Chapter 36 #2
The blush that bloomed across Charlie's cheeks sent heat straight through Simon's core.
"I'll try," Charlie breathed as Simon's mouth trailed lower.
"I wonder..." Simon paused, searching their bond. "I don't think I can still command you."
"Oh?"
"Not since your blood banished Reuben's presence from my mind. We're equals now." He kissed Charlie's neck, tempted to bite again. "It's better this way, but I'm going to miss making you squirm."
Charlie gave a soft laugh. "I'm pretty sure you'll do that anyway." His fingers slid into Simon's hair, drawing him back to eye level. "You never needed to compel me to make me squirm."
The words hit Simon low, desire coiling inside him. "Is that so?"
The way Charlie looked at him in response nearly undid Simon entirely.
Their next kiss was fierce, all teeth and tongues. Charlie pulled Simon down onto the thin mattress of the cheap motel. They rolled together, hands fumbling with clothes until skin touched skin, hard lines and soft planes fitting together like two halves made whole.
Everything was more intense.
Every gasp. Every touch. Every movement of their bodies.
The world narrowed to nothing but them. Their connection. Their bond.
And Charlie did squirm, just as he had promised. The moment Simon pressed into him, he cried out, forgetting himself completely. Simon swallowed the sounds with kisses, stealing every little noise as if it was as precious as the blood from Charlie's veins.
"Simon," Charlie panted when Simon began to move, each roll of his hips eliciting more delicious friction between them. "Simon!" Charlie cried again. Just that. Just his name, as if it was the only word left in the world.
And Simon couldn't bear to tell him to be quiet. Couldn't bring himself to stifle the sound.
Let them all hear. Let everyone hear how much he cared for Charlie, how deeply their lives were intertwined. How nothing would separate them.
He thrust harder, faster, driving Charlie's body into the mattress, drawing his name from Charlie's lips again in a more desperate pitch.
"Simon, please." Charlie writhed beneath him, his nails digging into Simon's shoulders, leaving crescent marks in his skin. "Please."
The plea went straight to Simon's groin. He growled deep in his throat, his fangs descending without conscious command. His vision hazed, his entire being focused on Charlie—his scent, his taste, the feel of him around Simon.
"Charlie," Simon groaned, burying his face against Charlie's neck as the pleasure built to an impossible point of tension inside him, threatening to break. He bit down, his fangs piercing flesh, blood spilling into his mouth.
Charlie arched beneath him, his cry muffled against Simon's shoulder as he found his release. Simon tasted his pleasure in his blood, felt it burn through their bond like a supernova, bright and hot and all-consuming.
Simon drank deep—and shattered. His climax crashed over him, obliterating everything except the sensation of Charlie in his arms, Charlie's blood in his mouth, Charlie's presence wrapped around his soul like sunlight after a storm.
It was perfect, almost too much so.
"I'm so glad I found you," Simon murmured after withdrawing his fangs from Charlie's neck and watching the wound close.
Charlie made a soft sound of agreement.
Simon shifted slightly and drew Charlie against his chest. "I'm not going to let you go again, you know. I hope you know that. I can be very stubborn."
Charlie laughed, a small sound that vibrated through both of them. "Stubborn and single-minded and efficient. You're like the opposite of me."
"Am I? You can be quite stubborn too. Like when you refused to hurt people even though you're a vampire."
Charlie hummed and rolled around so he could face Simon. In spite of his undead nature, his cheeks were flushed. "I don't know about being a vampire. I'm just me. Just Charlie."
"I think I like just-Charlie."
Charlie grinned and ducked his head. Simon kissed his hair.
"What time is it?" he asked then, vaguely conscious of the approaching dawn.
Charlie lifted his head. "Almost five, I think." He sighed. "We should probably get dressed before Brent or Viktor decide to barge in."
"Probably," Simon agreed, though he made no move to disentangle himself.
Charlie smiled against his skin, then reluctantly pulled away. He slipped from the bed and picked up the clothes that had landed on the floor. Simon watched him, memorizing the lines of his body, the way his hair stood up at odd angles.
Never had he thought he could fall for someone so soft, and yet…
He'd meant it when he said he wasn't letting this one go again.
"You're staring," Charlie said without looking back.
"I am." Simon finally moved, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. "Problem?"
Charlie tossed Simon's pants at him. "Only if Viktor walks in while you're still naked."
Simon caught the pants one-handed and stood. His body felt different, stronger, as he dressed. The silver wound had finally healed, leaving only the faintest pink mark on his side.
A sharp knock interrupted them just as Simon pulled on his shirt.
"Decent?" Viktor's voice came through the door.
"Give us a minute!" Charlie called back, his fingers clumsy as he tried to button his shirt. Simon strode over to him and buttoned it for him.
"Thanks." Charlie gave him an awkward smile and ran a hand through his messy hair, attempting to tame it.
Simon wanted to pull him straight back into bed.
Sadly, there was no time for that. The door opened, and Viktor entered, followed by Brent who carried two paper bags.
"I got you a present," Brent announced, holding out one of the bags to Charlie. "Figured you might need it."
Charlie took the bag and peered inside. His eyes widened. "A phone?" He pulled out a cheap smartphone, still in its packaging.
"You lost yours, didn't you?"
"I didn't lose it, I turned it in at the retreat, which…
" Charlie trailed off. "Thank you," he said to his friend after a second as he powered on the phone, the screen lighting up with the default wallpaper.
He paused with his eyes on the screen as though he couldn't grasped the normalcy of it.
"Mr. Denton's probably wondering where I am. "
"Your boss?" Simon asked.
"Yeah." Charlie scrolled through the preloaded apps. "I should probably call the store. Let them know I'm not coming in anymore."
A strange silence fell over the room. Simon and Viktor exchanged glances.
"What?" Charlie looked between them.
"Nothing," Simon said. "Just... the idea of calling in to quit your convenience store job while we're hiding from a secret organization is…"
"Peak Charlie," Brent finished, grinning.
Charlie blushed. Simon still didn't know how he managed to do that as a vampire, but he didn't care either. He laid a hand on Charlie's waist and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
"Never change," he whispered into his ear.