Page 40 of Inhuman Natures #1

“You will respect Mistress Lynette,” Winnie shot back.

Rake ignored their sniping as he guided Shaun to the bathroom, fresh towels in hand.

Once inside, Shaun began to undress himself, but Rake took over.

He pulled DJ’s borrowed sweatshirt over Shaun’s head, feeding each arm through the sleeves.

Then he slid the shorts down Shaun’s legs, leaving him bare.

Given the circumstances, Rake shouldn’t have been aroused. His body took interest anyway.

Shaun peeked up at him through his eyelashes. “Are we getting in together?”

“Of course.” He grimaced at the sheer amount of dried blood on his work shirt as he took it off. “I don’t think that’ll come out in the wash.”

Once undressed, Rake pushed Shaun into the shower ahead of him. It wasn’t large, but Rake didn’t mind being in such close proximity to Shaun. They pressed up against each other, Shaun’s head coming to rest on Rake’s chest.

They didn’t clean so much as let the water rain down upon them, with occasional attempts at using some body wash. It was difficult to move when Shaun’s arms wound tight around Rake’s middle in a hold he didn’t think he’d be able to break, even if he wanted to.

Rake stood watching his blood drain away down the plughole until the water ran clean.

He felt on the verge of being overwhelmed and needed desperately to regain some semblance of control.

Normally, he’d do a scene to level himself out.

They didn’t have time for that, but he could at least silence the voice in his head that told he was spiralling .

He reached down between them, taking Shaun’s cock in hand. “Is this okay?” Rake asked him.

“Rake…” Shaun said, concern colouring his tone.

Rake removed his hand. “You don’t want me to touch you?”

“I do. God, of course I do. But with everything—”

“You can best bet that if DJ was here, he’d be wanting to do the same. We both need the release.” Rake stroked Shaun up and down, gratified at how his cock hardened under his touch.

Rake’s fangs extended as he lowered his mouth to Shaun’s shoulder, scraping his teeth along his collarbone. Every sense intensified, from the heat of the water as it trickled down his body, to the aroma of the body wash and, most of all, the need to lose himself in Shaun.

“Bite me,” Shaun begged.

Rake drew his fangs up Shaun’s neck, though he didn’t pierce his skin.

“Sir, please. Just a taste.”

Rake couldn’t resist. He bit, marvelling at the sweetness that burst onto his tongue.

Shaun rutted against Rake’s leg, and Rake ground himself against Shaun’s abdomen, but neither had enough friction to get off. Rake decided enough was enough and spun Shaun around. “Hands on the wall,” Rake commanded.

Shaun shuddered as he obeyed. Rake got down on his knees and spread Shaun’s cheeks, watching as the water slid down his crack. He leaned forward and drew his tongue, still coated in blood, right across Shaun’s hole. Shaun pushed back against him, desperate and wanton in all the ways Rake liked.

When Rake speared his tongue right into Shaun’s hole, Shaun gasped. “Rake!”

It occurred then to Rake that they had guests in the flat. Specifically, guests who could hear through walls.

It only made him grip Shaun’s hips harder and thrust his tongue deeper.

“Oh my god, Rake, Sir , that’s—oh!” Shaun let out a litany of pleas as Rake pulled Shaun’s cock backwards between his legs, licking a stripe up from Shaun’s tightly drawn balls right to his hole, again and again until Shaun sobbed with need.

Rake removed his tongue, only to replace it with two fingers, aiming for Shaun’s prostate. A few deft movements, and Shaun yelled as he came against the shower wall. It only took Rake a few frantic tugs of his own cock to shoot into the drain.

He stood up and wrapped Shaun in his arms. Being able to tuck him under his chin was comforting, but made Rake ache for DJ. He should be there with them. Granted, it would be a squeeze to fit them all into the shower, but they’d make do. He held tighter to Shaun, using him like a security blanket.

After a while, Shaun lifted his head. “Should we get out?”

“Probably.”

“Definitely!” Kit responded from two rooms away.

Shaun huffed with laughter against Rake’s chest.

Kit was waiting for them in the hall, arms crossed like a stern schoolteacher. “Sounds like you two had fun in there.”

“Voyeurism does it for you?” Rake asked.

Kit made an affronted noise. “You were being rather loud!”

Shaun shrugged. “You’re welcome for the free show.”

Kit gaped at him .

“Mistress awaits us,” Winnie said from where she loomed near the front door.

Reality hit Rake like a punch to the gut. DJ was gone. They were both vampires. Shaun seemed to sense his rapid mood change, sending him an uneasy smile. Rake couldn’t smile back. Any optimism had been sucked out of him.

“Let’s get dressed,” he said in a monotone. “Then let’s get the hell out of here. The sooner we do that, the sooner we can go after DJ.”

Shaun nodded. “We’ll get him back, Rake.”

Rake ignored the concerned look that Kit shot them both. It was far too close to pity.

“We need to leave,” Winnie said, irritation clear in her tone.

“Unless you want a couple of half-naked vampires to parade down the street in full view of everyone, you’ll wait until they get dressed,” Kit said.

Ignoring Kit and Winnie, Rake went back into the bedroom with Shaun.

“Can I…” Shaun trailed off, looking forlornly at the pile of his own clothing on the bed.

“What, sweetheart?”

“Can I wear one of DJ’s jumpers again?” Shaun asked, so fast his words jumbled together.

When Rake caught Shaun’s meaning, he nodded. “Something of DJ’s sounds like a good option right now.”

Rake picked out two of DJ’s big hoodies, choosing comfort over style.

Either would swamp Shaun, but Rake figured he wouldn’t mind.

When Rake shrugged his on, he took a deep whiff of the fabric, detecting more subtle notes than he’d been able to before.

There was the spice of DJ’s aftershave, and the faintest scent of Rake’s own minty shampoo. It made his chest tight.

“I promise you. I’ll do anything to make sure he’s okay,” Shaun said.

Rake already knew Shaun would throw himself in harm’s way if it meant saving DJ. Rake’s heart hurt at the thought. He frowned. It wasn’t a phantom ache. It was like there was something inside of him, tying him to Shaun.

Rake rubbed at his skin. “I can sense our connection.”

Shaun nodded. “Between creator and creation. It’s what allows compulsion between vampires. Other vampires can’t compel you, but I can. Not that I would ever use that power over you.”

“You sense the tie with Lawrence? And DJ will too?”

“Yes. It lessens over time, though. It took quite a while for me to resist Lawrence’s commands,” Shaun said, shame bleeding into his words.

Rake turned to face him. “Don’t be so hard on yourself.” He used a couple of fingers under Shaun’s chin to make him meet his eyes. “You resisted Lawrence, regardless of how long it took. That’s impressive.”

Shaun gave him a flat smile. “I’m sure Kit did it much faster.” They both paused, waiting for Kit to jump in. For once, no response came. “Kit?” Shaun prompted.

“Are you shitting me?” Kit said. “You’ve been getting annoyed at me for giving my input the entire time and now you’re mad I won’t respond? Make up your minds!”

“We thought you might have an opinion,” Shaun said towards the closed bedroom door.

“I’m not sure I ever learned how to ignore his orders,” Kit replied from right outside. “And trust me when I say that I tried.” Rake’s mind shifted to the Polaroids they’d seen, but shoved the images away. They were too depressing to dwell on.

Shaun went back out into the hall, Rake following. “You couldn’t resist either?” Shaun asked Kit.

“I literally just said that.”

“No, I mean”—Shaun glanced at Winnie, who was tapping her foot with impatience—“Lynette said that compulsions between creator and created should only last for a few years, max.”

Winnie shrugged. “Mistress doesn’t compel us.”

Kit’s eyes narrowed on her. “How helpful.”

She huffed. “How about you ask her yourself?”

“What a great idea,” Kit said, voice dripping with sarcasm. “Perhaps we ought to pay her a visit.”

Winnie looked at the ceiling in undisguised exasperation.

“Let’s go,” Rake said. He locked the front door, running one clawed finger over the deep gouges Lawrence had left. His insides felt how the door looked—savaged.

It was only Shaun’s encouraging squeeze of his hand that kept Rake from falling apart as they left the former sanctuary of the flat.