Changing Fortunes
Part 20 "Damn it to fucking
hell!" Angelo exclaimed as silvery purple sparks flickered out between
Weasel's spread fingers. "The bitch tricked us!" "Calm down, Angel
Boy." Weasel shook his fingers, flicking out the remaining sparks.
"She doesn't want Sarin turning That was an understatement.
Weasel had already made three other attempts to lift Sarin's wards and all he
had to show for it was the path of scorched bushes leading to the gates and
the charred grass under their feet. It was a good thing that Angelique had
done some kind of fireproofing magic to Weasel sighed. "I don't
know what I'm doing wrong. I know I'm getting the incantation right and I'm
using all my energy but it's not working." "Maybe that's not
enough, kaloz mou," Angelo
said softly. Then he and Balint shared a look. "Hold that thought,"
Angelo murmured before he and Balint abruptly took off. "Son of a bitch!"
Weasel exploded. "Fucking right," Weasel laughed bitterly.
"You think that's where they went?" "I know it is!" "I wish it was, Something about those words
chilled "Besides, you're the
one Angelo wants anyway." Cam stared at the blond, not
believing what he just heard. "You've gotta be kidding!" "Am I?" "Not that I care, but
he hates me, the last time I looked." Weasel smirked at "That's right," "It doesn't matter
anyway, since you don't care." Screw this mindfuck!
"First you say that my only value to him is Balint. Now you're saying
that he wants me? What fucked up game are you trying to play?" "Ah." An amused
smile flickered on Weasel's lips. "You do care." Did he? "Because I wasn't sure
of it until he and Balint left." "And what makes you so
sure?" "You must be blind if
you haven't realized that Angelo is restraining himself because of you." Now it was "For Angelo it is
restrained. He usually handles things a lot more violently. If he wasn't so
worried that you'd freak, Angelo would have done something like go on a
bender and kill every one of those Pets, draining them to the dregs then
Shifting form so he could eat some of them as well. That would provoke Sarin
enough to go after Angelo and then Angelo would shred him. You have no idea
in hell how dangerous Angelo really is. Or how feral." Weaesl ignored his sarcasm.
"The point is Angelo's hard-on for you is turning into a mad-on because
he can't have you. Especially when he can feel you have a hard-on for him. If
you don't act on it soon, Angelo will either pretend you don't exist or he
will be sweet as pie to you, seduce you into bed and kill you. I'll see to it
that it's the former but that means no more teasing. No more baiting, which
is really his way of getting even with you for denying him what he wants.
Nothing at all. You sure you want that, And the gods smiled down on Angelo giggled and grinned
crazily at And Balint's face was even
more flushed than before. "Damn it Angelo!"
Weasel hissed. "Who'd you have to rape?" Angelo ignored him; instead
he took Balint into his arms, kissing him for a moment before his mouth
slipped down to Balint's throat. Balint let out a moan of pure pleasure as
Angelo's mouth worked against his neck. "FUCK! You have no
right! I'm not gonna do it!" Balint stroked Angelo's
curls as he sucked hungrily at the Gypsy's throat. "You have no choice.
Take it, Baptiste." After a few moments, Angelo
lifted his face from Balint's neck. "You obviously don't have the power
by yourself. Now take this offering before I force feed it to you!" Weasel seemed to think about
it for a second. "What if I strip you, Angel Boy? It's different than
the sharing of strength through our blood bond. You can feed it to me but
once I take it, you can't stop me." His voice broke, his eyes pleading.
"I could kill you." Red tears slid down Weasel's
cheeks and instantly, Angelo took him into his arms, his eyes filled with
concern. Concern for nothing but Weasel. "You won't," he whispered,
kissing away his tears. "Baptistes can take energy, strength and power
from any juicer bound to them by blood. That's why Ardoin binds every juicer.
That's what Broodmasters do, so they never starve. You have the same ability.
And you know what you have to do." He kissed Weasel's mouth hard,
squeezing him tightly. "I'll be alright. Don't worry." "Better get Angelo nodded. "Stop
stalling. We're running out of time." He gave Weasel a last squeeze,
then moved towards "Just in case of
what?" "Just do it,"
Angelo snapped. Then he sighed. "Please, Angelo had never said
"please" before. This was serious shit. "Balint's
stronger," "It has nothing to do
with that, Cameron," Angelo said, as if it was taking a lot of effort
for him to speak. His face looked drawn and tired and his eyelids were
fluttering open and closed. "I need something to anchor to." Something about the way
Angelo's words were slurring made "He's not protected.
You are. Angelique saw to that," Angelo said matter of factly. "Against?" "Just in case Weasel
loses control and takes too much. So I don't lose control myself and jump
your body," Angelo mumbled before his eyes rolled completely white and
he collapsed in "Fuck!" Weasel's
eyes snapped into focus. "This stops now," he hissed. "You didn't kill him,
Weasel," Balint comforted. "If I can feel that, you definitely can." "No, I just drained the
shit out of him," Weasel said in a flat voice. Angelo lay motionless and
unconscious in Cam's arms, for the first time looking like the teenaged boy
he appeared to be. Looking devastatingly beautiful, fragile. Before "No, baby," Balint
protested. "I won't let you risk that." "You risked it, that's
what you did, isn't it? You fed Angelo so he could feed Weasel," Balint handed Angelo's tongue ran across
his lips dreamily before his eyes regained clarity and he glared at And Weasel may have had more
than a little sadistic streak but he was smart enough to not even give "I barely have enough
willpower to keep the Tiger in its cage, let alone make it feel good for
you," Angelo said tiredly. "You can make me feel
good when we… Share pleasure," Cam replied softly, letting Angelo know
in that sentence that he was finally admitting that not only would it happen,
it would be very soon. He was also giving Angelo incentive. A reward for letting
I trust you. "You're sure?" As an answer, Not making Then suddenly, pleasure
swept through Weasel. And An unselfish act for the boy
Weasel loved so much, who loved Weasel just as much. After what seemed like
forever, Angelo released him. "Efcharisto,"
he breathed and then translated. "Thank you," Angelo said before
kissing (You haven't had enough,
Angel Boy,) Weasel remarked. (You barely took any.) (Let me worry about that,)
Angelo muttered. (You worry about trying that spell again.) (What makes you think I'll
have any better luck this time?) Weasel asked. (Like I told you, Sarin may
be powerful but he's only human. He only used blood magic. I've just added
more power to your arsenal than he'll ever have.) Something was weird. Cam was
hearing Weasel and Angelo but their lips weren't moving or if they were, it
was barely perceptible. It wasn't telepathy because (Try,) Balint told Weasel.
(You've got nothing to lose, right?) What the fuck? Balint's lips were barely
moving either. Weasel grimaced. (If I'm not
successful, both your efforts were for nothing.) He remembered Weasel
mentioning that he and Angelo could talk softer than Only (It'll be for nothing will be
if you do nothing,) Angelo said impatiently. Then, fleetingly, almost so fast
that He knew! But how? Weasel held his hands up in
front of the imaginary barrier, the sparks already forming between his
outstretched fingers. "I've never had this much power," he
marveled, back to speaking regularly. "Let's hope Sarin
hasn't either," Angelo said. Then again, he did something that was only
meant for Later. The sparks were becoming
flames of silvery purple that were as fiery as the flames that were beginning
to engulf the bushes, threatening to burn them to a crisp. "Almost ready,"
Weasel murmured, in another world all together. Balint embraced Blood. The blood Balint had
taken when he and Angelo had gone off. Not only did His hearing and sense of
smell had become sharper. Something was happening to No, he knew exactly what it
was. Somehow, someway, Wasn't he? Cam didn't have an
overwhelming craving for blood although the thought of it didn't turn his
stomach. All of his senses seemed to be keener but he didn't have the nausea
that Balint did. So maybe he wasn't Maturing.
But something was definitely going on. Cam was definitely changing and only
Angelo knew it. "It's now or
never," Weasel said, jolting Cam out of his ruminating. Weasel's eyes narrowed in
concentration, his words almost lilting: Blood of life Protects against the dead Blood calls to blood Blood undoes protection Energy removes it Remove the protection Lift the ward Enable the dead The dead remove this ward Cam gave Angelo a dubious
look. "Is that it? Just a bunch of stupid words?" "It's not the words,
honeychild, the words only focus the power," Angelo explained, slightly
irritated at Cam's comment. Like words cemented Balint's
mental nudges. As far as Cam was concerned, both things would just be better
off not spoken at all. Suddenly Weasel began to
pant and breathe heavily, his eyes darkening with what almost seemed like
lust. If Cam hadn't known better, he'd say that Weasel was orgasming. Weasel pushed with his
hands, his breath quickening as he flung the flames right at the invisible barrier,
turning it into a wall of fire. Fire that engulfed the barrier, consuming it,
until the smoke-blurred image of a gorgeous mansion behind steel gates began
to make its fuzzy appearance. "There," Weasel
gasped, drops of blood-red sweat dripping down his face from his exertion,
"that'll do it." Shit, Cam
was right. What Weasel had just done was the magical equivalent to sex. Cam's nose was assaulted
with the smell of cooked meat, so the barrier wasn't the only thing on fire.
As the smoke cleared, he could see the charred remains of what had to have
been the security guarding the place. The manicured lawn was also aflame; it
was a pity that the fire couldn't spread to Sarin's mansion; that would solve
all their problems. Once the barrier was completely
burned away, Cam was shocked to see that the gate wasn't locked. They just
walked through the path Weasel's elemental flame had blazed for them with no
obstacles whatsoever. Angelo wasn't surprised,
however. "The arrogant asshole probably thought his ward would be enough
to keep people out. Shakespeare was right when he said, 'oh what fools these
mortals be.''' Apparently, Sarin hadn't
planned for everything after all. As they got closer to the
entrance to the Tudor mansion, Cam's hand reflexively went for the gun in his
waistband, just resting there. Waiting. He idly wondered if Balint would ever
bother with a gun again since he probably didn't need one any more than
Weasel or Angelo did. Then Cam remembered how strong Balint really was and
recognized that more than likely, Balint had never needed a gun to begin
with. Suddenly all three
Nightchildren stopped, becoming deathly still. (Someone is coming to the
door,) Angelo murmured. Cam heard it too. The
clicking of hard soled shoes walking across a marbled floor and towards the
door. And a beat tattooing in his ears and resonating in his brain.
Thump-thump. Thump-thump. It wasn't until the door
opened that Cam realized in horror that he'd been hearing Sarin's heartbeat
and now he could swear the blood rushing through Sarin's veins was thundering
in his ears. And Cam's nose was being teased with the sweet, rich aroma of
that blood. He could smell it bubbling underneath Sarin's skin. All of these stimuli
overwhelmed Cam so much that it took a few moments to recognize that he
hadn't even looked at the man standing right in front of him. Cam took a good
look at Sarin. He was a coldly handsome man who had obviously been to a
Healer who'd rejuved him to have the face and body of a twenty year old. The
eyes told the truth however. Hard eyes that were almost as dark as Angelo's
but without that heat. Eyes that had seen everything and wanted everything
and would not stop until he got everything. "My, my," Sarin
remarked with a wide smile that was all teeth, "I knew the prodigal
nephew had a basic knowledge of magic. I hadn't realized that he was this
powerful." Weasel met his gaze
defiantly. "Now you do." "No wonder that Cajun fool
wouldn't sell me the Nocturne, the power of those portals and the forces of
magical energy welling up around it are fully accessible to you, my young
friend. To think that a common street rat could actually be a sorcerer. Only
you're no mere magician any more than you're the boytoy you appear to be. Oh
yes, that's right." Sarin's smile grew nasty. "You were a boytoy,
weren't you?" he taunted Weasel. "A Pet owned by the biggest Keeper
in this city. That is, until you went mad and ate one of your customers." Weasel bristled. "He
fucking raped me!" Then he calmed down. "It's none of your fucking
business anyway." "Oh, but I find it
fascinating," Sarin purred. "Not too long after that, your Keeper,
Flin, was found half-dead in his penthouse and you were gone." Cam
thought that Sarin was throwing more insinuations at Weasel but then he
noticed that Sarin's eyes were completely on Angelo. And so did Angelo.
"Look, you fucker," he hissed through bared fangs, "your fight
is with me. Not Weasel. Keep him out of it." Sarin shook his head.
"Your language appalls me, young man. We can be civilized about this,
can we not? In fact, as a show of good faith, I will even give you the
invitation you and your friends desperately need to enter my humble
abode." So that was why the three of
them hadn't gone anywhere near Sarin? Because they couldn't get into the
house without an invite? What kind of shit was that and why hadn't Angelo or
Weasel or even Balint told Cam? They were still keeping him out of the loop
and he hated it with a passion. Then he remembered Weasel
asking Angelo earlier about how they were gonna get the invite. How was he
supposed to know they were being serious? "Then do it and stop
your posturing," Angelo demanded. "Or are you afraid that once we get
inside we'll make what we did to your guards seem like nothing compared to
what we'll do to you?" Sarin laughed. "You are
quite amusing. Savage and primitive
but definitely amusing. Is it a ceremonial invitation you need? Well
then," Sarin cleared his throat in mock formality. "I invite you
into my grand domicile. Will that do?" "It will suffice,"
Angelo said softly. Then he gave Sarin an evil smile. "After you,
sweetling." They followed Sarin into the
big mansion and Sarin closed and locked the door behind them. "You do
know that none of you will leave here alive, don't you," Sarin remarked
offhandedly. "Spare us your empty
threats. If you're trying to intimidate us you're wasting your time, Mr.
Araby," Balint said in his quiet way, his tone slightly mocking. "Ah yes, Quicksilver
and Nightshade, my contracted aid. Have you come to fulfill the provisions of
your contract?" Sarin's eyes gleamed. "It would be… entertaining to
watch you rid me of the problem I hired you to remove. However, that's not to
be is it? You've violated your contract, boys. You will pay for that." Cam snorted. "You knew
all along that there was no fucking way we could do the job we were hired to
do, so you already violated your own contract, asshole." "But did I know that,
Nightshade? Or should I say Cameron Hathaway, heir of Lady Caroline
Hathaway?" Sarin announced as if he'd just revealed a huge secret. Not a huge secret. He just
never told Balint. Considering all of the secrets Balint had kept from Cam in
the three years they were together, Cam figured Balint had nothing to say
about it. Of course, he was wrong.
Balint had plenty to say about it. "Hathaway, Cameron? Like the Staunton
Hathaways?" The thing about Balint was even when his voice wouldn't
change in volume; Cam didn't have to be an empath to feel the seething
underneath. "You came from money? What were you doing for all this time,
slumming?" "I have nothing to do
with them, Balint. I've had nothing to do with those snotty-assed phonies for
about ten years. I'd think you'd have given me more credit than that." "Oh he's telling the
truth, young man," Sarin said pleasantly. "Perhaps it was because
his blood isn't as blue as Lady Caroline would like? Her precious daughter
was sullied by a commoner. No wonder they washed their hands clean of her
bastard son." Cam glared at Sarin. "I
left. End of story." "But you," Sarin
gestured towards Balint, "are the more fascinating of the two. You left
quite a mess when you made your escape from the School For the Gifted. All
those dead guards." He shook his head. "And after they took you in
out of the goodness of their hearts and saved you from that vagabond life of
yours, you repay them not only with mindless slaughter but you destroy the
research and samples we collected from you. I hate to lose money on my
investments, my fine young man, and we lost a lot of money on you." Sarin's words cut into Cam's
brain, their meanings diamond sharp: Sarin was at least a stockholder for the
School of the Gifted, but more likely, he was on the Advisory Board. He was
an investor in the School. He paid for those superkids and for the jism that
would guarantee another superkid getting knocked up. Perhaps Sarin paid for
those babies too. "You bastard,"
Balint snarled, his muscles tensing. "You had my family killed so I'd
have nowhere else to go!" Hands curling, showing nails that had grown
impossibly long and sharp, Balint launched himself at Sarin. Only for the Gypsy to bounce
backwards, knocking the wind out of him. Well, if he'd had any. "Oh, didn't I tell you?
Evite du Morte has a similar spell
of protection against being attacked by the dead. I'm afraid that means you
and your two new friends can't touch me." Sarin's lips curled up into an
evil smile. Angelo snorted. "It's a
fucking shield. Big fucking deal. I'm supposed to be impressed by that?" "Ah, the final part to
this puzzle," Sarin murmured, "and the most important. The devil
child with the angel's face." Angelo rolled his eyes.
"How poetic," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, at first I thought
you were just Ardoin's lackey, a troublemaker who bedded my Pets just to
spite me. Then all of the sudden, my Pets were becoming fatigued, getting
paler and sicker. They had no disease, yet they were dying, one by one. When
I brought them to a Healer, the prognosis was that the cause was a drastic
loss of blood." Sarin smiled thinly. "The only marks were bruises.
A lot of delicate bruises on their throats, inner arms, wrists, and other
pulse points." "Perhaps your clientele
is too rough on your merchandise," Angelo said mockingly. "You
should take better care of your goods." "Then my Pets vanished,
only to be found completely drained of blood and even half-eaten
sometimes." Angelo shrugged. "Not
my problem." "Ah, but it is your problem, you savage little
boy. When I realized you were the one who was decimating my stock, I knew you
were much more than you appeared to be and so was the idiot who owned the
Nocturne and ran the Underground. I did some research and found out that you
have quite the history, Angelo." Angelo flashed Sarin that
sweet smile that Cam had already learned meant trouble. Big, explosive,
deadly trouble brewing in those hot black eyes. "Did you?" "Oh yes. Long before
The Great Enlightenment, when Saps were still in control and Supes were
hiding in the shadows," Sarin sneered before regaining his composure.
"It seems that there were a series of murders, up and down the East
coast, starting in, Florida was it?" Sarin paused as if he was thinking.
"Yes, it was. Florida. Hundreds of people, slaughtered like cattle.
Grisly murders but they all had one thing in common." Sarin's dark eyes
gleamed and his lips twisted into a smirk. "They were all drained of
blood." "Ti krima," Angelo
taunted, then translated, "What a pity." "The murderers made
their reappearance in Louisiana, years later. Coincidentally, Ardoin
Beauduget was conducting some type of unsavory business and buying up
property like there was no tomorrow. This continued for decades until he and
his growing entourage settled here, in what used to be Massachusetts. He and
his band of beautiful Mutant misfits should have been exterminated or at
least imprisoned in Workcamps but miraculously enough, Ardoin took ownership
of what is now known as the Nocturne, even though all property was stripped
from Mutants and Saps. " "If the Nocturne was
all you wanted, why didn't you just take it, instead of this whole song and
dance?" Cam asked impatiently. "I'm getting to that,
my young associate. It seems that even if I legally owned it, I could not own
the power." Sarin shook his head. "It's magically bound to those
who have the Baptiste bloodline." He grinned evilly at Weasel.
"Yes, I know all about what you all are. I know about the witch Angelique.
And now the rumors about you have just been confirmed, witchling." Weasel's green eyes began to
glow fluorescent red. "And you think you can take me on?" (Don't fall for his baiting,
moro mou,) Angelo warned Weasel.
(He's trying to make you reveal yourself.) (He already knows,) Weasel
retorted. (Besides, I know I can beat him.) Angelo tried again. (I know
his strategy, Weasel ,because I've used it myself. You know better than to
show your full hand, when you have no idea of his cards.) (I know he's human, Angel
Boy. And I know we don't have a choice. If I don't go for the bait, he'll go
after me anyway.) Angelo sighed. (Just don't
let his human blood fool you. Black magic is stronger than the grey shit
Angelique taught you.) (All I need to do is
neutralize him,) Weasel reassured Angelo. (If he's focused on that, he won't
have the power to keep that shielding. Once that's down, then you and Balint
can kill him.) So that was Weasel's strategy. Distract Sarin so he'd lose the focus
necessary to maintain the shield, leaving the field open for a physical
attack. It was a risky plan. Weasel
could drain himself in the meantime and if his theory was wrong and the
shield remained, Angelo and Balint wouldn't be able to get near the bastard
and they'd all be fucked. Unless…. It was worth a shot. The
worst that could happen was that Cam would fuck up and they'd all be dead.
Well, permanently dead. But if he could pull it off, it would finally give
Cam a chance to prove himself once and for all. At first he didn't think
anything was happening because Sarin and Weasel were just staring at each
other. Cam's hand was still on his gun and now it tightened as he waited for
either Sarin or Weasel to make their move. To make sure he'd be ready, he
unshielded, keeping all his senses focused on the two of them. Then he heard Sarin's
heartbeat grow faster, triumph and arousal radiating so strongly from the man
that it seemed to wake something up in Cam that had been asleep before this.
Sarin's breath was coming in short pants, the fleshpeddler was definitely
getting off at this expenditure of magical energy and Weasel wasn't far
behind him and the double barrage of desire swept Cam under it, nearly
drowning him. Suddenly Cam understood the reason Sangsue were empaths because
it was as if something switched off inside him and instead of feeling the
lust himself like he usually would, he felt a different kind of lust
altogether that had absolutely nothing to do with sex. He could feel that
Angelo and Balint were having the same reaction and the only thing stopping
Weasel was that he was too busy fending off Sarin's magical attack. Cam
wasn't seeing any of this; he didn't have to, he could feel how weak Weasel
as getting and how much stronger Sarin was becoming. Cam realized that he
wasn't only attacking Weasel, he was taking his power as well, making it part
of his own essence. Weasel wouldn't last much
longer and Sarin would have the power he needed to take ownership of the
Nocturne. Then everyone would die as Sarin offered everyone's life to summon
whatever demons he conjured up to guarantee that he'd be forever powerful. Fuck that! A snarl escaped Cam's lips
and without even thinking, he moved faster than he ever knew he could and
pounced on Sarin like a cat pouncing on a mouse. For the first time he
understood the overwhelming lust for blood because being this close to Sarin
made Cam want his blood like he'd never wanted anything before. No! Once he did that, then
he might has well say goodbye to whatever humanity he had left. His hand
shaking, he took advantage of his newly superhumanly fast reflexes, whipped
out the gun and fired at point blank range, shooting Sarin straight in
the temple. Then all hell broke loose. Arcs of silvery purple burst
and showered the air with sparks and Sarin's eyes snapped open, jolted from
his magical trance. "How did you…." Sarin sputtered, "the
ward…." "Doesn't affect
me!" Cam said triumphantly, kneeing Sarin in the crotch, then slipping the
gun inside the man's mouth when he screamed. "I'm not dead." Cam
grinned diabolically. "But you are." He pulled the trigger,
discharging the gun and blasting off the back of Sarin's head. It exploded
like an overripe melon, spraying blood and brains all over the fine Oriental
rug. There was something
viscerally satisfying about blowing Sarin to kingdom come; it was as if all
the rage Cam had been feeling since this whole adventure began had been
pumped through his veins and focused upon the bullet in the gun. Cam didn't even want to
think about the fact that the mess didn't smell anywhere near as disgusting
as it looked. Or as he wished it did. No, he wasn't going to even consider
that what he found abhorrent and nauseating, his body found tantalizing and
tempting or that his brain was rapidly catching up with his body. It was bad enough knowing
that the same wild look in the three other boys' eyes was probably mirrored
in his own. And that the hunger on their faces was echoed on his. "Ela Cam, we have to go now," Angelo hissed, his words
shaking Cam out of his reflections of self-loathing. As if by cue, another smell
was quickly overpowering the sweeter one. Acrid smoke, burning his nose and
making him choke. Of course. Weasel had just
woven magic. Instant flambé. "Fuck!" Cam
screamed, dropping the molten gun before it melted his hand into a pulpy
glob. "Gotta love the instant
removal of evidence," Weasel remarked weakly. Sarin had done a number on
him and it looked like it was taking every drop of Weasel's strength to move. "Phase out,"
Angelo hissed. "But I can't,"
Weasel protested. "Can't my ass. Anything
you gained from juicing was just used up in your little magic battle. It's as
if you never juiced at all." "I hope I have enough
energy left," Weasel said, his body starting to shimmer, then forming
into smoke – no, mist, Cam decided – before fading completely. Ah, so that's how Weasel,
Angelo and even Ardoin did their vanishing acts. Cool trick. The flames were spreading
from Sarin's body to the curtains. It wouldn't be long until this mansion was
a firestorm. Balint turned to Angelo, making a suggestion that he still
hadn't figured out Cam could hear. (Shadowdance if you need to. I'll carry
Cam and get us out of here.) Angelo's eyes met Cam's for
just a moment and he mouthed a secret message for Cam. Play along. Then he said to Balint.
(Ardoin wants to see him anyway, so why don't you 'dance out of here and I'll
take care of Cam.) Huh? Balint was just as dubious.
(I can take him there.) Translation: What the fuck
are you up to Angelo? (He and I need to have a
little talk,) Angelo told him without elaborating. Translation: Don't fuck with
me. (I'm not going to let you
hurt him,) Balint warned quietly. Translation: Tell me your
intentions now! To Cam's surprise, Angelo
grinned provocatively. (Hurting Cam is the furthest thing from my mind,
little bird.) That needed no translation
at all. And it made Balint instantly
relax. (Is that a fact?) he drawled, but it was good-natured, almost playful.
No jealousy whatsoever. Then Balint cupped Cam's
face in his hands. "I'm going to go check on Weasel, he was in bad shape
when he left. Angelo told me you have to go through the whole introduction
ritual with Ardoin." That was right, he didn't know Cam could hear his
conversation with Angelo. And he wasn't surprised that he wasn't gonna even
hint about Angelo's motives. That wasn't Balint's style. "Until later,
baby...." He kissed Cam passionately; yeah that was more Balint's style. Then he was gone and Cam was
alone with Angelo. (You can stop pretending
now,) Angelo said knowingly, (and after we're safely outside, you can ask the
questions you've been dying to ask me all night.) "Like why you know what's
happening and they don't?" Angelo shrugged. (I know
what's happening. Not why. Do you
want to play twenty questions or do you want to take advantage of the fact
that you can move much faster than you could before and get the fuck out of
here before we burn to a crisp?) The flaming bookcase that
nearly fell on Cam answered Angelo's question better than he ever could. Not
thinking about why he could
suddenly move so fast, Cam just did it, not quite as quickly as Angelo, but fast
enough to get him out of the mansion just in time for the place to become a
fireball. (I'll meet you there,)
Angelo called out. "Meet me where?" (You'll know. Follow the
pull,) Angelo said with a mischievous smile before taking off for parts
unknown. Follow the pull, huh?
Considering that Cam really didn't know this area at all and didn't really
feel like getting lost, he didn't really have much choice. Letting instinct
guide him, Cam ran in the direction he felt Angelo's blood tugging at his –
right into the woods. Right into the woods?! Where
all the bodies were? What was Angelo, an idiot? Cam answered his own
question. Angelo was anything but an idiot. He just didn't care. Arms suddenly enveloped Cam
from behind. "I knew you'd find me," Angelo whispered in Cam's ear
before running his tongue along the shell. Between Angelo's hands that
were reaching up to caress him and the effect Angelo's blood was having on
his own, Cam was ready to pass out from sheer lust. "Was this what you
meant when you told Balint you'd take care of me?" Cam said dryly,
trying hard to ignore Angelo's teeth that were now nibbling his earlobe. (No,) Angelo told him,
turning Cam around to face him. (This
was.) Angelo leaned over and kissed Cam in a way that brought little jolts of
pleasure down his spine. Then he broke the kiss, smirking. Gods what a tease!
(My room, after Ardoin gives you the once over.) It wasn't a request. And it wasn't an idea that
Cam minded in the least. "You mean Ardoin really wanted to see me?" (You're Awakening when you
shouldn't have even been a Sleeper. That makes Ardoin real curious.) Cam stared at him. "How
the fuck does he know that? It only started tonight." (I wanted to make sure you
weren't Maturing so I told him.) "When?" (Right after you shot
Sarin,) Angelo answered. Cam gaped in amazement.
"Your telepathic range is that great?" (No. My bond with him goes a
lot farther than simple telepathy, Cam. I'm bound to him. Soul bound. It has
no distance limit.) "What do you mean by
'soul bound?'" (Exactly what it sounds
like. Ardoin owns my soul. My soul is bound to his.) "But aren't all
juicers?" Cam asked, puzzled by the sudden seriousness in Angelo's tone. (They're all bound to Ardoin
by blood, he forces every newborn to drink from him as soon as they've had
their first meal. He went…much farther with me,) Angelo explained. Then he put his finger to Cam's lips.
(Weasel doesn't know. Weasel won't know. If he suddenly does know, I'll know that you betrayed my trust.
Do that and I'll rip out your larynx. Got it?) Cam sighed. Dealing with
Angelo was not unlike dealing with dynamite. You never knew when he'd blow
up. Then again, that was what also made it exciting, he admitted to himself.
That didn't mean it didn't piss him off. "If you think I have such a big
mouth, why'd you bother to tell me?" he demanded. To Cam's surprise and
confusion, Angelo gave him that smile that meant he was laughing at his own
private joke. (You'll see.) And Cam did see, as soon as
they walked into Ardoin's room. Actually, the fact that they were meeting the
Broodmaster in his boudoir instead of an office or some place more
professional was a hint in itself. So was the predatory, almost proprietary
look Ardoin gave Angelo. This guy didn't just own Angelo, he was doing him
too. No wonder Angelo was so touchy about Weasel knowing. (Have a seat,) Ardoin
offered, patting the bed. He must have figured out that Cam could hear him as
he didn't even bother to speak in a normal voice. Cam really didn't want to sit
in such a compromising place but he realized that he didn't have the option
to say no so he sat on the very edge of the bed. Angelo on the other hand,
stretched out on his back, somehow looking bored and wanton at the same time. Ardoin obviously sensed
Cam's discomfort because his grey eyes gleamed with cold amusement as he sat
down next to him. (My dark beauty tells me you're more of our blood than we
thought,) he purred, his fingers brushing against Cam's cheek. (Tell me, what
was your father's name?) The fingers stroked Cam's
jaw and he jerked his head away. He didn't like this game of seduction Ardoin
was playing but he needed to know what was happening to himself and the
fucker knew it. That didn't mean Cam was gonna put up with his shit.
"Yves Dumoutier, asshole." Ardoin laughed. (Your little
friend has a feisty spirit,) he murmured to Angelo. (And he's not Maturing.
He is and has been Awakening gradually since he took up with the Gypsy
halfblood. It's more of an adaptation than anything.) He seized Cam's wrist
and turned it to reveal the wound. (Being around so many of your blood and
Sharing blood sped things up a little but Angelo's recent bite accelerated
the process,) he told Cam, running his tongue along Cam's inner wrist. Damn
it, why did it have to feel so good? Shit, had he reached the
point where he wanted to fuck every Sangsue he met? (It's definitely there,)
Ardoin said. (Your blood is beginning to change, which is why you're
beginning to crave it. You don't taste human anymore, cher and your scent is more Sangsue than human.) He grinned at
Cam's look of mortification. (Cheer up, dear boy. You are in a state where
you get to have your cake and eat it too. All of the perks of being Sangsue
without the pain of Maturity or the need.) He released Cam's wrist. "But that can't
be!" Cam protested. "I'm a part blood. Hardly any Sangsue at
all." (Do you know that for a
fact, Dumoutier?) Ardoin asked. "Fuck, I don't know
anything for a fact," Cam snapped. (I'll tell you what I know
as a fact.. Your father was a halfblood. You're a quarter blood You have too
many of the traits to be anything less. And your name is the final proof of
that. It reveals your bloodline.) Angelo sat up, giving Ardoin
a funny look. (Dumoutier isn't one of our Clans unless there's something you
never told me.) (Oui, Dumoutier is not. However, Desmouceaux is one of our Clans
and they interbred with the human Dumoutiers.) Cam blinked. "So what
you're saying is that it's all this exposure to Sangsue blood that's fucked
my own blood up?" (You have such an eloquent
way of putting things, Cam,) Ardoin remarked with contempt. Angelo had had enough. He
got off the bed. (Gamisou, Ardoin.
We're gone.) Cam was only too happy to leave
but when they reached the door, Ardoin was already there. (Not so fast.
Listen good because I'm only going to say it once. You only get to stay as
long as you stay in this limbo state, boy,) he said to Cam. (The second you
Mature, either you're Changed or you're dead.) He smiled evilly and opened
the door. (Now you can leave.) They walked out of Ardoin's
room and Angelo rolled his eyes. (Sometimes Ardoin really gets on my tits,)
he growled as they made their way to Angelo's room. "I don't know what that
dick is thinking but I'm not gonna put out for him just because you do,"
Cam declared. Angelo laughed. (I put out
because he's good in bed, lover. And he doesn't want to fuck you as much as
he wants to humiliate you. He gets off on pushing buttons; if he did have sex
with you, that'd be the only reason, so don't worry your pretty little head
about it.) As much as Cam hated the
idea that he had to get fucked by anyone, knowing that Ardoin wanted to fuck
with his head more than he wanted to fuck him didn't help his ego one bit.
All of them, Ardoin, Weasel and especially Angelo got off on mindfucking Cam.
"He's not the only one," Cam muttered, glaring at Angelo. (What can I say, sweets,
you're just so easy to fuck with.) Angelo grinned wickedly. (And so easy to
fuck.) Cam burned with fury.
"Don't even think you're fucking me!" (Isn't that what you came
here for, darling boy?) Cam snorted. "I don't
know why I came here. And I'm leaving." He turned to walk away, only
to find Angelo blocking his path. (Are you?) "Move the fuck out of
my way, you bitch!" (Move me yourself,) Angelo
challenged. (I fucking dare you.) Cam was tired of Angelo's
attitude. Tired of the way he'd made Cam his toy. Sick of Angelo's arrogance,
his games, sick of him. Rage blazed from the pit of his stomach and
oscillated through his body until the adrenaline hit and his hands curled
into fists that flew at Angelo over and over again, pounding him as he drove
his knee right into Angelo's crotch. Angelo folded to the ground
and snarled, his eyes glowing like hot coals and his fangs completely
unsheathed. "Not so eassssssy," he hissed, swiftly standing on his
feet again and seizing Cam by his wrists. "I can kill you so
easily," Angelo taunted, lisping through the fangs. "You'd make a
damned pleasurable kill." He slammed Cam against the wall, still holding
his wrists. "Sangsue blood tastes even better than human blood," he
murmured. "Like this." He leaned forward, crushing his
lips against Cam's, kissing him savagely and Cam suddenly felt his mouth
filling with something warm and sweet, something so sweet that he couldn't
resist it and he found himself lapping at all traces that covered Angelo's
teeth and inside his mouth. The taste crackled on Cam's tongue, exciting him
and making his cock so hard it ached. As his tongue tangled with Angelo's, he
noticed that the source of that confection was on Angelo's lips. His tongue
ran over Angelo's mouth, tracing his bottom lip and that was when he realized
that what he'd tasted was Angelo's blood; the other boy had bitten his own
lips. As if Cam's mouth had a mind
of its own, he began to suck and bite at Angelo's mouth and Angelo moaned,
pressing against Cam and grinding his hardness into Cam's. "Not here," Angelo
said, still hissing though fangs that were not retracting. "My
room." At this point, Cam was so
aroused he didn't give a fuck where they went or that he was about to fuck
the boy who'd obviously manipulated him into this. He just wanted Angelo. Angelo let go of Cam just
long enough to put his key in the lock, open his door and shut it. Then the
two boys sank to the floor, Cam practically swallowing Angelo's mouth, he
couldn't get enough of it, or Angelo's skin as his hands slid under Angelo's
tank top and roamed all over Angelo's chest. Angelo's hand deftly unzipped
Cam's jeans while the other hand fished out the gun and threw it across the
room. Under normal circumstances Cam would have been pissed off at that but
there was no way he could even think coherently when Angelo's fingers
skillfully stroked Cam's hard-on. Gods he wanted his pants off, wanted
Angelo's mouth to do what Cam already knew it was so good at doing. As if Angelo was reading
Cam's thoughts, he abruptly pinned Cam on his back; biting Cam through his
clothes, sucking at the cloth, then crouching down just enough that he could
slip off Cam's jeans. Angelo raised his head, his eyes glowing with lust.
"I've got the juicer's hard-on," he lisped. "You got me so hot
that my fangs are down." Cam laughed softly. "So
that's how it works? If I make out with you and you get all fangy, I've
gotten you hot and bothered?" "Mmmm-hmmm,"
Angelo murmured, his lips vibrating against Cam's thighs. "You got any
more toys I need to worry about?" he asked, his tongue flicking
teasingly at the head of Cam's cock. "Not down there,"
Cam gasped as Angelo's mouth engulfed him, sucking so voraciously it made
Cam's legs shake. Angelo took Cam deeper into
his throat, fuck, Cam was not gonna last much longer. Cam felt himself coil like a
spring as the sexual tension inside him built to a fever pitch, his body
desperate for release and Cam let out a growl from deep in his throat as he
came more violently than he ever had before. As soon as Angelo released
him, Cam reached down and pulled him up on top of him, devouring Angelo's
mouth, tasting himself and Angelo's blood and he ground himself insistently
against Angelo's leg. Everything about Angelo aroused Cam, from the
spicy-sweet way the dark-eyed boy smelled, to the landmines he was setting
off in Cam's mouth. Cam slid his mouth from Angelo's for just a moment.
"You feel so good," he breathed, "but you'd feel even better
naked." Angelo grinned and rolled
off Cam's body. "Your wish is my command." He scrambled out of his
clothes then pulled at Cam's coat. "It'd be a lot more fun if you'd get
rid of all of this." For once, Cam was happy he
came to this party with little more than the gun and the clothes on his back.
The only weapons he had to get rid of were a few knives here and there and
within moments they were laying in a heap along with his clothes. Cam dove for Angelo;
luxuriating in the delicious feeling of the Nightchild's bare flesh against his
own. Cam's hands slid all over Angelo's body as it writhed sensually beneath
him. All Cam had to do was make Angelo cry out and moan and new territory was
ceded to him. Nothing was off limits to Cam anymore and as his mouth made its
way down between Angelo's legs he thought that maybe Angelo would give in
completely and let Cam fuck him. He wiggled his hand underneath Angelo's ass
and inched his fingers towards it. Only for Angelo to shift his
weight and pin Cam's fingers under his body. "I want to Share pleasure
with you, sweet thing, but don't
take what hasn't been offered to you," Angelo said, his voice softly
menacing. "You get one warning. Next time I'll break your fucking
fingers." Cam pulled out his hand,
angrily at first, then he realized that being forceful and aggressive was not
gonna get him anywhere with Angelo. He'd have to try another approach. An
Angelo type of approach. "What are
you offering, then?" He kissed the head of Angelo's cock. "Are
you offering this?" Cam's tongue teased Angelo; briefly caressing his
rock hard shaft before stopping. "I guess not." "How about this?"
Cam scooted backwards, his lips just brushing against Angelo's inner thighs,
licking and nibbling until Angelo let out a gasp. Cam smirked and planted
sucking kisses, leaving marks as he reached Angelo's hard-on. "You sure
you don't want this?" He sucked the skin as hard as he could, moving up
and down the shaft, taking Angelo's balls into his mouth and sucking them
between his tongue and teeth; feeling a definite feeling of accomplishment
when Angelo's breathing grew labored. "Stop teasing,"
Angelo demanded. "Then you are offering this?" Cam asked
innocently. "Fuck yes!" Cam rewarded Angelo for his
surrender, taking his cock into his mouth and fisting it tightly, pumping in
rhythm to his sucking. Angelo's hand tangled in Cam's hair as he gradually
brought the dark-eyed boy from a simmer to a rolling boil and he was saying
words Cam didn't understand but he didn't need the translation: the feeling
behind Angelo's guttural phrases told Cam everything he needed to know. He'd won. And when Angelo's hand
tightened and he cried out, wriggling and exploding in Cam's mouth as he
came, Cam's mouth was flooded with something that had the slight saltiness of
spunk but had the already familiar sweetness of Angelo's blood. He remembered
Weasel's tears and sweat were bloody and figured that a juicer's bodily
fluids must contain blood. Then Angelo grabbed Cam by
the shoulders and flipped him on his back, lying on top of him. "My
turn," he said with amusement. And back and forth they
went, each working the other boy over until they gave in to the pleasure they
were receiving. It eventually grew more frenzied, less gentle and hungrier.
This wasn't what Cam would call lovemaking; it was too brutal, too primal and
too ferocious. It was more like an attack. With nails and teeth, the two boys
wrestled, their sweat soaked skin sliding against each other's until Angelo
met Cam's gaze, not saying a word but giving a signal with that look. Somehow they maneuvered into
position and Cam slammed himself into Angelo. The sultry beauty grew rigid
and hissed like a cat, his teeth sinking into Cam's shoulder but Cam was
quickly learning the difference between juicing and a "love bite." He
wasn't only feeling himself being carried away on his own waves of pleasure;
Cam was riding the tide of Angelo's desire, until it swept him under
completely. Somehow Angelo was still managing to dom even if he was the one being fucked; Angelo's
nails slicing down Cam's back as he rode him. Angelo's passion flooded
Cam, submerging him until he couldn't feel the difference between Angelo's
lust and his own. It finally took Cam over the edge and he grasped Angelo's
hips, pulling the other boy down, thrusting deeply but just as he reached
climax, Angelo seized Cam's wrist, dipping his head and biting into the
inside of Cam's wrist as he came with a deep growl. Cam felt Angelo's tongue
taste some of the blood that welled before he released him. (Good, now that I
used my fangs, to taste you, I can Nightspeak again. You taste sweet,) Angelo
murmured. (Pity you can't taste me, yet.) That was enough to bring Cam
back to his senses and he pushed Angelo off of him. "Don't get any
fucking ideas!" he snarled. (But I thought that was what
we just did,) Angelo said innocently with that smirk of his. "We fucked. Period, the
end. Don't start getting the idea that I'm like you because I'm not!" (Just because you say it,
that doesn't make it so.) "I'm nothing like
you," Cam insisted angrily. (Like what, sweet Cam?
Nothing like the slut I am? You wouldn't be here if you weren't. Nothing like
the killer I am? You're a fucking assassin. Nothing like the predator I am?
I'll give you that. Balint is. You're more of a hunter. But then again,)
Angelo grinned smugly, (so am I. But that's not what you mean, is it?) "Shut the fuck
up!" (This whole time, you've
been comforting yourself with the thought that you're not one of us,)Angelo
said, his voice velvet over steel. (Watching us with contempt as we eat
because our idea of food is not the same as yours. Only that's not the case
anymore is it? It is the same. You just haven't accepted it yet.) Without even thinking, Cam's
fist shot out to take a swing at Angelo. Only for Angelo to grab it
midswing. (All you're doing is proving my point. And you're being stupid.) He
bent it back, not far enough to break Cam's arm but enough to make screaming
hellfire pain shoot up his arm. (You are one of us. A Breather but one of us.
Deal with it.) Angelo squeezed hard before letting Cam go. Cam suddenly heard the click
of the lock in the door being picked. Then the door being opened almost
soundlessly. (Weasel is looking for you,) Cam heard Balint tell Angelo, but
Cam realized he'd felt Balint behind the door even before he walked in. (And you're checking up on
me to make sure that he's still alive,) Angelo replied. (Sex was all I had in
mind, paidi mou.) (And we both know what
happens when Sangsue get aroused, Argyra.) Angelo rolled his eyes. (You
controlled yourself for all that time. What makes you think I can't?) (Oh, I don't think you
can't. I think you don't want to.) Angelo shrugged. (Think what
you like.) Cam recognized that Balint still
didn't know he could hear him and he didn't want him to think otherwise. Not
yet. Cam turned to Balint as if he had
just become aware he was in the room. "Hey." Balint smiled warmly and
went over to him, sliding down beside Cam and hugging him. "Hey
yourself, baby." Cam noticed that Balint's eyes were moving very fast,
taking in all of Cam, probably looking for marks. Then he switched back to
that other speech. (Have you told him yet, Angelo?) Angelo didn't answer Balint
as he gathered his clothes and got dressed. (You didn't did you,) Balint accused. (Was I supposed to?) (It would have been nice if
you didn't leave it for me to do,) Balint muttered. Angelo rose to his feet. (He
is your amant, is he not?) His what? Balint looked uncomfortable.
(He's mine but I'm not his,) he said sadly. Angelo stroked his cheek
affectionately. (He's still here, sweet one. If that's not love, I don't know
what is.) Lover? Amant meant lover? (Speaking of amants,) Balint
leaned into Angelo's hand, (you better go to yours while I break the news to
Cam.) Angelo's eyes caught Cam's
for a moment and if Cam didn't know better, he'd say the Greek fireball had a
mischievous, almost playful look. "I'll leave the room for you both
tonight," Angelo said in a normal voice, pretending that he and Balint
hadn't just had a discussion about it. "This whole floor is guarded by
day; you'll Sleep safely, Balint." Then he crouched down beside
Cam. "Goodnight, lover." Angelo kissed Cam's mouth quickly but passionately
before getting up and walking out the door. Cam had no idea what had
just happened between him and Angelo. It didn't matter now, though. As soon
as Angelo shut the door, Cam took Balint into his arms. "What news do
you have to break to me?" Balint gasped. "You
heard me?" It was amusing to see Balint
confused for a change. "Yeah. The whole time. I've been able to hear all of you since
Weasel started bitching at Angelo for not drinking enough but you're not
getting away with changing the subject this time, dumbass. What was Angelo supposed to tell me?" "Oh, things,"
Balint said in his vague way. "What kind of things?" "Just things,"
Balint said, then snorted. (If you can hear me, I won't bother taking the
breath.) "Fine. Spit it out,
Balint." (Angelo has to teach me
things,) Balint began. (Not how to juice or how to kill. But other things.
Like showing me how to nudge wills without the boomerang migraine.) Cam didn't get it. "So
what's the big deal? It'll actually help us with business." (You're not understanding,
Cameron. It's not done in one night.) Balint sighed. (Not a week. In order
for me to be trained properly, we'll have to stay here until I can master my
powers and defend myself and you. We'll be here for at least six months. And
we're now part of the Underground.) That was why Weasel had
revealed Angelo's feelings for Cam and why Balint had left him alone with
Angelo. Because they both knew that if Angelo didn't get what he wanted, Cam
wouldn't survive the long and forced confinement here. And Cam would do his
best to drag Angelo down with him. |
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Black Widower
© Janette, 1995-2003 Last updated
10/08/03 |