Moonlight Denial: Shades of Moonlight Book One

“Ethan! Ethan, where are you?” Nicoli called out, but was trying to keep his voice low at the same time. “Ugh, small my foot, this maze is freaking ridiculous,” he muttered.

The moment Nicoli entered the maze he had made a few simple turns and got himself lost. He had a poor sense of direction that was for sure.

Nicoli’s father had told him about the hedge maze before. It was built behind Town Hall as a kind of place for kids to come have fun and also as a sort of tourist attraction. Given the space that was allowed for its construction it was rather small compared to others in the world, but that didn’t stop Nicoli from getting turned around.

Not only was Nicoli lost, but he hadn’t been able to find hide nor hair of Ethan, and the vampire wasn’t answering his calls.

“Looks like I have no other choice,” Nicoli murmured before closing his eyes. He tried to focus himself before attempting to send out his thoughts to Ethan.

“Ethan? Are you here? This maze is getting annoying so can you come out already?” he asked through his mind.

Shivers wracked his body when a low, deep chuckle sounded in his head and caressed every inch of his mind. He didn’t care what the vampire said, he was never going to get used to it.

“I was wondering when you were going to wise up and use the mind link,” Ethan’s voice said, amusement lacing each of his words. “We are supposed to be meeting in secret so I found it rather funny that you were bellowing out my name for all the world to hear.”

Nicoli’s face flushed in embarrassment and he looked around to see if the vampire was anywhere nearby.

“Okay, fine, my bad. Now can we get this over with before anyone wonders why I’ve been gone for so long? he asked.

“All right, just follow my instructions. I’ll lead you to a more secluded part of the maze.”

Nicoli nodded, even though no one was there to see it, and he moved off when Ethan began feeding him directions. The mind link still sent unpleasant shivers up Nicoli’s spine. Hearing someone’s voice in your head would be enough to give anyone the hibbie jibbies. But the boy had to admit it had its benefits. It worked better than any walkie-talkie he had ever used and allowed Nicoli to continue on with his normal routines as he secretly talked with Ethan. But since the link was still newly constructed, both he and Ethan hadn’t been able to test out its full capabilities. It was something the vampire said they’d have to try out in days to come.

After a few minutes Nicoli pursed his lips as he came face to face with a giant hedge wall. He looked around to see he was surrounded by all sides except for the way he had come.

“A dead end? Why did you lead me to a dead end?” he asked. His brows furrowed when there was a resounding silence in his mind. “Ethan?”

“It could be because a dead end is a more suitable meeting spot.”

Nicoli jumped and spun around so fast he tripped on his own feet and stumbled back into one of the hedge walls. He glared at the vampire that was now standing before him with an obnoxious smile.

“Hello to you too,” Nicoli grumbled. Ethan held out a hand to help him up, but the boy just smacked it away and stood on his own, though he had some difficulties since his cape became snagged on the hedge.

“Grr, let go!” Nicoli hissed and finally was able to free himself completely of the clingy branches. He huffed as he tried to compose himself before giving his full attention to Ethan, who was trying hard not to laugh at the display.

“Okay, so let’s get this over with already,” Nicoli said as he straightened his clothes and hat. “What kind of complications are you talking about?”

The smile Ethan had was swept away by a sigh and he ran his hand through his hair.

“As you know I’ve been staking out Deloris’ house for the past week, trying to feel out anything that might have been suspicious,” he started.

“Right,” Nicoli said with a nod, urging him to continue.

“Like I told you, everything looked fine. I couldn’t even get a scent of Omen anywhere near that house. I was actually planning on making another try at getting inside soon, but then I went to check it out one more time the other day and, well…”

Nicoli’s eyes widened, guessing at what the vampire was hinting at.

“Was Omen there? Did he see you?” he asked, but sighed in relief when Ethan shook his head.

“No, I didn’t see Omen himself, but I think he was there,” the man answered.

“What do you mean?” Nicoli asked.

“When I went to look over the house once more, I found I couldn’t get anywhere near the property. Someone, most likely Omen, has put up talismans and barriers all around the house. Barriers that are designed to ward off vampires so I can’t get anywhere near it.”

“Wait, what?” Nicoli asked, not believing what he was hearing. “So, you can’t go in the house, or anywhere close to it with those things up?” He received an affirming nod. This wasn’t good. “What about Felix?” the boy then asked. “Can’t he take them down?” His hope diminished when the vampire shook his head.

“I’m afraid not, whoever did it had enough sense to put up barriers for ghosts too, so Felix can’t get to the ones holding me off without getting zapped himself,” Ethan explained.

Nicoli sighed and crossed his arms as he leaned against the hedge wall.

“This isn’t good,” he stated the obvious. Not only was it now evident that Omen was still in Whixton somewhere, but now Ethan and Felix had no way into the house to look for clues on the whereabouts of the Heart.

“Hey, wait,” Nicoli said, lifting his head and looking around. “Speaking of Felix, where is he?” It was unlike the ghost to stay hidden for so long and not make some kind of sassy comment at Nicoli’s expense.

“Oh, he’s not here,” Ethan said, getting a strange look from the boy. “It’s Halloween after all. It’s practically like the ghosts’ national holiday. So, Felix decided to go to the cemetery to spend it with other specters and watch something called the “Death Serenade.” Whatever that is,” he explained.

“Oh, okay,” Nicoli murmured and wondered if Felix would tell him later how the “Death Serenade” was from a ghost’s perspective. “So, it’s basically just going to be us in figuring out what to do?” he then asked, pointing at himself and Ethan.

“I’m afraid so,” Ethan replied and noticed how the boy slumped further against the hedge.

“That’s just great,” Nicoli muttered before lifting his head to look at the vampire. “So, what do you intend to do? Do you have any ideas at all?” The boy perked when Ethan nodded his head.

“I do, and from my point of view it’s really the only option we have,” he said and waited till he was sure he had Nicoli’s full attention. “Since neither Felix nor I can get anywhere near the house to take down the talismans I’m afraid we have no other option but to send you in,” he said then waited for the reaction he knew was coming.

Nicoli’s eyes slowly widened and he stood up from his leaning wall.

“W-wait, what? You want to send me in…by myself?” he asked, horrified to his very core.

“No, not entirely,” Ethan assured him. “We just need you to take down and destroy the barriers and talismans around the outside of the house. Once you do that Felix and myself will be able to go inside.”

Nicoli sighed in relief and visibly relaxed.

“Phew, is that all?” he asked, chuckling at himself for getting worked up over nothing. “Yeah, I can do that.”

“But then…”

Nicoli looked up after Ethan spoke and the look on the vampires face made his short lived relief curl up and wither away.

“After you take down the barriers and all that I’m going to need you to come inside with us.”

Nicoli’s mouth fell open and he stared at the vampire like he’d just killed his mother. He stood that way for several moments before shaking his head and he began to pace around the small area.

“No, no way, no, no, no, no, no, no fucking way in hell!” Nicoli yelled at him, finally turning towards the vampire. “There is no way I’m going in that house. That was not part of the agreement. Screw you, I’m out of here,” he said and brushed by Ethan to leave.

He hardly made it a few steps before his wrist was snatched up and he was yanked back to face the vampire.

“Nicoli, listen to me,” Ethan said, his voice just as firm as the grip he had on the human’s wrist. “All we know about are the barriers on the outside. There’s a good chance Omen also placed them inside the house, and if there are barriers in there we need you to take them down or else we can’t go any further in our search.”

Nicoli glared at Ethan, wishing the man’s head would explode.

“And what am I supposed to do if Omen is in there waiting for us, huh?” he hissed as he wrenched his wrist from Ethan’s grasp. “Omen is supposed to think I’m dead, remember? You know, the whole falling off the cliff fiasco? If he finds out I’m alive, or who I am, for that matter, my life is over. It’ll be easy for him to track down where I live then who knows what he’ll do to me, and especially to my family. You think I want them getting involved in this, let alone be chopped up by some axe-wielding psychopath!?” Nicoli took in deep breaths after his shouting and he continued to glare at the vampire. He then snorted and turned his head away. “Sorry, but that’s not gonna happen.”

Nicoli made to walk off again, but he was stopped when Ethan grabbed his shoulders. He turned the boy toward him again and held on when Nicoli struggled.

“Nicoli, you have to understand all of us are taking risks to do this, not just you,” Ethan told him and was thankful when the boy stopped trying to get out of his hold and simply listened. “Yes, Omen may find out you’re alive, but as his code as a Vampire Hunter, I assure you he won’t go after your family. He wouldn’t target innocent civilians that have nothing to do with what he’s hunting.”

“That’s a bunch of bullshit and you know it,” Nicoli retorted. “I was an innocent civilian and he fucking chased me through the woods and tried to slice my head open without a second thought. No matter what I said.”

“I know, I know he did,” Ethan murmured comfortingly and the boy pulled away slightly when the vampire stroked the side of his head. “But that was just pure bad timing, Nicoli. From Omen’s perspective it did seem like you were a Sympathizer helping a vampire, and all that you said otherwise were just lies to him. If he does find out who you are and about your family he will have to get permission from his higher ups to go into any further action since you’re all humans. And, believe me, there will be no sufficient evidence against your family that will put them in any kind of danger.” The vampire then smiled at the boy and patted his shoulder. “And if that doesn’t make you feel any better we can just convince Omen that I’ve put you into a trance and am making you do my bidding,” he chuckled.

Nicoli didn’t share his amusement. What Ethan was suggesting put a whole different light on the situation. He wasn’t going to be on the sidelines anymore, he was going to get thrown right into the school of piranhas and even if what Ethan said was true about his family being safe, he still had doubts.

“Ethan,” Nicoli said, his voice lower and more calm, but held just as much reluctance as before. “When you first asked me to help you, you said that you would only need me when you found the Hearts. In no way did that imply being used beforehand.” The boy looked straight into the vampire’s eyes, as if daring him to say otherwise.

Ethan sighed and his hands slipped from Nicoli’s shoulders to rest at their owner’s sides.

“Yes, I know that, and I had intended to stick by what I said, but the situation has changed now. When the situation changes the circumstances change, I’m sorry.”

Nicoli looked away from the vampire and tried to think on what to do. Even though he hated to admit it, Ethan was right. There were little other options. The talismans and barriers made both Ethan and Felix powerless and the only way for them to get past them was if Nicoli, a plain, ordinary human, stepped up and took them down. He found it rather ironic, in a way.

Nicoli briefly looked back to the end of the pathway that led out of the dead end. He could refuse and walk away, which had been a choice presented to him so many times before. Or he could stay in that dead end with Ethan and figure out what to do from there.

With a sigh the boy turned to Ethan.

“When would you want to do this?” he asked. Nicoli had agreed to help, through thick and thin, he wasn’t about to back out now.

The smile that appeared on the vampire’s face made the boy want to punch him.

“I was thinking tomorrow night.”

“Tomorrow!?” Nicoli exclaimed. “Why so soon?”

“Look what happened waiting for as long as we have,” Ethan pointed out. “If we had gone sooner than we wouldn’t have had to worry about the barriers. If we wait even longer who knows what other tricks Omen will have up his sleeve. We need to act as soon as possible and that would be tomorrow. Don’t worry, we’ll do it late at night when your parents are sleeping, so they won’t know you’re gone,” he quickly added, hearing the question before it was spoken.

Nicoli closed his open mouth and sighed. The mind link had benefits, but it sucked that the vampire knew his arguments before he even made them.

“All right, so we go tomorrow night,” he said begrudgingly. “But what if Omen is there?” the boy asked. “You know as well as I do that I won’t be able to do anything against him, being as I have zip skills in self defense. So do you think you’ll be able to protect both you and me?”

Nicoli hated it, but it was the truth. If they got into a scuffle with Omen he wouldn’t be able to do anything but run away and even that probably wouldn’t amount to much. He wanted to make sure Ethan was fully aware of that.

Ethan chuckled and patted the boy’s shoulder once more.

“I think I’ll be able to manage, and don’t forget, Felix has some skills of his own so both of us will have your back,” he said encouragingly. “And even though you think Felix doesn’t like you he’ll still protect you.”

“Ugh, will you stop that?” Nicoli snapped, once again the vampire had predicted what the boy was going to say. “That’s not fair that you can do that to me and I can’t to you.”

“Well, it’s not my fault you leave your end wide open and that you don’t try and keep the connection with my end,” Ethan retorted and laughed when the human simply pouted at him. “Don’t worry; you’ll learn how to use every aspect of it and soon it’ll become second nature to you.”

Nicoli crossed his arms and grunted. Would he even want to learn how to use the mind link that well?

“Whatever, but since we’ve worked this all out I’m going to go back inside. Amelia is probably trying to break into the boys’ bathroom with how long I’ve –”

Nicoli was cut off when Ethan held his hand up for silence. The boy stared at him curiously as the vampire looked over his head to the opening of the dead end. As Nicoli was turning to look he heard what Ethan must have heard. Voices. They both heard voices in the distance, but they were coming closer. To Nicoli it sounded like a group of girls.

“Eh, people coming. I guess we should – ack!” Nicoli was cut off as Ethan abruptly grabbed him and pushed him against one of the hedge walls. “Ethan, what are you do – mmph!”

Nicoli froze and his eyes almost popped out of his head when Ethan’s lips were crushed against his own. A grunt of confusion sounded from his throat and he didn’t notice when the vampire grabbed his hat from his head and used it to block their faces from anyone that appeared at the opening of the dead end.

When Nicoli’s senses finally returned to him he began to wiggle and squirm, trying to get away from Ethan, but the vampire simply used his body to pin the boy between him and the hedge. Ethan also used his free hand to hold Nicoli’s head in place so their lips couldn’t be parted.

The voices were closer than ever and the footsteps that belonged to them could also be heard now, but Nicoli had forgotten all about them as he tried to extract Ethan from his person. With a good shove to the vampire’s chest Nicoli was able to break the lip lock just enough to speak.

“Ethan, stop –”

It was all Nicoli could get out before the vampire’s lips forcefully claimed his own once more. Since the boy’s mouth had been open in his attempt to stop the actions, a slick, slightly warmed tongue found its way into his mouth.

Nicoli tensed in surprise and a sound between a gasp and a groan issued from him as that tongue explored every inch of his mouth, places the boy thought a tongue couldn’t reach. He grunted and began to squirm more when Ethan’s tongue then began to rub against his in what seemed like a sensual dance.

It was then the voices seemed to be right on top of them.

“Didn’t you think Mike was soooo hot during basketball practice?” a girl’s voice asked.

“Of course, he’s hot when he does anything,” said another.

“I dunno, I think Taylor is hotter than Mike,” argued a different girl.

“Ew, no way. Mike is way hotter,” said the first.

“Guys, do any of you even know where we’re going?” asked a fourth girl, sounding irritated by the current conversation. “We’ve been stuck in the maze for way too long.”

As soon as the question was asked the girls’ came to a split in the pathway where they could either keep going straight or branch off to the right.

“All right, since Miss Impatient is getting pissy why don’t we –”

The first girl stopped what she was saying and gasps sounded from all of them when they peered down into the dead end. Two figures were tucked away in the pathway and they were extremely close and seemed to be moving against each other rather erotically. Though their faces were hidden by a hat the girls’ knew what was most likely going on behind it.

“Whoops, well, that’s definitely not the way out,” one of the girls said in embarrassment and began pulling her friends away from the dead end.

“Yeah, don’t mind us, just carry on what you’re doing,” another said and giggled as the girls’ began to hurry away.

“Was that just me or were those two both guys?” one asked curiously.

“Eeeeeeeeewwwww, I think you’re right! That’s so disgusting!” exclaimed another girl.

“Disgusting? What the hell are you talking about? That was freakin’ hot! Maybe I should go back and snap a picture with my cell phone.”

Laughter and cries of protest followed the statement. But the girls’ didn’t go back and their voices soon faded away into the distance.

When Ethan decided the girls’ were far enough away he released Nicoli’s lips. He lowered the boy’s hat and looked where the girls’ had been.

“All right, it should be safe now,” he said softly and licked his lips where the taste of Nicoli lingered. He could hear the boy panting from their prolonged kiss and he was about to comment on how incredibly sexy it sounded when Nicoli abruptly kicked his shin.

“Ow! What was that for?” Ethan asked with a pout and stepped back when the boy started to thrash against him.

“What was that for? The better question is what the fuck were you doing!? That went so beyond our no touching agreement it’s not even funny! I mean that – you – augh!” Nicoli shouted, unable to string words together anymore. He settled for leaning against the hedge and glaring daggers at the vampire. He would have liked to kick the shit out of Ethan instead, but the kiss had the effect of turning his knees into goo. Not that he would ever admit it out loud.

“Actually, I think that went right under the “Necessary Touching,” category, so, I really did nothing wrong,” Ethan said matter–of–factly.

Nicoli’s glare evaporated into an incredulous look.

“Are you smoking crack or something?” he asked with a raised brow. “How the hell did that situation have any possible reason for you to mouth rape me?”

Ethan chuckled at Nicoli’s use of words and placed the Zorro hat on his own head.

“You said yourself that if anyone saw you talking to me that it would raise suspicion. So, when those girls came by I thought I should make it look like we weren’t just “talking,”” the vampire explained with a cheeky grin.

“What kind of lame ass thinking is that!?” Nicoli snarled. He wanted nothing more than to strangle the man, the vampire didn’t need to breathe so it would do no real damage, but would help greatly in relieving Nicoli’s frustration. “So, instead of letting people see us talking you thought kissing would be better? How is that any less suspicious?” he demanded.

“Well, look at it this way,” Ethan said as he moved to lean against the hedge next to Nicoli. He noticed how the boy seemed to shrink away from him and hiss like some kind of feral cat. “If two people are in a dead end at night, in the middle of a maze and talking secretly in hushed voices, that would make anyone suspicious about what they were doing. But if two people are in a dead end, at night, in the middle of a maze and are kissing heatedly, well, there’s really no reason to be suspicious ‘cause you know exactly what they’re doing,” he enlightened the boy.

Nicoli stared at Ethan in a mixture of disbelief and disgust, but, in some odd way, the vampire was right. The girls had seen what they were doing and moved off without another thought about why the two men were there. Would it have been different if Nicoli and Ethan had continued to talk?

“Ugh, your way of thinking scares me,” Nicoli grumbled as he looked away, not willing to look at Ethan’s smug face anymore.

“Oh, you’ll get used to it,” the vampire chuckled.

When an awkward silence fell between them – the awkward part coming from Nicoli – Ethan took the liberty of studying the boy. Nicoli’s dark hair was ruffled and the hair tie had almost come completely out from all the movement against the hedge. The black mask had been moved up slightly, revealing more of his cheeks that were still flushed an endearing red, and suited his sweet face so well. His breathing was still heavier than normal and rolled from his kiss swollen lips into the chilly air. Ethan’s attention was further captured when the tip of Nicoli’s tongue swept across the bottom lip, an unconscious lick of the lips, but served to only intrigue and enrapture the vampire further. The boy was simply far too tempting for his own damn good.

A soft laugh broke Nicoli’s revere and the next words out of Ethan’s mouth made his head snap to the side so fast his neck cracked,

“You liked it, didn’t you?”

Nicoli simply blinked at the vampire. Unsure if the silence had just played a trick on his ears or if the vampire had actually spoken.

“…Excuse me?” he finally asked.

A strangled yelp escaped Nicoli as Ethan descended down upon him quicker than his brain could register. He was pinned between the vampire and the hedge once more and he got a brief glimpse of teal eyes before his lips were mercilessly captured in a heated kiss.

Again, Nicoli was paralyzed by shock. It rippled through his veins and froze his bones in place as his unresponsive mouth continued to be ravished. Finally, after what seemed like centuries, his body remembered how to move and he began to thrash about as hard as could manage to get the vampire off him.

Ethan showed the slightest bit of mercy and relinquished his hold on Nicoli’s mouth, but continued to hold the boy against the hedge, least he thought of trying to escape. But even though the kiss had ended Nicoli continued to fight.

“You stupid, fucking asshole! The hell!? Unnecessary touching! Unnecessary touching! Unnecessary–fucking–touching!” the boy screeched. It didn’t make sense to him. There were no people coming this time. There was no reason for this at all. What was the vampire playing at?

“Oh, come off it, Nicoli.”

A gasp wrung out of the boy as his wrists were snatched up and his arms were yanked up above his head and pressed firmly into the hedge. It was good he was wearing gloves because he could feel the branches biting into his hands, trying to tear through his gloves and get to his skin.

Nicoli’s upper lip curled into a snarl and he meant to glare up at the taller man, but it died midway the second he saw the look in the vampire’s eyes. They burned with lust and smug control. As if he knew how much power he had over the human, and he knew it very well. The smirk that crept along his face only proved it. It was a smile that sent tremors through Nicoli’s blood. It was then he knew what it felt like to be caught in the claws of a true predator.

But through his revelation and his brief burst of fear, the strong stubbornness that was ingrained in Nicoli reared its head. When it flickered back his glare was revived and he did his best to suck up his courage and deliver it full force.

“Come off what?” he snapped as he tried to wiggle out of Ethan’s grasp, but even with one hand holding his wrists it was like fighting against iron shackles. In all he only succeeded in giving the vampire a good show on how his body could move.

Nicoli recoiled and grunted when Ethan’s free hand cupped his face and made the boy look at him. The predatory grin changed somewhat. It was a softer version of itself, more like his normal smiles, but still had that same playful ferocity behind it.

“The only reason you fight me is because you have sooo much pride,” Ethan informed him.

“What? No, I’m fighting you because you’re freaking sexually harassing me,” Nicoli shot back.

“Oh, that’s not it and we both know it,” Ethan said and leaned in for another kiss, but the boy turned his head just enough so it landed on the very corner of his lip. The vampire ran a trail of kisses along Nicoli’s cheek before abandoning his course.

“Face it, if I hadn’t of been forced to relieve you of your increasing sexual frustration when I was feeding from you, you wouldn’t be acting like this now. You’d most likely take my advances in stride and even flirt back a little. But, unfortunately, it did happen and now you feel like your pride was wounded because it was a situation you had no control over. So, now whenever I give you even the most innocent of attention you resist me to your fullest extent because you feel it will save your pride from becoming any further damaged,” Ethan said with a knowing smirk as he profiled the boy.

Nicoli scowled at the vampire, his brows quivering as they were forced down as far as they could go. How dare he? They had hardly known each other long. How dare the vampire spew out garbage like he knew Nicoli so well? Ethan’s smugness was really starting to get on his nerves to the point he wished he had refused to join up with the vampire.

“Shut up, Ethan,” Nicoli growled. “You may know the events of my life, or what I’m thinking, but that does not mean you know me.” The boy then snorted in distaste at the vampire and his own little smirk appeared. “Did you ever once stop to think that I resist your advances because I find your pompous, arrogant, egotistical, oh-look-at-me attitude so disgusting that it turns me off completely?” he sneered.

Ethan chuckled, a sound that was low and heated, as he took hold of Nicoli’s chin so he couldn’t move and brushed their lips together. An action that was so light it nearly tickled.

“No, I didn’t think that because it’s not true,” Ethan said and the breath of his words mixed and mingled with Nicoli’s in the close proximity. “You’ve always liked your men with a bit of arrogance and to be aggressive. You like them to try and dominate you only so you can turn the tables and show them who the boss really is.”

Ethan pulled away just enough for Nicoli to see a flash of his predatory smile again.

“And if you were turned off completely by me why is your heart racing and your pulse quickening with each of my touches? And I’m quite sure that slight scent of arousal that is teasing my nose isn’t coming from the bush behind you.”

Nicoli literally growled, but he couldn’t stop the deep blush that came from Ethan’s words. He wasn’t aroused by the vampire and he wasn’t attracted to him in the least. That was what he believed and he was going to stay grounded in that belief to the bitter end.

“Besides,” Ethan continued, not really expecting Nicoli to make any sort of reply. “You’re lonely, aren’t you?”

That made Nicoli’s glare falter for a moment.

“What?”

Nicoli grimaced and pushed back further into the hedge as Ethan leaned forward to nuzzle the boy’s cheek. The vampire took his time inhaling Nicoli’s delicious scent through his nose as his lips caressed the soft, supple flesh of the human’s face.

“You’re lonely. It’s all right to admit it. The last person you were able to be close and intimate with, the last person you kissed or touched was your last girlfriend Tonia Hutser, correct?” the vampire asked as he slowly made his way down Nicoli’s neck.

Nicoli damned the mind link all to hell as he began to struggle again, shuddering as those lips teased the skin of his jaw then his neck. It was as if he had no privacy at all. Did Ethan know everything he had done with each person he had ever been with?

“All living things desire contact, both emotionally and physically,” Ethan said, again not expecting an answer from the boy. “You’ve missed it and you desire it now. That much is evident with how you were willing to chase after that Egyptian skank from earlier.”

Nicoli’s body tensed and a strained gasp passed through his clenched teeth as Ethan began nibbling on the skin of his neck.

“You bite me and you’re fucking dead,” Nicoli threatened. The vampire wasn’t going to force him into doing anything by using his F.L.S. Not if Nicoli had anything to do about it.

Ethan chuckled again and the sound reverberated against Nicoli’s neck, making him shiver again.

“I’m not that underhanded,” the vampire assured the human as he began another trail of kisses up Nicoli’s neck until he reached his lips. He had to keep Nicoli’s face in place again so he couldn’t move away from his insistent mouth.

“But, really, Nicoli, I’m just giving you what you need,” Ethan said softly as his free hand left the human’s face and he wrapped his arm around the boy’s waist. With his arm now around Nicoli, Ethan was able to pull their bodies together till they were flushed against each other. He also did this so the boy couldn’t use his legs very well to try and kick the vampire away. It had started to become annoying.

Nicoli wanted to keep struggling, but with the arm around him each one of his movements only caused his pelvis to rub against Ethan’s, so, begrudgingly, he had to stop so the vampire wasn’t stimulated or got any other ideas.

“The only thing I need is for you to get off me,” Nicoli snarled, resorting to just trying to get his arms free. That didn’t require the rest of his body to do, so he felt it was safer.

“No, like I said, you want contact,” Ethan retorted with his grin in place once more. “I can hear your body screaming for it. You love to be loved, everyone does, and being in this new place you are hardly getting any of the attention you could normally get back at your old home.” As he spoke his lips brushed against Nicoli’s again, who stubbornly turned his head away, then the lips made their way down to the boy’s neck once more.

“Think of it this way. I’m just unselfishly helping you in your time of need,” the vampire murmured against the intoxicating flesh of the boy’s throat. Nicoli’s pulse was so close Ethan could feel it flutter lightly against his lips.

Nicoli let out a sarcastic laugh, which then turned into an irritated grunt when Ethan began lightly sucking on his pulse point. If he left a mark Nicoli was going to kill him anyway.

“Oh, please, now its time for you to come off it,” Nicoli told him, trying to ignore the gentle tug Ethan’s mouth was creating. “Don’t act like you’re doing me any favors. You’re just doing this ‘cause you’re the one that’s lonely and horny. A traveling vampire must not be able to get the kind of action he wants since you can’t let anyone know what you are, but your way of thinking is I know what you are and just happen to be handy so you can just go as all out as you want. There’s no righteous shit about anything that you’re doing and we both know it,” the boy said haughtily, happy in the fact he was now able to call Ethan out instead of the other way around.

What threw Nicoli off was when the vampire laughed and used the boy’s lowered guard to plant another kiss on his lips.

“Very perceptive of you,” Ethan said softly and Nicoli could feel the vampire’s grin on his lips.

The bastard wasn’t even going to try and deny it. He was such a sickenly honest, perverted cad! Not to mention it frustrated the human even more to be booted right off the pedestal he had just clawed his way up on.

A heavy grunt released through Nicoli’s nose as Ethan made his way to his ear and began tracing it with his lips, and he could very faintly feel the tip of the vampires tongue teasing the inside of his ear.

“So, if that’s the case, why don’t we just help each other?” Ethan whispered huskily into Nicoli’s ear before taking the earlobe into his mouth and suckling on it. He smirked when the boy involuntarily shuddered and he found it cute when Nicoli tried to quiet the moan that rose in his throat.

“You, are so not going to be my relief buddy,” Nicoli spat, though it sounded more feeble than he cared for.

“What?” Ethan asked when he stopped torturing the piece of flesh between his teeth. “Like your friend Zack was?”

Ethan pulled back just in time to see Nicoli’s whole face flush red. So cute.

“W-we only did that a couple of times,” Nicoli stuttered, trying to regain his composure. When he did he glowered at the vampire again. “Your wooing capabilities really suck, I hope you know that,” he said, poking at Ethan’s ego anyway he could, but it wasn’t a hard enough jab as the vampire simply laughed and kissed the boy again, much to Nicoli’s dislike.

“Oh, I dunno, I think I’m doing all right,” Ethan whispered against Nicoli’s lips before taking them captive again.

Nicoli tried to move his head away, but Ethan’s mouth and the hedge behind him held him firm. The human then tried to free his arms instead, but the vampires hold hadn’t wavered in the least. Nicoli let out an annoyed rumble when Ethan’s tongue traced his bottom lip, asking for permission to enter, which he aptly denied by clenching his jaw shut as hard as he could.

When Ethan saw that Nicoli wasn’t going to give up any time soon, he gave up his quest to enter the human’s mouth – only for the moment, of course – and he pulled back.

“So, very, very, stubborn,” he chuckled, his tone light and full of amusement.

“Damn straight,” Nicoli growled, but made sure his teeth were still clenched in case the vampire decided to be sneaky.

Ethan was determined, nevertheless, and decided to play irresistibly cute instead. That usually got him what he wanted. He had his arm abandon Nicoli’s waist and cupped the boy’s face again. He rubbed his thumb over Nicoli’s lip, teasing it lightly.

“Oh, come on, let me in. Pwetty pwease?” he asked as he leaned in close and replaced his thumb briefly to swipe his tongue across Nicoli’s lips.

Nicoli recoiled slightly before staring at the vampire in disbelief.

“And you wonder why people have no respect for vampires anymore?” he asked through the mind link, not even trusting to move his mouth to speak.

“Hey, vampires are allowed to act childish, too,” Ethan retorted as his thumb then continued to caress Nicoli’s soft lips. “Life wouldn’t be fun if we were serious all the time…you’re really not going to let me in, are you?” he asked as his constant stroking with his thumb gave no result.

With a quick jerk Nicoli turned his head to the side, away from the digit, and he had a nonchalant look on his face.

“Nope,” he replied simply.

“Not even a little?” Ethan asked as he placed butterfly kisses on the corner of Nicoli’s mouth and across his cheek.

Nicoli closed his eyes and tilted his head away slightly, as if he didn’t acknowledge Ethan’s existence.

“Uh-uh.”

Ethan pulled back with a huff. The boy was resilient in his willfulness that much was certain. He then smiled as he thought of another idea and went back to kissing Nicoli’s ear. He outlined every crevice with his tongue and took delight in how Nicoli’s body tensed to try and control his quivering, but a shudder escaped through his body when Ethan blew gently on his work.

“Come on,” Ethan whispered in his ear, making sure his husky breath hit every wet trail he had created. He knew he did well when Nicoli fidgeted and the lightest of whimpers escaped him unwillingly. “Just consider this your birthday present to me.”

Ethan barely had enough time to pull his head back before Nicoli’s head whipped around so fast he would have smacked the vampire right in the face. The boy stared at him with wide, bewildered eyes.

“Birthday present? Nicoli thought and confusion dripped from each mentally spoken word.

Ethan’s Cheshire grin returned and he nodded slowly as he leaned in just enough to brush his lips against Nicoli’s before the boy could react.

“Yes, don’t you remember? I told you my birthday was around this time.” The vampire then mock pouted at him and pretended to look hurt. “And you didn’t get me a single thing.”

Birthday? Nicoli didn’t know what Ethan was talking about. Then, as quick as a flash, he remembered. It was the day Ethan and Felix had stayed in his house after his fall from the cliff. Ethan had mentioned that he would be turning eighty-one sometime in October. Nicoli supposed that day had already come and passed by now.

“So what?” Nicoli asked, his scowl returning. “I don’t know you well enough to get you anything, especially not any kind of sexual favor.”

“Oh, now that hurts,” Ethan said, his pout deepening. “We’re partners in crime now. It doesn’t matter how long we’ve known each other since we’re going to be in this for the long haul. So, really, it’d still be nice for you to get me something. How are you going to feel when your birthday comes along and I don’t get you anything? You’ll be saying, “Hey, how come that jerk didn’t get me anything?” And I’ll just have to laugh and remind you of tonight. Then you’ll be like, “But, Ethan –”

As Ethan continued to go on and on Nicoli rolled his eyes and sighed heavily more than once. With each word spoken by the vampire, Nicoli’s frustration level went up a few notches. Finally, having enough, he let out an exasperated cry.

“God! You are so fucking annoying!!!”

Ethan was stunned into silence when the boy then abruptly leaned forward as much as he could and crushed their lips together. The vampire was now the one frozen by shock as Nicoli kissed him. After a moment of unresponsive kissing, the human pulled back and grinned up at Ethan as he licked his own lips provocatively.

“What’s the matter, Big Bad Vampire?” Nicoli asked teasingly being completely smug in how well his surprise attack worked. “Isn’t this what you wanted?” It almost made him giggle the way the vampire kept blinking at him in bewilderment, as if he had just been bitch slapped. To make it even better Nicoli leaned up again and began nibbling on Ethan’s bottom lip, trying to entice the vampire into a response.

“What’s with the sudden loss of interest?” Nicoli asked playfully when Ethan still only watched him curiously. The boy lightly ran the tip of his tongue over the man’s lips in imitation of what was done to him. “Were you all talk and no game?”

That snapped Ethan out of his paralysis and a grin spread across his face as his hand rested underneath Nicoli’s chin and tilted his face upward.

“Oh, I never talk the talk if I can’t walk the walk,” he assured the boy, charisma dripping from each word. He smirked as he leaned in for another kiss. “I knew you were going to give in to me sooner or later.” His eyebrow quirked when the boy pulled away from him.

“Ah, ah, ah, I don’t think so,” Nicoli tsked him with a wag of his finger, which looked comical since the boy’s hands were still being held above his head. “It’s not giving in if I’m the one initiating it,” he said and swiftly pressed his lips against Ethan’s before the vampire could say anything.

Ethan let out a surprised grunt, but relented and began kissing back. If the boy wanted to see it that way, it was fine with him. Now with both of them participating the heat was turned up and the kiss became deeper. Ethan once again asked for permission into Nicoli’s sweet mouth with his tongue. He smirked when he was finally granted access and the boy opened up for him.

But just when Ethan was about to dip in and taste the bountiful secrets that lied in Nicoli’s warm, wet cavern, he was thrown off guard when the boy’s tongue pushed past his own lips and invaded him instead. He was stunned for a moment as Nicoli’s tongue slowly and decadently explored his mouth. Ethan would have laughed if it hadn’t of turned into a moan from the way the slick appendage was now massaging his own. The boy certainly was full of surprises and Ethan liked it.

As their tongues danced against each other Ethan took the chance to slowly release Nicoli’s wrists. He wanted to see if the boy was simply trying to be clever and lull him into a false sense of security or not. He smiled against Nicoli’s mouth when the boy didn’t try to get away, but snaked his arms around Ethan’s neck instead and pressed his body up against the vampires.

A cross between a whimper and a groan came from Nicoli as Ethan finally dominated the human’s tongue and pushed his own into Nicoli’s mouth. Fingernails bit through gloves and into leather as Nicoli clawed at Ethan’s leather jacket to balance himself and the vampire fully pressed him back into the hedge. As Nicoli let himself enjoy the obvious mastery the vampire had over his tongue he could feel Ethan’s hands start to roam over his body.

One hand ran its fingers through the tresses of Nicoli’s hair, fully releasing the locks from the confines of the tie and letting them flow in all their beauty around the boy’s face. The other hand was busy rubbing and stroking its way down Nicoli’s side. When it went across his stomach the vampire could feel the muscles spasm and flutter ever so lightly under his fingertips. The first hand traveled downward to join the second and while the first began tugging at Nicoli’s shirt to try and sneak under the fabric the second went for a completely different route.

Nicoli threw his head back with a surprised, lust filled cry as Ethan’s hand cupped his most intimate of places. The boy held onto the vampire’s neck desperately while soft, erotic mewls escaped him as that hand began stroking him in the most maddening of ways. Nicoli’s hips began making short, shallow thrusts as he road Ethan’s hand. It was bliss.

Ethan’s other hand was just about to get under Nicoli’s shirt when the boy abruptly let him go and pushed back into the hedge. He grabbed the perplexed vampire’s hands and laced their fingers together. Nicoli then proceeded to stand completely still, his breathing harsh as he held onto Ethan’s hands like if he were to let go the very earth would crumble beneath him.

Thinking something was wrong, Ethan leaned in so his cheek was resting against the side of Nicoli’s head and his mouth was right above the boy’s ear.

“Nicoli?” was all he said. His voice was low and husky, desire clearly in his tone.

Nicoli took in a deep breath and slowly released it. His shoulders then began to shake as a chuckle rumbled from his chest.

This made Ethan lean back with a raised brow and he watched as the boy slowly looked up at him. Nicoli’s eyes were half lidded and his eyes shone brightly with his lust, but the smirk that played across his lips was devilish at best.

“Sorry, Ethan,” he said, his voice sounded just a bit shaky before the boy could steady it. “But you’re not getting that good of a birthday present. Clothes are staying on and there will be no touching of private areas,” Nicoli said matter–of–factly as he lifted his and Ethan’s hands to rest on either side of his shoulders.

Ethan blinked at the boy, the new rule throwing him for a loop. He then laughed and shook his head.

“You’re such a tease,” the vampire told him, which only made the boy’s grin wider.

“Think of it as punishment for being such a douche,” Nicoli said and kissed the man before he could make any sort of remark. Just when the vampire was getting into it the boy pulled back again. “And besides, I’m wearing all black. You think someone won’t notice something like that on them?” he asked.

“Ah, good point,” Ethan agreed, seeing the logic behind it.

“Now, kiss me again before I get bored and leave,” Nicoli ordered, arching his back and showing his “come hither” eyes, looking as tempting as possible.

Ethan chuckled again, only it was lower and darker this time and he moved in just enough so their lips were a hairsbreadth apart.

“Always have to be the boss,” he whispered playfully, finding out just how true his previous statement had been.

“Damn, fucking, straight,” Nicoli said slowly and punctuated every word before he was silenced by Ethan’s mouth.

The dance started all over again. Soft, heated moans escaped both the vampire and the human as they kissed and their bodies moved against each other. They kissed and bit each other’s lips. Nibbled when it was appropriate and the tongues were allowed to play every so often.

Ethan gasped when Nicoli’s fingers fisted in his gelled back hair and forcefully pulled his head back. The gasp turned into a groan and a longing growl as the human began to bite and suck on his neck in the most pleasurable way.

Nicoli wasn’t going to allow the vampire to make any marks on him, but he was going to take the liberty of making a few himself. After the vampire pushed this situation onto him he felt it was his right. To make the point clearer he bit down with more force and felt the rumble of Ethan’s moan in his teeth.

With such stimulation Ethan damned the rules and grabbed Nicoli’s hips and pulled the boy to him so his obvious arousal was rubbed against Nicoli’s. A muffled expletive was shouted into the vampire’s skin and Ethan chuckled inwardly about catching the boy by surprise.

The human released Ethan’s neck and moved up to bite his lip roughly, making it clear he didn’t find that funny before smothering the vampire’s mouth with his own.

As Ethan reveled in Nicoli’s aggressive mouth attacking his own his ears picked up a distant sound. It was as if something was gliding and brushing the ground, but it was impossible to make out what it was, but the hurried footsteps that accompanied it was a bit easier to distinguish. Soon the sounds faded into the distance and silence came in its wake. Ethan supposed he should have been worried about what the sound was, but the way Nicoli forced his tongue into the vampire’s mouth again deserved his interest just a bit more.

The heavy kissing lasted a few more minutes before Nicoli placed his hands on Ethan’s shoulders and pushed, breaking their kiss and giving him the chance to lay his head back against the hedge and take deep gulps of air. His heavy breathing turned into steam in the chilly night air and floated into the sky before disappearing.

Ethan leaned in to kiss the boy again, but was stopped when Nicoli’s hand covered the vampire’s mouth, holding him at bay.

“Nope, sorry, we’re done,” the human informed him.

Ethan stood there for several moments, staring at him. Did he just hear right.

“What?” Ethan asked, his voice muffled by the other’s hand.

“Yep, we’re done. The shows over,” Nicoli said innocently and moved his hand to pat Ethan on the cheek.

“What the hell do you mean we’re done?” Ethan demanded in disbelief as Nicoli’s hand slipped away. “I think we were just getting started.”

“Uh-uh,” Nicoli said with a shake of his head. “I said clothes were staying on and there would be no touching of the groin area, so there’s really nothing else for us to do and I gave you plenty to be happy about, so stop complaining,” the boy told him.

He then shoved Ethan out of his general proximity and plopped down on the ground. He had to try and calm his body down. It had been harder than he thought to stop their make out session and what was harder for him to believe was that he didn’t want it to stop. The vampire was a marvelous kisser. If Ethan had been kissing him while he had been touching him during the vampire’s feeding from before Nicoli was sure he would have died from pleasure.

Ethan stared at the sitting human a bit more. He tried to make some sort of argument about why they should continue, but it just came out as an indignant sputter. Finally, Ethan simply threw his hands up in the air and dropped down on the ground to sit beside Nicoli.

“So, let me get this straight,” Ethan said after a moment of silence.

“Hmm?”

“After all that, you’re just going to make us sit here, horny as all hell and unsatisfied?”

“Yep.”

“…you’re so cruel, Kid.”

Nicoli laugh as he shifted, trying to make his uncomfortably tight pants a little less constricting.

“It’s your own fault. This wouldn’t have happened if you had just kept your hands to yourself, but noooo, you just had to jump me. So, this is your punishment,” the boy told him.

“But now you’re turned on with no chance of release either, ya know,” Ethan pointed out and watched as Nicoli simply shrugged.

“A small price to pay to see you suffer,” Nicoli retorted with a big, mean grin.

“Spiteful little twerp,” Ethan grumbled as he turned his head away. “But at least I got you to go along with it and enjoy it. I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist me for long,” the vampire said cheekily, trying to save some face.

“Don’t flatter yourself,” Nicoli said as he began searching for his lost hair tie once he was sure Little Nicoli had settled down. When he found the tie he put his hair up then grabbed his hat that fell and had been forgotten on the ground. “I need to go back inside before anyone misses me and it was obvious that you weren’t going to stop till I gave you what you wanted, so it was a simple matter of making you happy so we can get out of here,” he explained as he stood up and began adjusting his clothes. “It had nothing to do with me being utterly captivated by your awesome wooing skills, I assure you, and it’ll be a cold day in hell the next time I grace your ugly mug with my kisses.”

“Ouch, Nicoli, you’re so mean,” Ethan whined, but made himself feel better by reaching up and giving Nicoli’s ass a good smack. He grinned at the way the boy jumped in surprise and expected to get a good, swift kick for his efforts, but Nicoli simply turned and stared down at him.

“If you’re ready let’s go. I doubt Amelia’s going to believe I’ve been in the bathroom for the last half-hour, so I’d like to go do some damage control and I doubt I can get out of here on my own. So, come on,” Nicoli commanded as he lightly kicked Ethan’s foot. He then turned and started heading down the pathway out of the dead end.

Ethan stared after him then sighed as he hefted himself up onto his feet. He stuck his hands in his pockets and trudged after the boy.

“You know, your bossiness is much more enjoyable when you’re shoving your tongue down my throat.”

“Yeah? Well, happy birthday to you.”

===================================Ch.15