Blood Lure (4 page)

“Very nice. I hope you both enjoy it. So, Salud…” He raised his glass of red wine. “We are happy to make your acquaintance, Joey.”

Joey sipped his martini thinking how formal these guys were. Their exotic accents, stellar looks, and gracious manners seemed to belong to a bygone age. An age where manners mattered, a gentler age perhaps, far from the crassness of modern times and mores.

Still, he couldn’t really judge others on their bad manners after his earlier display of putting the make on Jared, and only knowing him for less than half an hour. He was just glad that Jared hadn’t seemed to mind at all, returning his kiss with a great deal of pent-up ardour.

Maybe, tomorrow night, they could take it to a higher level. There he was, thinking like a slut again, but what the hey? How many more times in his life was he going to meet another man like Jared?

Most likely, not one.

BLOOD LURE

J.P. Bowie

22

“We had an interesting meeting tonight,” Marcus told his lover, Roger Folsom, when he returned home after seeing the movie
The Darkness
with his friend Micah Fitzgerald. “Joey Ryan, a friend of Christopher Jeffries.”

“You’re kidding.” Roger was wide eyed with interest. He flung himself down on the couch next to Marcus, kissed him on the cheek, then turned to smirk at their house guest.

“You’re doing?”

Jared laughed quietly. “As if you hadn’t just read my mind.”

“Roger.” Marcus frowned at him. “I’ve told you about that a million times before. It is rude to invade a friend’s privacy.”

“I only did it for a second. I already had an inkling Jared met someone tonight. He has that pleased as punch look on his face, like he’d got some.”

“He is very attractive and sweet, even if he does like horror movies,” Jared said. “But I must disillusion you, Roger. Sadly, I didn’t get some, as you so elegantly put it.”

Roger grinned. “Horror movies, eh? That means he has good taste. Though if he liked the one Micah and I saw tonight, I’ll retract the bit about good taste.”

“He did see it and hated it. He said it was the worst vampire movie he’d ever seen.”

“The guy
has
taste. It was, without a doubt, the worst—”

Still frowning, Marcus interrupted, “I sensed something about him.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“He’s been with one of our kind, but he has no memory of it,” Marcus continued.

“There is a trace of vampire blood in his veins. You didn’t sense it, Jared?”

Jared nodded. “I sensed
something
even before I asked him to join me. I have to admit, without embarrassing both of you I hope, that the taste of his lips was like no other mortal’s I have kissed.”

“Wow.” Roger looked suitably impressed.

“Vampire blood never goes away.” Marcus fixed Roger with a long look. “You know something about this, don’t you?”

BLOOD LURE

J.P. Bowie

23

Roger sighed and ran a hand over his blond hair. “You know, if there’s one drawback to having you as a lover, it’s this ‘
all-knowing
’ thing you do. How can I ever hide anything from you?”

“You should not wish to hide things from me, Roger. Our minds should be like open books to one another.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. All very well for you, Mr Never Did a Stupid Thing in His Life Verano, Master Vampire, love of my life—”

“
Roger
.”

“Oh, all
right
. That time when Micah and me wanted to get Christopher back into Carlos’ life—”

“When Micah and
I
—and I believe that was all
your
idea.” Marcus tapped Roger on the head. “Micah simply went along with your foolish actions, after you gave him no other choice.”

“Yeah, well, I exchanged blood with Christopher, as you know, so I could get in his head and do a PR job for Carlos, and, uh…Micah did it with Chris’s friend, Joey. Micah
said
he only gave him a drop or two.”

Marcus sighed. “More than that I think, but even a
drop or two
would remain in his blood for the rest of his life. You see, Jared, what I have to put up with? Think very carefully, my friend, before you select any mortal as your forever companion!”

“I will definitely think hard about it,” Jared said with mock seriousness, “should I ever consider such a thing. But you know me, Marcus, I like the single life.”

“Well, I don’t think you’ve done so badly, Marcus,” Roger huffed. “Just ‘cause I like to spice it up now and then. You don’t hear Joseph or Jean-Claude, or Carlos for that matter, complaining about
their
mortal—or should I say—
ex
mortal lovers.”

Marcus chuckled and pulled Roger into his arms. “You are quite irresistible when you pout like that. Now, would you care to pour us all a glass of that rare Chateau Lafitte-Rothschild I had delivered yesterday?”

Roger kissed Marcus on the cheek and bowed low before him. “I hear, Master, and I obey.”

Marcus swatted Roger’s butt. “Good, let’s keep it that way.” He smiled at Jared. “Shall we sit on the veranda and talk? We still have to decide on how we will address the Council regarding the charges brought against you.”

BLOOD LURE

J.P. Bowie

24

Jared’s expression turned grim. “Yes, I’m sorry to burden you and Joseph with this, Marcus. I really didn’t know who else I could turn to.”

“It is no burden, my friend. When you, or any one of us is unjustly accused, friends must rally to our sides. That is the way of it.” He led Jared out onto the huge veranda that ran the length of the living room and master bedroom combined. From there, the lights of Los Angeles below were just visible, sparkling through the late night mist that covered the hillsides.

“Joseph says he knows Andrew Berés, the man who accuses you of murdering his brother, Michael. He also says he is quite surprised to hear that Berés is so adamant in his accusation.”

“Andrew believes it to be true.” There was a trace of sadness in Jared’s voice. He looked away, over the veranda wall, as he remembered his last conversation with his one-time friend and lover. For a time he stared at the moon scudding behind dark clouds.

“He and I have spoken of it. I tried to have him believe that I would never do such a thing. To kill another vampire without the authority of the Council is unforgivable, not to mention a punishable offence. But apart from that, I loved Michael Berés. As you know, he was the one who changed me. We were friends for nigh on two hundred years. I would never harm him, let alone kill him.”

“And have you any idea who did?”

“I have my suspicions.” He paused as Roger arrived with their wine. “Thank you, Roger.” He took the proffered glass. “Salud.”

“Salud.” Marcus savoured the wine for a moment or two before asking, “Why does Andrew think you murdered his brother?”

“Michael had fallen in with a circle of mortals in New York who held gambling parties.

Even when we first met, I knew Michael loved to indulge in the habit. Unfortunately, he was having a run of bad luck and was heavily in debt to one member, a Bernard Fieldman.

Fieldman is an influential businessman and an associate of the Mayor’s. He moves in powerful circles, feels he is above the law, and was certainly not above threatening Michael.

“Michael was not afraid of the man, but of course, he didn’t want Fieldman, or any of the other gamblers, to know he was vampire. He felt that if the man used his influence to do some background checking, he would discover that Michael was not what he seemed. So he asked if I would lend him the money.”

BLOOD LURE

J.P. Bowie

25

“And did you?” Marcus asked.

“I did, but he was soon in debt again to the same man.” Jared’s lips twisted in a wry grimace. “I told him that as he was so unlucky at the games they played, perhaps it was time for him to give them up. He promised me he would as soon as this debt was paid. This time, in order to lend him the money, I had to arrange for funds to be transferred from Zurich, and during that time, Michael was murdered.

“He must have revealed his true self when he tried to defend himself, or Fieldman had indeed discovered Michael’s secret. Whoever killed him knew enough to ensure he did not rise again. He was decapitated. What was left of his body bore a message. ‘Death of a debtor.’”

Marcus stared at Jared over the rim of his wineglass. “At what point were you accused of the murder—and by whom?”

“Andrew’s uncle, Lazlo Marek, knew I had lent Michael money. He must have informed Andrew and somehow convinced him I had murdered his brother. Andrew railed at me, saying I had demanded repayment, and had killed Michael when he could not pay.

Even when I showed him the receipt from Zurich showing a pending transfer, he would not believe me.

“Every imagined slight, every petty jealousy he had harboured for years against me were manifested in his hatred for me at that moment. He attacked me. We fought. He was like a madman.”

Jared shuddered as he recalled this confrontation with Andrew. “It took all my strength to subdue him, and when I had my hands on his throat, he spat at me, ‘Yes, go ahead, murder me as you murdered Michael. That is the only way you will survive this!’

“I told him again that I did not murder Michael, then I left him, unhurt, on his living room floor. Later, I received this summons to appear before the Vampire Council.”

“You did the right thing by coming to Joseph and me for guidance,” Marcus said. “You said you had your suspicions.”

“Yes. Bernard Fieldman, the man to whom Michael owed the money. I am convinced he murdered Michael—or at the very least, arranged it. But he has an alibi and witnesses to prove him elsewhere at the time of Michael’s death. And of course, there is the fact that I could not go to the police.”

Marcus nodded. “So we have to have the man investigated ourselves.”

BLOOD LURE

J.P. Bowie

26

“I tried that, Marcus.” Jared’s wide shoulders slumped a little. “I confronted Fieldman with my suspicions, but he merely laughed and presented me with his alibi which he said can be corroborated by many people.” Jared bared his teeth in a grimace. “His gambling cronies, of course. Believe me, at that moment, I wanted to tear him limb from limb. He owes his life to you, Marcus. To you and your philosophy of non-violence.”

“And your self-control will be rewarded, I assure you,” Marcus told him. “Don’t worry, Jared. Joseph and I will accompany you when you appear before the Council. I think there is already enough doubt to allay any sentencing.”

When Jared left his friends and retired to one of the guestrooms just before dawn, he felt easier in his mind now he had spoken with Marcus. He had spent so many restless days wondering how he could convince Andrew, and the Council, of his innocence.

Especially Andrew.

How could the love Andrew had once professed for him turn so quickly to hatred?

Jared could still remember the joy he’d felt that day when Michael had introduced him to his handsome brother, when they had engaged in the most incredible intimacy Jared had ever known.

Andrew was blessed with hair that shone like a raven’s wing, his skin smooth with a burnished olive sheen. His luminous eyes, a startling pale, almost icy blue, had gazed at Jared on their first meeting with a sensual intensity he’d found impossible to ignore. After that first encounter, Andrew had pursued Jared with a relentlessness that Jared found at first to be flattering and exciting, but he’d been honest from the start, letting Andrew know that after he’d been changed, a forever companion was not something he desired.

Yes, the sex had been good, better than good. Each and every time they had pleasured one another, it had been completely fulfilling. But Jared had always been a loner, and had explained that to Andrew many times during the time they spent together. He supposed Andrew had thought he could be the one to change Jared’s mind, but in the end, hope had turned to bitterness. Harsh words were thrown at Jared, and the distance he placed between himself and Andrew in order to avoid further, furious confrontations, never seemed vast enough.

BLOOD LURE

J.P. Bowie

27

Now this. The jealousy and rage that still tormented Andrew had led him to make a groundless accusation, based on nothing more than rumour and his determination to see Jared suffer. If he could not have him, he had once told Michael, then no one would.

Words spoken in anger perhaps, but now Michael, the only one who could refute Andrew’s accusations, was dead, and Jared blamed for his murder. Jared could only hope this would soon be over, that with help from Marcus and Joseph he would be found innocent, and could get on with his life.

Which brought him back to the more pleasant thoughts of his meeting with Joey, but also to Marcus’ warning, however light-hearted, about being involved with a mortal.

They could be trouble without a doubt. He’d seen some of the results of botched love affairs, tears, vows of revenge and retribution, and worse, sometimes the final death of the vampire, betrayed by his or her mortal lover, dragged into the sunlight as they slept, or stabbed with a silver spike through the heart.

Not that he imagined someone like Joey capable of anything quite so dastardly, he thought with a slight chuckle, but at the same time, he knew very little about the young man, except that he was the best friend of Carlos’ lover—and a very good kisser.

Jared smiled, remembering the sudden passion in Joey’s kiss, the ardour he had expressed in those all too brief meetings of their lips. And when Jared had held Joey, trapping his lithe body in a fierce embrace, something had stirred in Jared—an indefinable something. A longing, a sensual hunger he had not felt in many, many years.

The scent of Joey’s blood had been intoxicating, the sweet lure by which mortals often entrap a vampire. His instincts had been correct when he’d thought there was something different about Joey—Marcus’ assertion that Joey had at one time exchanged blood with a vampire, being confirmed by Roger.