stop worrying about things you can’t control.”

Moss wondered what that meant, what Vane knew, how much he’d been able to grasp out of Moss’s sometimes erratic behavior. “I’ll try,” he promised. “I’m sure I’ll do better once I get a better grip on your financial situation.”

He was doing his best to remain professional, even if what he truly wanted was something else entirely.

Vane couldn’t have been fooled by this clumsy attempt. “I’m sure you will,” the bloodkin said. “Just know that I…You always have my full support.”

His own uncertainty was so apparent that Moss decided to give him a break. “You’ve helped a lot,” Moss assured him. Placing the glass on the coffee table, Moss got up. “I should get back to bed. You have my thanks again, Your Lordship.”

“Good night, Moss,” Vane murmured. “May Mother Earth guard your dreams.”