Renegade's Revenge - Dark Love 2

CHAPTER 2

Azrael lay on his bed, troubled. He had been putting forth the welcoming summons for a little over two months now. And for the most part things were moving along as scheduled. But now it looked like he was in for a major set back.

The decision to welcome orphaned Rogue had not been an easy one. On one hand, they had a right to petition for help from those of the Lines, but on the other, so many of them were so poorly trained that allowing them into proper society was an invitation for disaster.

Oddly enough it had been Morgan, one of his precious, Chosen, who had put it into perspective. If no one was willing to live up, to, their duty to these folks, and offer them the aid that is supposed to be theirs by birthright. Then no one in the Lines really had room to complain when a Rogue went Renegade. Or created children, that, were little more than animals. It was, all, well and good to talk about old law, living it was another matter

But he never would have guessed, in, another three thousand years, that his decision to open the call to those who are Rogue would bring him such painful news.

* * *

Michael looked up from the couch, where he sat with Jason and Amber, suffering through what the gang liked to call 'Vampire Night' . Once a month the girls would run to the movie rental store, and gather up some of the worst written most poorly directed and abominably acted vampire movies ever to disgrace the screen. "Is it that time again, already?" He motioned to the TV. Which was playing 'The Hunger' , with David Bowie and Susan Sarandon.

"Yes, I tried to stop them, but I was too late. Be warned, it is one of those nights." He held up the casing for 'Life Force' , just to watch his Sire and friend flinch.

"Well, let them have their fun, they have so few opportunities to do things that they know I will not like, and get away with it. But if you can pull yourself away from the screen, I have something to show you."

Michael raised an eyebrow at his Sire. This was unlike Azrael, who usually greeted each and every one of his mortals every night. Even now as he looked at the man who had given him the night, he could feel eyes behind him. Some were just merely curious while others were worried. "Master?" He pulled himself free from his two moving to answer Azrael's request.

Azrael led him down the hall, back to his private resting-place. "I sent out the summons again."

Every nerve in Michael's body tensed. He had never heard Azrael sound like this before, so troubled, so pained. "What is it?"

"I'm not sure. But just as I was waking, and the call was coming to an end, I felt something. A need a pain like I have never before felt. There was a youngling, I'm going to assume that he is orphaned, who was trying to answer the call." He sat on the bed looking at his hands. His shoulders rounded. "Megel," He looked up. "Did Thorne come to you at all once I pushed him out?"

'Thorne' Michael's mind turned to touch briefly on the memory of his brother. "A few times, why?"

"How long had it been between his last visit to you, and his death?"

Michael considered the question. "A few years maybe, he was busy with this boy he had. Bright lad, I wish I had met him first." Then he stopped. "Why are you asking me this Azrael? Thorne has been dead for almost two hundred years. His murderers the same, I saw to that."

Azrael's eyes lit. "So he did have a Fledgling?"

"Yes, didn't you know?" Then he stopped. "Oh, no you wouldn't, well never mind now. As far as I could tell the boy died with him."

"Are you sure?"

"What is going on?" Michael was beginning to get irritated. "No I am not sure, how could I be, I didn't see him die, but he was a Childe, I looked for him, called and searched, but I never found one scrap of evidence that would lead me to believe the boy lived. If I had I would have kept looking till I found him. Thorne was my brother. I owed his Fledgling my protection." He grabbed Azrael by the shoulders, eyes looking for answers. "Now will you tell me why you are opening up old wounds?"

"I believe Thorne's Childe is alive." Words spoken so softly that if it had not been for Michael's sensitive ears, he would have never heard it.

Michael's arms dropped. Was his Sire serious? "Alive?"

"Yes, that is what I wanted to show you, come link with me, tell me if this is what I think it is. You knew the boy, I never met him."

Michael dropped to his knees. Eyes locking, with Azrael's as the Elder vampire opened himself to him. Allowing the final, desperate cry, and the need and the pain, to wash over him. "I have only had two of my Brood die, and then I was not there to witness the mark, so I am not certain what the mark of my Blood-Line would feel like dead, but." There was almost a plea in his voice. "Tell me, am I going mad, or is there a chance this youngling, who hurts so much, who's pain can call me, even when his mind cannot, is my Thorne's First-Born and my Grand-Childe."

"No." Michael refused to believe it. "It can't be. I searched for him. I would not have let Thorne's Fledgling live alone. How can he be alive?"

"Perhaps Thorne sent him into hiding. Sent him away so that the ones that attacked him could not harm the boy. Or after the death of his Sire, the Childe was in shock and could not be touched for a time, who knows. There are several ways to hide. Even a Childe knows this. But that is not the issue here. Tell me, is this Thorne's blood I feel, is this boy that I felt his? What is his name, and more importantly, how quickly can we track him down."

Michael savored the feel of the call. There was no doubt, at least to him.

"He named the boy Gabriel. And yes this, is, him. As to how soon, well I will be with you tonight when you send the summons, and while you are projecting, I will watch and wait. If the boy answers at all even for a moment, I swear to you, this time I won't miss him."

* * *

The room was cool. , Zak didn't need heat or air, and lit softly by a small smiley face night-light. A gift from last Christmas, more a joke really, but Zak had loved it, just like he loved anything anyone gave him. It thrilled him to think that people liked him, he who was a monster out of their nightmares, enough to buy him presents.

William wasn't as sensitive as Zak was, to all the tale-tale signs of emotional pain, but he would have had to be blind not to see the state his friend was in.

The sheets were ripped, with dark stains smudging them. William didn't want to think what they were, nor what would send Zak into a fit to cause this.

And the man, he lay not in a quiet sleep as he usually rested, but curled up in a ball, it reminded William of a wounded animal. Something had happened, something that was hurting his friend greatly.

Some one was here, a touch, a distraction, broke the final threads connecting him to his dream. He turned, coming up off the bed in a roar. Who dared disturb him, to break his hope? Eyes full of rage looked down without seeing. A mind full of pain would not register. All he knew was this hunger, and all he could think of doing was ending it.

Years ago, when Zak first moved in with William, there had been an almost mishap. Zak, touched by William's discomfort at the natural response to feeding, had tried to avoid him. Blood was not hard to come by, but it had been so long since he had been able to really feel for the person who shared their life with him, or have them feel for him. That when finally William had made the first overture of friendship and offered to help on his own, Zak had almost killed him. Because of this, Zak shared with him a secret that no one else knew. He had given him his, Vampiric, Name. Promising that should there ever come a day that he once again lost control, that the name alone would return it. But he had also begged him not to use it unless it was an emergency. For the name caused him pain, brought all his loneliness to the forefront, all his pain. Well if the look in Zak's eyes was any indication of his mental state, William deemed this to be an emergency.

"Gabriel." He didn't scream the name, nor did he allow there to be any fear in his voice. He knew he had to remain calm, not awaken his, friends, darker side any more than it already was. "Gabriel, listen to me, it's okay, it's just me, William."

The very sound of the name being given voice brought a moan of pain from him. But with the pain also came a rush of strength. His eyes focused on the mortal under him, the look of madness leaving him face as his fangs pulled back into his gums. "Will?"

"Yeah, it's me." William almost fainted from relief.

Panic replaced madness as Zak looked down at where he had William pinned. "William." His voice a sob as he kissed him.

Again William had to refrain from panicking. To remind himself that Zak wouldn't go where he wasn't welcome. That this was just a normal emotional response for him. After all he had just come close to killing him. So he didn't flinch or pull away even as the kiss deepened for a brief moment. "You okay now?" He started to speak the moment the kiss broke, just to keep there from being another.

"Forgive me." His lips brushed his cheeks, his eyes, and finally rested against his brow. "Did I hurt you?"

"No, I'm okay. But what about you?"

There were not words to describe the pain he was in. How could he make his friend understand how much the summons had affected him? "I am myself again."

William pushed him up so that he could sit and face him. "That's not what I asked, Fang's. You had one of those dreams again didn't you? Someone, one of your people, calling wasn't it?"

"It's no dream William. It's a summons. Somewhere out there, an Elder of my people has opened a Covenstead."

William grinned at him. "Hey that's great, you can go, see others, make some friends. Hell if you want, I'll set up another room down here, and you can have them come and visit with you." Then he stopped. "Wait, what's wrong. Why the face? I would have thought the thought of finding more of your people would be making you jump for joy."

"You forget my friend. It was my own Kind that made me an orphan, a Rogue. How can I know what this means, my master always told me that I had nothing to fear from the Lines, only from those outside of them. But these Legal Lines, some my blood Kin, how will they take to me? I am ignorant in so many of their ways. I was so young when my Sire sent me away to protect me. Will they welcome me, and help me, or will they see me as an embarrassment and shun me?"

'Poor guy, it must be hell not to know if your own people want you or not' . William laid a hand on his arm, intending to offer support. "I'm sure they'll be thrilled to meet you. If they're not, to hell with'em, if they can't tell a good guy when they see one, then who needs them."

"I do." The words were soft, spoken with almost no sound, but the meaning behind them was as loud as if he had screamed it.

William was at a loss at what to do. How did one comfort a depressed vampire? "Come on guy, snap out of it. You're making mountains out of molehills. You haven't even talked to them yet, and already you have them hating you."

Zak sighed. "You are right, of course. I should at least give them a chance shouldn't I?" He shook off the feelings of the pain and need, bringing him back to now. "So William, is there a problem?"

"I don't know yet, that's why I came down to talk. Are you all right now, how's your head? Have you fed recently?"

Zak grinned, trying to bring back some of his usual lightness. "Is that why you have sought my room, my friend? Have you at last succumbed to my charm?" He reached out and turned on the lamp on the nightstand.

'Damn, he's nice looking' . Was all William could think about as the light illuminated the room and brought Zak's features out once again. The man didn't look a day over twenty. Black hair, violet blue eyes and a face and body that would make sworn nuns throw away their vows. "One of these days, I'm going to take you up on that offer. Why is it you're so damned good looking? It's almost like you're not real."

He chuckled. "Come, sit beside me, I will not bite you yet, I can wait. So what's up? What is so important that it has you seeking my bed?"

William growled at the line. "One of these days, you're going to wake up to a well done stake." He moved to lean against Zak, offering him what closeness he was comfortable with. "I gotta problem. You remember the girl I told you about, the one who funded my business?"

"Yes, her name is Robyn, isn't it?"

"Yeah, that's the one. She has this problem. Her brother is the DA, and he's living up to his word and making life hell for some pretty influential folk in the crime world, and well, he's untouchable. They've tried six separate times to kill him, and failed. So then they turned their attentions on the only family he has, my friend."

"I am going to assume by the tone you are using that it has gotten bad enough to worry you." Zak paid him full attention.

William chuckled. "If you knew Rob, like I know her, you would be worried too. She's, well she's of a breed that walks through hell without noticing it. She's been known to play in places the cops won't even raid. She's got spunk and has picked up enough marital arts along the way to be damned hard to take down. I've been trying to get her to let me get her a few security guards since the last attack."

"So what happened?"

"She got tagged again last night. It must be pretty bad. She sounded off on the phone. Told me she needed the best security, body man I have, and is willing to pay ten thousand dollars a week, plus room and board. The job runs from nine at night to five in the morning. During the summer we might have to push that start back a half hour or so, but all in all, it's a great job."

Zak looked at him stunned. "Are you actually suggesting that I do the job?"

"Yeah." William's tone became defensive. "She's my friend, loaned me a lot of money on that friendship, helped build my business on that friendship, and now she's called me and wants the best I got, and that my friend, with the hours she needs, is you."

Zak sat there silent. William had never once in the four years that they had known each other, ever even hinted that Zak and his secret were a problem. Had helped him come to terms with Cindy's loss, and been a willing if somewhat chaste donor. Now he was calling on that dedication to help his friend. "Do you plan to tell her what I am?"

"Yeah, I sort of got to." He rubbed his neck. "You can't always get a bite out, and like me, she's going to have to be willing to let you dine in. You're a nice guy as long as you're maintained. I don't want another exposed to what you can be. Once was enough for me." His voice was flat, a deadly certainty to it.

"I will always regret frightening you like that." Zak looked down at his hands. "I had only wanted to save you from what was very uncomfortable. I had lived without emotional bonding before, I didn't realize what its lack would do to me."

It had been a terrible mistake. The beast that lived within him, a monster with no feelings other than the joy of the feed, rose consuming him. Reverting, him, back to the creature he had been before civilization had tamed him. William had almost died because of it. Had he been even a little less careful, hesitated even once to, his, friends, mental cry of mercy, he would have killed him.

"It's in the past Fangs, you meant well, but once is enough, and I don't want you to ever do that to Robyn. Bad enough the shock of the first time you use telepathy on her without her finding out about it while you are draining her dry."

"Why is it that you hate sharing minds so William, I have often wondered about that."

"It's been a long time since you were human Zak. No, one likes their minds to be open like a book. We keep secrets there, ones that are ours alone. Our whole identity is there, and you threaten it with your powers. I've seen you dominate people, make them forget, make them want what you have so that you can get to them. It scars the piss out of me, knowing any day you could come up those steps and take me over. I sometimes wonder if you have and I don't remember. You are so lonely sometimes, and want real love so much."

" No !" He leapt from the bed, putting space between himself and the fragile mortal. "How could you even think that? I have given you the key to my sanctuary, 'my trust' . I would never risk violating that." The hurt in his voice was almost too painful to bear. "William." He knelt before him. "I swear, I would never do that to you. I've explained it how many times, why I must have someone, for now a mortal that allows me to feed. If I only wanted blood, I could very easily attain it. Trust me. You might shun my touch, but others do not.

"So why don't you. I know you did when Cindy was so sick you fed off of anyone but her. Why this tie to me?"

"You did not know me when Cindy's father found me. I was little more than a wounded animal. I had spoke to no one in just over two hundred years. I lived off animals and an occasional hiker, but I was afraid to speak to them. He was my first human in so long that didn't see me as a monster. He protected my lair while I slept, waited till I awoke to speak to me." He smiled softly at the fond memories.

"How come he didn't end up lunch?"

"I was not as strong as I am now. I was weak from living on little blood. The beast was weak too. I awoke to find myself chained, long strong links of logging chain wrapped around me, preventing me from harming anyone. I don't know how he knew I wasn't human, other than perhaps my illusion was no longer working due to malnutrition."

"Damn I bet that sucked." William chuckled at the picture of this all-powerful man chained down like cargo.

Zak nodded looking embarrassed. "I had not spoken for so long that the words were hard for me. But speak yes we talked for a long time. And in those hours I found that which was missing. The thing that separated the man from the beast."

"And?" William wanted to jump on the man. He had a habit of making even the simplest answers difficult.

"Give me your hand." His fingers, bands of bone and flesh that could easily crush, with no effort, wrapped gently around the fragile digits of his mortal friend. "I found companionship. I have told you this; there must be some emotion there. Surely by now you have learned how strong our feelings are. I was alone, had no one, but after several days a bond was formed, and when the chains came away, I didn't hurt him."

"Did you offer him the same thing you offer me, each time you feed?" Now he really was interested. Dirty laundry of any kind was something of a turn on for him.

"Yes, I trusted him, and wanted to show him the same kindness that I long to show you. He was a little stunned at first, of course, but was after all, curious to see exactly what I was capable of doing. So he like Cindy and yourself trusted the man in me to control the beast."

"And!"

"Found it quite enjoyable. His wife was dead; he had only his job as a developer, and a sick child. I, offered him something that he had not found in any of the lovers he had taken since his beloved Juliet had died, trust. I opened myself to him with that first feeding, let him in my mind completely, and much farther than you have ever gone. I gave him my trust and my love, and he gave me my life. And for nine years, till he died, I loved him. I was his friend, his companion, his lover and protector. When he died I turned my love to his only child. And I did love her William. I cared for her and never, I swear, never did she see the beast that I truly am." Blood red tears flowed down his cheeks. The extent of his pain was almost too much for William to bear.

"I know." He squeezed his fingers as hard as he could. "Cindy worshipped the ground you walked on. It was her acceptance that made it easy for me."

"I did not know it was you, who had made her a woman until after her death, if I had, I would have thanked you sooner. Her life was so brief, but for a time she knew pleasure. That is a gift you can always be proud you gave."

William looked at the man before him. Did Zak, transfer that, love, to him, or was their friendship enough. Had he failed to honor the bargain with Cindy by holding back, or was it just a different sort of emotion? And now that his own, kind, were summoning him, would he loose him? "Zak?"

"No my friend, I do not feel slighted. You have, never, since that first time, hesitated, to come when I asked. Have even after I frightened you so badly. Come freely into my arms. Lovers are easy for me. I have never, not since Martin found me denied myself the company of a lover for long. You give me life, and you give me trust. I believe your feelings are genuine, even if they do frighten you somewhat." He kissed the hand that he held. "And if I chose to seek out my own, it will not in any way take away from what I have with you. I love you will always love you. If you need me to go and learn to trust another mortal to save her I will. Remember that my young friend. I will always do what you ask, for 'that' is the extend to my love."

It was crazy; he had to be loosing his mind, but so what? If this man could be what he was, and still care enough to weep over a dead girl, be willing to place his whole life on the line for the sake of friendship, then what the hell. "Zak." William pulled his hand away. "Come here. It's time you had dinner, and maybe it's time I learned how strongly you can love." He leaned back on the bed.

Zak looked at him. "What?" Surely he did not mean what he implied. "William, do not tease me. I respect your limitations, do not play with my affections."

William sat back up to look at him, stunned. " 'Tease you' ?" He couldn't help it; he broke down and began to laugh. "Good God, Zak, I'm many things, but I'm not stupid. I'd no sooner tease you than I would Robyn's dogs." He pulled his T-shirt off. "I'm serious this time. I won't hold back or ask you to. If you don't want to, that's cool, but this time it's up to you. Because, 'that' is the extent of my love."

Zak pushed the beast down within him as it rose at the offer of blood. No he would not loose sight of the wonder that was being played out before him. He rose slowly, moving to sit beside the young man on his bed. "My friend." Oh, such beauty, such joy that would be his. To feel love and to know the truth within the life he offered.

William closed his eyes as Zak's fingers brushed his cheek. He wasn't afraid, not of him. After four years of weekly feedings, he had learned that he would never be hurt.

"William." Zak moved slowly, fingers stroking his throat. "Will you finish the link with me, be more than just my lover. Take from me as I feed from you. Let me grant you the completeness of my love?"

William didn't freeze as Zak's hands began to move over his chest. "What do you want to do?"

"Share blood with me, be linked to me. I will never leave you you're safe. Let me make you mine. I will protect you better than I protected Martin. I am less an innocent of this world now. No one will ever harm you." Slowly he pushed him back on the bed. "I will tell you something, a secret to take with you for the rest of your life. My blood will grant you many things, health, strength, and a life unlike any you have imagined. For with the taking of my blood, you will be granted over a century and a half of life, and you will look exactly as you do now."

William moaned as soft lips pressed against his throat. Was he really ready to go all the way? Could he give himself up to this, become more than just a friend and fuck buddy, was he ready for a real relationship. The questions ran around in his head. "Zak, wait, please." He needed a moment to think.

Zak lifted his head. "William?"

"Are you sure you want to do this? Share blood I mean. What if you find one of your own that you really love? What would happen then? I don't want to hold you back, I do love you, you are my friend, but I'm not like you."

"William, my friend." His concern touched Zak. "Even if I found a thousand like me, and chose to welcome them all into my life, I would never leave you. I would have to, I know this, as still, want you. But, I will always be with you, for without my blood, you would eventually suffer like no soul should suffer, and die as the blood that will be in you, kills you. You would be welcomed by any I chose to share my life with. If you are not welcome, then how could I be? My love for you binds us." He had wanted to do this for so long, to share himself totally with another, "I love you, now and forever."

William looked up at him. He wasn't sure how ready he was for this final step, but he knew he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he passed it up. "I believe in you, I trust you."

Zak pulled away, reaching to touch William's face before beginning to undress. William moved to lift up. "No, relax. Let me take care of it. I know how hard this is for you. And there are not words to tell you how much it means to me." He sat beside William on the bed, naked. "Once more, tell me that this is what you wish, just one more time."

William lifted up on to his elbows. "Zak, it's okay. Really it is, go on, feed. I'll bond with you, if it makes life any easier, helps to take the pain away, I'll do it. But you need to go on and do it, just encase I loose my nerve."

"Then William," Zak tore at his wrist, opening a vein. "Drink."

William's body stiffened with the first taste. It was like liquid lightning to him, and as Zak's teeth broke through the flesh of his throat and began to drink, William thought he would die. No one, nothing, ever, he couldn't concentrate on anything. Everything was pleasure, and everything was his.

His arms wrapped around Zak as the wound on the, vampires, wrist healed and the blood flow stopped. Now there was nothing but the joy of the feeding, and the pleasure it always brought. "Please, Zak." His voice was soft as it protested against Zak's, withdraw.

"Ssshh," small light kisses along the side of his throat, saliva helping to close the wound. "Relax my friend, it only gets better now." He lifted his head to look done with smiling eyes into William's. "We belong to each other now. You are as much a part of me as any mortal can ever be. Never again will you have to worry, or wonder if you are loved, if you have a place. My tie with you will be for life, and you will have it to fall back on until the day death takes you from me."

Yes. William could feel him now. He always was able to sense Zak's emotions, a little. But now, it was like Zak, was, him and he was Zak. And as he looked up, accepting for the first time in his life, the love of someone other than Cindy or Robyn, he was a peace with it. "So." He grinned up at his bedmate. "What's next?"

Zak's face glowed with joy as he leaned down to kiss him. "Now, I will make your body as much mine as I have made your heart."

William tried to speak, to move to help undo his denims, but Zak stopped him, hushing his questions. "Just relax William. I've been doing this for much longer than you." He nipped at his nose before returning to his neck. Chuckling softly as the goose bumps that seemed to spring up everywhere he touched.

William barely noticed as Zak fought with the buttons on his jeans, his whole being tied up in the feelings that raged through him. It had been so hard over the last few months, to not give in to Zak, as his feelings for his friend had been pressuring him. And now that he could, he wanted to make it the most beautiful of experiences. "Careful." His voice was soft as Zak pressed him into the bed, fingers reaching to pull him free of the confinement of his briefs. "I'm so drawn out, I'm afraid I'm going to explode."

"That" again soft lips, and a seeking kiss. "Is what I'm hoping for, go on Will, enjoy. I know I will." With a wink and one last kiss, Zak began to move slowly down his young friends' body.

Every nerve was alive, and where Zak touched they sang. It had been too long since his last lover. And now, he knew if Zak did what he thought he was going to, that it would be over in seconds. No one, not even Cindy who he had loved more than life, had ever drawn him out like this. "Oh-- Damn--yes--that's it." His voice rose as he came, giving in to the cool wetness of the mouth that claimed him.

Zak moved back up his body, slowly. Enjoying the hands that reached for him and touched him as much as he had enjoyed the feelings of William's release. "I love you." His head pressed against William's chest, resting there content for the first time in over four years.

William reached up, stoking his hair. "Yeah, I know, and I love you too. I can say it now. I think I've been falling in love with you for ages I was just too afraid to tell you. I'm glad I finally admitted to it. I just hope we did the right thing. I don't ever want you to think you made a mistake with me."

Zak rolled off of him laughing. " Me" ? And here I was about to say the same thing to you. I will live for a long time, even if later I decided that I would rather our friendship be simply that, the hundred and fifty years that you will be with me are nothing." He turned to look down at his, now, precious and cherished, love. "Though I can't see myself ever deciding that I want you anywhere but where I have you right now."

"Good, now come here. I think I'd like to try that once more before we go. I'm young and always horny." His mouth opened for Zak, welcoming the deepening kiss.

"Ah, you say the nicest things." And together laughing they began to explore their love. Zak was a gifted teacher, and William ever ready to learn.