Chapter 2
Chapter Two
T he club was packed to the brim, as it usually was on a Saturday night. The music was loud, and the smell of sweat permeated the air. Mikael loved nights like these, when everyone was out for a good time and he was surrounded by life and noise and excitement.
But instead of mingling with the crowd, he found himself staring down at his phone, waiting for the screen to light up with a new message.
Except that it never did.
Collin had left him on read after the last message, and Mikael didn’t understand why.
The man was a mystery to him, and one that he couldn’t stop poking at. Collin tuned in to his streams all the time, and yet, whenever Mikael tried to engage him, he was turned down.
The issue shouldn’t have bothered him as much as it did.
He’d never struggled to find willing participants for his streams. Even now, he could go around the club and find someone to bite or fuck or both within the next ten minutes, five, if he really set his mind to it.
He could have anyone, but naturally, it was the one person who resisted his charms that he couldn’t stop thinking about.
Collin was gorgeous with his dark blond hair and his pale, freckled skin that would look amazing with bite marks on it, and his reactions on camera when he touched himself were so honest and real, it was impossible for Mikael not to get invested. It was impossible for Mikael not to wonder what would happen if he were the one to touch Collin.
What sounds would Collin make if Mikael’s hands trailed down his sides, his stomach, his thighs? If his fangs grazed his skin?
Would he arch into it, or pull away?
Mikael didn’t know, and it was killing him.
Honestly, if he wasn’t immortal, he’d be dead twice over, waiting for a response from Collin that never came.
“What’s got you scowling at your phone?”
Mikael looked up to see his sire, Mordyn, leaning against the bar next to him, a drink in his hand and an amused glint in his green eyes.
“Nothing,” Mikael said automatically because turning to his sire for help usually created more problems than it solved. Every vampire had their own way of dealing with the boredom that inevitably came with living forever, and Mikael had realized early on that Mordyn seemed to deal with the issue by choosing chaos whenever possible.
But Mordyn had also stuck out his neck for Mikael when it had been Mikael’s turn to ‘choose chaos’ by deciding to start up a streaming channel without consulting their coven’s leader first.
He wasn’t the worst sire a vampire could ask for, all in all.
“I bet it’s a man,” Mordyn said as he slid onto the empty barstool next to Mikael, his voice carrying easily despite the loud music. “Or possibly a woman, though you seem to prefer men on your stream lately, and I’m sure there’s a reason.”
Mikael suppressed a sigh. Some vampires could read thoughts. Mordyn wasn’t one of them, but he could read emotions and pick up on the slightest change in mood, and Mikael wasn’t surprised that Mordyn had guessed correctly that Mikael had a guy on his mind.
“It’s nothing important,” he said. “Just another streamer who won’t agree to collaborate with me, no matter how often I ask.”
Mordyn took a sip of his drink–some sort of blood, but what kind, Mikael wasn’t sure. “I can see how that bothers you,” Mordyn said. “But there are plenty of other fish in the sea.” He gestured broadly at the people in the club. “You’ve had wild success with your stream. See those sirens?” He motioned to a table in the corner, where three women were drinking and chatting. “They started a channel recently. They do a bit of singing, a strip tease and then a bit of bondage, and they keep looking your way.”
Mikael glanced at the women, noting the interest in their looks, and then shook his head. “Thanks, but I’m not really feeling a threesome right now.”
“It would be a foursome,” Mordyn corrected. “Three of them, one of you.”
“Whatever.”
“Not even the least bit tempted? My, this is serious.”
“I just…” Mikael sighed. “I want Collin.” His gaze drifted to his phone again. Still no message.
“Do you have a picture of this Collin?” Mordyn asked, sounding curious.
Mikael opened his photo app. He’d taken a few screenshots during Collin’s streams. His favorite was one he’d taken when Collin was lying on the bed with his cock in his hand, his cheeks red and his mouth open on the sexiest moan Mikael had ever heard, his expression one of pure pleasure.
Mikael had gotten off to that picture more than once.
Probably not the best screenshot to show to his sire, but Mordyn was already leaning in to look. He whistled softly. “Well, I don’t blame you for being obsessed.” He studied the picture. “What is he? A shifter or a mage? Or maybe an incubus? He looks like he could be an incubus.”
“I have no idea,” Mikael admitted as he tucked his phone back into his pocket. If he looked at his screenshots any longer, he was gonna have to leave the club and find some privacy. “All the information on his channel is pretty bare minimum. I don’t think he wants people to know too much about him.”
“So your crush is playing hard to get or he’s too shy to get with you.”
“He jerks off on camera. I don’t think he’s shy.”
“Maybe he’s not into guys.”
Mikael shook his head. “He keeps watching my streams.”
“You have women on there sometimes.”
“I didn’t tonight.”
Mordyn took another sip of his drink and considered the situation. Mikael could practically see his wheels spinning. He had that glint in his eyes that he always got when he was cooking up a new plan.
Mikael felt conflicted. On one hand, his sire loved causing chaos. On the other hand, he was extremely adept at getting people to do what he wanted, and if he had any advice on how Mikael could get Collin to do what he wanted…
“I think,” he said, “you should invite your friend to the masquerade we’re having next month.” Mordyn leaned closer as he spoke, the predatory look in his green eyes intensifying as he met Mikael’s gaze. “In fact, you should invite all of your streamer friends. Make it a big event in your circle.”
Mikael blinked. “We’re having a masquerade at the club?”
“Keegan’s organizing it.” Mordyn grinned. “He lost at game night, remember?”
“I was working that night.” Mikael scratched the back of his neck. He’d meant to catch up on what had happened in his absence, but when he was done streaming that night he’d spent hours ‘checking out the competition.’
Damn it.
“Invite your friends,” Mordyn said. “And Collin. Maybe the possibility of attending in costume will make it easier to lure the shy boy out of hiding. Especially if everyone else in your circle is going. It’ll be difficult for him to pass up the networking opportunity.”
Mikael considered that.
It might help.
If he could convince Collin to come to a masked party, he might finally have a chance to talk to him. If they saw each other face to face, without a computer between them, maybe Collin would finally agree to a joint project.
It wouldn’t hurt to try.
Gods above, at this point, Mikael was willing to try anything to get his hands on Collin.