Simone was right, again, the night had been incredibly slow. He hated it when she was right. Emotionally, he was both annoyed and excited. Excited to see Seth. Annoyed about all the rest.

He was washing dishes when the bell above the door chimed, but his greeting died on his lips when he saw who it was. Lance sauntered in, the first to show up at about twenty minutes before ten. He entered the bar as if he owned it, which only served to piss him off, hating the elf’s sautner as much as he hated the elf.

Lance picked a bar stool on the opposite side of the bar from the only patron in the bar, one of Anri’s regulars. He sighed internally, relieved that he didn’t take Seth’s seat. Was it strange to be possessive of Seth’s seat? It was. It definitely was.

He approached Lance. “Ah…hey. You want something to drink?”

“I didn’t know you worked here. You, ah, tend bar?” Lance asked, voice heavy with judgement, one eyebrow raised skeptically.

He sighed out loud. This was going to be so much fun. “Did you want a drink or not?”

“I guess. Gin and tonic. Extra lime.” Lance leaned an arm over the bar, already bored.

Anri made his drink and slid it over the bar to him. “So,” Lance said with thinly veiled animosity, “do you have a long term goal, or is bartending the career path you’ve chosen for yourself?”

He narrowed his eyes as his anger flared. How was this belligerent creature Seth’s best friend? This horrible, judgy, smug elf. He took a deep breath. He would be nice. For Seth.

“Yes, Lance, I hope to work my whole life making bartending wages, because I haven’t planned anything better. Because, as you have assumed, I am good for nothing and have no larger goals or aspirations. You know, because I’m vampire, obviously I’m just not as good as everyone else, right?” he said, his reply was thick with sarcasm. Okay, so he wasn’t exactly being nice for Seth, but this was as nice as he could force himself to be. “And, you judgy elf, even if I did decide that I wanted to stay a bartender forever, as some do, it’s a decent job.”

Lance clicked his tongue. “Touchy, aren’t we? You know I don’t like you. I’m only here for Seth. And, don’t think I will stop until I find a way to separate you.”

“Don’t you dare,” Anri hissed.

Lance shrugged, unphased, sipping his gin and tonic. “Not bad, though, for a vampire. I guess it is hard to mess up a gin and tonic.” He took another sip. “The uniform does look good on you, though. I can see why Seth finds you-”

His hatred of this creature boiled violently and it took all he had not told reach across the bar and slap the elf silly. “What about you?” he interrupted angrily, whispering fiercely over the bar. “Judging me when you’re a fucking elf wasting time getting a master’s in history?”

“I’m here for Seth!” Lance declared heatedly, leaning over the bar. “I could care less about anything else. I’m here to protect Seth.”

“You sound like you’re in love with him,” he accused.

“He is kin to me. I’m not like you, you perverted vampire!”

“Perverted!” he hissed. “You goddamn son of a bitch. I’ll fucking-” he stopped as he suddenly sensed Seth, close. Lance looked at him expectantly, but his attention was locked on the door. His smile grew as the door opened and Seth came in.

“How’d you know he was here?” Lance asked. It was the first time tonight that he wasn’t being snarky or judgy. Anri knew it wouldn’t last.

“My secret, Lance,” he said smugly, finger to his temple. He winked at Lance, then smiled at Seth. Seth trotted up to the bar, and Simone and Raum followed more casually.

Seth smiled at him, then his face clouded a little as he looked at Lance. “Were you picking on Anri?” he asked, his eyes narrowing.

“NO!” Lance bit his lip, pouting. Seth stared sternly, one eyebrow raised with suspicion and Lance pouted. “Okay, fine, maybe, like, the littlest bit. But, Seth, it’s so easy, like he wants me to…”

“Stop being mean to Anri. He bites.” Seth’s eyebrows went up as he smiled at Anri. He couldn’t help himself as he smiled back. Seth slid into his regular seat by the wall. “Can I have my regular? I’m sorry to be a pain, I know it’s a lot more to make than, what’s Lance drinking? A gin and tonic, extra lime?”

Lance frowned at his drink, then at Seth. Seth shrugged. “What? You get the same thing almost every time.”

Raum and Simone approached the bar. It was obvious that Simone was trying to keep her distance from the demon. He wondered if something happened between them since he left for work, already siding with his sister on whatever the infraction was.

Raum spent a moment surveying the room like a soldier. Simone rolled her eyes. “Hey Anni,” she said, pointedly ignoring Lance. “Can I have a dirty martini?” She waved her hand in front of her, instantly negating her request. “No, nevermind, I shouldn’t drink. I’m driving. I’ll have, um…how about a root beer? God, I wish I could just walk home.” She said this last part loud enough for Raum, who was doing a full sweep of the bar, to hear.

Raum snorted, continuing his rounds, eyeing Anri’s one regular. Anri’s regular shifted, uncomfortable with all of the new, loud, bar patrons. He raised his hand and Anri held one finger up to his group, then walked over to the regular, Paul.

“Hey, Paul. You want another?” he asked with familiarity.

Paul shifted uncomfortably on his stool. “Nah, I’m good. I, uh, gotta get going. Close my tab, eh?”

Anri smiled his fake bartender smile at him. “Sure, Paul. Just a minute.” He walked to the register to cash Paul out, shooting Raum and Lance dirty looks. Neither man was looking at him, though, so it was a waste effort. It still felt good.

Paul paid and got up to leave. He hesitated, then said, “hey, um, have you noticed a weird guy hanging outside of the bar? He’s been here for at least a week now. Just kinda looming. One of your friends?”

“Someone looming outside?” he asked carefully. “What’s he look like?”

“Uh, I dunno. I haven’t said anything to him. He’s just always there. Never comes in, though. Kinda bigger guy, black trench coat,” Paul said thoughtfully.

“Thanks, Paul.” Anri nodded at him courteously. “I’ll check it out. Have a nice night.”

Seth caught his eye, shaking with excitement. The door shut behind Paul, and the bar was empty, but Seth still scanned the room before he spoke. “Doesn’t that sound like that dude, um, Jacob? Whatever his name was, Angelina’s henchman? The crazy asshole who shot you? Cause, I mean, it really sounds like him, right?”

Anri nodded. Raum was at the bar in a second, moving up too close to Simone. “The one who shot you? You were shot? When was this?” he demanded.

“The witch who summoned you, Angelina, she has a henchman. They tried once before to kidnap Anri. Shot him with a crossbow and some type of freaking magic arrow. He almost bled to death,” Seth said excitedly, talking with his hands. He pantomimed holding a crossbow. His face darkened. “If that’s him, if he’s out there, I’m going to kick his ass.” He got up and stalked towards the door. Lance grabbed him by the arm, pulling him back.

“You’re just gonna go out there, no plan, to confront the guy who shot a vampire with a magic arrow? The same people who then kidnapped him with a shadow spider?” Lance said harshly. “That sounds like a great idea, Seth. Stop for a minute and think this through! What’s wrong with you?”

“He also stabbed me with a machete. I mean, it was dark, but it felt like a machete, you know, with the stabby parts,” Simone added helpfully, pantomiming stabbing.

“You’re not helping, vampire,” Lance snapped. Simone sneered at him but he ignored her. “So, your plan is to, what, punch him? He’s obviously prepared for supernaturals, unless he’s an idiot. Sounds like a great plan.”

Raum growled, turning towards Simone. She shied away from his intensity. “He is the one who stabbed you? I stand with Seth on this. He must be made to pay for his crimes.” He looked towards Seth with anticipation.

“Woah, guys, and you should know it’s fucking killing me to admit this, but Lance is right. Don’t just rush out and confront him.” It felt strange, being the voice  of rationality, but the look of surprise on Lance’s face was priceless. “Besides, what if it isn’t him? You’re gonna scare some Norm half to death if it isn’t him. I can just call the cops.”

“Jesus, Anri. It has to be him! He’s looking for Angelina, you know he is!” Seth snapped. “Let me do this! I want to hurt him! He tried to kill you! Twice! Like Raum said, he should pay!”

“Calm down, Seth,” Lance demanded. “Even if he is out there, he hasn’t done anything yet.”

“He hasn’t done anything yet!?” Seth yelled. “He tried to kill Anri! I can’t calm down, not if that asshole is out there. I just can’t. I want to hurt him. A lot. And now we find out that every night that Anri works, he’s here, too. Waiting, waiting, waiting! What’s he waiting for? He’s wants revenge and he’s going to try to get it. I say we get him first,” Seth’ declared, his eyes a little wild.

Anri could feel Seth’s rage and frustration, it was making him antsy, too. “Let me call the police. It’ll be fine, Seth,” he said as soothingly as he could while marinating in Seth’s volatile emotions.

“And then what, Anri?” Seth demanded, leaning over the bar towards him. “The cops will come and he’ll run, or…or they’ll talk to him but he’ll still be back tomorrow, when none of the rest of us are here. He’s not going to wait forever, he wants revenge,” Seth growled savagely, his hands balled up into fists at on top of the golden-veined black marble of the bartop. “I won’t let him hurt you again.”

“Seth, how about this. He doesn’t know me,” Lance said placatingly. “I’ll go out and talk to him.”

“No, I’ll go out,” Simone said. “I have a debt to repay.”

Anri sucked in a deep breath. Not Simone, too. This was getting out of hand just as quick as last night. He’d been hoping she would remain a voice of reason, or at least neutral. Instead, she was encouraging Seth to do something dangerous and offering to help. He wondered if Raum’s blood was still influencing her. Her eyes were normal this morning, but she seemed more easily agitated than usual.

“You will do no such thing,” Raum commanded.

Simone’s body tensed up as she held herself back from physical violence. “You don’t get to tell me what to do!” she snarled back at him.

“Simone, calm,” Raum said. Simone’s anger fizzled out and she frowned at him, her body reacting. What the hell was that?

“That’s not fair, Raum,” she said, all the fight gone out of her.

He looked at her with sadness. “I know. I do apologize sincerely, but I cannot allow you to put yourself into the way of harm. I will bring you his blood, if you wish for it.”

“Stop! Everyone, just stop!” Anri barked. “Seriously. He wasn’t very good at what he did. When Angelina wasn’t telling him what to do, he messed it up. Half the time he fumbled even when she was telling him what to do,” he said, trying again for reason. Seth’s untimely rage, while substantiated, wasn’t helping. It was a constant battle to resist getting swept away with the typhoon of Seth’s anger.

Lance looked at him, a smirk on his face. “And yet…he still shot you and caught you. Doesn’t that mean you’re a shitty vampire?”

Seth hissed at Lance, his fury nearly staggering. Why had he even bothered to keep them reasonable? “Fuck you, Lancastor,” Anri snapped before Seth could say anything. “Don’t you want to stop Seth? You’re not helping! And, you mother fucker, I was a little distracted with other shit, including my fucking psychotic witch of an ex-girlfriend. I don’t generally go about getting shot at with a bow-and-fucking-arrow, so fucking excuse me for being a victim.”

“The witch was your Wren before Seth?” Lance asked, and he didn’t like the tone of the elf’s voice one bit.

He knew it was bait, and he wasn’t taking it, but it took everything in him to keep a reasonable head. He did his best to ignore Lance, looking over at Seth. “Anyway, everyone needs to calm the fuck down. There are five of us, all supernatural. He’s just human. He isn’t going to ‘get us’. Why don’t we just go ask him what he wants and get this over with?”

“I still think it’s weird to think of myself as a ‘supernatural’,” Seth remarked offhand.

“Says the dream-walking, rift travelling normal guy,” Lance said.

They all looked at each other. “We are more dangerous to him, especially without his witch, whom we have obviously bested already. Is he a witch?” Raum asked.

“Not that we know of. I mean, I don’t think so,” Seth replied.

“Then we leave that human for later. As much as I would like gift him to Simone as a blood offering, we have more important endeavors on which to focus,” Raum remarked, unperturbed.

Raum’s sensibility had Anri nodding. Simone watched Raum with a look that Anri couldn’t read. Lance seemed to agree with Raum, too, but Seth’s face was red. He could feel Seth’s seething pouring into his chest like poison.

“What is wrong with all of you? We need to get him now! Let go of me, Lance,” Seth demanded. Anri hadn’t noticed but Lance still held onto his arm. Jealousy flared to life in his belly at Lance’s mishandling of his Wren.

“Why, Seth? So you can stargate out there and do what? Beat him up? I don’t think so,” Lance snarled, his face tight.

“I’ll take you with me, then. You can do magic elf things or whatever. I can’t let him go! I can’t risk him hurting Anri again,” Seth growled. He jerked his arm again but Lance held tight. Anri could feel Seth losing control. Worry crawled up his spine, and it was hard to deny the need to go over to him. “I can’t!”

Lance grimaced, then looked at Anri, appealing for help. “Anri, talk sense into him. Maybe he’ll listen to you. This is a bad idea and you know it.”

Anri sighed. He knew tonight was gonna be a mess, and that was without Jason, or whatever his name was, lurking around. Truth be told, he was pretty uncomfortable now that he knew Angelina’s henchman had been lurking, but he wouldn’t admit that, especially not to Seth. Seth was itching with need to go out and pay him back for nearly murdering Anri twice. Cloak guy Jacob-or-Jason-or-whoever had tried to kill him twice, and Simone, once, too, though that could be considered self defence. Maybe.

Seth’s emotions flooding in through their bond was making it hard for him remain calm and think rationally. That guy, he’d tried to kill him twice. They were all here, all because of that guy. Seth’s anger found this foothold and took root, flaring to life inside him. Rage consumed him as Seth’s emotions worked to amplify his own. They swirled together, growing larger and larger, his reason fleeing behind the wave of need that poured from Seth. A small voice in the back of his head knew it was Seth’s emotions driving him into a rage, but he couldn’t hear it well over all of the anger.

That crazy larper had nearly killed him, Seth and Simone…and Anri’s resolve broke. “Fuck him, he tried to kill me twice. Go get him, Seth, and bring him here.”

Seth smiled a wicked grin as he ripped his hand from Lance’s grasp. He pulled open a rift and stepped inside. In a second he was gone, the rift popping closed behind him. Dread immediately filled the space inside of him that had only a moment before been filled with Seth’s incredible emotions.

“Shit!” Lance swore. “You stupid fucking vampire. What is wrong with you! Are you trying to get him killed? I will kill you with my own hands if Seth is harmed, and bathe in your blood.” Anger boiled on his face as he took a step closer to Anri.

Simone gasped and Raum surged forward as another of Seth’s rifts popped open before him. The demon grabbed the cloaked figure as he fell, wrapping his arm around the man’s neck, efficiently and effortlessly locking him in a choke hold. Seth stepped through the rift and it closed behind him, staring at Anri intensely.

“Come here, Seth,” Anri said. Seth moved toward him, a goofy, proud smile on his face.

“I won’t let him hurt you again, Anri,” he said with devotion.

“I know. Thank you.” Anri put his hand on the bar and Seth covered it with his own. Seth squeezed quickly, staring into his eyes. He lifted Anri’s hand to his mouth, turning it over so that his palm faced up and placed a gentle kiss in the center of his palm,their eyes locked. The moment shattered a second later and he then turned and walked back to where Raum held Angelina’s henchman, Jonas or Jacob or something, Anri’s hand slip through his fingers. Anri lifted the bar gate and stepped out into the main floor to join them.

The whole room was tense. He walked calmly over to the door and locked it, though he didn’t feel calm at all. Seth’s emotions tumbled around inside him tumultuously, making it nearly impossible to keep calm. He wanted to rip this guy’s throat out with his teeth, but then he’d have his blood in his mouth. The thought of Angelina’s henchman’s blood in his mouth was enough to keep him back. His stomach twisted in revulsion, and it was barely enough to keep their combined desire for revenge in check.

Cloak Guy’s eyes went wide with fear at the sound of the lock sliding into place.

Anri walked over to Seth and grabbed his hand. Seth squeezed his hand, eyes locked on Cloak Guy. “There’s still the entrance into here from the restaurant,” he reminded everyone quietly.

“I’ve got it.” Simone jogged over to the hallway, standing guard. Raum watched her go with a look that suggested both possessiveness and pride. Strange. Again, he wondered what had happened with them after he left.

She nodded to Raum and he dipped his head once in acknowledgement.

“Great, everyone. Great job,” Lance said, clapping sarcastically. “You’ve managed to kidnap him. Now what?” Lance snapped. “You know what? I’m staying out of this little game. You can all rot in jail for all I care, I’m not bailing any of your asses out.” He picked up his gin and tonic and drank it all, slamming the glass back down on the bartop.

“Be quiet, Lancastor,” Raum said without turning towards the surly elf. Cloak Guy was struggling hard in his arms now, his fear scenting the air. The smell turned on something primal in Anri, feeding their shared anger. His fangs dropped and his adrenaline surged. Seth shifted next to him, sharing the experience. He knew his eyes were red. Simone’s eyes burned the same from across the bar.

Lance sucked in a breath. “You’re all crazy.”

“I said. Shut. Up.” Raum’s face had taken on sharper angles, and his eyes had changed, too. His were completely black. Raum released his choke hold on their captive and restrained him with two well placed fingers to the base of his skull and his other hand on the pressure point in his shoulder. “You,” he said, addressing their captive for the first time, “sit here.”

Raum pointed with his foot to one of the lounge style chairs around a small top table. The man was trembling now, the pungent smell of his fear filling the small space. Raum shoved the man down into the chair. He did nothing else to restrain him. He just smiled his true smile full of sharp shark’s teeth and the man began to sweat. He sat back, hands up in front of him in submission.

Raum’s smile was all vicious teeth. His mouth seemed bigger, too full of dangerous looking teeth. Anri wouldn’t admit it, but Raum’s demon form was terrifying, nightmare material.

Raum blinked a few times, taking a deep breath, and his eyes went back to normal. They were still weird with too much black, but no longer that deep, glossy black. His mouth looked more normal as well, sort of. He’d never really paid attention, but Raum’s teeth were triangular instead of blocky, fitting together seamlessly. It wasn’t super obvious, but now that he’d seen it, he couldn’t forget.

“What is your name?” Raum demanded from their captive.

The henchman looked at Raum but said nothing. Was he too afraid to talk? There was no way he was refusing to cooperate, not with this much fear in the room. Raum watched him for a few seconds. When he showed no signs of cooperating, Raum exhaled loudly. It was a strange sound, something breathy and windy like air through cracks in an old house, maybe because he was still demoning-out.

Raum looked at the group. Anri couldn’t read his expression, because he looked nervous, but that couldn’t be the case. Not with Raum. He looked back at their captive. “I will give you one more chance to talk before I make you talk.”

“Because violence always gets prisoners to talk,” Lance said from the bar. Anri knew Raum heard him, but the comment was ignored.

Their prisoner trembled and began to moan. Raum tisked. Simone, Anri and Seth all looked at him in shock. He never tisked. He raised his hand to his mouth and ran a finger under one of his savage looking shark’s teeth. One drop of blood, black in the dim lighting, scented the air as it welled up on his finger. Simone’s eyes were locked on the demon’s finger, and Anri worried she might be too close to her lust. Before the henchman could respond, Raum grabbed his head and shoved the bleeding finger into his half open mouth.

Reflexively, his mouth closed around Raum’s finger. “Now, say your name and pledge yourself to serve me and mine until I release you. Pledge yourself to Sigaliansadine Raum.”

Cloak Guy’s eyes dilated until too much black was showing. His breathing leveled out and the smell of fear, though still throughout the room, stopped increasing.

The words he spoke were thick and slow, as if he were drugged. “I, Jason Phillip Gibson, pledge myself to Sigaliansadine Raum’s service.”

Simone stiffened in the doorway, and Raum looked up at her sharply. Anri couldn’t see the look on his face, but Simone was pissed.

Raum watched her for a moment longer, then returned his attention to Jason. “Why are you here tonight?”

Jason reacted slowly. Raum’s blood, just a drop, had given him control of this man’s mind. Anri stepped back in shock as he realized that Simone had consumed much, much more than just a single drop. What had it done to her? He watched her, and he could see the same thoughts going through her mind.

“Looking for Mistress Angelina. She disappeared, so I followed her vampire back here. Where is she?” The words came out slow and clear. His eyes followed only Raum with their unfocused gaze.

“She is in Daeva. Why are you looking for her?” he asked. How was Raum so calm?

Lance shook his head from his seat at the bar. “You’re all a bunch of idiots.”

Raum ignored the annoyed elf. “She was my teacher.” Jason didn’t seem to see anyone but Raum.

“You are a witch?” he asked.

“No, an apprentice. I haven’t taken the test,” he intoned, too calmly, and Anri couldn’t shake the feeling that he was drugged.

“The test!” Lance scoffed. “This just gets better and better. The test.” Lance was laughing, and everyone ignored him.

“Are you looking for revenge against Anri or his kin?” Raum nodded his head in Simone’s direction. Jason slowly turned his head in her direction and then quickly returned his attention to Raum.

“No. I just wanted to find Angelina. I love her.” Jason’s tone was flat. The absurdity of his declaration of love made Anri bark out a harsh laugh.

Raum looked over to Anri. “What do you want to do with him? He will do as I say.”

Anri looked away from Raum to Seth. Seth wanted Jason’s blood. Anri could feel it. It was confusing him, reverberating through them, amplifying their need for revenge. He knew Seth would be angry, but he needed to think clearly. He looked at the floor, away from Seth, and almost completely cut off their connection, leaving only a shred open. They both staggered at the loss, and before Seth could say anything, he threw himself across the room, back behind the bar.

The look of hurt on Seth’s face broke his heart. He almost reopened their connection just to reassure him, but he couldn’t. He had to get out of the cycle they were amping up. All eyes, with the exception of Jason’s, whose were only for Raum, were on him now.

“I dunno,” Anri found himself saying. He truly didn’t. Seth’s oscillated between hurt, anger, and jealousy. Why was he jealous? Anri shook his head to clear it. He still felt the desire to hurt Jason, even without Seth’s emotions. “He’s just…I want to hurt him so bad, Raum. I can’t make that decision.”

Jason reached out to Raum. Raum shot a look at Jason that had his arm drooping back into his lap. “It is your right for revenge, Anri. He hurt you and yours and he should pay for his actions.”

Lance stood up. “Again, what is wrong with all of you? You’re going to hurt this henchman? I know he hurt you, Anri, and believe me, I wish he had killed you. But-”

Seth was across the room, pury fury in his eyes. He tackled Lance off of his bar stool, Lance saving himself from a fall by slipping back onto the stool behind the one he had been perched on.

“I told you to STOP!” Seth roared. He threw a punch that landed directly on Lance’s jaw, snapping his head back hard. Seth pulled back to throw another punch as Lance rebalanced himself. Anri was there in the next moment, somehow over the bar and behind Seth, startled by his own speed and agility. He grabbed Seth’s hand before the punch could connect. He wrapped his other hand around Seth’s torso and pulled him back against his body, away from Lance.

Seth struggled against him. “He said he wished you were dead. I can’t, Anri! I need to hurt something.”

Lance rubbed his red jaw and cracked his neck. “Yea, I probably deserved that.”

He slowly opened their connection. Seth was all rage, jealousy and frustration. He took a deep breath, nearly taken back with the intensity of his Wren’s emotion. Seth’s fist still in his hand, he dragged Seth backwards, away from everyone else. He struggled against his hold. “Let me go, Anri. Let me go, let me go!” he chanted.

“Shh, Seth. Calm. Be calm now. I’m safe. I’m with you. You did good. Everything is fine,” he whispered in Seth’s ear. Seth continued to fight and thrash. He was strong, and bigger than him, but Anri was stronger, the craziness of the night drawing his lust closer to the surface. He pinned Seth’s arms against his chest and pulled him closer. Seth was just the right height that Anri’s chin could rest on his shoulder. It gave him an idea.

His fangs were already out, there was just too much tension and emotion in the room. He’d already tried to retract them, but it was impossible. He gave up, and instead, he rubbed his mouth over Seth’s neck, nuzzling the scars there. The roughness under his lips had him shivering with guilt. Seth reacted to it, recoiling from him. He pressed the guilt deep inside of himself and instead focused on his feelings for Seth. Holding him tightly, he gently bit down onto Seth’s scars. He didn’t break the skin, but he held a firm pressure. Seth instantly froze.

He was rigid for several breaths before his body began to relax against Anri’s, his neck still possessively held in Anri’s mouth. Seth sighed and he pulled him even closer, pressing their bodies firmly together.

“Fucking vampires…” Lance swore.

Raum shot him a look. “You agreed that that was your fault, yet you aim to instigate it further? He calmed Seth, or you would probably still be letting him strike you.”

“I didn’t let him hit me,” Lance pouted.

“No, but you would not have fought back. Are you trying to punish yourself for your actions against Anri? For your failure to keep Seth safe? For all of those reasons and more?” Raum mused. Lance rubbed his swollen jaw and studied the floor. “Nevermind that. Anri, do you harbor any objections against permitting me to decide Jason Phillip Gibson’s fate?”

Anri lessened his grip on Seth and he whined. Shaking his head only a tiny bit so that he didn’t break Seth’s skin, he granted Raum the permission he asked. Seth wriggled beneath his bite and he bit down harder, careful not to break the skin. Seth whined again, but he stilled and settled back into Anri. Carefully, he slid his arms from the bearhug he had his lover restrained to something less restrictive, his arms criss crossed over Seth’s chest. He grabbed Seth’s shoulders and pulled him back into the gentle pressure of his bite.

Raum looked over at Simone now. “Simone, what would you have me to do with our captive?”

Simone’s face was swirling with emotion, too fast for Anri to tell what she was thinking. She bit her lip then said, “What did you do to him, Raum?”

Raum wasn’t expecting that answer. “You know, Simone, what I have done to him.”

“No, Raum, I don’t. I really don’t,” she said quietly.

“Do you want me to speak of this in front of our captive and the rest? To explain it to you? Because, Simone, I will do so. For you,” he threatened.

“Make him another spy of yours, Raum. You’ve already made him yours. Put him to work,” she suggested bitterly.

Raum’s too-black eyes were back. “This is not the same, Simone.” The way he said her name was reverent.

Seth’s frustration and anger were changing quickly into frustrated lust. He wriggled beneath Anri, desperate for his bite to puncture his skin. Desperate for the release they would both feel when he started to drink Seth’s delightful blood. Not here. He wouldn’t bite Seth here, in front of everyone. In front of Lance. He pulled his teeth away from Seth’s neck, instead nuzzling him with his lips. Seth whined again, low and quiet. He drew his mouth up Seth’s neck to his ear, trailing his lips the entire way. He whispered quietly, only for Seth, “Shh. You don’t want this here, not in front of everyone else. Wait, be patient. I’m sorry, Seth.”

Seth’s whole body tensed and Anri’s desire sparked to life, fueled by Seth’s. Anri pulled him tighter still, Seth’s arousal now scenting the air. He pulled him back behind the bar, trying to send calm through their connection and failing to cool the fire within his Wren.

“Jason Phillip Gibson, you serve me now. Forget Angelina,” Raum’s command filled the room, heavy enough that he could feel it.

“I cannot forget her, master,” Jason said.

Raum stepped in closer, looked at Jason. No, not just looking at him, he seemed to look inside of him. It was hard for him to watch as Seth squirmed in his arms, lost to his emotions.

“Hmm…she’s charmed him,” Lance said.

“Yes, she has,” Raum confirmed. “I cannot break her charm with a single drop of blood.”

“Well,” Lance said, annoyed, “who cares? It doesn’t matter. Just give him an assignment and get rid of him. I want to get this over with. That,” Lance pointed his thumb over towards him and Seth, “is not something I wanna see right now. Or ever, actually.”

Simone growled deep in her throat. “It’s your fault, you stupid elf,” she snapped, “that Seth is like this right now. Their bond is too fresh, they can’t help it. They don’t know how to control it. And, might I remind you, he doesn’t even know how to control his own abilities. Your. Fault.” She punctuated the last two words with her finger, pointing at Lance.

Raum nodded to Simone and then smiled ferally at Lance, eyebrows high. He circled around to the back of the lounge chair, behind Jacob, and leaned down. He whispered something in Jason’s ear and he listened raptly. Simone and Lance stared daggers at each other, Lance absently rubbing his now-puffy jaw.

Raum stood upright and Jason stood, too. He walked over to the door, followed close behind by Raum. Raum unlocked the door and Jason saluted to him before disappeared into the night. Raum relocked the door behind him and turned to face them, his back against the door.

“Well, wasn’t that fun?” Lance said.

Anri was walking a thin line, trying to manage Seth’s emotions, and his own. He took a deep breath, but it was Seth’s scent that filled his lungs. The taste of his skin on his tongue. The feel of his body heat against his own. He growled and Seth writhed in his arms.

“Go home. Go home now. We can talk about this there. This was a bad idea. Seth and I…need a moment to calm down. I also have to finish closing the bar. Go, out, all of you. Simone,” he implored to his sister, “please, take them back. Seth and I can get home on our own. I can’t do this right now. Like this.” He took a deep breath, filled with Seth. His head was hazy. He could feel Seth’s heart beat through his shirt and longed to taste him. He wasn’t even hungry, but the desire to have Seth’s blood coating mouth was more than he could manage.

She nodded to him and walked over to Lance. She grabbed him by the scruff of his coat and half dragged him behind her.

“Unhand me, you vile vixen vampire!” Lance protested.

Raum unlocked the door again and opened it for her as she dragged Lance, who was a good half foot taller than her, out the door. “I appreciated your use of alliteration, Lancastor,” Raum complemented.

The door swung shut behind them and then he and Seth were alone. Seth pressed against his body, leaning his head back on his shoulder, nuzzling Anri’s neck.

He tried to think, but he couldn’t. Their combined frustration and desire was too much. He sank to the floor, dragging Seth with him. Seth twisted around in his arms as they fell so that he was somehow straddling Anri when they landed. Seth’s mouth was over his in an instant. His hands went straight to Seth’s butt, pulling him closer. His lover’s hands wound through his hair, pushing out the tight ponytail so that he could wrap it between his fingers.

They kissed fiercely. Seth’s hands tightened in his hair until it was painful, but he didn’t break the kiss. Instead, he enjoyed the feeling of Seth’s possessiveness. Seth growled deep in his throat as his grip tightened on his ass, his fingers straining against Seth’s jeans.

Somehow, without breaking their kiss, Seth wriggled off his jeans and his underpants in one skillful move. He returned to straddling Anri’s lap, one hand moving to reposition Anri’s hand on his ass.

Anri’s other hand found its way to Seth’s ass, too. His fingers sunk into the fleshy mounds. Desire flared within him. Somehow, in any way possible, he wanted Seth inside him. Seth used his tight grip in his hair to push him back until he was laying down on the floor. He rocked on Anri’s erection through his pants, kissing him hard.

He caught sight of the red lighting under the bar and the realization of where they were hit him hard. He tried to break away from the kiss. They would not have sex here, like this. They would not. He tried hard to restore any of his reason. Seth held him firmly, with his fist buried deeply in his hair.

God, he loved it when Seth did that. His reason almost flew away, but he took a deep breath, steeled his will and forced himself to control his lust.

“No,” he gasped between breaths. The pressure Seth used to grind down on Anri’s swollen manhood increased, making it hard for him to form complete sentences. “Seth, not here.” Another rock of Seth’s hips over him. “Please. Not here. Not…like this.” He pushed his hands against Seth’s chest, forcing him to sit upright.

The power of Seth’s perceived rejection through their connection felt like a sucker punch just before he slammed it shut, the force of it knocking the air from his lungs. He curled up in a ball, his lungs struggling for air, the muscles of his chest painfully constricted.

Seth crawled over to his jeans and put them on angrily, the fabric rustling loudly. “Seth, please. I’m sorry. I want you. So bad. I do,” he tried to explain. “Just not here, and not because we’re angry. Seth. Look at me.”

Seth was sitting on the floor, breathing heavy, doing his best to look at anything but him.

“Seth, I…I, ah…fuck it. I love you. I want you more than I have ever wanted anything. I want you all the time. I…I just…I don’t want to have sex on the floor of the bar where I work,” he said gently. He carefully unkinked the knot that Seth had tied in their connection. He pushed the love and desire he felt for Seth forcibly through it and Seth looked up at him.

“I can’t stop it, Anri. I can’t control myself tonight. What’s wrong with me?” Seth growled, his voice gruff with frustration.

Anri crawled along the floor to Seth and climbed into his lap, straddling him. He took Seth’s head in his hands and forced him to look straight into his eyes.

“This isn’t helping,” Seth said throatily, thrusting his hips against Anri’s ass.

“Shh,’ he replied. He gently kissed Seth’s face, his cheeks, his forehead, his nose, his ears, and then his lips, chaste and gentle kisses. Seth’s arms went around him, pulling him close.

“Anri,” Seth said, voice husky with need, his hips rising against Anri’s ass again. “I need you inside me. I need you. I can’t calm down.”

“Inside you?” he asked nervously, uncertain of what Seth was asking for.

Seth’s head fell to his shoulder. “Inside me. I can’t control myself. I can see that I’m being all crazy, and part of me knows it’s crazy, but I can’t stop myself. Something is wrong with me, Anri. I need you to balance me. I need you inside of me. I can’t explain it. I need you to be my anchor. I can feel it, that you can help me. Help me, Anri, please. I don’t want to be out of control like this.”

Anri’s resolve broke. “Bite me and drink me, Seth,” he demanded. “Then I’ll be inside you.” The words were out of his mouth before he even realized what he had said. Despite the immediate embarrassment that he felt, it was was what they both needed.

Seth whined wordlessly. “I don’t want to hurt you, my heart. I can’t hurt you.” Seth placed one hand on Anri’s cheek and he leaned into it.

Seth’s endearment caused his to melt. My heart. He tucked it deep inside. “I want you to bite me. I want you to mark me. I’m yours, always, Seth. Mark me, even if it will go away. Make me bleed, and want my blood. Please,” he begged. “Please accept me and what I offer you.”

Seth hesitated.

“Seth,” he breathed heavily, “Seth, please, if you think it will help you, my blood, I want you to take it. I just…I want to feel you bite me. I…” he hesitated, afraid to admit his desires out loud to Seth, worried that Seth might reject him. He said it anyway. “I like it when you bite me. I want you to bleed me. Please…”

Seth’s hands wrapped tightly in his hair again. He pulled Anri’s head hard to the side and he didn’t resist as Seth exposed the pale flesh of his neck. His Wren leaned down reverently and gently kissed the base of his neck. His teeth brushed Anri’s neck, sending a shiver down his spine. “Are you sure?” Seth’s lips tickled against his neck as spoke.

“God, yes, Seth. Mark me as yours. Do it now!” he whispered, so embarrassed he could die.

“My heart,” Seth breathed out, biting down hard on his neck. Anri tensed at the pain as his cock jumped against Seth. He forced himself to relax, the pain from Seth’s teeth sending tremors through his body. Seth growled in frustration as his teeth failed to break the skin.

“Again, Seth. Bite me again. Until you break the skin. Until I bleed. Bite me,” he breathed against the back of his head. Anri’s hands held Seth close as he tried to back away. Instead of trying to escape, he bit down again, harder. He twisted his head and the sheer pain tore a gasp from Anri’s throat.

Seth tried again to rear back but Anri held him still. “Seth, I’ll tell you when it’s too much. Please, don’t stop. We both need this. Bite me again.”

Again, Seth hesitated. He held him against his neck and Seth relaxed against him. He began kissing the spot he had bitten twice now. He licked and kissed at the spot, then he began sucking. He sucked hard against the bite marks on Anri’s neck. The pain and pleasure mixed together into something uniquely exquisite.

Seth bit down again, twisting his head and pulling away roughly. Anri felt and heard the skin tear, the pain exploding like fireworks in his head.

Seth reeled back, practically ripping his hands from Anri’s hair. “I’m sorry, Anri. Shit, I’m sorry!”

The way his blood covered Seth’s mouth, it was doing it for him so much. Seth was so sexy, Anri felt he could cum just from the sight. He surged forward before Seth could say anything else, his mouth covering those blood-covered lips in a gentle kiss. The taste of his blood in Seth’s mouth was so goddamn erotic it almost made him cum in his pants right there. Kissing Seth gently, he replaced Seth’s hand in his hair.

He broke away from the kiss, both of them panting. Seth tried to apologize again and Anri pushed his head to the open wound on his neck. He could feel it stitching itself closed. “No apologies. Again,” he demanded.

Seth’s tongue was raspy against his neck. He licked at the wound, which was nearly completely closed. Anri wriggled on Seth as he slipped one of his canines into his flesh and tore at it, making the wound bigger. His mouth closed over the wound and he sucked hard, the pull on his neck going straight to his cock.

Anri’s eyes rolled back into his head. “God, yes, Seth. Oh, god, I love you. I love you, only you…” he mumbled thickly. Seth’s hips rocked under him, pressing his generous erection against his firm ass.

Anri stroked Seth’s hair until his wound closed. Seth’s lips remained locked against his neck, his tongue lathing the wound he had made. The area felt passionately sore. Eventually Seth broke away from his neck, resting his forehead on Anri’s. He kissed him gently then said, “Sometimes I wonder which of us is more vampire, you know?”

He chuckled, a silly grin on his face. “Seth, you’re amazing. Truly.” They sat like that for a moment longer, enjoying the calm. He shifted, the weight in his pants heavy and uncomfortable.

Seth sighed then. “Anri, next time, we are going to have sex. I want to sink deep inside you. Or I want you deep inside me. No more of this high school back seat of the car sex,” Seth growled into his ear.

Anri laughed, then nipped at Seth’s ear with his fangs.

“You’re fangs are still out,” he observed.

“Cause I didn’t bite you. They’ll go away soon,” he explained.

Seth leaned in for a closer look. “Are they retractable?”

“Hmm? I guess so. I mean, I can’t control them most of the time, but they don’t drop unless I’m lusty or stressed for some reason. Tonight it was mostly all the tension and then that kid’s fear made it impossible to control them.”

“His fear?” Seth wondered.

Anri nodded. “Vampires can smell things like that. Your body gives off chemical cues, when you’re scared, when you’re angry or tense, or other intense emotions. Our fangs drop, I think it’s fight or fuck for us, if you know what I mean. They go away after we feed or once things calm down.”

He could almost see the wheels turning in Seth’s head as he processed the information. “You can bite me, if you want,” Seth offered shyly.

“Not until you’re inside of me. Wait,” he said quickly, remembering something Seth said earlier. “You want me inside you? Like, sex?”

Seth laughed, pulling him close. “Of course I do. I want all of you.” He nipped at Anri’s neck, just behind his ear, and Anri whined. “I love how you respond to me. So goddamn erotic. You gonna bite me?”

“No,” he struggled to say. “We need to go back. Not biting you again until we can fuck for real.”

“You have such a potty mouth,” Seth laughed, his chest rumbling comfortably against him. He kissed him on the nape of his neck. “You’re almost all healed up. At least the skin where I broke it. But, your whole neck is turning purple. I’m kind of sad that I can’t leave a permanent mark…” His hand traveled to the rivulet scars on his neck.

His eyes were half closed when he heard Seth suck in breath hard. “What’s wrong?” Anri said quickly, heart in his throat.

Seth took a deep breath, then another. His eyes were closed and his head rested on Anri’s shoulder. “Oh my god, Anri. Your blood, it’s like a drug. I feel high. I feel like I could climb the walls. I feel like I could run a marathon. It’s like fire in my veins.”

Anri frowned. The only other times that Seth had drank his blood he had been critically injured. Generally vampires drank blood, not donated it. He didn’t know if what Seth was feeling was normal. “I’m sorry…” he began.

“No! I feel amazing. So alive. I feel so good. Don’t apologize. You asked me to accept you and what you offer. I will and I do, Anri,” he said against his shoulder. “Goddamnit, I want to fuck you so bad right now.” He ground his hips against Anri’s ass again. He nipped at Anri’s ear, caught it gently between his teeth, growling directly into his ear.

“Shit, Seth….” he pushed him back, trying hard to steel his will against the desire to let Seth have his way with him. He took a deep breath. “I need to close up. The smell of your arousal…I want to taste you…shit,” he swore, running his hands through his hair.

“Mmm, you can smell my desire for you? That’s hot. Do you like how I taste that much?” Seth teased.

“I, ah, that would be weird, and I’m not weird,” he muttered, blushing and looking away. Seth laughed, delighted.

Anri coughed into his hand. He changed the subject. “Help me, would you? Then we can go home.”

Seth’s smile was huge. “Of course. Of course I’ll take you home.”

Demonbound Chapter 10: Over a cup of coffee

Demonbound Chapter 12: 99 Problems