Page 19 of Inhuman Natures #1

“I trust you, Shaun,” Rake said. He still only wore the football shorts he slept in, so extended a bare arm.

“Wait,” DJ said, grabbing Rake’s wrist. “Biting him won’t make him a vampire, will it?” he asked Shaun.

Shaun looked horrified. “No! I wouldn’t do that.”

“I’m not accusing you of anything. I just want to check.”

“I suppose this is as good a time as any to develop an understanding of the concept of forethought,” Rake said, digging his elbow into DJ’s side.

“Excuse me! You’re the one about to stick your arm into a vampire’s mouth.”

“Shaun trusted me with his submission. He wouldn’t do anything to harm me.”

Shaun’s head swung between them both. He looked ready to bolt.

DJ swallowed and held his arm out alongside Rake’s. “If you need more, use me as well.”

Shaun shook his head. “You don’t have to—”

“I know,” DJ interrupted. “I want to.”

Shaun’s fangs peeked out from under his top lip. His eyes were almost fully black. He no longer looked like the vulnerable sub DJ had first seen at the club—this was the predator that lay beneath his human skin.

However, DJ wasn’t afraid. Despite his inhuman nature, Shaun was still Shaun.

“Do it, sweetheart,” Rake commanded.

Shaun dived for Rake’s wrist, gathering it up and biting into his flesh with such fervour that DJ feared he might choke.

Rake took a deep inhale of breath. Getting bitten by those sharp fangs should hurt, but Rake’s expression didn’t look pained.

DJ would know, because Rake was a bona fide wuss with pain.

He could dish it out, but he couldn’t stomach so much as a paper cut.

Rake’s mouth fell open, not quite slack, but as if he no longer had full control of it. His eyes lay on Shaun, but were somewhat unfocused. DJ squeezed Rake’s free hand, and Rake took a second to squeeze back.

Shaun’s head lifted, mouth still fastened over Rake’s wrist. His eyes caught Rake’s and held, the two staring intently at one another.

Something passed between them, something that DJ couldn’t read.

Shaun then jerked his head away, teeth stained pink.

He lapped at Rake’s wrist, small kitten-like licks that were incongruous alongside the blood that dripped from the side of his mouth.

DJ’s arm still rested on Rake’s knee where he sat on the sofa. Shaun homed in on the proffered limb, and DJ couldn’t have stopped Shaun from biting him if he’d tried.

There was pain. It was the sting of a needle, the prick of a splinter, the scratch of a nail.

And then it was gone, replaced with a gentle pressure.

DJ closed his eyes and sank into the sensation.

It wasn’t too far off the feeling of being in subspace; that floaty, warm detachedness from reality that centred him like nothing else did.

When Shaun pulled off, DJ blinked to clear the fog. Shaun cleaned him like he had Rake, his tongue darting out over DJ’s skin. Licking had never been so erotic.

DJ laughed as something occurred to him. “Bloodplay as your hard limit, huh?” he said, speech coming slower than intended.

Shaun stared uncomprehendingly at DJ until his face lit up with recollection. He huffed, shaking his head.

“Given the current situation, I would like to reconsider that limit,” Rake said. He looked at Shaun like he was the one who wanted to eat him. DJ glanced at Rake’s tented crotch. Good to know they were both affected in the same way.

“I’d be open to that,” Shaun said in a breathy voice.

DJ’s phone started blaring on the table. Shaun shot backwards away from the noise at a preternatural speed, ending up crouched on the arm of a recliner they’d appropriated from DJ’s parents. DJ fumbled to turn his alarm off. “We’ve got work,” he said.

“I kinda forgot that it’s”—Rake looked at the phone in DJ’s hand—“seven in the morning.”

DJ expelled a loud groan. “I don’t wanna go to work.” He pouted at Rake, hoping he would suggest that they call in sick.

“You guys should go to work,” Shaun said from the recliner. He now sat in it like normal, and not like a startled cat.

“Or”—DJ drew the word out for so long that Rake poked him in the side to hurry him up—“we could stay home.”

“Go,” Shaun said. “I won’t be able to stay awake much longer, anyway.”

“You fall asleep when the sun comes up?” DJ asked.

“Yeah. I think I’m only still awake right now because of the whole Lawrence-trying-to-kill-me thing. My instincts are keeping me up, but not for much longer now that I’m no longer in immediate danger.”

“Do you think he’ll try to get to you again?” Rake asked.

Shaun’s eyes were downcast. “He might track me here, yes. If I’d had any other choice, I wouldn’t have come to you, but the sun was coming up. It’ll still be light out when you finish work, so you shouldn’t have to worry about him coming after you. The second it gets dark, though…”

“You did the right thing,” Rake said.

“I’m so glad you came here,” DJ agreed. He made to stand up, but a wave of dizziness hit him and he slumped back down onto the sofa.

“Did I take too much?” Shaun asked.

DJ rubbed his eyes. “I don’t think so.”

“You need something to eat,” Rake said. He got up himself, more slowly than DJ’s attempt, and shuffled over to the kitchen area.

“Stop telling me to eat. You’re turning into my mum.”

Rake grumbled something into the open fridge that DJ didn’t catch, so he sent a scowl towards his back. Shaun snorted with laughter, and DJ narrowed his eyes at him. “You caught what he said, didn’t you?”

Shaun pressed his lips together, barely concealing the smile he wore.

“Tell me!” DJ made it up this time and advanced on Shaun. He threw himself down, pressing Shaun into the recliner with his bigger body. “Tell me,” he whined.

Shaun shook with silent laughter, a hand over his mouth. DJ tried to pry it off, but Shaun was so much stronger. Shaun’s eyes danced with mirth as he evaded DJ’s attempts to make him squeal.

Rake’s voice floated through from the kitchen. “As enticing as this image is, I ought to remind you how long you take in the shower, DJ. We have deadlines.”

“No work talk until we’re in the office!” DJ whisper-shouted back. “That’s one of your rules.”

“Fine. I will punish myself with one whole spank.”

DJ didn’t even get to see it. He just heard the lightest of smacking sounds from behind him. Shaun peered over DJ’s shoulder. Judging by his pinched expression, he hadn’t got to see anything either.

“There,” Rake said. “Happy?”

“No!” both Shaun and DJ said at once.

“Anyway. The rules are for you, Deej, not for me,” Rake said in that self-satisfied tone that had DJ’s eyes rolling.

“Rules for thee but not for me, BDSM edition,” Shaun said.

“Exactly,” Rake agreed.

“Dude,” DJ said to Shaun. “What’s this siding with the Dom bullshit? Subs gotta stick together. We should gang up on him.”

Shaun smirked in response. DJ ended up pressing more of his weight down on him in retaliation, then realised how much of a mistake that was.

He was still half-hard from the bite, and now, with Shaun—lithe, beautiful, solid Shaun—underneath him, his cock took interest once more.

Shaun’s eyes locked onto DJ’s as he made a few experimental rolls with his hips.

DJ paused, waiting to see if Shaun would tell him to stop—if it was too much after everything he’d gone through. But Shaun’s eyes contained only heat and want and longing. His pupils blew wide, and he nodded. DJ ground down on Shaun, wishing they were naked.

Shaun’s lips parted, his fangs on show as he threw his head back. His tongue darted out and wetted his lips, giving them a tantalising sheen.

“Breakfast,” Rake said, interrupting them before DJ could lean down and kiss Shaun like he wanted to. “You need to eat and drink after giving blood, Deej.”

“But…”

“No buts.”

DJ stuck out his lower lip as he got off of Shaun. “Party pooper,” he muttered even as he took the massive mug of coffee from Rake’s hands.

“I’m only looking out for you, sweetheart,” Rake said in a saccharine tone as he booped him on the nose.

“You’re just pleased you spoiled our fun.”

“Perhaps.”

“I have to agree with DJ here,” Shaun said as he adjusted himself on the recliner. He looked breathtakingly attractive lying there, but DJ could see the signs of exhaustion; how Shaun sagged into the seat and how his eyes had gone half-lidded with more than desire.

As much as DJ wanted Shaun, it was a good thing Rake had stopped them before they went too far. Not only did Shaun need rest to recover, but he’d need space to process everything. DJ didn’t want to push him.

“After work,” Rake said.

“After work, what?” Shaun asked, blinking slowly.

“After work, the three of us will finish what DJ started. ”

Shaun smiled, small and hopeful. “Really?”

“If you would like,” Rake amended.

“I would like,” Shaun said. “Very much.”

DJ had never wanted a day of work to go faster in his life.