To Taste the Dawn

The worst part of dealing with Djar demons was the blood. It was as thick and sticky as tar, and had the same high, sharp smell. As far as Jesse Madding knew, it was impossible to remove it from clothes. Once a drop landed on a pair of jeans or a T-shirt, that was it. The clothes were lost forever. And Gideon always made him clean the weapons they used, which could take a full day of continuous work. That was really the only reason Jesse decided to forego using a blade in favor of his bare hands. He could get the thick, gooey substance off his skin much easier than he could the metal. The nest they found in the abandoned “no-tell” motel was relatively small. Their packs could get up to twenty individuals, but Jesse and Gideon only found five Djar demons. Unfortunately, they also found the remains of at least four people. And they weren’t really remains so much as hints of the victims scattered through the ancient hotel room. A pair of glasses here. A shoe there. A wallet in the corner. Gideon had been straining for a fight, and as soon as they knocked in the door, he practically jumped into the room, with a smile of what could only be described as exuberance. Jesse, for his part, took the time to get a good idea of just how many awaited them before he followed Gideon’s lead. The fight was short and brutal. Believing Jesse to be a regular human, all five of the Djar demons turned on him, their long snouts dripping with white saliva, their teeth clicking together with unrestrained hunger. Jesse didn’t mind being the center of their attention. As long as they were focused on him, they weren’t paying close attention to Gideon. Jesse fended off each attack with a graceful ease, his body moving automatically, each blow nothing more than a logical follow through from his previous act. He could have done more than fend them off. He could have killed each one of them, but he preferred to watch Gideon deliver the final blows. Flashes of his pale, powerful arms caught in the dim light. Gideon had been pragmatic about this fight. He’d deliberately opted for a form-fitting T-shirt, something that wouldn’t get snagged very easily, with less fabric to worry about staining. Jesse hadn’t been surprised when he’d spent over half an hour deciding what to wear, but lounging on the bed, watching a half-naked Gideon shuffling through his wardrobe, had been worth every second of the wait. It was good now, too. Because he moved like a shadow between the stouter Djar, twisting beyond their reach to land crushing punches where they least expected them. Two charged Gideon at the same time. He crouched as if to take them on, then leapt forward at the last moment. He caught a slobbering snout in each hand, heedless of razor-like teeth digging into his palms, and used the holds to twist the demons’ necks as he soared over their heads. The distinctive cracks made the hair stand up on the back of Jesse’s neck. The other three snapped their attention away from him to fix black eyes on Gideon and the two bodies he tossed casually aside. He smiled at them, his fangs glistening. “First blood, boys.” He flicked a few thick droplets from his fingers in their direction. “Too bad they didn’t live long enough to actually taste it.” The three remaining demons completely lost interest in Jesse. He had never studied the anatomy of the beasts, but he was pretty convinced they relied on smell far more than sight. Their immediate reaction to Gideon’s blood confirmed that theory. They honed in on the scent, all three charging Gideon at once. Without thinking, Jesse teleported to place himself between Gideon and the demons. He took advantage of their stupefied shock, smashing one in the snout with enough force to send it flying across the room. “Hey,” Gideon complained good-naturedly behind him. “I was just starting to have fun here.” “You’re welcome to the other two,” Jesse tossed back. Gideon growled his pleasure at the response, snatching Jesse out of the way when one of the remaining two went for his legs. Gideon took the collision instead, and the pair went down in a heap, all flashing teeth and surly snarls. Blood sprayed from a fresh wound, but the rake down his bare arm only enraged Gideon further. He drove his fist into the demon’s chest, the muscles in his forearm flexing. Several beats passed with the two frozen in the macabre position. Then, the demon went limp, the life literally squeezed out of it. The demon Jesse had tossed pushed itself to its feet, clearly stunned, blood pouring from its ears. Instead of following the scent of Gideon’s blood, or the sound of its struggling comrade, it lowered itself to the ground and barreled toward Jesse’s legs. Jesse waited until he felt the demon’s hot breath right on his legs, and then teleported again, sending the demon into the opposite wall. A crack formed beneath its head, traveling up to the ceiling. Cockroaches streamed from the plaster. He heard the death scream of Gideon’s other prey, but didn’t dare look away from their lone enemy now. Its arms fumbled blindly for some kind of purchase against the wall. When it managed to curl its claw around a gnawed limb Jesse hadn’t noticed until now, Gideon made a sound of disgust and marched over to it. The Djar was helpless as Gideon drove his heel into its snout. A second kick to its head splattered thick blood against the wall behind it. “It’s a good thing this place is already out of business,” Gideon said as he surveyed the c*****e. “The cleaning bill alone would bankrupt it.” “That’s if they could even find anybody who’d be willing to take the job. How’s your hand?” The sticky Djar blood coated Gideon’s skin, all the way past his wrist. “Just a scratch. Think the water is still on in this place?” “Yeah, but…” Jesse gingerly stepped over a sticky puddle. “Let’s find a different room.” Gideon didn’t argue, though he did grin as he followed Jesse through the smashed door. “Since when are you squeamish about a little blood?” “I’m not squeamish. Maybe I don’t like cockroaches.” “That must be why I always see Emma wielding the shoe when you find one in the house.” “Well, they’re disgusting. With their eyes and their antennae.” Jesse tested a knob but it refused to turn. With a grunt, he pushed the door off its hinges, revealing a surprisingly clean—compared to the Djar nest—room. “After you.” Gideon made sure not to get any of the Djar blood on him as he stepped past, heading straight for the open bathroom door. The sound of running water echoed against the walls. “I think we got them all,” Gideon called out. “I’m not sensing anything else around here but us.” Jesse agreed that the motel was probably clean. He had the feeling that the nest of Djar kept the whole place free of the vagrants that were typically attracted to abandoned hovels like this. That, on top of the unseasonably warm spring weather, made Jesse fairly certain nobody was going to try a surprise attack. “And the night’s still young. I cleared our whole schedule for this trip.” The water stopped. When Gideon reappeared in the doorway, he leaned against the jamb and smiled, his fangs gleaming white in the dark shadows across his face. “That almost sounds like you had plans I don’t know about.” Jesse gasped with mock indignation. “Are you implying I had anything on my mind tonight except doing a good and thorough job?” “I don’t hear you denying it.” Jesse’s lips twitched, but he bit his smile back. “Now you are. I absolutely didn’t have any ulterior motives.” “Then I guess mentioning I’m hard as a rock and starving would be a waste of time.” He shrugged and moved to go back into the bathroom. “Your loss.” Jesse didn’t have a hard time believing that. Even in the dim light, he could see the outline of Gideon’s erection against his tight pants. “Wait. Wait. Let’s not be too hasty here. You know how…flexible I am. My plans can change.” Gideon paused and tilted his head back toward him. The knowing smile had returned. “Something tells me this is exactly the plan you had in mind, boy.” Jesse closed the distance between them, crowding Gideon into the narrow bathroom. “Only because you’re always hard as a rock and hungry after a fight.” A strong hand caught Jesse’s wrist, squeezing enough to still him. His strength was actually greater than Gideon’s, a fact they were both aware of, but most of the time, he suppressed it in favor of Gideon’s dominance, swaying to his power eagerly, desperately. Now, he remained motionless while Gideon pushed his other hand beneath Jesse’s shirt, his fingers still slightly damp from where he’d washed them, and shoved it up to expose Jesse’s chest. “I’ll just take a little something to take the edge off,” Gideon murmured. His dark head bent, and Jesse tilted his chin back, ready to meet his lips. What he got instead was Gideon bowing even lower, and then the sharp drive of his fangs directly into Jesse’s taut n****e. A sharp blade of hunger sliced through him at the very first prick of Gideon’s teeth. His c**k stiffened to the point of pain, his pants suddenly feeling two sizes too small. A fight always got his blood pumping, and knowing how a good spot of violence aroused Gideon just made his heart race faster. But he was still a little surprised how swiftly his body reacted to Gideon’s bite. His teeth sank deeper, and the blood erupted from his skin, filling Gideon’s mouth. He watched, fascinated, as Gideon pulled at his flesh, his throat working as he took a second swallow. But before Jesse could get lost in the familiar sensation, Gideon lifted his head and licked the scarlet blood from his lips. There was a dangerous glint in the vampire’s eye that told Jesse the short drink had done anything but take the edge off. “Strip,” came the curt command. He released Jesse’s wrist and folded his arms over his chest, the biceps seeming obscenely large in the atypical T-shirt he wore. “Or I’m going to tear those clothes off you and force you to go home naked.” His mouth canted. “Without teleporting.” The threat wasn’t necessary, though Jesse had no doubt that Gideon meant every single word. In the four years since he had received his extraordinary powers from Michelle, the strangest things had simply become commonplace. Gideon had become remarkably tolerant of the fact that Jesse popped in and out of rooms without warning. He also became adept at adopting Jesse’s skills to his own ends. Jesse tugged his shirt over his head, letting it drop to the floor without concern. There was a good reason he bought T-shirts that came in packs of ten. His shoes and pants followed, and by the time he was completely naked, his blood was pounding in his ears, and his c**k was leaking. Gideon pressed his hand flat against Jesse’s chest, directly over the already healing marks on his n****e. His fingers curled, digging into the muscle, and his gaze never wavered as he pushed Jesse back, slowly, firmly, until his shoulders met the cold tiled wall behind him. “So what exactly were your plans, boy?” Though his voice was low and hypnotic, it wasn’t enough to distract Jesse from the path of his other hand, especially when it wrapped around Jesse’s shaft and squeezed. “Tell me how flexible you’re being.” Jesse honestly couldn’t remember if he actually had other plans, or if it had all been a ploy. When Gideon got that close to him, he often forgot important details. Gideon’s mouth was so close to his, Jesse could almost feel it. A bit of blood still clung to the corner of his lips, and Jesse’s pulse thrummed in response. “After taking out the nest, I planned to…” Gideon’s grip tightened. “Yes?” Jesse gasped. “Do a complete sweep of the motel, and the surrounding area. You know, better safe than sorry.” His tongue darted out, licking Jesse’s lower lip. When Jesse opened for the kiss, Gideon retreated again, leaving him hard and aching. Instead, he raked his fangs along Jesse’s shoulder, down over his collarbone, honing directly for his unmarked n****e. “Sometimes, safe’s overrated,” Gideon mumbled, the split second before he sank his teeth into the hot flesh. Jesse’s spine went rigid, and he automatically grasped Gideon’s upper arms, reaching for anything to keep him steady. The bite wasn’t as clean as it could have been, and Jesse suspected Gideon did that on purpose. He tore at the flesh, to make it hurt a little more. To make sure he had Jesse’s complete attention as he swallowed mouthful after mouthful of the heated blood. His head swam. Gideon sucked hard at his veins, making him feel it all the way to his toes. He never loosened his grip on Jesse’s shaft, either. If anything, his hand got tighter, sliding upward to just below the crown. Then this drink was over, too, and Gideon was moving again, not up, not against Jesse, but down, to his knees, barely giving Jess a moment to catch his breath before pushing his leg to the side. He exposed the inner thigh, licked along the line between leg and balls, and promptly buried his fangs into the femoral artery. Jesse could experience blood loss without any negative consequences, but that didn’t mean there weren’t any effects at all. When Gideon tore into his flesh, it hurt. And when the blood gushed from his artery—flowing all the faster because of his rapidly pounding heart—he felt light-headed. He also felt that too familiar desire welling up inside of him, beginning at the bottoms of his feet and pushing upward, until it enveloped him. He curled his fingers in Gideon’s hair, gripping him tightly, holding him in place, becoming lost in every long pull of blood. A moan filled his head. When it vibrated against his thigh, he realized it came from Gideon. The back of his knee quivered, and he shifted his weight to lean more heavily against the wall, unwilling to lose his balance and this intoxicating connection between them. Gideon retracted his fangs and licked over the ragged puncture wounds he left behind. “I swear to God, you taste better every time I get my teeth into you,” he said, his voice thick and husky. His nose pushed against Jesse’s sac, his hand starting to stroke up and down his shaft. “You smell like f*****g heaven, boy.” Jesse whimpered as the words echoed through him. He shivered, and he felt the muscles in his thigh quiver. He knew Gideon would notice it, too. Gideon always noticed every little tremor, every twitch, every sign that Jesse was inching closer to his breaking point. “Can I get a taste of you, Sir?” Jesse asked thickly. “You mentioned being hard as a rock.” “When I’ve had my fill.” He sat back on his heels, angling the tip of Jesse’s c**k toward his mouth. “And I’m not nearly full enough yet.” Dragging the flat of his tongue over the dripping head, Gideon collected the pre-come wetting the skin before digging into the slit for more. Jesse tightened his hold on the back of Gideon’s skull, desperate for the balance he provided. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the sight of Gideon’s mouth, the full lips, the blood that still stained the corners. He saw the moment Gideon dropped his jaw, and he saw every inch of his c**k disappear into the tight swelter of his lover’s mouth, the fangs barely scraping along his length as Gideon sank to the root. Jesse prepared for the assault to start, the in and out of Gideon’s throat that would push him around the bend. What he got instead was a fresh sting, sharp pricks into the shorn skin at the base of his c**k as Gideon dove in for yet another drink. Jesse’s shocked cry stilled at his throat, lodged at the very back of his tongue with what remained of his breath. For a moment, the pain eclipsed everything else. In a way, Gideon’s fangs were no worse than the c**k rings he regularly wore, but there was one key difference. The c**k rings were tight, and often contained points that made him bleed, but those rings did not have the pressure, and the precision, of Gideon’s jaw as it closed around his base. Gideon sucked once, tightening the seal around Jesse’s c**k and filling his mouth with blood. Jesse’s knees buckled, and he would have gone down, except he managed to catch the ledge of the sink with slick fingers, holding on with enough force to whiten his knuckles. Heat enveloped his c**k. The haze of his thoughts prevented him from figuring out what it was for long seconds, seconds Gideon took advantage of to start tracing up and down the crease of Jesse’s ass. The blood. His blood. Gideon wasn’t swallowing right away, choosing instead to hold it in his mouth to bathe Jesse’s skin with it. When he growled, the echoes went straight through Jesse’s flesh, joining with his pounding pulse until he couldn’t tell one from the other. He chose to finally swallow and pull another mouthful at the same time he pushed the tip of his finger past Jesse’s tight ring of muscle. Jesse was accustomed to holding off, to making himself wait until Gideon gave the explicit order to come. Gideon had trained him to literally last for hours, to extend his own torment until it felt like every cell vibrated with the need for release. But with Gideon’s mouth full, he couldn’t issue orders, or warnings. And Jesse didn’t think anything short of the end of the world would make Gideon release him, especially since he wouldn’t even allow a single drop of blood to overflow and leak from the corner of his mouth. Gideon’s finger worked deeper into his body, pushing until his nail brushed against Jesse’s prostate. The contact was fleeting, and the pressure almost nonexistent. It might not have happened outside Jesse’s imagination, except for the fact that his entire body vibrated like a tuning fork. Gideon swallowed, and his cheeks hollowed as he took another deep drink. Jesse’s chest seized, and a sudden spasm made his hips jerk hard. His flesh tore farther against Gideon’s teeth, and a fresh heat surrounded Jesse’s c**k. He closed his eyes, the world tilting dangerously, pleasure sapping the strength from his muscles as he shot into Gideon’s waiting throat. The constriction as Gideon swallowed only made it worse, but Gideon clamped his forearm over Jesse’s stomach and pinned him to the wall. The fangs retracted, and while the immediate pain dissipated, the tightness left behind by Gideon’s mouth and throat overcame its absence. When the edge of the sink broke off in Jesse’s white-knuckled grip, he grabbed Gideon’s shoulder instead, all too needy of his strength. Gideon’s swallowing gradually slowed, then stopped as he eased back slightly on Jesse’s shaft. He didn’t let the softening length slip from his mouth, choosing instead to suck at the oversensitive skin, and Jesse trembled like a leaf caught in the wind by the time he reached the crown and swirled his tongue along the ridge. Jesse jerked his hips, trying to push his length into Gideon’s mouth. He’d even accept the sharp ring of teeth around his base again, but Gideon put a hard hand on his hip and stopped him from thrusting forward. His teeth caught against the thin skin at his crown, and fresh blood mingled with the remaining come. Gideon sucked at it greedily, catching the new drops against his tongue. “Stop,” Jesse finally gasped. “Stop, please, Sir. I can’t…” A warning growl rumbled from Gideon’s throat. Jesse had no choice but to hold his breath and wait out those interminable seconds before Gideon was done. He ended with a long swipe over the swollen, red tip, his lips stained an even darker red from the residual blood. “This plan turned out much better than yours, I think,” he said, glancing up at Jesse with a smirk. Jesse exhaled a shaking breath. “Your plans usually do turn out better.” Gideon let him go and straightened, pressing Jesse’s naked body into the cold tile. “So the question is, do I f**k you here, or risk scaring up some more cockroaches in the next room?” “I have the feeling you won’t be able to resist all that carnage.” “And you love it.” Gideon bent his head, his intent to kiss Jesse all too clear, when he stiffened and c****d his head. Jesse recognized that reaction. Gideon heard something. Or smelled something. In some way, he’d sensed something else nearby. “Jesse?” The female voice was faint, but clear, followed immediately by a low, masculine murmur. “s**t,” Gideon muttered. Releasing his hold on Jesse, he bent and scooped up his clothes. “You should probably get dressed.” Jesse didn’t need to be told. He was already yanking his pants over his sore c**k, his mind racing. What was Dominique doing there? Was there an emergency? Was somebody hurt? He couldn’t think of any other reason she would track them down to a demon’s nest, but if there was a genuine emergency, it would have been faster and easier to call him. “Jesse?” “Wait…” He coughed, clearing his throat. “I’ll be right there.” Gideon’s features smoothed, his eyes returning to their normal brown, his fangs retracting. “I’ll see what she wants.” He shook his head. “Sometimes, I have no idea how that girl managed to make it to adulthood. As far as she knows, there could still be demons around.” “She made it to adulthood because we wouldn’t let any of the demons get her,” Jesse muttered. “Well, we should’ve taught her better to be careful.” Gideon opened the door only wide enough to slip out, not enough to expose Jesse in case Dominique stood on the other side. Not that Dominique hadn’t caught him in similar or even worse circumstances. Just not since she’d moved out of the house. He dressed quickly, but the sound of Dominique’s voice neared with each second. As he slipped on his left shoe, Gideon’s sharp, “Don’t even think it,” was followed by the bathroom door being flung wide open. Dominique stood on the other side. At the age of twenty, she wasn’t any taller than she’d been when he’d first met her. Barely five feet with a riot of black curls spilling down her narrow back. Her dark skin merged with the shadows of the dim room, but the flash of her brilliant smile lit her up as always, even when she threw herself inside and grabbed Jesse’s wrist. “There you are.” She tugged hard enough to pull him off-balance, his shoe clattering to the floor. The distinct scent of beer wafted from her breath. “Come on. I’ve been looking for you all night.” “You were looking for me? You couldn’t wait back at the house instead of wandering around in a dangerous neighborhood?” “I tried stopping her.” The declaration came from an unfamiliar male voice, probably the same one Jesse had heard earlier. Jess followed Dominique out of the bathroom to see Gideon standing near the doorway, a grim expression on his face, and a muscular young man nearby. At the sight of Jesse, the young man stepped forward and held out his hand, the fingers wide and blunt. “I’m Cory Swain. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Madding.” “Cory Swain,” Jesse repeated slowly, searching his memory for the name, but he drew a blank. “Did Dominique tell you we could help you?” It wouldn’t be the first time Dominique had referred a friend to them as a client. Her light laughter floated around him as she came around to Cory’s side. Her arms looped around Cory’s waist. “Cory can hold his own. Trust me.” Behind them, Gideon cleared his throat. “Dominique, maybe you and Cory should go home for the night. We’re working here.” “Oh, please.” She sniffed and raked her eyes down Jesse’s body. “I’ve seen you guys after too many fights not to know you were stuffing him in there.” Jesse sighed. “Dominique.” “What? Am I wrong?” “You haven’t told me yet what you’re doing in this very dangerous demon’s nest.” Jesse narrowed his eyes. “How did you even know we were here?” “Emma told me.” Gideon snorted. “I sincerely doubt Emma gave you the exact location. She knew this was dangerous.” Her stubborn chin lifted. “It’s not my fault Jesse has had the same filing system for the last five years. All his notes were right there, in the second drawer of his desk.” Jesse growled, taking her arm to lead her toward the open door. “How many times have I told you not to go through my desk? Come on, let’s go home and we’ll talk about exactly how long you’re going to be grounded.” As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he froze. Cory was looking at them with drawn, confused brows. Gideon seemed vaguely amused. Dominique’s mouth was pulled into a frown of annoyance. “Sorry.” He released her. “My point still stands about not going through my desk.” “Fine. Point taken. But I only did it because I wanted you to meet Cory.” “I did tell her we shouldn’t bother you while you’re working,” Cory apologized. “But, well, I’m sure you know how hard it is to stop Dominique once she gets an idea in her head.” “Why’s it so important that I meet Cory right now?” “It’s not that important,” Cory said. “But we were talking tonight about how last week Dominique introduced me to Gideon and Emma, and decided it was time I meet you, too. I just didn’t realize she meant, you know, tonight.” “What?” Jesse looked over to Gideon. “What the hell is going on here?” With a sigh, Gideon stuffed his hands in his pockets. He looked like this was the last place on earth he wanted to be. “Cory and Dominique are dating.” “Not just dating,” Dominique announced. “After the semester is over, we’re moving in together.” Jesse reacted without thinking. “No, you’re not.” “What?” “You are not moving in with some guy.” “He’s not some guy! He’s my boyfriend, and I love him.” “And I’m the guy who is paying for your school, and your rent, and everything else you need, and I say that you’re not moving in with him.” “Actually, Gideon is paying for those things.” Gideon held up his hands. “Hey, you are not dragging me into this. This is exactly why I told you to hold off on the introductions.” “Did you know they were moving in together?” Jesse demanded. “I knew she was thinking about it.” Gideon shot her a fierce glare. “She should’ve thought a lot harder.” Dominique didn’t back down, though Cory’s arm tightened around her, as if to keep her from leaping forward. “It’s my life. I’ll do whatever I want.” “How could you even think about moving in with him? How long have you even known him?” “Long enough. He taught that history class I took last year, the one I got the A in.” “Maybe this isn’t the place to be having this conversation,” Gideon jumped in. Jesse’s eyes widened. “You’ve been seeing him for a year? He’s a professor? You’re a professor? Just how old are you?” “I’m a grad assistant,” Cory said quickly. “And Dominique earned that A. We didn’t start dating until after she’d finished the course.” “Yeah.” Dominique smoothed her hand along his waist, fingertips dipping inside his waistband before he grasped her wrist and pulled it free. “It took me two months to wear him down.” “You’ve been seeing him for that long and you didn’t even think to mention it to me?” Jesse turned toward the door. “Come on. Gideon’s right. We shouldn’t be having this conversation here.” Dominique didn’t move. “What? You’re going to make us take the long way home? I told Cory you’d teleport us.” “It’s not a party trick, Dominique. You found your way here, I’m sure you can find your way home again.” When she opened her mouth to speak again, Gideon moved forward to clamp his hand over it. “Don’t do it,” he hissed. Gently, Cory pulled her back. “Sorry about this.” He even sounded sincere. “She just wanted us to finally meet. I’ll get her home. Don’t worry.” “Great,” Jesse said curtly. “We’ll talk about this—all of this—there.” Dominique didn’t look exactly happy about the prospect, but she allowed Cory to lead her out of the room. Jesse folded his arms, watching them go, and wasn’t surprised when his eye started to twitch. It was an automatic reaction he had developed not too long after he became Dominique’s legal guardian. “You know she was drunk, don’t you?” Gideon said. “She wouldn’t have done this if she was sober and thinking straight.” “Sure. If she was sober and thinking straight, she would have delayed telling me for what? A week? A month? Another year? And what’s your excuse?” A muscle twitched in Gideon’s jaw. “I thought we were going to talk about this back at the house.” “Yeah. Right.” He didn’t want to wait until they were back at the house, but at that moment, Jesse realized he wasn’t in the mood to talk, either. It wasn’t difficult to remember the days when Dominique told him absolutely everything that happened to her. She never acted like she had any reason to keep secrets from him. Jesse wasn’t sure when that changed—until five minutes ago, he hadn’t been aware anything had changed at all. And he certainly had no reason to think Gideon would keep Dominique’s secrets. But apparently, he had been wrong about that, too. Without another word, he teleported to his office. And left Gideon at the hotel.