Moonlight Desires

AUTHOR: TexasAries

texasaries2@yahoo.com

Fandom: Mag7/Antia Blake

PARING: Chris/JD, Ezra/Vin

UNIVERSE: Anita Blake AU

RATING: NC-17

ARCHIEVE: YES

STATUS: WIP

AU: CLOSED

ROWAN Challenge: '04 from Kit- use the song selected by the random method detailed then write a fic inspired by the song - should not be a songfic.

DISCLAIMER: I do not claim any rights over the Magnificent 7 characters used in this story, which has been written for the joy of writing only (whether it be good writing or no) and for no other purpose (such as monetary gain). Trilogy Entertainment Group, the Mirisch Group and MGM own the Mag 7 characters/aspects of the story.

All the characters from the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter books belong to Laurel K. Hamilton.

WARNING: This fic is rated NC-17 for explicit sexual content between a group men. If that's not your thing I don't know why you're on this list. ;) However, if you're accidental or stumbled into a web site somewhere, consider yourself warned. If you're illegal age or uncomfortable, amscray!

THANKS: Setcheti for editing this story and encouraging me with it!


Moonlight Desires
by TexasAries

The two SUVs flew down the twisted New Hampshire mountain road uncaring of the twists and turns that came their way. Their flight in the late summer afternoon went unnoticed due to the sparse population along this roadway. No one could hear the sounds of gunfire or the squeal of tires as the two vehicles raced, one in pursuit and the other for freedom.

FBI agent Ezra’s Standish’s knuckles were white due to the death grip he had on the Explorer’s steering wheel. His sharp green eyes scanned the road in front of them while he snapped out orders for JD to stay down and his partner to be careful. His partner, Vin Tanner, was busy reloading his Berretta while keeping an eye on the car pursing them. Once the gun was reloaded Vin leaned back out the passenger side window and returned some of the fire the Lexus behind them was throwing their way. JD was lying flat on the floorboards behind the driver and passenger seats, shuddering every time he heard a bullet hit the vehicle that was sheltering them. He risked lifting his head up from the floorboards so he could look between the front seats to see Ezra’s face, taking strength from this man who had become a friend during the weeks they’d been in hiding.

Now they were on the run because someone in the FBI had leaked news of their whereabouts, and JD knew that not only his life was forfeit but his protectors’ lives as well. They would have been caught unawares if Mrs. Potter hadn’t become suspicious of some men asking about the questions about them and phoned to let Ezra know. The warning had enabled them to get out just in time…only to have the bad luck to be recognized by the hit men as they passed their car, resulting in the deadly chase they were now involved in.

The young man’s mind was drawn back four weeks that seemed like a lifetime ago to when he’d stumbled across a suspicious-looking transaction at the investment company he worked for and in trying to track it down had uncovered more than he bargained for. Curiosity made him dig deeper, which turned out to be a mistake when he realized he was looking at a money laundering scheme that seemed to involve both the Chinese Tongs and the Russian mob. He’d quickly and thoroughly erased his tracks before going home for the night, knowing his life could be at stake if anyone found out that he’d seen the evidence, and he’d spent the remainder of the evening trying to figure out what to do.

And over the course of the long, sleepless night, JD had realized deep inside of himself that he couldn’t keep quiet. Both criminal organizations were known for their brutal handing of anyone who interfered with them, but he couldn’t allow what was happening to continue, he had to do something before innocent lives were lost. His mind made up, JD had gone in early to work the next morning and quietly gathered all the evidence he could lay his hands on together before leaving the office and going straight to the FBI.

He remembered being more scared by the feds than he had been while sneaking around at work, sitting there in the stark white interrogation room with the knowledge that behind the two-way mirrors suspicious strangers were observing him, trying to make up their minds what to do with him. He’d gotten nervous enough to start wondering whether coming to the FBI had been a good idea when the small room’s single door had opened to admit two grave-faced men, but strangely enough JD felt a sense of calm settle over him before they’d said a word and he’d known that with these two he was safe. That had been his first meeting with Agents Standish and Tanner – Ezra and Vin, now – and they had more than proved over the past few weeks that he’d been right to trust them so completely.

JD’s attention was jerked back to the present when he heard Ezra curse, but he barely had time to lift his head again before the world upended itself, throwing him against the Explorer’s unyielding roof. And then there was nothing but darkness.

The black Lexus stopped beside the spot where the vehicle they’d been chasing had crashed through the guardrail and two men got out, one a tall older man with gray hair that gave him a distinguished appearance and the other a smaller, younger weasel of a man whose brown hair was so dark as to be almost black. The older man opened a cigarette case and extracted one slim white stick, lighting it with a casual flick of his lighter as they approached the edge and looked over it to see what had become of their prey. The glowing red tip of the cigarette provided an eerie counterpoint to the flat, dead blue of his eyes as he surveyed the scene below him with obvious pleasure.

The twisted remains of the Explorer lay on its semi-crushed roof, the wheels still turning as a small tentacle of black smoke trickled up into the air. One body lay face down in the dirt not far from the wreck, unmoving, while another was sprawled brokenly halfway out of the crumpled vehicle. The older man’s voice stopped his younger companion before he could start making his way down the steep slope. “Let’s get going. If they’re not already dead they will be soon enough.”

The younger man took one last look over the side, shrugged, and then returned to the still-running Lexus. The black sedan moved off down the mountain road at a more sedate rate than the one it had been setting earlier, just another car making its way down the twisting pass now that their business had been completed.

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JD lifted his head from the ground and blinked fuzzily at the wrecked Explorer, swiping blood out of his eyes as he saw that the vehicle was on fire. Knowing that he was the only one who could help his two friends, he forced himself to his feet and staggered across the short distance to fall to his knees beside Vin’s body. Barely taking time to check to see if the agent was alive, JD slipped his arms around the unconscious man’s chest and pulled, lurching backwards until he thought they were far enough away. Then depositing Vin as carefully as he could on the hard ground he went back for Ezra.

JD grasped the door that Vin had been hanging out of and prayed that it would open, and after some frantic tugging his prayer was answered and he was able to crawl inside the vehicle, ignoring the broken glass and choking gasoline fumes. Ezra was still hanging from his seatbelt, but his eyes were open and he blinked dazedly at his rescuer. “JD…Vin…”

“I’m going to get you out of here, Ezra,” JD swore. “I got Vin, now I’m gonna get you.”

Ezra blinked again. Something was wrong, he knew, something had gone very, very wrong. There was a crushing weight growing in his chest, making it hard to breathe, and he could smell smoke…oh god, he was dying, that was it, and the smoke meant the Explorer was on fire and JD was in here tugging at the seatbelt trying to free him…he had to get the young man to leave him. “JD, no … I’m dying … get out … while you can.”

JD ignored him. Using his shoulder to brace Ezra’s body, he released the catch on the seat belt, the sudden weight of the other man falling onto his own battered body making him cry out in spite of himself. He pushed the pain aside, though, and dragged Ezra out the way he’d come in through the warped and twisted passenger door. Once free of the Explorer JD hauled Ezra’s arm over his shoulder and got them both to their feet, half dragging the injured man to the safe spot where he’d left Vin. They had almost made it when the explosion flattened them both.

When JD lifted his head again, the first thing he saw was a pair of pain-filled blue eyes looking back at him. He forced himself to his hands and knees and began to check over the unmoving man, apologizing for hurting him as he tried to figure out how to straighten the unnaturally twisted lower limbs, and he started when Vin’s shaking hand put a stop to his efforts. “Kid …there’s nothing you can do for me. My back’s … busted up, I can’t feel anything.”

Ezra by this time had dragged himself to his lover’s side, touching Vin’s hair gently before reaching out to cover the other man’s grasping hand with his own. “JD, you have to … get out of here,” he gasped, ignoring the trickle of blood escaping from the corner of his mouth. “They might …. be on their way back …. just to make sure.”

JD shook his head, and the Southern agent’s grip slid up to tighten painfully on his arm. “JD, Vin and I…are dying. There is nothing you can do. You have to…get out of here. You are … the only one who can … testify and … bring these bastards … to justice.”

JD shook his head again, determine not to believe what he could see for himself was the truth. “No, you need me! I’ll go get help, you’ll be fine...”

Vin suddenly found himself distracted by something that appeared behind JD, something that couldn’t be what he thought it was. He closed his eyes and shook his head to dispel the unlikely vision, then opened them again to look up into the jade green eyes of the gold dragon that was looming over them. Two more dragons appeared next to it, one silver and one black, all three looking down at him curiously. Vin opened and closed his mouth several times before he got anything to come out. “Uh … JD,” he managed, his eyes never breaking contact with the gold dragon’s as he tried to push the younger man away and force himself upright at the same time, not wanting to just lie there while the dragon tried to eat him. “Don’t look back … you need to run.”

Ezra reacted to the panic in his partner’s voice and rolled over onto his back only to find himself staring right into the curious golden topaz eyes of a black dragon and lay there paralyzed with shock and wonder at the beautiful sight. JD, on the other hand, yelped in surprise when he turned and came face to face with the blue-eyed silver dragon and managed to trip on a rock in his attempt to jump back, ending up sitting flat on the ground and staring up at the fabled creature. The dragon, to his surprise, jerked back startled as well, turning it’s head first one way and then the other as it looked over the curious creature sprawled at its feet.

JD swallowed part of his shock and asked in a shaky voice, “Are you going to eat me?”

The dragon just blinked at him, and then all three dragons pulled back from the strange looking creatures that they had found, keeping watchful eyes on them while they silently talked among themselves. **// T’niv are these humans? //** the gold dragon asked his mate.

The black dragon known as T’niv gave a fluid reptilian shrug. **// I think they are Sa’rze, but I’m not sure.//**

The silver dragon, the youngest of the three, was keeping one eye on the creature that had tried to communicate with him. **// They are the ones. //**

This started the two older dragons. **// Are you sure Dn’hoj? //**

Dn’hoj turned his laughing blue eyes meet theirs. **// Yes. Can’t you feel it? They the other half of ourselves. Our search is finished. //** And with
that he turned back to the human that still sat looking up at him. But as he leaned forward the human jerked back in fear, and the silver dragon paused, considering. Then realizing that because he was towering over the smaller creature it might think he was about to kill it, he slowly lowered himself so that they were on the same level before cautiously stretching his neck forward so he could sniff at his other self.

JD jerked backed again as the dragon sniffed him, but when the creature didn’t immediately try to eat him he reached out very hesitantly to touch the dragon’s snout. It was like touching a fantasy made of flesh, as soft as silk but as hard as steel, and JD forgot his fear as he explored. The dragon, for his part, seemed distressed by the blood that was still oozing from JD’s head wound, and extended his forked tongue to gently lick it off the side of his face.

JD couldn’t help but giggle when the huge creature began to lick his face like a giant dog, and when his happy brown eyes met the equally happy blue orbs of the dragon something seemed to click. In that instant both JD and Dn’hoj shared every dream, every desire, everything that the two of them were, and in a rush of joy the two beings happily merged into one soul.

Dn’hoj became as transparent as smoke and flowed into the smaller human body, and JD fell to the ground as power ripped through him. He could feel his body adapting to accommodate the dragon, and somehow knew that once the change was complete he and Dn’hoj would be able to shift between their two forms at will. There was no real pain in the changing, but fear surfaced in JD that he would cease to be himself once the merge was completed.

Dn’hoj sensed his other self’s fear and with extreme gentleness enfolded the frightened human’s soul with his own, allowing JD to see that his fears were groundless; over many years they would slowly merge into one being, but that would be the result of centuries if not millennia of being joined. Then he explained the changes that were taking place in their now-shared body, the addition of the dragon’s self-healing abilities, its strength and speed and its infinitely longer life span. And by joining with JD, Dn’hoj would finally be able to breach the barrier between himself and his magic.

JD relaxed again, and he opened his mind to his other self and explained about his world and the creatures that inhabited it while Dn’hoj at the same time showed him the universe in all its glory. It made JD feel cherished beyond measure to know that Dn’hoj had been waiting for nearly a thousand lonely years to find him, the one person who could become his bonded dragon kin. And once the merge was completed JD/Dn’hoj looked up at his littermates through human eyes and smiled, reaching out to pet them as they lowered their huge heads to gently caress their friend in his new form.

JD’s smile suddenly vanished as he remembered that his two friends were gravely hurt. Rushing to the two injured men he dropped to his knees beside them and again reached out to touch, but the humans’ skin was cold and clammy and neither one responded to him. Dn’hoj screamed mind to mind what was happening to the other two dragons. **// Sa’rze, T’niv, they are dying! You have to merge now or lose them forever! //**

The two dragons moved quickly, each going to the one that had called his soul. Gently they leaned down to sniff and lick their damaged other selves before making contact with the two dying humans’ minds.

Vin gasped as the flash of gold pierced the fog that was overtaking his mind and he absorbed all that Sa’rze was. The love the gold dragon held for its mate matched the love that he felt for Ezra. He saw how Sa’rze had fought to make the other dragons realize that not all Black dragons were evil and that even the Golds could fall pray to the darkness that existed in all creatures. And he saw that the gold dragon had a code of honor much like his own, as well as a commitment to his mate and his friends that could only be broken by death. With a sigh, Vin happily relaxed into the change and embraced the other side of himself, knowing that their merging was as right as loving Ezra was.

Ezra also saw himself in the being that was merging with him, saw the distrust that other races of dragons had for the Blacks and how much it had hurt T’niv to be shunned by their society – all except for the most valiant of the dragons, Sa’rze. Sa’rze saw in him someone who deserve a chance and fought to see that he got it. The Gold was also the one who had showed him what it meant to be loved and cherished. Their life-mating had shocked the entire dragon nation but neither dragon had cared, for they had found in each other what they both needed to be whole. And T’niv would see that the human had also known scorn but had continued to fight for the light against all odds until he found Vin, first as a friend and then as a mate. Ezra and T’niv merged their shared pain and joy, both happy to have found an ally who would help protect those that they loved.

JD/Dn’hoj had moved aside to wait and watch as the two dragons embraced his dying friends, hoping it was not too late. Both men’s bodies convulsed as broken bones and damaged organs were repaired and he clenched his fists to keep himself from reaching out to comfort them, knowing that his littermates were there to shield their humans from the pain and didn’t need him to interfere and disturb them. But the worry didn’t leave his blue-tinged brown eyes until Ezra/T’niv opened his own golden topaz-tinted green ones and got shakily to his feet before helping Vin/Sa’rza to stand as well. Both newly-merged beings then turned to smile at him, and with a glad cry JD/Dn’hoj rushed into their welcoming embrace.

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Outside of the Danse Macbre the pounding beat of the music pouring past the club’s containing walls lent its rhythm to the movements of the assorted throng who were making their way up and down the brightly-lit blood district in search of fun and excitement. Some might find more than they bargained for; inside Macbre looked like any other dance club in North America…except for the fact that those normal and supernatural mixed freely on the dance floor and at the bar.

Chris Larabee, the Master of Dallas looked around at the mixed crowd and wondered how the hell Buck talked him into coming. He was just too bloody old to be here and should be at his hotel trying to relax from the meeting he’d had earlier with the other City Masters, but instead Buck just had to go out to find some ‘nice companionship’ and wouldn’t take no for an answer. All Chris had wanted to do this evening was to have a quiet night in his suite and watch the Texas-Oklahoma game he’d taped earlier before turning in for the day. A thin smile appeared on Larabee’s face as he though about what the other masters would think of him watching TV, and a human sporting event at that. More than likely they would think him mad, all except for Jean Claude, but why live in the uncomfortable past instead of in this wonderful day and age? The pursuits of humans could benefit their kind as well. The Master of Dallas couldn’t help be a little smug at the millions his clan had made investing in such inventors such as Edison, Ford and Gates. The Ash’man clan might be small compared to some of their venerable counterparts in Europe, but they were probably one of the most influential and wealthiest vampire clans in the world.

Chris started to wonder where Buck had gotten to and finally spotted his old friend in the center of a group of very attentive wereleopards. The Master smiled into his glass of blood wine when he saw that Buck had one arm around a beautiful female and the other around an equally beautiful male. Chris paused to scan the young male, admiring the calf-length red hair, lithe body and breathtakingly beautiful face dominated by unusual lavender eyes. But he sighed and shook his head when his friend deeply kissed first one attentive wereleopard and then the other; it looked like Buck had found two more strays. Chris wondered how he was going to talk Anita Blake into allowing him to take two of her pard back to Dallas with them.

Thinking about the cold, hard woman he’d met during the first meeting with the St. Louis Master made him wonder if there was some sort of mold that all Executioners were made from – if it weren’t for the fact that Nathan Jackson was a tall black man, you would think that he was a clone of Anita. Jackson was a little more standoffish, but that could be because Blake was part of the Triumphed with Jean Claude and that Ulfric, Richard something or other. Chris knew that the other masters were interested in duplicating the power that the St. Louis Triumvirate had, but just the thought of being linked to Jackson made him shudder in distaste.

Chris snarled as his mind went full circle and brought back the matter that had all the masters in North America worried – worried so much that they’d overcome their distrust of each other and held this meet in St. Louis to discuss the fact that the Europe-based Vampire Council had decided to come to America after 225 years. There was no doubt as to why the Council was coming: they were coming to decide if they should allow the Triumvirate to continue - under their power – or to destroy them and any Master who might conceivably challenge them for control of the supernatural world. Chris could barely control his anger as he thought of the Council, one specific member in particular, for they were the ones who had backed the sentence of death on his beautiful childe Adam and his human servant Sarah…all because he’d rejected Belle Morte’s offer to share her bed.

A deep voice cut through the surrounding noise to gain the master vampire’s attention. “Chris, is everything all right?”

Chris looked up into the blue eyes of his head of security, Josiah Sanchez, and saw honest concern there. Taking a firm grip on his emotions, he managed a slight smile for the older vampire. “Everything is fine Josiah. Just thinking of Belle Morte.”

The ancient blue eyes hardened, and Josiah gave a quick nod before turning his attention back to the room, keeping an eye out for any danger. Chris relaxed a little more in his chair as he remembered how Josiah appeared to help he and Buck take revenge on Morte by killing one of her children – the very childe who had killed the family he’d loved so much. He wondered idly what Ella’s face had looked like as she burned to nothingness in the rays of the rising sun. The Council should have known better than to attack the head of the Ash’man clan, but they’d thought they could get away with it because Larabee’s clan was so small; they’d forgotten that the Ash’mans were not only day walkers but also judicators, and they’d paid for their overconfidence with the lives of those sent to avenge Morte’s childe.

Chris knew that as the sole acknowledged head of the Ash’man clan he could demand and gain a seat on the Council, but like the founder of their line he didn’t like the high-handed politics and grasping greed of the Council. For a moment Chris wondered if the founder of their clan was still around, and if he would approve of the way his descendant was running things. All that was known of their clan’s founder was that he’d been titled ‘The Preacher’ and had disappeared over 2000 years ago before he was turned, in protest over a decision of the Council’s.

Sensing someone’s approach, Chris looked up to see Buck making his way towards him with the two wereleopards he’d claimed cuddling close to his sides. Before he got to the booth, however, Buck placed a gentle kiss on the young male were’s forehead and then repeated the gesture with the female before giving them each a playful pat on their rears to send them back to play with the others of their pard. Chris sighed again; he was definitely going to have to have a talk with Anita.

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Three men moved quickly down the crowded sidewalk of the St. Louis blood district, doing their best to lose themselves in the busy throng. Vin’s blue eyes constantly scanned the way ahead keeping a firm hand on JD’s arm as he looked for some place they could hide from the killers trailing them. It wasn’t helping things that the vampires and weres around them sensed something alien about them and instinctively drew away, defeating their bid for invisibility in the crowd. For the hundredth time he wondered how the hell the hit men could have found out they were alive in the first place, let alone trailed them to St. Louis.

Ezra was looking back over his shoulder and spotted the four men that they had picked up on their way back from making arrangements to travel to New York for the start of the trial. “They’re still there.”

JD noticed that they stopped in front of one of the larger and busier clubs on the street and got an idea. He tugged on Vin’s arm to get his attention. “How about losing them in here?” he suggested, raising his voice to make himself heard over the music pouring out of the club. “We can go in the front and lose them in the crowd before taking off through one of the other exits.”

Ezra met Vin’s eyes and nodded; it made sense. The three men ducked inside the club’s studded red entrance, paid the entrance fee and told the check girl who asked that they weren’t carrying any weapons that could hurt any of the more supernatural guests. She scanned them with the spell to make sure, and then welcomed them inside and told them to have a wonderful time at the Danse Macabre. Easing their way into the crowd, they soon found themselves crossing the packed dance floor, drawn into the pulsing rhythm by the tight press of the other dancers but unable to enjoy it as the crowd kept them from seeing if they’d been followed into the club. Keeping the best watch they could, the three men aimed for the only dark corner in the club.

Chris was laughing at one of Buck’s stories when he noticed the three men cutting through the crowd, heading in their direction. His bluish-green eyes looked appreciatively over the tall slender man in the lead before he saw the younger man the dangerous beauty was protecting and froze. In the dim light of the club the young man looked almost like…

Buck saw the shocked expression and his friend’s face and turned to look himself, blinking at the dark-haired young man being protected by two gorgeous older men with an air of danger about them. At first he too gasped in shock at the young man’s appearance, but he quickly realized that it was just a passing resemblance and that he wasn’t looking at Adam. This young man was a little older than Adam had been when he was turned, as well as being shorter and having a stockier, more muscular build. And the eyes scanning the crowd of dancers so nervously were a deep, soft brown instead of sparkling green. He was just about to comment when he realized Chris was still fixated on the young man. But surely Chris could see that it wasn’t Adam, so why was he still staring? The Master of Dallas had an expression on his face that was at once puzzled and wondering, a look Buck couldn’t interpret. After a long moment, he took the bull by the horns and just asked. “Chris, what is it?”

That got Josiah’s attention. Chris shook his head but didn’t take his eyes off the three approaching men. “There’s something…different about them. They’re nervous, but not because of anyone here around them. Something’s following them, they’re making for the shadows over here to hide.”

Buck returned his attention to the three men, but Josiah immediately focused on the club’s entrance and saw four men push their way inside, ignoring the young woman who was trying to stop them. The ancient vampire had come across their type before over the centuries, and he paused to wonder if there was some sort of mold for these types where they were turned out like some assembly line product. Snorting at the whimsical thought, he moved a couple of steps forward and prepared himself to meet them if they got this far. The three they were chasing approached him and he moved slightly to allow them to pass, his eyes widening as he recognized the aura of power about them. A small smile twitched at his lips; something far older and stronger than anyone here had ever seen was among them this night, inexplicably seeking protection. This could get interesting.

JD followed Vin past the man on the stairs, his attention focused on the shadows as he tried to spot a back door, but before he knew it he had tripped over some invisible obstacle on the dark carpeting and stumbled into the arms of a man who had just risen from the shadows of a nearby booth. Embarrassed at his clumsiness he tried to disentangle himself only to find that the man wasn’t letting him go, and the apology he’d been stammering out died on his lips as he looked up into the man’s piercing green eyes. Those eyes offered him things, made silent promises to him, and JD forgot all about moving out of the man’s hold.

Chris, for his part, was finding himself both calmed and aroused on a primal level by the young man’s scent, the animal side of the vampire within him fighting the chains that usually held it in check, howling with desire to explore that spicy, inviting scent and mark its bearer as his own. He tightened his arms around the young man protectively, possessively, pulling him back to the booth and down into his lap as he reclaimed his seat. Beautiful brown eyes pierced by flashes of blue locked with his, gentle and loving and so full of life…tenderly the Master of Ash’man clan reached up to gently touch the young man’s soft cheek, delighting in the smooth warmth beneath his fingertips.

Ezra was ready to go to JD’s aid when the man who rose out of the shadows caught him and pulled him back to the booth, and before the FBI agent could reach for his gun he found his hand caught and moved away from the weapon as a strong arm wrapped around his chest and pinned him firmly against a much larger body. Another large man had similarly captured Vin. “Now son, don’t be hasty,” a deep voice purred in his ear. “Company is coming this way, wouldn’t want to cause a scene.”

Ezra twisted to look and saw the four hit men heading for the corner and froze in panic. Josiah took advantage of his distraction to swing Ezra around and found himself looking down into the most beautiful pair of green eyes he had ever seen, the color reminding him of a piece of sacred jade he had seen in a Chinese temple once. Suddenly, though, the green flashed out and was replaced with gold-shot topaz as something far more ancient than himself evaluated him, determining if he was a threat. The decision was mutual. Josiah released the man he was holding and pushed him toward the booth, nodding to Buck to do the same with his captive. “You and your friend can hide under there,” he said. “We’ll take care of this problem for you.”

Ezra had seen far more than Josiah had, thanks to T’niv. On his own he might have wondered why these creatures of the night would be willing to helping them, but thanks to the dragon’s insight he knew that this vampire was a man of both honor and courage, a man who recognized their pursuers for what they were and was willing to help. Giving the old vampire a quick nod of agreement and thanks, and Ezra dropped to his knees and crawled into the pitch-blackness under the table with Vin right behind him.

Chris, meanwhile, had recovered enough from his strange reaction to the young man on his lap to react to the situation. “Relax and play along,” he said softly, pulling JD around so he was straddling his lap and then quickly stripping him out of his jacket and shirt. Chris then encouraged JD to lean into his embrace, wrapping one arm firmly around the young man’s waist and nuzzling the slender neck while whispering in his ear, “Just relax and hide your face. Nothing will happen.” He felt a slight nod, and then JD had nestled into the juncture between the vampire’s neck and shoulder and Chris’ nostrils were filled with his spicy scent that for some reason now meant ‘home’ to him.

Buck and Josiah had moved to stand in front of the table, providing a formidable barrier against the approaching thugs, and Chris realized for the first time that the young man he was cuddling so close in his arms wasn’t quite human. As a matter of fact, he wasn’t like anything Chris had ever come across during almost 1800 years of existence. But his attention was soon drawn away from the curiosity by the young man’s heartbeat and the sound of the blood flowing beneath the fair skin. It called to him, tempting him to just sink his teeth into that inviting neck, but Chris resisted its siren song with the ease of long practice; one of the first rules every vampire of his clan learned was that it was not permissible to feed on a human without their consent. He indulged himself instead by starting suck and nibble on the soft skin over that tempting flow instead, knowing that even though he couldn’t mark the young man as a vampire he could make his claim visible for all to see.

JD relaxed into the erotic sensation the vampire was giving him, wrapping his arms around the strong back and threading the fingers of one hand up through the blond hair, applying a little pressure there to let the man know he wanted more. His lips parted in a gasp of pleasure as he felt pointed teeth rake across the side of his throat before giving a gentle pinch. Not enough to break the skin, just sharp enough to enhance his pleasure with a little thrill of danger. Then one of the hands holding him slipped downwards, dipping into the back of his black jeans to caress his cheek, and JD whimpered and couldn’t stop himself from rocking forward against the denim-encased hardness he could feel against his own, losing himself in his arousal.

The four approaching thugs had noticed the little commotion that had occurred in the shadowed corner at the top of the stairs, and even though they couldn’t see anything clearly they figured it had to be the men they were looking for. Their leader had gotten a good enough glimpse of three men outside on the sidewalk to feel that they had taken refuge inside the packed club, and so they had shoved their way inside in pursuit. Tuiz had ordered them to find and eliminate the two FBI agents and the witness, and nothing was going to keep them from doing it. If the men standing in front of the dark corner chose to get involved, that was just too bad.

It wasn’t going to come to that, though. Secure in his and his men’s ability to terrorize anyone who got in their way, the leader sneered at the two men guarding the shadowed table…that is, he was confident until the two men just smiled at him, revealing their fangs. A vampire wasn’t something they had bargained for; a vampire could tear them apart without even breaking a sweat. And two of them…

An annoyed voice cut through the loud music, sharp and authoritative. “Josiah, what’s the problem?”

The older vampire shifted slightly, and the leader of the thugs saw another man sitting in the protected booth with a half naked man all but writhing on his lap. Inhuman blood-red eyes locked with his and refused to release him, and a small, dangerous smile revealed yet another set of glistening fangs. Frozen in place, the thug could only stare, unable to force his eyes away to break the thrall of the vampire even as some small part of his mind screamed that it was far too late.

Chris looked deep into the mind of the human he’d enthralled and found, as he knew he would, that this man loved to prey on those weaker than himself, that he reveled in dealing out pain and death. The four of them were predators of the worst kind, and the master vampire wished that he could rip their leader’s throat out then and there as punishment for all the innocent lives they had so casually ripped apart. And at any other time he might have, but the young man whose soft, warm skin he’d been enjoying had started to kiss and then lick his neck and Chris quickly lost the desire to attack those who’d been tracking him.

Buck and Josiah exchanged sly grins, able to read Chris’ expression in a way the human strangers couldn’t and both happy that their leader might have found someone to help make the endless nights more bearable. The two of them quickly closed back in to block the four thugs’ view of their leader and showed their fangs again to encourage them to leave. Quickly.

The thugs drew their weapons and started to back toward the stairs, which they couldn’t get down fast enough. Their progress out of the building went from fast to panicked as they realized just what type of club they had entered; all around them, fangs were showing and eyes glowing as the vamps and weres in the crowd reacted to what they had sensed happening and moved the more fragile humans behind them, snarling at the four men in warning…while also managing to impede their progress enough to keep them from getting away before the police could be summoned.

Josiah followed them down, leaving Buck to guard Chris and the three men they were hiding, and he smiled as he watched the St. Louis police arrest the four terrified thugs and stuff them into the waiting patrol cars. Once the police had nervously taken a few statements and departed he returned to his leader and was pleased to see that Chris still was concentrating on the young man in his lap and that the other two men had stayed hidden. Josiah relieved Buck so that he could give them the all clear, and out of the corner of his eye watched them crawl from under the table and
stand up, amused when the one he’d captured earlier started to brush fussily at the seat of his pants before doing the same with the knees.

Buck leaned against the booth, his hand smoothing down his mustache as he tried to hide the large smile on his face while admiring the lovely rear view he had of the two men. He’d been too busy to notice when they’d first met, but it was obvious to him now that the two of them were lovers. He slowly looked them both up and down, admiring the long-haired man’s long legs and the smaller man’s well-developed chest and wondering if they liked to share or maybe might consider letting him watch…

Blue eyes suddenly locked with his, their cold warning glare putting to rest the idea of the man sharing his mate with anyone. Disappointed but unoffended, Buck met that hard gaze squarely before dipping his head slightly to let him know that the message had been received and accepted. Only then did the other man relax, and the vampire moved forward and held out his hand. “Name’s Buck Wilmington, second in command of the Ash’man clan,” he introduced himself. “That one watching the stairs is Josiah Sanchez, and the one who’s so taken with your friend there,” Buck grinned slyly, “Chris Larabee, Master of the Ash’man line and the City of Dallas.”

Vin shook his head. JD had started to nibble on the master vampire’s ear like it was the most delicious thing he’d ever tasted and he hadn’t eaten in over a week – or maybe a month, the way the kid was going at it. And the expression on Larabee’s face said he was enjoying it about that much himself. Vin shook Buck’s hand and returned the introductions. “Name’s Vin Tanner, FBI, and that’s my partner Ezra Standish.” Ezra, who was already deep in conversation with Josiah, looked over at the sound of his name and gave a brief nod which Vin answered with a smile before turning his attention back to the booth. “And the one who’s trying to suck your leader’s tonsils out is John David Dunne, JD for short. He’s a witness we’ve been trying to protect.”

Neither Chris nor JD had paid any attention to the introductions, both men completely lost in each other, and Buck and Vin ended up just standing there watching, not sure how to interrupt or even if they should. It was Ezra, seeing that if he left it was up to Vin and Buck they would never get out of the club, who took action. “Ohhhh, good Lord! Get out of the way!” he exclaimed, and shoving both men aside he reached out and forcefully dragged JD off the master vampire’s lap.

One minute Chris was exploring a mouth so sweet so warm that he thought he was in heaven, and the next heaven had been ripped away from him with a protesting moan and he sprang to his feet, snarling his rage at being denied what was his only to come face to face with a grinning Buck. “Well ol’ dog, what’s got your shorts in a knot?” his old friend chuckled, blue eyes twinkling with mischief and rubbing his chin as though trying to puzzle out the possible cause of such temper. “Can’t think what could be the problem…”

Sa’rze was telling him that they had nothing to fear from these vampires, and Vin’s sense of humor got the better of him. “Well Bucklin, maybe it could have been all that kissin’ and stuff him and kid were doing.”

Buck lit up even more; he’d found a playmate, someone who might be able to help him get Chris to enjoy himself more. Wrapping one arm loosely around the slightly smaller man’s shoulder he asked in a loudly conspiratorial whisper, “Do you think so?” He let his eyes drift down to linger assessingly on the bulge in his leader’s jeans and shrugged, grinning at Chris’ embarrassment. “You know, I think you might just be right.”

The Master Vampire sighed and rolled his eyes, realizing that he wouldn’t be hearing the end of this one any time soon. He’d never reacted to anyone like this before. He’d had other lovers since Sarah and Adam, but none of them had ever made him lose himself the way this young man had. Even now he was half-wild with desire to take his dark-eyed beauty back into his arms and finish what they’d started, even if that meant laying the young man down on the floor and taking him in front of everyone so that everyone would know he belonged to Chris.

To give himself time to get under control, Chris retrieved his mate’s shirt and jacket from where he’d tossed them earlier and handed them to the very attractive green-eyed standing behind Buck. Then he held out his hand. “Chris Larabee, Master Vampire of Dallas.”

Ezra passed the clothing to JD and then took the offered hand. “Ezra Standish, FBI. My partner Vin Tanner, and you’ve already met John Dunne, JD for short.”

JD blushed and kept his eyes down, fumbling with the buttons on his shirt until larger hands brushed his aside and calmly did the rebuttoning for him; the distance between them had become too much for Chris, and he didn’t want anyone else looking at what was his anyway. The shirt securely fastened, the master vampire helped JD on with his jacket and then wrapped one arm around his shoulders possessively and turned to face the others. “Gentlemen, I think we need to talk – but not here. Too many eyes and ears, I think we all want to keep this private. Let’s go.”

Ezra was tempted to say no, but these vampires had hidden them when they didn’t have to and T’niv insisted that they were trustworthy and even seemed to be intrigued by them. And to be honest, Ezra was just as curious about their rescuers as T’niv.

Seeing acceptance on the FBI agents’ faces, Chris ushered JD down the stairs and toward the exit. Vin and Ezra followed directly behind them while Josiah and Buck took up the rear, and as they crossed the dance floor the two weres Buck had attached earlier quickly fell in with them as well. Outside a limo was already waiting for them, and the group piled into its luxurious interior in silence before it pulled off into the waiting night.

---------------------------------------------------

Artist: Gowan
Song Title: Moonlight Desires

You've got ways
To take hold of my thoughts
Over-riding my senses
Lock your sights
Dead in line with your heart
Share your powers
You stir my soul
And whet my hunger
And weave that spell
That pulls me under

These moonlight desires
Haunt me
They want me, they want me
These moonlight desires
Haunt me
You're sending, you're sending

Secret fires
Burn inside me unknown
Raging on
Never mentionned
Only you
Can uncover the flames
Break their silence
And make them dance
For us to see them
And break their chains
And give them freedom

These moonlight desires
Haunt me
They want me, they want me
These moonlight desires
Haunt me
You're sending, you're sending
A wave over my mind
And I fall to it blind
You say:
Trust me
Moonlight Desires


END