Page 9 of Necking with a Vampire (Halloween Temptation #1)

Epilogue

Draven bit down and warm blood flooded his mouth.

He instinctively swallowed, luxuriating in the sweetness he still wasn’t used to receiving.

Months of this, and it still felt like a waking dream.

One he never wanted to end.

Draven swallowed another mouthful, waking further as the sun set.

Peter loved to spoil him. Waking to fresh blood? It was as close to heaven as a vampire could get.

This had to be what love tasted like.

Draven always thought he preferred the darkness - it was where monsters like him belonged. He’d forgotten how bright a star like Peter could shine.

Peter, of course, thought Draven was being dramatic when he confessed this. Said that electricity meant he only had to live in darkness if he wanted to.

And maybe Peter was right.

When they’d met, Draven had been in a dark place. The years both blurred and dragged in an unending stream.

Peter always said how much he loved Draven’s smile - he didn’t need to know how many years it had been since Draven smiled. A genuine smile.

Or how tempted Draven had been to return home.

The modern world was a wonder, but in many ways it had become more dangerous for his kind. Every year, more and more beings with magic at their core left for the other planes.

In some ways, a world with an abundance of magic was safer than one where mortals could isolate the rays of the sun and use it as a weapon to hunt down vampires.

But that’s why he always loved Halloween. Samhain. All Hallows ‘eve. It had many names over the centuries.

It was the one night of the year he could be himself.

Until he met Peter.

His instincts had led him to take an insane risk. He’d stopped hiding. He’d revealed himself to be the monster Peter fantasized about.

It was amusing at first. Peter, who couldn’t watch while Draven drew blood with a needle, wanted to be bitten by a vampire.

Listening to his boy beg him to bite had been an exercise in self-control he hadn’t known he was capable of.

However, it was worth the effort. Now, he spent every day with someone he didn’t have to hide from.

They still hadn’t had the talk . It was too soon for that. But the longer Peter stayed by his side, the more sure he became. He wanted them to spend eternity together.

Some people changed after being turned. The process could be traumatic. Their personality could twist into something unrecognizable.

It took a certain resilience to maintain your sense of self. Self confidence. Resilient and unwavering understanding of their core.

It wasn’t a decision to make lightly.

Peter still had so much life in him. So much life to share. So much life to live. He couldn’t risk it. Not yet.

Look at him. He’d sworn off love and now after only 6 months he was already thinking about forever. He should have known he was in trouble after he changed all of his plans to stay with Peter. He never did that. But he hadn't been able to bear the thought of leaving.

He'd even attended what had to be the most awkward Thanksgiving of his long life.

Draven took one last, decadent swallow and began the process of licking the wound closed.

Peter giggled, squirming in Draven’s arms.

This was how all vampires should wake up. With a willing partner sneaking into their coffin before the sun had fully set to surprise them with a neck to bite.

Maybe then vampires wouldn’t have a reputation of being such miserable bastards.

“Guess what?” Peter said.

Draven made a questioning noise, tongue still at work.

“I’ve been accepted at the hospital! My volunteer shift starts this summer. Then next year I can join you running the blood donation drives!”

Oh. Peter had been serious about joining him?

“I can’t wait until I can be a full time nurse. I’ll take all the night shifts - and switch with people if I don’t get it. Then on a four day on, three day off rotation, I’ll be an unofficial vampire! And, most importantly, I’ll be able to spend all my days off with you.”

Peter hugged Draven tightly.

Good. Because there was an odd lump in his throat and he didn’t trust himself enough to speak.

Peter was doing all of that… for Draven?

When no blood leaked out between licks, he no longer had any excuse to keep doing it. The wound was sealed. Soon, it’d just be a scar. A feature of the magic he carried within him wherever he went.

“I’m so proud of you,” Draven whispered.

“I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Draven scoffed, “Of course you could have. All I did was help you bring out what was already there. And you’re capable of so much more.”

Peter sniffed wetly and hugged Draven tighter. “I love you so much. No one ever believed in me like you do.”

Draven hesitated, still not used to these emotional moments, and then hugged Peter back just as tightly. Peter’s easy displays of affection always caught him off guard.

“And I know what you’re thinking,” Peter said. “But you’re not a pain in the neck. You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me.”

Draven tightened his grip and quietly said into Peter’s skin, “I love you too.”