Beginning is here
Chapter
Four
A
few nights later, he and Raleigh went to the movies. Frankly, Caleb could’ve
done with a lighthearted comedy, but it was Raleigh’s turn to pick what they
watched. Nevertheless, he almost balked when he saw Raleigh had picked the
latest supernatural movie. And of course
it had vampires and demons in it. Ordinarily he would’ve been all for it, but
not right now. Not after that dream.
Still,
he went with the flow. With a big tub of popcorn to share between them and
monstrous drinks, they settled into their seats just as the light dimmed and
the opening credits rolled.
Caleb
munched on the popcorn—it was one of the main reasons he liked going to the
movies. Store-bought popcorn simply didn’t compare to the salty, buttery
goodness that was movie popcorn. Caleb quickly got over his objection to the
show and became engrossed. He ate automatically and gulped his soda. An hour
into the movie, he was squirming in his seat.
“Gotta
piss. Be right back,” Caleb whispered at Raleigh.
“’Kay,”
Raleigh answered, never taking his eyes from the screen.
Luckily
they were sitting close to the end of the aisle so there weren’t a lot of
people he had to disturb trying to get out. He made note of where they were
sitting then headed for the exit. When he left the darkened theater he blinked
several times to readjust to the lobby lights. There weren’t many people
milling around, just a few at the concession stand.
Quickly
he made his way to the restroom, opened the door, and was glad to see it was
empty. He made his way to a urinal, unzipped, pulled out his cock… and nothing
happened. Damn, it was cold in there.
Caleb
shivered and scowled at his reluctant shaft. “Come on, come on, come on.”
Any
other time his bladder would’ve been more than happy to oblige him, but since
he was in a rush to get back before he missed anything good, the damn thing was
being all shy and stuff. Plus, it was freaking cold in there. Why did movie
theaters do that?
Then
the bathroom lights flickered and dimmed. Caleb, his cock still in his hand,
jumped. “What the—”
“Hello,
Caleb.”
The
hair stood up on the back of Caleb’s neck. Oh shit. He knew that voice. Oh
shit, no. Just no. This couldn’t be happening. No way could this be happening again. The echo of those words lay
heavily in the air… the exact same words spoken to him during his dream. Oh
God. His breath stuttered in his chest. Fear sunk its icy claws into him.
He
so wasn’t doing this. Fuck pissing. He needed to get out this bathroom, pronto.
But before he could stuff his cock back in his jeans, cool fingers wrapped
around his shaft as another arm banded across his chest. Once more he found
himself trapped in a steely embrace.
Caleb’s
heart skipped then pounded violently. This was like his dream… almost exactly
like his dream where a body was pressed close behind him, holding him tightly.
His mind shrieked for him to run, but his feet were stuck to the floor.
He
looked down. Just like in his dream, a pale hand with black-tipped claws held
his dick. Helplessly, Caleb shook his head… as if that could wipe away what he
was seeing. This couldn’t be happening. He was wide awake, for God sakes.
Cool
lips caressed the side of his throat. Caleb trembled. Why couldn’t he get his
body to move? Why wasn’t he screaming for help? For God’s sakes, he just stood there. And why the hell was it so
fucking quiet in there? Deathly quiet. All he could hear was his own rapid
breathing.
And
nothing else.
No
one else.
But
there was sure as shit somebody behind him holding his cock. Oh God, who was he
kidding? He wasn’t dreaming. He knew he
wasn’t dreaming. And obviously he hadn’t been dreaming that night in cabin.
That stupid spell worked, just not the way he
wanted. It hadn’t turned him into a vampire. The damn thing had called a
vampire to him instead. Either that,
or someone had a fucking sick sense of humor. Right. And denial was a wonderful
thing, wasn’t it?
“Have
you figured it out yet, my lovely one? This is no dream. No fantasy. I am as
real as you are.”
“Oh
God, oh God,” Caleb whispered, as he stared at the hand holding his cock… the
hand that was slowly trailing long black claws over his manhood.
“As
I’ve told you before, God has no jurisdiction over me.”
“Oh
fuck. Oh, fuck.” Caleb watched as his
shaft was fondled… and the stupid, idiotic thing was as hard as it had ever
been.
“Impatient,
are we?” The creature chuckled softly. “We’ll get to that, eventually. I’ve got
nothing but time, and soon, so shall you. But first things first. I think it’s
time you stop hiding and admit what I am. So, tell me, Caleb.”
Caleb
fought not to voice his pleasure as the pressure on his cock increased. It
wasn’t painful. Oh no, pain was the last thing he felt. How was he supposed to
think when that thing was stroking him? And what did it want him to tell it? “T-tell
you what?”
“What
am I?”
Caleb
shook his head again, trying to collect his scattered thoughts. “But, but, but…
there’s no such thing. It’s all folk lore and myth.”
“Try
again. I want you to say it. To admit it.”
There
was no point denying it, especially when the proof had its hand wrapped around
his shaft. “V-vampire.”
“Good.
Do you remember my name?”
Caleb’s
thoughts suddenly were crystal clear. That word that had teased him endlessly
burned across his mind. “Brone.”
“Very good.” Brone increased his strokes.
“And stop trying to remove my pendant. Understand? Now that you have put it on,
it will never come off.”
Caleb
shivered at the unbending promise he heard in those words then nearly jumped
out of his skin when Brone nibbled at his throat. Desire warred with instinct.
There was a vampire at his fucking neck, and all he could do was stand there
like a blithering idiot.
“Moan
for me,” Brone murmured against Caleb’s ear. “Give me your sounds.”
The
command washed through him, and, unable to resist, he gave Brone what he’d
wanted… his sounds. Powerlessly to resist, he moaned his pleasure as Brone
stroked his dick expertly. He ached. More, he wanted more. Needed more. His
mind went fuzzy.
He
relaxed into Brone’s embrace, his body no longer his own. Fear danced along the
edge of his mind, but the pleasure overshadowed everything. Then it happened—a
sharp prick against his neck.
The
stinging increased. There was a bright stab of pain, then it faded away.
Pleasure rushed through him, swamping him. Dizzy. So, so dizzy. There was a
sucking sound and a pull against his neck. He groaned weakly when he realized
Brone had bitten him. Was drinking from
him.
Concern
rose swiftly and then faded away under the heavy press of pleasure. He
whimpered as Brone stroked him ruthlessly. The unmistakable slap
of skin on skin echoed through the empty bathroom, as did his frantic pants.
His spine tingled as his orgasm hovered just out of reach. He hung on the edge
as Brone continued jacking him off.
Time
stood still as he drifted. A little voice in the back of his head mumbled
softly about danger, blood loss, death, but then disappeared under another wave
of desire. He moaned again then Brone was kissing his neck right where he had
bitten him, dragging another needy moaned from Caleb.
“Soon,
Caleb. Soon I will claim you as mine. Until then, be good. I’ll be watching.”
Next
thing Caleb knew he was standing at the urinal staring at his cock.
“Hey
dude, you okay?”
Caleb
flinched. He jerked his head up to see who spoke to him. A young guy, maybe a
few years younger than him, washed his hands at the sink, obvious concern on
his face. Caleb glanced around the restroom, heart pounding.
Where
was it? That vampire? What was his name again? The name whispered across his
mind. Brone. The lights were on and as bright as when he entered the restroom.
No one stood next to him. The only hand on his cock was his own.
Oh
God. The only other person there was some young guy, and when the hell had he
come in? Frantically, he glanced around. Nope. Not a vampire to be seen—unless
the guy washing his hand was a vampire. For some reason he didn’t think so.
“Dude?”
“Huh?”
Caleb asked, dragging his attention back to the person speaking to him.
The
guy nodded toward him. “You sure you’re okay? You’ve been stand there holding
yourself and doing nothing for a minute or so.”
Oh
good Lord, he had?
“Do
I need to go get help or something?”
Help?
Ha! Unless the stranger could help him with his vampire problem, he didn’t
think so. A stream of urine suddenly splashed into the urinal. O-oaky. Nice of
his bladder to finally get with the program.
Caleb
shook his head, his face heating. Whoever this guy was probably thought he was mental.
“I, ah… sorry. I was thinking about something and… yeah. I’m fine. Didn’t mean to worry you.
Thanks, man.”
Okay,
so the guy washing his hands hadn’t seen anybody in there with Caleb. Caleb
finished using the restroom and quickly zipped up. Maybe he should stay in
there—he wasn’t entirely sure the popcorn he’d consumed was going to stay where
it should. He truly felt sick. But hiding in here wasn’t safe either, as proven
by what he just experienced. God, was nowhere safe then?
Home.
He needed to get home and… he didn’t know what he planned to do once he got
there, but remaining staying here wasn’t an option. He fled the restroom only
to find the lobby of the movie theater perfectly lit. Why did that not surprise
him?
Apparently
the restroom was the only area to have electrical problems. It was damn sure
the only one that had a vampire in it. Or was it? Fuck, he couldn’t consider
that—especially not right now—or he’d lose what little of his mind remained.
An
employee strode toward him, and Caleb flagged down the guy. “Hey, can I ask you
something? Did the lights go out here a couple minutes ago?”
The
employee shook his head no.
“Maybe
in the men’s restroom then?” Caleb pressed.
“Naw,
man. If the lights go out one place, they go out all over. Is everything okay?”
“Depends
on your definition of okay. Thanks anyway.” Without bothering to
explain—because seriously, how could he?—Caleb scurried off.
The
walls are closing in on him. Each time a man happened to walk past him, Caleb
tensed. Was that Brone? Shit, he had no idea because he hadn’t seen the thing. Then it hit him. Shit, he didn’t know
what Brone looked like.
He
discreetly peered at every guy he saw. Sweat beaded across his forehead, and
his tummy rumbled ominously. One way or the other he was going home. If Raleigh
refused to take him, then by God, he’d just take a cab. He found the theater
showing the movie he and Raleigh picked and returned to his seat.
Raleigh
leaned over. “I was beginning to wonder if you fell in.”
“I…
look, man, I’m sick to my stomach. I need to go home,” Caleb said quietly.
“Right
now?”
“No,
next week. Of course right now.” Seriously? Then someone behind them shushed
them. Caleb glared over his shoulder then turned his attention back to Raleigh.
“Either take me home, or I’m getting a cab.”
Raleigh
finally looked away from the screen. “Shit, man. You’re really that sick?”
“I
just said I was. Take me home, Raleigh. Hell, I’ll even pay the cost of your
ticket, but I need to go. Please.” Caleb’s voice wobbled. He closed his eyes.
Lord, he sounded pathetic.
Raleigh
immediately stood. “Say no more. Let’s get you home.”
Relieved,
Caleb clambered into his feet and followed Raleigh out. The closer he got to
the doors leading outside the theater, the more panic tried to set in. Which
was just stupid since Brone could apparently get to him whenever and wherever.
But Jesus, it was dark out there.
They
stepped outside, and Caleb hurried Raleigh to the truck. He’d feel better the
sooner they got inside and locked the doors. The illusion of safety was all
that was keeping him from completely breaking down.
The
trip home was passed in silence with Caleb lost in thought. Finally, they
arrived, and Raleigh parked. Caleb all but ran to the apartment door. He
unlocked it and hurried in with Raleigh close behind him.
Caleb
made a beeline straight for the bathroom. He locked the door and grabbed a
washcloth. After he wet it down with cold water, he pressed it against his
face. His reflection in the bathroom mirror caught his eye, and he glanced up.
His
eyes were bloodshot, and his skin was pale. The wild look in his eyes was
unsettling. It wasn’t something he was used to seeing. He ran the washcloth
over his face again then froze. What was that? It looked like… but, there was
no way. Then he remembered the sting. He gazed at the mirror under the harsh
light. Heaven help him, there were two small holes on the side of his neck.
“Oh.
My. God,” Caleb whispered, leaning closer to the mirror. There was no denying
what he looking at. Two small, perfectly round holes were in his throat.
He
dropped the washcloth and tentatively ran his fingers over them. They tingled,
and he gasped. A shiver racked his body. His knees weakened, and he barely
caught himself against the sink. Last thing he needed was for his dumb ass to
end up on the bathroom floor.
“Ho-ly
shit.” What was he going to do? What could he do? He left the washcloth on the
bathroom counter and ducked out the bathroom.
“Hey,
Caleb?”
Shit.
“Yeah?” Caleb paused. He really wasn’t in the mood to yak with Raleigh, but
still, Raleigh had taken him home without giving him a hard time.
“Keep
your cell phone on you. If you need anything, don’t get up. Text me, and I’ll
bring it to you, okay?”
Well
now, he felt like a monumental ass. But what was he going to do? Tell Raleigh
about his run-in with a vampire in the theater’s restroom? There was no way in
hell Raleigh would believe him. He wasn’t sure he believed himself. Raleigh
already thought he was a bit of a flake. Oh, Raleigh had never said such, but
he knew Raleigh thought he was a little odd.
“Will
do, and thanks. I appreciate that.” Caleb hurried to his bedroom. He debated
locking the door, but really, what was the point? The ability for vampires to
turn into mist was obviously true since he saw it happen that night the cabin.
Caleb
undress and got into bed. Okay, so what did he know? Thanks to that spell he
bought, he’d somehow attracted the attention of vampire. Or was it actually the
spell? Caleb slowly lifted his hand to where the pendant rested against his
skin. Even though he wanted take it off, some compulsion stayed his hand. Brone
had warned him to stop trying to take it off. How did Brone know he’d
considered removing it?
Was
Brone watching him? Caleb mentally
slapped himself. Of course Brone was watching him. Brone has said so, hadn’t
he? Brone had said a lot, including that he planned to claim Caleb as his.
Caleb didn’t know exactly what that meant, but he was pretty sure it was
something that was going to scare the hell out of him.
For
the next several hours he struggled against the pull of sleep until,
eventually, exhaustion overcame him.
