Chapter 2

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 carnage. “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 nipple.

A sharp blade of hunger sliced through him at the very first prick of Gideon’s teeth. His cock 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.