Page 15 of Pretty Fly for a Vampire Guy

Chapter

Thirteen

CLAY

T oday, I’m hanging with the water polo team because of our exhibition game against Packard U.

I’m standing at my locker in the Creelin U Athletics Center, pulling my Speedo on. As I slide the tiny fabric up my muscular, hairy thighs, I think about how a week ago, Owen taught me parts of the body I’ve never known about.

Since then, I’ve thought about those body parts plenty—in between classes, when I’m swimming, late at night when Owen’s asleep in his dorm room and I’m restless in my own bed.

I’ve jacked off so much to thoughts of what we’ve done together, but it doesn’t help.

My thirst for him has become insatiable.

What does his blood taste like? That’s been a dominant thought.

That, and how to get him naked as many times as I can, as often as I can.

But while I enjoy spending time with him studying and caring for our familiar, my bloodlust is starting to become overpowering.

In fact, I’ve taken to getting double blood bags at the cafeteria in the morning and afternoon instead of my usual amount.

It’s like I’m trying to fill up something inside when Owen’s not around.

But then, he’ll text me, and either I’ll glide over or he’ll come to my room, and we’ll hook up. Those few times, it’s felt…destined. Like Owen and I are meant to be together. Everything feels right when he’s around.

I’m worried because as we grow closer, I crave his blood more. It’s getting harder and harder for me to keep from sinking my fangs into his hot, velvety flesh and feeding from him. Giving him blowjobs and drinking his release does satiate me a little bit, but I’m wanting more.

I’m never going to allow myself to have it. I can’t risk having feelings for him, and I also don’t want to hurt him, physically. So Owen’s never going to be my feeder. I have to accept that.

Stewing with these thoughts has made me way less outgoing than I usually am. Someone’s noticed.

“Where have you been?” Brandon demands, as he slams his locker door shut.

He’s wearing his steel necklace that prevents him from being drowned by his boyfriend’s scream.

It also protects the entire team, so the officials let him wear it, even though it can get tugged on quite a bit.

“I hardly see you outside of practice these days.”

“And barely even then,” Nick says—so, make that two someones—his Scottish lilt coming out more than usual. Nick must’ve been talking with his parents. His accent always gets thicker after a long session with them.

The n?kk’s in his monster form, with gray and mossy skin, but his eyes are always the same.

He joins Brandon, picking up their towels.

Maybe I should talk with the n?kk about how he fights his desire to take Bran’s soul.

I’m in the same boat, because damn, I want to feed from Owen so badly it’s starting to affect me.

I need to drink from his throat, or suck his dick every day, or both.

I rub the back of my neck. “I’m…around. Going to class. Taking care of a bat. You know, the usual. ”

Bran gasps and points at my face. “Oh my god, you’re seeing someone.”

“How did you get that from ‘the usual’?” I ask with a frown.

“Because if you were just hooking up like normal, I’d be hearing about it in between and seeing you. You must be dating someone. Who is it?”

I take a deep breath in and out, and my shoulders slump. “My lab partner,” I admit.

“Owen Bhat?” Nick asks.

I whip my head over to him. “How do you know his name?” What I really want to do is to snarl that he should get Owen’s pretty name out of his mouth. That’s probably not the wisest way to act toward my teammate before a game.

“Owen’s a good guy. And you must be making his dreams come true since he made that little HowlerPoint on you.” Nick eyes me knowingly.

I grin despite myself, having now seen the presentation in question. “He’s…cute, but I’m not sure we’re dating. Monster-human relationships are complicated, man. Not that I have a relationship with Owen. We’ve hooked up a few times, that’s all. Sure, I want more. We’re…lab partners with benefits.”

“That’s not a thing,” Bran points out. “And you like him. You just said you want more.”

I lay a hand over my heart and close my eyes. “I’m not going to deny it.”

“I want to meet him,” Bran says.

“He said he’d be here. ”

“Awesome.”

I hope it will be.

The team files out to the pool area from the locker room, and we do our usual warm-up routine. It’s humid inside, and the whole place smells like salt. The opposing team has a merman—they’re always hard to defend. But we have a n?kk as a goalie, and he’s excellent.

My mind isn’t on the game. It’s on who I spot sitting in the stands.

First row, next to the stairs, you can’t miss him. Owen sits with BN on the bleachers, raptly watching us.

Or rather, watching me.

The game’s not starting for another ten minutes, so I get out of the water and pad over to him, dripping wet. “Hey! Glad you could come watch!”

“Hey,” Owen says with a smile.

BN sits in his lap and says, “Squeak!”

“Hey, little buddy,” I say, and go to pet his head, but I’m wet so I pull back.

The move gets me closer to Owen, though, who stares up and down my body.

I guess I do look good, my muscles tight from exercise and water streaming down my body.

This scrap of fabric barely covers my junk, and it shows off all that anatomy Owen was reciting two weeks ago.

“Are you going to tell me where my different muscles are?” I ask in a low voice near his ear. His warm skin is just right there, ready for me to bite.

He coughs and shuffles his feet. “Don’t make me hard while I’m watching you.”

I pointedly look at his crotch. “Don’t threaten me with a good time.” My own dick is starting to strain against my bathing suit, so I’ll need to think of something not sexy to make it go back down.

“Cannon, get back in the pool,” Coach Rosmarus yells. Coach is a walrus shifter, and not my type at all. That’ll do it .

I wink at Owen and trot over to the rest of the team, hopping in the water.

Brandon swims over to me. “That’s your guy? The one with the glasses?”

“Yep.” My brain likes the phrase, your guy .

“He’s cute. You’ve always liked the nerdy ones.”

I splash water in his face.

We win the exhibition game, in part because I score five goals. On some level, I think I was showing off because Owen was in the stands. In fact, I know I was.

After the game, when I’m showered and dry, Owen’s waiting for me outside. I swiftly steal a kiss from him, and he looks momentarily stunned but not completely vexed. We haven’t defined any relationship, and that was definitely a boyfriend thing to do. But I don’t care. He’s mine.

“You played really well,” he says. I gesture for him to pass over BN, and he hands me the carrying case.

“Thanks. The game was fun. We have a few scrimmages and other exhibition games until the training starts again this summer.”

“Do you want to study this weekend?”

“I do, but the Vampire Gliding Enthusiasts asked me to go with them. Again. I agreed, but I’m thinking of canceling.”

“But you put in all that work so that you’d be able to do it,” he points out.

“Trying to get rid of me, Bhat?”

“No, not at all. I just want you to reap the rewards of your hard work. ”

“Then I’ll go,” I say. “For you. But I’ll meet you right after.”

Brandon comes trotting up with the n?kk in tow. Steve’s returned to his emo human form. Bran’s holding Steve’s hand, but he lets go of it to offer his hand to Owen to shake. “Hey, I’m Brandon Fernandez, Clay’s best friend.”

Owen gives me a look that says, why haven’t I met your best friend before? “Oh? Nice to meet you.”

“He hasn’t talked about me, has he?”

“Are you the one who texts in emojis?” Owen asks.

Bran nods a few times with a huge smile on his face. “That’s me!”

“He’s mentioned you. All good things.”

“And this is Steve, my boyfriend,” Bran says.

Steve holds out his hand. “It is nice to meet you, Owen.” While Steve’s loosened up a bit being with Bran, he can still be pretty formal.

“Likewise.”

“Catch you guys later,” Bran says, and he scoots off, the n?kk at his side.

“They seem nice,” Owen says.

“They’re great. Maybe we can go get some food with them later. Or just you and me.”

Owen’s cheeks darken as usual whenever I say something that makes him embarrassed or aroused.

But that also makes his blood flow to the surface, and I’m going to need to get a move on.

He’s just too tempting, and I want to take him right here outside the pool complex.

Which is a very bad idea, especially when I’m supposed to be flying.

I kiss him goodbye and book it over to where I’m meeting the club for instructions on our outing.

A few days later, I’m walking out with Shannon, Ray, and the rest of the Vampire Gliding Enthusiasts from the parking lot to the trailhead that leads us to the overlook at Shelley Mary Nature Reserve.

A month ago, I never would’ve gone on this field trip.

But now that I have some confidence in my ability to glide—aided by a few good pushes from Owen—I decided not to cancel.

Except I’m not used to flying without Owen around, and I’m feeling a little faint. My muscles are twitchy. This could be bad. I don’t think I can do this.

I should’ve canceled.

I give everyone a tight smile as we get out of the vans.

“Ready?” Shannon asks. “I’m so excited!”

Everyone claps. “This is going to be a great session!” one of them hoots.

I’ve got a rolling feeling in my stomach. I don’t even get this nervous before water polo games. But with those, I know what I’m doing.

With this outing…my nerves aren’t just from the fact that I could get hurt. I’m more concerned that I could embarrass myself.

Maybe that will never go away.

Since we all move at vampire speed, it doesn’t take us long to get to the edge, the takeoff site.

“Not sure why you haven’t come out with us before,” Ray says, knocking my shoulder with his as we survey the view. Trees, rocks, a stream below—admittedly, it’s pretty.

But there’s no wind today. I touch my ear. “I’m not into group activities,” I lie. Because what is water polo but a group activity?

Can I even do this without Owen? I’ve been gliding, but most of the time it’s to see him, and maybe steal a kiss.

“Oh, gliding is more fun in a group. We can really catch the thermals.” Ray gives me a wink, then spreads his arms out and falls backward off the cliff, gliding easily along.

The others jump off the ridge after him, easily moving, even with little wind.

“Here goes nothing, Cannon,” I mutter to myself.

Here goes me falling flat.

Here goes me amounting to nothing, just like my parents said.

But then I think of Owen’s face. He believes in me.

I can do this. Even with barely a breeze.

Closing my eyes, I clench all the muscles in my body. It’s a long way down if I fall.

No. I can do this.

I bend my knees and picture Owen pushing up his glasses. I picture what it looks like when he’s taking off his shirt. When he’s kissing me.

Then I spring into the air, my body suddenly light.

Shannon zooms by me. “Woo-hoo!” she calls.

I chase after her, laughing, as my body adapts to gliding and I fly through the forest.

Thank you, Owen, for helping me.