Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
Cameron winced when Thomas bit into his neck.
The action was unnecessary, because his mind and senses were immediately flooded with that same gooey, warm and soothing sensation as before.
A kind of enchantment that seduced Cameron into relaxing his shoulders.
He unclenched his fists and allowed his eyelids to flutter closed.
Thomas lifted a hand to hold the back of Cameron’s head and leaned in, pressing his chest into Cameron’s while humming indulgently.
Thomas’s intention slipped deeper into his being. The sensation was so intimate and perplexing that Cameron didn’t think he had the words to describe it. Somehow, though, he understood Thomas’s satisfaction… no, obvious affection for him.
Not only did he love the taste of Cameron’s blood, but he thought he was intelligent and kindhearted. Responsible and stable in his temperament in such a way that made Thomas feel safe. He admired Cameron and found him physically desirable, too.
Cameron’s eyes burned intensely as he opened them once more.
Thomas was right in that the fiery sensation didn’t hurt quite as much this time, and the heartfelt sentiments swirled hot inside of him like shooting stars.
They were so close like this—pressed together with Thomas leaning into his chest.
To his astonishment, Cameron found that he liked this closeness with Thomas, but something deep and preternatural within him was beginning to unravel.
He had not thought he’d been holding himself together in any conscious way, but Thomas’s feeding was undoing something within his primal nature.
Like the core of his very being was crumbling and he was seconds away from dissolving.
Cameron inhaled sharply because the feeling alarmed him. He didn’t want to submit to it. “T-Thomas, please stop—”
Thomas pulled up from his neck. When he lifted his head, he licked his lips, but his fangs were still sharp points and his eyes were alighted in that pretty blueish-silver hue. “What’s the matter? Are you alright?”
Clenching his fists at his sides once more, Cameron swallowed. His throat felt unexpectedly dry and achy. Was he due for another bag? “I’m alright, I just… Something strange was happening inside of me and I didn’t know what to make of it.”
Thomas inhaled deeply and blew it out. The warmth of his breath brushed Cameron’s face. Thomas’s fangs retracted, but his eyes kept glowing. “I wasn’t trying to release your aura, but I felt your nature responding to me. Reaching for me.”
They blinked at each other. Thomas had said the words as if they should make some obvious sense to Cameron. They didn’t, so he shrugged.
“Okay…”
“Cameron, has anyone ever explained to you about your nature as a purebred? What it means when your eyes alight and, well… the proverbial ‘birds and bees’ of vampire intimacy?”
This question, while innocuous in its delivery, was mortifying for Cameron.
He was too old to not know about himself in the ways that he should.
Aside from the important details and tasks that went into properly running the estate and realm, his parents hadn’t explained anything to him.
They hadn’t even bothered with trying to find him a physical feeding source.
They’d put him straight onto bags because it was easiest.
Who was he supposed to learn this from? Lennon? He would literally rather fall into a pit of scorpions than ask the old manservant for advice about sex and intimacy.
Not wanting to admit the truth, Cameron tried for humor. “Since we’re vampires, shouldn’t the proverb be something like ‘the bats and the spiders?’”
Thomas’s straight nose upturned. He didn’t laugh. “No.”
“Good sir, I’ll have you know that bats and spiders are some of the most fascinating, intelligent and vital creatures to our ecosystems.”
“I wouldn’t dare to disagree with you. Why are you deflecting my question? Do you not want to talk about this, or are you simply embarrassed? Because if it is the latter, you need not be.”
Cameron drew away from Thomas’s face and body so that he could rub his palms against his eyes. The man was so close, and both their eyes were still glowing and the jittery feelings were humming inside of him like aftershocks from an earthquake. “A bit of both,” Cameron said quietly.
“Okay, then… should we not discuss this?”
When Cameron dropped his palms, Thomas’s irises had returned to normal. Cameron’s were still hot, which seemed unfair, somehow. “No, we can. I am… not well educated in the finer details of vampire intimacy.”
“Do you know what it means when your eyes alight like this?” Thomas said, raising his hand once more to gently hold Cameron’s face. He brushed his thumb in an arcing motion across Cameron’s cheek. It made things twitch and warm inside of him.
“I-I know that this is something that happens to all vampires, of course. But it’s never happened to me, until now—and last week when you first fed. I assume it has to do with feeding?”
“Not exactly,” Thomas said, staring intensely.
He seemed mesmerized by something. Amazed by Cameron’s stupidity on this topic, maybe?
“Feeding does not automatically elicit this response. Feeding is a derivative, usually, like most physically intimate actions. Fundamentally, when your eyes alight like this, it means that something inside of you is excited about something inside of me. And when my eyes alight, it tells you that the feeling is reciprocal.”
Reciprocal…
Thomas didn’t remember when they first met at the winter solstice party, but he clearly had some affection for Cameron now given the lovely thoughts he conveyed while feeding.
Was Cameron “excited” by Thomas? He liked Thomas, to be certain. He cared for him, a lot, and Cameron wanted him to be content and healthy under his care. Was that the same thing? Cameron’s nature seemed to think so.
“Close your eyes and take a couple deep breaths for me?” Thomas dropped his hand from Cameron’s face, then sat back, waiting.
He obeyed, letting his eyes drift close as he inhaled and exhaled for several beats.
The air was warm against his skin. He felt slightly overheated in his cardigan, but mostly he was filled with delicious cappuccino, hazelnut biscotti and the sparkly, undeniably affectionate feelings gifted to him from Thomas.
It took a long moment, but when Cameron opened his eyes again, they were back to normal.
“Better?” Thomas asked, a sweet smile on his face.
Cameron nodded. “Yes, thank you.” He lifted a palm to rub the back of his neck. “So, what do we do with this? Our eyes alighting and this… mutual excitement and such?”
Thomas blinked as if surprised by the question. “Whatever we want. Or… don’t want. It certainly means we’re likely compatible in some significant ways.”
“Alright, then—what would you do with this?”
“Me?”
“Yes, Thomas.”
Thomas folded his lips to stifle a grin and turned his head toward the circular window. The dimming white light from the heavy snowfall outlined his profile and high cheekbones. Lennon was right. Thomas had definitely gained a little weight within the past week.
“I… I would follow your lead,” Thomas said as he turned back to face him.
Cameron narrowed his eyes. “Now who’s deflecting?”
His grin grew wider as he stood. “We should go down for lunch before the food gets cold.”
“More deflecting!”
Thomas didn’t speak but held out his palms to pull Cameron up. When they were both standing, Thomas held on to one hand and squeezed. “May I?” he asked.
“You may,” Cameron said.
Playfully, Thomas pulled him forward. “I would hold your hand, Lord Cameron Dwight Ashford. Since you’re comfortable with that, that is what I would do.”
The night of his sister’s birthday party, Cameron paced back and forth in the foyer, his wingtips clacking loudly on the marble. He pulled at the satin bow tie strapped around the collar of his dress shirt. It felt as if it was choking him.
He refused to think of tonight as his and Thomas’s marriage party, because that only heightened his anxiety. Rachelle had called him almost every day for the past week to pester him and make sure he’d show up. He couldn’t wait until this nightmare was over and done with.
“Very sorry to keep you waiting, Cameron—we needed to make a few adjustments.”
Cameron lifted his gaze, then stopped dead in his tracks.
Thomas stalked toward him in a finely tailored three-piece suit of matte black, a crisp white dress shirt and shiny new oxfords.
His woolen trench coat was a warm midnight blue and swept down to his calves.
His dark hair was neatly smoothed back and away from his face, which somehow shone a spotlight on the pale, heather-colored hue of his eyes framed by his heavy and thick lashes.
For a moment, Cameron gaped at the seemingly new vampire before him. Not new… nostalgic?
“Sir Thomas has gained more weight since I took his initial measurements,” Lennon said, trailing and admiring his handiwork. “I thought I left room for such an occurrence, but it seems it was not enough. I’m quite happy with this result, though.”
“Lennon, you’re a marvel,” Thomas said, sticking his hands into his coat pockets and briefly flapping the material out like a flowing cape.
The lining of the coat was satiny and black with a subtle pattern Cameron couldn’t immediately discern.
He looked dashing and cool. Thomas blinked up at Cameron.
“This man helps you manage the estate, he cuts hair, tailors clothing… Is there anything Lennon can’t do? ”
That helped to sober Cameron. “Mind his own business,” he said automatically.
Thomas laughed, and it was… luminous. The way his face and eyes lit up from the unexpected rapture of his amusement.
Lennon, not nearly as entertained, scoffed. “What my taciturn lord fails to realize is that his business is my business. Miles is waiting outside for you, gentlemen. Have a lovely time tonight.”