(Faye)

  The vampire's lips met Faye's in a searing kiss, a collision of fire and ice that sent shivers down Faye's spine. Addis's hands released his wrists as his arms encircled Faye's waist, pulling him closer until their bodies were pressed together, chest to chest. Faye felt the coolness of Addis's skin against his own, the contrast sending his senses reeling.

  ‘What in the–’ But Faye couldn’t finish the thought as Addis's mouth moved against his, exploring with a hunger that ignited a wildfire within them both. The human knew he needed to pull away, that whatever Addis was playing at would not be good for him, but… for some strange reason, Faye didn’t want to. His hands hesitated as he resisted the desire to touch the man holding him, his heart pounding in his chest.

  Hadn’t Addis just been insulting him? Telling the human how he didn’t even pity him in his situation? Why was that same vampire now kissing him deeply, his powerful hands digging into the human’s waist as they hid away in this small room. All it would take was one curious party member, one errant brush against the door and the pair would be discovered. If Adrian saw him like this…

  Thinking of his owner finally gave Faye the strength to push Addis’s face away from his own, gasping for breath as he held the vampire’s face. Addis’s red eyes glowed in the dark space as they both panted, and the human struggled to find his voice.

  “I dunno, what you’re playing at now, but neither of us wanna be found like this,” Faye managed, finding himself unable to tear his eyes away from the vampire leaning over him. Addis almost looked dazed, like he wasn’t sure where he was, but more so than that, Faye saw desire. He had seen that look enough to recognize it anywhere, but even more surprisingly, it didn’t disgust him like it usually did. Instead, Faye felt an irresistible pull and he dug his fingers into Addis’s skin. This was bad: what had Addis done to him? “If Adrian–”

  “Is Adrian here right now?” Addis interrupted, and Faye was so shocked by the dark sound in Addis’s voice that he found himself unable to answer immediately. What in the world had come over Addis: why was he acting like this? His eyes bore into the human's and he leaned closed as he spoke against Faye’s lips. “I asked if Adrian was here right now.”

  “N-no.”

  “Then I don’t want to hear you say his name,” Addis whispered and Faye felt a shiver run through his whole body. The pull was now a demand, and Faye slowly moved his hands to Addis’s shoulders. Every cell in his body screamed that this was a terrible and awful idea, and yet the human couldn’t help the soft sound that escaped him as Addis pulled their bodies even closer together. That touch, so soft and protective, spoke of a desire that Faye had never felt or seen in his life. This was not possession, but something… different. “Faye…”

  “Y-yeah?” Faye’s voice was barely more than a breath as he struggled to speak over his pounding heart, and Addis merely chuckled in response. Their eyes locked, a magnetic pull drawing them together as Addis leaned in again, closing that small gap between them again. His lips brushed against Faye's, a feather-light touch that sent shivers down Faye's spine. It was as if he was asking for permission, wanting Faye to admit that he wanted it, that he wanted to kiss the vampire holding him. Faye’s thoughts raced as he gripped Addis’s jacket, answering the unasked question by leaning into the vampire. Fuck it, Adrian was pissed anyway.

  Faye's fingers found their way to Addis' hair, threads of silk that slipped through his grasp as he pulled Addis closer. Addis's hands traced the contours of his body, leaving trails of fire in their wake, his nerves on edge as he surrendered to the sensations coursing through him. When was the last time Faye had been touched like this? Addis’s hands were certain, his kiss forceful and yet respectful and Faye knew he could pull back again and Addis would let him, even as the vampire’s hands seemed eager to claim every inch of the human. Was this really the same vampire he had seen walk into the room with Rosie, the same Addis that had insulted him only moments before?

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  As the fire between them grew, the world around them faded into a blur of sensations and they both seemed to forget where they were. The thin beam of light from the main room seemed to caress their entwined forms, casting shadows that danced like forbidden whispers. Addis's lips traveled from Faye's mouth to his neck, each kiss leaving an imprint that felt both sinful and divine. The growl that left Addis’s mouth as he reached to remove the collar, caused Faye’s body to jump in response. Even as the fabric was pulled away, exposing his neck and the bite Adrian had given him the previous day, Faye felt no fear. No, for the first time in his life, he only felt apprehension as those lips caressed his neck.

  “Did Adrian do this?” Addis hissed and Faye could only shiver as he felt the vampire’s lips and tongue against his skin.

  “He… was… mad about you–”

  “Protecting you.” Addis finished, continuing to kiss the mark, as if somehow he could erase it from the human’s skin. Faye let out another soft sound, clinging to Addis as the vampire bent him over more. “How dare he.”

  “Ad… Addis…” Faye moaned, gripping the vampire tighter as he felt Addis’s fangs brush his skin. Never in his life had he wanted to be bitten so badly, to have Addis’s mark on his skin instead of Adrian’s. To be fed from the vampire holding him, even as Addis seemed to be resisting the desire himself. “We… the party…”

  “Addis?” The pair froze as they heard another voice, and Faye quickly recognized it as Rosie. It was as if the interruption pulled them both from the trance, and moving with a speed he didn’t know he had, Faye quickly separated from the vampire as Addis released him. He quickly bent down, barely managing to pick up his collar and snap it back in place as he dove to sit on the couch again. He could hear her approaching the door as he tried to compose himself, forcing a scowl as he looked away from Addis, who still stood dazed. “Here you are! Hiding as normal.”

  Faye groaned as the doors were opened more, rolling his eyes as he kept his eyes away from the vampire. His heart was still pounding in his chest, and he could only pray that Rosie would believe it was anger that had him so worked up and not… whatever that was.

  “I was simply giving Faye here some advice,” Faye was surprised by the calm arrogance he heard in Addis’s voice and he managed to force a glare as he turned to look. Addis’s expression was back to its usual sardonic expression and Faye didn’t have to fake the annoyed pout that came to his face. Somehow, it was even more annoying to see that look now. “After all, he’ll get nowhere if he keeps playing the victim.”

  “So harsh on the poor dear,” Rosie grinned as she looked at the human, and Faye accepted her hand as she offered it to him. Her dark eyes bore into his as he stood, her smile reminding him of a hungry shark. “After all, we can’t have him losing his charm.”

  “Only you would find such things charming,” Addis scoffed, walking out of the room as Rosie released the human. Faye hurried after Addis before the vampire turned sharply to face him, an angry look on his face as he hissed. Faye stopped immediately, confused by Addis’s mood change. What in the world was wrong with the vampire? “I'm tired of this gathering, and I dare say I’ve been here long enough. You are free to sit on your couch, Faye.”

  “All… alright,” Faye nodded, not attempting to follow as Addis made his way across the room. He avoided the desire to look for Adrian and made his way back to the waiting couch, knowing that his owner would punish him if he tried to leave. Lena already knew he would be late coming back to the shelter due to the party, and somehow Faye doubted that Addis was heading to the shelter anyway.

  As he sat back down, the human absently brought his hand to his collar, glancing to the floor as he remembered the feel of Addis’s fangs against his neck. Didn’t Zélia say that Addis refused to drink human blood? She had also said that Addis fed from his own kind, but Addis had said he was turned and Faye didn’t try to hide his frown. Could he really trust anything Zélia had told him about the high vampire?

  The human quickly dropped his hand from his collar, not wanting to draw attention to it and his heart started to race again. Why had Addis gone from lecturing the human to kissing him? Had Faye really been that blind to how the vampire felt about him, just assuming that Addis hated him because he hated the vampire? One question danced in his mind, and he knew it would likely never be answered.

  Did he… want Addis?