Page 21 of Inhuman Natures #1

“Ugh. You’re making it out as if I’m old.”

“I have always wanted a sugar daddy,” DJ said, beaming at him.

“No, you haven’t,” Rake said, frowning.

DJ shot Rake a look. “Well, perhaps not, but—”

“That’s all right,” Shaun said. “I really don’t see myself as the Daddy type. I also have no money, so you’re out of luck on both counts.”

“Damn,” DJ said. “I thought all vampires would be millionaires. ”

“Lawrence is rich,” Shaun said. “I don’t have any money of my own, though.”

“Isn’t it supposed to be ‘what’s mine is yours’?” DJ asked, brow furrowed.

“That’s marriage, not vampirism, Deej,” Rake informed him, tapping a nail under DJ’s chin.

“Ah. Of course.”

“So what age is Lawrence?” Rake asked. “I don’t think you told us earlier.”

“Over a hundred. Youngish for a vampire, but old compared to me.”

“Ew. He’s geriatric,” DJ said with a moue of disgust.

“Yeah,” Shaun agreed idly. “Ew indeed.” Even though as a teen he’d lusted over the idea of a centuries-old vampire sweeping him off his feet like a captive virgin bride in a classic bodice-ripper, the reality of such a thing was not as romantic.

It involved a great deal more blood than he’d imagined.

“Now might be a good time to discuss what we’re going to do about that particular problem,” Rake said.

Shaun looked out of the window at the dark evening. “Lawrence can’t get in without an invitation.”

“We’ll not be inviting him in willingly,” Rake said. “But is there any way he could force us to do it?”

“We can compel humans to do just about anything, but not that.”

“Good to know.”

“So, considering Lawrence is a complete and utter monster, how about the two of us deal with him?” DJ asked.

“Deal?”

“Yeah. Why don’t Rake and I just go to his house during the day and set it on fire?”

Shaun widened his eyes. The casual way DJ suggested committing murder by arson was both terrifying and yet so wholly DJ .

“We’re not burning down a building, Deej. Especially as it’s one of those big houses a few streets back from the beach, right? There’s no way we’d get away with that,” Rake said. “It would set the entire street alight.”

“Now who’s Edward Cullen-ing who?” Shaun asked. “You know where I live?”

“I spoke to one of the other Doms to get some information on Lawrence,” Rake said, with no hint of bashfulness.

“Okay, so no house burning, but what if we sneak in and take him out?” DJ accompanied the suggestion with a slit-your-throat gesture.

“Vampire instincts would kick in if you tried to shank him in his sleep. That’s how I stayed up for so long this morning,” Shaun explained, before getting sidetracked when DJ prodded him in the side, making him yelp. “What was that for?”

DJ gave him a cheeky grin. “Checking your ‘vampire instincts’.”

“You’re not a threat to me.”

“I can be threatening.” DJ protested.

“You’re about as threatening as a stuffed teddy bear.”

“Personally, I’d consider myself to be more of a cub, but I’ll take teddy bear.”

Shaun smiled, but it faltered when he looked out the window again. Lawrence might be out there now, trying to find him. It wouldn’t take long to trace the scent of his blood to the flat .

“We still have to make a plan of action,” Rake said.

Shaun frowned. “What’s all this talk of ‘plans’ and ‘we’? I should make a break for it, and you two should stay inside. I’d advise not to go back to the club again, either. Lawrence will suspect you both of helping me.”

DJ’s hand came up to rest on Shaun’s shoulder. “We’re not leaving you to face him alone.”

Shaun shot up off the sofa, pacing back and forth. “Neither of you can do anything to stop him. He’s a vampire. You’re human. If you can’t kill him whilst he sleeps, you certainly won’t be able to when he’s awake.”

DJ started counting on his fingers. “Stakes. Garlic. Fire. Silver bullets. Beheading. Holy water. I’ve watched Buffy, remember? I know how to defend against a vampire. Ooh, Bazooka. That’s another one.”

Shaun shoved his hands into his hair and started pulling at the strands. “Half of those don’t kill vampires, and most of them aren’t even from Buffy. Also, silver bullets are famously for werewolves!”

“I’m well overdue a rewatch,” DJ said, infuriatingly agreeable. “Do werewolves even exist?”

“Yes, but you’re missing the point. Lawrence is dangerous. He told me he killed the vampires he recreated before when he no longer wanted them. The only chance I have of surviving him is to run.”

“I’m so sorry, Shaun. Is there nobody else you can ask for help?” DJ’s eyes were misty, and it took everything in Shaun not to go to him. But he needed to stay strong and make his point.

“No,” he said, resolute .

“There are no other vampires in Brighton?” Rake asked, incredulous.

Lynette and her contingent of creations came to mind, but rank within the small number of British vampires wasn’t something Shaun knew much about, given that Lawrence was so insular.

Shaun supposed he could go to Lynette in her role as territory leader for help.

He didn’t think it would do much good, however.

Besides, Lawrence had reminded him often that because he’d been the one to recreate Shaun, he had every right to remove him from existence should he see fit.

“You’re considering something,” Rake said, interrupting Shaun’s train of thought.

Shaun lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “It doesn’t matter. Me staying here puts you in danger. I won’t have that on my conscience.”

“I suppose if talking you out of leaving doesn’t work, then we ought to take another approach,” Rake said evenly as he stood from the sofa.

Shaun stayed rooted to the spot as Rake moved towards him. He had to stretch his neck back to look up at Rake as he got in close.

“I’m telling you that we will work this out together. I’m telling you to stay,” Rake said.

“That’s all very well, but I don’t have to do what you tell me. You’re not my Master, and you’re not my Dom.” That Shaun got the words out without stuttering was a wonder.

Rake raised one of his thick eyebrows in challenge. “Oh, I’m not, am I?”

“No,” Shaun whispered.

“Don’t you want me to be? ”

Shaun dropped his eyes to the floor. He couldn’t meet Rake’s intense gaze like this.

Rake lifted Shaun’s chin with one finger, forcing his head back up. “Answer me, sweetheart.”

Shaun shook his head. “I can’t.”

“You can,” DJ said from where he still sat on the sofa.

“Tell me yes, Shaun,” Rake said. “Tell me yes, that you want both of us on your side. Tell me yes, and let’s all finish what you and DJ started earlier.

” Rake’s hand slid round to pull the hair at the back of Shaun’s head.

The grip wasn’t punishing, but it was unyielding, keeping Shaun’s head up and forcing him to meet Rake’s eye.

Of course, Shaun was stronger than Rake and could break free at any moment. But he wanted to be in Rake’s arms, wanted Rake to hold him and touch him and control him. He trusted Rake to demand things of him that would only bring him pleasure. And that was why his request was so hard to refuse.

There was only determination in Rake’s eyes. No fear. None of the anxious thoughts that haunted Shaun’s mind.

He swallowed, throat dry.

“May we kiss you, Shaun?” DJ asked as he came and stood beside Rake.

There was something about the question that broke Shaun’s resolve. “Yes. Please,” he said, sounding far needier than he intended.

Rake swept in, capturing Shaun’s lips in a bruising kiss. DJ’s body settled in close beside them, his hands banding around Shaun’s chest. Shaun held on for the ride as Rake moved his head where he wanted him, coaxing his mouth open with an insistent prod of his tongue.

Rake pulled back so suddenly that Shaun was chasing him before he’d realised. But Rake used his thumb on the side of Shaun’s jaw to twist his head and turn him towards DJ. Shaun didn’t wait for further instruction. He got up on his tiptoes to press his lips to DJ’s, who met him with equal fervour.

Rake’s fingers carded through Shaun’s hair as he and DJ kissed deeply. And then DJ’s hands went roaming underneath Shaun’s jumper, following the planes of his body. So caught up in everything, Shaun got taken by surprise when DJ broke off.

“Your back,” DJ rasped.

Shaun blinked in confusion. “My…?” And then it hit him.

The marks left by Lawrence.

“Can I see?” Rake asked, rubbing his thumbs into the knobs of Shaun’s rigid spine, right at the back of his neck.

“Please,” Rake said. “Let me check them.”

Shaun screwed his eyes shut. “Okay.”

Rake pulled the jumper over Shaun’s head, spinning him gently around. “Oh, sweetheart,” he said, a soft finger trailing down his skin.

“They’ll fade with time and more blood,” Shaun whispered.

“Does it hurt?” DJ asked.

“No.” Shaun’s face burned, the blood he’d taken from Rake and DJ heating his skin. “You can ignore them. They’re ugly.”

“No, they’re not,” Rake said.

“Not at all,” DJ agreed. He grabbed Shaun’s hand and pressed it to his own dark skin, trailing Shaun’s fingers across his stomach where his shirt had ridden up. “Are my marks ugly?”

Shaun had noticed DJ’s stretch marks before, but he hadn’t thought them comparable. Lighter than the rest of DJ’s skin, they wrapped around his waist, a physical reminder of where he’d put on weight. Shaun recalled seeing them on DJ’s legs and buttocks, too.

“They’re not ugly,” Shaun said, now tracing them of his own accord. “I like them.” Shaun thought DJ was irresistible, rounded stomach and thick thighs and all.

“So you’ll believe us when we tell you there’s nothing about your body that makes us any less attracted to you,” Rake stated, as if it were a foregone conclusion.

Shaun paused, then nodded.

“How does rope sound?” Rake asked. “Tight over your body, leaving plenty of indentations. DJ can trace the marks with his tongue after I let you loose.”

Oh. Oh . “That sounds perfect,” Shaun said.