Edwige pulled Vaughan’s arm around her so he could feel the strength and possibility of her back. “I’m a mother, I know everything. Including the fact that no matter how angry you get, how disappointed, it will not change how our sons feel about each other.”
Her back felt incredibly solid, warm, nothing like Brania’s soft flesh, but enticing nonetheless. Vaughan shook his head. He couldn’t let himself get distracted from the problem he had to solve, or could he? If Michael was anything like him when he was a teenager, there was nothing he could say that would prevent his son from acting on his impulse. No matter how inappropriate and unacceptable that impulse might be. Maybe he should collect his thoughts, figure out a new approach, and in the meantime get to know this woman better. “Maybe you’re right,” Vaughan said. “Maybe I should leave him alone for tonight.”
“That’s my boy. Leave the children to explore and perhaps … perhaps the grown-ups should do the same.” Although Edwige spoke to Vaughan, she didn’t take her eyes off of Ronan. She saw him whisper to Nakano and, despite the blaring music, could hear him tell the boy not to come home tonight. Confident that her son was finally going to satisfy the needs of The Well, Edwige turned her sights back to Vaughan and realized she might be able to have her needs satisfied as well.
As the DJ announced that the last song was about to be played, Nakano knew he had no more time left. He rushed over to Brania, who was standing next to, but not talking with, Ciaran. Not that it mattered who was nearby. Brania was his master, so he didn’t need to speak; he could think his thoughts and she would be able to hear him. Sometimes being a vampire was so efficient.
Michael is sleeping over at Ronan’s tonight. It’ll be the perfect time for me to take him.
No. He doesn’t want us to act just yet.
Why not?! This is what we’ve been waiting for.
Brania sighed loudly. Ciaran knew coming to the festival with her was a mistake, but he didn’t think she was going to do such a poor job appearing interested. Well, one more dance and the whole foolish night would be over anyway. Ignoring Ciaran, Brania looked straight ahead and spoke telepathically to Nakano. I don’t know why He wants us to wait, but if you ever question Him again, I will kill you. Done with both the vampire and the teenager, Brania finally spoke to Ciaran. “Before I die of boredom, I’m leaving. I trust you can find your own way home.”
Ciaran was too shocked to respond, so Nakano spoke for him, “Looks like you’re as successful with the ladies as you are with the boys.”
Looking at the vampire, Ciaran was filled with a mixture of jealousy and disgust, but let the latter emotion shape his words. “At least I had a date this evening, which means you’re an even bigger loser than I am.”
Left alone amid the swirl of noise and activity that signaled the end of the festival, Nakano felt the rage boil within him. Ronan had left him, Brania had turned her back on him yet again, and now this one had insulted him. Did no one know who he was? He deserved better than this, better than watching couples all around him pair off as he, the one who was superior to every single person left in this room, was abandoned, ignored. Well, not for long.
As Alistair watched Nakano walk toward the wall of windows, he thought he was just going outside, near The Forest to take a shortcut back to his dorm. He never thought he was on his way to feed. Still, he felt uneasy.
“Well, Alistair,” Sister Mary Elizabeth said, “another successful festival is about to end.”
He heard her words but ignored them. “Sister?”
“Yes, Alistair?”
“Please pray for me,” the headmaster asked. “Please pray for us all.” Long after the front door closed behind him, Sister Mary Elizabeth tried to make sense of his strange request. She really couldn’t, but as she watched the students dancing the final dance of the night, she did as he had asked.
At the edge of The Forest, just out of the glow cast by the festival lights, just out of reach of the Sister’s prayers, Penry held Imogene in his arms, nervous, still unused to holding something so soft, something that smelled so clean. “I …” A lump caught in Penry’s throat, causing him to swallow hard. “I think I …”
Imogene looked up into her boyfriend’s eyes and she knew what he was trying to say; she also knew that he might not find the will to speak the words out loud, but that was okay. She could tell by the quick beating of his heart and the warmth of his breath that he felt the words and for her that was more than enough. She understood.
“I love you,” Michael gasped. He didn’t mean to say it out loud, but he couldn’t stop himself. He had dreamed about being alone with Ronan like this, naked, scared, yet unashamed, and he knew that it would be exquisite, but it had surpassed his expectations. Ronan was powerful and gentle, quick and slow, and above all, loving. He made Michael feel innocent and worldly all at the same time and he said things to Michael that he never thought another boy would ever whisper to him. And so Michael said the words he felt, the most honest statement he had ever made. “I love you.”
Ronan lifted his head from Michael’s taut stomach, which he was smothering with kisses, and paused. He needed to make sure Michael was speaking coherently and not as a result of the passion being unleashed within him. “Do you mean that?”
Michael pushed the covers away and sat up, wrapping his legs around Ronan, so it was just the two of them, flesh to flesh, and spoke the words again quietly and with confidence. “I love you, Ronan. I know I’m young, but I also know that I’ve loved you since the first day I saw you. I think since before I even came here.”
I am looking at everything I have ever wanted in another human being. “I love you, Imogene.” Penry was almost as surprised as his girlfriend when the words crashed through the air. But Imogene was more surprised when something sharp slashed through her neck.
Nakano moved so quickly, Penry didn’t see him approach them, and then when he saw him dig his teeth into his girlfriend’s neck, covering her mouth so her screams would be stifled, he didn’t understand what was happening. Nakano was acting like an animal. When he tossed Imogene to the ground, Penry got a better look at his face. He looked like one too.
Ronan pushed Michael back on the bed, their passion and excitement completely out of control. In between kisses and groans of delight, Ronan declared, “Michael Howard … I am in love with you … and I want you to be mine … forever.”
“Yes,” Michael replied, his voice gruff and constricted with so many emotions, “yes, forever and ever.”
Ronan buried his face in Michael’s neck and felt the warmth of his body penetrate his. He held his life in his hands. All he had to do was let his fangs descend and feast on his heavenly, willing flesh.
His blood tasted heartier than he expected. Penry wasn’t virile or an athlete; physically, he was an average specimen. But oh, his blood was something special. Wave after wave of luscious bright red fluid flooded Nakano’s mouth. He took more than he needed because he could; he could do anything he wanted because the boy in his arms was merely human and Nakano was much, much more.
When the release came, it surprised Michael. He couldn’t believe how thunderous it was, much different from when he was by himself. He clutched Ronan’s back and felt the final waves of passion rip through his body as well. He thought he heard him whimper, but then realized his moans were muffled because his mouth was buried in his neck. Michael twitched when he felt the pinch of Ronan’s teeth, then smiled because he had received his first love bite.
Ronan shifted so his body was directly on top of Michael’s. He was trembling, his face flushed, a bit sweaty, and his eyes were moist. He said exactly what Michael was thinking. “That was beautiful.”
Nakano spoke the same words to Penry. They were the last words Penry heard before he fell to the ground and died.
chapter 18
The morning light exposed two sets of bodies, each entangled in an embrace.
Michael’s eyes were closed, but he could feel the sunlight spread across his face like a warm hello. He snuggled closer into Ronan so his back was pressing against the boy’s chest, and brought his arm around him
