Hunting His Vampire Mate (Blood Bonded Mates #4)

CHAPTER FIFTEEN || DANNY

D o you think literal steam is going to start coming out of his ears? Michael shot me an amused glance, nearly an hour later. He held my hand as we sat on the dumpy, broken couch in the living room.

Thierry paced back and forth, his hands clenching and unclenching, like he was itching to hit someone. Probably Michael.

It’s a definite possibility. Poor guy. He asked too many questions.

I smiled a little at that.

Michael caught my eye, and I felt a little burst of happiness surge through me, as I realized, all over again, that he hadn’t left me. That I had freaked him out a little, sure, but he was still right here, holding my hand.

Choosing me.

Always. Michael gave me a lazy sort of grin.

Thierry caught it and stopped dead. “Words cannot express how annoying that is,” he shook his head a little. “And I’m surrounded by it on all sides. First James and Pierce. Then Nathaniel and Ethan. And now you two.”

“You forgot about Bryan and Tobias,” Michael put in, his grin deepening. Huh. You think he’ll ever find someone to do the supernatural tail-touch with?

I snorted. Whoever his person ends up being, they’ll need all the help they can get.

“Right,” Thierry deadpanned, glaring at us. “How on earth could I forget?” He scowled at us for a long moment, before heaving another too-dramatic sigh. I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

“Um. So, I have a question,” Michael hesitated. He winced and flashed me an almost-apologetic look. “So, why does vampirism make someone bi? Danny was straight. Ish. Sexually, I mean. Err, before he was turned. But, now…”

“I’m definitely not,” I assured him.

Michael smiled back at me, but I could feel his unease. On some level, I knew he was waiting for the other shoe to drop. His thoughts were only half-formed, and he was intentionally trying to hide them from me, but I sensed the shape of them anyway: he knew that sexuality was complex, but how much of what had happened between us was simply due to the fact that I had become a vampire?

Thierry stared at him for a long moment, blinking rapidly. “You’re asking me this now ? Don’t you think we have more pressing matters to attend to?”

“I’m just curious.”

“Fine,” Thierry said, obviously growing exasperated with us. “If Danny is having sex with you now, he was never straight in the first place. Becoming a vampire doesn’t make you bisexual or pansexual, or any of the other silly little terms you lot have for whom someone is or is not sexually attracted to.” He paused. “There are plenty of fully straight and fully homosexual vampires. All the change does is strip away the social conditioning around your sexual desires, to let whatever is latent come forth and express itself more fully.”

“I’m not complaining, but why ?” Michael demanded.

Thierry shrugged. “No one knows for sure why dying and coming back does that, but I assume it is because in light of your own death your subconscious finally gets the memo that those things don’t actually matter. It’s a rather freeing experience.”

“So, that means I always had some level of desire for having sexual encounters with men?” I ventured. “Or maybe just with Michael?”

Thierry rubbed his temples with his fingertips. “I cannot believe you two are forcing me to have the vampire equivalent of the birds and bees talk with you. I don’t get paid nearly enough for this, truly.” But when Michael and I both just stared at him, Thierry’s hard-edged expression softened fractionally. He met my gaze and added, “But of course you have questions. Allow me to put your mind at ease: whatever desires you feel for your mate are organic to you, young one. They weren’t put there by your new condition.”

Relief crashed through me. I had already put together that maybe I had been demi-sexual all along, but it was another thing altogether to hear Thierry confirm it. Michael had been right to ask.

Michael shot me a small smile, his eyes warm.

“But most vampires are bi,” he said, turning back to Thierry. “Tobias told me—”

“That is because most people are some degree of bisexual. Sexuality is a spectrum, and the vast majority of people fall somewhere in the middle of it. Vampires are no different. They simply no longer have the same fears, hang-ups, and social pressures they did when they were human.” He paused, then his electric-blue gaze met mine once more and he added, “Now, bringing this back to what truly matters. In Michael’s presence, you’re not feeling any hunger? No pain? Or desire to feed from him?”

I gave Michael’s hand a squeeze. “Not really. It’s still there. Kind of. But it’s like someone turned the volume down so low on it that it’s almost on mute. I have to really focus in order to feel it at all. But the moment he leaves the room—”

My mouth snapped shut. I hadn’t meant to tell Michael that. I hadn’t wanted him to know that whenever he left me alone—even for a few minutes—the pain came back.

Michael’s eyebrows slid together at that little piece of information. Huh. Well, shit. I can totally work with that.

Thierry frowned at us. But something relaxed in his stance. “Interesting.”

And then some of the disdain slipped from his expression. It happened so abruptly that I wasn’t entirely sure he actually felt any hostility toward us at all. And without the sardonic mask, he looked almost bewildered.

He added, “I hadn’t been aware that a blood bond was capable of suppressing a newborn’s feeding instincts. But then, someone much older and wiser once told me that the bond is whatever the couple needs it to be, when they need it to be that thing. And certainly, at the present moment, both of you need Danny’s feeding instincts under control when you are together.”

Weird. It’s like he’s trying to be nasty and then he sometimes forgets. I shot Michael a bemused glance. Like he wants to make us dislike him for some reason. But if it’s something he has to do on purpose, he probably doesn’t actually mean it, right?

It’s probably easier that way, Michael mused, humming a bit in agreement. He cocked his head to the side as he studied Thierry. I’m betting he’s been through a lot. It’s probably a defense mechanism. It’s way easier to keep people at arm’s length if they think you’re a dick.

I couldn’t help the incredulity I felt when I shot Michael a questioning sideways look.

Michael flashed me a sheepish smile. What? I read. Sometimes.

I returned his smile. It was hard not to. When did this start?

I mean, I guess it’s been pretty recent. I’ve… um… I’ve had more time lately.

The image of him sitting alone in the car, parked at the edge of a massive, big-box store parking lot, glued to his phone, rippled through the bond and I knew precisely what he meant: all those times when I had thought he was off hooking up. Instead, he’d been sitting in the car.

Reading, apparently.

I felt a surge of… something. It was a mix of relief and annoyance and tenderness, all wrapped up together, all at the same time. An emotion bomb. Michael had been dropping those on me for the past twenty-four hours. For a guy who had gone to great lengths, apparently for months if not years, to cover up his real feelings… well, he was letting them out well enough now, wasn’t he?

You almost died. Michael explained, losing his smile. That’s what changed. I thought I had lost you for good, so I guess you can say it gave me perspective. Just to put it out there, you are way more important than trying to act like nothing bugs me. I do care. And I’m sick of pretending that I don’t. I want you to know that I do.

Good. A hot lump of emotion knotted into place in my throat. It was almost painful, but not necessarily in a bad way. I love you, by the way.

Michael’s answering grin, the way his eyes lit up just a little, was enough to melt my heart all over again.

“You two haven’t heard a single thing I’ve just said, have you?” Thierry demanded, cutting into our private exchange.

We both startled, but Michael was faster to recover. He flashed Thierry an unapologetic smile. “Sorry.”

Thierry huffed. “As I was saying, as irritating as it might be, the blood bond between the two of you may help us in this situation.” He glanced at Michael. “Danny clearly doesn’t need the same tactics as an ordinary newborn. So long as you’re beside him—so long as he is subconsciously aware that letting out his deeper vampiric nature in your presence might put you into grave danger—he should be fine. You should be safe. And perhaps others will be safe in his presence, so long as you are beside him.”

“So… We should be okay to go and collect our stuff from the motel room?” Michael prompted. It was what had begun this whole conversation in the first place. “If we’re coming with you to Seattle, we’re going to need to clear everything out of the room we rented. It’s sloppy to leave it behind. Plus, we need to get the car. Non-negotiable.”

“It’s his baby,” I put in, smirking at Michael a little.

“Nah. You are.”

“And… Yes. It’s official. I’ve just vomited into my own mouth, just now.” Thierry scowled at us again. “And clearly, I will be accompanying the two of you.”

When Michael opened his mouth to protest, Thierry silenced him with a dark look. “Danny will not lose his humanity under my watch, and it is foolish to take unnecessary risks to that end. That is what is non-negotiable. And when he comes to Seattle, I will personally act as his steward, to ensure that he does not slip up before his humanity has asserted itself as the dominant force driving his actions. He has no maker to guide him, after all.”

“Wait, you’re offering to adopt him?” Michael stared at Thierry for a long moment, his eyes widening, before he let out a little laugh. “Oh, come on, bud. Just admit it, you like us.”

Thierry glowered at us. “I will admit nothing of the sort.”

* * *

We made it to the motel with Michael driving and me hiding in the back of the van, away from the sun. Thierry followed us in his car. The plan was for Michael and I to collect our belongings, shower, and then leave once the sun set. Michael had put his foot down that he was coming to Seattle with us, and Thierry hadn’t protested nearly as much as I had expected. Somehow, knowing that we were blood-bonded had changed things for him.

Our motel room was around the corner and out of view of the front desk area, a fact I was immensely grateful for, given that it decreased the likelihood that anyone in the office would see something deeply strange.

Michael opened the back of the van. He’d parked as close as possible to the door to our room, which was already standing open—he must have unlocked it—not ten feet behind him. But between the back of the van and the door that led to safety was a large patch of vibrant sunlight.

I yawned, feeling every single speck of energy and willpower leave me at the sight of it. I had hidden under a blanket on the way from the farmhouse to the van in order to get here, which had been bad enough. I wasn’t going to be able to do that here, though. Too many witnesses. I would have to endure the sunlight.

“How are you doing?” Michael asked, gazing at me with concern.

“Exhausted,” I admitted, biting my lower lip. Stressed. Overwhelmed.

That makes two of us. Michael considered me a moment longer. Then he clambered into the van and, before I understood what he was doing, he’d already scooped me into his arms like I weighed absolutely nothing.

“Michael!” I exclaimed, more surprised than anything else. “I can walk well enough.”

Potentially a lie. But Michael didn’t give me the chance to find out. “Close your eyes,” he said. And then, with me securely tucked into his arms, he jumped out of the van.

Feeling a lurch of alarm in the pit of my stomach, I took his advice and shut my eyes.

Michael’s body blocked the worst of it, but I could still feel the rays of the sun battering against my skin. It wasn’t painful, exactly, but I could literally feel the energy leaving me with each passing moment, like sand running out of an hourglass. I wanted nothing more than to pass out.

The sun took everything from me. My strength. My desire to move. The churning sea of emotions in my breast. All of it was just ground down to nothing, like I was a ragdoll that someone had torn all the stuffing from. I could barely even hold my head up to keep it against Michael’s chest.

I yawned and the world seemed to fall away from me. The only thing that mattered was Michael, right there, protecting me, even though I hadn’t asked him to. With him at my side, I felt perfectly safe.

Maybe I did pass out, because the next thing I knew, Michael’s arms were around me and we were both lying down on a deliciously soft surface. I blinked a few times. My eyes felt like they were crusted with sand.

Michael had deposited me on the bed furthest from the door. The motel room door was shut and locked and the blackout curtains were drawn. And clearly, some time had passed.

Yes, I realized, I had fallen unconscious. For how long?

You’ve been out for two hours, Michael said, replying to my unspoken question. I figured it was better to let you sleep.

I nodded, feeling a flash of relief. I didn’t feel well-rested, exactly, but I felt much better than before. Thank you. Have you slept?

“I slept a little,” Michael murmured. “I’m okay.”

“Where’s Thierry?”

Michael snorted. “He’s in the room next door. He claimed he needed his privacy.”

“What happened to him worrying that I wouldn’t be able to control myself around you?”

I’m pretty sure he’s not worried about that anymore. He’s apparently seen a number of other blood bonded pairs recently. I think he’s trying to give us some space.

“That’s awfully nice of him.”

Michael chuckled. “I think he’s growing on me. He might actually be a nice guy.”

“He threatened you,” I reminded him, frowning.

“That’s pretty much how I make friends at this point, I guess. My point is, Thierry isn’t talking about leaving me behind anymore. He seems almost… worried about you.”

“He should join the club,” I muttered.

“You’re going to be okay,” Michael said. “I promise I won’t let anything happen to you. Ever.”

“I know that. It’s just…” I trailed off, grimacing. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

Michael stiffened ever so slightly. “Don’t know if you can do what?”

Don’t be ridiculous. Of course I can do you.

I mean, I’m usually more of a top, but I could be versatile for you.

I grinned. That was definitely an interesting possibility and one I was certain we might explore later. Not what I was getting at. But noted.

“You don’t know if you can be a vampire,” Michael said softly, a moment later. It was hard to say if he’d seen the truth in my head or if he just knew me well enough to understand immediately what I had meant.

I nodded. “Yeah. That’s the issue. I don’t know how to do this.”

“We’re going to take this one day at a time, baby.”

I gave him a sideways look, effectively distracted from my dark thoughts. “Baby?”

“Too much?” Michael flashed me an impish smile. “We could try out some other endearments. Like… pumpkin?”

I cringed. “Absolutely not.”

“Buttercup?”

My lips twitched and I shook my head. “Try again.”

“Sugar? Honey? Hunny Bunny?”

I grinned at him. “It’s a good thing we’re bound together by fate.”

Michael grinned back. “How about stud muffin?”

“I will pay you to stop.”

He raised an eyebrow at that. “Oh yeah?”

“Definitely.”

And then I kissed him. He kissed me back, his intoxicating warmth everywhere, and his strong arms pulling me close to him, crushing me against his body. My cock stirred and I began to grow hard.

How could I have ever doubted that I was interested in guys? Or maybe not guys in the plural, but definitely Michael in the singular. He felt so good on top of me. The most natural thing in the world.

My legs parted and I wrapped them around his waist, groaning a bit at the delicious friction building up between us. I wanted him to fuck me again.

I knew he could sense my desire. And I knew he wanted the same thing. He wanted to slide his hardness deep into me, bury himself to the hilt, pull almost all the way out, then do it again and again, until I was begging—

Michael pulled back and flashed me a wicked grin that let me know he’d put those thoughts into my head on purpose. I scrambled to get out of my shirt, but he had to help, because it had gotten stuck. But we both laughed like schoolboys, and I reveled in the newness of exploring each other. I wasn’t sure I would ever get used to the wonder I felt at touching him, at having him so near, even though it already felt like the most natural thing in the world.

And then I peeled his shirt off him, too, in between landing kisses on his lips. Then, when he was shirtless in the dimness of the motel room, I ran my hands along his bare chest, delighting in the lean smoothness of his muscles.

Michael stared back at me, the naked hunger plain to see in his eyes.

We scrambled out of our jeans, unable to wait any longer. Michael’s cock was hard and beautiful. I wrapped my hand around it, grinning at him. “I want you to fuck me. I want you to make me forget everything.”

“Turn around,” Michael instructed me, the spark of hunger becoming an inferno, like he might devour me whole at any moment.

Biting my lip in anticipation, I did as he commanded.

Then he guided me to kneel on the edge of the bed, on my hands and knees. I heard the snick of the lubricant again. Then the glorious sensation of his rough fingertips smearing slickness onto my hole. I let out a sharp gasp as he slid one finger into me, and then another.

My cock jumped, already aching for release. I needed him to fill me and make me his.

He removed his fingers from me.

I let out a hiss, feeling abruptly empty.

Then I felt him line up his crown with my hole. He let out a groan as he sank himself into me, somehow managing to set the perfect pace, which was neither too fast nor too slow.

His cock felt glorious, deep inside of me, filling me up. The stretch was delicious. And when he began to move, I let out shuddering gasps as he hit my prostate over and over again, sending shockwaves of ecstasy through my body.

I began to realize that I could feel what he felt, too: the tight heat of my hole wrapped around his hard cock as he drove into me. The glorious sensation of being inside of another man, the primal knowing that he was making me belong to him, that he was filling me with pleasure and need.

The mingled sensation was too much. And it would never be enough. He could sink himself into me every hour of every day and it wouldn’t be enough.

Michael, I need you to fill me up. Cum in me.

He set an aggressive, devasting pace, one that was almost mean, driving himself deep into me with soft groans. It was all I could do to hold still and let him use me, to let him fuck me senseless into the mattress, and make the entire day disappear. My cock ached, dripping with precum, and neither one of us touched it.

I knew he could feel what it was like for me too, the pleasure of having him use me for his own pleasure, of giving myself over to him, losing myself in the sensation until I was just a needy mess of moans as my hands clutched the comforter of the bed.

“I’m going to cum,” Michael whispered, placing an arm to hold my shoulder steady as he drove himself into me.

Something primal took me over and I nodded wildly, unable to even form words. I needed him to fill me, all over again. To make me his.

And then he drove himself into me harder, with a low groan. I felt the warmth spread through him and the delicious way he swelled inside of me. And his blindingly white-hot orgasm sent me over the edge. My pelvis tightened and he groaned again in ecstasy at the sensation. My own orgasm tore out of me, and I shot rope after rope of hot cum onto the bedspread.

“Fuck,” Michael whispered a moment later, pulling out and causing me to wince.

Then he vanished into the bathroom and returned with a towel. When we’d both cleaned ourselves off and stripped away the wet comforter, we collapsed into the bed together. Michael pulled me into his arms.

“I love you,” he said. “And I’ll keep saying that every day. I should’ve said it before. I’m sorry I didn’t.”

“I love you, too,” I replied, curling against him. My entire life, I had been trained to be a hunter, to be tough and self-sufficient, and I had never quite lived up to that. With Michael holding me in his arms, I didn’t need to be that. It was okay for me to just be me.

“Always,” he promised. “What you are is exactly enough, Danny. It always has been. Even if you’ve never let yourself believe it before. But I’ll spend the rest of my life showing you. You’re perfect. My perfect Danny.”

I couldn’t help the flash of doubt I felt. Even though I was a vampire?

“Maybe even especially because you’re a vampire,” Michael corrected. “I would love you, no matter what. I swear it.”

“You’d think it would be weird, having you in my head all the time,” I told him, smiling a little. “You’d think I’d want to run away from it. But I don’t. I—I like having you there.”

“Good,” he murmured. And I could feel his satisfaction, his contentment, his easy and total conviction that I was his other half. He added, “For the record, I like being there. And I’m glad you’re in my head, too. Apologies in advance for what you might find there, though. You might see some pretty twisted stuff.”

“Not minding it so far. Maybe I’m a little twisted too.”

That, apparently, merited another kiss. Because Michael pressed his lips to mine and grinned. But when he pulled back, his eyes danced with amusement. “We need to shower, babe.”

“Oh, it’s ‘babe’ now, is it?”

“Just testing stuff out.”

I kissed him again. When I pulled back, I felt my smile return of its own accord. Michael had thoroughly banished the dark thoughts about what the future might hold from my mind. All that mattered was that I was here with him, fully present in the moment.

“We’ll shower in a minute,” I told him. “For right now, I just want you to hold me.”

And right then, I didn’t want anything else. Nothing else mattered. Even with everything that had happened, I couldn’t deny how happy I felt at that moment. I never wanted it to end.