Vampires and Lovers Ch. 03

A derisory snort from Ishmael had all eyes turning upon him.

"I don't like her," he said defensively. "Or her manservant."

"Ayesha goes nowhere without Khalid. She and Ishmael have never taken to one another."

"She's aloof with everyone except you and after she goes you are exhausted," he said animatedly.

"That is because we work hard," Yasmin replied swiftly. "You are not to cause more difficulties with another friend, Ishmael. The time for youthful malice or mischief is past. I need you to be a man for me."

"You never listen to me," Ishmael pouted.

"Perhaps when you have something worth saying I will," Yasmin countered.

"You have shown scant regard or respect for us, Ishmael, even though you are one of us," Seamus pointed out.

"I have no powers. Only Yasmin is a mage," Ishmael said sullenly. "I can only see through a scrying ball intermittently and then only images in this house and grounds."

"Some mage's powers take many years to surface. You are still but a youth. Don't assume you have nothing to contribute and don't disregard the protocols we have. They are a part of your heritage," Seamus said.

"Ayesha and Khalid will arrive tomorrow," Yasmin said, rising and indicate the others should also stand. "We have a few hours before we need leave to watch over our allotted guardian. I have arranged for a meal in a couple of hours and thought you might like to rest first."

****

Alone in their room, Gabriel made short work of stripping his willing lover and denuding himself. His arousal had been simmering since Vincent and Wyl had reaffirmed their Bond, the sated scent of those he loved as brothers inexorably fuelling his own desire to mate. His long, hard flesh throbbed and dripped as he loomed over the smiling, diminutive blond. He returned the smile before licking from David's collarbone to his ear, nibbling on an alluring lobe to a soft moan of appreciation.

"You are my world," he husked. "I love you."

"Love you, want you. Take me, Gabriel," David whispered, reaching to caress his lover's face. His own rod was hard against his stomach and he knew he was equally aroused as his bigger mate. He dropped his hands to find and gently pinch dark nubs hidden in Gabriel's opulent chest fur. He tilted his head and offered his throat, signalling his willing submission to his Lycan alpha mate. He moaned again as sharp teeth grazed his bared flesh.

Gabriel eagerly accepted the hot, sweet essence of his lover. A low, rumbling purr reflected a mixture of his pleasure and possessiveness. Despite his mate's smaller frame, Gabriel was well aware that he and David were of almost equal strength. It humbled the Lycan to know that the blond vampire always willingly offered himself, truly wanted Gabriel inside him, loved and desired him with a passion that was also equal to his own.

Intent on showing his mate just how much he was loved, Gabriel licked closed the tiny wounds on David's neck and pressed open-mouthed kisses towards the irresistible pink buds that adorned the smooth chest. He licked them in turn before treating them to tender suckling and gentle nips until both were diamond-hard and reddened and David writhed with need. Gabriel heeded the siren call of his lover's pre-come. Its silvery trails glistened across a toned abdomen and he assiduously licked his mate clean.

He nuzzled David's sac, feeling its weight, heavy with his lover's unspent need. He took one precious orb in his mouth, rolling it reverently, slowly, relishing the pleas spilling from David's lips. Releasing the one, he repeated his actions with the second as he pressed lithe legs up and out. Growling softly as he reluctantly relinquished his prize, he spread David wide to his predatory gaze. The small dusky-pink rosette was already dilated and glistening with his lover's lubricant. He lapped slowly, savouring the musky-sweet flavour, letting the taste excite him further.

Gabriel positioned the plum-hued head of his sex at his mate's pulsating portal and pressed forward. He felt his lover's legs wrap around his waist, small heels digging insistently into his buttocks. With a low howl of uninhibited joy, Gabriel flexed his powerful haunches and drove deep into welcoming heat. The cry of pleasure that spilt from David's lips told the Lycan he was striking his lover's sweet spot and urged him to thrust harder, faster and deeper.

David writhed beneath his bigger mate, delighting in the feel of the strong, furred body. His trapped shaft rubbed between their bodies, but as a long-time Bonded pair, David knew he could come just from the fact that it was *Gabriel* inside him. He gave a cry of his mate's name as the Lycan bit down on his shoulder, knowing the alpha male sought to leave a tangible mark. The possessiveness of his lover was a potent aphrodisiac and David could feel himself hurtling towards an incendiary climax. Waves of pleasure from low in his belly began to crash over him and dulcet bolts coalesced into one single irresistible force. His back arched, despite the weight of his mate, and a fountain of pearlescent seed jetted from his sex to anoint their bodies. His shout of Gabriel's name was drowned by the roar of his own and he moaned as hot juices filled his spasming channel.

As he came down from his shared orgasmic high, David languished in a sated afterglow. Smiling, he savoured the feel of Gabriel's full weight on him. Desultory thrusts from the big Lycan's hips continued to send pleasurable aftershocks through his body as his lover's slowly softening sex lightly caressed his jewel. He gave a wordless mewl of loss as Gabriel moved.

"Oh that's nice, love," he then murmured appreciatively, spreading his legs wider.

Gabriel's unseen smile was feral as he carefully withdrew from David's tender depths and began to lick his lover clean. The taste of his seed inside his mate's body had the bigger male purring with pleasure and the sated scent appeased the beast that dwelt within him. He moved slowly up the supine form, licking the alabaster skin clean of every drop of his lover's precious crème. He worshipped the perfect pinks nubs once more as David's small hands carded through his hair, before he finally mated their mouths. As the kiss ended, his rolled their bodies to cradle David to his chest.

"Feed from me, beloved," he urged, offering his throat as willingly as the blond had earlier in their lovemaking. He gave a deep rumble of satisfaction as sharp teeth pierced his skin and he felt the dainty suckling of his lover.

Davis sighed his pleasure as he tasted Gabriel's rich elixir. His husband's furred skin was a pleasurable contrast to the smoothness of his own and large, strong hands stroked from his shoulder blades to his buttocks where they squeezed proprietarily. He gave a wriggle of his rear as he licked closed the tiny puncture marks earning a soft laugh from his mate. He rubbed his face in the soft fur of Gabriel's chest and sucked at each succulent nipple he discovered. Finally he gazed down at his Bonded mate, twinkling turquoise orbs meeting satiated sienna.

"I love you," David whispered.

"And I you, my angel," Gabriel replied, wrapping his arms around the slender form. He smiled as David snuggled close, murmuring his appreciation as the small vampire resumed his loving ministrations at his breast. For a short time, at least, the impending danger was forgotten as the couple immersed themselves in the love they shared.

****

Angelica, the spell-caster the group were assigned to protect, had the appearance of an elderly lady who fussed like a grandmother over Wyl and David to the amusement of the rest of their family.

"One of the main problems with a mummy is that there is nothing to alert us of their presence. There is no aura, no scent until they are already too close, no mental emission," she explained to Wyl. "However, because they are time-consuming to create and take such a vast store of power to control and use, it has been many, many years since we have been challenged by one making use of them," she complained, looking at her fortified door.

"Or we would be swept away by a vast mummy army?" Wyl guessed.

"Exactly," Yasmin affirmed.

Wyl suddenly gave a shiver and his eyes moved to stare towards a barricaded window.

"What do you feel, my Own?" Vincent asked immediately, noticing with pride that the others turned as one to focus on their youngest member.

"I don't know," Wyl said truthfully. "Something...so very faint...but ...something dark, Vincent."

"Is there something wrong?" Angelica asked, as she was flanked by Yasmin. The two women looked anxiously at the others.

"I don't feel anything," Yasmin said, frowning.

"Wyl has Sensitive qualities," David replied, his eyes still focused on his chosen brother. "If he feels something, we need to be on our guard."

For a moment that seemed to stretch into infinity, Yasmin watched as Vincent and the others stood around Wyl as he stared into a distance only he could see. She looked at the dark beauty, his face a mask of concentration, who clearly felt something beyond the abilities of herself or the others. She found herself tensing as Wyl's wide eyes turned to his soul-mate.

"Closer, Vincent," he whispered.

"Take Angelica up to her bedroom, Wyl," Vincent ordered. "David, take position outside. Remember that only decapitation will stop this creature."

"Its master won't be expecting a mounted defence," Seamus said. "We will have the advantage."

"I smell death," Gabriel growled, his body already in its near-feral Lycan form. "Well covered."

The others nodded, picking up on the distinctive scent which sporadically reached them now they were actively seeking it.

"It would have been upon is if not for Wyl," Seamus whispered, turning off the lights. He pushed Yasmin into a corner, the dark no disadvantage for the rest of his family. "Stay behind me," he cautioned the younger woman.

The attack was sudden, silent and a shock. Not one, but two mummies crashed into the room, their intent not the amulet, but attacking Vincent, Seamus and Gabriel.

From his position on the stairs, David listened, puzzled, to the sounds of fighting downstairs. It seemed more intense than he anticipated, but he was certain that no mummy would get past his family. The sound of breaking glass and a cut-off scream had him flying into the bedroom he guarded. He bit back his gasp as he saw two mummies attacking. Wyl was engaged with one whilst the other was methodically crushing Angelica's windpipe. He could see the spell-caster's white light at the creature's neck repelled by dark. Without further hesitation, he launched himself into the fray.

Gripping the creature attacking Angelica tightly around the waist with his legs, he put all his strength into wrenching off its head. It should have been an easy task, however, there appeared to be power protecting the creature's neck, the dark light glowing as David flexed and strained his muscles. He was helpless to react as Angelica was dropped and the creature reached to pull him from its back to send him flying into Wyl and the other combatant.

Growling, David was on his feet almost instantly, but the creature was already removing the star point, Angelica too weak to prevent it. As he prepared to rush it a second time, it turned to face him. There was a black, malevolent glow where its eyes should be and then two bolts of black light struck the blond vampire in the chest and he crumpled instantly.

Wyl had been struggling with the second creature, their strength equally matched, when he felt his opponent lose power. Not wasting any time, he lunged for its weak spot. He gripped the back of its head and its jaw and wrenched as hard as possible. The head came away and he threw it aside with an exclamation of disgust. The beheaded body still moved, but sluggishly, its motions slowing as Wyl stood. He gave a cry of distress as he saw both Angelica and David lying unmoving.

His sharp eyes caught the movement of the spell-caster's chest and so he moved to his chosen brother. Two circles in the centre of the blond's chest still smouldered and Wyl immediately patted the singed clothing and lifted the shirt to check the wounds beneath. The pale chest was marred by twin burns, but to Wyl's relief, David seemed to be reviving. Wyl opened his wrist and held it to David's mouth, the smaller vampire accepting the offering with some difficulty. Wyl watched anxiously as dimmed turquoise eyes fluttered open.

"Amulet?" David husked.

Wyl shook his head.

"Angelica?"

"Alive, but I don't know how badly she's hurt," Wyl said.

At the sound of the door bursting open, Wyl whirled, adopting an attacking stance until he saw it was Vincent and Gabriel. He sagged as he recognised his family. He stepped away as Gabriel rushed to tend to his fallen mate and watched with worried eyes as Vincent checked Angelica. He glanced back to the doorway as Yasmin and Seamus appeared.

"How's David?" Seamus asked, seeing the Lycan bent over the fallen vampire.

"Sore and disgusted he did so badly, but he'll be fine," David answered for himself, trying to reassure his concerned family. "It discharged some kind of energy bolt from its eye sockets," he added.

"We were lucky, Yasmin was able to deflect them," Seamus said. "There was some kind of protective spell preventing us from decapitating them. But Yasmin mounted a concentrated counter-attack and managed to weaken it enough for us to destroy one. The other got away."

"These were no ordinary mummies," Yasmin said, her face still pale with shock. "I have never heard of anyone able to direct more than two creatures at one time and yet we were attacked by three," she said shakily, her eyes focused on the fallen creature.

"Four," said Wyl quietly. "One got away with the star point."

"We need to get these things destroyed and aid for Angelica," Seamus sighed. He, Vincent and Gabriel had taken a hard enough beating from the creatures and David clearly needed time to regain his strength and heal. As bad as all that was, worse still was the knowledge they had failed and their nemesis now had three pieces of the amulet.

****

Vincent ushered Wyl under the warming spray of the shower and, soaping his hands, began a slow massage of his lover's body that cleaned and soothed in equal measure. He was unsurprised at the surge of his sex. His mate was warm, naked and unhurt and the older vampire's body sought to affirm their love and their life. Wyl murmured wordlessly, clearly reacting to Vincent's touch and scent, turning to offer his body to the bigger male.

"You are too tired, my angel," Vincent whispered solicitously, ignoring his lower body's demands. He completed their shower and dried them rapidly. In a heartbeat they were under a thick duvet and Vincent cradled Wyl to his body in their bed. He growled at the erection pressed into his thigh, unable to ignore his lover's need. He positioned Wyl to feed and caught their swollen shafts in a powerful grip, stroking as his young lover fed.

Wyl drank willingly, needing the strength of his mate and the intimacy of the act. He moaned at the sensation of the strong hand squeezing and pumping him alongside Vincent's own hard flesh as the potent elixir slid down his throat. He barely had time to lick closed the tiny punctures before his orgasm was washing over him and he whimpered helplessly into the broad chest. Strong arms wrapped tightly around him and he willingly gave himself into Vincent's care.

"Sleep, my beloved," Vincent whispered tenderly. "I will guard you."

It was long hours later before the older vampire felt secure enough to grant himself the luxury of a couple of hours of true sleep.

****

The next morning, everyone gathered together. David came in with Gabriel and looked paler than normal. His normally sparkling blue eyes were dull and weary. He admitted to feeling drained of energy, despite feeding from both Seamus and Vincent.

"I fear I will be of little use today," he said tiredly, his smile a pale imitation of his normal one. He hugged Wyl as the brunette came over to him, anxiety in the espresso orbs. "Thank you for taking care of me, little one," he added. "You did well, Wyl."

"I wish I could have done more," Wyl replied, blushing.

"I don't know of any single mage capable of controlling so many minions," Yasmin said. "And to be able to strike with such force as well, perhaps Ayesha may have some ideas."

David ruefully rubbed at his chest. Despite his recuperative powers, the burn marks still ached. He smiled as Gabriel enfolded him in a protective embrace, nuzzling at his neck. Gabriel had barely let him out of arm's reach since the previous night.

"A couple of spell-casters could be working in tandem, increasing their power that way," Seamus said thoughtfully.

"Or could one be some kind of ...of power source...generator, if you like, for another?" Wyl asked.

"That's an original concept," Yasmin said, tilting her head, considering the idea.

"We've already dealt with something that we had no name for," Gabriel growled. "It's certainly worth considering. Sometimes we can become as blinkered and complacent as those we protect."

"Wyl may not know much of the denizens of our world, but we already know from experience that it would be foolish to dismiss a theory just because it doesn't fit our preconceived notions," Seamus added ruffling the brunette's hair.

"I understand," Yasmin smiled. "I cannot speak for Ayesha, but I will certainly bear the idea in mind, Wyl."

Wyl smiled from his place at Vincent's side. He felt proud that his family had shown him such support. His smile faded a little as he watched David be walked by an attentive Gabriel to sit, eyes closing, as though too tired to remain standing. He was thankful the blond had not been more badly hurt and silently prayed that, with Ayesha joining them, they might find and defeat their nemesis before anyone else was hurt.

****

In deference to David's lingering fragility, he and Gabriel had retired to bed to rest again before Ayesha and Khalid arrived.

Wyl watched from Vincent's side as Yasmin welcomed the couple into her home. In Wyl's eyes, Ayesha was very beautiful, but it seemed somehow artificial. Yasmin wore makeup to enhance her natural beauty, but it was as though Ayesha used her face as a canvass and cosmetics to create a living work of art. She wore an electric blue, silk trouser suit that emphasised full breasts, a small waist and swaying hips. Her raven-black hair was in a complicated style that was held in place by jewelled combs, her perfume heavy and cloying. Her skin was a shade or two darker than Yasmin and she gave an aura of detachment as she looked around.

Behind her, standing like a silent sentinel, was Khalid. He was taller and broader than Gabriel. His skin was as dark as ebony and just as smooth. His skull was shaved and the gold waistcoat, which was all he wore on his torso, was open to display a powerful chest and solid six-pack of abdominal muscles.

The pair made a striking couple, but Wyl could not help the shiver as he completed his almost covert assessment of the newest members of the team. It was as though an invisible wall separated Ayesha and Khalid from the others, even Yasmin, and he took an instant dislike to the arrogant mien of the darker woman.

"They seem so distant," he whispered to his mate.

"Yasmin is a long-time friend. Most spell-casters like to project an image of mystery, although I would say Ayesha does not like mixing with others not of her kind."

Ayesha stepped back from her greeting of Yasmin to survey the men she was now being introduced to. The green-eyed blond had some possibilities, but the blue-eyed blond was better. However, he seemed joined at the hip to the slender brunette. Ayesha gave a minute wrinkle of her nose. The dark vampire was too delicate. A sound had her turning. Now this was more like it. Ayesha openly appraised the Lycan. She liked, dark, powerful and masculine and this one was all three. Ignoring what Yasmin was saying, she swayed predatorily towards the big male.